Village Tweet - October 2022

We will be buying the following:

Coins, gold, silver and copper coins, old or modern English or foreign, collections or left over holiday coins, pre-1947 English silver coins (15 x face-value paid), banknotes. Medals, war medals, police medals, masonic medals, fire brigade medals. Military items and war souvenirs. Swords, daggers, bayonets, uniforms, badges, helmets. Antique guns. Gold, silver and costume jewellery. We pay the highest prices for your unwanted gold and silver, We use trading standards approved scales to weigh your gold and silver, We buy old or modern rings, bracelets, chains, ear rings, brooches, necklaces. Wind-up wrist and pocket watches, The following makes are always of value: Omega, Rolex, International Watch Company, Longines, Tudor. Collectors’ items and curios. We are well known for buying the unusual, old photographs, cigarette cards, petrol lighters, vestas, postcards, car badges and mascots, curios. Silver and quality silver plate including tea sets, candlesticks, cutlery, ashtrays, cigarette cases and boxes, cruets. English and foreign silver purchased.

LIFE IS FULL OF

IMPORTANT CHOICES…. AND THE SAME IS TRUE OF YOUR FINANCES

Have you considered:

• how soon you will be able to retire, and if your plans will your fund your lifestyle? • other options, if you are disappointed with the interest rates on your savings?

Here at NFU Mutual, we believe that everyone can benefit from taking financial advice and making a financial plan. That’s why we aim to make it easy to understand and accessible for everyone.

For a real conversation about your plans, call the team at Chichester & Horsham Agency on 01273 031898 or email ChichesterandHorsham@nfumutual.co.uk

NFU Mutual Financial Advisers advise on NFU Mutual products and selected products from specialist providers. When you get in touch, we’ll explain the advice services offered and the charges. Financial Advice is provided by NFU Mutual Select Investments Limited.

Chatan A Modi is an appointed representative of The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited (No. 111982). And an introducer to NFU Mutual Select Investments Limited, a member of the NFU Mutual group of companies.

Calendar Girls bare all at The Capitol for St Catherines

After the roaring success of The Naked Truth back in 2018, Fortress Theatre Company are back for their biggest challenge yet!

Having raised £1,500 for Cancer Research with their last production, Fortress will be taking on yet another fundraising adventure, Calendar Girls The Musical this time in aid of St Catherine’s Hospice, a charity that is very close to the company’s heart with lots of connections to its members.Themusical by Gary Barlow and Tim Firth is inspired by the true story of a group of ladies from a Women’s Institute, who decide to embark on a unique project to raise money and buy a settee for the relatives’ room in their local hospital, in memory of a beloved husband and friend.The project in question?

A NUDE ThroughCalendar!thismoving and hilarious story, the ladies challenge preconceptions,variousfacing personal and emotional challenges which are ultimately outshone by the uplifting experience of stepping outside their comfort zones, and brings each woman unexpectedly into flower. With unforgettable songs, every performance continues to add to the millions already raised for charity and proves that there is no such thing as an ordinary woman.

Fortress have already begun their rehearsals

along with a cast of amazing local talent and are working hard to bring nothing short of an outstanding production to Horsham town. It’s set to be an unmissable event, which hopes to bring many people together through their love of musical theatre, while raising lots of money for such a worthy cause!Thisproject would not have been possible without funding from some of the cast themselves and the support of special local sponsors. Fortress would like to thank Friesland Campina, Musical Friends, ASL and Beauty by Emma for showing such generosity and belief in this exciting venture. Thanks also goes out to HAODS (Horsham Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society) and Warnham Comrades Club for hosting rehearsal space for the production.

Calendar Girls The Musical will be performed at The Capitol Theatre in Horsham from 21st-25th February 2023, with 50% of profits being donated to St Catherine’s Hospice – a local charity that helps people who are facing lifeshortening conditions to live in comfort and with dignity, independence, and choice.

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased via The Capitol website www.thecapitolhorsham.com and box office (01403) 750220. Stacey James

Photo:Chris Dale

“To unexplored horizons in the mind and new coastlines in the heart…”

Time to share

Have you ever had the joy of making chutney jams? The sweet-smelling steam filling the kitchen fruit and spices. The satisfaction of stirring a pan filled with good things, some of which you may have gathered from hedgerow or orchard? In months ahead the joy awaits of opening a jam jar to the familiar pop and smell of summer fruit bringing joy to a winter moment.

Many in this season of national hardship do not have the comfort of well stocked larders and provisions set aside to see them through lean times. Many will feel vulnerable as the colder months set in and decisions about heating and meals become a burden. As we all open our cupboards to see what is there, it would be good to learn a new awareness about sharing what we have. Finding new ways to support each other in the community is a necessary response to this season of hardship.

Some of us have the resources to share freely

The URC is Fifty!

The United Reformed Church (URC) in Billingshurst worships in the chapel next to the mini roundabout where West Street joins the High Street. Clearly the building is much more than fifty years old, and some people will remember it from before 1972. That, though, was when it went from a Congregational Chapel to being part of the URC. It was a time when the different churches in this country were moving closer together, and in October 1972, after years of talking and voting (every member had a say, as is usual with us), most of the Congregational churches in England and Wales united with the Presbyterian churches in England to form the URC. There was an Act of Parliament passed to allow this to happen, and it was big national news for a day or two I can remember hearing it on the radio at breakfast time that morning.

It was hoped at the time that eventually most, or even all, churches would move towards unity. It didn’t happen like that; but the URC is still keen to work together with other churches we share the same faith, and can do more good in the community together than apart. So this autumn we will be celebrating our 50th birthday, and we’d like to send our very best wishes to the whole community of Billingshurst!

Anne Lewitt (Minister of Billingshurst URC)

and others will find this costly. There are food collection points in many supermarkets. St Mary’s Church, Billingshurstalsoisa place you can donate food to be passed on.

Harvest is a time to consider what has been provided for our needs from creation. It can also be a time to share good things with others. The Bible has much to encourage giving as a way of life. An outward, generous thoughtfulness that comes from knowing the generosity of God’s love.

“For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Matthew 25 verse 35 (Bible, New International Version)

Across: 6, MINIBUS. 7, PIANO. 9, LARK. 10, PANICKED. 11, SEETHE. 13, COOL. PEGS. 16, PRYING. 18, DIVE BOMB. 21, ROAD. 22, BELCH. 23, HOSTILE. 1, FINAL. 2, SICKNESS. 3, PUMP. 4, DISC. ENVELOP. 8, SNEEZY. 12, TOP DOG. CONCRETE. 14, REVIVED. 17, RALLY. EACH. 20, BOOK.

Murder at

The Billingshurst Dramatic Society are back by popular demand with another murder mystery at the Kings Head in November. Murder at Peacock Hall, written by BDS regular AttwoodKathryn , follows last year’s sellout Last Orders: Murder at the Pub. This time the action is set in a 1930s country house and loosely inspired by the boardgame Cluedo Enjoy a drink in the relaxed setting of the bar, as murderous events play out around you; then see if you can beat Inspector Waddington to discover who has committed the crime. Colonel Horatio English-Mustard and Professor Peregrine Plum will join the Reverend Cuthbert Green and other nearly-familiar names at Peacock Hall.

Performances will be at The King’s Head on 8th, 14th and 15th November at 7.30pm, and tickets are available directly from the pub.

The ticket price of £15 will include a meal, and, as well as prizes for correctly identifying the murderer, there will also be a prize for the best 1930s fancy dress!

Ted Photo:Goodataking a break during rehearsals, left to right: Peter Burton, Jon Dall, Will Gooda and Jane Andrews

PumpkinSpicedMuffins

Tasty Halloween Treats

Preparation time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 15 minutes. Makes: 12 muffins

METHOD1.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Prepare a muffin tin with paper cases. Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon or pumpkin spice and caster sugar together into a large bowl. Stir the soft brown sugar through the mixture. 2. Beat the eggs and then whisk together with the tinned purée in a large jug, whisk in the melted butter then add to the dry ingredient. Mix everything together until just combined. Don’t over mix!

3. Bake in the centre of the oven for 15 minutes until golden and risen with springy tops. If you insert a skewer it should come out clean. Lift on to a wire rack and allow to cool completely… or eat while they are still warm with vanilla ice cream.

INGREDIENTS

225g plain flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tbsp ground cinnamon (or 2 tsp pumpkin spice mix) 100g caster sugar 50g soft light brown sugar 200g tin pumpkin purée 2 large eggs 125g slightly salted butter, melted Pumpkin spice mix 1 tbsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp ground nutmeg 1 tsp ground allspice or cloves

Mix all the dried spices together well and keep in an airtight container

Christmas is a Coming

Sorry to mention this but Christmas is right around the corner. Get ahead of the game with our pre-Christmasseason checklist.

Clear out the food cupboards. Make room for festive goodies.

Throw out all out-ofdate items and things you know will never be eaten, even in a zombie apocalypse.

Clear out the toy cupboards. Encourage your children to sort out toys they no longer play with and donate them to charity. It not only makes space for Christmas gifts, but it will also hopefully teach them compassion. Order meat early. Farmers’ markets and shops are always packed out by the first week in December.

Puddings and cakes. These need to be made early to give them time to mature. Stir up Sunday

is traditionally the time when Christmas puddings are made. It’s the last Sunday before advent and this year it’s on 20th November.

Write any cards and annual letters. It’s less of a chore than it used to be as more people eschew cards in favour of e-cards or texting, but for many people a card with a brief personal message is a welcome arrival in the post. If you get a few written every week in November then come December you can relax and feel virtuous. Check guest lists. It’s worth checking who might be planning to spend Christmas with you well in advance so you can be prepared. Don’t forget to ask whether anyone is vegetarian, vegan or has any allergies or intolerances. Forewarned is forearmed!

Tracey Anderson

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.

Church View, Billingshurst Road Wisborough Green, West Sussex RH14 0DY

Judith Dandy Independent Funeral Director 01403 701001 m: 07769

Top to Toe Treatments at Meadows Wellbeing

Although we often take our feet for granted, they play such an important part of our overall health and wellbeing. Keeping our feet healthy means we are more likely to stay fit and active too.

Meadows Wellbeing in Billingshurst offers a comprehensive foot health clinic for people of all ages – for regular foot health checkups or to treat certain symptoms and ailments including;

l Diabetic Foot Care

l Ingrown Toenails

l Corn Removal

l Athletes Foot

l Verrucae Treatment

l Thickened Nails

l Callus Reduction

l Fungal Infection

l Dry Skin

l Nail Cutting

Karen King is the Meadows Wellbeing Foot Health Practitioner and she has years of experience in providing foot health care to people of all ages. Karen advises allowing around 30-45 minutes for your appointment depending on your needs.

To complement Foot Health care, Meadows Wellbeing also have a dedicated team specialising in Structural and Cranial Osteopathy, Ear Wax Removal, Sports Injury & Rehabilitation, Sports & Swedish Massage, Aromatherapy, Reflexology, Acupuncture, Reiki, Indian Head Massage, Hot Stone Massage, Counselling, Hypnotherapy, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Health Coaching and Chinese Herbal Medicine.

Meadows Wellbeing, 57 High Street, Billingshurst is open weekdays 9am-7pm and Saturday 9am-1pm. Please call (01403) 786081, email

info@meadowswellbeing.com or visit www.meadowswellbeing.com to make an enquiry or to book an appointment. Gift vouchers are also available starting at £25. Follow on Facebook and Instagram @MeadowsWellbeing.

MEADOWS

Sophie Ratcliffe wins 9 and Under Sussex County

Congratulations to local player Sophie Ratcliffe, who won the 9 and Under Sussex County Championship on 24th August.

Playing in very hot conditions at Southdown Sports Club she continued her run of not dropping a single set in the whole competition to win 7-2 7-1. Sophie was previously the 8U County Champion and has played in the LTA 9U National tour across the country.

Sophie can regularly be seen training with her Dad or Alex the Club coach up to 7 days a week down at Billingshurst Tennis Club, who are all very proud of her dedication and achievements.

Poppy Appeal collectors wanted

Last year we celebrated 100 years of the Royal British Legion and the return of our Poppy Appeal collectors in the Billingshurst community. The Poppy Appeal is the Royal British Legion’s biggest fundraising campaign, held every year during the period of Remembrance.Thankyouto everyone who took part last year, whether through donating or volunteering. Locally in Billingshurst we raised almost £10,000.

100% of the profits from the Poppy Appeal go towards funding the Royal British Legion’s ongoing work in supporting the Armed Forces community, serv ing and ex-serving personnel and their families.

As well as distributing Poppy collecting tins and boxes to many local establishments, we also rely on local volunteers to help us raise crucial funds by col lecting donations (in return for Poppy merchandise) from the public at locations around our village. We will once again have tables at the Billingshurst Railway Station and also Sainsbury’s in the High Street.

We are looking for volunteers to help staff these stalls and have hourly slots from 09.30am till 1.30pm available if you can lend a helping hand.

Please contact: Tom Blair, Billingshurst Poppy Appeal Organiser, email: thomasblair19@yahoo.co.uk or mobile: 0792 555 Legion Billingshurst Branch

ou don’t need me to tell you that the cost of fuel is truly frightening at the moment. Gas bills have soared, and people are genuinely frightened to heat their homes. We don’t know how long this situation will last; most of us are not eligible for Government help, and those that are eligible are most likely not going to receive enough. So, what should we do?

Well, as my late father used to say, “We are where we are.” In other words, we have to work with the tools we have.

For years during cold winters old people have been urged to “Prioritise one room, keep that heated and live in that space.” I’m ashamed to say that I patronisingconsideredneverhowand

Victorian that was until I started to read that same advice being applied to families and young people. Most people can’t live in just one room. But we are where we are, and it makes sense to look at our living spaces to see if we can make more use of one particular area and prioritise heating that.

If you have a south-facing room, it’s a good place to start. South-facing rooms get the sun all day so stay naturally warmer. If you don’t have a south-facing room, choose an east-facing one for morning sun or west for the evening sun. Northfacing rooms unfortunately will get no benefit from theKeepingsun.

warm air in and cold air out is crucial (and blindingly obvious). Seal leaks around windows and doors using caulk or weather stripping. Duct tape and clear plastic sheets make good DIY double-glazing. I used it in my freezing

bed-sit during my student years to great effect. The clear plastic lets sunshine in through the windows, which helps warm the room and obviously means you don’t need to turn on a light.

Draft excluders can be made for free or very cheaply from old tights or trousers stuffed with newspaper or other old tights. Rolled towels and blankets also work well.

Don’t forget to look for subtle leaks. To do this use a candle. Move it slowly around problem spots like windows. If you see the flame flicker it’s a sign that you have a leak.

Portable electric space heaters or halogen heaters can be a good investment. The cheap ones heat a space quickly but don’t have an automatic cut-off. More advanced ones have timers and/or temperature sensors which switch the heater off when the room reaches the required temperature. These appliances heat only the space you are using so they are more economical than heating the whole house. Never leave them switched on unattended, or while you are sleeping.

One family I know decided that camping in their own home is the best option for staying warm. They set up their tent and sleeping bags and sleep together in one room.

As I type this another price rise is coming and people are genuinely scared about how they will cope. Writing about camping in your own front room and seeking south-facing spaces would have seemed ridiculous just twelve months ago, yet we are where we are.

Wishing you warmth wherever you are. Chandice Gordon Horror

There are few people who don’t enjoy carving a Halloween lantern. Over the years it’s somehow become a tradition in our family to host a friendly pumpkin carving competition involving my sons and their teenage friends and quite a few of the parents! There are also hot dogs, sticky toffee pudding and wine, so something for everyone and all participants seems to enjoy the occasion, especially the judging. We have categories such as ‘best in show’, ‘ugliest’, ‘most creative’, etc.

Ghoulish pumpkins are iconic of Halloween season. I’ve always thought of them as an American import but in fact the practice of decorating Jack o’ Lanterns originated across a much smaller expanse of water in Ireland, where large turnips and potatoes were the vegetables being carved. The name, Jack o’ Lantern, originates from an Irish folktale about a man named Stingy Jack. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to hollow out a turnip (I have… it resulted in a trip to A&E), but I can only imagine the delight of Irish immigrants, newly arrived in America, home of the pumpkin, on discovering this easily carved gourd. No wonder it became an integral part of Halloween festivities.

The Legend of Stingy Jack

In case you were wondering about Stingy Jack, well, he rather rashly invited the Devil to have a drink with him,

but true to his name, didn’t want to pay for the beverages, so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy their drinks. However, as soon as the Devil did so, Jack popped the coin into his pocket next to a silver cross, which prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form.

Jack did eventually free the Devil, but only on the condition that he would not bother Jack for one year and that, should Jack die, he would not claim his soul. It seems the Devil didn’t learn his lesson and the following year Jack tricked him again, this time into climbing into a tree to pick a piece of fruit. While he was up in the tree, Jack carved a sign of the cross into the tree’s bark so that the Devil could not come down until the Devil promised not to bother Jack for ten more years.

Jack thought he was being very clever, but it all backfired on him because when he did finally die God refused him entry into heaven while the Devil, keeping his word not to claim his soul, would not allow Jack into hell. He sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and is said to have been roaming the Earth with his home-made lamp ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as “Jack of the Lantern,” and then, simply “Jack o’ Lantern.”

Kate McCarthy

Changes to airspace push ahead, but it’s not inevitable

Gatwick Airport is going through the motions two-fold. Firstly, they have just completed the second consultation on rebuilding the emergency runway as a second runway. For years Gatwick has been happy to boast it was the busiest single runway in the world, but not content in 2019 they launched a Master Plan for a three-runway airport.

This was much to the horror of local communities and environmentalists such as CAGNE, the umbrella aviation community and environment group for Sussex, Surrey, and Kent.

Gatwick is progressing a planning process, Development Consent Order, to achieve a northern runway but they have yet to submit a formal application to the Planning Inspectorate so there is still much to play for.

With two runways Gatwick seeks an increase to 75.6m passengers a year by 2038 and 80.2m by 2047 (from 46.6m pre-COVID) plus workers and freight all trying to reach the airport, so that is a 70% increase in passengers and 35% increase in flight numbers.Thelegally binding noise envelope that is offered does not go out far enough from the airport to capture those that already complain of aircraft noise, (51 decibel day and night 45 decibel noise contour),

and

reduceareconsideration.notofmodernisationtheairspaceisaNightflightsnotsettowithtwo

runways and there is no guarantee that additional flights are not sought. Another government consultation will take place on this subject next year (11,200 flights are permitted during the summer schedule and 3,250 in the winter plus dispensations).Thesecondelement of growth Gatwick seeks is to grow the capacity on the single runway with the modernisation of airspace. This is known as FASIS (Future Airspace Strategy Implementation South), an initiative supported by the government. The aim is to make best use of the airspace, but for many this could mean new flight paths over new communities to achieve this growth with no compensation for loss of house value and quality of life.

To ensure you are kept up to date on the Gatwick Airport’s progress, you should join the mailing list of CAGNE at www.cagne.org, and you should share your views with your local elected member to ensure they are representing you.

The Crow Road – Iain Banks

“He’s away the crow road.” So says Prentice McHoan’s grandmother before she too takes that path. I’m not sure why I’d never read Iain Banks before. If I’m brutally honest, I think I was put off by the black & white covers. It’s not a great reason and it did drive home the point that you really can’t judge a book this way! I picked up The Crow Road to read on a short break and I’ve been steadily devouring Banks’ work since.

If the cover didn’t attract me then the opening line did: ‘It was the day my grandmother exploded.’ In the aforementioned Prentice, it has an engaging, honest, and endearing hero, and in his family it has a complex, disturbing and fascinating cast of characters. There is drama, humour, mystery, and philosophy in equal measure. What’s not to love?

The central strand of the story is the disappearance of Prentice’s Uncle Rory –presumed dead by many, but presumed alive by Prentice’s father, Kenneth. Rory’s unfinished papers include the idea of ‘Crow Road’ – a novel? A factual account?

Nothing is clear. As Prentice attempts to unravel the thread, Banks moves his own story backwards and forwards in time, switching perspectives and retelling events from different angles. For a novel which is frequently about death, there is an awful lot of humour too – often dark, but equally hilarious.

Banks is also known for his science fiction, written as Iain M Banks, and he wrote a whiskylogue, Raw Spirit, which is both well written and

responsible for introducing me to this spirit. It was certainly a summer of firsts for me! The Crow Road will always have a special place in my heart though, because it was the novel that first introduced me to Banks.

The Enchanted Wood – Enid Blyton

For those of us of a certain age Enid Blyton was a childhood favourite. Through the eyes of an adult there is no doubt that she was a deeply flawed human being, though arguably she was simply a product of her upbringing. Her books drifted out of favour for many years, but many have recently been modernised for today’s children… after all, a good story is still a good story several decades on.

The Enchanted Wood is the first in the Faraway Tree series, in which three children find themselves living close to the most amazing tree you have ever seen. It grows different fruits at different points, depending on how it is feeling. It is inhabited by all manner of strange folk – Silky the fairy, the old Saucepan Man, Dame Washalot, and the Angry Pixie. At the top lives Moonface, in a perfectly round little house with a slide that runs right to the bottom of the tree. And best of all, there is a small ladder through the clouds which leads to a different magical land every time… Joe, Beth, and Frannie (the names have been updated from Blyton’s originals) have all manner of adventures there. Sometimes the lands are full of fun – The Land of Birthdays, for example –while others are slightly more threatening – Dame Snap may no longer be Dame Slap, but her school is still somewhere no-one would like to visit!

The Enchanted Wood was a favourite of mine as a child and this slightly tweaked version is a perfect chapter book for independent reading. selection from book reviewer Tash Donovan

A lesson learnt the hard way!

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.

Earlier this summer I was joking about the hot and dry weather we had been having, and the resulting arid look that our countryside was adopting.

Oh dear… how it came to bite us.

For many it was just a glorious summer. A summer to enjoy with trips to the seaside or pleasant walks in local parks or countryside.

For others with gardens there developed a constant battle to get sufficient water to their plants before they frazzled to a crisp under the relentless rain-free sky. Lawns ceased to exist, just a brown dusty plateau of nothing, other than the odd faint show of green from a particularly tough root of clover!Inmy last Village Tweet missive I referred to 1976 when we had our last real heatwave, and talked about the learning curve I encountered baby sitting onItholiday.wasalso the year that I was to receive a severe jolt to my ego with the events that unfolded on the farm. The effects of that heat for a lot of farmers led to many crops suffering devastation.

It also taught me a lesson I shall never forget. Not to be too cocky!

I had been made manager of the fruit farm a few years before and was still on cloud nine with the knowledge that I had been given such a responsible job at such a relatively young age. So, the year started with a great sense of selfconfidence as the young orchards responded to a wonderful spring with a very heavy set of apples and pears. Wasn’t I a clever one!

Just after petal fall we had a large group of fellow fruit growers visit the farm for an evening walk through the orchards. Puffed up like a balloon at the frequent remarks on how good the trees and promisingly heavy crop looked, I swaggered round with head full of the praise and convinced that I was just the bee’s knees.

Among the assembled growers was the greatly respected Sir Peter Mursell. A man who was well known for his superb Kirdford orchards as well as his wonderful knowledge as a leading grower. He gently remarked to me a couple of times during the walk about the possible need to do a heavy thinning on such a high fruit set. I took his warning and put it to one side in the confidence that with our reservoir of six and a half million gallons of water sitting quietly waiting for usage, I had all the resources available for anything that should occur.

Oh, such is the arrogance of youth and limited

knowledge!Thegreat heatwave hit.

To try to maintain such a huge crop we had to keep the orchard soils water deficit below two inches so we soon had to start pumping the precious water onto the groaning trees. Just an inch at a time but that was still a million gallons a night. While the fields’ drains recouped some back to the lake for a while, it soon reached the stage where the ground absorbed every tiny drop… and the clay soil started to crack.

We joked that if you fell into such a fissure it would require Petworth Fire Brigade to be called to haul you out!

Last month I told of the arid view I saw from the plane as we returned from holiday that summer. By late July we had used all the water we could take without destroying the reservoirs’ environment for the fish and water fowl.We started to thin fruit as heavily and as speedily as we could. Far too late. Far, far, too late!

Sir Peter’s gentle words of wisdom came to haunt me.The

apples ceased to grow, the trees began to shed leaves, desperate to keep their progeny safe.

Then… just prior to harvest time… the rains came at last. As usual, they didn’t know how to stop. Rain, rain, rain. The apples, their skins now set rigid by the long drought, couldn’t take the sudden burst of growth that the water triggered, and they split like cherries after a shower. A complete disaster. Costly picking of a ruined crop followed by low returns for the poor quality of those that made the grader.

The following year, due to the poor state the trees were in as they went into their winter rest, we had a terrible fruit set and another very poor year.

How those two years taught me so many lessons. Mother Nature has a very nasty habit of biting you hard if you think you know better or try to ignore her. Listen to the words of those who’ve seen it all before, and log each tiny piece of information away for future use. You will never master her, just try and work with her better.

By the way, something came up on the radio the other day: Petrichor… it’s the correct name for that wonderful smell that hits us when fresh rain falls on parched soil. Seems it’s microscopic bacteria in the soil that produce a chemical scent known as geosmin which is what we smell as they react to theWewater.learn something every day, don’t we? Eventually!

John Nash

Members of the Billingshurst & District Lions Club recently gathered at Station Road Gardens to formally dedicate the planting of an Acer Tree in memory of Stan Stevens, instigator and founder President of Billingshurst Lions who died on the 29th October 2020. Pam, Stan’s wife, supported by her family, Jill, John and Karen, ceremoniously completed the tree planting and unveiled a commemorative plaque.

Paul Roberts, a Club member for many years and who knew Stan well, spoke of his personal memories, particularly sailing camps at Chichester, and proposed a toast in his honour. It was a moving occasion held on a beautiful sunny evening in remembrance of a very special Lion.

Ever Thought of Joining the Lions?

Billingshurst Lions pride themselves in being a friendly welcoming club, for men and women, best known locally for its charity bookshop in Jengers Mead, Santa’s visits around the villages with his ‘Flying Bedstead’ at Christmas, fundraising with its Charity Golf Day, Easter Egg Prize Draw and at various local fetes.The Club’s primary objectives are Community Service, offering financial support to any local person or organisation with a specific need, projects, providing

financial and practical help to schools, pre-schools, residential homes and community schemes, with fundraising providing the means to make it all possible.So,why not Join Billingshurst & District Lions and be involved in making a worthwhile contribution to the Community of Billingshurst and the surrounding villages by bringing your skills, experience and new ideas, whilst enjoying meeting new friends and joining in the varied monthly social Temptedevents.possibly starting as a volunteer?

Call Viv Diggens (01403) 752968 or e-mail diggens2000@hotmail.com.

Follow Billingshurst Lions on Facebook and on their www.billingshurstlions.org.websiteAnddon’tforgettovisittheLionsCharityBookshopinJengersMead!

Harvey Holmes Press Officer, Billingshurst & District Lions Club

Photos: Paul Roberts (centre)

St Catherine’s Hospice Midnight Walk returned to Horsham on Saturday 3rd September.

Over 550 people made their steps count by walking 2, 7, 13 or 20 miles to raise money for local people facing death and bereavement.

After a break because of coronavirus the local charity’s popular Midnight Walk gave people a chance to collectively walk in support of their local hospice or in memory of a loved one. And their efforts are set to raise an incredible £80,000

The night began at The Bridge Leisure Centre with music, a glitter station and a lively warm-up by international fitness presenter, Jo Michaels

Following the warm-up there were heartfelt speeches from Becky Coultrip, a St Catherine’s staff member who also has personal experience of the hospice’s care and Giles Tomsett, St Catherine's ChiefBeckyExecutive.said,“It was an honour to speak to and send off our Midnight Walkers. It’s only thanks to their support that I and my colleagues can care for people when it’s needed most. I know personally what a difference their steps and fundraising will make after my mum, sister and cousin all died at the hospice. I know how much kindness and care matters when you’re facing the death of someone you love.”

To cheers from volunteer marshals, walkers set off in a sea of orange and neon. They enjoyed a glow lane down Harding Lane and were encouraged to light a lantern in a loved one’s memory if they felt they wanted to at Horsham Youth Club

Among the walkers was 35-year-old Elodie Chatel. Speaking before she set off, she said, “It’s my second time doing the 20-mile Midnight Walk route. I’m walking in memory of my friend and family members who’ve passed away with cancer. I’m most looking forward to

finishing and meeting others on route.” After completing their challenge, walkers crossed the finishing line to cheers from hospice staff and volunteers. Walkers then enjoyed refreshments and prosecco while wearing their medals. Sarah Clapp and Claire Treen volunteered to welcome walkers back to breakfast treats. Sarah said, “I enjoy volunteering for the Midnight Walk as much as I enjoy walking it. I love encouraging walkers and doing my part. I can relate to people who are walking in memory of someone special as my mum passed away under the hospice’s care too. These events couldn’t happen without volunteers and we feel part of a family when we help. We’re made to feel so welcome and there’s so much gratitude from everyone for our help.”

Claire added, “We love the hospice, it’s invaluable to give back and it’s no time really for us to give up, but it’s time that provides something vital to the hospice.”

Louise Wise, Fundraiser at St Catherine’s, said, “To see over 550 people walking to support our hospice was incredible. We’re so grateful to each of them for giving up sleep to support us. Their efforts in raising money for our hospice, after a challenging couple of years, mean we can continue to provide the best possible care and support to our community now and in the future at our new hospice in Pease Pottage. I’d also like to thank our over 100 amazing volunteers. We couldn’t have run the Midnight Walk without their help. It was an amazing night!”

To find out how you can take part in future challenges for St Catherine's, please visit: www.stch.org.uk Laura Bland, St Catherine’s Hospice Midnight Walk

‘Neil’s Babes’ were just a few of the 500 walkers.

Photo: Makki Photography

Billingshurst Parish Council

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

Christmas Fayre 2022

Billingshurst Christmas Fayre is due to be held on Saturday 3rd December and we have already had significant interest from stallholders who attended last year plus a good few more!

If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Sarah ASAP on (01403) 782555 or email sarah@billingshurst.gov.uk. In the meantime, pop the above date in your diaries and keep an eye on the Parish Council website, social media pages and notice boards for further updates about the day and what exciting things will be happening!

We are hoping that this event will be supported by the local community, local organisations, traders and charities and we would love you to beinvolved!Billingshurst

How can you support BilliGreen this HelenAutumn?Toole of BilliGreen has written asking residents for their help… Take part in our wildflower challenge to help save our diminishing insect population; here’sBilliGreenhow:- plan to sow wildflower seeds in the two meadows, ‘Butterfly’ and ‘Woodpecker’, which border the footpath between Rowan Drive and the A29 Billingshurst bypass.

Work will commence once Horsham

District Council have completed their careful habitat improvement of the hedgerows and two meadows bordering the footpath.

BilliGreen would like to invite the commu nity to help sow and maintain small pockets of wildflowers in one or both meadows, of course we will need plenty of rain first!

We hope that with community involvement we will reverse the drastic declines in our insect numbers, and ultimately help our wild birds many of which are also on the brink. For more info contact helen.toole@btinternet.com.

Birds Foot trefoil

Knapweed

Bypass Footpath

Hopefully, work should now have been completed on long overdue improvements to the northern arm of the path within the bypass, commissioned by owner Horsham District Council. The Parish Council has long been echoing calls from residents for this popular path to receive the maintenance it deserves. We are advised that works to the southern arm will follow in the near future.

Billingshurst Choral Society –November concert

The excellent Choral Society will be holding their autumn concert at St. Gabriel’s Church, East Street on Saturday 19th November at 7.30pm. The programme is Schubert’s Mass in G, Saint-Saens Oratorio de Noel and Debussy’s Dance Sacree et Profane.

Full details including where to buy tickets will follow in next month’s Village Tweet.

Winter Resilience Plan

The Parish Council has a Winter Resilience Plan in place which links volunteers with those who need help during severe weather conditions. Please consider joining our volunteer list if you are able by contacting the Assistant Clerk Jo Booth either by telephoning (01403) 782555 or emailing jo@billingshurst.gov.uk.

Our volunteers are able to offer help with snow clearing, shopping, prescription collections and similar. The Parish Council and its volunteers are keen to offer help to those who may need it but are not an emergency service and are limited in what they can Pleasedo.look after yourselves and help vulnerable or elderly neighbours. It is worth considering keeping a good stock of candles/matches and spare torch batteries in case of power cuts and some nonperishable food stocks if you might be unable to leave your home in adverse weather.Copies of the Winter Resilience Plan will be available from the Billingshurst Centre and the Parish Office in late October.

In the event of heavy snowfall, large bags of salt/grit will be delivered to various locations throughout the Parish. This is for use on the public highways and is NOT for private paths and driveways.

Remembrance Sunday

As local branches of the Royal British Legion are no longer permitted to apply for road closures for Annual Remembrance Day Parades in November, following a national directive, the Parish Council agreed last year to take on this role.

The Parade, which forms part of the village’s traditional Remembrance Day activities will broadly follow the usual route from Frenches Mead to St. Mary’s Church, and then afterwards from the Church, up to the Billingshurst Centre. Please be mindful of road closures between 10.15am and 12.30pm on Sunday 13th November.

Access for Emergency Services

The Council often receives complaints about inconsiderate parking. When parking, it is important to not only think about the safety of road users and pedestrians but to also consider the needs of our emergency services should they need to get somewhere quickly.

Free Support during a power cut

Do you know someone who may need extra support during a power cut, maybe a relative, friend or neighbour?

To find out more, check online at www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk or call free on 0800 169 9970

Operation Crackdown

Anti-social driving can be reported online through Operation www.operationcrackdown.orgCrackdown . Reports must be made by the person witnessing the behaviour. (mobile phone use, bad driving, no seatbelt, rude or aggressive behaviour –NOT parking).

Upcoming Council meetings

All meetings are held at the Billingshurst Community & Conference Centre unless otherwise indicated, and normally commence at 7.30pm. Agendas are always posted on the Parish Council’s website www.billingshurst.gov.uk.

Upcoming Meeting (October)

6th: Planning & Environment Committee 12th: Working Practices Committee 26th: Billingshurst Centre and F&GP Committees

Hallowe’en

Once upon a time on a small farm near Billingshurst… Izzie

woke with a start. It was still dark which was not surprising since she kept the blinds in her caravan down most of the time. She liked to shut out the world and create her own little space, her own hidey hole, her own lair. She knew what had woken her. It was her dream – nightmare more like…

She had been taken to a strange place, full of light but edged with dark shadows. She had felt very happy there which in itself was strange because her going to bed mood had not been. Some light music tinkled in her ears and the air smelt wonderful – all cinnamony and spicy. Her body felt light and carefree and her feet lifted her up in a graceful dance.

She started to dance in the middle of the place but gradually her feet danced her over to the edges and as the light darkened, her feeling of happiness was replaced with a sense of dread. The music had changed too, becoming heavy and turgid. She longed to dance back into the light but her feet kept dancing closer and closer to the darkening edges. She had no control, her feet would not stop carrying her to the incessant beat. Eventually she reached the edge of the space, looked down into an abyss and woke up, covered in sweat, heart pounding, filled with a black fear.

She reached over to the lightswitch but her fingers could not find it. In fact her fingers could not find anything. She got out of her bed. Her feet stepped onto sand. How could she have sand in her caravan? Nevertheless, she stumbled forward to the window. It wasn’t there. By now Izzie was really frightened. She didn’t know where she was. It certainly didn’t feel like being in her caravan.

Suddenly she was drawn to a faint glow from where she thought the bathroom was, approaching it with caution. The glow was emanating from an ornately framed mirror. As her eyes were drawn to the image in the mirror she gasped. It looked like her but her hair was in dreadlocks intertwined with gold snakes which caught the light as they moved. Her forehead had silver specks like glitter which pulsed when she gasped. But worst of all, she saw fangs which had grown on either side of her front teeth. The dark red stain which covered them

dribbled down her chin.

She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound emerged, just a strangled gulp. At this point the light in the mirror went out and she was left in merciful darkness. Horrified and frightened she groped for her phone, its solid, familiar shape slipped in her waiting hand. Although it didn’t give any light, somehow she knew it was on, and took a selfie. She couldn’t believe she had grown fangs and wanted some proof of what she had seen.

She sat in the sand, glad to have something solid beneath her. Her imagination took over then. All sort of questions and scenarios filled her head. Where was she? What had happened? Had she turned into a vampire? The tears began to roll down her face. She cried for a long time, drifting off into a deep trance-like sleep.Izzie

woke up with a start. Daylight seeped from behind the blinds. It wasn’t dark. She was where she was supposed to be in her bed in the caravan. Pulling the blinds Izzie gratefully checked out her surroundings. Yep, that sound was from the waterfall into the nearby pond she’d help dig with Nanny, and the crows were squabbling in the pine tree. Getting out of bed cautiously she headed for the bathroom and the mirror. It was ordinary again. So was she. Izzie grabbed her phone and looked at the selfie she’d taken during the night. The image was exactly what she had seen in the mirror! The gold snakes, the pulsing silver speck and above all those stained red fangs! The phone dropped from her hand.

She searched the mirror again. Yes, she was normal now. She sent the image to a friend with ‘Look at me!’ Her friend replied quickly, puzzled as she’d seen nothing untoward and wondered why Izzie had included an exclamation mark. Izzie was relieved but confused as the image was anything but normal. She tried to delete it from her phone. It wouldn’t go. She was stuck with it.

Stranger things do happen on the small farm near Billingshurst.

Yvonne Fleece

A busy summer for Billingshurst firefighters!

First of all, we would like to apologise for our lack of activity in Village Tweet recently. However, we are now back and will be keeping you up-to-date with what’s going on at your local fire station.

We have had a very busy summer because of the dry weather causing field fires as well as attending other incidents. A few changes on station too… we welcomed Crew Manager Ryan Hek who transferred from Henfield. Ryan moved into the village and has settled into his new home with his partner. Ryan is also a Wholetime Firefighter in London and is on call for Billingshurst between shifts. He is a valuable team member, bringing experience and knowledge to our already great team. Connor and Ronnie have also transferred to London Fire Brigade, but are still on call at Billingshurst during shifts.We are already discussing events for next year, as these take time to plan so we must start early. We will be looking to host a Charity Car Wash in March and an Open Day in the summer, which is one of our favourite days for the local community. We will also be attending fetes, schools and working alongside our local wardens.

If you would like us to attend any local events, please do get in touch via our Facebook page.

This year we have been working hard on prevention. This includes talking to our local community at fetes about fire safety within the home. Did you know, that we offer FREE ‘Safe & Well’ visits? We come to your home and check you have working smoke detectors, while discussing fire safety within your home. If you don’t have working fitadditionaldetectorssmokeorrequireoneswewillthesefreeofcharge.

We have attended a number of incidents in recent years, where we find that people do not have working smoke detectors. We want as many properties as possible to have working smoke detectors to give you that early warning that there could be a fire. It’s a completely FREE service and we would welcome you to get in contact. Just call 03458 729719 or email

Facebook:Twitter:safeandwell@westsussex.gov.uk@Station49FireBillingshurstFireStation

Dan Game, Billingshurst Fire Station

Drone photo by Eddie Mitchell shows one of the fires attended over the summer: two large fields totally destroyed

To mark the end of the school summer holidays, the Renegades Youth Club organised two funfilled day trips for its young members – two totally different days that typify the range of activities on offer at the club.

The first was a long-cherished ambition to take the children to the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford. Founded in 1884, it is an Aladdin’s cave packed beautifully and almost to the ceiling with the most weird and wonderful array of more than 500,000 objects from all over the world, and from all periods of human existence. They also visited the Oxford Natural History Museum

“Museums are usually the beacon of a ‘no touching’ policy, but not the Oxford Natural History! You are actively encouraged to touch any number of items on open display. Touching something allows you to engage with it on a level that just looking can never fill. The kids absolutely loved being able to actually stroke a taxidermy bear and fox – despite double checking that it was really allowed!”, says Group Leader Gareth Miller.

“Visiting the two different museums – both free and in such beautiful buildings in close proximity was a real treat and we shall definitely go again.”

As John, one of the members, said, “It was cool! There were skeletons of whole dinosaurs, lots of historic facts about boats and pet-able animals! I feel like any

historical thing you are interested in, from the Cambrian explosion to the birth of Jesus, you’ll probably find it in the two museums.”Thesecond day trip was to the West Wittering beach on a dry but windy Wednesday. In addition to the usual sandcastle building and paddling, some of the children went off metal detecting in the sand. “They found a really old, rusted anchor chain and very sadly a lot of buried portable barbecues, which we cleared. We also made an enormous sandcastle before it was reclaimed by the sea.

“As some of the children had forgotten their packed lunches, we also cooked some camping food – chilli con carne, Moroccan chick pea curry and chocolate sponge – and ate together in the dunes. It was magical,” recalls Gareth.

The Renegades continues to need a home. We are looking for an existing building with external space (we can refurbish), or a field where we can put up a green, off-grid building. If you have any ideas or thoughts, please get in touch.

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: Cooking at West Wittering beach

Thanks to collaborative work between 4theYouth and Horsham District Council, Horsham’s young people now have a new youth centre.

The Hurst Café, located in the former Hurst Road Youth Centre near Horsham Town Centre is a space for young people to meet with friends, grab a drink and a snack, have fun andTherelax.new

facility boasts social areas with games and activities, including a pool table, consoles and loads of comfy sofas with space to just sit and chat.

Outside is a hardcourt for ball games and a small garden to spend time in. The café serves both hot and cold drinks with a small selection of snacks available.

Youth workers are available to talk to and give advice and support where necessary. The facility is open to young people in the school year 7 and upwards.

Horsham District Council Cabinet Member for Community Matters Cllr Liz Kitchen said, “I had the pleasure of visiting this exciting new venue recently and think it is an amazing facility.

“It is easy to access, being near Horsham Town

Centre and boast lots of great space and amenities.

“Young people told us recently in various surveys that they wanted somewhere safe where they could meet up and this completely fits the “4theYouthbill. know our communitiesyoung very well, supporting our young people and keeping them safe and engaged. And we wish them all the best with this new venture.”

Jemima Shier, a youth worker from 4theYouth commented, “This is a relaxed safe space for young people to drop in, they don’t need to book, they can come on their own or brings friends.”

The Youth Cafe is open at various times, so follow it on @Hurstcafe on Instagram and the 4TheYouth page on Facebook for up-to-date opening times.

Heather HorshamPepper,District Council

Left: A warm welcome at the new Hurst Youth Café

Right: Drop in for a game of pool

Gone Fishin’ with fishing

My son loves to be outdoors spending time in the countryside. I told him how my dad and I used to have fantastic fun on our fishing trips to the various rivers and lakes around the area where we lived. This caught his interest and he asked if we could go fishing. Sounded great me!

Luckily we have a small angling-supply shop in our village, so we popped in to look around and get someTheadvice.staffwere very knowledgeable and talked us through the equipment choice for a good quality, but reasonably priced starter set. This consisted of a nice rod suitable for float fishing and spinning, a good quality reel to go with it (don’t forget to get some fishing line and ask if the staff can fit it for you!), some floats and hooks for maggot fishing and some lures for going after pike and perch. A few other bits and bobs and we were ready to catch our first whoppers for under £100.

By this time the staff knew we were novices, so they weren’t surprised when we answered their “Have you got your licences?” question with a puzzled look.

It turns out there are a number of rules and regulations you need to obey if you want to go fishing and stay on the right side of the law.

In England and Wales anyone aged over 13 needs a rod fishing licence. It’s free if you’re 16 or under and about £30 per year for an adult. In Scotland you just need permission for the place you want to fish from the landowner or angling club. In Northern Ireland you’ll need a licence and a permit for the stretch of water. In Scotland and

Northern Ireland some rivers and lakes are controlled by angling clubs, so you’ll need to check before you head off to the river.

It also turns out that you can’t just fish whenever you want. Rivers in England and Wales have a closed season from 15th March to 15th June. Scotland and Ireland also have closed seasons with most being controlled by the angling clubs that own the fishing rights, so again make sure you check with them.

Some rules do get a bit complicated with different fish having closed seasons, and certain types of bait being allowed only in certain locations and at certain times, but don’t be discouraged. Check out the gov.uk website or have a chat with your local angling club (e.g. Billingshurst Angling Society: billingshurstas.co.uk). They will be more than happy to help.

If you’re fishing for pleasure you’ll most likely put any fish you catch back into the water obviously taking loads of photos before you do! But if you do plan on keeping some fish for eating there are a number of regulations on your catch sizes. These cover both the minimum size of the fish and the number. It varies from region to region so make sure you check out the rules for the place you want to fish.

With a little research you can feel reassured that your fishing trip won’t end in a fine. As for our first trip out; no luck with the bigger pike and perch but some great fun with the smaller fish using a float and maggot. Not exactly whoppers, but we can always try again next time.

Tony Carter

Password Protection

Almost every week this year one of my friends or acquaintances has been hacked. Cyber attacks have increased in 2022 and mostly revolve around password breaches because we still don’t take our passwords seriously.

Almost 70% of people use one password over multiple websites and accounts. This means that if you experience a breach, all your accounts (including those you may have forgotten about) can be at risk.

If you think replacing some letters with numbers (for example a 1 for an i or a 5 for an S) or adding extra characters will keep you safe, thing again. Hackers use sophisticated software to quickly guess variations on a basicThepassword.onlyway to increase security is to use random unique passwords for each account. This can seem intimidating, but password manager software exists to create and protect your passwords.

Lots of people create a random unique password for their bank or work account and stick with a single password for accounts they deem lower risk. Unfortunately to a hacker even the basic information such as an e-mail address or phone number is valuable data they can use to impersonate you. It’s a bore but use random unique passwords for ALL accounts.Ihavetried

to persuade friends to invest in password manager software (NOT a free download from the internet). A password manager will create unique, single-use passwords AND autofill them as long as they are tied to that account. This means that even if you accidentally click on a phishing link, the password manager should recognise that it’s not the legitimate account and flag up a warning or refuse to autofill.Norton,

RoboForm, Dashlane and LastPass are four password managers (there are many others), and

costs vary. Mine is an annual subscription and works across my phone, tablet, and laptop.

If you don’t have a password manager (and you really should have one… get one now) then at the very least create passwords that are hard to guess by choosing words that are personal to you but not personal information such as name, or birth date. Think of song lyrics, or your primary teachers, or your favourite shade of nail polish! Three unconnected words with some numbers and symbols are a good start. Passwords should be at least twelve characters long. And don’t be tempted by Facebook and Twitter ‘fill in the blank quizzes’ of the ‘My first car was a…’ or ‘My first pet was named…’ variety. They are generally exercises in data mining.We’ve all been asked to sign-up to authenticationmulti-factorsystems for bank accounts, PayPal, or eBay, etc. There is usually opt-out button, but don’t. Even the most complex passwords can be compromised. A multi-factor authentication creates an extra layer of protection between you and a potential hacker by requiring verification in excess of your password when you log in.

Generally, this involves a one-time password sent to you via SMS or e-mail. It’s an extra step, but one worth having, so turn it on whenever it’s offered.

It’s tempting to think that you won’t be hacked, but every time you use the internet you are a potential target.Mythree

The Spaniel Diaries

Oh, what a month it has been. I knew they were up to something. There was an air of excitement around the place and it’s not cold enough or dark enough for the thing they call Christmas. Then they went and did it – brought a puppy home.

I am not impressed, firstly it has teeth, horrid little pointy puppy needle teeth, I have made it quite plain it is not to be sinking them into me! Infuriatingly Mav is very taken with the thing they have called Goose and I heard they are actually half brothers, well that’s not surprising seeing as they are both idiots. He seems to enjoy galloping around like a manic demon on speed just as I am about to settle down to doing some serious sleeping, and even more annoyingly he gets an extra bowl of food each day, while mine has been cut down as mum thinks I’m too chunky, well when she’s not looking I’ll be helping myself to his extra bowl!Atleast the weather is now cooling down a little and mum has been taking us out for some longer walks so we can all get fit again – thankfully the little land shark is just too small to join in at the moment – long may that continue! Although it would be fun to teach him some of my more interesting habits, especially the ones mum doesn’t like, such as rolling in fox poo and hiding under the hay trailer!

The leaves are starting to fall and the evenings are getting darker and I’m absolutely loving the smells now it’s been raining a little,autumn is

such a lovely time. We have been spending the evenings tagging along with mum while she picks the little blackberries from the hedges, I like to eat them too – Mav is so stupid as he keeps asking for them and then spits them out, you’d think he would learn by now whether he likes them or not! Mum likes to make them into liquid she calls gin. We are not allowed gin, probably a good thing as I’ve noticed too much of it can make humans go silly and wobbly and apparently they say this stuff is strong! Well they can keep it!

Mum has been busy getting our winter bits and bobs ready, little flashing lights for our collars, I hope I get a blue one again – Mav can have pink, it will suit him and as for Goose I hope they just lock him in a stable! We also have some lovely warm coats for after wet walks too – and I heard mum saying we’ll need them in the house with the price of electricity this winter, I think that’s the stuff that everythingmakeswork… I think

we are going to end up being used as canine hot water bottles in the coldest months. Fine by me, I love a good cuddle of an evening. Mum has even dug out a thing she calls a slow cooker – I like that thing as she gives us offcuts of the meat she puts in it! It also makes the house smell lovely with meaty cooking smells I can drift off to.

Until next month, enjoy the last of the sunshine – Billy.

Jeannette Douglas

“Seasons of mist and mellow fruitfulness,” states the first line of the famous Keats poem. There is something rather lovely about autumn. The days are cooler but often sunny, yet the ground is more moist and so easier to dig. It’s the perfect time of year for gardening.

It’s tempting to tidy up all the browning plant stems but try not to get carried away. Leave some forlabelledtheripeinsidehangpaperheadsintact,theircutarenigella,year:seedheadsIhabitatsprovidebecausestandingtheyimportantforwildlife.doharvestafeweachpoppies,andalliumsmyfavourites.Ithem,leavinglongstemsandputtheinsideabag,thenthebunchestodry.Theseedsfallintobagandcanbeandkeptsowingnextyear’s

free plants! The decorative heads look nice in a vase too.

My neighbour (who is retired) makes fabulous leaf mould in meshed cages he’s constructed himself. I take a ‘busy mum’ approach to fallen leaves. I run them over with a mower then rake the resulting confetti off my lawn into the flower beds and borders and let them rot naturally. They soon break down and are incorporated into the soil by worms. I still hanker after my own leaf mould crates though.

If you planted any perennials a few years ago

they might need to be divided. Take a look at your plants. If they are dying off in the middle but have good growth around the edges, it’s time to lift and divide. Dig up the root ball of the plant, brush and pull off excess soil and set on to a plastic ground sheet. Pull (or use a garden fork to prise) apart the root ball into three or four clumps, each with a section of healthy shoots and roots. Replant the ’new’ elsewhereplantsin the garden or try swapping plants with friends. Don’t forget to keep them well-watered until they have established.becomeIfyoufeel that your garden needs a little more colour heading into winter add a couple of dogwood shrubs into your borders. There are striking red and yellow varieties available. You can also plant sedum, Japanese anemones (Liriope) and Michaelmas daises (Aster). These flower well into late autumn and early winter.

Finally, a little planning for next year goes a long way. October is the perfect time to plant daffodil, crocus, hyacinth and allium bulbs for nextHappyspring.gardening!

Rachel Leverton

Before their summer break Billingshurst WI enjoyed a highly informative meeting about the efforts and work of some local Charities.Caroline

Holder from Sussex Green Living, set up by Carrie Cort and family, discussed ways to contribute to a greener planet. We were told about recycling through blue bins, giving packaging back to retailers (you can return toothpaste product packaging to Boots and earn points!) and their refill service. Of particular interest was The Repair Café in Horsham held on the last Saturday of every month items can be repaired and skills passed on to others. The charity collects stationery, crisp and snack packaging, cleaning and oral hygiene products, used cartridges, plastic tops etc. Go to www.sussexgreenliving.co.uk for more information and drop off locations.

Mela Davidson from BilliGreen talked about the local ‘growing areas’ aiming to halt the 70% decline in our insect population. A butterfly field has being set up near Jubilee Fields and the SWIFT Project encouraging people to put up boxes on their homes and welcome swifts back to Billingshurst. They are

in discussion with the Parish Council to establish more growing areas locally.

Lastly Katrina Cannell from the Purple Community Fund talked aboutgivesupportthetheytopeople

living in the most notorious and dangerous slums in the Philippines. Children from The Weald School are getting involved in the project and Katrina brought along some amazing bags and jewellery Filipinos, trained as artisans, created from recycled material.

A very useful and informative meeting and we thoroughly enjoyed learning about the local charitable efforts to save our planet and help those less fortunate. We head off to the Ford Recycling Plant in October!

After our break in August, we are now back to monthly meetings – look out for our posters or on Facebook for information. If you would like to know more about the WI please email us at billingshurstwi@wsfwi.co.uk. Teri Cranmer & Denise Waller, Co-Presidents

Photo: Purple Community Fund supports slums in the Philippines assisted by The Weald School

Fuel Fright!

Tips to help your fuel go further

The price of everything is soaring right now and petrol and diesel fuel are still at astronomical levels. Who hasn’t inwardly winced (or openly wept) when they’ve filled their fuel tank recently? So, it makes financial sense to conserve as much of the liquid gold as possible. Try our five fuel-saving Don’ttips. floor it! Hard acceleration dramatically increases fuel consumption.

Accelerate gently and even larger cars will use much less petrol or diesel. Don’t speed. Fuel consumption increases substantially once you drive at speeds above 60mph. This is partly due to increased engne speed but mainly due to air resistance. put your hand outside the window (if safe to do so!) at varying speeds shows this.

Tyre pressures. Correct tyre pressures provide optimum road traction and more economical fuel

use. Under-inflated tyres ratchet up fuel costs (and are also dangerous) so know your pressures and check them regularly.

Servicing makes sense. Skipping a service is false economy. A serviced engine will run more efficiently, saving more fuel (and avoiding major mechanical problems) in the long run.

Lose Weight! Well not you exactly, though saving money might be a good incentive to start that diet if you’re a little on the hefty side. Remove all extra weight from your car. Don’t leave golf clubs or large tool kits in the boot if they’re not being used. Remove roof racks and top boxes too, as they cause drag and increase fuel consumption.

Try driving normally for a month, keeping a note of how much fuel you use. Then follow our tips for a month and compare the difference. Andy Harrison

What’s On near you

What’s On – October

Every Mon Billingshurst Men’s Shed. Call or e-mail for location. 10am to noon. Part of the Men’s Shed movement, we are a group of men AND women who meet to talk, drink tea & coffee, make and repair things and plan the creation of our permanent home in the village. Contact David Ambrose, Secretary, tel: (01403) 786284 or e-mail: davidandmar.ambrose1@btinternet.com

Every MonKnit & Natter. Billingshurst Library. 10.30am-midday. Open to anyone that likes to knit, crochet, sew and chat! Meet new friends, swap tips and ideas. No need to book. All ages and abilities welcome. Further info: drop in or call Bev at Billingshurst Library on (01403) 783145

Every Mon Horsham Matters Hub on the Move Foodbank. Billingshurst Library car park, 10-11.30am

Every MonTable Tennis. St Mary’s Room, East St, Billingshurst. 2-4pm. A sociable group for all ages. Includes tea & biscuits normally. Suggested donation to church funds £2 per session. Tony, tel: (01403) 783496

Every MonBOOSTfit Horsham. The Forest School, Comptons Lane, RH13 5NT. Judgement & pressure free fitness for all. Clare Lawton, tel: 07983 976 601 or e-mail: clareboostfit@outlook.com. www.boostfit.com

Every MonChair Yoga. Kelsey Hall, Ifold. 2.15-3pm. For those who want to feel the benefits of yoga, but from a chair! All welcome. £5. Kim, tel: 07780 439155 or e-mail whiterosechairyoga@outlook.com

Every MonSeniors’ Coffee Morning. St Mary’s Room, Billingshurst. 10.30am to 12 noon. £3 a head. Transport available. Tel: (01403) 786706

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 MonWisborough 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 MonHorsham Bridge Club. Face-to-Face. 22a East Street, Horsham, RH12 1HL. 1.30pm. Graham & Weds Walker, tel: (01403) 734156. www.horshambridge.co.uk

Every Mon Clubbercise with Hayley. St Gabriel's Church Hall, Billingshurst. 7.45-8.30pm. Aerobic exercise class & Thurs for all fitness levels, 16 and over. Darkened room with flashing disco lights and music (90s to now). Pre-bookings only: bookwhen.com/clubbercisehayleym. Updates: facebook.com/clubbercisewithhayley

Every Tues Billingshurst Short Mat Bowls. Billingshurst Community & Conference Centre. 2-4pm. £4 per session. Come and try a game. It’s great fun with friendly people in a small club. Further details please contact Alan Barnes, tel: (01403) 783721

Every Tues Billingshurst Choral Society Practice. Billingshurst Community & Conference Centre. 7.30-9.45pm. New members welcome. Tel: Keith Paul on 07989 412997

Every TuesStitch & 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 TuesWalking 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 TuesBOOSTfit Billingshurst. Billingshurst Leisure Centre, RH14 9RY. Judgement & pressure free fitness for all. Clare Lawton, tel: 07983 976 601 or e-mail: clareboostfit@outlook.com. www.boostfit.com

Every Tues Drop in Baby Zone! St Mary’s Room, East St, Billingshurst. 1.30-3pm. Space to meet other parents/carers & their babies (under 1yr. Free. Booking not required. Email: Emma babies@stmarysbillingshurst.org

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 TuesHorsham Bridge Club. Online BBO. 7pm. Graham Walker, tel: (01403) 734156. & Thurs www.horshambridge.co.uk

Every Tues Pétanque Club. Shipley Football Ground, 10.15 for 10.30am start (*spring/summer/autumn, Friday, 6.30pm) & Fri* Coffee after. Equipment provided. All ages and abilities. www.HorshamShipleyCommunityProject.org. Tel: Russell, 07803 259190 or email: info@HorshamShipleyCommunityProject.org

Every WedsHorsham 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 WedsThe Millennium Bridge Club. Storrington Village Hall, 1.30-4.30pm. All abilities. Please contact: Barbara: (01903) 741365 or daisy.campling@btinternet.com

Every WedsLine dancing. St Gabriel’s Church Hall. Improvers 6-7.15pm, intermediates 7.15-9.30pm. Details from Maureen, tel: 07774 828282

Every WedsBillingshurst 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 WedsBillingshurst 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 Horsham Bridge Club. Online BBO. 2pm. Graham Walker, tel: (01403) 734156. www.horshambridge.co.uk

Every 2ndBilliUke: Billingshurst’s Own Ukulele Jam! Billingshurst Centre, 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 ThursStitch & 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 Clubbercise with Hayley. St Gabriel’s Church Hall, Billingshurst. 7.45-8.30pm. Aerobic exercise class for all fitness levels16 and over. Darkened room with flashing disco lights and music (90s to now). Pre-bookings only: bookwhen.com/clubbercisehayleym. Latest updates: facebook.com/clubbercisewithhayley

Every Thurs Wildlife walkabouts. RSPB Pulborough Brooks Nature Reserve, Wiggonholt, RH20 2EL. 10am-12 noon.

Rates:

What’s On near you

£8 per person (£2.50 for RSPB members). (01798) 875851. www.rspb.org.uk/pulboroughbrooks

Every Thurs HDC Health Walk. Billingshurst (2). Meet 11am, Library car park, Billingshurst (TQ086260). Parking free with annnual permit or 75p per hour. 2¼ miles, flat, easy. 1 hour. Chris (01403) 782745. All HDC walks are guided, free and sociable. Led by trained volunteers; no need to book, just turn-up

Every Thurs Crafts and Natter group. The Chapel, Spy Lane, Loxwood, RH14 0SQ. 11am-3pm

Every 1st & ‘We Care’ meeting for carers and people with dementia. Glebe Centre, Ewhurst, GU6 7PY. 10.30am3rd Thurs 12.30. Refreshments, friendship, chat & activities. Carol: 07775 865125 or carol@highedser.co.uk

Every Fri Blue Idol Open Day. Oldhouse Lane, Coolham, RH13 8QP. 10am-1pm. Visit this historic building and Mar-Novdiscover local history. www.blueidol.org. Tel: (01403) 740039

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

AlternateThe Mother’s Fire. Nature connection group for mothers and children of all ages. 10am-12noon at a Fridays*, beautiful, secure farm in Billingshurst. *Contact hello@acornsandembers.co.uk or visit Feb-Decwww.acornsandembers.co.uk for a full list of dates, more info and to book

Every SatIndoor 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 SatAmities 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 Sussex Sunday Walkers offer led walks every Sunday throughout the year. For more information please view our website www.sussexsundaywalkers.org.uk or email wealdmen@hotmail.com

Every SunThe Emmanuel Fellowship meet every Sunday at ‘The Chapel’, Spy Lane, Loxwood, RH14 0SQ. 10.30am for about an hour with refreshments afterwards. www.emmanuelfellowship.co.uk

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

1 Oct Amber Sleep Out. Ockley Green, RH5 5TB. Supporting young homeless people. Sign up at www.justgiving.com/campaign/sleepoutsurrey. See September’s Village Tweet, page 10

2 Oct The Vintage Jumble returns to Loxwood. North Hall, RH14 0SF. Affordable vintage and pre-loved finds from 20 traders. Refreshments available. Free parking. Dog-friendly. Early bird admission from 9.30. £2. Entry from 10 a.m. £1. juliajepps@yahoo.co.uk

2 Oct 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

4 Oct Trefoil Guild Talk by Sheila Willis: ‘The History of Police Women’. St Mary’s Room, East St, Billingshurst. 7.30-9pm. Open to all ex-Brownies, Guides & Guiders. Julia, tel: (01403) 784363

4 Oct The Arts Society West Sussex lecture by Lucy Hughes-Hallet: ‘Cleopatra: Images of a Dream Woman’. Fittleworth Village Hall. Doors open 1.40, lecture 2pm followed by tea and coffee Visitors (£7 cash only) most welcome. Tel: (01903) 411086 or email: jackiebuckler@sky.com. www.theartssocietywestsussex.org

4 Oct Pulborough Computer Club Evening. Pulborough Village Hall. 7.30pm. (Every 1st Tues) An evening with a friendly group with varying levels of IT knowledge & skills. No need to book. Members £2, guests £3

4 Oct Laughter Yoga Club. Unitarian Hall (side door), Billingshurst, RH14 9TB. (Park Lakers Mead.) 1.35 for 1.45pm start till 2.45pm. £6. Boosts seratonine and nervous systems & improves wellbeing! Non-profitmaking club. All welcome. Contact Linda, tel: 07806.327917, email: lstevenson201854@gmail.com

5 Oct The Family Fire. A monthly seasonal celebration around the fire with tea, song, wild play and natural crafts. All ages and genders warmly welcomed, a heartfelt offering for every branch of the family tree. 10am-12 noon at a beautiful, secure farm in Billingshurst. Contact hello@acornsandembers.co.uk or visit www.acornsandembers.co.uk for more info and to book

5 Oct The Arts Society – South Downs lecture by Rosamund Bartlett: ‘Chopin and the Polish Soul’. Fittleworth Village Hall, RH20 1JB. 10.45am (coffee 9.50am) Visitors welcome, £6, contact Jane Allison, tel: (01798) 813314 or e-mail: jane@theallisonfamily.co.uk. www.theartssocietysouthdowns.org.uk

5 Oct Billingshurst Wednesday Group Presentation by Jenny Mason from the Sussex Record Office, has the unusual title: ‘Stories from the Surgeon’s table’ (perhaps not one for the squeamish!). St Mary’s Room, Billingshurst, 10am. Hazel Barnes, tel: (01403) 780660 or email: buzzhazel@gmail.com

6 Oct Parish Council Planning & Environmental Committee meeting. Billingshurst Centre. 7.30pm

6 Oct Wisborough Green Evening WI. Wisborough Green Village Hall. 7.45pm. Every first Thursday. Visitors welcome for taster session. Please contact wisboroughgreenWI@wsfwi.co.uk for our latest calendar of activities, and membership details

6 Oct Reading Friends. Billingshurst Library. 10.30-11.30am. Are you interested in meeting new friends, having a good chat and sharing your love of books? Everyone welcome, just turn up. Tel: (01403) 783145

7 Oct Live Music: History of Rock. Cranleigh Arts Centre. 7.30pm. A celebration of Rock music through the decades. Tickets £22: (01483) 278000 (Tues-Sat 10am-4pm) or visit www.cranleighartscentre.org

8 Oct Billingshurst Horticultural Society Buffet Supper. St Gabriel’s Church Hall, East Street. 6.30 for 7pm. Beryl Barraclough, tel: (01403) 784599

8 Oct Billingshurst Dementia Café. United Reformed Church Hall, Second Saturday of every month, from 10am-12pm. Please join us for tea, coffee and cake. All are welcome

11 Oct Neighbourhood Warden drop-in session. Billingshurst Leisure Centre. 10am-12pm. Come along and meet Julie & Barry and have a chat about community safety matters. Property marking advice and free UV pens available

11 Oct Live Music: Christian Sandrin (piano). Cranleigh Arts Centre. 1pm. Christian is an artist especially devoted to the Mozartian repertoire. Free admission

12 Oct Parish Council Neighbourhood Plan Working Party meeting. Billingshurst Centre. 6.30pm

12 Oct Messy Church! Temporarily suspended due to coronavirus

13 Oct Billingshurst WI Talk: ‘An introduction to Confidence with Colour’ by Kathy Aldridge. Community Centre, Roman Way. 2.30pm. Room not available until 2.15pm. Interesting speakers, hobby groups, various outings. Visitors welcome. Secretary, tel: (01403) 780810

13 Oct Billingshurst Weald Probus Club men’s group meeting. Stanley Room, Community Centre. 10 for 10.15am12 noon. Every 2nd Thurs except Dec. Alan Galer, tel: 07956 443228 or email: alan.galer@btinternet.com

13 Oct A Romp With The Georgians. Cranleigh Arts Centre. 7.30pm. David Harper’s ‘Stand Up’ History Tour… it’s history but not as you know it! Tickets £19.50: (01483) 278000 (Tues-Sat 10am-4pm) or visit www.cranleighartscentre.org

14 Oct Loxwood Movie Night: ‘Belfast. North Hall, RH14 0SF. 7 for 7.30 start. £5 on the door. Bar

14 Oct Billingshurst and District Wine and Beer Circle meeting. Circle meets 2nd Friday (except August) at St Gabriel’s Hall, East Street, 8pm. New members welcome. Contact Chris 07790 762052 or Linda 07806 327917. Email: edwinstevenson51@gmail.com. www.billingshurstwineandbeercircle.com

14 Oct Live Music: BR James & The Band. Cranleigh Arts Centre. 7.30pm. Pianist singer/songwriter BR James, soul music. Tickets £14: (01483) 278000 (Tues-Sat 10am-4pm) or visit www.cranleighartscentre.org

15 Oct Brinsbury Open Morning. Brinsbury College, Stane St, Pulborough RH20 1DL. 10am-1pm. Have a look around the campus and to talk to our friendly staff about our courses and facilities

15 Oct The North Singers present ‘An Evening of Gilbert & Sullivan’. North Hall. 7.30pm. See page 18

16 Oct Billingshurst Artisan Market. 6 Bells car par. 9.30am-1.30pm. See page 9

17 Oct Billingshurst Lions Club Meeting. Sports Pavilion, Jubilee Fields, Billingshurst. 7.30pm. For information about the Club contact Viv Diggens on (01403) 752968 or call in at the Lions Bookshop, Jengers Mead

18 Oct St Mary’s Guild Members’ Meeting. St Mary’s Room, East Street, Billingshurst. 10.30am. We are a friendly women’s group and we welcome visitors. Beryl Peacock (01403) 782835

18 Oct Loxwood Jazz Club. Village Hall. With candle-lit tables and a licensed bar, it has a very intimate atmosphere with international standard jazz. Tickets £15 from Peter Winney, tel: (01403) 752377

19 Oct Billingshurst Wednesday Group: Terri Ashpool, from our local Macmillan Group, will tell us about the amazing work our local fundraising group carries out to help people with cancer. St Mary’s Room, Billingshurst, 10am. Hazel Barnes, tel: (01403) 780660 or email: buzzhazel@gmail.com

20 Oct Barns Green & Itchingfield Women’s Institute Meeting.Barns Green Village Hall. 2.30pm followed by tea. New members welcome. Meetings 3rd Thurs of the month. For more information contact Annette Relph (01403) 732580

21 Oct Horsham Rugby Club Firewalk in aid of Horsham Matters’ Foodbank. 0300 124 0204. See page 10

21 Oct Live Music: Bootleg Boss. Cranleigh Arts Centre. 8pm. A seven-piece band that perform the classic songs of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. Tickets £18: (01483) 278000 (Tues-Sat 10am4pm) or visit www.cranleighartscentre.org

22 Oct Kids’ Craft. Cranleigh Arts Centre. 8pm. 3-5 years 9.30am to 10.30am, 6+ years 10.30am to 11.30am. Tickets £8 per session: (01483) 278000 (Tues-Sat 10am-4pm) or visit www.cranleighartscentre.org

22 Oct Pulborough Village Market. Pulborough Village Hall, Swan View, RH20 2BF. 9am-12 noon. Fresh produce, bread, delicatessen, local honey, organic condiments, plants, local crafts and much more. Café serving a full English breakfast, tea/coffee and cakes. Free entry. Please like us on Facebook. Market Coordinator Terri Ashpool, tel: (01403) 588996, e-mail: terriashpool@uwclub.net

26 Oct Parish Council Billingshurst Centre & F&GP Committees meetings. Billingshurst Centre. 7 & 7.30pm

26-29 Oct Ewhurst Players present: ‘Theft’. Village Hall. 7.30pm. 07596 081165. See page 8

27 Oct Sing for Pleasure. Billingshurst Community Centre. 3.00-4.30pm. We are a friendly, informal group who enjoy a sing-along. If you are a lady or gentleman in the more mature age group, even if you think you can’t sing, we’d love you to join us for an enjoyable afternoon. £3, includes tea and biscuits

27 Oct Open Mic Night. Cranleigh Arts Centre. 7.30pm. Everyone welcome. Bar open throughout. Free entry

27 Oct-6 Nov Petworth Festival Literary Week. Programme & tickets: www.petworthfestival.org.uk. See page 31

29 Oct West Chiltington Silver Band pesents a ‘Last Night of the Proms’ concert. Village Hall, RH20 2PZ. 7.30pm. Tickets £10 (including a glass of wine) – under-16s free if accompanied by an adult, from Richard (rabarron@btinternet.com) or from Nisa Local, Haglands Lane, West Chiltington events in this free What’s On section.

ADVERTISERS INDEX October 2022

A-Team Mechanics 41

A/c’s Direct, Accounting ......................6

Alba Plumbing 23

Alex Newson Tree Services 38

Assured Roofing Ltd .........................17

Aurora Fireworks 47

Banks Fencing 39

Best Choice Roofing .........................22

Billingshurst Artisan Market 9

Billingshurst Parish Council 24, 25

Billingshurst Service, Repair & MOT Centre

Billingshurst Surgery 12

Billingshurst Tennis Club 12

Billingshurst Tyres

CAGNE 18

CJ Sewage Treatment 21

Dandelion Farewells, funerals 10

Don’t Pay UK

Duke of Kent School 13

DW Gardens 37

Flow-serve Plumbing, Drainage, Heating ..........................................19

GB Glazing Ltd 26

George Potbury Forestry 37

GJ Coles, builder ..............................33

Goring Road Carpet Centre 28

Hamilton Cole TV & Satellite Equipment .....................................29

Holly Farm Log Services 37

Holly Stone Hypnotherapy 11

Horsham Matters, Firewalk 10

JC Plumbing

Jonathan Carter Tree Surgery 38

Keywood Tree Care 37

KJ Lammas Plumbing & Heating ......16

Lee’s Locks 31

Mac’s Private Hire 7

Meadow Hall Veterinary Practice 35 Meadows Wellbeing ..........................11

Mike Lord Building 23

Miss Mop Domestic Cleaning 15

NFU Mutual Insurance 4

North Singers ....................................18

Optimal Future, care & support 14

Oven Cleaning Direct 34

Oven Rescue

Park House Kitchens OBC

Pest Man 33

Petworth Festival, Literary Week ......31

Petworth MOT Centre 40

PJM Building & Property Maintenance 31

PW Jordan Upholstery ......................19

Rebecca Beauty Therapist 11

Re-Nu Kitchens 27

Rudgwick Cabinets and Carpentry ...29

Rudgwick Fencing 36

Shipley Primary School 13

St Mary’s Church 7

Sussex Carpet Brokers .....................32

Sussex Coin Company 3

FlackwoodsEwhurstElectrical.................................29Players8Solicitors8

Evans

MW Wingate Painting & Decorating .22

MPS Home Improvements Ltd 21 N Francis Electrical Ltd 23

Sussex Free Range Turkeys 9 Sussex Towing Brackets ...................41

Titchmarsh Services, tree surgery 38 Village Nurseries 39