AAH (All About Horsham) July 2020 by AAH (All About Horsham)

JULY 2020

APPLY NOW FOR 2021 ENTRY

IN JULY 2020 EDITION The July 2020 cover shows Alan Woolven of Horsham playing the keyboard outside his home. It was taken on Thursday 4 June just before the 8pm the ‘clap for carers’ which has been held during the lockdown. While the minute’s applause was supposed to end the week before, many people still stood at their front door or garden gate to hear Alan’s performance. Toby Phillips, the photographer, said to one neighbour, “Ninety-years-old? More like 90-miles-per-hour!” Hearing this, concert pianist Alan launched into a frenetic burst of boogie-woogie! Other cover options included Sam Linter at Bolney Wine Estate and Clare Pope of Clare’s Cake Boutique.

NEWS ROUND-UP COVID-19 has affected Horsham’s football, rugby and cricket seasons and impacted town events.

17 CLAP FOR CARERS During the lockdown, residents of one street have been entertained by musician Alan Woolven.

20 FOOD MARKET Saturday’s market stayed open during the lockdown, offering food and drink essentials.

25 RURAL HEROES Farm shops like Weston’s and pubs like The Crown Inn stepped up when the shop shelves were bare.

32 BUSINESSES RALLY Sumners Ponds has been hit hard by lockdown, while Bolney Wine Estate has thrived online.

38 VOLUNTEER HUBS How community and social media groups worked with the Council to create a Volunteer Hub.

42 ELLY’S FLOWERS Ten-year-old Jessica Lintott has established a floral business after selling posies outside her house.

46 CAKE BOUTIQUE Clare’s Cake Boutique baked a 100th birthday cake for Captain Tom Moore.

50 GREEN AGENDA Carrie Cort of Sussex Green Living and Tony Whitbread, President of SWT, offer hope for a better future.

56 CHURCH SERVICES Rev Canon Lisa Barnett, vicar of St Mary’s, describes how the Church has reached isolated parishioners.

AAH MAGAZINE AAH (All About Horsham) is an independent monthly magazine, owned by Ben Morris, a life-long resident of the Horsham District. It is distributed to doors and pick-up points around the district. Toby Phillips is an independent local photographer available for all commercial work. EDITOR: BEN MORRIS Email: editor@aahorsham.co.uk Tel: (01903) 892899 Address: AAH Magazine, 2 Viney Close, Ashington, West Sussex, RH20 3PT ADVERTISING: BEN MORRIS Email: advertising@aahorsham.co.uk (01903) 892899 PHOTOGRAPHY: TOBY PHILLIPS www.tobyphillipsphotography.co.uk Email: info@tobyphillipsphotography.co.uk Mob: 07968 795625 Toby works for AAH on a freelance basis and is available for all kinds of photography, from portrait work to corporate shoots. WEBSITE www.aahorsham.co.uk We publish AAH online every month. You can read archive editions too and many of our past features. ADVERTISING IN AAH The magazine is delivered to approx. 13,000 homes in Horsham, Southwater and villages including Broadbridge Heath, Mannings Heath, Billingshurst and new estates at Highwood and Wickhurst Green.

Advertising rates Eighth Page Advert: £55 + VAT (93mm x 63mm) Quarter Page Advert: £110 + VAT (93mm x 133mm) Half Page Advert: £185 + VAT (190mm x 133mm) Full Page Advert: £310 + VAT Double Page Advert: £520 + VAT We have an long-term offer, with every sixth advert placed free of charge, like a coffee shop. For more details, email: advertising@aahorsham.co.uk or call Ben on (01903) 892899 DOOR-TO-DOOR DISTRIBUTION TEAM Horsham: Jacquie Paterson, Dominic Goddard, The Judd family, The Rollingson family, George Voisey, Katie Drysdale, George Williams, Sam Lucas, Hazel Garner, Sam Uphill, Jill Shuker, The Bloomfield family, The Arliss family, Charlotte Wellbelove, The Gavira Family, The Dold Family Southwater: Connor Brown, William Britton, Tassia Chapman Villages: Nathan Williams (Mannings Heath); Lynsey Hare (Billingshurst), Harry Kent (Ashington), Derek Bradnum (Nuthurst) Ben Morris (Stands), Oak Tree Farm Care (Maplehurst & Copsale); The Palmer family & Amy Butler (Broadbridge Heath) James Hobbs (Thakeham), Tom Matthews (Storrington)

PICK UP POINTS & STANDS Thousands of copies of AAH are available at businesses, clubs, organisations and community centres across the district. Horsham: Henry Adams (Carfax), Pavilions in the Park, Horsham Museum, Horsham Rail Station, Crates (Carfax), New House Farm, Swan Walk, The Capitol, New Street Butchers, (New Street) At Home Estate Agents (Caterways), The Holbrook Club (North Heath Lane) Village Stands: CoCo’s (Southwater); Billingshurst Leisure Centre, Coco’s (Billingshurst) Barns Green Village Store, The Bridge Leisure Centre (Broadbridge Heath, Bluecoat Sports (Christ’s Hospital), Leonardslee (Lower Beeding), Warnham Village Stores (Warnham), Slinfold Stores (Slinfold), Steyning Leisure Centre, Spring Gardens Nursery (Washington) and Joanna’s Boutique Tearooms (Storrington) LEAFLETS We can deliver leaflets with AAH. Email: editor@aahorsham.co.uk £40 + VAT per 1,000 copies (£45 + VAT for A4 leaflets) SOCIAL MEDIA Follow AAH on Twitter @AAHMagazine and Toby on Facebook: tobyphillipsphotography Instagram: tobyphillipsphotography NOTES We’ve been unable to publish for a few months. Our shortened April edition was put online, and some of the features included will appear in August and September’s printed edition.

An empty Carfax on 25 March 2020 (© Toby Phillips Photography)

Notes from the Editor

The Trouble with Social Distancing Shop Stickers Welcome back. You made it! You may be several pounds heavier having got into baking in a big way. Or several pounds lighter having got into fitness in a big way. Or know everything about 1990s basketball after getting into Netflix in a big way. You’ll have your own memories – some good, some bad – of the pandemic and subsequent lockdown that’ll have shaped your life, career and outlook in ways beyond the realms of an average three-month period. Maybe you’ve even grown tired of all the excitement and now find yourself sitting on the sofa channel surfing, looking for something - anything - except for COVID-19 news. “This is eight-year-old Joshua, who’s been so inspired by Captain Tom that he’s written a charity song about the NHS…” BORED! “This is Wendy, who’s been helping people suffering with anxiety during the lockdown by hosting live chats on Zoom…” BORED! “This is Tony, who’s going to tell us all how the world of virtual marbles has boomed during lockdown…” BORED! I’m afraid though, that you’ll have to put up with a bit more of it in this magazine. Our aim was to compile an edition that might serve as a snapshot of what happened in the Horsham District during lockdown. It’s not a definitive guide – we’ve not interviewed NHS staff working on the frontline, or even the thousands of people who have dug out old bikes with rusty chains and flat tyres and briefly made the town centre cycle zones almost worthwhile – but we’ve done our best. We’ve spoken to

individuals, businesses and organisations who have helped the vulnerable, supplied us with essential foods or brought a little joy to their neighbourhood. One positive aspect that many people have remarked on has been our new-found love of nature. People are taking the time to explore the countryside and listen to the birds. They’re loving it, although evidently they’ve not had a magpie perch itself on their garden fence and screech like a pneumatic drill at 5am, like I have. Some birds are dreadful singers... I confess that as someone who enjoyed solitary countryside walks pre-pandemic, part of me finds the surge in numbers annoying. Chanctonbury Ring is only two miles from my home and I have a view of it from my bedroom window (imagine an ivory tower if you like, but the hill is visible to just about everyone south of Buck Barn!) The walk up to the top is one I regularly take, but I’ve never seen it as busy as it was in late May. There were young families taking photos and enjoying picnics around the ring. I found myself pining for the relative isolation of pre-lockdown! But, selfishmess aside, it is of course wonderful to see more people enjoying the natural beauty of what we have right on our doorstep and even the warmness and pleasant greetings that (in a strange contradiction) comes from going out of our way to avoid one another! We’ve all had that one person who made a big deal of it though, haven’t we? Mine came on a walk I enjoy behind Ashington, towards Thakeham and Warminghurst. A couple in their twenties were all of thirty metres away when they squeezed tightly against a bush, holding their tiny dog up like a purse.

I had to deploy that awkward walk, like when someone holds a door open for you even though you’re five seconds away. The guy uttered something under his breathe. Something like, “too much effort for you to stop for us then?” I assumed he was from London and complained about everything, so I carried on. When I was at the far end of the field, I summoned the power of my laser beam eyes and vaporised him. And his little dog too. I had a near miss too in my local Co-Op, which I’ve come to depend on. We use Spring Gardens Nursery in Washington too, with my son even riding there on his bike for a loaf of bread, something unimaginable a few months ago. The Co-op has given me the chance to see people’s changing behaviour. During the shelf-clearing frenzy of March, I heard the story of a woman who picked up a tin of Whiskas, until her friend remarked that she didn’t actually have a cat. It was panic, as she hadn’t been able to buy anything else. Anyway, my near miss was caused by haphazard social-distancing stickers. They’d been placed on the floor of the Co-Op to guide customers, but after the arrows pointed up the first aisle, the next three aisles all had arrows pointing down. I looked around, confused. Was I the only person struggling with this? Am I being an idiot? I had to employ a tip-toe walk along the drinks aisle before creeping away with an apologetic wince and a one litre bottle of double concentrated apple and blackcurrant squash, hoping I wouldn’t be thrown in jail for the rest of my life. Which would have been an extreme punishment, but if it had happened, wouldn’t have been the strangest thing to have occurred during a remarkable, unprecedented few months.

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NEWS ROUND-UP

Coolham Live Music Club has organised an event at GT's Stables, Coolham, RH13 8QD on Sunday 19 July, 1.15pm. Acts include Crossfire Lite and Cinelli Brothers Band. Tickets £20 from https://www.facebook.com/events/ 201916884204628/

Rhino’s Revenge

Shipley Arts Festival has been continuing during the lockdown through virtual screenings on video sharing App, Zoom. Andrew Bernardi and the String Academy gave a virtual performance of Pachelbel’s Canon. This was followed by online concerts featuring the Stradivarius Piano Trio, Bernardi Music Group and the Chapel Choir of Royal Holloway, with more concerts planned. www.shipleyartsfestival.co.uk

The Big Gig, due to take place at Horsham Sports Club on 20 June, is postponed until 19 June 2021. It’ll include tribute acts to Bruno Mars, Elvis and The Spice Girls. Tickets for this year’s show will be valid. www.facebook.com/biggighorsham/

Floral Fringe Fair, planned for Leonardslee in May, was also cancelled. The 2021 fair will be held on 5 – 6 June. www.facebook.com/floralfringefair

The Capitol closed on 17 March, with all shows cancelled until at least the end of June. Dick Whittington is scheduled to be the festive pantomime on 11 December 2020 3 January 2021 with A Christmas Carol performed in the studio. Events are being promoted for 2021 including Herman’s Hermits (4 March) Neil Jones: Gingerland (18 March) and An Evening of Aretha Franklin (28 March). Tickets for cancelled shows remain valid for any new confirmed date. www.thecapitolhorsham.com

The Rec Rooms has cancelled live events until at least the end of August. The Horsham Park venue has livestreamed gigs by David Devant & His Spirit Wife, Donna Oxford and Peter Donegan. Acts due to perform later this year include Rhino’s Revenge (with Status Quo bassist John ‘Rhino’ Edwards), Toyah, and Mark Chadwick of The Levellers. https://therecrooms.com

Leisure and entertainment have been two of the sectors worst affected by COVID-19. Everyman cinema in Piries Place, Horsham remained closed as AAH went to press, but injected some humour into its marquee during the lockdown. www.everymancinema.com/horsham

MONTHLY NEWS FROM AROUND THE HORSHAM DISTRICT

Swan Walk Shopping Centre was closed from Tuesday 24 March, with only essential stores remaining open. These included Boots, Grape Tree Health Foods, Marks & Spencer (where the first hour of trade was set aside for over-70s on certain days, with NHS and emergency workers having priority too), WHSmith, The Post Office, Superdrug, Holland & Barrett and Wilko. Further stores opened on 15 June. www.swanwalkshopping.co.uk

Durwin Banks, co-owner of The Linseed Farm

Horsham District Council has supported many businesses affected by Coronavirus. By early May, about 1,775 small business grants had been approved across the district, amounting to more than £22million. The council also wrote to 500 small businesses and organisations it believed were entitled to grants but hadn’t applied. Grants were available through measures introduced by the Government, with businesses from badly-hit sectors including leisure, hospitality and retail given support. www.horsham.gov.uk/coronavirus/

The Linseed Farm in Barns Green has bucked the trend and seen a surge in orders during the lockdown. The farm’s range of naturally rehydrating soaps and creams were in demand as people followed government advice on slowing the spread of Coronavirus. The farm, run by Durwin Banks and sister Wendy, also sells homegrown linseed for healthy diets. Durwin said: “What we are seeing is a combination of people being unable to go out to shop in their usual health food outlets,

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Horsham Rugby Union Football Club have enjoyed a good season in London 1 South, following promotion last season. The club finished 7th in the league after the RFU decided to suspend rugby. Declan Nwachukwu was leading scorer with 18 tries despite missing several games while on International duty with Nigeria, with Jordan Smith made the most appearances. Next year, Horsham will have two Sussex rivals in Chichester and Haywards Heath. www.horshamrufc.com

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Horsham Football Club can reflect on a memorable season, despite the Isthmian Premier Division being declared null and void. After being promoted to the Isthmian Premier Division, the Hornets were 6th in the league when football was suspended. In further news, the clubâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CEO John Lines has stepped down from his role. John played a key role in the development of The Camping World Community Stadium. John said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel I have done my bit and now want to move from the front line into the fold of being a supporter and enjoy the buzz.â&#x20AC;? www.horshamfc.co.uk

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After a five-year absence, Sussex Sharks were due to return to Horsham this summer to play a Royal London One-Day Cup fixture at Cricket Field Road on Sunday 9 August. Sadly, the match has been postponed. Ticket holders will be automatically refunded. https://sussexcricket.co.uk/

The Barns Green Half Marathon and 10k races have been cancelled due to Coronavirus. The event was to take place on Sunday 27 September but the committee met remotely in April and cancelled it. The races return on Sunday 26 September 2021. www.barnsgreen-half.org.uk

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Horsham’s summer events calendar has sadly been wiped out by COVID-19. The inaugural Horsham Passion Play planned for Good Friday was amongst the first to be postponed. Horsham District Council then suspended all town events from 18 March and on Thursday 18 June announced its decision to cancel all this year’s events. The town’s programme was to include Horsham Sounds, Broadwood Morris Day of Dance, Great British

Sunday, Armed Forced Sunday, Feria de Horsham, Plum Jam, the Caribbean & Latin Festival, The Big Nibble and AmeriCARna. A statement from HDC reads: ‘Many events require a great deal of advance planning and organisation and therefore we need a level of certainty about an event going live if valuable time, money and resources are not to be wasted. Putting the safety and wellbeing of our residents and business communities first is all important.’

A time capsule capturing West Sussex’s response to Coronavirus is being compiled for a COVID-19 Community Archive. The project will see West Sussex Record Office, The Novium Museum in Chichester and Screen Archive South East will bring the archive together, with the collection accessible for future generations to show the county’s reaction and recovery during these extraordinary times. Residents are invited to share lockdown diaries, posters, poems, artwork, objects

or videos, while organisations and community groups can share their experiences. It is hoped key workers and services will contribute. The Record Office will collect archives and digital content, the Novium Museum will collect artwork and objects, with Screen Archive South East preserving all films as digital files. To donate material, please contact the relevant partner: record.office@westsussex.gov.uk thenovium@chichester.gov.uk screenarchive@brighton.ac.uk

From top: The Great British Festival, The Day of Dance, Latin & Caribbean Festival © Toby Phillips Photography

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profits to the hospital. Masks are available in single packs (£7.99) or packs of four (£30.36) with free delivery. Forty floral homemade masks were recently added to the range, coming in four different patterns. As of 17 June, the company is also offering bespoke designs. AAH readers living locally can request 10% off the new range of floral masks by using the code AAH10. www.hardy.world

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Horsham siblings Joshua and Hannah Hardy have launched a range of face masks to protect the public and raise funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity. With A ‘level and GCSE exams cancelled, Joshua and Hannah have volunteered for GOSH and also launched a supply of washable, reusable and 100% cotton face masks. From the age of 8, Josh relied on GOSH's lifesaving treatment, so they are donating 100% of

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John, who had secondary brain cancer, was a familiar face to many, having worked as a postman in Horsham for 33 years. Organiser Kerry Haines said: “The public really enjoyed seeing us dressed up, with many

Horsham Park (Photo: Toby Phillips Photography)

Thirty postal workers delivered in fancy dress on Saturday 25 April, in memory of their colleague, John Brooksbank. Staff at the Royal Mail’s delivery office in Hurst Road, Horsham raised more than £3,000 for St Catherine’s Hospice, with many receiving applause and greetings during their round.

Friends of Horsham Park has compiled a wildlife search form to help nature lovers of all ages explore. The sheet has 26 plants and animals which can be spotted in the park, from ash trees to zebra jumping spiders. The A-Z Wildlife Search can be downloaded free from https://friendsofhorshampark.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/A-Z-Wildlife-Search.pdf

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taking pictures. It was a special day and I’m sure John would be very proud.” Fourteen Royal Mail vans accompanied John’s coffin to Crawley Crematorium. Loxwood is to host drive-in movies for two weeks from Thursday 9 July to fill the void left by the closure of theatres and cinemas. Normally known for medieval festivals, Loxwood Meadow is installing a cinematic LED screen in its Enchanted Meadow, showing films across four matinees (5pm) and evenings (9pm) each week, with in-car sound and food delivery. Films scheduled include A Knight’s Tale, Rocket Man, Finding Nemo and Dirty Dancing, with cars parked in numbered bays. Register your interest at www.loxwooddriveinmovies.co.uk or Facebook @LoxwoodDriveInMovies A fundraising campaign has been launched to save The Plough and Attic Rooms, a free house in Rusper. The 16th century pub closed on 20 March due to Coronavirus and its private landlord has not yet offered a rent reduction. Lynette Merries, who has organised the Go Fund Me page, described the last few months as “a complete financial disaster,” and hopes that the pub can open again. Facebook @PloughandAtticRooms/ Horsham Museum & Art Gallery has been donated an original John Constable sketch depicting a rural scene. This generous donation has an extraordinary story dating back to World War Two. The sketch was bought from an exhibition at Agnew’s in London shortly before D-Day, and was displayed in the home of artist and teacher Vincent Lines, Head of Art at Horsham School of Art. Some 76 years later, it has been donated by his family to the museum. www.horshammuseum.org

Recycling rates have increased during the lockdown

Recycling rates in the Horsham district have improved during the first quarter of the year, particularly since the start of the coronavirus outbreak. Additionally, the quality of the recycling collected has dramatically improved, with no recycling loads being rejected for poor quality in March. Horsham District achieved a recycling rate of 53.5% for 2019, exceeding the 50% target ahead of time. horsham.gov.uk/thinkbeforeyouthrow

The Weald School in Billingshurst made national headlines by announcing a change to the name of a new House planned for this September. Six houses were to be named DaVinci, Seacole, Mercury, Attenborough, Rowling and Thompson. However, the school decided that JK Rowling, author of the Harry Potter books, may no longer be “an appropriate role model.” Deputy Head Sarah Edwards wrote: “JK Rowling has tweeted some messages which are considered to be offensive to the LGBT+ community (specifically, trans-phobic) and we feel that we do not wish to be associated with these views. We have therefore taken the decision to remove the name Rowling.” The house will instead be named after author Malorie Blackman. www.theweald.org.uk Horsham District Council offered free parking in all council-owned car parks during the lockdown. The scheme was introduced on 26 March. For current season ticket holders, or those who pre-paid for their parking, HDC will extend their parking period accordingly. Parking charges resumed from Monday 15 June when many non- essential shops were allowed to reopen. Following an Annual General Meeting, Councillor Karen Burgess was elected Chair of Horsham District Council for the civic year 2020 - 2021. Cllr David Skipp was appointed Vice Chairman. Cllr Burgess takes over the role from Cllr Kate Rowbottom.

To submit an article for consideration in the News Round-Up, email Ben at editor@aahorsham.co.uk by the 15th of the month (for the next edition)

White storks have successfully bred at the Knepp estate in West Grinstead. In early April, it was confirmed that there were five eggs in a nest in a large oak tree, and weeks later the parents were seen regurgitating food for chicks. It is believed that the parents are the same pair that unsuccessfully attempted to nest on the estate last year. The female is a ringed bird which came to Knepp in 2016 from Poland. The male has no identifying ring, so is likely to be one of 20 or so vagrant storks which visit the UK each year. The White Stork Project is a pioneering partnership of private landowners and nature

conservation charities which aims to restore a population of 50 breeding pairs in southern England by 2030. Isabella Tree of Knepp said: “There’s something so magical and charismatic about white storks when you see them wheeling around in the sky, and I love their association with rebirth and regeneration. They’re the perfect emblem for rewilding. A symbol of hope. It’s going to be amazing to have them back in the British countryside, bill-clattering on their nests in spring – perhaps even setting up nests on our rooftops like they do in Europe.” www.whitestorkproject.org

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White Storks have returned to the Knepp estate (Main photo: ©Jack Hicks/@jackosapien)

The Ellens Green and Rudgwick Gardening Association is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2020. With its schedule heavily disrupted, a virtual spring show was held, with an online summer show planned for Saturday 4 July. Chairman Richard Haigh said: “The hardest part is to review entries on content rather than their photographic merit!” The EGRGA was founded in 1945 and hosts three seasonal shows. www.gardenreg.org

(Photo: ©Andy Stafford)

Friends of Warnham Local Nature Reserve posted videos on its website during the lockdown. With the Reserve closed, David King’s videos included clips of coots, marsh frogs and pheasants. RSPB Pulborough Brooks and Sussex Wildlife Trust (SWT) sites including Woods Mill near Henfield were also closed. SWT regularly updated its website with news and blogs during the lockdown, providing activities for parents, teachers and children in response to people’s renewed love of nature. https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk

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ATLAS MOBILITY (SUSSEX) LIMITED Phone: (01403) 263553 | Email: info@atlasmobility.co.uk Web: http://atlasmobility.co.uk Visit us: 64 East Street, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1HN

Alan Woolven performs outside his house during the ‘Clap for Carers’ (Photo: ©Toby Phillips Photography/AAH)

STREET SERENADER 90-YEAR OLD HORSHAM MUSICIAN INSPIRED BY CAPTAIN TOM

he nation was inspired by the efforts of Captain Tom Moore, the centenarian who hoped to raise £1,000 for the NHS by walking 100 lengths of his garden, but ended up raising more than £32million. Horsham had its own fundraisers including Alan Woolven, who turned 90 on 24 May, during lockdown. A keen player of the accordion and mouth organ, Alan was featured on BBC South Today as he gave a performance on VE Day. As well as performing every Thursday at 8pm during the Clap for Carers in his street - often in his RAF uniform - Alan played a song every day from VE Day on 8 May until his birthday, in aid of Cavell Nurses' Trust.

TRAGIC YOUTH From an early age, Alan loved music. After joining a local accordion band, he played with the resident band at Horsham’s Odeon cinema, before playing for troops with The Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA) during the Second World War. The fact he did so is remarkable, as he suffered a terrible loss. On 17 March 1945, fourteen-year-old Alan was cycling back from Southwater with his mother, after playing to the troops at the Village Hall. At Picts Hill, his mother collided with a drunken Canadian soldier lying in the road outside the pub and tragically succumbed to her injuries on the way to hospital. Just a couple of months later, Alan performed on VE Day on the Carfax Bandstand, having promised his mother he would do.

“It’s been great seeing all my neighbours out enjoying the music and supporting the NHS.” Alan Woolven

Alan has performed with the likes of Vera Lynn, who sadly passed away on 18 June

BOOGIE TIME

Vic Chase set up Lost in the Loft 12 years ago

Making Memories Chances are, in a corner of your loft or in the cupboard under the stairs, there’s a box full of VHS that has been gathering dust for over 20 years. They will be videos of family holidays, school plays, weddings, birthdays, fancy dress parties and occasions you’ve forgotten all about. Perhaps you’ve thought about converting these videos to DVD and/or digital files on a memory stick, but never had the time to do anything about it. I have all of the expertise needed at my Southwater-based business, Lost in the Loft. Using broadcast-standard equipment and software including Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere Pro, I am able to restore footage from VHS, Hi-8, Mini DVD and 8mm Cine Film.

For National Service, Alan was a wireless operator at RAF Coastal Command and was recalled when the Korean War began. In Horsham, he started a popular dance band, The Serenaders. Later in life, he was accompanied by the likes of Anita Harris, Charlie Drake and the late, great Dame Vera Lynn, even performing on her 100th birthday. His wife, June, died last October after suffering with Alzheimer's. He has since rediscovered his love of music. Alan said: “I’ve been recording and uploading a song every day to my Facebook page, including Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Chattanooga Choo Choo and my favourite, Cross Hands Boogie! Every Thursday I’ve been out playing the accordion. It’s heavy and I’m not as strong as I used to be, so after a while I switch to the keyboard. That’s fine as I

Some people have videos that are in such a bad condition that they won’t even play. But the equipment here will - more often than not - balance such recordings and produce a quality DVD recording. As well as editing the footage, digitisers enhance sharpness, improve colour and correct audio if the lip synch is out. I can also add music to recordings. Another thing that makes Lost in the Loft different is that you only pay for the footage you want. So I won’t convert a 1988 episode of EastEnders taped in-between your treasured memories! Occasionally, I edit footage that hasn’t been seen for 50 years. So, my biggest thrill is handing the DVD back to the customer and seeing their reaction. It can be a very emotional moment for people. That’s what makes the job worthwhile.

started playing piano when I was five-years-old and later became a concert pianist.” “It’s been great seeing all my neighbours out enjoying the music and supporting the NHS. Even after the Thursday night clap was supposed to end, they were out listening, all the way down the street! That’s one of the positives we can take out of this.” As AAH went to press, Alan had raised over £2500. Additional information

To support Alan’s fundraising: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ alan-woolven For videos of his performances : https://www.facebook.com/ AlansAngelsfromAbove Alan has previously been featured in AAH’s My Life So Far feature: www.aahorsham.co.uk/content/ mylifesofar Photos: Toby Phillips Photography Words: Ben Morris

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MARKET PROVES ITS

VALUE

Bangers Galore sells its award-winning sausages at Saturday’s market

HORSHAM MARKETS SIMON TEESDALE (FOOD ROCKS)

ith supermarket shelves emptying due to panic-buying, Horsham Market became an essential outlet for many. As well as some stalls continuing to operate in town, online services were improved. Here, Simon Teesdale of Food Rocks, operator of Horsham Markets, describes how it proved to be a vital service for hundreds of residents...

Greener Greens is the market’s popular organic groceries stall (Photos ©Toby Phillips Photography/AAH)

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We started running a ‘click & collect’ service alongside home deliveries on Saturday 28 March. The market continued to operate in the Carfax, but only with about half a dozen essential stalls, with social distancing measures in place. These included Bangers Galore, offering sausages and butchery, as well as Coden’s Greengrocers and Bartie’s Sussex Fair, selling pickles and chutneys. Others have come in and out when they’ve been able to.

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DIFFERING OPINIONS

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some on social media, but felt that while essential produce was being sold, it was right to stay open. People couldn't visit supermarkets as the shelves were empty and couldn't book delivery slots, but we were in a position to offer essentials. Also, we wanted to offer our traders the chance to generate an income during difficult times. Once people could see that we were operating in a safe a manner as possible, they felt more comfortable using us than they did queueing up at the supermarket, and the feedback has been fantastic.

“We’ve seen people who haven't traditionally used the market now relying on our delivery or click & collect services.” Simon Teesdale

Bartie’s Sussex Faire sells a selection of chutneys. jams, pickles, marmalades and mustards (Photo: ©Toby Phillips Photography/AAH)

MEETING DEMAND

NEW PARTNERSHIPS

At first, the home delivery and ‘click & collect’ services were extremely busy. We were averaging about 150 orders on Saturdays, about half of which we delivered. We never ran out of any of produce. Because we deal in small amounts, at least in comparison to supermarkets, we didn’t suffer major supply problems as people buy directly from the traders. As the lockdown eased, we saw a decline in numbers for online services as people started venturing out more and could book regular deliveries from supermarkets again. However, we hope to continue the services and I’m sure some people will stick with us. It was nice that customers could still support the stalls and farmers, with some adapting to meet demand, including Garlic Wood Events, which introduced frozen ready meals.

We started with stalls that were already a regular part of the market, which focuses on local producers within 40 miles of Horsham. We relaxed the rules slightly on the advice of Horsham District Council and formed new partnerships. For example, Panino’s in Carfax began offering a range of Italian products, from wine to pasta, and perhaps these new relationships will continue to evolve in future.

CHANGING ATTITUDES There has been a shift in people’s attitudes towards local produce. We have seen people who haven't traditionally used the market now relying on our home delivery or click & collect services. They're very happy with the quality of the produce and pleased to be helping local businesses stay afloat.

Penny Ledger Werqs sells a range of hand-crafted gifts

Renovated 16th Century Barn New House Farm Shop and Tea Room is located in a beautifully renovated 16th Century barn in a quiet spot on the edge of Horsham. People come from all over to enjoy our cafe and local produce.

Take-away from The Tea Rooms You can enjoy cakes and sandwiches, paninis and Ploughman’s from our Strawberry Fields Tea Rooms. Limited Take away menu includes baps & sandwiches and toasties with plenty of cake available.

The Best of Local Produce Our locally sourced produce includes fresh fruit and veg, fresh bread, local meats, beer and gins by local brewers, wines from Bolney Wine Estate and Leonardslee, Sussex cheeses, great gifts and much more!

Watch Facebook and listen to the answerphone for updates about Strawberry Fields Tea Room

www.newhousefarmshop.co.uk 01293 851890

Shoppers observe social distancing rules outside Carmela Deli and Angela Jenkins, owner of Fired Creations (Photo: ©Toby Phillips Photography/AAH)

EMPLOYMENT BOOST Another positive is that we’ve employed four or five new people on a part-time basis. A couple of people who have been furloughed have also given their time freely. We established an area in the Carfax where traders arranged all the orders on a Saturday morning, with teams including new workers sorting them into boxes for collection or delivery around Horsham.

MARKET RETURN The market returned on Saturday 6 June with a new layout and guidelines in place for social distancing. The market is now spread around town, making it easier for people to queue and keep two metres apart. The non-food stalls including flowers, crafts and jewellery, are in Market Square, with street food and alcohol vendors around the Bandstand and other food and drink stalls around the War Memorial. There's been a slight reluctance from some traders although they understand the reasoning behind it. Hopefully the changes will encourage people to move around town and help us adhere to social distancing policies.

New House Farm, Old Crawley Road, Horsham, RH12 4RU

“The market is now spread out around town, making it easier for people to keep two metres apart.” Simon Teesdale TOWN EVENTS Horsham’s town centre events are great events and very important to us. Even though we cannot hold them in 2020, hopefully next year people will be itching to support events like AmeriCARna. Additional information

The Saturday Market is currently open from 9am - 5pm. The Thursday market is currently closed. For details of stalls, visit https://foodrockssouth.co.uk/ A good source of information for events in the town centre is the Horsham Time Well Spent Facebook page: @horshamtimewellspent

Photos: Toby Phillips Photography Interview: Ben Morris

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SALES | SERVICING | REPAIRS | HIRE | PARTS FOR ALL ENQUIRIES, CONTACT US ON (01403) 864487 EMAIL: HIRE@KINGANDSTEVENS.CO.UK OR VISIT OUR SHOP A272 Cowfold Road (between Buck Barn and Cowfold) West Grinstead, West Sussex, RH13 8LY Open Monday - Friday 8am- 5.30pm Saturday - 8.30am - 12.30pm

(Photo: ©Toby Phillips Photography/AAH)

THE RURAL SAVIOURS

AS SUPERMARKETS STRUGGLED, FARM SHOPS SAVED THE DAY WESTON’S FARM SHOP, ITCHINGFIELD: DAVID EXWOOD

he Coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown led to a surge in demand at Weston’s Farm. David Exwood, who has run the farm for 30 years, describes how staff worked flat out in partnership with local suppliers throughout its busiest ever period...

THE FARM SHOP

SOCIAL DISTANCING

We’ve run the farm in Itchingfield for 30 years, as tenants of Christ’s Hospital School. We have beef, sheep and pigs as well as arable crops. The farm shop opened in 2003 with a focus on local and seasonal produce. We’ve been in the process of expanding what we offer to make it bigger and better, and the lockdown fell in the middle of that work.

I manned the entrance for the first week, just to limit the number of people in the shop. There wasn't a hard and fast rule, but generally we have a maximum of eight in the shop at any one time. Customers bring their own bags or boxes, as we recognised that touch was critical and that way people could pick the food they wanted. It was interesting, because there was the mad rush when supermarket shelves were stripped bare, then overnight social distancing guidelines were introduced and people suddenly clicked and understood. All in all, people have been incredibly patient, kind and respectful to our staff. We're used to it now, as the measures have been in place for ten weeks. But there are still people just coming out of lockdown or furlough and are only just starting to get their head around it.

START OF LOCKDOWN I had a sleepless night thinking about what we could do. I realised that we had to keep trading, as we’re an essential service in the community. We had to find a solution to do that with social distancing in place. Many tradespeople had jobs cancelled, so we brought them in and readied the farm shop in less than a week, knocking down walls and altering the layout so customers had plenty of space.

NEW PARTNERSHIPS Weston’s Farm Shop (Photo: ©Toby Phillips Photography/AAH)

It was an interesting time for supermarkets. We had the flexibility to deal with the situation quickly, in a way they couldn’t, as their supply chain couldn't suddenly deliver ten times the amount that they normally would. Food hubs like Gatwick and London shut down overnight, so everyone who had supplied pubs and restaurants was suddenly trying to divert it through other sectors. We have created new partnerships through the lockdown, although it was the relationships that have been in place for a long time that have ensured that we’ve been busier than ever. CUSTOMER APPRECIATION

LIMITING ESSENTIALS As a farmer and farm shop owner, I never imagined I would be telling people that they couldn't have food. But for four days, we limited what people could buy, especially flour, meat and eggs, which was a new experience for us. The supermarket shelves were empty, but we had regular supplies and gradually word got around. Usually, you want people to buy more, so it was an extraordinary few days and we shouldn't forget the lessons of that time in a hurry. SECRETS TO SUCCESS Throughout the lockdown, we’ve seen the value and importance of local supply chains. One of the reasons the farm shop has been so successful is that all the way through we've had a stock of bread, flour, milk, eggs and groceries. Local suppliers, including many farming friends, have worked day and night to meet demand. I kept on writing crazy orders because our sales went through the roof and our suppliers kept providing what we needed. As well as selling meat from our own farm in

“I've had a lot of feedback from customers who now look at food in a completely different light.”

David Exwood

the shop, we have a relationship with S.K Hutching’s butchers in Partridge Green. Butchers and bakers have been working extraordinarily hard and it’s been a challenge to meet demand. It’s been incredible how local supply chains have worked and I'm incredibly proud of that.

I've had a lot of feedback from customers who now look at food in a completely different light. Because of what's happened, people are placing more value on food. They are growing and cooking more, and engaging with food in a way that hasn’t been seen in decades. Parents are baking cakes with their children and people are seeking out specific ingredients. It has been wonderful to see that shift. I'm not saying everything has changed forever and no doubt we'll all be running around like headless chickens again soon. But I do believe it will be a lasting legacy of the lockdown. KNUCKLING DOWN Life on the farm has carried on as normal. Along with my farming friends, we have continued as you can't stop planting arable crops. It was clear in the early weeks of the pandemic that there was no certainty that food from European suppliers would continue to arrive, so we had to keep producing. If UK production had ground to a halt, most people wouldn’t have noticed straightaway, but it would have made for an interesting winter. ZOOM CHATS We've been holding a lot of meetings on Zoom and it’s changing the way we do business. I was talking to a friend who also runs a large farm, who says he’s never operated so cheaply or efficiently, as there’s no need to travel round the countryside any more. Perhaps video meetings are here to stay! Additional information

Weston’s Farm Shop, Westons Hill, Itchingfield, West Sussex, RH13 0BD https://westonsfarmshop.co.uk (01403) 791228 Visit the Facebook page for updates: @westonsfarmshop Photos: Toby Phillips Photography Interview: Ben Morris

HOW RURAL PUBS ADAPTED IN CHALLENGING TIMES THE CROWN INN, DIAL POST: JAMES & PENNY MIDDLETON-BURN

eing a free house, The Crown Inn at Dial Post was well placed to respond quickly to serve the local community.

Like other excellent village pubs including The Crabtree (Lower Beeding) and The Countryman Inn (Shipley), The Crown Inn offered takeaway meals and even groceries for collection. AAH spoke to owners Penny and James Middleton Burn (who is also head chef) two months into the lockdown...

TOUGH TIMES James: We are one of the lucky ones. We own the building and run the pub/restaurant independently, so we’re not burdened by huge rents. It’s a difficult industry at the best of times, as margins are tight. After Brexit and then winter, it was a kick in the teeth to have been forced to close at the start of spring. Pubs that were already teetering on the brink and hoping for a good summer are now really struggling. Perhaps some may never reopen. QUICK RESPONSE Penny: We knew we didn't want to close the pub and do nothing, as we wanted to continue serving the community. So, even over the Mothering Sunday weekend (21 – 22 March) we offered cold takeaways. For some years now, we've served Christmas Day meals to takeaway, as we couldn't fit

any more people in the pub. So, we de decided to do something similar during lockdown and it’s proved popular. We quickly put a system in place where people could view our menu online and make their orders. As well as a collection service, we delivered to customers within four miles. PIZZA BOOM James: We bought a Rationale oven, which is an incredible tool for a chef and means we can cook a great pizza quickly. As well as introducing pizzas, we’ve been offering traditional favourites including burgers, fish and chips, and sausages and mash, then gradually adding Specials. After ten weeks of lockdown, people started thinking about what they were eating and drinking, as they’ve put on weight! So, we introduced healthier options, like the teriyaki salmon salad.

(Photo: Toby Phillips Photography/AAH)

FRESHER APPROACH

James Middleton-Burn prepares pizzas for delivery (Photo: ©Toby Phillips Photography/AAH)

“The meat we offer from Calcot Farm is superior to what you’ll find at the supermarket and the groceries are fresh.”

LOCAL SUPPLY James: We offered groceries too, primarily to support the community, only covering our costs. There was a mad week when people were desperate for essentials and the supermarkets shelves were empty. The behaviour of us, as humans, never fails to amaze! Penny: I was in Waitrose as the toilet roll drama was happening. A shopper said, “they've just restocked the toilet roll if you want to get some!” When I told him I didn’t need any, he looked at me like I was crazy. During that first week of lockdown, we asked customers to send us their grocery needs and we’d do our best to fulfil them. In the first week alone, we spent eight hours sorting bills, as we had about 50 orders. We formed a partnership with a second fruit and veg supplier to meet demand and managed to get in what people wanted.

MARTYN EDWARDS

James Middleton-Burn FRESH PRODUCE James: It proved to be an important service, as people were desperate. They were so grateful and even though some have gradually been able to venture out to supermarkets or shops as the lockdown has eased, most have continued to use us and that’s down to quality too. The meat we offer from Calcot Farm is superior to what you’ll find on the shelves and the groceries are fresh, with most of it reaching the customer within a day. COMMUNITY FEEL Penny: Dial Post is a wonderful village, but many residents prefer to keep themselves to themselves. During lockdown, there’s been a group chat for the village on WhatsApp and people are appreciating the importance of a close community and the village pub is key to that. As well as offering groceries, we’ve served coffee and croissants on Saturday mornings. People really look forward to it, as it’s a chance to have a chat.

N J Simpkins Plumbing and Heating. Est: 1992

James: COVID-19 has been dreadful, but very positive things will come out of it. We’ve also made new friends in the NHS. We have two rooms to let and offered them to NHS workers for free. One works in a control centre, another is a paramedic and the third is a nurse in Worthing. It’s nice for us to have done something to help. OPENING AGAIN James: When we get the green light to reopen, we’re not sure what hoops we’ll have to jump through. Will it require the segregation of tables? Will we have to sanitise door handles every 10 minutes? But when we do open, we’ll be well placed as we have a nice garden and facilities. The closure has also given us time to evaluate and we’re probably going to close for two days a week, which we’ve never done before. It’ll mean we can keep food fresh and enjoy more family time. VENTURING OUT Penny: Being out in the countryside, we’re lucky because the Knepp estate is right on our doorstep. During lockdown, we’ve been there most days for a walk with the children and dogs. We've seen a huge influx of people over the last year because of the rewilding project at Knepp, so it’s having a positive impact on our business. Additional information

Fully Qualified Plumbing & Heating Engineer with 25+ years’ experience. Newly relocated to this area, I serve customers throughout Sussex & Surrey For all aspects of plumbing & heating Home: 01403 250175 Mobile: 07721 378298 Email: njsimpkins@hotmail.com Visit: www.njsimpkins.com 28

The Crown Inn: For details of its takeaway and delivery service, as well as opening hours: https://www.crown-inn-dialpost.co.uk Knepp Rewilding Project: https://knepp.co.uk/home Photos: Toby Phillips Photography Interview: Ben Morris

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Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is a common sight in Horsham, as demonstrated by Effron, a familiar and friendly face around the town centre. (Photo ÂŠToby Phillips Photography/AAH)

Sumners Ponds re-opened its lakes for fishing while the campsite remained closed (Photos: ©Toby Phillips Photography/AAH)

STATIC SUMM

SUMNERS PONDS FISHERY & CAMPSITE, BARNS GREEN

FAMILY-RUN CAMPSITE HOPES FOR LOCAL TOURISM BOOST

umners Ponds Fishery and Campsite in Barns Green has been badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. However, the Smith family who run the business hope that our rediscovered love for the great outdoors could boost local tourism in future. Harry and George Smith describe how the site has coped in recent months...

What impact did the lockdown have on Sumners Ponds? It could not have come at a worse time for the camping side of the business. The summer months see us through the tough winter but just as we were preparing for a busy Easter period, the brakes were slammed on. Despite the warnings, we thought we might be okay to continue and were caught a little off guard. What were the immediate problems? We have just shy of 140 caravan pitches as well as six camping pods, four shepherd's huts and two cabins, with planning permission for two more. We also have the Cafe by the Lake and fishing lakes. When we went into lockdown, there were many things

to consider. We had bookings for the following day and throughout Easter, so needed to contact customers. Staff needed to know if they were required and we had to cancel numerous suppliers. It was a huge challenge. How have you managed bookings? We’ve allowed customers to rebook. That meant sending emails and offering those customers first refusal when we reopen. Because we haven’t known the duration of the lockdown, we focused on customers one month prior to their booking, otherwise we’d have an avalanche of enquiries. Everyone’s situation is different, so we try to deal with people fairly, while ensuring there’s still a business running at the end of it.

home reared lamb and beef at the cafÃ©, although most of our cattle are sold through markets. Sumners Ponds is about 100 acres, but as the camping side has grown, we've lost grazing land and now even rent fields off-site. Has the lockdown given the land a chance to recover? The grass pitches have recovered and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve done some replanting, which has been good. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a burst of wildlife too, including animals we haven't seen for a long time and even new arrivals like the Muscovy duck. The campsite itself looks stunning; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just a shame nobody can enjoy it!

Sumners Ponds would normally be at capacity in June. (Photos: Â©Toby Phillips Photography/AAH)

Cafe by the Lake at Sumners Ponds (pictured in 2013)

MER Have you needed government support? The furlough scheme has been fantastic and we wouldn't be here without the government's intervention. But we had to pay two months of wages before receiving a penny back, which was tough when no money was coming in. We have 96 staff, with 35 - 40 full-time and the rest seasonal or part-time and most were put on furlough. Our sister lent the business the money sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d saved for a deposit on a house and dad took out a personal loan to tide us over. Thankfully, the furlough money finally came in, which was an enormous relief. How have you kept busy? The farming side of the business has been one of few silver linings, as the calving and lambing season kept us busy. We have 130 cattle and a flock of about 40 sheep. We are now offering

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Sumners Ponds has seen a surge in wildlife during lockdown (Photo: ©Toby Phillips Photography/AAH)

“People have a new-found interest in the great outdoors. They are starting to appreciate what this part of the world can offer.” Harry Smith

Was it a boost when people were allowed fish once again? When the lakes reopened, the first thing we had to do was make sure that our bailiffs were protected. So, we created an online booking system where customers could pay for tickets. We didn’t expect it to be as popular as it has been. Fishermen were emailing us for weeks as they couldn’t wait to get back here! The fishery has been busy and it's been nice to see lots of new faces, with many trying their hand at fishing for the first time.

Are you seeing more people out enjoying the countryside? There’s a plethora of public footpaths around the site and we’ve seen a mass of people out walking. People have a new-found interest in the great outdoors. They can’t go abroad on holidays and are sick of watching Netflix and staying indoors, so they’re beginning to appreciate what this part of the world can offer. We have the South Downs on our doorstep, beautiful coastal towns nearby and places like Leith Leith Hill to the north. Many people commute to London and are normally

too busy, but now they’re discovering new places close to home and finding out just what a beautiful area this is. Let’s hope people don't forget that. Additional information

For details about camping, fishing and the Cafe by the Lake, visit: www.sumnersponds.co.uk For general enquiries: (01403) 73253 Photos: Toby Phillips Photography Interview: Ben Morris

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Sam Linter at Bolney Wine Estate (Photo: Â©Toby Phillips Photography/AAH)

SPARKLING FORM AWARD-WINNING WINE ESTATE EXPANDS ITS RANGE & GOES VIRTUAL BOLNEY WINE ESTATE: SAM LINTER

he South East as a region has become internationally renowned for its still and sparkling wines. Nyetimber, Wiston Estate and Bolney Wine Estate have all received prestigious awards and accolade as they help spearhead the booming reputation of English wines. Bolney Wine Estate was anticipating a hectic summer, in terms of sales and tasting tours, no doubt boosted after being named as one of five vineyards to visit by British Vogue. Sam Linter, Head Winemaker and Managing Director, describes how the Estate has coped during the pandemic...

How has the lockdown affected the vineyard? Our Eighteen Acre Cafe and Restaurant has been closed, but our Vineyard Shop has remained open, whilst adhering to government guidelines. The vineyard itself has continued to grow and our team have been working hard to ensure we have the best crop to produce our award-winning wines. They have had some close calls with frost but have avoided any loss. The vineyard is the easiest place to enforce social distancing. Has the lockdown had an impact on the new winery? Luckily, we’d already finished this project. The state-of-the-art new winery is fully operational, helping us to increase our production by 170% in the next three years.

“It’s hard losing the footfall from our restaurant and shop sales, but our online sales have seen a massive increase.” Sam Linter

How have sales fared? It’s certainly hard losing the footfall from our restaurant and shop sales, but our online sales have seen a massive increase, which has helped cover some of the losses. The Bolney team have come up with exciting new ideas to help us adapt to a new business model, including our newly launched virtual tours. We’ve also increased food and drink offerings online to include fresh produce and more non-perishable food products. We have been providing free local delivery to support vulnerable customers that can’t easily get about. Have virtual wine tastings been a success? They’ve been a huge hit with customers. A wide range of people are booking them including groups of friends, businesses and one couple who should have been getting married, as a way of still celebrating their big day with friends and family. Which wines have sold well during lockdown? Our Pinot Noir, Lychgate Bacchus and Bolney Bubbly wines have sold really well. We’ve also seen an uplift in our still Rosé and our Bolney Estate Gin. We’ve only just started promoting our cocktails and so far, our Hedgerow Spritz Cocktail kit has been a favourite. How will the loss of large sporting and entertainment events impact you? We work with catering companies who provide our products to stadiums, so we have seen a dramatic fall off. This is even more reason to work with businesses and customers who are still able to trade in this difficult time, so when we can start to provide products to caterers and stadiums again, we are well placed to do so. Has there been a good take-up of the Bolney Larder service? We have expanded our range and are now offering fresh produce and new frozen ByRuby meals, which have been really popular. We’re also doing takeaway coffees and have just introduced picnic boxes, which will be available to order for collection.

Rodney Pratt founded Bolney Wine Estate along with his late wife Janet. The estate is now run by their daughter, Sam Linter (©Toby Phillips Photography/AAH 2012)

Our focus when choosing products to add to our range is that they are sourced from as locally as possible and are in line with our ‘Guided by Nature’ values. Sussex Gourmand, Flour Pot Bakery, Harveys and ByRuby are just some of the local suppliers we stock. Customers have loved our range of fresh produce boxes so much that we’ve decided to launch new picnic boxes which include a classic, vegan and cream tea option. Have you seen a change in people’s value of quality produce? Yes, we have found a definite support for quality, but as important is that it’s local produce. Additional information

Bolney Wine Estate, Foxhole Lane, Haywards Heath, RH17 5NB https://bolneywineestate.com 01444 881 575 Email: info@bolneywineestate.com Photos: Toby Phillips Photography Interview: Ben Morris

PEOPLE POWER

VOLUNTEER HUBS ASSEMBLED TO REACH THOSE MOST IN NEED

n response to Coronavirus, Volunteer Hubs were established to help the most vulnerable people. Horsham District Council worked in partnership with social media and community groups to co-ordinate a fast and efficient response to enquiries, ranging from food shortages to emotional support.

AAH spoke to Gavin Hewins, administrator of the popular Horsham Facebook page and instigator of the Horsham Self Isolation Support (HSIS) page; Anna Green, who played a key role in expanding the voluntary network; and Dave Smith, Liz Tidy and Roger Cato of the Mannings Heath Millennium Group, which set an example for others to follow…

How was the network of volunteers established? Gavin: Horsham Self-Isolation Support (HSIS) was set up independently before Volunteer Hubs were established across the Horsham District. The Horsham Facebook page has more than 31,000 followers and we were starting to see messages from people needing help. Some had medical needs and couldn't pick up prescriptions, while others needed groceries. We were also being contacted by people across the country and beyond with relatives in Horsham, wanting to know if anyone could help. Why establish a separate Facebook group? Gavin: Initially, we were posting messages on the main Horsham page as they came in, asking for help each time. But on such a busy site, you’re broadcasting information to thousands of people. Also, most visitors signing in only really see what the page administrator “reposts” or “shares”. If somebody needed help collecting a prescription at 10am, I might not see that message until much later. So, we created a designated HSIS page where people could post messages quickly. Was there a good response? Gavin: Having the Horsham Facebook page was a great way to advertise the HSIS site. I posted a message appealing for anyone

Volunteers have played a key role of collecting groceries or prescriptions for this needing help (Photo:©iStock/kiwis)

self-isolating who needed help, or anyone willing to help, to “like” the HSIS group. It went nuts, with 6,000 people following the page and hundreds offering help. It quickly took on a life of its own and was too much for me to manage alone. Sharon Goldring became the main administrator and recruited more moderators, including Anna Green.

“We used a street map of Horsham and recruited volunteers through the Facebook page. offered to help.” Anna Green

Anna: I’d already leafleted in my own street, reaching out to help neighbours, before I contacted HSIS offering my help. Having spent 20 years working in crisis management including public health emergencies around the world, I thought I could assist them. I recognised the importance of introducing a mapping system to create a volunteer network, but at that point HSIS was just a Facebook group. I felt it could be so much more as there was a lot of momentum in the community and a sense of shared responsibility. At this point, HDC hadn’t organised the Volunteer Hubs? Anna: The Council had been caught a little off-guard, which isn’t surprising when you consider the national response. Demands were being thrown at them by the Government and there was confusion over what HDC should be responsible for. Gavin: Everyone was running around like headless chickens. Yet teams of volunteers were already working independently. Mannings Heath had set an example for us to follow, reaching elderly and vulnerable people who weren’t on Facebook.

Sue Collins

Chloe Marsh

Julie Lord Sharon Goldring

Alayna Hoare Susan Ellery

Sophia Weston

Jill Oliver

Becky Taverner

When did the amalgamation of the voluntary effort start to take place? Anna: A group of us from HSIS met with HDC at Parkside. The Council wanted to cover the entire District with Volunteer Hubs. The Council was initially trying to deal with everything centrally, but in my experience, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best for volunteer groups to handle general enquiries and for local authorities to manage the more complex cases.

some. By creating the map, there was no overlap and we could identify areas where help was still needed. Once that was in place, whether people contacted HDC or the Facebook page, we could quickly get a message to a local volunteer. It required a Herculean effort, as we even had to do background checks on volunteers. We then distributed leaflets, with the contact details for the nearest volunteers.

How did you go about organising the network across the town and District? Anna: We used a street map of Horsham and used the Facebook page to find volunteers. Hundreds of people offered to help and we matched volunteers to 175 zones in the town, with up to 20 people operating in

What did people need help with? Gavin: In the first few weeks, government advise was to stay indoors and isolate if you had certain symptoms. Whether it was the virus spreading or people being overcautious, many chose to stay at home and needed help with their shopping. I

Just some of the people involved in the Horsham Self-Isolation Support group and Volunteer Hubs across the District (Photos: ÂŠSharon Goldring)

David Hall

Millie Roberts

Lauren Ward

Alex Wyver-Northam Debbie Maynard Daniela Arnaldi La Mancusa Dee Gardiner

How was the scheme established in Mannings Heath? Liz: We set up a Millennium Committee in 1998 and it was such a success in terms of organising community events that it continued. When it became obvious that we would soon be facing issues around Coronavirus, the committee discussed what we could do as a village to ensure people stayed safe. On 16 March, well before the lockdown, we decided to deliver a letter to every house in the village, with the name and phone number of a contact person in each road. Those contacts were already in place, but the letter also presented us with an opportunity to appeal for volunteers to collect prescriptions or shopping.

Anna Green helped create a volunteer network across Horsham (© Sharon Goldring)

Liz Tidy, Roger Cato (top right) and Dave Smith have volunteered in Mannings Heath © Toby Phillips Photography/AAH)

volunteer in Southwater (under village co-ordinator Angie Choat) and typically would collect groceries or prescriptions. Anna: Initially, we heard from people wanting their dog walked or asking where to buy toilet roll. Really, all of that’s just background noise when you have elderly people at home, frightened because they can't leave the house. The important thing was to get essential food items and prescriptions.

Where did you direct people when the supermarket shelves were bare? Gavin: On the Visit Horsham website, which I also administer, we included COVID-19 essential stores. So, when people asked where they could buy flour, we posted a link. There were people literally fighting over pasta at one point, yet Carmela Deli in the Carfax was closed and had plenty in stock. We helped them reach new customers for everyone’s benefit. Anna: Some people have relied on food banks, in some cases having been pushed into poverty because of the pandemic. Horsham Matters (which operates food banks in association with The Trussell Trust) have

done an amazing job, constantly evolving their practices to meet demand. What problems have you come up against? Dave: We put together a set of guidelines for volunteers in Mannings Heath. They wanted to know how to deal with people’s money for shopping or medicine, and how to maintain a safe distance when delivering. We also had to organise a Certificate of Authentication for volunteers, as at one point people viewed anyone driving with great suspicion! There was also the problem of multiple volunteers going to the same place, so we co-ordinated trips to avoid four people visiting Boots at once.

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Carmela Deli provided customers with pasta

Food banks offered a vital service (Photos: ©Toby Phillips Photography/AAH)

What changes have you seen? Anna: In the first couple of weeks, we had a lot of referrals for care support as families went into lockdown. Suddenly, people living on their own didn’t have someone coming around to wash them or cook them a meal. After a few weeks, we were seeing more mental health issues and there were some tricky cases. We set up an HSIS telephone support group, which helped, but there were some incredibly sad stories. We established a vulnerability criteria, like a traffic light system. For a red emergency, the Council tried to manage the situation, although often even those cases were managed by the lead volunteers. Can HSIS/Volunteer Hubs create a long-lasting legacy? Gavin: I would like to keep the HSIS page going as a community-minded group. Hopefully, people are willing to stay on a reserve list as volunteers, so if anything happens - floods or heavy snowfall – there is something already set-up where people can turn to. That way, it could have a legacy. The pandemic has created a strong network of communication between HSIS, Horsham District Council and Horsham Matters, and that's another positive thing. Roger: In Mannings Heath, we’ve seen cases where one person has spoken to the same volunteer several times and has eventually

bypassed us. I’m sure that’s happened everywhere, with neighbours setting up friendship groups without needing to report back. That too is a great thing. What have you enjoyed doing during the lockdown? Anna: The biggest thing for my family has been getting the kids involved in gardening. We had a greenhouse which was only used for storage. Now, we grow tomatoes, cucumbers and potatoes! Gavin: I’m pleased to see people diversify their shopping. We’ve been buying groceries from Crates Local, bread from Truffles and beer from The Tipsy Fox. I hope we remember the stores that were there for us when we needed them. Additional information

Horsham Facebook page: www.facebook.com/horsham.uk/ Self-Isolation Support Group: www.facebook.com/groups/HorshamSelfIsolation/ Visit Horsham: www.visithorsham.co.uk Horsham Matters www.horsham-matters.com www.facebook.com/horshammatters/ Photos: Toby Phillips Photography Interviews: Ben Morris (Note: Interviews were conducted separately in early June and pieced together for the article.)

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BUDDING BUSINESS ELLY’S FLOWERS LAUNCHES DURING A LOCKDOWN

national lockdown during a global pandemic isn’t an ideal time to start a business, especially if you’re tenyears-old. Yet remarkably, Jessica Lintott has done precisely that. After selling bunches of posies outside her Southwater home, Elly’s Flowers has developed beyond her wildest dreams, with a little help from mum and dad!

Who bought them? Mostly neighbours. Jessica said: “I sat outside on my beanbag reading and whenever somebody came along I served them. It was mostly people out walking dogs or jogging and then they’d tell others. It was nice, as lots of people haven't had anyone to talk to and I like brightening up people's day. That’s our motto!”

So, how was the business born? During lockdown, Jessica was stuck indoors, missing her grandparents and friends. She wanted to make some money to buy an AirTrack (a bouncy mat used for gymnastics and exercise) and had the idea of growing flowers and selling them to cheer people up.

What’s behind the name? The business is named after a cuddly elephant that Jessica’s had since birth and can't live without.

Which didn’t quite pan out… The Lintott’s have three rabbits, so plants and flowers tend not to last. However, after working the night shift at Bognor Regis Fire Station, her firefighter dad, Steve, visited a nursery and bought ten bunches of flowers. Steve said: “I told Jessica she could sell them outside the house, but not to be too upset if nobody bought any. At worst, we’d have a household full of flowers. After 15 minutes, she’d sold the lot!”

Did she reinvest her profits? She did. Steve returned to the nursery and bought 50 more bunches, thinking it would last his daughter a long time. But Jessica sold the lot that very same day, forcing him back to the nursery for 120 more bunches. They’d all disappeared before the weekend was over. “It was going really well, as everybody stuck to social distancing rules,” said Steve. “We worked out a system where people could pick from our Alstroemeria, pink carnations and sweet Williams without us needing to handle any money. It was very relaxed and friendly.”

Must have raised a few eyebrows… It did indeed! In fact, the popularity of Elly’s Flowers alerted Trading Standards, who said the business couldn’t continue to operate in that way. Steve said: “They were kind and understanding, but told us that customers couldn’t visit our house during lockdown. We asked if we could deliver instead and they said that was fine. So, we set up a Facebook page.” And the business continued to grow? Word spread beyond the village and the family purchased a delivery van, affectionately named Betty. Tanya said: “All of the ideas came from Jessica, with Steve and I handling the grown-up elements of the business. But in the early days when she was selling outside, Jessica used a spreadsheet to write down what she was making and what she spent, so she could calculate her profits.” A real entrepreneur then! It’s not all about the bottom line though. In January, Tanya’s dad lost his fight with cancer, so the Lintott family pledged a percentage of profits to St Catherine's Hospice. Elly’s Flowers has since made its first donation and delivered 30 bunches of flowers to staff to say ‘thank you’ for the care they provided. In addition, Jessica has been brightening people’s day through random acts of kindness. In what way? To mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day, the Lintotts made up 75 bunches and during their delivery rounds handed out free flowers to people out marking the day by decorating their homes and gardens. Jessica said: “Near the end of the day, we had one bunch left when an ambulance pulled up alongside us at the traffic lights. Dad got out the van and handed it to the two ladies inside, which was cool!” Sadly, the family soon suffered further heartache… What happened? Jessica lost her second grandad in a matter of months when Steve’s dad died after a heart attack. They considered ending the business, but reading the messages people had requested for the next day’s flower de-

Jessica Lintott , aged 10 (Photo: ©Toby Phillips Photography/AAH)

“It was nice, as lots of people haven't had anyone to talk to and I like to brighten up people's day!” Jessica Lintott, 10

Jessica Lintott started selling flowers outside her Southwater home during the lockdown (Photo: ©Toby Phillips Photography/AAH)

“It's incredible that from Jessica selling a handful of flowers on the driveway, we’ve launched a successful business!”

Tanya Lintott

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liveries gave them the impetus to carry on. “Some were celebrating anniversaries or sending flowers to loved ones they were missing during lockdown,” said Steve. “At a dark time, we found them hugely uplifting. We also received 128 messages on Facebook from people offering their support and condolences, and we are very grateful for that.” Has the range of flowers expanded over the weeks and months? Tanya has become increasingly involved and uses her artistic flair to prepare mixed bunches, with bouquets ranging from £10 to £20. Some even come with a little elephant! “Although our flowers are beautiful, the bouquets don't have the foliage and extra thrills that you get with more traditional florists,” said Tanya. “Perhaps people like that, as we’re offering good value for money in terms of the plants.” It must have brought them closer together as a family? With Tanya having been furloughed, it’s given her something to do, while spending quality time with Jessica. Tanya said: “It's incredible that from Jessica selling a handful of flowers at the end of the driveway, we’ve somehow launched a successful business during the most challenging of times!”

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CAKE FOR A CAP BAKING FOR FUNDRAISING CENTENARIAN TOM MOORE CLARE’S CAKE BOUTIQUE: CLARE POPE

lare Pope has built a successful business on the back of her detailed celebration cakes. But during the lockdown, the Bolney baker was tasked with creating a design to mark the 100th birthday of Captain Tom Moore. Clare describes in her own words her journey...

ABOUT THE BUSINESS I had the idea of launching my own business for 20 years, although only founded the company four years ago. To ensure I had a career to fall back on, I went to University, then spent five years in London learning about business before going it alone.

The original plan was to run a café, but I never expected to be so busy by just baking cakes! Having made wedding cakes for friends, that was my initial focus. Then I created a junglethemed cake for my brother’s 30th birthday and ever since have made hundreds more, mostly for children. They range from under-the-sea scenes (right) to superheroes.

BUYING LOCAL Aside from Belgian chocolate, I use British ingredients. I support local farms whenever possible, using

free range eggs from Mac’s Farm in Ditchling. When you're making something as important as a wedding cake, you need the best ingredients, especially as I'm a recommended supplier for prestigious venues including South Lodge Hotel.

COVID-19 STRIKES This year was set to be my busiest year ever for weddings. Everyone in the industry was booked up for the entire summer, as 2020 was a popular year for couples. Next year is now going to be even busier as we have the regular bookings, as well as

Clare Pope (Photo: Toby Phillips Photography/AAH)

took bought some to take home. It felt great to get out and do something normal again. A lot more people are baking during the lockdown and some are even launching their own business. Many are not registered and haven’t been assessed for food hygiene, so it’s difficult for established bakers to compete on price. However, overall it’s great to see more people cooking and baking, as it can be rewarding and therapeutic. People are also finally appreciating how long it takes to bake a good cake!

CAPTAIN TOM MOORE I was contacted by Stork and asked to submit a design and quote for a 100th birthday cake for Captain Tom Moore. I quoted only for the ingredients and travel

“It’s great to see more people cooking and baking with relatives, as it can be rewarding and therapeutic.” Clare Pope

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PTAIN those moved from this year. My season was due to start the week lockdown started, so I lost all my summer work. I also teach cake decorating and sugar craft, both at home and at the Round Table cookery school, but that obviously had to stop too. Being self-employed, I received a grant from the Government, but it couldn’t completely compensate for lost income. It’s some consolation that next year, there will be weddings on Mondays and Tuesdays, so it should be extremely busy and I won't get much sleep!

A BAKING BOOM It’s been nice spending more time with my family. When the restrictions were eased, we drove to Latchetts Farm in Uckfield. The nature trail there was still closed, but we found a walk through the forest and hardly saw anybody. We went to the farm’s ice cream parlour too and

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costs, as he’s done so much that I didn’t want to make any money. Stork selected my idea and gave me eight days to complete it. The cake itself was a Victoria sponge with jam, as we weren’t sure as to what he liked!

KEY DETAILS The model of Captain Tom and the bike took a long time. I used a cocoa-based modelling paste which is easy to work with, but takes time to set. The walking frame has a wire frame with paste added to keep it upright. I wanted the cake to include personal touches, so created the bike as Captain Tom was an avid motorcycle rider in his youth. Photos of him riding it are in black and white, so I had to find pictures of a similar bike online! I filmed myself making the cake for a time lapse video. That was the most challenging aspect - keeping the camera steady and baking in one spot!

POSTAL DELIVERY Stork couldn’t reach Tom, as he was inundated with requests from around the world. So, I drove to Bedfordshire and delivered the cake to the Post Office in his village. I met

the Postmaster, who said he would personally deliver the cake before the end of the day. Sadly, it wasn’t televised. BBC News broadcast at 8am on his birthday. There was another cake which must have been delivered a day early, but it didn’t have a model of Captain Tom!

NHS WEDDING I’m now involved in the Sussex NHS & Carers Wedding Competition. Over 30 businesses are supplying different aspects of the wedding for free, ranging from the venue (Cottesmore Hotel, Spa and Golf Club) to bridal gowns. The competition is open to all couples working for the NHS or the care system. Additional information

For more pictures of Clare’s cakes and for details of cake workshops visit: www.clarescakeboutique.co.uk Email: clare@clarescakeboutique.co.uk Call: 07973 300348 NHS Wedding Competition: www.sussexnhsweddingcompetition.co.uk/ #about Photos: Toby Phillips Photography Interview: Ben Morris

CAROL SUPREME EXPERIENCED THERAPIST WITH POP-UP SALON Salon Supreme formerly in Swindon Road, Horsham, is now Carol Supreme Pop-Up Salon and 'pops-up' at THE LOOK, The Mews, Tanfield Court, Guildford Road, Horsham, RH12 1TR or in the comfort of your own home, by prior appointment. Offering dedicated professional treatments, Carol has been a Salon Owner (notably Yves Rocher, Le Jardin Health & Beauty and Salon Supreme for a number of years in Horsham) Carol is a Beauty & Holistic Therapist/Tutor and specialises in: Massage, Facials, Reflexology, Ear Candling, Meditation & Reiki Healing (Master). Waxing, Eye/Brow Treatments, Foot & Hand Care are always available. Carol offers workshops to companies, organisations or groups wishing to hold a well-being day.

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Carrie Cort is a well-known environmental campaigner, having founded Sussex Green Living (Photo: ©Toby Phillips Photography/AAH)

GREENER & CLE ENVIRONMENTAL CAMPAIGNER CARRIE CORT

CAN DARK TIMES INSPIRE A GREENER FUTURE?

he Horsham Climate Café offers a place for people to learn, share and discuss ideas for saving money and building a more sustainable future. Under lockdown, meetings have been held virtually with the Zoom App, but member CARRIE CORT (also founder of Sussex Green Living) hopes that its environmental message will now resonate with more people than ever before…

GOING WEEKLY Horsham Climate Café was launched in December 2019, so we only had a few monthly meetings before we were forced to stop. We wanted to stay connected with each other and reach environmentalists beyond the town, so we’ve held meetings on Zoom during the lockdown, with different speakers every time. It’s a lot of work to organise, but we’ve had up to 90 people logging into the talks. NATURE’S FIGHTBACK The best attended talk by a distance was by Tony Whitbread, formerly CEO and now President of Sussex Wildlife Trust. He’s a brilliant man and very well respected, and

people from all over the world listened to his views. He spoke about the resurgence of nature in Venice, where fish can now be seen as there aren't cruise ships polluting the waterways, and India, where elephants are walking through towns for the first time in years. People are taking the time to smell the blossom and listen to the birds. And is the sky bluer because there’s less air pollution or are we imagining it? WAKE UP Currently, we have a climate crisis, an economic crisis and a health crisis. Strangely, two are helping the other. Yes, it’s dreadful what is happening with the pandemic, but the health and economic crises are

GREEN AGENDA There is a push for a greener agenda as we embark on an economic recovery. Personally, I feel it's happening more on a local level and we need to demand the same of the government. People are pushing for more focus on green energy, as we need to move on from fossil fuels. Sussex Green Living has an energy switching site online, offering a cost comparison. Everybody I know who has switched has saved money. One elderly lady had been overcharged by a major supplier, paying far too much by direct debit and the supplier wouldn't reimburse her. When she realised how much money she was saving after switching, she cried! Now is a good time to review your energy supply. Power down, green up - that's my motto!

EANER

Because selling isn’t always the best option...

helping the environment. I'm reluctant to say this, but part of me feels like the planet is rebelling and telling us to wake up! Tony Whitbread compared us to a naughty teenager sent to their room to think about what they’ve done. I hope that for many, the penny has dropped and they’ll change their behaviour for the good of the planet. It would be sad if things quickly return to “normal”. AVIATION INDUSTRY

Last year saw the biggest environmental movement of my lifetime. As campaigners, we’re saying that we can't continue to expand our airports when governments and local authorities have declared a climate crisis. Planes are not flying on thin air! So, why should our government support the aviation industry, but not the one-man band down the road supporting local trade?

“We can't continue to have so many flights and expand our airports when our governments and local authorities have declared a climate crisis.”

Carrie Cort

YOUTH FORUM

REPAIR CAFE

“It’s been great to see more of us supporting local farmers and butchers.” Carrie Cort

The Horsham Repair Cafe won't return in its normal format for some time. We’ve been running a ‘drop and collect’ service but it’s difficult, as volunteers are mostly of retirement age. The Climate Cafe is perhaps more feasible, and hopefully we can return to the Quaker Meeting House on Worthing Road, with social distancing in place, sooner rather than later.

ENJOYING LOCKDOWN

BUYING LOCAL For a long time now, my family has bought groceries from fruit and veg suppliers, Riverford Organic, and our dairy products come from the milkman. There's a lovely nursery, Cannons, near us that has helped people in Billingshurst during lockdown. Many farm shops stepped up when the shelves were stripped bare and it’s been great to see more of us supporting local farmers and butchers. Stick with them!

Here in Horsham, we’ve just launched the Youth Eco-Forum, giving young people the platform to talk about their fears, hopes and ideas. Lots of young people won't speak up when there are adults about, so although it is associated with the Climate Café, they will hopefully be inspired to create their own action plans.

So many people in different sections of society are enjoying the lockdown. Of course, there are people who have lost relatives or have children cooped up in a small flat, and for them it's been a different story. But it’s great to see families enjoying the countryside. We visited two of our favourite hidden gems when the restrictions were eased and the car park was full, as people were out experiencing nature. So, I can only hope that some positives will come out of all this!

Additional information

Horsham Climate Café: Meetings are currently being held on Zoom every Saturday, 2 - 3pm. www.sussexgreenliving.co.uk www.horsham-climate-cafe Podcast of Tony Whitbread’s Horsham talk: www.sussexgreenliving.co.uk/tonywhitbread_ climatecafe/ For information on renewable energy switching service: https://bigcleanswitch.org/sussexgreen

Photos: Toby Phillips Photography Interview: Ben Morris

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NATURAL

WONDERS DR TONY WHITBREAD: PRESIDENT OF SUSSEX WILDLIFE TRUST

here were reports of wild animals across the world reclaiming the streets as communities went into lockdown during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Monkeys have reportedly been scampering across the walls of India’s presidential palace, sea lions have been photographed sunbathing on the streets of Argentina, while in Cape Town, South Africa, penguins have been discovered nesting behind a restaurant stairwell! Even closer to home, people are taking more notice of the natural world around them with many noting an abundance of wildlife. In an inspiring talk to the newly-formed Horsham Climate Café - held via Zoom during the lockdown - Dr. Tony Whitbread, President of Sussex Wildlife Trust, spoke about the surge of interest and the lessons we should take from it. We hope that his message will resonate with readers…

FUNDAMENTAL CONCERN Is it really the case that nature is recovering whilst we’re indoors? Could is just be down to the fantastic spring weather, or that we’re taking the time to notice the birds and the butterflies? Perhaps it's a combination of all three things. COVID-19 has pushed the pause button on our lives. It’s a bit like naughty teenagers being sent to their room to think about what they've done for the past few decades. Maybe we can be allowed out again once we learn to behave a little better! However, the idea that the only way nature can recover is if we’re locked away is a very negative one. There are many examples of rewilding projects, wildlife conservation and human interaction that demonstrate we can have a positive impact on the world. But certainly, the message shouldn't be that we need to wait for a pandemic for nature to

recover. I'd also like to quash the myth that nature is for nature lovers and that those who want to can visit a nature reserve, whilst the rest of the world gets on with life. Environmental concern should not be perceived as something only for strange “greenie” groups. It’s a fundamental concern to all of us.

AIR POLLUTION There are less vapour trails from aeroplanes and we’re seeing blue skies. Around the world, pollution has plummeted and we’re seeing fish that haven’t been seen for years in the Venice waterways. As I speak, we’re sadly approaching 40,000 deaths from Coronavirus. To put that in context, we lose about 40,000 people a year to air pollution. So, we’ve seen an improvement, but it shouldn't take a pandemic for that to happen.

WE’RE INTERLINKED

THE JACKASS

Many people are now questioning their relationship with nature at a deeper level. We will probably get over the Coronavirus problem, but the environmental and ecological emergencies remain. An extinction crisis is upon us. We are living in an age of mass extinction not seen for 65 million years. A World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) survey on the decline of invertebrates since 1970 shows the population has decreased by 60%, which is staggering. A study carried out in Germany found that insect populations have decreased by three quarters in 30 years. Another statistic from David Attenborough is that of all the mammals on Earth, 96% are either humans or livestock. This has all happened in my lifetime and I’m really not that old!

The African Penguin is a fascinating case. It’s known as the “Jackass”, as it brays like a donkey. Its numbers are crashing despite conservation efforts. That is because their food is being vacuumed out of the sea by industrial scale fishing and being ground up for fishmeal, which is used to feed livestock (mainly chickens) around the world, which in turn is the most likely source of future pandemics. So, you can see how our ecosystem and the health of animals and humans are interlinked. That's why going back to the old normal is not possible.

THERE IS HOPE The old “normal” was consumerism. It was “me first”, with people chasing material growth on a finite and degrading planet. We’ve treated our ecosystems as commodities to be exploited rather than assets to be cared for. Yet when the pandemic forced us

into lockdown, we weren’t fighting with each other, as horror movies always imagine. There weren’t vigilantes on the streets with chaos unfolding around us. We returned to being delightful human beings, as our natural state is to be caring and empathic. By working together, we've succeeded because we're hyper-social animals. The same picture has emerged all over the world, in villages and towns, and that strikes me as a massive good news story for the future. Additional information

Sussex Wildlife Trust has been regularly posting an excellent blog during the lockdown. https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk The SWT also encourages people to take part in a weekly Back Garden Bird Race. There’s a fantastic article in The Guardian about the German nature reserve study: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/201 7/oct/18/warning-of-ecological-armageddonafter-dramatic-plunge-in-insect-numbers Photos: Toby Phillips Photography Words: Published with the kind permision of Dr. Tony Whitbread.

VIRTUAL FA

ST MARY’S CHURCH: REVEREND CANON LISA BARNETT

FRIENDSHIPS FORMED THROUGH ONLINE SERVICES

he Reverend Canon Lisa Barnett was settling into her role as the new Team Rector of Horsham when churches were forced to close to help reduce the spread of Coronavirus. Rev Barnett and other priests have gone online to keep in touch with parishioners during lockdown, adopting music to keep spirits high. Here, Horsham’s first female vicar describes the pandemic’s impact on St Mary’s and local churches.

Do you think the Church of England responded well to the outbreak? As with many organisations, churches across the land have scrambled to respond as best they can to rapidly changing circumstances. Here in Horsham, we’ve been so impressed with the rapid response of the Council in co-ordinating huge numbers of volunteers to ensure that no-one needing help is left without support. Our Horsham Matters team continued to support vulnerable families through the food bank and have been grateful for ongoing donations.

How have you kept in contact with Parishioners? I was Team Rector of Horsham for only seven weeks before lockdown, so I’m still new myself, but I’ve been sending out a weekly email to 500 members of our churches. It’s been a great way of staying in touch and getting to know people. It’s a strange thing sending an email to so many people; I find myself checking it over and again before pressing send! We have also organised a team of volunteers who have made phone calls to those who don’t use email, ensuring no-one feels isolated. Friendships have grown through these calls, with old and young finding hope from being in touch and supporting one another.

Do you think churches have been treated fairly during the crisis? Everyone has an opinion about what should be allowed to open and when. Though we have all felt the sadness of church buildings needing to be closed, we also recognised our duty to keep visitors safe. Many churches don’t have good facilities for hand-washing, which makes it hard to make blanket statements about when churches should be re-opened. But we are doing all we can to get prepared and looking forward with eagerness to being able to open our beautiful churches once again. You offered online services during the lockdown. How’s that been? We quickly realised that church services would have to move online and we’re fortunate that one of our church wardens at

St Mary’s has for many years been making audio recordings of our services, to distribute to the housebound. We used this for services and the sound of our organ and choir offers a unique musical flavour to our online worship. Vicar training didn’t prepare us for the intricacies of lighting, sound quality and film backdrops! But we like to think that as the weeks have gone on, we have got more and more confident in putting the online services together. What new technology have you used? Along with other churches, we have increasingly made use of Zoom as a platform for meetings and discussions. Several of our home groups are now meeting weekly together on Zoom to study the Bible, pray together and support one another through this strange time.

Traditional Values... ...Modern Approach

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AITH “As the weeks have gone on, we have become more and more confident in putting online sevices together.” Rev Canon Lisa Barnett

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The organ at St Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Church window

The organ at St Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Parish Church (Photos: ÂŠ Toby Phillips Photography/AAH)

How are churches preparing for the end of the lockdown? Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re anticipating that churches will be open for private prayer before we will be allowed to meet for services, so we are making plans involving extra cleaning routines and hand-sanitisers, which will be needed once buildings are opened again. St Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is a particularly spacious church, so we hope to be able to welcome good numbers of visitors whilst still maintaining social distancing. We know that many people are desperate to be allowed to seek solace in our beautiful churches again. In this time of such instability and fear, our churches testify to the hope and peace that we find in God, and can be sources of great comfort to regulars and visitors.

What has been the impact on weddings, Christenings and other ceremonies? The lockdown has been particularly difficult for couples getting married, whose carefully laid plans have been disrupted. Some couples have re-arranged their weddings for the autumn, while others have pushed their special day back to 2021. We have done all we can to support them through this time. Do you think that the change in lifestyle could alter the outlook of the church? Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a deep reflectiveness within society about what good might come out of this time. Many are feeling that we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want everything just to go â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;back to normalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; as lockdown is eased, but we wonder what it might mean to live differently and how we

start. National surveys tell us that many have been turning to prayer during this worrying time, and as churches we need to consider how we can support these people to continue to explore their faith. Though we are excited to return to our church buildings again, we have also learned the value of offering online services, for those who canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get to church, or perhaps are too nervous to visit for themselves. Additional information

For St Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s services and other church activities: www.stmaryshorsham.org.uk Photos: Toby Phillips Photography Interview: Ben Morris

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