Sussex Local Magazine Arundel - March 2020

March 2020

Arundel - Amberley - Fontwell - Ford - Slindon - Walberton - Yapton Local news and events through the door to 6,700 homes in this area every month

GIG BUDDIES Concert befriending scheme WIN!

Roachford Tickets

GARDENS Arundel Castle

HISTORY

Old village customs

NEWS

Charity, councils & schools

PLUS

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

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March 2020 Cover image Spring in Sussex

Welcome...

To March, we are a third of the way through the year and Spring is nearly here with warmer weather to look forward to. Keep our March What’s on guide to hand for lots of events and activities for all the family.

Our charity profile this month spotlights Gig Buddies, a befriending scheme for adults with learning disabilities and autism.

Pairing up music enthusiasts who may not be able to attend concerts on their own with “buddies” who share similar musical tastes means a great night out for both parties.

Andrew Staib visits the ’fairy tale’ gardens at Arundel Castle and takes tea with the head gardener. Plus the usual monthly tasks in our regular gardening feature.

You can win tickets to see legendary singer songwriter, Roachford perform in Brighton.

With platinum and gold selling albums and a career that spans two decades, Andrew Roachford is undeniably a prolific talent.

Our “Property Doc” looks at the invasive Japanese knotweed, how to identify and eradicate it and the damage it can wreak on property.

We also have a special education feature this month. If you’re considering a private school for your child, read our article from The Good Schools Guide.

Finally we hope you enjoy the monthly recipe and crossword and reading our regular history, health and motoring articles plus local community news.

Until next month,

Kris & Jeff

Quote of the month "Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there."

- WILL ROGERS Disclaimer - Whilst advertisements are printed in good faith, Sussex Local (Kay Publishing Ltd) is an independent company and does not endorse products or services that appear in this magazine. Sussex Local cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions or claims made by contributors. Views and opinions of contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher.

What's on WIN! Tickets to Roachford Schools news Education feature by The Good Schools Guide Young readers puzzles Local walks Charity & community news Health & wellbeing Yapton & Ford history Gig Buddies charity feature Prize crossword Recipe In Your Garden - Arundel Castle gardens Property Doctor - Japanese knotweed Motoring news Parish council news Arundel history 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.

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

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

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What’s On

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What’s On

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What’s On

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What’s On

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Competition

Roachford live in concert Legendary singer songwriter performs at Concorde 2, Brighton With platinum and gold selling albums, a career that spans two decades, ever since busting onto the scene with his first hit song cuddly toy and the last five years seeing him writing and singing on everything from top-five selling international dance tracks to cowriting and touring with Mike and the Mechanics, Andrew is undeniably a prolific and unique talent.

We have a pair of tickets available to see Roachford at The Concorde 2, Brighton on 5th April 2020 at 7.30pm. www.concorde2.co.uk

From the moment that Andrew Roachford found himself sitting at a piano aged four, music has been his way of making sense of the world. Growing-up in London around a vibrant melting pot culture, he was like a sponge absorbing diverse musical influences from reggae and punk, to rock, Jazz and soul music.

Andrew’s trademark has become his rare ability to put into words, feelings you didn’t even know you had. And over the years, anthems like ‘Only To Be With You’, ‘The Way I feel’ and “This Generation” to name but a few have done just that.

Win a pair of tickets to see Roachford To enter the competition answer the question below: Q: What age did Andrew Roachard start sitting at a piano ? a) 8 b) 10 c) 4 Send your answer and contact details to: Roachford Competition, PO Box 2237, Pulborough, RH20 9AH or enter online at www.sussexlocal.net/features/ competitions Winner drawn after 25th March 2020. Please indicate if you wish to remain on our mailing list.

Schools 11

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Amberley School Eco Council established

Terracycle into anything from a watering can to a playground. Purple bins are for air freshener, laundry and oral care plastic items and red bins are for crisp packets and biscuit and snack wrappers.

After an inspirational talk by Carrie Cort of Sussex Green Living, Amberley Primary School has established an Eco Council and has combined with local residents of Amberley Village to offer a single use plastic recycling facility at the school for the benefit of the whole village.

Single use plastics have become a menace to the environment and often cause untold stress and harm to wildlife with for example plastic rings from cans of drinks becoming trapped around animals’ necks.

The Eco Council has set up the single use recycling facility at the school and have already started to collect crisp packets from their lunch. I’m reliably informed that a number of teachers have been shamed by the number of crisp packets they have contributed personally!

No more sending to landfill, no more damage to the environment and wildlife these single use plastics can be recycled by

Purple and red recycling bins in the playground

Arundel C of E School

Indoor athletics

Indoor athletics success Following the success of our year 5 and 6 children at the locality indoor athletics, where they won every event, the team recently represented ACE at the southern area finals. Their performance was, once again, outstanding; every single member of the team tried their best and as a result they won many of the races.

Not only that, but the children showed true sportsmanship and good manners by congratulating their opponents and thanking all of the officials for their hard work. Overall we came 5th, which out of a total of 75 schools, is something we are very proud of.

Year 5 visit The Littlehampton Academy (TLA) for an art workshop The boys and girls in our year 5 class were very fortunate to have the opportunity to visit TLA to work with

Children learning about recycling

The children have been amazed to discover how much can be recycled and the initiative has accelerated their interest in taking care of our planet. Amberley Primary already has an amazing outdoor classroom, The Nature Space and a thriving Forest School so the introduction of the recycling facility is another piece of our environmental strategy. Amberley Primary is so privileged to be situated in the heart of the South Downs National Park and our children have full access to the delights of nature and our environment. www.amberley.w-sussex.sch.uk art specialists on a project linked to the book that they are currently reading, Skellig. The children had to design their own model Skellig and then use clay, paper, paint and wire to create their very own model.

Thank you to the staff at TLA for their hard work and effort in organising such a Skellig workshop fabulous workshop for the children.

Worship inspires Thomas Worship is an important part of our school day, and it is heart-warming when the positive impact it has on our children can be seen in their day-to-day lives.

Master Thomas in Year 1 wasn’t feeling very well recently, but still managed to make a difference to others. Thomas decided, after hearing a story in Worship about looking after our environment, that he would make a difference to his local area by clearing up some of the litter left by others. Great work, Thomas, and just imagine the difference it would make if everyone carried out an act like this. www.arundelchurchofenglandschool.org.uk

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Schools

Schools 13

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Choosing the best school for your child Advice from Janita Gray at The Good Schools Guide

Whether you’re looking for a day nursery, boarding school or sixth form, finding the school that is right for your child means lots of homework for parents. For most parents the school search starts with a browse through websites. Educational marketing is highly professional these days so be prepared for buildings that look like country house hotels, acres of playing fields, perpetual sunshine, high-tech laboratories, professional standard theatres and many, many grand pianos. After a while you may start to feel as though you have been assaulted, in the nicest

possible way, by a combination of Downton Abbey, Enid Blyton, Child Genius and the Olympics.

Some parents try reverse engineering to help them choose a school, starting with top universities and working backwards. They identify schools that send a large proportion of leavers to Oxbridge or Ivy League colleges and then register their child at linked or ‘feeder’ preps. It’s not uncommon for spreadsheets to be drawn up with every detail of a child’s educational future specified. Of course there’s nothing wrong with forward planning, but where’s the contingency? The plan B? After all, the baby whose future is being mapped out so meticulously may not have got the Oxbridge memo.

Parents’ educational experience, good or bad, will be hugely influential on any decision. Try writing down the things you liked and disliked most about the schools you attended and then think about these in the context of what you want for your child. You also need to think about whether you want co-ed or single sex education, any religious preferences and, for day schools, chapter and verse on bus routes and realistic travel times.

Look beyond league tables Many parents say they don’t want their child to go to an academic ‘hot house’. What they want is for their

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Schools

child to enjoy learning in an unpressurised environment. Oh, and by the way, they also want their child to get in to Oxford. Good Schools Guide advice is to ignore league tables and look at trends in exam results over a few years. If most of the children are getting A/A* with only a few Cs and Ds, think about how the child who got the C might feel.

Open days An open day is often the first contact parents have with a school in which they are seriously interested.

There’s no substitute for setting foot in a school – you may find that a place that looks perfect on paper just ‘feels’ wrong and you shouldn’t ignore this.

Try and attend the head’s talk. Prep school heads have your child’s future in their hands – you’re paying them to know your child, advise on the best senior schools and, if necessary, intervene on your child’s behalf if an entrance exam doesn’t go to plan.

In senior schools the head may be more of a figure head and most of your day to day dealings will be with tutors or housemasters, but the leadership of the school is still key to its ethos.

If you’re considering boarding for your child make sure you get a good look round. The norm is cabin beds, shared rooms until GCSEs, empty noticeboards in boys’ dorms and lots of bunting in girls’ dorms. Ask how many children stay in school after matches on Saturday. If nearly everyone else is going home it’s not much fun to be left behind – even if the school does lay on trips.

If you think you’ve found the perfect school then get yourself in the system as early as you can. Make sure you visit, register and pay the deposit in good time – for popular schools that can be several years in advance. You also need a back-up school (but don’t tell your child that this is what you’re calling it).

You should also be prepared for change. A new head or move from single sex to co-ed can have profound effects. And last but by no means least, there’s your child. He or she may turn out to have very different plans from the ones you have drawn up.

For more information, advice and school reviews visit: www.goodschoolsguide.co.uk

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Puzzles

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16 Walks

Local Walks - March

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 2nd Mon 2nd Wed 4th Wed 4th Thurs 5th Fri 6th Mon 9th Friday 13th Sun 15th Wed 18th Fri 20th Mon 23rd Tue 24th

Wed 25th

Sat 28th

Tues 31st

10.30am Shimmings Valley L: Gerald 1 hr 30 mins A little hilly to climb to Brinksole Heath Meet: Petworth Library, Rosemary Lane, High St, Petworth GU28 0AU 10.30am Chichester Canal L: Helen 30 mins A flat walk at a gentle pace, suitable for beginners Meet: Chichester Canal, Basin Road, Chichester PO19 8DT 10:30am Ham View Point L: Peter 2 hrs An easy flat walk. Mostly good paths but also crossing fields that will be muddy Meet: Pagham Harbour Local Nature Reserve car park, PO20 7NE 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 Chantry Hill L: Jane 2hrs 45mins No stiles but a hilly walk with some uneven ground. No dogs Meet: Chantry car park, Chantry Lane, Storrington, nearby postcode RH20 4AB 10:30am Salvington Hill L: Peter B 2 hrs Circular walk towards Findon with superb views Meet: Car park on the left at the end of Honeysuckle Lane, BN13 3BT 10.30am Chichester Canal L: Helen 30 mins A flat walk at a gentle pace, suitable for beginners Meet: Chichester Canal, Basin Road, Chichester PO19 8DT 10.30am Storrington L: Peter B 2 hrs 30 mins Hilly walk down into Storrington and return with super downland views Meet at Springhead/Kithurst Hill car park. Nearby postcode RH20 4HW 10:30am Slindon woods to folly L: Dominic 2 hrs Lovely views. Generally flat, gravel path. Some muddy areas Meet: National Trust Car Park, Dukes Rd, Slindon, nearby postcode BN18 0SL 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 1.00pm Petworth surgery walk L: Gerald 30 mins Flat walk at a gentle pace. A steady incline at the end. Dogs welcome Meet: Petworth Doctors Surgery, Grove Street, GU28 0LP 10.30am Chichester Canal L: Helen 30 mins A flat walk at a gentle pace, suitable for beginners Meet: Chichester Canal, Basin Road, Chichester PO19 8DT 11.00am Jubilee walk & south pond L: Harvey 30mins A flat walk at a gentle pace with a steady incline Meet: The Grange Leisure Centre, Bepton Road, Midhurst, GU29 9HD 10:30am Slindon L: Peter 3-3.5 hrs A longer strenuous walk with some steep gradients. Can be muddy Meet: National Trust Car Park, Park Lane, Slindon, nearby postcode BN18 0QY 10:15am Grayingwell L: Sarah 40 mins Meet : Outside the glass building looking onto Havenstoke Park Parking is very limited around the park. Nearby postcode PO19 6AB 10:30am Slindon Estate L: Simon 2 hr Passing through Slindon Estate on good paths with no stiles Meet: National Trust Car Park, Park Lane, Slindon, nearby postcode BN18 0QY

3 miles 1 mile 4.5 miles 2½ miles 6.25miles 3.5 miles 1 mile 4 mile 3.5 miles 5 miles 1 mile 1 mile 1 mile

7.5 miles

1.25 miles

4 miles

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Charity & Community

Sussex Snippets West Sussex families, friend and neighbours who are acting as unpaid carers will shortly be able to benefit from a range of discounts at local businesses and services with the new Carer Discount Card (CDC) from local Charity Carers Support West Sussex. For full details visit: www.carerssupport.org.uk Local charity, West Sussex Mediation Service, are celebrating their 20th anniversary. The charity helps people suffering conflicts in their lives find lasting solutions to their problems and specialises in resolving neighbour disputes and conflicts within families.

Most services are free of charge, so fundraising is important. This year they are holding an ‘Auction of Promises’. This is where individuals, or businesses can make a pledge of an item of value, an experience, or their skill or talent for an hour or two. Call 0300 200 0025 or email info@wsms.org.uk A group of 17 volunteers from the Heathlands Reunited project were highly-commended in the National Parks’ UK Volunteer Awards, which recognises outstanding volunteers across the UK’s 15 National Parks. For more details on volunteering please visit www.southdowns.gov.uk/care-for/volunteering-2 After being hunted to extinction in the 16th century, the Beaver is coming back to Sussex. A partnership led by Sussex Wildlife Trust and the rewilding project at the Knepp Estate near Horsham, is re-introducing two pairs of beaver in either late spring 2020 or in the autumn, in Knepp’s Southern Block.

West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service needs more retained (on-call) firefighters across the county particularly in East Grinstead, Turners Hill, Hurstpierpoint, Shoreham, Storrington, Petworth, Arundel and East Wittering. www.westsussex.gov.uk/fire.

West Sussex County Council Fostering Team run regular information evenings for those who might be considering fostering. You can come along and have your questions answered, meet some of the team and hear from foster carers who want to share their experiences of fostering. 033 022 27775 Kelp once stretched along 40 km of the West Sussex coastline from Selsey to Shoreham, forming an underwater forest that extended at least 4 km seaward.

It provided a vital sealife habitat and locked up huge quantities of carbon, helping us to fight climate change, while improving water quality and reducing coastal erosion by absorbing the power of ocean waves. But within living memory, kelp in Sussex waters has diminished to almost nothing due to trawling and the dumping of sediment spoils by dredging boats. To support the Help Our Kelp campaign and watch the film narrated by Sir David Attenborough, visit: sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/helpourkelp

The Sussex Pathfinders is an independent club with around 200 members, who share a common interest in walking for pleasure in the Sussex countryside, and beyond at weekends. Walks are not limited to Sussex as the club has an annual exchange visit with a French group, and also organises long distance walks and short breaks around the UK. Trips to Hadrian’s Wall and Derbyshire are planned for later this year. They also have occasional social events and visits to places of interest. For more details: www.sussex-pathfinders.co.uk or 07842 792962.

West Sussex Connect to Support have updated their website bringing together lots of information about • ways to remain independent at home • equipment to help you around your home • advice on improving your health and wellbeing • ideas for things to do locally • support for carers www.westsussexconnecttosupport.org. For help using the website, call Adults’ CarePoint on 01243 642121 or email socialcare@westsussex.gov.uk Sussex Police & Crime Panel members have backed the decision to increase the police precept by £10 per year (for an average Band D property). 66% of snap poll respondents supported the increase.

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Charity & Community

Busy year for Hamblin Centre

The Hamblin Centre, just outside of Bosham will be celebrating 2020 as the ‘Year of the Garden’ as it opens up its grounds as part of the National Garden Scheme. There are three open days, each celebrating a different flower. On 8th March the focus will be on the daffodils, on 14th June it will be the turn of the rose while on 19th July dahlias will take centre stage. Its three acres of beautiful gardens include a wildlife pond, a wildflower meadow and a rock garden. Boundary areas are left to nature providing a rich range of wildlife habitats. A biodiversity hotspot, the grounds also contain a wide variety of butterflies and moths as well as a huge range of other insect species. The Hamblin Centre is a place to regenerate, to learn and to unfold ones inner potential. Local people attend wellbeing workshops, talks or fitness classes, or visit for individual therapeutic treatment. Other people come to discover the Hamblin Centre’s tranquil gardens or to stay in one of the peaceful retreat lodges on site. www.hamblincentre.org.uk

Arundel Festival needs you!

Are you available between 21st – 31st August? Become an Arundel Festival volunteer and play a vital role in making the award winning festival shine even brighter! The organisers are now actively seeking new volunteers to support delivering Arundel Festival 2020 and assist in contributing to an established, exciting, community creative arts event. Volunteering is a wonderful way to meet new people, gain experience in the festival world and be an Ambassador for our beautiful town. If you have two hours or two days let them know your availability and competencies and they will find you a role. sharon@landonsounds.com

Charity seafront walk 14th March

The Aldingbourne Trust are inviting people to join their coastal charity walk on Saturday 14th March, where you can enjoy a beautiful eight mile walk along the seafront from Littlehampton to Bognor Regis.

The Trust now urgently needs to develop their private space for the adults with disabilities that they support. With over 60,000 visitors a year at the Country Centre it is important that there is a private area away from the general public for the people they support and train, spend their breaks, socialise with each other, receive advice and support.

The Charity Walk will help the Trust to raise these much-needed funds to provide this inclusive space for the people they support and enable the Trust to provide more spaces to support adults with learning disabilities and/or autism within West Sussex.

There is a fee of £10 per person to take part in the walk, which will go towards the Trusts current fundraising project.We would also welcome any additional fundraising through sponsorship and donations, if you would like any more information about how you can support their current fundraising project you can contact their fundraising team on 01243 544607 or lenar@aldingbourne.org. To register for the walk visitwww.aldingbournetrust.org/fundraising-events

Arundel Lido new changing huts Arundel Lido have raised over £34,000 to pay for new changing huts and a Toddler Play area, thanks to the generosity of 55 backers from the community.

The Duke of Norfolk and Earl of Arundel kindly donated £5,000 each and WSCC contributed £1,000.

Arundel Lido would like to thank all its supporters and suppliers, Roundstone Bespoke and Sovereign Playgrounds who will install this no-maintenance build and play area ready for the start of the 2020 season.

The summer season starts with free entry to everyone on Saturday 2nd May 2020 from 10am-7pm, and there is a Thai Food evening on 24th April. www.arundel-lido.com.

Community notices printed free of charge. Please send yours to info@sussexlocal.net

Charity & Community

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Scout group seeks volunteers Week by week, volunteers at 1st Barnham Scouts empower young people to learn new skills, make new friends and stand on their Barnham Cubs at own two feet. They’re eveBognor Fire Station ryday heroes. They shape young people’s lives for the better, and find out a whole lot about themselves in the process, too.

With three Beaver Scout Colonies, three Cub Scout Packs and two Scout Troops, the friendly team at 1st Barnham are kept busy, but it’s not always easy to keep up with the demand.

The team are currently seeking new volunteers to join them. Whatever your skill set, you could lend a hand for as little or as much time as you can spare. Whether you’re helping a leader to run an activity in the local park, organising a night away, or buttering 120 slices of bread for a group of very hungry beaver scouts – no two scout activities are the same. The Scouts provide training, so all you need to do is show up, get stuck in, and start making memories for life.

Extra help is currently needed with Beavers and Cubs on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in Barnham and Walberton and with behind the scenes tasks including book keeping and secretarial duties as part of the trustee committee. For more information contact Mark Guy join@1stbarnhamscouts.org.uk

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Arundel gets a PCSO In November 2019 Sussex Police reintroduced area coverage for Police Community Support Officers having withdrawn this in 2016.

Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Ollie Smith has been in post covering Arundel and Courtwick since November and has been in and around the town during the course of his duties since this time so if you see him, do go up and say hello. When they are not responding to incidents and assisting with emergencies, PCSOs main areas of responsibility are: dealing with anti-social behaviour including driving related, investigating low level crimes and visiting victims, safeguarding vulnerable people, gathering community intelligence, problem solving and providing reassurance and crime prevention advice.

You can contact Ollie via arun@sussex.pnn.police.uk.

Residents can also help by passing on any information, reporting crime and antisocial behaviour via 101, 999 or the Sussex Police website www.sussex.police.uk

Arundel Project update At the end of last year, 200 residents attended "Love Arundel? Let's talk!” meetings and posted 1,700 thoughts and ideas about the town. If you want to learn more about the project there is a resident debrief presentation at the Town Hall on Wednesday 1st April at 7pm. www.letstalkarundel.com

ALL FIVE SERVICES INSPECTED

BY CQC GOOD! I could tell you all about Woodlands House and its facilities as if I was describing a hotel, for example the beautiful individual rooms, the designer bathrooms, wi-fi, HD TV, telephones, spacious gardens, etc all of which Woodlands has!!!! However when I was searching for a room for my own Mother 5* GOOD AT EVERY LEVEL all those years ago I do not remember any of these concerns being uppermost in my mind. What I do remember is the fear of making the wrong decision, whether I was "doing the right thing...” remembering "Don't ever put me in an old peoples home"; but knowing in my heart and head that this was the very best decision I could make. What was so heart-breaking was the role reversal of taking and accepting the responsibility of making such a life changing choice on behalf of a loved one, and it was the hardest decision I had ever had to make.

Finding the type of care available within the many different homes is daunting in itself. Do I want a new large modern home with all the "facilities" bright walls, all new staff.. or do I want the home that offers the nearest possible likeness to a home? With familiar staff, many who have been at the same home for years and years with the maximum experience and ongoing training within that same home with a Manager who is in daily contact with every residents and staff?

Do I want to see every certificate for every course and pictures of member of staff because there are so many, or do I want to be greeted by the same team week in week out? These same staff knowing my loved one not only during the day but also at night, when they are alone and feeling lost? Knowing - without referring to records - that it's Horlicks and not chocolate that she will appreciate at 2am?

If you are thinking along these lines come and visit Woodlands House for a chat and feel the homely atmosphere for yourself. 5* GOOD AT EVERY LEVEL {CQC Inspection} Reviews on www.carehome.co.uk Oonagh Manager/Proprietor: email: house.woodlands@gmail.com or telephone: 01903 725458 or 07815 762623

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Health & Wellbeing

No food is ‘free’!

A calorie deficit is needed to move the scales

By Heather Smith

However you want to look at losing weight, one simple truth of any program which holds a chance of success is that a calorie deficit is required. There are a million ways to create a calorie deficit through either food or exercise, and there are a million ways to make it harder or easier through food choices and other habits. But the truth remains that a calorie deficit is required if you’re going to see the scales move.

If you’re eating a diet full of processed food, a simple change to eating what is considered by some slimming clubs as ‘free food’ is almost guaranteed to lead to weight loss. It should easily create a natural calorie

deficit, show you how much better you can feel when you’re eating a less processed diet and hopefully lead to long term adherence. This is of course, excellent news, and is my preferred first-step for clients coming from a place of little knowledge of nutrition.

Starting a weight loss plan when you already have a relatively healthy diet, however, needs a real life understanding of how these ‘free foods’ add up calorie wise. You could very easily already be eating mostly ‘free foods’ at the start of your weight loss plan, and this is when a true understanding of how to choose the right ‘free food’ becomes essential to unlocking further weight loss.

No matter how healthy a food is, if you’re eating too many calories, you simply won’t lose weight. This said, losing weight should never become a game of simple calorie counting, it should also include getting as many nutrients from as many real foods as possible in order to assist long term progress, adherence and health.

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

Legal

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Tips for the reluctant executor

by Steve Worsfold of Sussex Will Writers At Sussex Will Writers we encourage our clients to speak with the people they wish to appoint as executors in their Wills to inform them of their choice. However some people will one day find themselves surprised at finding they have been appointed without their knowledge or just forgotten about it! It is also likely to be the first time they have ever acted as an executor and the road ahead may look daunting. If you find yourself in this situation and don’t want to act, then there are a couple of options available to you.

One option is to keep on the role as executor but appoint a specialist as your attorney to apply for probate for you or assist you with the probate process. Fees will be payable out of the estate.

According to research carried out by the office of Tax Simplification last year, only 11% of respondents who did not use an adviser to assist with probate stated that they found the process simple and user friendly. 38% of respondents who did not use an adviser stated that they spent 50 hours or more on estate administration.

The other option is to renounce. An executor who doesn’t wish to act is not forced to. As long as you have not ‘intermeddled’ in the estate you can formally

step down. As this is a legal deed it should be drafted by a professional.

If there are other executors appointed, then they may carry on acting and apply for probate. If you were the only executor, then someone who is entitled to act will need to make an application to the court to be appointed as an administrator.

Call Sussex Will Writers for straightforward advice and a 10% discount for any probate work.

For more information call Steve Worsfold at Sussex Will Writers.

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History

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Ford Rail Bridges over the River Arun

By Allen Misselbrook, Yapton & Ford Local History Group As part of the expansion of the railway systems in England, the construction of the south coast railway section between Worthing and Chichester was completed in the mid 1840’s. The section between Worthing and Littlehampton opened in March 1846 while the single line section between Littlehampton and Chichester opened in June of that year. It was sometime later that the line to London via Arundel was built.

The major obstacle for the planners was how to cross the River Arun. The main stipulation insisted by the Admiralty was that a gap of 60ft must be obtainable for ships to pass up the river to the port of Arundel.

Two schemes were considered, one from John Eede Butt, an engineer and timber importer based in Littlehampton (Travis Perkins is the descendant of JEB’s company) whose proposal was for a swing bridge with a central tower in the middle of the river. The second proposal was by a railway engineer, John Rastrick, who proposed a telescopic design. The contract was awarded to Rastrick but the responsibility for its construction was given to Butt who was to build it from timber imported by himself into Littlehampton.

Rastrick’s design was 273 feet long with a removable section of track 144 feet long. Rising up from this section was a tower 34 feet high. To operate the telescopic bridge a 63-foot section of track on the eastern bank of the river was mechanically moved sideways on wheels to allow the centre section of the bridge to be wheeled backwards into the vacated space. It was claimed that two men and one boy could open the bridge in 5 minutes. As a safety precaution a speed restriction of 10 mph was placed on trains when crossing the bridge.

Ford Rail Bridge 1846 Original Opening Bridge - Illustrated London News

tion of line. The specification for this new bridge only required a gap of forty feet for shipping to pass through. If a report published in the West Sussex Gazette on the 31st July 1862 is to be believed, once the last train to pass over the old bridge ‘on Sunday last’, work started on diverting the tracks from the old bridge to the new bridge and was opened to rail traffic ‘on Sunday last’ in time for Goodwood Week. This seems an incredible feat if true.

Ford Rail Bridge 1864 Open-Tall-Boat

It took eight minutes to open the new bridge and, with the aid of gravity, only five minutes to close. That was only part of the story though because the bridge was used as the conduit for many pipes and wires crossing the river. Each one had to be disconnected and then reconnected every time the bridge was opened. Priority was given to river traffic and It was not unusual for railway traffic to be delayed for up to forty-five minutes each time the bridge was opened.

To make train drivers and ship’s masters aware of the situation at the crossing, a system of coloured flags and a mechanical semaphore system was devised. The sequence of operation for opening and closing of the bridge was strictly adhered to and was under the control of the Station Master at Ford. A register had to be kept recording when each element of the process had been completed.

Ford Rail Bridge 1908

The design of the bridge was quite adequate until the single line track was upgraded to two lines in 1857.

The bridge had to be replaced as it was no longer fit for purpose. A new, iron, bridge was designed by R. Jacomb Hood who was the Chief Engineer of the L.B. & S.C.R. and built by Henry Grissell of the Regent’s Canal Ironworks of London. The bridge was constructed alongside the original one in 1862. The design still required the centre section to be retracted but this time on an incline so that the ninety-foot long moveable part could ride up and over the fixed eastern sec-

During its busiest time the bridge was opened in the region of eighty times a year but as Arundel declined as a port the need to open the bridge reduced. One report claims that it did not open at all between the years of 1919 to 1928 This means of crossing the river continued in use until 1938, a period of seventy-six years, when, with the coming of the electrified line, the bridge was replaced with a fixed bridge over the River Arun.

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Charity Profile

Gig Buddies in Sussex Concert befriending scheme for adults with learning disabilities & autism by Lynn Smith For music fans seeing your favourite band or musician perform live has to be one of life’s joys. Imagine, though, the frustration if, just as the band got into its stride, you had to leave because your companion called time. Or, if you couldn’t be there in the first place because you weren’t able to travel and enjoy the gig unaccompanied. This is the situation that many music fans with learning difficulties or autism face.

However, there is a solution in Sussex thanks to local charity, Gig Buddies - a volunteer befriending scheme for adults with learning disabilities and autism, matching them with a volunteer sharing the same interests.

Music Gigs aren’t the only option …

Gig Buddies is not only about music. Malcolm Hill, the project coordinator for the charity in West Sussex, says that “It doesn’t have to be about music. We encourage people to define what the ’gig’ is for them. It could be playing or watching sport, going to the theatre, walking or going to museums.”

Gig Buddies is a project run under the umbrella of the charity Stay Up Late, which was formed in 2006 out of the experience of the punk band Heavy Load. Three of the members of Heavy Load had learning disabilities and they were tired of seeing fans leaving their gigs early due to their support staff working inflexible rotas. The band split after fifteen years but decided to set up Stay Up Late to continue their campaign. Gig Buddies was started by the charity in 2013 with the aim of supporting people with learning disabilities and/or autism to be less socially isolated and to give them control of their own lives, which would become healthier and more fulfilled as a result.

Apart from the occasional fundraising gig the charity does not organise gigs, as the intention is for people with learning disabilities to become involved in mainstream community life.

Finding your own Gig Buddy …

Anyone interested in finding a Gig Buddy can “selfrefer” by visiting the charity’s website or they can get help by asking a carer, support worker or family member to get in touch. The scheme is open to anyone with a learning disability and/or autism aged eighteen or over.

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Charity Profile

“We’re always happy to have a chat with people in the first instance to make sure that Gig Buddies is right for them.” says Malcolm Hill. “People tend to want a gig buddy to support them to get out to music events but not exclusively. Part of our role is to empower people to try new things so many of our gig buddy pairs go to the cinema, clubbing, theatre or even just an evening out to the pub. It’s entirely up to them what they want to do.”

Currently, there is a waiting list for buddies, partially due to funding constraints and also because the organisation prides itself upon the quality of its service and the care taken in matching individuals.

“Before I had a Gig Buddy I felt lost at the weekends.

I had never been to a gig but having a Gig Buddy has meant that I’ve discovered new music. It means that I can travel to places I couldn’t before. Once you start going out you are more able to do other things. It improves your confidence.” A Gig Buddy participant.

As project coordinator Malcolm Hill’s role is to recruit, train and match volunteers with their Gig Buddy. “I then provide ongoing support and supervision to ensure the match is going well and iron out any issues that might arise.” The project is short of volunteers across West Sussex, and Malcolm is particularly keen to find volunteers in Chichester, Worthing and Crawley.

What does it take to be a Gig Buddies volunteer?

Volunteers can come from any background and, Malcolm explains, no previous experience is required.

“Ideally they will have an interest in music and/or the arts and be willing to give up around six to eight hours a month to meet up with their buddy.”

“Friendly and positive attitude with the ability to build up a rapport with their buddy are the main attributes we look for.”

Additionally, all volunteers are DBS checked and fully trained before being matched with a participant.

Training is given at Gig Buddies’ offices in Portslade, with training sessions taking place each

month, on a Saturday between 10am - 3pm. The training covers an introduction to learning disabilities, communication, safeguarding and “what to do if” scenarios. For Malcolm, the beauty of the volunteering opportunity is that it can be fitted around a person’s existing commitments.

Clearly the process of matching buddies is key to the scheme’s success, and Malcolm says that, “Where possible we match people based on where they live and what they are interested in doing. Ideally people will be attending events that they would have been likely to go to anyway – although a willingness to try new things is never a bad thing!” As Gig Buddies is all about developing friendship and expanding an individual’s social circle and informal support networks, the project does not provide volunteers on a one-off gig basis.

Funding Gig Buddies …

As with the majority of charities, Gig Buddies relies upon funding to keep them afloat. Gig Buddies is a free service but does expect a participant to pay for their own event tickets and travel costs. Volunteers

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30

Charity Profile / Finance

are reimbursed for their expenses, and their gig tickets can also be reimbursed up to £10. Malcolm runs the project in West Sussex and is paid on a three day a week basis. In terms of funding, West Sussex County Council funds the charity to provide the Gig Buddies scheme across West Sussex. Additional funding has come from the Big Lottery and donations from private individuals. Although, there are no fundraising events in the pipeline at the moment, Gig Buddies would appreciate any offers of support. Past fundraising events include - organising fundraising gigs at the Komedia in Brighton and Resident Records in Brighton donating the monies raised by sales of their carrier bags – which totalled £1,154 last year. The charity

also has supporters who regularly run an ‘open garden’ throughout the summer to help raise funds.

How Gig Buddies can transform lives …

Malcolm Hill tells me of Gig Buddies David and Mark.

David was matched with his Gig Buddy volunteer Mark in June 2019. “When David applied to have a Gig Buddy he was isolated and had very little in the way of a social life. He told me that he had never seen a live band and never went out with friends.” In just three months following his match with Mark he had been to three live gigs, attended a social where he met and befriended others in the gig buddy ‘community’ and signed up for an art class and the gym. “David is an example of how with a little bit of encouragement and support lives can be transformed in ways which may have seemed unlikely after years of isolation and demotivation.”

For more information visit: www.gigbuddies.org.uk Stay Up Late; email: info@stayuplate.org or you can telephone: 01273 418102

How to lose more money at investing

By Richard Cohen FPFS ACII MCSI Chartered Financial Planner This month we’re going to look at how fixating on the wrong things can help you to lose money.

Fixating on the short term makes investors prone to forgetting the bigger picture and making unwise investment decisions. With round the clock news and 24 hour trading it’s easy to jump on every piece of information and use it to make investment decisions.

In practice, most day to day news is noise and has little impact on the long-term prospects for an investment. At the market level, missing the financial times stock exchange (FTSE) 100’s best 30 days in the past 30 years would turn a 1200% return into a 270%.

Fixating on a particular investment or type of investment regardless of market conditions is an effective way of disregarding risks and losing money. It can lead to narrow portfolios which increases your chances of severe losses. A typical example of this is where people invest all of their money in a buy to let close to where they live and already have their home. They have a belief that property, and specifically property close to them, is the best investment out there. They disregard the wider market, the tax implications and other investment opportunities because they are fixated on the market in which they are already invested.

Fixating on a particular price without any research can stop rational decisions and in turn help you to lose money.

Often people have bought an investment and won’t sell it for less than the amount they paid or where it has risen then fallen, won’t sell for less than the previous high. They set this price target regardless of whether things have fundamentally changed with that investment. A good example of this is bank shares. During the financial crisis, rightly or wrongly, the Government invested heavily into the banks “diluting” existing shareholders, i.e. they owned a much smaller share of the bank than they previously did. This means the company needs to be worth many times more than it previously was for the share price to reach its previous high. The investor has no rational reason to believe it’s worth that much, its only that they want it to.

By contrast to the above, fixating on your long-term goals, with regular structured reviews, can help drive behaviours that reduce your chances of losing money.

For more details visit www.nsurefinancial.co.uk or to arrange a free review please call 01903 821010.

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32 Crossword

Prize Crossword

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Arundel Mar 2020

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

Across 6 Swathed (8) 8 Ho-hum (2-2) 9 Place in the earth (5) 10 Compel (6) 11 Warwickshire town sounds short of food (8) 12 Programming problem (3) 14 Colour changer (3) 15 Price of admission (5,3) 16 Run off the track (6) 18 Labour party? (5) 19 Sound of a strong wind (4) 20 White Sea turns stormy, just like that (4,4)

Down 1 On the way out (8) 2 Tasty tuber (4,9) 3 Custom-based rule (9,3) 4 Where cars are made (8,5) 5 Very short time, for short (4) 7 Breaks down (12) 13 How seasickness suffers are sometimes said to look (8) 17 "Odours of --- and offerings divine" (R Heber) (4)

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

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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: 31st March 2020.

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Recipe

Stuffed Breast of Lamb Slow cooker winter dish

This cut has gone out of fashion as it needs slow gentle cooking, ideal for a slow cooker of course, but also seriously economical and delicious.

Ingredients (Serves 4 - 6) Cook time: 90 mins • 2 breast of lamb (boned) • 1 small onion, finely chopped • 2 cloves garlic, crushed • 1tbsp sunflower oil • 150ml stock • 50g red lentils • 1/2 packet of sage and apple stuffing mix • 1 apple, grated • Salt and black pepper

Method 1.Slightly overlap the lamb to make an even rectangle.

Sprinkle with seasoning. Fry the onion and garlic gently in the oil until just tender.

2.Stir in the stock and lentils and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, leave to stand for 10 minutes. Heat the oven to 160C/325F/gas Mark 3.

3.Make up the stuffing mix as directed and mix in the

lentils, apple and seasoning. Spread evenly over the first third of the lamb and roll up neatly to enclose all the filling.

4.Tie firmly with string at several intervals. Brush all over with oil and sprinkle with seasoning. Cover and roast for 1 hour, then uncover, baste or brush with more oil and continue cooking for another 15-20 until the skin is crisp and the meat is tender.

Serve thickly sliced, with green vegetables, roast potatoes and a light cider gravy.

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

Contact Alex 01243 532240 www.cookwithalex.co.uk

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36

Gardening

In Your Garden Monthly gardening ideas and tasks

by Andrew Staib, Principal Designer of Glorious Gardens Fairy Tale Gardens

Exquisite is the only word to describe the Arundel Castle Gardens.

From the tropical beds, the vegetable areas or the newly renovated wilderness down by the lakes, the castle gardens join seamlessly a variety of styles and landscapes.

Of course the well-proportioned, fairy tale looking castle helps but it is also the rolling hillocks, winding paths and secret rooms that give the gardens an exploratory and fascinating atmosphere.

Much of the recent inspiring originality is due to the passionate endeavours of Martin Duncan, Head Gardener for the last 10 years.

He takes me on a tour and I can barely keep pace with his lanky strides as we move from area to area.

He takes time to greet his staff and make sure they are ok. It becomes clear that his wish to develop the gardens further points to an artistic sensibility.

Everywhere is evidence of his projects.

“We have the Tulip Festival in April. There will be over 60,000 tulips and each year we are adding more. We

have also created the first Tulip labyrinth in the world. In the new English orchard over there, we have planted white and yellow Apeldoorn tulips that will combine with blue Camassia bulbs. And here we have the Stumpery - I created this a few years ago”.

We look at giant tree stumps turned upside down with a host of Euphorbias, Ferns and Echiums sprouting from the gaps in the arches of the roots. It looks prehistoric but oddly suits the gothic looking Arundel Cathedral, which serves as a backdrop just 25 metres away. This area joins the tropical beds which, given Martin’s Zimbabwe origins, is a feast of well researched and successfully growing palms, tropical shrubs and ground cover. There are huge pollarded Paulownia trees, the Sapphire Dragon tree, plus Catalpas and Chinese Cabbage palms.

We walk to the back of this area and come across a thatched hut. Again a structure like this could potentially look out of place but it is a natural fit amongst the vegetable parterres and sculptural Yew hedging.

“We aim to build another of these down at the lakes

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Gardening

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and use it as an educational space.” Martin’s fine features light up and he strides on to the next area.

“This is one of my favourite areas. We have dredged the lakes, cleared some undergrowth and now are introducing all sorts of species here, including 1500 water plants.”

Two swans swan by an unblemished, holy white against the dark waters. They stick their heads deep under the water. Martin fetches some grain and gives them a couple of handfuls. He ruminates on his garden design philosophy.

and most things will thrive.” Amidst TV documentaries and meetings, Martin still manages to physically tend the garden half the day, next to his team, in whose growth, he takes as seriously as the plants under his care. “Each staff member has an area of responsibility so that they not only know what needs doing but can increase their knowledge”.

“Good structure is everything, like Box hedging, holding back the cascade, typical of the English Cottage style. And a garden needs a strong backdrop, then everything else will look good. Soil is vital, get it right,

He never stops learning. Throughout our walk he drops little gems of insights. “2 tablespoons of Epsom Salts mixed into a watering can will feed 8 roses….do this three times a year….Apeldoorn tulips are

I ask Martin, a Kew Guild Medal winner in 2018 for his services to horticulture, what is the secret of his success. “Hard work and knowledge.” says the man who has worked throughout the world on prestigious gardens. He seems just as content weeding a vegetable bed to making beautiful detailed sketches of tulip displays for Autumn planting. These he will hang up in his office for future reference and show the owners of Arundel Castle, the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk, who have keenly supported the forwardthinking developments that have taken place in the gardens over the years.

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Gardening

one of the best ones for surviving the Winter and coming back each year… keep a natural flow to borders… you can vary the height of your perennials, it doesn’t have to be perfect.”

We finish our tour with tea served in proper china in his kitchen on the Estate. Elegant and practical, like the gardens under his watch. Martin’s relaxed and passionate personality will continue to make a mark on what is one of West Sussex’s most intriguing spaces.

Where to visit in March High Beeches Gardens, Sussex. This is a 25 acre garden, which is a botanical treasure trove that includes historic Magnolias.

Laid out by the Loder family, but inspired by Victorian horticulturist William Robinson’s wild garden style, is it really worth going to when all the plants are coming into leaf. It is open every day except Wednesday, 1pm -5pm. 01444 400589.

And don’t forget the Tulip fair at Arundel Castle on the 1st April 2020.

March tasks Apart from being busy in the vegetable patch; what else to do in March.

• You can give shrubs like Cornus and Salix a hard prune back - look on the RHS website to see how ruthless you can be!

• If the water starts warming up you can start feeding the fish.

• If you haven’t finished pruning your roses now is the last time to do them before they come into leaf.

• Lastly, look up summer flowering bulbs and tuber plants such as Dahlias. They can be planted now.

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40

Property

Japanese knotweed

By Chris Ennis FRICS As I write, I note that trees are budding, and in just a few short weeks, spring will with us.

‘Not before time’ I hear you say.

Watch out for signs of Japanese knotweed! I have seen this destructive plant in Findon, and also growing by the roadside in Angmering.

Japanese knotweed is a highly invasive non-native plant that has the potential to damage buildings and overpower native species, eventually eradicating them from their own environment. It is prescribed under the Wild Life and Countryside act 1981 which makes it an offence to allow the plant to spread. All parts of the plant and any soil contaminated with the rhizome root system are classified as controlled waste and have to be carefully destroyed.

So what does it look like? In the spring, young purple/ red asparagus like shoots appear which turn green as they age. Some plants leaf initially, but can grow 50 cm as a straight rod.

In the summer, the shoots turn into bamboo like hollow stems, with regular swollen red joints and nodes.

Stems can grow up to 3 metres in height. Leaves are lush green and can be described as heart shaped.

In the autumn, flowers bloom 80-120cm in long clusters of small white / green flowers which start to fall in the late autumn.

In the winter the stems turn brown / yellow and eventually fall off at about the time of the first frost.

This is a difficult plant to eradicate. The root system can regenerate from small fragments of rhizome and can remain dormant in the soil for four years or more.

The roots may spread up to 7 metres from the plant, and up to a 1 metre deep. If left untreated it can spread rapidly at a rate of up to 15cm a day and cause damage to paths, roads, driveways and foundations. It may well affect the suitability of a property for a secured mortgage advance. There are specialist companies that deal with eradication, but their services can be costly and time consuming. A proprietary glyphosate weed killer like ‘Roundup’, carefully applied will kill the weed, but it is (I am told) a long process.

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

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42

Motoring

Motoring News Hyundai slashes wait time for new Kona electric In response to significant customer demand, Hyundai Motor UK has announced that customer waiting times for the new 2020 Kona electric will be significantly Hyundai Kona electric reduced. The move follows a significant increase in availability of its fully electric model.

Recently awarded a Which? Best Buy. It carries the same expressive design as the rest of the Kona family, with a series of recently introduced enhancements.

Ford develops 3D-printed locking wheel nuts As car security systems become increasingly more sophisticated, thieves are targeting car parts instead, including alloy wheels. One method to deter wheel thieves is to use locking nuts, which require a special adapter, or key. But even these are vulnerable, leading Ford engineers to harness 3D printing tech- Ford 3D- printing locking nology to develop next- wheel nuts

generation locking wheel nuts. Ford has created locking nuts with contours based on the driver’s voice.

The design also includes second-level security features that prevent the nut from being cloned or copied.

Renault scoops prizes at the great British fleet awards Renault is celebrating victory for the new Zoe, all-new Clio and latest Renault Trafic van Trafic van.

The new Zoe was awarded the prize for the ‘best green fleet car’, the all-new Clio came out on top as the ‘best fleet supermini’ and the new Trafic took the accolade as the great British fleet awards ‘medium van of the year’.

Exhausted drivers pose significant safety threat Road safety and breakdown organisation GEM motoring assist is urging drivers to be wise to the dangers of fatigue on journeys. The risks are particularly high among those who drive for their work.

Statistics show that those most at risk from a fatiguerelated collision include young male drivers, shift workers, truck drivers and company car drivers.

Around 85% of drivers who cause fatigue-related crashes are male, and more than one third of these are aged under 30.

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44

Council News

Arundel Town Council Edited extracts from the draft minutes of the Arundel Town Council meeting held on 9th January 2020.

Public Questions A member of the public expressed concern with the council using (his) tax payers’ money to fund something that he thinks the commercial or businesses of Arundel should pay for. He asked, “Why does the council think they should use home taxpayer’s money, to do something for businesses, when businesses pay rates for things like a town manager. Surely the money could be spent on keeping Arundel clean and supporting what we already have”. Councillors discussed this question and agreed that they would listen to further relevant information provided throughout the meeting.

From the Mayor The Mayor attended several concerts and school events over the Christmas period as well as a Carol Service at Ford Prison. The Mayor expressed her condolences for several local Arundel residents who have recently passed away including John Seller, Yvonne Chitty and George Stedman.

Arundel Town Council Budget It was asked if the Council would consider additional budget towards the cleaning costs of Canada

Gardens, yet it was confirmed it was too late for consideration in the 2020/21 budget.

Budget Amendment The Mayor proposed an amendment to the budget: “The employment of the role of a Town Manager/Economic Development Manager is an unjustified expense of £36,270 for Arundel Town Council as it does not fall within the remit or accountability of Arundel Town Council who have responsibility only for the residents of Arundel who pay the precept. It represents 21% of this income which finances the Town Council.

The role of Town Manager is principally for the economic redevelopment of the Town. Businesses pay rates directly to Arun District Council therefore this economic redevelopment is their responsibility. That being the case the Employment of a Town Manager should be resolved by the Arundel Town Council to be removed from the Arundel Town Council Budget for 2020/2021.”

The Mayor and Deputy Mayor voted in favour whilst several other Councillors voted against. The amendment was lost.

For full minutes from these and other Town Council meetings visit: www.arundeltowncouncil.gov.uk

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Walberton Parish Council Edited extracts from the minutes of the Full Council Meeting held on 28th January 2020.

Highways and Traffic An update on the A27 Arundel bypass consultation was presented.

Reports of vehicles speeding in Eastergate Lane were noted. Speed Indication Devices will be researched and locations for siting will be discussed with the Police.

Fontwell Meadows It was noted that the new design code has been recently added and the updated site layout and drainage strategy should be available in the next couple of weeks.

Avisford Grange The site manager has now changed. The proposed tennis courts will be one of the first features to be constructed on the site.

Neighbourhood Plan Good progress was reported. The Strategic Environmental Assessment has been submitted for review.

The independent report on site selection was reviewed on 27th January. A meeting with Arun District Council has been arranged to clarify housing allocation queries regarding the sites. It was noted that

Parish Council News

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Arun reports they only have 3.7 years available of their 5 year land supply. The concern is that this will require higher numbers of dwellings to be built and that the ‘presumption of sustainable development’ will see speculative applications on sites that are unsustainable and inappropriate.

Village Gateways The West Walberton Lane gateway signage should be installed in the next 3-4 weeks.

Other business • The online databases list Walberton House as a Listed Building rather than Walberton Park. This is causing some confusion and correction of the listings will be requested.

• There is no suitable cycle path alongside the south side of the A27 from Denmans Lane to Level Mare Lane. Barnham and Eastergate and Aldingbourne Parish Councils will be asked if they will support a request to West Sussex County Council for an upgrade to the path.

• Litter at Fontwell opposite the garage/takeaway sites continues to be a problem. Residents will be encouraged to report any rubbish at or by the retail sites to Arun Cleansing.

• The Arun District Council Compliance Officer will be contacted regarding a mobile home installation. www.walberton-pc.gov.uk

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History

Old village customs by Lawrence Graburn First published June 1964

By Mark Phillips Lawrence Newall Graburn (pen name Newell Duke) was born at Wepham, near Arundel in 1881. His father was Newall Graburn who was a tenant of the Duke of Norfolk at Wepham Farm.

He in turn had inherited the farm from his father, Thomas Graburn, who moved to this area in 1861.

from Devine service. This customer still being carried out in some eastern countries.

The practice of carrying the coffin long distances ended when the squire told his son he would like to be taken to his last resting place in a wagon drawn by his two favourite horses, driven by his carter dressed in a smock. All the other employees had to walk behind the coffin and have their refreshments at the Manor on their return.

One day at the end of the 1800’s, I was walking with vicar of this downland village. He was an old man and had been vicar of the parish for over 50 years. We hadn’t gone far, when we met a pretty village girl.

Lawrence Graburn

Lawrence turned to writing after he was forced to give up his farm tenancy in the late 1930's during the agriculture depression. His late daughter and good friend of mine, Rosamund, told me that had he waited a few months; the second world war would have made farming profitable again. Lawrence loved the country life and the local characters and spent many hours over the years chatting to them in their homes, over garden gates and in the local pub over a pint or two. The following was published the year before he died.

At the end of last century, villagers did not like their dead to go the other way to ‘God's Acre’ than on the shoulders of the bearers, and often refused a horse and cart, even if offered Lawrence Graburn (aka Newall Duke) outside Wepham House - c1905 one. Sometimes a death would occur in a homestead, two or more miles from the church. I once met one of these funeral processions in a narrow lane on a hot July day. It was headed by the wheelwright and undertaker. As we met, I heard him say to the bearers, “I’ve opened the next gate down the lane, so you can have a rest there.” The coffin was balance on the gate, so that the bearers could rest.

While the bearers were resting, the undertaker told me about the old shepherd the coffin contained. The elder son, also a shepherd, had come from a great distance to attend the funeral. On arrival he had insisted upon having the coffin lid unscrewed, so that he could put a lock of wool in the old man's hand.

This ancient custom was of course to show the man's calling, and to excuse him to his maker for absences

“Well my dear, I'm going to marry you on Saturday aren’t I?” He said.

“Yes sir,” she replied, blushing.

“It doesn't seem any time ago that allows your parents.

Where are you going to live when you are married?”

“I'm going to live at High Barn with my young man’s mother, sir.”

Oh dear! I don't like that. Haven’t you heard that you can't have two queen bees in one hive?” said the vicar with a twinkle in his keen old eyes.

“There will only be one, sir,” she replied, “and she’ll be queen.”

All right, I shall come and see you after you are married, my dear.

There was more about bees and their wedding day.

The young couple walking from the church, they were stopped by an old friend of the family, who told them he had just taken a swarm of bees in a skep and put them in their garden as a wedding present.

This was the last Skep from a c17th woodprint occasion on which this old custom was observed in the village. It was a relic of the days when bees were a treasured wedding present, before the days of sugar, when honey was the only sweetener and nearly every cottage kept bees in straw skeps.

By Historian Mark Phillips with thanks for notes from Adge Roberts and David Shilston.

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Lawn Mowers

Business Directory 49

through the door Pest Control

Plumbing & Heating cont.

Security Alarms

Taxis / Private Hire

Plastering

Property Services

Plumbing & Heating

Roofing

50

Business Directory & Advertiser Index Tree Surgeons

Advertising Agency Tann Westlake Limited 33 Art Exhibition Sussex Art Fairs 9 Biography Katarina Sherbourne 44 Blinds Direct Blinds 28 Building and Construction Archibaldshaw 41 Car Servicing LMC Auto Services (Sussex) Ltd 51 Carpets & Flooring Coastal Carpets (West Sussex) 41 Cleaning Astonish Cleaning Services 41 Conway Cleaning 34 College Slindon College 14

Council West Sussex County Council Connect to Support Domestic Appliances Carters Domestic Appliances Elderly Care A Woodlands House Clapham Village Care Home Country Court Care Group Ltd Oakland Grange Furniture CFS Furniture Garage Doors The Doors Group Limited Garden Centre Mambo Jambos Garden Design Glorious Gardens Garden Services Green Thumb Health and Fitness Fontwell Physio Health and Wellbeing The Awareness Key Home Care Angelcare Southern Ltd Horse Manure Sussex Manures Ltd Independent Financial Advisors Nsure Financial Services Kitchen Doors Dream Doors Kitchens & Bathrooms Alexander Worthing Ltd Kitchens and Bedrooms Collier & Sons Ltd Kitchens, Bathrooms, Bedroom Dovetail Kitchens Legal Services Sussex Will Writers Opticians North Opticians Pest Control Temppest Enviromental Svcs Roofing Ark Roofing Ltd J P Roofcare Roofing and Gutters BM Roofing School Great Ballard School Vale School Shutters Just Shutters Solicitors Green Wright Chalton Annis Storage South Downs Storage Arun Ltd Tree Surgeon Ashwood Tree Surgery

17 52 21 18 27 19 26

42 10 37 39 23 22

TV & Electrical Hamilton Cole 24 Visitor Attraction Arundel Castle 36 Will Writing Respect Wills & Estate Planning 44 Windows Doors Conservatories Britannia Windows 2 MT Conservatories Ltd 38

Quality advertising and door-to-door leaflet distribution to over 45,000 West Sussex addresses in: • •

Arundel Barnham Chichester Findon Midhurst/Petworth Pulborough Storrington

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37

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31

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35

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7

April issue Booking deadline 2nd March Copy deadline 4th March

40 23 43 41 7 24 43

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01903 868474 or email info@sussexlocal.net

29 5 45 37

magazine

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