Village Tweet - August 2021

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10-year-old Dougie raises £1,300 for St Catherine’s in epic cycle ride See page 6 Issue No. 129

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August 2021

CONNECTING THE COMMUNITY AND LOCAL BUSINESS Billingshurst • Barns Green • Five Oaks • Ifold • Kirdford • Loxwood • Plaistow • Slinfold • Wisborough Green

Editorial and advertising enquiries: 07762 767084, editor@villagetweet.co.uk

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hether the ending of all restrictions on 19th July was appropriate or reckless is unclear – time will tell.

What is clear is that many events are now taking place again, often for the first time since 2019. To name a few that are publicised in this issue are live theatre (Billingshurst Dramatic Society), page 9; Billingshurst Fire Station’s very popular Charity Car Wash, page 28; the Fittleworth Garden Trail, page 39, the much loved Billingshurst Horticultural Society Flower Show, page 39 and the Loxwood Joust, page 36.

Other events are listed in the What’s On pages.

It’s all beginning to look rather, well, normal.

Grahame Cover: 10-year-old Dougie Wren cycled from Horsham to Shoreham and back again on 12th June and raised £1,300 for St Catherine’s Hospice. See page 6. All charities have suffered hugely during the pandemic, being unable to fundraise

Contents COPY DATE FOR SEPTEMBER ISSUE: 6TH AUGUST Published by A272 Design, PO Box 371, Billingshurst, West Sussex RH14 4AS

Editorial and Advertising: Grahame Pearson 07762 767084 editor@villagetweet.co.uk Website Design: Stephen Pearson

www.villagetweet.co.uk Printed by: The Lavenham Press, Suffolk Disclaimer: All adverts and editorial are printed in good faith. However, A272 Design cannot take any responsibility for the content of the adverts, the services provided by the advertisers or any statements given in the editorial. © No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored without the express permission of the publisher.

The paper used for Village Tweet has been responsibly sourced

Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5, 7 St Catherine’s Hospice: Dougie’s cycle ride raises over £1,300 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 A Hobby a Day… keeps the doldrums away . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Billingshurst Dramatic Society is back! Three new performances announced . . . .9 Recipe: Tonkatsu Pork . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Billingshurst Choral Society: New Music Director, Márcio da Silva . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Macmillan Coffee Morning: Celebrating 25 years of fundraising . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 West Sussex Community Minibus: August’s timetable – restrictions permitting . .13 Billingshurst Cricket Club: New season news round-up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Five Reasons to Wear Sunglasses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Billingshurst Lions Club: Charity Golf Day returns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Recalibrate Your Life: Post-lockdown, what goes, what stays? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 A Good Read: Book Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Billingshurst Community Jumble Trail: This could become an annual event! . . . .23 Yvonne Fleece: A catch-up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Wey & Arun Canal Trust: Tickners Bridge takes shape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Billingshurst Fire Station: Charity car wash returns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 John Nash: What’s age got to do with it? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Swimming the Channell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Renegades: Life’s a beach with the Renegades! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Techy Tips to Make Your Life Easier . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 The Spaniel Diaries: The continuing adventures of Billy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Garden View: A bit of holiday fun! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Spot the Difference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41, 45 What’s On near you . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44, 45 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Kids Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IBC

tŚLJ ƉĞŶƐŝŽŶƐ ĂƌĞ ŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶƚ

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DĂƚƚĞƌƐ ĂƌĞ ŵĂĚĞ ŵŽƌĞ ĐŽŵƉůĞdž ďLJ ƚŚĞ ĨĂĐƚ ƚŚĂƚ ĚŝĨĨĞƌĞŶƚ ƉĞŶƐŝŽŶ ƐĐŚĞŵĞƐ

ŚĂŵďĞƌƐ Θ WĂƌƚŶĞƌƐ ĚŝƌĞĐƚŽƌLJ ŽĨ ůĞĂĚŝŶŐ ůĂǁLJĞƌƐ

Ăůů ϬϭϰϬϯ ϮϭϬϮϬϬ ŵĂŝů ĐŚĂƌůĞƐ͘ƚĞŶŶĂŶƚΛĐŽŽůĞďĞǀŝƐůůƉ͘ĐŽŵ ǁǁǁ͘ĐŽŽůĞďĞǀŝƐůĂǁ͘ĐŽŵ

Coffee break / Legal services

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Village Tweet Quick Crossword

Solution on page 7

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Charity / Cycling / Private hire

Dougie’s cycle ride raises over £1,300 for local hospice

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en-year-old Dougie Wren cycled from Horsham to Shoreham and back again on Saturday 12th June to raise money for St Catherine’s Hospice in memory of his Nanny, Chris.

Dougie pounded the pedals alongside his Dad, James, and raised over £1,300 for the local hospice where his Nanny spent her final hours.

Dougie said, “Last year, my sister and I sadly lost our lovely Nanny. She was a wonderful Nanny who always looked after us while Mummy and Daddy worked. She took us for so many memorable days out too. Nanny did lots for charity and would always put others before herself.

In honour of her, I wanted to raise as much money as I could for St Catherine’s.”

Tracey, Dougie’s Mum, added, “I’m so proud of Dougie, and I know his Nanny would be very proud too. He’s worked really hard training and cycled in the heat without stopping. We’re very grateful to everyone who has supported Dougie and James and helped them raise such a brilliant amount of money. It’s lovely to know this will help St Catherine’s support other families like ours in the future.”

Felicity Parsons, Fundraiser at St Catherine’s said, “We’re so grateful to Dougie and his Dad for

taking on this incredible challenge in memory of his Nanny.

“The support of people like Dougie and his Dad, and the support of our wider community has never been more vital. As a result of the pandemic, we’re unable to run our usual fundraising events and we’ve had a drop of around £1.5 million in income. We’re reliant on the support and fundraising efforts of people in our local community to make sure we can be here for years to come. Every challenge taken on and every penny raised makes a big difference. On behalf of everyone at St Catherine’s, I’d like to say a big thank you to Dougie and his family.

It’s a wonderful tribute to Dougie’s wonderful Nanny.”

To support Dougie and help him raise even more money for St Catherine’s please visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ tracey-wren3. Or perhaps Dougie has inspired you to take on your own challenge? To discover different ways you can support St Catherine’s please visit: www.stch.org.uk/diy or to make a donation to help your local hospice please visit: www.stch.org.uk/donate or call (01293) 447361.

Laura Mitchell, St Catherine’s Hospice Photo: 10-year-old Dougie and Dad James who rode with him

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Religion / Out and about / Business aid

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Rest – for body, mind and soul

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hat does rest mean to you? Perhaps a quiet corner to yourself with a good book. Maybe a walk with a good friend being refreshed by their company. How about the time spent watching birds at the garden feeding table or butterflies resting on summer flowers? It could be that afternoon nap on a comfy settee. Whatever your choice might be, have you ever stopped to consider how rest plays a part in your life?

The Bible gives a clear call to make rest a weekly rhythm of life. God himself is pictured choosing to take a day of rest after creating the world.

Humans are invited to place rest firmly in the important and necessary category.

Summertime is commonly a time many of us seek extra rest through holidays. Travel restrictions and uncertainties have meant these special times have been under the pressure of uncertainty. Whatever has happened to your dreams of “getting away from it all” may

you find ways of finding space to relax and beauty in special places.

God calls us to rest, to follow him in the example set at the dawn of time.

Many obstacles can arise in our busy modern world and full diaries that prevent these habits of healthy rest.

It can be a costly struggle making space in our lives.

I knew of a wonderful farmer committed to his way of life but also honouring God’s ways. He truly kept “Sunday Special”. On a Sunday, even if his crops were perfect for harvest, he would not set out to harvest as it was God’s ordained rest day. What a wonderful example of taking God’s commands seriously.

This summer may you find the rest you need and grow new habits in your weekly life when you can find space and refreshment. We’ve been shown that way from the beginning of time!

Village Tweet Quick Crossword Solution BARGAINS GALORE AT

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Hobbies / Accountancy

A Hobby a Day… keeps the doldrums away

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uring a busy working week do you manage to carve out any time just for you? Or maybe you’re recently retired after a busy working life and finding it difficult to fill those empty hours. It’s time to invoke the power of the hobby.

My dictionary defines ‘hobby’ as ‘an activity or interest pursued for leisure or relaxation and not as a main occupation.’

There have been many scientific studies over the years which show that people who participate regularly in hobbies live longer, healthier lives. This beneficial effect seems to be independent of other factors such as general health or how wealthy you are.

In psychologyspeak, hobbies are a modern expression of suppressed primordial instincts! What this means is that we are essentially pack animals and that we like to belong to a group or a tribe, even those of us who consider ourselves loners. Think about it for a second. Many hobbies do involve belonging to a specific social group or club, with rules and structure: golf, football, train spotters, flying radio-controlled model aircraft, etc. Even anti-social people often spend hours gaming on their PC with other gamers or blogging to other like-minded folk.

However, there’s more to a hobby than belonging. Hobbies allow us to tap into two qualities which are fundamentally human. The first is our capacity for imagination. Whether we’re

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creating something beautiful, like a quilt, or painting, or designing a new layout for our train set, or planning a route for a hill-walking weekend, it’s our imagination which is key to the final outcome. The second quality is our need to drive forward or push boundaries. Whatever our hobby, we’re always striving for improvement: can we obtain that particularly rare stamp; can we climb a higher mountain; can we take a better photograph?

While we’re using our imagination or pushing ourselves that bit further, our hobby acts as a release valve for the stresses of modern life. It’s difficult to worry about your boss or the household bills while you knit, play guitar or swim.

So where do you start when choosing a hobby?

There is an old saying that everyone ought to have three hobbies: an intellectual one; a physical one and a spiritual one.

Modern life doesn’t leave much time for three hobbies but it’s still a good starting point and some hobbies can combine two or even all three of those desirable attributes. Bird watching, for instance combines intellectual and physical, as you’ll learn about birds and get out and about to find them. Yoga combines physical and spiritual attributes.

Get creative: make a list of things which interest you and design your hobby to fit your lifestyle.

You never know what you might achieve.

Louise Addison

Theatre / Little Tweeters! / Recruitment

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Billingshurst Dramatic Society is back!

fter a turbulent year – and who hasn’t had one of those? – we can finally hear the pitter patter of tiny footsteps towards, we hope, loud treading back on the boards of Billingshurst Dramatic Society.

We held two successful outdoor social playreadings in June and July, and now have some exciting events planned for September and October to get us back on the theatrical map.

The first is Late Summer Follies, to be performed in Station Road Gardens on the evening of 4th September. This will be a light-hearted entertainment of music and sketches with lots of laughs in an open-air setting. Bring a picnic and listen to the smooth saxophone sound of JS2 from 5-6pm. The main performance will follow from 6.15pm – 7.15pm. Since Billingshurst Parish Council have kindly provided the space for us, our overheads will be low. Tickets will be FREE via Eventbrite (you can find this link on our website: www.billingshurstdramaticsociety.com) and we will be asking for small donations on the night to go towards the cost of our storage rebuild at the Women’s Hall. (We currently have no permanent home for all our costumes and set!) In the case of inclement weather we will reschedule, but we will be rehearsing a raindance along with the musical numbers, so never fear.

In October we have a very special event planned at The Kings Head, Billingshurst: a murder mystery wittily

penned especially for the venue by BDS committee member and writer, director and actor, Jane Brough. Last Orders: Murder in the Pub is set in the 1970s and may even feature a few nods to old local characters and places, if you’re paying attention. Performances will take place on Monday 11th and Tuesday 12th October at 7.30pm. Tickets are available from the Kings Head and 1970s dress is strongly encouraged. Dig those flares out from the back of the wardrobe and go mad with the hairspray. You know you want to!

And finally, nearly two years later than originally planned, Murdered to Death, directed by Will and Ted Gooda, will be performed at the Women’s Hall on 20th-22nd February 2022. Get the dates in your diary now to witness the trials and tribulations of Inspector Pratt (Trevor Bishop) in this spoof whodunnit.

As ever, we’d love to hear from potential new members. We are a great team and it’s ‘all hands to the pump’ before and after a show. Whether you are an actor, director, stage manager, costume designer – or just fancy trying something new, get in touch via the website: www.billingshurstdramaticsociety.com.

See you in September!

Ted Gooda Photo: Rehearsing for Snowed Under – BDS’s last production in February 2020 before being plunged into lockdown

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Food and drink

Tonkatsu Pork

A taste of Japan

METHOD

The Sauce Place all the sauce ingredients into a small saucepan and stir well. Heat until simmering and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes or until the garlic and ginger are soft and the sauce has a good pouring consistency. When it’s ready strain it through a fine sieve and allow to cool to room temperature.

The Pork 1. You’ll need four plates. Pour the flour (seasoned with salt and pepper) on to the first; pour the beaten eggs on to the second and the breadcrumbs on to the third. NOTE: Panko breadcrumbs are crisper than normal breadcrumbs. The recipe will work with normal breadcrumbs but you might prefer to use finely crushed cornflakes or crackers.

2. Coat each pork loin generously in the seasoned flour, then dip it into the beaten egg so it’s covered, then finally coat each loin steak in breadcrumbs.

Transfer them all to the fourth plate.

3. Pour enough oil into a frying pan to shallow fry the pork steaks and allow the pan to heat up over a moderate heat. When hot enough add the steaks and fry until golden on each side (4-5 minutes per side). Don’t overcrowd the pan as this will cause the steaks to steam and the breadcrumbs will become soggy.

4. Place the cooked steaks on a plate and cut into thick slices. Drizzle the Tonkatsu sauce over the steaks and serve with some shredded cabbage and Japanese pickles.

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Preparation time: 15-20 minutes.

Cooking time: 15-20 minutes.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

2 eggs, beaten 4 tbsp flour 75g panko breadcrumbs 4 thick pork loin steaks Oil for frying (sunflower or ground nut) ½ Chinese cabbage, finely shredded Salt Freshly ground black pepper.

For the Tonkatsu sauce 125g tomato ketchup 75ml sake or rice wine (dry sherry makes a good substitute).

2tbsp Worcester sauce 2 tbsp dark soy sauce 1 clove of garlic, finely grated 1tsp finely grated fresh root ginger 1 tsp Japanese mustard (Dijon makes a good substitute) 1tbsp mirin 1tbsp sugar

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Food and drink

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Choral / Charity / Funerals

A Shining New Baton for BCS

B

illingshurst Choral Society (BCS) is excited to announce the appointment of Márcio da Silva as its new Music Director from September 2021.

Márcio needs little introduction to followers of classical music in the South East: an immensely talented musician, professional baritone, music director of several choirs, artistic director and principal conductor of Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra, stage and music director of Ensemble OrQuesta, a composer, singing teacher and vocal coach; we are delighted that he will be adding BCS to his impressive Curriculum Vitae.

A number of readers will associate Márcio’s name with Woodhouse Opera Festival near Dorking, where he was artistic director from 2012 until its final season in 2018, which featured electrifying performances including Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore and Puccini’s La Bohème.

BCS, like all choral societies throughout Britain, has been holding its breath for the last 16-plus months, after a COVID-enforced halt to all indoor rehearsals.

At last, there is light at the end of this nightmarish coronavirus tunnel for the choir, with its new MD and the prospect of rehearsals being able to commence as normal from September.

A friendly, lively and well-established choral society,

BCS currently has around 80 members.

The choir enjoys a wide repertoire and performs locally, as well as at venues further afield.

Rehearsals are every Tuesday evening from 7.30pm to 9.45pm during term time.

When we recommence in September, rehearsals will be at The Billingshurst Community and Conference Centre, Roman Way. New members are always welcome and if you are interested in joining BCS, please check our website for details. A taster session will give you the opportunity to meet the members, our new MD and to get a sense of the wonderful camaraderie that pervades the choir.

Please look at our website and social media page from mid-August onwards when the date for the new season will be posted. Under the baton of our new Music Director, Márcio da Silva, we can promise our choir members an inspirational and highly-charged rehearsal each week and, for our faithful audiences, an exciting and stimulating future concert programme.

For more information please visit the BCS website: www.billingshurstchoralsociety.org Márcio da Silva, BCS’s new Music Director.

Photo: Peter Mould / stagesnaps.com

Billinghurst Macmillan Coffee Morning celebrates 25 Years of Fundraising!

On Saturday 12th June, the Billingshurst Macmillan Group held a coffee morning at the Pulborough Village Hall to celebrate the group fundraising for 25 years.

Special guest was Judith Dandy of Dandelion Farewells with their Community Connections table.

The morning was well attended and an amazing £761.30 was raised all for local cancer care.

There will be another coffee morning at the Billingshurst Centre on Saturday 31st July from 10am-12 noon. For more details please contact Terri Ashpool on (01403) 588996. Rowena Harris Dandelion Farewells’ Community Connections table

Judith Dandy Independent Funeral Director Dandelion Farewells warmly invites you to contact us if you have any questions about the funeral you need to arrange.

We are committed to enabling families to plan a funeral that is personal, meaningful and affordable.

We will support you to create a farewell that is appropriate and unique, thereby taking away much of the strain of planning such a signi昀cant event.

We will be with you every step of the way.

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Community / Health and wellbeing

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West Sussex Community Minibus Association (Billingshurst) At time of writing (early July) we await news of when and how social distancing and other restrictions will be eased. We are keen to welcome new and returning passengers and have planned a ‘provisional’ schedule which may be subject to change. Please bear with us and support us!

We offer a friendly door to door service for anyone in the ‘RH14 9xx’ area!

August 2021 Schedule – Provisional Every Tuesday Every Thursday Wednesday 4th Friday 6th Wednesday 11th Friday 13th Wednesday 18th Friday 20th Wednesday 25th Friday 27th

9.00am 10.00am 10.00am 10.00am 9.30am 10.00am 10.00am

1.15pm Tesco’s, Broadbridge Heath Horsham & Sainsbury’s Worthing Hilliers, Horsham Chichester 1.15pm Shoreham Airport Eastbourne Notcutts Garden Centre, Cranleigh Chichester 1.15pm Old Barn Nursery

To book, telephone Geraldine Pike: (01403) 786147 from 14th June If you’re interested in finding out more about our service, either as a passenger or a volunteer, please contact Steve O’Dowd, email: billingshurst.minibus@btinternet. com or tel: (01403) 784428.

Thank you.

Registered Charity No. 1173818

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57 High Street, Billingshurst, West Sussex RH14 9FJ Tel: 01403 786081 Email: info@meadowswellbeing.com

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Cricket / Health and wellbeing

Outstanding Performances Kick Start Season

F

ollowing a series of close and hard fought early games, which ultimately ended in defeat, the Billingshurst 1st XI have won three games in succession to leave them in the mid-table huddle of the Sussex Cricket League 2nd Division.

Strong performances with the bat from captain Mike Burroughs, who has been well supported by others throughout the batting order, have been the catalyst for the improvement.

Fast bowler Shakeem Clarke has swapped the warmth, rum, and beaches of Barbados for a summer in West Sussex.

His eleven wickets in the two fixtures at the end of June has helped restrict the opposition to scores that the Billingshurst batsman have been able to match.

The women’s section of the club continues to thrive as well as a vibrant and growing colts (youth) section with teams covering the age range from under 10s through to under 16s. Under 10s start their cricketing career with softball cricket which allows them to develop and hone their skills before transitioning to hard ball cricket, commonly at under 12 level. Billingshurst Cricket Club has a number of England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) accredited coaches who provide and oversee training of the colts.

The club employs a variety of coaching approaches including on-field drills and training, nets sessions with

soft and hard ball bowling machines alongside focused sessions delivered by the club’s senior players. Colts training typically happens on a Tuesday evening for the younger players, with the older youngsters training alongside the adults on a Friday evening.

The club regularly field junior teams with many of the colts additionally joining the adult cricket sides (40 over and 20 over T20) in their mid-teens as their competence and confidence increases.

The club’s women’s team play both soft and hard ball cricket offering additional options for our female colts to continue their cricketing progress.

The club fields three men’s league teams competing on Saturdays, a Sunday side with the emphasis very much on enjoyment and development, two midweek T20 teams as well as the women’s and colt sections.

For further information about joining the club, whether playing, umpiring, or simply spectating, please email at billingshurstcc@gmail.com.

Alternatively contact Richard on 07887 603458 (by text only please) and for colt or women’s information please contact Rachel at rachelgosling13@hotmail.com.

Richard Bown & Martin Gosling Photo: Captain Mike Burroughs drives through the covers during Billingshurst’s victory over Lindfield at Jubilee Fields

PRIVATE CANCER SUPPORT AT HOME

“Making the best of the rest of your days” FREE initial assessment within 48 hours of a diagnosis of cancer NO WAITING LIST Advanced Care Plan… to ensure your wishes and needs are met and carried out, one on one support for you and your family from day one.

Achievable Personal Goals… Whatever is achievable: holiday, wedding, we will arrange in a realistic time line to diagnosis and any treatment.

Finance and Practical Assistance…

We will fundraise, advise benefit entitlements, mobility vehicle and blue badge.

Full support for you and your family…

Practical help: meals, housework, care on bad days art/craft/pet therapy sessions for any of your family affected by your diagnosis, the chance to talk without pressure about their own worries and concerns.

Late stage Palliative Care… in accordance with your care plan if required, working with other health professionals involved in your care.

Ongoing Support… for family members for as long as they require, private grief councilor on board, support and therapies for any family member’s

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ongoing support.

Don’t take my word…

“Tina has been our support during the last months, weeks, days of my husband’s life. She was with him when he passed at home as we were desperate not to have him in hospital with COVID and on his own. She has been wonderful. Very caring, extremely knowledgable and competent, always punctual and reliable as his needs changed. My husband loved her from the moment she came into our lives.”

Sue (wife of client) “Floor washed, lunch made, clocks changed. I cried when I got up. You have two angels in heaven and we have one here with us: YOU! We were saying yesterday that we believe a higher being sent you to us at the right time for a special reason. You are being guided by your angels. Our whole family rates you so highly, we have flowers here for you to collect.” Maureen (wife of client) Photo: pony therapy session

Tel (01403) 432605

Mobile 07376 210731

Health and wellbeing

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Five Reasons to Wear Sunglasses 1. Sunglasses protect your eyes from the elements Sunbathing, skiing, or biking on a dirt track, sunglasses can protect your eyes from sand, wind and dust, all of which can irritate or scratch the delicate cornea.

2. Sunglasses help prevent certain eye diseases related to the sun Prolonged exposure to the sun’s UV rays can lead to early onset cataracts, macular degeneration, and pterygium.

Cataracts involve a clouding of the eye’s lens that requires an operation to correct; macular degeneration results from deterioration of the macula of the retina which permanently destroys central vision; and pterygium involves tissue growth on the eyeball.

Wearing sunglasses that have good UV protection helps keep your eyes healthier, longer.

3. See more clearly!

Polarised sunspecs help you see better in bright light. They cut glare and improve your perception of colours and contrast. Even on somewhat

cloudy days, wearing sunglasses while driving can improve your vision and cut down on glare.

If you’re a fisherman, you’ll also be able to see past the surface of water more easily without all that bright, reflective glare.

4. Avoid headaches and migraines For many people who regularly get migraines or bad headaches, bright sunlight can be a major trigger.

Wearing sunglasses (particularly those with polarised lenses) allows you to get out and about without triggering an attack.

5. You’ll look cool!

It’s almost impossible not to look cool in a pair of shades.

They hide dark circles on a no make-up day and add a touch of mystery. You can ring the changes with different styles, from rock chick edginess to Parisian chic.

Wherever you’re going this summer (and let’s face it, in 2021 for most of us it will be the local park!) be sun-safe and be stylish!

Sarah Davey

THE VICKY MICHELLE ACADEMY OF DANCE 28th July-6th August VMA Wicked Week (ages 11-18) Billingshurst Scout Hut 2nd-6th August VMA Wizard of Oz Week (ages 4-12) Billingshurst Scout Hut 16th & 17th August VMA Junior Dance Workshops (ages 4-12) Billingshurst Scout Hut 18th-20th August VMA Senior Workshops (ages 10-18) Billingshurst Scout Hut 24th August VMA Frozen Workshop (ages 4-12) Billingshurst Scout Hut 26th August VMA MINI Workshop (ages 2-6) Billingshurst Scout Hut

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Community / Health and wellbeing

A Welcome Return for the Charity Golf Day

B

illingshurst & District Lions are delighted to confirm that their Charity Golf Day will take place on Thursday, 26th August at the Slinfold Golf and Country Club. The chosen Charity this year is Carers Support West Sussex – Young Carers.

Each year, the Young Carers Service offers 100 places for young carers, aged 8 to 14, to participate in a twoday residential Summer Camp at an activity centre in a rural location.

These young carers take on physical, practical and emotional responsibilities because a family member has problems; perhaps being disabled, having a learning difficulty, or with drug or alcohol issues. These additional responsibilities often result in young carers losing out on opportunities which other children receive, so attending these Summer Camps is an extremely valuable experience. Every penny raised at the Golf Day will go towards providing Young Carers with this Summer Camp experience.

Entries are invited for teams of four, Stableford scoring using full Playing Handicap. Prizes will be awarded for the best team scores, best three scores on each hole to count, and also for best individual scores.

There will be some special prizes on selected holes. Teams can be all male, all female or mixed. Golfers are asked to arrive between 9 and 10 am for refreshments and after the golf there will be a meal followed by prize presentation.

The entry fee per golfer is £45, reduced to £35 for Slinfold members.

For full information and how to enter the competition, please contact Roger Skillin, on (01403) 700221, or e-mail roger.skillin@talk21.com.

Regrettably, the number of teams is limited and entries will be accepted in order of receipt. The closing date for entries is the 11th August (unless previously full).

President, Viv Diggins says, “We look forward to your support for what in the past has been a great day out.”

Keep up to date with Billingshurst & District Lions Club on their Facebook page or on their website www.e-clubhouse.org/sites/billingshurst.

Alternatively you can call 0345 833 5965.

Harvey Holmes, Billingshurst & District Lions Club Photo: Young adult carers attending a walk and picnic during Carers Week in June. All involved had a fantastic time

At Phoenix Care we are dedicated to providing person-centred and exemplary health, domestic, social and personal homecare to those in Billingshurst, Horsham, Pulborough, Storrington and the surrounding areas.

If you would like to find out more about the services we offer, please contact us using the details below or visit our website. sarah.marshall@phoenixcaresussex.co.uk

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Health and wellbeing / Hair

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Recalibrate Your Life What will your ‘new normal’ look like?

B

e honest, before the pandemic did you ever think, “Wouldn’t it be great to start over? If I had a fresh start I’d do things so differently.”?

As we exit the 18-month period during which life’s ordinary patterns paused, it’s a good time to ask, before a more ‘normal’ life kicks back in, what would I like ‘normal’ to look like for me?

My friends and I often talk about pre-pandemic life in a pretty sentimental way. We speak in general terms: we miss visiting family, hanging out, and travelling.

More recently, though, I’ve been trying to work out what specifically my friends and I don’t miss: toxic friendships, endless commutes, arrogant bosses, rude customers, and irritating co-workers came top.

Pre-pandemic life how often did you hang out with that friend who makes you feel bad about yourself?

How often did you avoid conflict at work, even when you knew your boss or co-worker was being unreasonable? How often did you feel ‘guilted’ into attending a family dinner? It’s a human trait to avoid rocking the boat… then COVID came along and rudely capsized everyone’s boats!

I’m not making light of the past year. I lost my grandfather to COVID. It was a truly awful time, and no one ever wants to return to the huge death counts of last summer. But most of us have been looking forward to a relaxation of the restrictions on our lives while at the same time secretly dreading a few things about ‘the return to normal’.

So how can we bring about some permanent positive changes?

Write these two specific questions down and underneath, write your answers.

1. What did I dislike from my life before the

pandemic and haven’t missed?

2. What do I like from the pandemic times that I will miss when normality fully returns?

Be particularly honest about the first question. Be specific about toxic friendships, and unproductive habits and behaviours.

Make a list of things to leave in the prepandemic era.

Some things you may feel you can’t change, like a commute, a job, or a friendship/relationship.

But if you examine them closely you might find you have more control than you think. If the pandemic has been a welcome break from any of the answers you wrote, ask yourself whether you could make that break permanent.

What would it take? This might be your best chance.

Make a list of what you want to keep and take forward.

Did you find you liked spending more time at home and discovered a love of gardening or reading? Did you take up running, cooking, painting, or singing?

Think about how about how you might be able to reengineer your life to include fewer business trips, fewer meetings, and more time for your hobbies, on your own or with friends who actually enrich your life.

I’m not suggesting that you abandon your family and run off to a retreat in the Outer Hebrides or resign from your job and announce you’re a writer, with no thought for how you’ll support yourself and your dependents. This is an exercise in recalibrating and making a few adjustments to your course through life.

2020 and 2021 have been unrelentingly grim, but human beings are amazingly resilient and most of us have experienced glimpses of ‘happy’ here and there.

The trick going forward will be to scrape off the grim while holding on tight to the happy.

Kate McCarthy

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Books / About the house

A Good Read August’s selection from book reviewers Willow Coby and Grahame Pearson The Dilemma – Penny Vincenzi Sometimes we’re daunted by the thickness of a book and wonder whether we should invest our time in something so enormous?

Well 880 pages is certainly a big commitment. Anyone who has seen Vincenzi’s books on the shelves in a bookshop or library may well have felt a little intimidated. But Vincenzi really is worth the time and energy, though you may need a cheat sheet to keep track of all the characters!

An alibi. A simple alibi. That’s all Brad Channing asks of his wife, Francesca. She simply has to say that he spent the day in the country with her, and so could not have been in London. All a mother wants for her family is for them to be happy and safe. If Brad is convicted, it would be the end for all of them. His business would fall apart and the comfortable life they’ve built for their family would be destroyed.

Like her other novels, The Dilemma is ultimately a family saga. It may be set against a backdrop of wealth and business success on a scale that most of us can only dream of, but it shows that no matter your position or status in life we will all fight for the same things when it comes to those we love.

with four cats who had successfully survived the impact of the war. Two were feral and living in the open, surviving on scraps behind a bakery in South London. In comparison, the other two cats were living in palatial luxury in central London being cared for by a French couple who had escaped Paris in the early 1940’s and were working at the British War Office.

These four cats were as far as some imaginative research could go back in time. It uncovers that these four cats were the ancestors of the five cool cats who were born in Portugal in 2010 and 2012.

This mostly fictitious biographical tale then traces the lives of 17 generations of cats. It tells of their adventures in the locations where they lived, it details the times they lived in and covers the lives of the people who were their owners.

In 1993 one cat – named Tommy – manages to leave the UK and arrive in Portugal on his own he gets adopted for the second time and is renamed Henrique.

Tracing family roots has become a very popular pastime for many people. DNA tests are easily obtainable these days and it is relatively easy to trace family roots. But, this book imagines what could possibly be found if cats alive today attempted to research their roots. At the end of the book, the reader will almost certainly want to know more about the real five cool cats who inspired this tale…

Cat Roots – Paul Shave unless of course they have L A C Cat Roots is written and self-published by already read Five Cool Cats LO R Billingshurst resident Paul Shave. It’s his (Watch Out for Tommy!).

THO U A second book and is the prequel to Five Cool Both Cat Roots and Five Cats (Watch Out for Tommy!) which was Cool Cats (Watch Out for Tommy!) are reviewed in Village Tweet, May 2021. available from www.amazon.co.uk. Kindle Cat Roots commences in London, England versions are £1.99 and £2.99 and paperback in1945 just after the Second World War had ended versions £5.99 and £7.99 respectively.

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About the house

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Community / About the house

Billingshurst Community Jumble Trail

C

New initiative raises money for both sellers and local charities

learing out clutter became a national obsession during lockdowns, but with charity shops closed or restricted, what could be done with the accumulated bags and boxes?

Five Oaks resident, Julia Jepps, was aware of the concept of a Jumble Trail and decided to pilot such a trail in Billingshurst. She set up an event Facebook page and was soon receiving booking requests from villagers keen to sell their goods with no joining fee involved. By sale day, 4th July 67 sellers had registered. With products as diverse as toys, crafting materials, plants, produce, clothing, books, vintage items and much more, there was something for everyone. Charities also benefited, with a number of charities supported – one stall raising £230 with home baked cakes.

Running from 9.30am to 1pm, a printed map was

available to guide buyers around the village. Stalls popped up in the High Street, on new estates and many other roads, highlighted with balloons, bunting and flags. Some enterprising groups of neighbours created ‘hubs’ with several stalls in one road. The Fire Station even joined in, allowing West Sussex Mediation Service’s book stall to set up on their forecourt.

The Billingshurst Macmillan Group took part and raised £217.90.

Lots of buyers were seen clutching maps and wandering the streets looking for their next bargain including visitors from as far afield as Littlehampton, Dorking, Brighton, Chichester and Horley. There was a wonderful atmosphere in the village with all ages participating in the fun.

With so many keen to sell again, this looks like becoming at least an annual event.

Julia Jepps

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Billingshurst Parish Council Billingshurst Community & Conference Centre Roman Way, Billingshurst, RH14 9QW

Neighbourhood Warden Drop-In Sessions Barry & Julie, Billingshurst Neighbourhood Wardens are now holding their Drop-In sessions again. Keep an eye on the Community page of the Parish Council’s website www.billingshurst.gov.uk to find out the most up to date locations. The Wardens are looking to introduce some weekend and evening sessions as well over the summer months.

If you are unable to attend one of these sessions but would like to get in touch with the Wardens, their numbers are: Barry 07795 051516 or Julie 07795 051529.

Hello & Welcome!

The Parish Council is delighted to welcome its newest employee Kris King who has recently commenced work as a Cleansing Operative. Kris joins the team working alongside Colin & Roland, helping to keep our local areas clean and tidy.

Jubilee Fields Fishing Lake Swimming in the lake is DANGEROUS and could result in death or serious illness, it also damages lake life. Swimming in the lake is an OFFENCE as it breaks a local by-law and those caught doing so will be dealt with by the Police.

Please call the Police on 101 if you see someone swimming in the lake. Please do not allow your dogs to swim in the lake.

Traffic Calming across the parish The Council receives many requests for traffic calming across the Parish. Although ultimate responsibility for such matters resides with WSCC as highways authority, the Parish Council does have some power to promote such schemes and it is currently focusing its energies on developing proposals to make East St and High St more pedestrian

and cycle-friendly, following the opening of the new spine road which should remove through traffic. Parish Councillors consider there may be scope to set up a Traffic Calming Working Party, made up of local residents and Councillors, which could consider such future requests, determine which are possible, and take forward new schemes. The Council is keen to gauge the level of interest before setting up such a group, so if you would like to offer your services and get involved, please email clerk@billingshurst.gov.uk.

At this stage we are not looking for a list of possible projects. In the meantime there is lots of information about traffic calming at www.westsussex.gov.uk.

Billingshurst Neighbourhood Plan Horsham District Council met for its Full Council meeting on 23rd June 2021, where members voted unanimously to ‘make’ the Neighbourhood Plan for Billingshurst. Our Neighbourhood Plan will now form part of the development plan for Horsham and will be used to determine planning applications.

HDC congratulated Billingshurst for reaching this milestone.

www.billingshurst.gov.uk Email: council@billingshurst.gov.uk 01403 782555 / twitter@BillingshurstPC

Billingshurst Parish Council

@BillingshurstPC

Billingshurst Bowling Club Bowls is a nice gentle form of exercise, with plenty of fresh air and good company thrown in for good measure – so why not give it a try?

‘Billingshurst Bowling Club has been a part of the village since 1932 and our green is located at the rear of the Leisure Centre on Station Road, behind Station Road Gardens. New members are always welcome to come and join – our philosophy is that bowls is a friendly game, played in a friendly environment, with friendly people! So come along – we have open evenings every Friday from May to September from 6pm if you’d like to give it a try! For more information and to let us know you’re interested, please email billingshurstbowlsclub@gmail.com telephone Barry on 07858 407537 or visit our website on www.billingshurstbowlingclub. co.uk.’

Be a good neighbour this summer Please remember that on warm summer days and evenings playing music, lighting bonfires and taking part in noisy activities might be great fun, but it can also have an effect on your neighbours too. In most cases a pleasant informal approach to the person responsible can resolve the matter without need for a formal complaint. Please also be careful leaving windows open as it allows easy access for intruders. Finally, if you plan to be away from home for a period of time please ensure that you have a nominated neighbour or contact for your burglar alarm.

WSCC Local Transport Plan Public Consultation West Sussex County Council has reported that it is reviewing the West Sussex Transport Plan (WSTP) to update the County Council’s approach to investment in, and management of, the transport network for the period of 2022-2036. ‘Transport affects every aspect of our lives including how we

work, socialise, access education and health services. We must plan for our future transport needs in order to protect and enhance our beautiful and prosperous county.

In autumn 2020 we asked interested people about their key transport issues and priorities through the WSTP review survey.

A summary Transport Plan Review Survey Report can be viewed via the West Sussex County Council website. This information is being used to develop the draft West Sussex Transport Plan which will set out how the County Council intends to address challenges including’: • a growing and ageing population • transport emissions • rural isolation • public health and wellbeing • congestion • road safety The draft West Sussex Transport Plan is expected to be published for consultation this summer and adoption of the new plan is expected in early 2022. The consultation documents can be viewed at www. westsussex.gov.uk/about-the-council/ policies-and-reports/roads-and-travelpolicy-and-reports/west-sussex-transportplan-review.

To receive notification of future consultations about the plan, please email ltp@ westsussex.gov.uk or phone (01243) 642105 – leaving your name, email address and interest (for example whether you are a resident, business owner, transport operator and so on).

Upcoming Council meetings All meetings are back to being held at the Billingshurst Community & Conference Centre (normally commencing at 7.30pm), and agendas are always posted on the Parish Council’s website www.billingshurst.gov.uk.

Upcoming Meeting (August) 5th: Planning & Environment Committee

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Little tweeters! / About the house

A catch-up…

Once upon a time on a small farm near Billingshurst…

A

t the end of June Nanny was basking in a rare bit of sun and ruminating about what had happened over the last two months – quite a lot actually…

The new chicken pen didn’t allow the chickens to roam freely enough so the paddock was opened up. Sadly Queenie disappeared and after a visit from a determined fox, Nanny spent a couple of day putting a poultry electric fence around it.

(That was another story altogether!)

The chickens simply flew over it. Anne bought several 6ft industrial metal fence panels (like those seen on building sites) and she and Gary erected it around the paddock and moved the electric fence. Better but the chickens got under it as the panels did not quite reach the ground.

Netting left over from the previously erected enclosure was cut into Table installed in the park strips with tin-snips and secured with small plastic ties and pegs by Izzie.

That should do it, but time will tell. Those chickens – many batches of them – have been expensive in both money and energy but they are wonderful pets and Anne loves them.

Meanwhile, after the sheep had been shorn in May, with the grass getting quite long, Freya developed a bad limp in one of her hind legs. The vet was called but after two hours running around the paddock trying to catch Freya was totally unsuccessful. The vet left and Nanny paid the bill.

Freya’s leg did not get better. Meanwhile, Izzie who is a faithful sheep feeder, gained Freya’s trust and was able to pin her down. She rang Nan who came

down to the paddock to help Izzie carry Freya to the hay shed. She was too heavy, so Mary was commandeered and the three of them somehow got Freya lifted into the trolley and the three of them pushed her up. Well the girls did, Nanny dropped back gasping for air. The vet came again and fixed her up. The bill hasn’t arrived yet.

And the pond, oh yes, let’s not forget about the pond! Nanny had extended the surroundings, James and Co had put in a field drain and Nanny started replanting it. Of course, as she knelt down to plant an oxygen plant, she lost her balance, put her hand out to save herself and found herself face down in the pond!

It had to happen. After some muddy shifting she finally got herself upright, staggered home and had a shower. Grandad washed the muddy clothes.

Way back in February or – a rare success story! March Nanny invested in a flat-pack picnic table for the park and challenged Izzie to put it together. She had some experience helping her mum. So, she started and stopped and started again all through exam time, a little bit here and a little bit there.

Finally with a little help from Nan and Grandad it was completed. Mary helped her put on the trusty trolley and it was placed on its dedicated spot in the park area.

The park is nearly complete, some shrubs need putting in along the fence line and a bit more planting in the pond area. Now all that is needed is the kids to have their friends over and to use it before they all depart for uni in September…

Yvonne Fleece

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Community / About the house

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Milestone moment for Wey & Arun Canal Trust

I

t was a big moment at the Wey & Arun Canal Trust’s latest major restoration project on 3rd June as the footbridge for the road crossing at Tickner’s Heath in Alfold, Surrey, was put into place.

The 6.5 tonne steel frame was carefully lifted in by a 100-tonne crane, ready to be attached by Four-Tees Engineers from Fareham, who created the 16m specialist structure.

The footbridge is part of a project that will also see the construction of a new road bridge and excavation of the canal at the summit. The original arch bridge across the canal has long been demolished and the road realigned onto an earth causeway which blocks the route of the canal, so the Trust intends to create a new road crossing and canal cut to rejoin the original canal to the west of the old crossing.

As the road over the new bridge will be no wider than the existing road, the separate footbridge will be used by pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.

Work on the project began last autumn and since then volunteers have created culverts, a

construction compound and the concrete bankseats on which the footbridge sits, as well as the brick facing for the footbridge abutments. Their next task is to install the oak timber deck and handrails.

Project manager Tony Ford said volunteers and Wey & Arun Canal Trust employees had accomplished a lot in difficult circumstances.

“Volunteers have really shown their commitment to this project, given construction has been stop-start thanks to the several lockdowns we have experienced over the past year. Small teams have worked incredibly hard to ensure we have reached this point in the build and that we can press on to the next stage.

“We now look forward to constructing a short temporary diversion for Dunsfold Road to take traffic away from the site of the new canal crossing.

Following that a water main needs diverting by Thames Water and we can then finally get on to build the new road bridge.”

Gill Davies, Press and Publications Assistant Photo: The new Tickners pedestrian bridge takes shape

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Fire station / About the house

Charity Car Wash finally returns

W

e are very excited to announce that in September we will be able to host our first charity car wash in over 18 months.

We will be raising money for our chosen charity, The Firefighters Charity, which looks after firefighters and their families in many different areas. This charity is NOT government funded and elies purely on donations and charity events such as these.

We would like to raise as much money as possible, and will appreciate any contributions you can make on the day. There is no fixed price for a car wash, we just ask for a donation, however big or small.

In the past we have seen a variety of vehicles, including horse boxes, three-wheelers, mobility

scooters and the local Post Office fleet – so come and surprise us!

This will be held at the rear of Billingshurst Fire Station on Saturday 11th September from 10am2pm.

Depending on the current government guidelines at this time, we will be hoping to offer hot/cold drinks and cakes. Once again, all contributions will go towards the charity. The fire engine will also be available for the kids to have a look at.

We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible on 11th September.

Twitter: @Station49Fire Facebook: Billingshurst Fire Station Dan Game, Billingshurst Fire Station Photo: We can make your horsebox gleam!

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About the house / Recruitment

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Community / About the house

What’s age got to do with it?

John Nash is a retired, well sort of retired, fruit farm manager in Kirdford who enjoys scribbling about life on the farm from the now to days gone by.

O

ver the many years that make up my farming life I have had the good fortune to come into contact with a wonderful variety of people. From other farmers and growers, to villagers who helped us at harvest time as well as the many, many friends who I came to know in the farm shop.

When I first came to Sussex I was 17 years old and I started work at Amblehurst Farm for the late Captain and Mrs Masters over at Wisborough Green.

First as a cow man and then moving onto his much loved orchards. It was from those first few years that I developed my love for fruit production and horticulture in general.

Like on all fruit farms there was a lot of seasonal work involved when villagers would join us for harvesting and grading fruit as well as for other general farm work. One such person was Trevor, a lad of a similar age to me who joined me in the fields in June for haymaking and in late August through to Christmas for help in the orchards and the packing shed. We became good friends and for many years, together with our wives, we would spend pleasant evenings visiting Country and Western gigs around the area.

We were young, exceedingly fit, and had the world before us.

We all recall looking back to those days of our youth. The sun always shone, the days of summer lasted for ever, and our energy was untiring.

Now fast forward 60-odd years later.

I’ve enjoyed the intervening decades managing a fruit farm and nursery in Kirdford and now I just potter around the farm “keeping things tidy”. The orchards have been grubbed, the large glasshouses now used by a local nursery.

A few years back the main farmhouse needed a

Kevocal l r u o y endly fri en ov er clean

gardener. Sally managed to find a man who came with great references and who was prepared to lend a hand on the odd occasion if the need should arise around the farm.

Yes, it was Trevor, my companion from 60 years ago! The Last of the Summer Wine has come home!

You’ve no idea the fun two old codgers can have on a farm while trying to replicate the times of their youth.

Please don’t think we just muck about… well, all right, we do… but we do work hard. It’s just that things somehow go wrong more easily. Ladders wobble more, so paint splatters more; mainly over each other. While clearing reservoir banks it seems much easier to fall in, and much harder to climb out.

Thumbs get hit, tools get dropped or lost, and rain stops play far quicker than it did so many years ago.

However, laughter seems to come so quickly. The bigger the mistake, the more idiotic a failure either of us commits, the greater the enjoyment we both have.

It’s typical ‘Compo’ stuff. Childhood revisited by two men who grab the chance to prove that age is no barrier to hard enjoyable work.

Trouble is, age does bring problems that no matter how much the mind is willing, the body just refuses to comply…

You get in a deep ditch to clear some weeds, you can’t get out again. Your mate offers an arm, and there’s two of you in the ditch!

You try to move an object that requires one on each end. One of you has to walk backwards. Old men can’t walk backwards. Sometimes it can be painful!

So it continues and long may it be so. They say that the very young somehow connect more easily with the old. That may well be, but I reckon it’s best when the old try to re-connect with their own youth.

It’s fun, it’s uplifting, it can be frustrating, and sometimes… it hurts!

John Nash

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About the house

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Swimming / About the house

A Feat of Endurance Swimming the English Channel is still an amazing achievement

O

n 24th August, 1875, Captain Matthew Webb (pictured) became the first person to swim the English Channel without the use of artificial aids. Since that time, the channel swim has become the pinnacle achievement for an open-water swimmer. But the journey to success is complex, and most people who attempt it fail.

There are many factors that combine to make the Channel swim so difficult, but the cold has to be number one. Ironically, super-fit swimmers with lots of muscle and little body fat get cold more quickly, so are more likely to suffer from hypothermia.

Unpredictable Channel tides and extreme weather conditions mean that swimmers need to book pilots almost two years in advance. Pilots are people with years of experience of tides and weather, who are skilled in escorting swimmers and evaluating when to pull them out of the water.

The health risks of swimming the channel are high: Hypothermia – known as the ‘umbles’: cold – the ‘grumbles’; loss of fine motor co-ordination – the ‘fumbles’; slowing of thinking and speech – the ‘mumbles’; loss of gross motor co-ordination – the ‘stumbles’. At this point the shiver response stops and the heart might become arrhythmic, leading to sudden death.

Afterdrop. While the environment is cold, the body protects vital organs by constricting blood vessels in the skin and extremities. When the swimmer exits the water, blood rapidly returns to the extremities, causing bright pink skin, and a correspondingly dangerous drop in core temperature.

For an official channel attempt, no aids to heat

retention, such as a wetsuit or neoprene cap are allowed, so these are real issues that any potential channel swimmer has to overcome.

Weight issues. Many budding channel swimmers gain extra body fat deliberately prior to their attempt. This comes with certain risks: hernia, acid reflux and gout have all been recorded though these tend to be reversible. But there is also a condition called swimming-induced pulmonary oedema, where the lungs fill with fluid, making it difficult to breath.

Seasickness. This can afflict swimmers as badly as it does boat passengers. In addition, repeatedly swallowing salt water which often contains excrement, is guaranteed to induce vomiting.

Jellyfish. The zone between the two shipping lanes in the channel is full of jellyfish, some of which have a particularly nasty sting!

Ships. To swim from England to France you have to swim across the shipping lanes. In normal, non-COVID times there are over 600 commercial ship movements and 80 to 100 ferry crossings between Dover and Calais every day – and it’s the job of the pilot boat to keep the swimmer out of the path of these vessels.

In addition, swimmers are alone in their heads for long periods so face huge a huge mental challenge during a feat that can last an average of 13-15 hours but may be far longer.

Yet in spite of all the hazards and hurdles in recent times around 100 people per year set out to attempt the swim. If you’d like to be one of them visit the Channel Swimming & Piloting Federation website: cspf.co.uk.

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Little Tweeters! / About the house

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Life’s a beach with the Renegades!

s the long school holidays stretch out ahead of parents and students alike, the older Renegades have already been enjoying some post-GCSE fun and games.

“After a summer of exams being cancelled followed by more exams and tests than you can shake a stick at, our Year 11 teenagers were ready to let off a nuclear reactor’s worth of steam”, says Group Leader Gareth Miller, “so we have organised a number of day trips for them while everyone else is still in school.”

So far outings to visit Tate Modern by train, tube and boat and Brighton and the Science Museum in London by minibus have proved extremely popular and were all chosen by the members themselves.

“The teenagers particularly loved Brighton because it is such a young and lively city, with the beach and the independent shops so we’ve had to make more than one trip there. I think the water pistols on the beach helped…” laughs Gareth.

But the younger members who are yet to break up have not been left out either. Following the huge success of the first post-lockdown camp, Gareth and fellow Group Leader Damian Dixon put on a film night

and barbecue, with a sleepover in tents.

“We have also managed to lay our hands on a two-seater off-road buggy so the kids were taken for rides around the field – the squeals of laughter must have brought out the whole neighbourhood! It was just lovely to hear,” says Gareth.

Plans for the summer do not end there; there will be another long-weekend camp plus a weekend away rock climbing and that’s on top of all of the usual nightly activities like archery, carpentry and cookery.

“We are trying to raise money for some canoes as the members have told us that they would love to be able to kayak on Sunday mornings. We currently have two canoes but, as our membership has now mushroomed to more than 60, we need a lot more and a trailer to transport them! Any help would be gratefully received,” pleads Gareth.

The Renegades is a Registered Charity.

Membership costs £10 a month. Please contact Gareth Miller on 07801 862550 or Damian Dixon on 07484 130189 for further information.

Vanda Rumney Photo: Renegades on Brighton beach!

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Tech! / About the house

Techy Tips to Make Your Life Easier 1. Put your USB drive in the right way the first time Why do we get it wrong on the first try so often?

Get it right first time, every time. Here’s the secret: Grab any USB cable sitting around your house. Find the symbol on one side. It’s not just for decoration. That symbol will point up if you’re plugging in horizontally and if you're plugging a cable vertically, the USB symbol will face you.

Now you know.

2. Reopen a closed browser tab It happens all the time. You have a dozen tabs open in your browser and accidentally close the wrong one. I know you can open up your browser’s history and reopen the tab from there, but did you know you can do it with a couple of keystrokes. Hit Ctrl+Shift+T on your PC or Command+Shift+T on your Mac to automatically reopen the tab you just closed. Simples.

3. Share a YouTube video at a precise point

You find a brilliant YouTube video but the bit you really want to share is 3 minutes and 24 seconds in. If you want to share it at that exact point, you can get a link that takes people directly to the moment. Simply click the Share button below the video. Look for a little box below the link. This automatically displays the time at which you currently have the video stopped. You can stick with this time or pick any time you like. Then when you copy the link and share it, whoever views the link will view it from point you chose.

4. Search WhatsApp chats WhatsApp chats can be fast-moving, and messages accumulate over time. When you want to find the address of the party, or the joke someone told you two weeks ago, you don’t have to scan back through every conversation, you can search for it. On IOS there’s a search bar, and on android device there’s a search icon.

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TV, Audio, DVD Recorders Lamps Microwaves Vaccum Cleaners Cookers Hobs

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Call 01798 872237 Sta on Road, Pulborough, West Sussex, RH20 1AH Email: office@hamiltoncole.co.uk

www.hamiltoncole.co.uk

34

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About the house

GB Glazing Ltd Drainage Problem?

We are specialists in off-mains drainage providing solutions to outdated septic tanks or cesspits. We only use top branded manufacturers such as Klargester.

We supply and fit: • Quality UPVC Windows and Doors • Aluminium Windows and Bi-fold Doors • Composite Doors • Glass Splash backs • Single Glazing misted/broken double glazed units • Handles and Hinges • Cat flaps • All types of remedial work

We have been installing packaged sewage treatment plants for over 35 years.

Please get in touch if you need help.

Email: chris@cjgroundworks.com

07881 757 877 / 01403 733 214 www.cjsewagetreatment.com

Your local traditional Father & Son team

PJM FOR ALL YOUR PROPERTY NEEDS A little of what we do: New builds and extensions Refurbishments and conversions Property maintenance Loft conversions Electrics Plumbing Bathroom and Kitchen installation Wood / multi-fuel burning stoves, chimneys and flue installation Oak framed garages Paving, patios and decking Solar Photo Voltaic systems And much more Please follow the contact details below for your competitive free no obligation quote PJM, 6 Northlands Cottages, Northlands Road, Warnham, West Sussex RH12 3SQ

Mobile: Peter 07976 816311 Landline: 01306 627306 Email: office@pjm.org.uk Website: www.pjm.org.uk

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Out and about / Pets

IMMERSIVE FESTIVAL SET IN MEDIEVAL ENGLAND 7, 8, 14 & 15 AUGUST 2021 THE LOXWOOD MEADOW, RH14 0AL. AMPLE FREE PARKING 10AM - 6PM DAILY Save £££’s with advance tickets available from WWW.LOXWOODJOUST.CO.UK Adult £14 (gate price £18), Child £8 (ages 4-14. Gate price £9).UNDER 4’S GO FREE

Juggs Lane, West Chiltington, West Sussex RH20 2JS Free on-site parking

36

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Pets / Vets

The Spaniel Diaries

W

ell I can’t believe we are over half way through the year! The weatherman really needs sorting out as Mum is fed up with us being wet and somewhat muddy in the so called summer.

We have started going for pub lunches again so I’m over the moon about that as it means we get a lovely treat to munch on under the table to keep us quiet and if I make big brown lovely eyes at Mum she’ll always save me a morsel or two! She says Mav is better behaved because he doesn’t scrounge, but I know that’s because he just isn’t as clever as I am!

I think Mum has something planned for us soon as the training has become more frequent, I am actually expected to sit still for ages now, and I can’t get away with shuffling off on my bum to a better place to see what is going on, Mum just puts me back on the same old spot, and then she insists I pick up and return the smelly old dummies she insists on chucking about for us. Of course, Mav likes this game and will play it all day if mum lets him. Personally, I can’t be bothered to waste my energy when it’s better put to chasing a bunny in the hedge, but no, that’s frowned upon and Mum stops my shenanigans… hmmm, I shall have to find a way to sneak off without her noticing.

We have had some lovely walks lately as Mum likes to go and look at the poppy fields; she says they are beautiful. I much prefer to sniff out bunnies but Mum will not let me run riot in the flowers as she says the bees need them right now and we mustn’t damage them. I’m pretty sure bees are those stingy things we have to be careful of, although I do encourage Mav to eat

them, Mum says that’s horrible and tells Mav off for chasing them. Mum has also planted lots of flowers in the garden to attract the bees and how I laughed when Mav got caught pulling up and chewing up one of her favourites!

I almost had a hissy fit last week when I thought Mum had finally lost her marbles and got another puppy. She turned up with a tiny Jack Russell – also known as a land piranha – and brought it along to the horse field with us, I was absolutely horrified. I mean, Mav turned up and never went away and this creature was twice as annoying as him! I showed my disgust by leaping onto one of the giant hay bales and watching it from up there where the annoying little mutt couldn’t hang off my ears. Mav, of course, was DELIGHTED — around and around they ran, what a pair of idiots, making spectacular fools of themselves, the humans thought they looked cute and even had the cheek to say I was a miserable so and so. How wrong they were, I’m a gentleman and gentlemen do not run around like yobbos! I was so very pleased when the little squirt’s human turned up and took him home. I really hope Mum doesn’t have him over for playtime again; it makes me exhausted just thinking about it!

Mum is really happy to be back out and about with us dogs and doing things again, and it’s really great we are getting to explore more countryside, I’m even hearing her talk about something called a road trip, which I assume involves the box on wheels we go places in, she keeps muttering about something called Scotland too so watch this space and until next time, enjoy the summer!

Jeannette Douglas

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Garden Tweet! / Pest control

A bit of holiday fun!

I

n August many of us just go into the garden to relax, drink a glass of wine and watch the children in the paddling pool. We might cut the grass, but for most of us August is about lazy days and chilled summer evenings.

So, this month I’m taking a pause from work to pass on a few interesting garden facts you can pass on over a gin and tonic.

A sunflower is not one flower Believe it or not each individual peal and the brown centre comprise 1,000-2,000 individual flowers, held together on a single stalk. Every ‘petal’ is actually an individual flower, comprising of a single floret with male and female parts!

There are more microorganisms in one teaspoon of soil than there are people on earth Seriously… microbes are important for keeping the soil full of nutrients. There are at least 7.5 billion people on earth so that teaspoon of soil is aliiiiiiive!

Plants really do respond to sound The Myth Busters published a video comparing a silent greenhouse to one where they piped in a voice soundtrack and found that plants in the latter grew more. So, speak sweetly to your plants… or maybe sing to them.

A little bicarbonate of soda can help you grow sweeter tomatoes

38

s, ve ted s, ol ct ce on ha la er to ta la cti u -re ow s, on ll p se y o n ( f l e d c wi n If rde ss sh ase e rde ga e s, le . W a a sin se c) p ay r G a u bu ho , et tod pul n s t o e e e r ee p gr ow Tw our m ge in lla d Vi r a u yo

Garden View

I have tested this theory after reading it in a magazine and it works! A regular light sprinkling of bicarb your plants’ soil helps reduce acidity and produces a sweeter crop.

The rose family is the largest contributor of ornamental plants Trees in the rose family that bear fruit: apples, pears, plums, cherries, apricots, and peaches. Also, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries are all members of the Rosacea family.

There is an orchid that smells of chocolate This is because the vanilla bean derives comes from the orchid family. The Oncidum hybrid called Sharry Baby has a rich chocolate smell – like baking choc chip cookies – and is also exceptionally beautiful.

If you haven’t got room for a composter… cheat!

Used coffee grounds, crushed eggshells, and chopped-up banana peels, can be applied direct to the soil and offer plants nutrients as they decompose. You can bury them a few inches under the earth in already planted beds, so they don’t spoil the look of your plot.

Happy gardening.

Rachel Leverton

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Garden Tweet! / Fencing

TITCHMARSH SERVICES Tree Surgeons • Stump Removal Hedge Installation & Maintenance Garden Landscaping & Maintenance Fencing Supplied & Erected Rubbish Clearance Roof, Chimney & Gutter Repairs

Competitive prices Quality workmanship References available

07814 211671 01403 752152 www.titchmarshtreesurgery.co.uk Billingshurst Horticultural Society

Flower Show Billingshurst Centre Saturday 21st August, 2.30 to 5.00pm (subject to any COVID restrictions)

Admission Adults £1, children 50p. Schedule 50p We will use the 2020 Schedule.

Copies available at Austens Home Hardware For further information please contact Hon Sec Mrs B Barraclough (01403) 784599 Please grow some flowers and vegetables, or get sewing or crafting and take some beautiful photographs. We look forward to seeing you.

DW Gardens Tree surgery • Forestry • Fencing Garden maintenance • Landscaping info@dwgardens.co.uk www.dwgardens.co.uk

07546 565562 DW Gardens

RUDGWICK FENCING All types of fencing work undertaken

FOR A FREE ON-SITE VISIT, ESTIMATE AND ADVICE Phone Adrian Bargman

Tel: 01403 823048 Email: adrianbargman@gmail.com

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Recruitment / Garden Tweet!

Now recruiting Join Our Team The size of our business offers a wealth of career opportunities and we have a clear ambition to lead the agricultural and rural retailing sector in the UK. Will you join us on this journey?

Enquire in store, scan the QR code or visit

moleonline.com/careers Opportunities for career progression

R.E.M. Landscapes Ltd KEYWOOD TREE CARE

All Aspects of Tree Surgery Woodland Management Hedge Cutting – Rural Services Fully Qualified & Insured

Sam Keywood

ND arb

07851 031655 keywoodtreecare@yahoo.com 40

“

This company did a fantastic job in my garden and it now looks amazing! They came up with ideas that I didn’t even think of. They were very professional and talented. I can’t thank them enough!

”

If you have any Landscaping requirements this year then do not hesitate in contacting us. I look forward to working with you. Rob

LANDSCAPING Large or small, to suit budget FENCING All styles, shapes and sizes LAWNS Turfing and seeding PATIOS & DECKING Designed and installed Fully insured • Fully qualified Over 10 years experience

www.checkatrade.com/RemLandscapesLtd For friendly advice please call:

Tel: 07890 669613 or 01403 730313 or email: rob@remlandscapes.co.uk

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Kids of all ages! / Garden Tweet!

Village Tweet Spot the Difference

Yes, it’s Joust time again!

Can you spot the 14 differences in this knight on his way to Loxwood?

Solution on page 45

TREE SURGERY

Climbing Sectional Dismantling Crown Reductions Felling Pruning

STUMP GRINDING

JONATHAN CARTER NPTC City & Guilds Qualified Fully Insured

07732 668518

West Chiltington Floral Club (Affiliated to NAFAS)

We are really looking forward to meeting again from August after such a long break and are excited to be welcoming Gill Smaggasgale with her demonstration entitled Herbidaceous (Famous Gardens) on Tuesday 17th August, 7 for 7.30pm.

Unless otherwise stated, meetings are held at West Chiltington Village Hall, Mill Road, West Chiltington, RH20 2PZ, 7 for 7.30pm (1.30 for 2pm in February & November). Visitors welcome £5.

For more information, please contact Brenda Bull on (01798) 813712. Brenda Bull

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BILLINGSHURST MOT

& SERVICE CENTRE Tel: 01403 783 555

Motoring

MOTMOT Servicing Servicing Repairs Repairs

Diagnostics DiagnosticsTyres Brakes Tyres Brakes

Myrtle Lane, Billingshurst RH14 9SG www.billingshurstmotcentre.co.uk

Exhausts Welding Welding Air Air ConConExhausts • ALL• MAKES ALL MAKES & MODELS & MODELS • EXPERIENCED • EXPERIENCED TECHNICIANS TECHNICIANS • COMPETITIVE • COMPETITIVE PRICE PRI

MOTS FOR CARS AND MOTORBIKES! SERVICING, TYRES, EXHAUSTS, BATTERIES, ELECTRICS, DIAGNOSTICS, AIR-CON & RE-GAS Also classic and American car repairs and servicing

Plus new PAINTSHOP & BODYWORK FACILITIES Excellent Service – Reasonable Rates

PETWORTH MOT CENTRE UNIT 10, HAMPERS GREEN INDUSTRIAL ESTATE, PETWORTH GU28 9NR

01798 344431 42

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Motoring

Master Garage 2015/2016 Award

www.theautoteam.co.uk

Have your vehicle serviced to a standard – not down to a price!

‘We know Land Rovers inside out!’

From classic ‘Series’ Land Rovers, through to Defenders and Discoverys, also all models of Range Rover, we offer top quality servicing, repairs and maintainance to manufacturer’s specification at below main dealer rates.

Effective diagnosis of faults using the very latest Land Rover OBD software.

to es . l c hi ion ve cat es, LL cifi rak , r A pe , B es i pa s es ch n, re r’s yr ut co & ure s, T Cl ir- k, ce t ic s, , A r vi fac ost tric sts wo r se nu n c au T tc e a iag le h o e W m D E Ex M

Call the AUTO-TEAM – your local mechanics Tizz Burdfield: (01403) 791749 or 07787 556943 Itchingfield-based, near Barns Green office@theautoteam.co.uk www.theautoteam.co.uk

W.G. TYRES (Billingshurst) Ltd For Your Car & Motorcycle Needs Billingshurst Station, Station Road, Billingshurst, RH14 9SE Tel: 01403 786633 www.billingshursttyrescentre.co.uk Servicing - Brakes - Suspension Wheel Alignment - MOT - Diagnostics Exhausts - Puncture Repair - TPMS

An ad in Village Tweet’s Motoring section is the best way to promote your dealership, garage or car-related business

£10 OFF 2 - £20 OFF 4 General Tire* USE CODE : GENERALWG T&C's Apply - Valid from 01.07.21 until 31.08.21

Call: 07762 767084 or email: editor@villagetweet.co.uk

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Editorial and advertising enquiries: 07762 767084, editor@villagetweet.co.uk

What’s On near you

What’s On – August Every Mon Every Mon

Horsham Matters Hub on the Move Foodbank. Billingshurst Library car park, 10-11.30am Table Tennis. St Mary’s Room, East St, Billingshurst, 2-4pm. An informal sociable group for all ages.

Newcomers welcome, tea & biscuits included, £1 (goes to church funds). Tony, tel: (01403) 783496 Every Mon Billingshurst Short Mat Bowls. Suspended until further notice due to coronavirus Every 2nd Rotary Club. Blacksmiths Arms, Adversane. 7.30pm. Supper (£13) & talk. Visitors welcome. Social activities & 4th Mon & occasional business meetings. Stuart Pullen, Attendance Secretary, tel: (01798) 873791 or 07967 159034 Every Mon, Shipley Men’s Shed. Shipley football ground off Dragon’s Lane. Part of the international Men’s Shed Tues & Weds organisation. For men interested in woodwork or wish to spend time with like-minded, local chaps. www.HorshamShipleyCommunityProject.org. Tel: Philip, 07786 070939 or email: info@HorshamShipleyCommunityProject.org Every Mon Wisborough Green Short Mat Bowls Club. Village Hall. Mons 2.30-4.30pm, Weds 1.30-3.30pm. & Weds New members & visitors welcome. £2.50 (includes Tea/Coffee & biscuits). Trial session free for newcomers. Further information: www.wisboroughgreen.org or contact Keith Carter on 01403 700502 Every Tues Stitch & Knit. Six Bells, Billingshurst. 7-9.30pm. Welcoming & helpful, just bring your project & make new friends. No fees. Sarah, tel: 07817 699865 (leave message) Every Tues Slinfold Concert Band rehearsal. Slinfold Village Hall from 7.30-9.30pm. Brass, woodwind and percussion players all welcome. www.slinfoldconcertband.org Every Tues Billingshurst Youth Club. Women’s Hall, High St, Billingshurst, 7.30-9pm, term-time. 11-16 years. Varied activities such as indoor obstacle course, miniature football tournaments and crafts. £1 per session. Contact Ben Sheldon, Community Youth Worker, tel: 07763 302456, e-mail: ben.sheldon@horsham-matters.org.uk Every Tues Walking Football. 10-11.30am. Shipley football ground off Dragon’s Lane (Holbrook Club in mid-Winter).

Followed by refreshments. Men & women welcome. www.HorshamShipleyCommunityProject.org.

Tel: Philip, 07786 070939 or email: info@HorshamShipleyCommunityProject.org Every Tues Drop in Baby Zone! St Mary’s Room, East Street, Billingshurst. 1.30-3pm. Meet other parents and their babies. Every week except between Xmas & New Year. Emma: babies@stmarysbillingshurst.org Every Tues Neighbourhood Warden drop-in sessions. Billingshurst Community & Conference Centre. 12-2pm Every Tues Preschool Ballet and street dance classes. Jubilee Fields, Billingshurst. VMA Dance run fun, friendly & Thurs classes for preschool children. Free trial then £4pw pre-booked. 07879 773705 www.vmadance.co.uk Every Tues Pétanque Club. Meets at Shipley Football Ground, 10.15am for 10.30 start (*in the Spring/Summer/ & Fri* Autumn months meet Friday, 6.30pm). Coffee after. All equipment provided. All ages and abilities welcome. www.HorshamShipleyCommunityProject.org. Tel: Russell, 07803 259190 or email: info@HorshamShipleyCommunityProject.org Every Weds Horsham Accordion Band. Practises in Slinfold Chapel from 7.30-9.30pm. Varied repertoire. Band Leader Mags Fisher tel: (01403) 790717 or email: magsfisher@btinternet.com Every Weds The Millennium Bridge Club. Storrington Village Hall, 1.30-4.30pm. All abilities. Please contact: Barbara: (01903) 741365 or daisy.campling@btinternet.com Every Weds Line dancing. St Gabriel’s Church Hall 7-10 pm. All levels welcome, beginners from 7pm. Details from Maureen 07774 828282 Every Weds Billingshurst Bell Ringing practice. St Mary’s Church, Billingshurst. 7.30-9.15pm. New learners and visitors welcome, just turn up. For information email Kathy at kathyfitzp@hotmail.co.uk Every Weds The Leconfield Singers. United Reformed Church, Petworth. 8-10pm. Mixed voice non-audition community choir. Newcomers welcome. More details and term times see www.leconfieldsingers.co.uk Every Weds Billingshurst Rock Choir. Primary School. 7.30-9pm, term times. No experience required. A friendly choir singing upbeat pop, rock and Motown. Book a FREE taster session at www.rockchoir.com Every Weds Yoga Flow. Billingshurst Community & Conference Centre. 6-7pm. Emily Apps, tel: 07976 226525 or email: emilyapps@yahoo.co.uk Every 2nd BilliUke: Billingshurst’s Own Ukulele Jam! The Six Bells, from 7.30pm. If you already have a & 4th Weds ukulele, or are thinking about getting one, please come along and join us. It’s a fun couple of hours and you also get to make new friends from the village and beyond. www.billiuke.com Every Thurs Stitch & Knit. 10am-12.30pm. We rove round local cafés & car share, lifts may be possible. Welcoming & helpful, just bring your project. No fees. Sarah, tel: 07817 699865 (leave message) Every Thurs HDC Health Walk. Billingshurst (2). All HDC walks cancelled due to coronavirus Every Thurs Wildlife walkabouts. RSPB Pulborough Brooks Nature Reserve, Wiggonholt, RH20 2EL. 10am-12 noon.

Our regular gentle ramble is an ideal introduction to some of our very special wildlife. £8 per person (£2.50 for RSPB members). (01798) 875851. www.rspb.org.uk/pulboroughbrooks Every Fri VMA Dance classes for children 2-18yrs. Jubilee Fields, Billingshurst. Classes in Ballet, Street Dance & Contemporary. Free Trial available then £5pw pre-booked. 07879 773705 www.vmadance.co.uk Every Fri Nationwide Building Society. Billingshurst Community Centre. Cancelled due to coronavirus Every Fri Blue Idol Open Day. Oldhouse Lane, Coolham, RH13 8QP. 10am-1pm. March-November. Visit this historic building and discover local history. www.blueidol.org, Facebook @BlueIdolQuakers, (01403) 740039 Every Sat Indoor table top sale and market. Ansell’s Yard, Kirdford Road, Wisborough Green, RH14 0DD. 10am-2pm. No entrance fee. Tables £5 (must be pre-booked). Tel: (01403) 700633 or 07798 941940 Every Sat Dempsey School of Irish Dancing for children aged 5+. Billingshurst Community Centre. 9 & 10am.

Nicola, e-mail: dempseyirishdance@gmail.com Every Sat Amities Boules Club. Foresters Arms, Kirdford. New members always welcome. Sats: 10.45 for & Weds 11am start, finish 1.30pm. Weds (summer only, weather permitting): 2pm. David, tel: (01483) 278346 Every Sun The Emmanuel Fellowship meeting. Suspended until further notice due to coronavirus SPACE IS TIGHT IN THE WHAT’S ON PAGES. IF ANYONE HAS TRIED TO TAKE PART IN ANY OF THE REGULAR ENTRIES (ABOVE) AND FOUND THEM TO BE NO LONGER AVAILABLE PLEASE LET VILLAGE TWEET KNOW 31 Jul Billinghurst Macmillan Coffee Morning. Billingshurst Centre. 10am-12 noon. See page 12 1 Aug Jazz, Gin & Blues Festival. The Loxwood Meadow. 12 noon-8pm. Limited to just 500 tickets at £25.

Free parking. Tickets: www.jazzginblues.co.uk, tel: 07866 468632 or email info@jazzginblues.co.uk

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What’s On near you / Aircraft noise 1 Aug 3 Aug 3 Aug 5 Aug 5 Aug 7 Aug 7 Aug 7, 8, 14, 15 Aug 11 Aug 14 Aug

14 Aug 15 Aug 17 Aug 16 Aug 21 Aug 26 Aug 30 Aug

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Indoor Antiques Market & Collectors Sale. Ansell’s Yard, Kirdford Road, Wisborough Green, RH14 0DD. 10am-2pm. No entrance fee. Tables available £5 (must be pre-booked), also storage units to let, £25 pw. Telephone (01403) 700633 or 07798 941940 Billingshurst Wednesday Group. We look forward to meeting again when coronavirus regulations permit Trefoil Guild Meeting. St Mary’s Room, East St, Billingshurst. 7.30-9pm. First Tuesday of the month.

Open to all ex-Brownies, Guides & Guiders. Hillary, tel: (01403) 783792 Parish Council Planning & Environmental Committee meeting. Billingshurst Centre. 7.30pm Reading Friends. Billingshurst Library. Temporarily suspended due to coronavirus Outdoor Classical Concert: Solus Trumpet Ensemble. Cranleigh Arts Centre. 3pm. Britten, Elgar, Rossini, Brahms, Fauré and more (See website for full programme). Tickets £20 (Under 16s free): (01483) 278000 (Tues-Sat 10am-4pm) or visit www.cranleighartscentre.org Terri’s Macmilan Home Sale. 26 Coombe Hill, Billingshurst. 10am-12 noon. Cakes and preserves can be pre-ordered terriashpool@uwclub.net or call (01403) 588996 The Loxwood Joust. Loxwood Meadow. 10th anniversary of this medieval festival. Book tickets via www.loxwoodjoust.co.uk. See July’s Village Tweet, page 8 and this issue, page 36 Billingshurst Carers Group (for carers of people with dementia or long-term condition). Longfield Manor, West Street, RH14 9LX. 2.30-4pm. (Every 2nd Weds.) info@carerssupport.org.uk or www.carerssupport.org.uk Talk: Dutch Courage… and the Secret War in Cranleigh and Dunsfold. 1am-5pm. Cranleigh Arts Centre is pleased to again partner and host the Secret WW2 Learning Network, a registered educational charity promoting knowledge and understanding of clandestine warfare in the Second World War. Tickets £20: (01483) 278000 (Tues-Sat 10am-4pm) or visit www.cranleighartscentre.org Billingshurst United Reformed Church Dementia Café. Cancelled due to coronavirus, hopefully resumes in September Fittleworth Garden Trail. 1-6pm. £5 per person, on sale on the day. See page 39 Loxwood Jazz Club. Cancelled due to coronavirus, resumes in September Billingshurst Lions Club Meeting. Sports Pavilion, Jubilee Fields, Billingshurst. 8pm. For information about the Club contact Alan Ridout on (01403) 871370 or call in at the Lions Bookshop, Jengers Mead Billingshurst Horticultural Society Annual Flower Show. Billingshurst Centre, Roman Way. 2.30-5pm. May be subject to COVID restrictions. See page 39 Sing for Pleasure. Cancelled due to coronavirus Wisborough Green Traditional Fete. Includes Macmillan stall

Village Tweet will publish details of local events in this free What’s On section.

Please email brief details to editor@villagetweet.co.uk together with contact or website details

Spot the Difference - Solution

Puzzle on page 41

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E-scooters / Advertisers Index

Council issues warning regarding the use of e-scooters in the district

D

id you know that e-scooters are illegal in the Horsham District? Road safety is a concern for many in the Horsham District and the number of reports received by Horsham District Council’s Horsham Town Neighbourhood Wardens regarding near misses, collisions and safety concerns is on the rise.

One such concern is the increased use of e-scooters (electric scooters).

E-scooters are commonly used across Europe due to the benefits they hold as a cleaner method of travel. However, it is currently illegal in the UK to ride e-scooters on public roads, paths or in parks unless as one of the Government-backed trials.

These trials are being carried out in some areas of the UK, whereby e-scooters can be used, but only if rented from approved providers that are part of the trial. Private e-scooters can only be used on private land.

Towns and cities in West Sussex are not currently included in these trials and, as such, e-scooters are

illegal in the Horsham District. Using e-scooters on public roads and pavements could result in the scooter being seized by the police.

Electric scooters are classed as a Personal Light Electric Vehicle (PLEV) and are therefore treated the same as a motor vehicle. As such there are specific legal requirements for when they are used legally in public as part of the trial. They are subject to needing an MoT, tax, insurance and the user needs a driving licence.

The Neighbourhood Wardens will stop and engage with all users of electric scooters and advise on their illegal use.

If you witness e-scooters being used and have any information that can help in identifying the owner, please report the details to the Police on the Sussex Police website or by calling 101.

Heather Pepper, Horsham District Council

ADVERTISERS INDEX August 2021 ABC Animal Sanctuary......................36 A-Team Mechanics............................43 A/c’s Direct, Accounting ......................8 AC Decor...........................................32 Alba Plumbing...................................31 Alex Newson Tree Services..............38 Ansells Market.....................................7 Bat and Ball pub................................11 Best Choice Roofing .........................21 Billingshurst Horticultural Society......39 Billingshurst Leisure Centre ..............18 Billingshurst Parish Council ........24, 25 Billingshurst Service, Repair & MOT Centre ..................................42 Bluecoat Sports.................................17 CAGNE .............................................45 Cancer Care Company .....................14 CJ Sewage Treatment ......................35 Coole Bevis Solicitors .........................3 Dandelion Farewells, funerals...........12 Dirt Bags Grooming ..........................36 DM Handyman ..................................28 DW Gardens .....................................39 Duke of Kent School ...........................9 Evans Electrical.................................29 Fittleworth Garden Trail.....................39 Flackwoods Solicitors..........................5

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Flow-serve Plumbing, Drainage, Heating..........................................23 GB Glazing Ltd..................................35 GJ Coles, builder ..............................23 Goring Road Carpet Centre..............33 Hamilton Cole TV & Satellite Equipment .....................................34 Holly Stone Hypnotherapy ................16 JC Plumbing......................................26 John Witherden Business Aid .............7 Jonathan Carter Tree Surgery ..........41 Just Care...........................................19 Keywood Tree Care ..........................40 Kings Head pub.................................11 KJ Lammas Plumbing & Heating ......20 Lee’s Locks .......................................34 Leigh Humphries, mobile hairdresser.19 LMC Auto Services........................OBC Loxwood Joust ..................................36 Mac’s Private Hire...............................6 Meadow Hall Veterinary Practice ......37 Meadows Wellbeing ..........................13 Mike Lord Building ............................21 Miss Mop Domestic Cleaning ...........29 Mole Country Stores .........................40 MW Wingate Painting & Decorating .26 MPS Home Improvements Ltd..........31

N Francis Electrical Ltd.....................21 NFU Mutual Insurance ........................4 Oven Cleaning Direct........................30 Oven Rescue ....................................27 P&W Jordan Upholstery....................21 Peacocks Builders.............................31 Pest Man...........................................38 Petworth MOT Centre .......................42 Phoenix Care ....................................16 PJM Building & Property Maintenance..................................35 Rebecca Beauty Therapist................15 REM Landscapes..............................40 Re-Nu Kitchens.................................29 Revolution Cycle Sport .......................6 Rudgwick Fencing.............................39 Shutters by Natalie............................23 Slinfold Primary & Pre-School ......9, 36 St Mary’s Church ................................7 Sussex Carpet Brokers .....................22 Sussex Towing Brackets ...................43 Titchmarsh Services, tree surgery ....39 Village Nurseries ...............................41 VMA Dance .......................................15 WG Tyres ..........................................43

Little Tweeters!

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