Sussex Local Magazine Findon - March 2020

March 2020

Findon - High Salvington - Salvington - Clapham - Patching Local news and events through the door to 6,200 homes in this area every month

GIG BUDDIES Concert befriending scheme WIN TICKETS!

One night at the V.E. proms Wilko Johnson

NEWS

Local council, charity & school

GARDENS Arundel Castle

HISTORY

1874 love story

PLUS

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

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March 2020 Cover image Buncton Church nr. Steyning

by Brian Spicer

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 Wilko Johnson, the original Dr Feelgood guitarist, actor (Game of Thrones) and all round national treasure, live in Worthing. We also have a pair of tickets to see “One night at the V.E day proms” - bring your flags!

Our “Property Doc” looks at the invasive Japanese knotweed and the damage it can wreak on property.

Valerie Martin writes about an 1874 love story in her history article and 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, don’t forget to get in touch with any news or community items for publication and add your event details to our website.

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 - One Night at the VE Proms Local walks Charity & community news Health & wellbeing Gig Buddies charity feature Prize crossword WIN! Tickets to see Wilko Johnson Recipe In Your Garden - Arundel Castle gardens Motoring news Schools news Education feature by The Good Schools Guide Young readers puzzles Local history Parish council news Findon Valley Residents' Association 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

Competition 15

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One night at the V.E. day proms London Gala Orchestra & live singers, bring your flags!

Lynn’s ‘The White Cliffs of Dover’ and Glenn Miller’s ‘In The Mood’ alongside classical masterpieces such as Land of Hope and Glory and Jerusalem.

This celebratory concert show is sure to have everyone waving their flags and singing along to the music that helped make Britain great!

We have a pair of tickets available to see one night at the V.E day proms at Assembly Hall, Worthing Theatres on 26th April 2020 at 7.30pm. www.worthingtheatres.co.uk

Win a pair of tickets to see one night at the V.E day proms The ultimate, musical celebration in honour of the 75th Anniversary of victory in Europe (V.E) day.

This incredible concert show takes you on a musical journey through World War II, providing an insight in to how music played a pivotal role throughout the most extraordinary period in modern day history.

Featuring The London Gala Orchestra and exceptional live singers, one night at the V.E day proms brings back to life such popular war time songs as Vera

To enter the competition answer the question below: Q: Which anniversary of V.E. day is being celebrated? a) 60th b) 55th c) 75th Send your answer and contact details to: One night at the V.E day proms Competition, PO Box 2237, Pulborough, RH20 9AH or enter online at www.sussexlocal.net/features/competitions Winner drawn after 31st March 2020. Please indicate if you wish to remain on our mailing list.

16 Walks

Local Walks - March All walks are led by friendly, trained volunteers - please do check with the leaders named below for full details and for any last minute changes.

Health walks are 30 – 90 minutes, supported by Walking for Health & Horsham District Council (HDS). Level 2 & Level 3 are more challenging, for fitter walkers, supported by HDC. Sun 1st 10:00am Wepham Down 6.5 miles 2 hrs 45 mins Level 3 Meet at Kithurst Hill car park. Off the Storrington to Amberley Road (B2139) Nearby postcode RH20 4HW. This is a downland walk. Dogs welcome Mick 01903 745971 Tue 3rd 11:00am Steyning Health Centre Walk 2 miles 75 mins Level 2 Meet at Steyning Health Centre, Tanyard Lane, BN44 3RJ. Includes some stiles and inclines. Can be muddy across fields. Toilets available in Health Centre Ann 01903 297553 Fri 6th 11:00am Barns Green 2 miles 60 mins Health Meet in new car park above the Village Hall, RH13 0PT. Dogs welcome Chatter 07720 714306 Sat 7th 2:00pm Parham Glider Field 3.6 miles 1 hr 45 mins Level 2 Meet at Storrington Recreation Ground Car Park, RH20 4BG. A flat and easy route. Dogs welcome.

Mick 01903 745971 Sun 8th 10:00am Harrow Hill 6.5 miles 3 hrs Level 3 Meet at Kithurst Hill car park. Off the Storrington to Amberley Road (B2139) Nearby postcode RH20 4HW. Hills and stiles. Dogs welcome Mick 01903 745971 Wed 11th 10:00am Henfield Byways 2-3 miles 1 hr Health Meet Henfield Library, High Street, Henfield, BN5 9HN. No dogs Anne 01273 493671 Thu 12th 11:00am Billingshurst 2.3 miles 60 mins Health Meet at Billingshurst Library, Mill Lane, RH14 9JZ. Can be muddy. Dogs on leads allowed. Parking 75p per hour - annual parking permits are available Chris 01403 782745 Sat 14th 9:00am Wiston/Steyning Downland 2 miles 75 mins Level 2 Meet at Steyning Cricket Pavilion, BN44 3LE. A walk for dog owners, includes a hill. Maximum of two dogs per handler Ann 01903 297553 Sat 14th 2:00pm Washington Common & Rowdell 3.5 miles 1 hr 30 mins Level 2 Meet Old London Rd, Washington RH20 3BN. A pleasant circular route which starts at the National Trust's Washington Common woods. Dogs welcome.

Mick 01903 745971 Sun 15th 10:00am Chanctonbury Ring & Wiston 6.5 miles 2 hrs 30 mins Level 3 Meet in Washington South Downs Way car park. Nearby postcode RH20 4AZ The route contains stiles, steep hills and can be muddy. Dogs welcome Mick 01903 745971 Wed 18th 10:30am Storrington Riverside Walk 2.5 miles 90 mins Health Meet at Storrington Recreation Ground Car Park, RH20 4PG. This flat, well surfaced walk. Suitable for children's buggies. Dogs welcome Mick 01903 745971 Mon 23rd 10:00am Bax Castle, Going South 5.3 miles 2.5 hrs Level 2 Meet in the car park of the Bax Castle pub, Two Mile Ash Rd, RH13 0LA Some stiles, can be muddy in places. No dogs Graham 01403 269232 Thu 26th 10:00am Countryman Inn, Shipley 5 miles 2.5 hrs Level 2 Meet at the pub car park, Countryman Lane, RH13 8PZ. A flat circular walk Some stiles and could be muddy in places. No dogs Geoff 01403 258180 Sat 28th 9:00am Storrington Amberley Circular 9 miles 4.5 hrs Level 3 Meet at Storrington Recreation Ground car park RH20 4BG. Stile(s).

Mick 01903 745971 Sat 28th 2:00pm Knepp Castle Rewilding 5.6 miles 2.5 hrs Level 3 Meet at Knepp Walkers Car Park, off Swallows Lane, Dial Post, RH13 8NN (ÂŁ2 donation requested). Flat walk, can be very muddy. Dogs welcome Mick 01903 745971 Sun 29th 10:00am Three Woods Walk 8 miles 3 hrs Level 3 Meet at Georges Lane National Trust Car park RH20 3BN. A lovely circular walk Great views. Some very steep steps and stick(s) are advised. Dogs welcome Mick 01903 745971 Mon 30th 10:00am Pulborough Brooks 5 miles 2.5 hrs Level 2 Meet in overspill car park, Wigginholt, RH20 2EL. A varied walk. Some stiles and some low gradients. Dogs are allowed on leads through fields.

Irene 01403 783637

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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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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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Charity & Community

Ethical council investing sought Adur & Worthing councillors have agreed that the millions of pounds invested by the West Sussex Pension Fund - of which its staff are members - should be invested in an environmentally-conscious way. As a result, both councils have written to Jeremy Hunt, West Sussex County Councillor and Chairman of the West Sussex County Council (WSCC) Pensions Panel, calling upon the Trustees of the WSCC Local Authority Pension Fund to disinvest that fund of all investments in fossil fuel stocks, equities and funds.

Prize photograph of Cissbury Joe James from Horsham has won People’s Choice Award in the South Downs National Park’s Annual Photography Competition. “Pony Heaven” received 2,020 unique votes – winning with just over 70 per cent of the online public poll. Joe ventured to Cissbury Ring to take the picture as he and his son Simon watched the sun go down.

Joe, a 38-year-old security manager, who wins a £100 prize, said: “To win really means the world to me. The picture was just a bit of fun initially – I was trying out my new camera. We went up to Cissbury Ring and saw these ponies gathering around the tree.

I just thought it was a perfect moment so I captured it straight away.”

Joe, who is a local advocate for autism awareness through his own Facebook page, has been taking

images for the past two years and has been honing his talent. “I’m autistic and proud,” said the dad-oftwo, who has never entered a photo competition before. Being autistic means I learn differently – so when I first got into photography, I looked at amazing photographs of landscape. I didn’t know what the composition was, but I was looking at what other photographers were doing. So I basically learned photography by looking at photographs. Being autistic also allows me to hyperfocus on photography to really hone this skill so I can get the perfect image.”

Charity seafront walk 14th March

The Aldingbourne Trust are inviting people to join their coastal charity walk on Saturday 14th March, from Littlehampton to Bognor Regis.

The Trust completed their new Quarry Building at the Aldingbourne Country Centre, which has enabled them to offer an additional 175 training spaces in their café, conference rooms and shop to support people with learning disabilities and autism living in the local area.

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. Join in the fun on the 14th March where the walk will commence at the Littlehampton Golf Club at 8.30am and finish at the Aldingbourne Trust enterprise Number 73 Aldwick Road, Bognor Regis for tea, coffee and cake. We welcome all ages to take part, and dogs are welcome to take part too. You can register now at www.aldingbournetrust.org/fundraising-events

Notices to info@sussexlocal.net. events to www.sussexlocal.net

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IKEA owned housebuilder plans affordable housing in Worthing Worthing Borough Council leaders have welcomed news that innovative housing provider BoKlok UK has stepped up its commitment to investing in the town.

The sustainable, quality and low-cost home provider, which launched in the UK in 2019 and is jointly owned by Skanska and IKEA, has announced the exchange of contracts on its first three developments.

Worthing is the first of those with a planning application to create about 150 properties on land west of Fulbeck Avenue now submitted.

Pending approval, BoKlok homes will be priced so that home ownership is more accessible for local working families. As part of the deal, the Council would be able to retain control of 30% of the units, ensuring it can provide social housing to those on the local waiting list.

BoKlok homes are completed using modern methods of construction. This enables high quality, low and predictable costs and minimum waste. The completed homes are manufactured off-site and feature high quality IKEA fittings. They are then transported to the construction site for assembly. The first developments are expected to be completed in 2021.

In addition to Worthing, BoKlok have signed deals to bring forward proposals in Bristol and Peacehaven.

Together these sites will provide around 400 homes,

subject to planning permission. The proposal for Worthing Borough Council to enter into an agreement with BoKlok for the land at Fulbeck Avenue was discussed and agreed at the Joint Strategic Committee meeting in June 2019.

Councillor Kevin Jenkins, Worthing Borough Council’s Executive Member for Regeneration, said: “I very much welcome the movement forward on this deal with a groundbreaking firm which could bring real benefits to local families.”

Criminal landlord crackdown Adur & Worthing Councils have been awarded over £65,000 by central government to help them crackdown on criminal landlords and letting agents. The money will go towards identifying local Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) which are not licensed, and also properties which are not meeting legal requirements on minimum energy efficiency standards.

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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

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Legal

Funeral Plan

By Emma Wells MIPW Will Writer If you haven’t thought about what you want your funeral to be like, then perhaps it’s time that you did.

You might fall into the group of people who don’t care what happens to you as after all “you’ll be dead so won’t know’’ and that’s fine. However, if you care about the people that you’ll be leaving behind, you might want to put something together to make life easier for them. Some people have a very clear idea of how they would like their funeral to be but have been unsure of how to start the conversation needed to get their funeral organised.

The simplest thing to do to ensure that you leave your loved ones with neither the emotional, logistical or financial burden is to take out a pre-paid funeral plan. I don’t mean one of those products advertised on TV that always starts with someone in the kitchen or garden saying “are you over fifty?’’ as these are often just a policy or savings plan that may pay out as little as £1500 when you die, which unfortunately won’t cover the cost of even the simplest funeral locally, despite being presented as something to be used to cover the cost of your funeral.

What I’m talking about is a comprehensive plan that is paid for either in full at the time of taking it out,

therefore fixing the cost at today’s prices or over a few years - whichever you prefer.

Everyone I know who has had experience of losing a loved one who had a plan in place has said just how much easier it made things at a really difficult time for them and not just financially. Knowing that the send off that their loved one was getting was exactly how they had wished it to be was a huge comfort for them.

I appreciate that you might not like to talk to your family about the practicalities of dying for fear of upsetting them, but by having a plan in place the only thing you need to do is to tell them who to call when the time comes. Whilst detailing your funeral wishes in your Will is advisable, it doesn’t guarantee that what you want to happen will happen, as often a Will is read after the funeral has taken place! You can give as much or as little detail in a funeral plan as you like. You might like to detail readings, music, dress codes or you might just be happy that you’ve paid for it and leave the rest up to your family to decide when you’re gone. Either way you’ve made life a little easier for them at a time when they could really do with the help. emma.wells@nsure.co.uk or on 01903 821010. www.nsureestateplanningservices.co.uk

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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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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.”

Stay Up Late - telephone: 01273 418102 or email: info@stayuplate.org www.gigbuddies.org.uk

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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31

32 Crossword

Prize Crossword

Win a £20 voucher for Gifted Worthing

Findon March 2020 January 2020 solution below:

Winner: Mary Phillips from Haywards Heath. 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 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: ...............................................................................................................

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

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

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

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

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

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

Send the word above to: Sussex Local Crossword, PO Box 2237 Pulborough, RH20 9AH or you can enter it online at our website www.sussexlocal.net/crosswords Closing date: 31st March 2020.

Win a £20 voucher for

Findon Valley’s gift shop giftedworthing.co.uk Sussex Local may wish to keep in touch with occasional information and offers.

We will never share your details with third parties.

Please tick if you would like to receive such information.

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Competition 33

Wilko Johnson with special guest John Otway Guitar hero of the 1970s his characteristic strut, Wilko became one of the guitar heroes of the 1970s and beyond, not to mention on of rock ’n’ roll’s most extraordinary characters.

Following a stint with Ian Dury and The Blockheads in the 1980s, he formed the Wilko Johnson Band, with Blockheads bassist Norman Watt-Roy. Featuring former Blockhead Dylan Howe on drums.

We have a pair of tickets available to see Wilko Johnson at Worthing Assembly Hall, Worthing on 9th April 2020 at 7.30pm. www.worthingtheatres.co.uk Following a remarkable recovery from a diagnosis of terminal cancer, Wilko Johnson the original Dr Feelgood guitarist, actor (Game of Thrones character Ser ilyn Payne) and all round national treasure has enjoyed a rousing return to the live arena. Including a number 1 album with Roger Daltrey, a sold out show at The Royal Albert Hall to mark his 70th birthday and, most recently, the release of Blow Your Mind, his first album of new material in decades.

Wilko is famed for his blistering chop-chord strumming action, a technique inspired by his admiration of the late Pirates guitarist Mick Green. With this electrifying sound, his trademark black-suited, scowling look and

Win a pair of tickets to see Wilko Johnson To enter the competition answer the question below: Q: What birthday was Wilko Johnson marking at The Royal Albert Hall? a) 70th b) 60th c) 65th Send your answer and contact details to: Wilko Johnson Competition, PO Box 2237, Pulborough, RH20 9AH or enter online at www.sussexlocal.net/ features/competitions Winner drawn after 29th March 2020. Please indicate if you wish to remain on our mailing list.

34

Recipe

Mince Beef Biryani Healthy delicious rice dish

Ingredients Serves 4 - 6 • • • • • • • • • • • • •

500g diced beef and 800ml beef stock 1 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp curry powder 1 onion, finely chopped 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely grated 1-inch piece fresh ginger, finely grated 1 chilli, deseeded and finely sliced 250g basmati rice 1 small courgette, finely chopped 150g cauliflower, cut into very small florets 150g broccoli, cut into very small florets Serve with Sussex Slipcote sheep’s cheese

Method 1. Preheat the oven to 200C and line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Spread mince on baking tray and cook in oven for 40 minutes, break up the mince every 10 minutes, until the mince is dark, remove from the oven.

3. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the onions and cook until softened for around 5 minutes. Add a little water to the pan every so often if onions start to stick. Once softened add the carrots and cook for 3-4 minutes.

4. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and cook for 2 minutes before adding the curry powder and stir for 12 minutes to cook off the spices.

5. Add the rice to the pan and stir for 2 minutes. Pour in the beef stock and bring to a rapid boil for 5-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has evaporated and the rice is slightly undercooked.

Lower the heat to a simmer.

6. Add the roasted mince, courgette, cauliflower and broccoli. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the rice and veg are cooked and all the liquid is absorbed.

7. Serve with a crumbling of ‘Sussex Slipcote.’

Recipe supplied by Hollie from Village Larder at Squires Garden Centre Washington, RH20 4AL. Open Mon - Sat 9am-5pm Sun 10am-4pm. 01903 891744. www.villagelarder.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

37

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

Schools

Findon Vale School New age kurling

and the rest from other local surrounding area.

Over the last couple of weeks we have hosted 2 new age kurling competitions here at Vale School.

New age kurling is a sport specifically designed for people with special educational needs and is played between two teams. It involves rolling ‘stones’ towards a target and then whoever is closest to the centre of the target wins!

This competition allows children who might not normally be involved in other sporting events to participate and potentially win a medal and a trophy, which they get to keep until the next kurling competition.

The KS1 (Years 1 and 2) competition saw a total of 18 teams competing, 2 of which were from Vale

schools in the

There were 16 teams participating the KS2 (Years 3 6) competition which were also from schools all over the area, Vale school again had 2 teams competing in this, one of which came 3rd and received bronze medals! All of our teams did incredibly well considering some of the children had only played kurling a couple of times previously and had never played it competitively against other schools, so this was a great opportunity for them.

The children also all received a sticker and a certificate which will be presented in our celebration assembly. All of the children had so much fun and made lots of new friends from lots of different schools!

Half term 2020 Monday 25th - Friday 29th May 2020 Monday 26th - Friday 30th October 2020 Inset day Monday 20th July 2020 Please call the school office on 01903 872322 or visit www.valeschool.org for any more information.

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Storrington Primary News & events

Dogs Trust visit The Dog’s Trust visited recently to talk to children about safety with dogs and how to be a responsible carer and owner. It was great to hear how much the children already know from their experiences with Teddy the school dog and also family dogs.

Young Voices Concert A group of children from across key stage 2 travelled to London last month to take part in the young voices concert. They have been rehearsing for the concert over the two last terms.

Storrington joined over 6,000 other children from schools across the country to perform alongside Tony Hadley, The Shires and other amazing musicians and dancers. As a result, tens of thousands of pounds

Schools

45

have been raised for cancer charities across the country.

Thank you to parents for supporting us and joining us on our trip and also staff for making this possible by giving up their own time.

Library visits & World Book Day - 5th March Years 3 and 4 have library visits taking place in March and April. The classes will walk to Storrington library where they can borrow books and find out about the other useful services available. World Book Day is on Thursday 5th March. The theme this year is ‘share a story’ and the children will be sharing their favourite books with others across the school. Rather than dressing up this year, the children can come in wearing their own comfy clothes or pyjamas. Each child can bring in a book to share, it might be a story, a poetry book or an information book. They can also bring in a cushion or pillow to sit on whilst sharing their book during the day. Parents and carers are also invited to join the school between 8:40 and 9:10am when there will be a giant ‘share a story’ time. Parents can join their child’s class and pre-school siblings are also welcome.

01903 742047 www.storringtonprimary.co.uk

46

Schools

Schools 47

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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 49

50 Finance

Fund Your Future Life after work

By Ivan Lyons, MD Investment Solutions, Worthing

Unlock value from your home and finance those retirement goals Most of us look forward to retirement, but financial worries can cast a shadow over later life. You may be concerned you don’t have enough money to do everything you’ve planned, or that something unexpected, such as redundancy, or ill health, could make life difficult. These anxieties can be hugely frustrating, because while you may live in a valuable property, you might be short of accessible savings. A later life mortgage range could be the answer for you.

What are later life mortgages?

There are a range of mortgages designed to help those aged 55 and over release some of the equity in their home. You can stay living in the home you love (after all you’re still the owner) but unlock some of its value, offering you a source of money during retirement.

Why do people take out later life mortgages?

Some release equity to pay for the trip of a lifetime, make home improvements or see their inheritance in action – helping children with university tuition fees, perhaps, or a deposit for a first home. Others use the cash to live more comfortably when pensions or savings aren’t quite enough. The money can also help deal with the unexpected, such as the cost of care.

How much will these loans cost?

Generally, nothing upfront. We can offer free advice to help you decide whether a later life mortgage is right for you. The lender will also value your home, normally free of charge. Once you take out a later life mortgage, you will pay a competitive rate of interest on the sum borrowed.

When do I make repayments?

It’s your choice. With a retirement capital and interest mortgage, you would make monthly repayments over the term of the mortgage, much like a traditional home loan. But with the retirement interest-only mortgage, you would only pay interest charges each month, as the money borrowed is usually repaid using the proceeds from the sale of the property – after

the last borrower passes away or moves into long term care. With a lifetime mortgage, you will pay nothing during your retirement, unless you want to. The sum released and the interest are usually repaid using the proceeds when the last borrower passes away or moves into long term care.

Don’t forget a final check…

Think carefully before securing a mortgage against your home as, of course, not keeping up payments could put it at risk. And you will want to check the mortgage meets your needs if you want to move or sell your home or want your family to inherit it. This is a lifetime mortgage. To understand features and risks, please ask for a personalised illustration.

Investment Solutions, Grafton House, 26 Grafton Road, Worthing, BN11 1QT. Tel: 01903 214640 email Ivan at: ilyons@graftonhouse.net or visit our website www.investment-solutions.co.uk for more information. ‘Investment Solutions’ is the trading name of Investment Solutions Wealth Management Ltd who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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Paws for thought Obesity Obesity is a condition defined by an excess of body fat that has developed to the point that health is compromised. Although we often hear the term in relation to humans, pet obesity is Dr Julian Hoad one of the key welfare issues facing pets in the UK today.

According to the PDSA Pet Animal Welfare Report 2018, 98% of veterinary professionals surveyed said that more focus should be placed on preventing obesity rather than treating it. So, we’ve put together this list of five easy ways to help your pet maintain a healthy weight.

1) Calculate how much to feed Just like humans, pets require a certain amount of energy per day to maintain their weight. And also, like humans, this figure will be unique to them. How much food your pet should consume could depend on factors such as life stage, activity levels and any health problems. The guidelines on pet food packaging are exactly that; guidelines. Ask your vet to help you work out the right amount of food 2) Stick to it Once you’ve calculated how much food to feed your pet to maintain a healthy weight, measure it out daily to make sure you don’t go over. To maintain a

Pets 51 healthy weight, a pet’s diet needs to be consistent.

Stick to set mealtimes rather than leaving food out all day. In a busy household, it’s easy to top up an empty feeding bowl without realising somebody else did exactly the same thing an hour ago.

3) Treats are treats In moderation, treats are ok.

However, problems can occur when treats are no longer treats and instead become the daily norm, or a way to show a pet that you love them. Any treats given should correspond with a reduction in regular food quantities. Chat to your veterinary team about which treats to use and try out some healthy ones.

4) Exercise everyday The physical benefits of an active lifestyle are endless; from improving muscular and cardiovascular fitness to alleviating stress, boredom and anxiety. So, when it comes to showing affection to our pets, exercise should be an obvious choice. Pets love spending time with their owners and exercise is great way to do this.

5) Preventing problems Prevention is always better than cure and the easiest way to provide your pet with the best chance of a long and happy life is to keep on top of their preventive healthcare. Regular health checks with the vet will ensure that your pet’s weight is monitored regularly and that any health issues or concerns are picked up early before problems arise.

Crossways Veterinary Group, School Hill, Storrington, 01903 743040 www.crosswaysvets.co.uk

52 History

Findon love story from 1874 By local historian Valerie Martin In August 2009 a Worthing resident told me about a fascinating 139 year old diary by a gentleman named Francis Kilvert (known to all as Frank). He was a young Victorian clergyman and diarist in the 1870s and kept a detailed diary of daily life in the Francis Kilvert hope that it might be of interest "to those who come after me". At the tail end of 2019, BBC Radio 4 featured a series of excerpts from Frank's diary and I recalled my own account of him. It gave me the idea of dipping into his personal journal and giving some pertinent extracts appertaining to Findon - where he wrote that he fell in love at first sight.

Extract from Frank's diary on Monday 10th August 1874. To-day I went to Worthing to be present at Adelade Cholmeley's wedding at Findon tomorrow. I left Chippenham at 10.15. At Salisbury I got into the train with a party of people going to South Sea and the Island. There was an excellent old-fashioned boy in a chocolate jacket with a shiny peaked cap and a white ruffed frill standing out all round his neck like Punch's dog, a very refreshing sight in these degenerate days. As we journeyed along the fair Sussex shore between the plain and the sea the gleaners were busy in the golden stubbles, the windmills whirled their arms in the fresh sea breeze, the shocks of corn circling changed places swiftly like a dance of fairies, and Chichester steeple rose fair and white far over the meads.

I thought Worthing Station pretty, light and elegant, with its vandyked glass roofs over the platforms. I drove at once to 11 Church Terrace, Mrs Smallwood's lodgings.

Frank continued writing on Tuesday 11th August, 1874. This may be one of the happiest and most important days of my life, for to-day I fell in love at first sight with sweet Kathleen Mavourneen. After a pleasant drive of 4 miles the carriage put us down at the Findon Churchyard gate. In St. John the Baptist Church we found Robert Heanley, the best man. I took a fancy to him at once for his pleasant frank open face. After we had been waiting in Church for some time, he advised me to go out into the porch to

watch the bridesmaids arrive and to be made acquainted with the young lady, who was to be my companion for the day, I being one of the five groomsmen. So I went, little thinking whom I was to meet, and what a difference it would make to me. The pretty bevy of bridesmaids was seen coming up the path in white and green. "There" said Miss Sarah Cholmeley to me, "there is your bridesmaid, the tall dark one behind on the right hand side".

In the afternoon almost all the wedding party went up to that fine clump and height of the Downs called Chanctonbury Ring. Part of the way we drove and we walked up the steepest part. Kathleen was still my sweet companion. Under the lee of the clump I spread my coat on the turf and we sat there together on the hillside apart from the rest and looked over the wide and glorious landscape, bright plain and green pasture, blue hill and golden corn and stubble fields, till she could see over rich and variegated plain the white line of the Grand Stand on Epsom Downs some 30 miles away. And there we sat and talked looking into each other's eyes and there I fell in love and lost my heart to the sweetest noblest kindest bravest-hearted girl in England, Kathleen Mavourneen. She asked me to gather her a bunch of purple heather from the hillside.

As we were driving home down the steep green down the wind blew cold and fresh as it met her, and she looked so sweet and grateful when I wrapped my coat round her to keep her warm. We came back from Chanctonbury Ring to Findon Rectory to high tea, after which I had a happy hour with Kathleen in the drawing room. We parted with a long close warm clasp of hands that I felt was friendly and hoped might be affectionate. We had a dark silent drive back to Worthing. No one spoke.

Frank's pen was busy again on Wednesday 12th August 1874. I went out early into Worthing town before breakfast and walked along the beach. Sea and town and everything were sparkling bright and clean after the storm in the clear shining after the rain. The bathing machines were running down into the sea, the sailors were busy about their boats and nets, and the sailors' wives sat working in the sunshine by their husbands' boats. Children were trooping out on to the beach before breakfast and everything looked bright, cheerful, busy and happy.

I will conclude my Findon love story by stating that five years after visiting Findon, our hero married another young lady, Elizabeth Anne Rowland (1846 - 1911) of near Woodstock on 20th August 1879. He had met her during a visit to Paris and honeymooned in Scotland. A month later he was dead. Frank died of peritonitis most suddenly on the 23rd September 1879.

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Findon Parish Council

Edited extracts from the draft minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 16th January 2019.

Planning Applications SDNP/19/05886/HOUS – Glimpses, Stable Lane, Findon, BN14 0RR. Change of use (and external alterations) to mixed use as a residential dwelling and dog grooming business.

Councillors had reviewed the available documents and site location. Although the proposal for employment was welcomed, concerns were raised regarding existing car parking congestion at the junction of Stable Lane and Nepcote Lane. It was resolved that the Clerk informs the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) that Findon Parish Council raises no objection to the application and flags the car parking congestion concerns.

SDNP/19/05787/HOUS – Averys House, 56 High Street, Findon, BN14.

Replacement outbuilding. Councillors had reviewed the available documents and site location, and attention was drawn to the pre-application advice given by the SDNPA in November 2019. It was resolved that the Clerk informs the SDNPA that Findon Parish Council raises no objection to the applications.

SDNP/19/06095/HOUS – 4 Summerfields, Findon, BN14 0TU. New pitched roof over existing double garage.

Parish Council News 53 Councillors had reviewed the available documents and site location and were reminded of the background to previous proposals. Three neighbour objections had been submitted to the SDNPA on the current application. During discussion, the Committee raised the following concerns: • The proposed new pitched roof would be an overbearing development and unneighbourly due to its very close proximity to neighbouring properties; • It is not clear if the application accords with Policy SD31 of the South Downs Local Plan i.e. does not increase the floor area of the dwelling by more than 30% when added to the area of the approved single storey side extension (SDNP/18/04590/HOUS revised application) • Should the application be approved in its current form, conditions to prevent the subsequent conversion of the roof space to independent residential use must be applied.

It was resolved that the Clerk informs the SDNPA that Findon Parish Council objects to the application for the reasons above. www.findonparishcouncil.gov.uk

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Community / Business Directory

Findon Valley Residents’ Association (FVRA) Annual General Meeting The FVRA AGM will be held on Saturday the 4th April at 2:30pm to 4:30pm in the Findon Valley Library.

Lime Tree Surgery Patient Participation Group (PPG) Membership is free and open to all registered patients, management and staff of Lime Tree Surgery.

Members are entitled to attend meetings which are held bi-monthly on the first Monday of the month from 1pm to 2pm in Waiting Room 3.

If any patient wishes to raise an issue please feel free to attend the meetings or contact the Chairman at chair@limetreesurgeryppg.org.uk or the secretary at secretary@limetreesurgeryppg.org.uk.

New Life Church Residents are advised that the New Life Church started using the Vale School Hall for their Sunday services from 6th February (8am to 1pm) for up to a year pending the rebuilding of their new church on the West Durrington estate. The church has been asked to ensure they park with consideration.

Committee Vacancies We are urgently in need volunteers to fill the following positions on the committee:

Aerial & Satellite

Secretary to take minutes at our monthly meetings and AGM and to carry out ad hoc tasks.

Communications officer to manage publicity and liaise with the press and media to increase the FVRA profile within the wider community.

Events officer to organise and plan with volunteer support a calendar of activities throughout the year for the benefit of our community.

For further details contact Maggie Winter on 01903 263038 or email maggie.winter@findonvalley.org Love West Sussex

Recently it has been brought to our attention that there have been a number of serious falls due to poorly maintained pavements. We would strongly advise residents to play an active part in helping to prevent further incidents by reporting broken or uneven pavements or roads to West Sussex County Council Highways on Love West Sussex website.

Bonfires We would like to remind residents that as spring approaches and gardens are being tidied to take care if lighting a bonfire. If there are any issues caused by inconsiderate fires please contact Adur Worthing Borough Council Environmental Services at publichealth.regulation@adur-worthing.gov.uk or call 01903 851729 for advice. www.findonvalley.org

Blinds & Shutters

Building / Carpentry

Business Directory

through the door Building/Carpentry cont.

Chimney Sweeps

Clearance

Computer Services Carpet Cleaning

Chiropody

Drainage

Electricians

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Business Directory Electricians cont.

Garden Services cont.

Groundworks

Gutters

Exterior Cleaning Hair Dresser

Fencing

Handyman / Property Svs.

Garden Services

Business Directory 57

through the door Handyman / Property Svs.

Logs / Fuel cont.

Painting /Decorating cont.

Home Help

Pest Control Locksmiths

Massage

Logs / Fuel

Painting & Decorating

Plastering

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Business Directory Plumbing / Heating

Plumbing / Heating cont.

Private Hire / Taxi

Roofing

through the door Soft Furnishings / Curtains

Tree Surgery

Business Directory & Advertiser Index Tree Surgery

Art Exhibition Sussex Art Fairs Blinds Direct Blinds Builders SD Building Services Car Servicing Keen & Betts Stedmans Garage Carpets & Flooring Regency Carpets Worthing Wall Bros College Slindon College Computer Services The Laptop Workshop Vipernet Technology Services Council West Sussex County Council Connect to Support Domestic Appliances Carters Domestic Appliances Drains Drainjet Elderly Care A Woodlands House Clapham Village Care Home Country Court Care Group Estate Agency Cubitt & West Furniture Restorers Barcombe Wood Finish Ltd Garage Doors The Doors Group Limited Garden Centre Mambo Jambos Garden Design Earth Architecture Glorious Gardens Greenacre Garden Design & Build Garden Services Bright and Beautiful Gardens West Sussex Ltd Home Entertainment Bowers & Wilkins

9 28 22 43 60 11 53 47 20 12 17 2 12 19 18 19 27 26 29 10 37 36 38 39 21

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Home Furnishings & Gifts Gifted Worthing 23 Home Ventilation Envirovent 39 Horse Manure Sussex Manures Ltd 36 Independent Financial Advisors Investment Solutions Wealth Management Ltd 50 Nsure Financial Services 31 Kitchen Doors Dream Doors 35 Kitchens, Bathrooms, Bedrooms Alexander Worthing Ltd 51 Collier & Sons Ltd 7 Dovetail Kitchens 29 Howdens 34 Osteopath Rebecca Wangi Osteopath 22 Oven Cleaning Oven Cleaning King 34 Ovenu 34 Property Maintenance Valentine Property Maintenance 38 Roofing Ark Roofing Ltd 7 BM Roofing 24 J P Roofcare 13 School Great Ballard School 46 Lancing College Preparatory School at Worthing 45 Our Lady of Sion School 48 Vale School 44 Shutters Just Shutters 23 Solicitors Miller Parris Solicitors 15 Surveyors Property Doctor Surveys 40 Taxis A1 Airport Cars Worthing 14 Tiles Gorringe Porcelain & Ceramic Tiles 42 Tree Surgeon Ashwood Tree Surgery 38 Vet Arun Veterinary Group 5 Crossways Animal Care 51 Visitor Attraction Arundel Castle 37 Will Writing Nsure Estate Planning Services Limited 25 Windows Doors Conservatories MT Conservatories Ltd 33 Unbeatable Conservatories 41