AAH (All About Horsham) November 2023 by AAH (All About Horsham)

NOVEMBER 2023

AAH (ALL ABOUT HORSHAM) NOVEMBER 2023 CONTENTS

NEWS ROUND-UP Details of Christmas markets and festivals, while Leonardslee prepares for Illumination.

FARMING Trenchmore Farm hosts an apple swap event to help makes its popular Silly Moo cider.

FOOD & DRINK Firebird Brewing Co, founded by Bill King and Richard Peters, celebrates its 10th year.

MUSIC 4

COVER STORY The November 2023 cover of AAH features the team at Firebird Brewing in Rudgwick. Pictured are Chris Jehan, Paul Domican, Richard King, Venessa Alexander, and owners Richard Peters and Bill King. The two founders also made the cover in October 2013. AAH visited Firebird on 18 September, a week before the brewery hosted its 10th anniversary party. Ben conducted interviews at The Milk Churn to escape the noise of the brewing tanks, while the Brewery Bar made a colourful backdrop for this cover shot. Snapper Alan was aware that the bright wall murals could overpower the AAH logo, so posititoned the team around a barrel instead. We used a black logo for a change, so it stands out over the lighting rig! Other contenders for the cover included Blue Stragglers at The Anchor Hotel, Andrew and Rachel Knowles at Trenchmore Farm, and Joseph Barr of Beeswax Antiques Restorers.

Hard-working Horsham band Blue Stragglers have been signed by Hassle Records.

TEXTILES Deborah Jannels makes bespoke bags for all occasions at Janorah Handcrafted.

47 ART

The Contemporary Art Fair hosts a fantastic array of work by 44 Horsham artists.

BUSINESS DIY Alcove Cabinets in Rudgwick has won a coveted award from Ideal Home magazine.

FURNITURE Joseph Barr of Beeswax Antique Restorations became a carpenter at the age of 15.

FINAL WORD Bob Epsom highlights the Lost Woods of the Low Weald and Downs project.

ADVERTISING As a free magazine, AAH is grateful to the support of all its advertisers! If you’d like to find out more about promoting your business in AAH (you know it’s the best one, right?) please do get in touch with Ben. We offer every 6th advert free of charge, like a cafe. We can also design ads if you need help! ADVERT RATES (Per month/edition) Eighth Page: £55 + VAT (93mm x 63mm) Quarter Page: £110 + VAT (93mm x 133mm - portrait or landscape) Half Page: £185 + VAT (190mm x 133mm) We also have the long, upright shape Full Page: £310 + VAT (A4 with 4mm bleed) Double Page: £520 + VAT (A4 with 4mm bleed ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES Ben Morris editor@aahorsham.co.uk advertising@aahorsham.co.uk (01903) 892899 2 Viney Close, Ashington, RH20 3PT

ABOUT US AAH is an independent monthly magazine, founded in 2011. Here’s our cover from October 2013, featuring Bill King and Richard Peters of Firebird! The magazine is owned by Ben Morris, a lifelong resident of the District. EDITOR Ben Morris editor@aahorsham.co.uk (01903) 892899 AAH, 2 Viney Close, Ashington, RH20 3PT PHOTOGRAPHER Alan Wright alanwrightphotography.co.uk 07747 617387 Alan works for AAH as a freelancer and is available for all commercial work. DOOR-TO-DOOR DISTRIBUTION TEAM: Jacquie Paterson, Hazel Garner, Jill Shuker, Bloomfield family, Eve Lovett, Gavira family, Harvey Dold, Alessandro Cavallo, Jack Nicholls, Charlie Merchant, Harry Baker, Walker family, Ben Raymond, Joseph Down (Horsham). Katie Drysdale & William Fuglsig (Highwood), Chapman family (Southwater), Palmer family (BBH), Luke Butcher (Manns Heath), Lynsey Hare (Billingshurst), Derek Bradnum (Nuthurst) THANK YOU! Jack Nicholls who has delivered to homes around parts of Horsham for nearly 3 years, moves on after landing a new job coaching badminton. Best of luck, Jack! SPRING-LOADED STANDS AAH is also available in our stands at local businesses, clubs and shops. Horsham: Swan Walk (outside M&S), Henry Adams (Carfax), Crates Local (Carfax) Pavilions in the Park, Horsham Rail Station, John Lewis, Horsham FC, New House Farm, New Street Butchers, At Home Estate Agents (Carfax), The Holbrook Club, Gwyn’s Bakery (Bishopric), Steban’s Hair Salon. Village Stands: Newbridge Nurseries, The Bridge Leisure Centre (BH) CoCos’ Salon & Beeson House (Southwater), Billingshurst Leisure Centre, Coco’s Salon (Billingshurst), Bluecoat Sports Centre (Christ’s Hospital), Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens (Lower Beeding), Warnham Village Stores (Warnham), Slinfold Golf Club (Slinfold), Steyning Leisure Centre and Cobblestone Walk (Steyning), Spring Gardens Nursery (Washington), Chanctonbury Leisure Centre, Joanna’s Boutique Tearooms (Storrington), The Milk Churn (Rudgwick), Meadow Stores (Thakeham), Golden Plaice (Ashington), Rusper Village Stores (Rusper), Roffey News Supermarkets: In association with Self Select Distribution, AAH is available at Tesco Extra in Broadbridge Heath and Sainsbury’s Horsham. AAH is printed with FSC® certified paper. This means it has been sourced from sustainably managed forests and other controlled sources, and its site of origin is proven and traceable under FSC certification.

EDITOR’S NOTES Mel Hopkins used to coach young players in Horsham

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN FOOTBALLERS WERE GENTLEMEN

We barely had enough time to start missing our son after he’d packed his bags and headed off to university, before he was back home with glandular fever.

football’ – ever resorting to. But who knows? Maybe, just maybe, if he was playing today, even Charlton would adhere to the modern adage that ‘getting three points is all that matters.’

Spread out across the sofa on a Tuesday night, he could just about summon the energy to flick through the various Champions League matches on TV. He settled on Manchester United v FC Copenhagen, the best team in Denmark, apparently.

My son, who plays the game himself, believes football is so different these days as to be almost incomparable with Charlton’s era. That players are faster, fitter, stronger, with more technical ability. He’s not the first to think his generation is the best; I remember Skinner and Baddiel’s Fantasy Football League had a segment called ‘Old Football Was Rubbish’, and who can forget Harry Enfield’s comedy sketches about Victorian-era football?

A few days earlier, Sir Bobby Charlton, one of Manchester United and England’s greatest ever players, had passed away. And this being the first game at Old Trafford since then, it was natural for commentator John Murray to reference the football legend. In an ideal world, one of United’s players would have struck a left-footed piledriver from 20-yards into the roof of the net. ‘A shot that Charlton himself would have been proud of!’ Alas, opportunities to compare the current crop of players with the all-time great were few and far between. But then, in the final seconds, FC Copenhagen were awarded a penalty kick, giving them the chance to equalise. When the penalty was saved by United’s goalkeeper, it presented Murray with a chance to slip in a Bobby Charlton reference: ‘Maybe, just maybe, one of this football club’s icons was looking down and might well have played a part!’

Maybe my son is right - you can’t compare one generation with another. Perhaps it is much harder for an Englishman to play in the multinational Premier League than it used to be in the days of the First Division. However, it is no more or less of a feat to represent your country. To do that, you’ve always needed to be one of the best 11 players in the land. And as I remind my son, more children used to play football in the days before phones and computer games. When I was at Forest, 14 boys in my class of 29 played for a local team, such as Sparrows or Roffey Robins. When my son was at Steyning, he was one of three boys in his class who played for a team. The rest were on Fortnite.

We can allow for some artistic license, but it felt like a hollow claim, bearing in mind that one of the United players had scuffed up the penalty spot in a most unsportsmanlike manner. It’s not the sort of antics I recall Bobby Charlton – a man often labelled as ‘the first gentleman of

Charlton also played at a time when footballers earned a modest wage, and clubs maintained close connections with their communities. Charlton himself established his own soccer school after retiring as a player, and I was jealous when two of my friends attended one.

They had their photo taken with him (I think his classic combover had finally vanished by then) and were given T-shirts that they wore all summer. I went to a local soccer school instead, run by the Council at the Park Rec. The coach was Melvyn Hopkins, who would have played against Charlton many times. Mel was a stern but brilliant coach, who us youngsters looked up to immensely, although we had no idea what a player he had been. During his 18 years as a professional, he played 219 times for Tottenham Hotspur and 34 times for Wales, including a famous match against Brazil at the 1958 World Cup. It was a career that these days would earn a player a very comfortable retirement, free of financial woes. Yet when I wrote a tribute piece for a local paper after Mel passed away in 2010, I went to his modest flat. It had little in the way of footballing mementoes. No signed shirts of famous opponents on the wall; only a smattering of displays of cigarette cards of footballers. I can recall one brief conversation I had with Mel, when I was probably 10 years old. I was wearing a NOBO-sponsored Brighton kit, complete with sweatbands. He ruffled my hair and said I’d played well, which I was chuffed about. I don’t know why, but I plucked up the courage to ask him about his squashed nose. ‘That’s from football!’ said Mel. It had actually been badly broken in a nasty clash with Liverpool’s Ian St John, of Saint and Greavsie fame. ‘You got that from football?’ I exclaimed. Mel smiled and said: ‘It was a different game in my day.’

NEW AAH STAND AT ROFFEY NEWS & POST OFFICE We have a new magazine dispenser at Roffey News (Post Office) on Fitzalan Road. Visitors to the shop and Post Office can now pick up a free copy of AAH each month from the bespoke red stand, our 32nd in the District. For a full list of outlets, see the list on the Contents page. AAH can also be picked up at Sainsbury’s in Horsham and Tesco in Broadbridge Heath, in partnership with Self Select Distribution.

11+, 13+ & 16+ Scholarships Applications now open for September 2024

Nursery & Reception Open Morning Thursday, 16th November 2023

Whole School Open Morning Saturday, 2nd March 2024 Advance booking essential for all Open Events. Please visit www.farlingtonschool.com to book.

“It is obvious, even from the outside, that the learning environment at Farlington is a very happy one” CURRENT PARENT

NEWS ROUND-UP Announcements & Events from across the Horsham District Email submissions to: editor@aahorsham.co.uk

7 A festive wreath by Maria Phillips (@Toby Phillips 2020)

Billingshurst Christmas Fayre will be held at Billingshurst Centre, Roman Way, on Saturday 9 December, 10am – 3pm. The event includes a Santa’s grotto, craft and gift stalls, and refreshments.

Business Chamber, the event sees the High Street closed to traffic, with festive stalls, street food and funfair rides taking over the town. steyningchamber.co.uk

The Capitol’s festive pantomime, Beauty and the Beast, opens on 1 December. Former EastEnders star John Partridge will play the role of the villainous Captain Gastof. Tickets cost from £20 from thecapitolhorsham.com Local amateur dramatics society Manor Theatre Group presents its pantomime, Rapunzel, at Warnham Village Hall on Friday 15 – Sunday 17 December. Manor Theatre won a regional award for Best Pantomime from the National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA) for 2022’s Beauty and the Beast. Tickets £12 (£10 children, family ticket £32) from 0333 666 3366 or manorhorsham.com

Fishers Farm Park in Wisborough Green hosts Festive Fishers events from Saturday 25 November to Sunday 24 December. Highlights include a Santa’s Grotto with gingerbread decorating and a reindeer food creation station, with the elves guilding children through the North Pole Toy Store. The farm will also host a festive pantomime, telling the classic story of Cinderella with dancing, singing and traditional laughs, as well as an interactive nativity, with visiting children invited to partake. They can dress up as Joseph, Mary, a shepherd, king, star or even a sheep, keeping the magic of Christmas alive. fishersfarmpark.co.uk

Horsham Matters, which runs Horsham District Foodbank, is hosting a Christmas concert, The Magic of Christmas at the Drill Hall, Denne Road, Horsham, on Friday 8 December, 6:30pm (concert at 7pm). The event features local talent including the contemporary gospel choir Singergy, community choir Big Notes, and local music legend Jodie Munday. A bar will serve mulled wine and mince pies, and there will also be a life-size advent calendar with great raffle prizes. Funds raised will help support the work the charity does in the community. Tickets £8 from Love it Again, West Street, Horsham, or horsham-matters.org.uk

Fishers Farm (@AAH/TP)

Southwater Community Partnership and the Parish Council presents the Southwater Christmas Festival in Lintot Square on Saturday 25 November, 12.30 - 4.30pm. Highlights include a Santa’s grotto, pony rides, fairground rides and stalls. southwatercp.org.uk/christmas-festival

Manor Theatre (@AAH/AW)

Steyning switches on its festive lights at a Christmas event on Sunday 3 December, 12 - 6pm. Organised by Steyning & District

Storrington hosts a three-day Christmas event from Thursday 30 November to Saturday 2 December. A light-up procession is held on the Thursday from 5 – 8pm, starting at the village library, with live music, market stalls, street food and fairground rides. A family festive day (with Santa’s grotto) is held on the Saturday on North Street, 12 – 4pm.

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Horsham Christmas Markets will be held in the Carfax every Thursday, Saturday and Sunday in December, with an additional market day on Friday 22 December. Organised by Food Rocks, the markets include seasonal local produce, Christmas gifts and decorations, festive street food, live music and entertainment. horshammarkets.co.uk

Fairtrade Market (©AAH/Alan Wright 2019)

As part of its ‘Buy Local Gift Happy’ campaign, Horsham District Council is inviting entries from independent businesses for its Christmas Magic Displays Competition. The competition celebrates window displays, market stalls and internal decorations which add seasonal joy to the District’s towns and villages. To enter, fill in an online form via the Council website at: horsham.gov.uk/news/2023/10/enter-yourbusiness-into-the-christmas-magicdisplays-competition The Capitol and Sam Bradshaw Productions present a new interactive show, The Gingerbread Boy, in the Studio from 11 – 24 December. This enchanted story tells of a remarkable boy made of gingerbread. Sam Bradshaw has presented shows such as Santa’s New Sleigh, David Walliams’ Mr Stink and Santa’s Elves and the Shoemaker, staged at the Studio last Christmas. Sam said: ‘Our Santa shows are many children’s first experience of live theatre and the Studio provides a safe and welcoming space for young children to enjoy magical and interactive stories.’ Performances are inclusive to all. The show is ideal for children aged 3 – 7 and includes a meet and greet with Santa, with a free gift. Tickets £15.50 (family tickets £50) from thecapitolhorsham.com

Horsham Fairtrade Christmas Market will be held at St John the Evangelist R C Church, Springfield Road, Horsham on Saturday 25 November, 10am - 4pm. The market offers an array of Fairtrade Christmas foods, gifts and treats, with traders including Cocoa Loco (chocolate), Love That Stuff (clothes and jewellery), Nika Deluxe (toiletries), Siwok

Home Decorating

(wooden crafts), Jib Hagan (recycled baskets) and Moyna Bridges (cards and stocking fillers). Santa will be visiting and raffle prizes include hampers filled with Fairtrade goods. Sales from the market help workers in the developing world to improve their lives through the Fairtrade Premium. fairtradehorsham.org.uk

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Fenelon scores for Horsham (©John Lines)

Horsham FC have qualified for the first round of the FA Cup for the second time in three seasons. The Hornets secured a 2-0 home win over National League side Dorking Wanderers on 14 October, in front of a sellout crowd of 2,000. Horsham took the lead in the 39th minute when Dan Ajakayie finished off a flowing move, before Shamir Fenelon added a second from distance just a minute later. Horsham’s reward is a trip to South Yorkshire to face League One side Barnsley on Friday 3 November, 7.45pm. horshamfc.co.uk Stars Netball Club hosts mini netball sessions at the Holbrook Club, North Heath Lane, Horsham, on Tuesdays during term time, 5 – 6pm. The club prides itself on providing netball for all. The sessions are run by qualified coaches and aimed at children aged 5 – 7, offering fun and games to aid the basic fundamentals of the sport. Email starsncminis@gmail.com or visit starsnetballclub.com

Horsham fans celebrate as the Hornets defeat Dorking Wanderers (©John Lines)

TOOVEY’S 9

Leslie Eastoe from West Chiltington triumphed in the English Veterans Correspondence Chess Championship. Leslie remained unbeaten to win the 13-player final. He has played correspondence chess since 1979 and helped Sussex win the County championship on several occasions. He holds the British Correspondence Chess Association Master and the International Correspondence Chess Federation Master titles, and is on his way to securing the International Master title. He was also part of an England side that eliminated France and the USA from the World Team Cup. efcchess.org.uk Living Well with Dementia is a free community event at The Bridge, Wickhurst Lane, Broadbridge Heath, on Monday 13 November, 10.30am – 1pm. Held during Self-Care Week, the event is a chance for people with dementia and their families to meet community organisations and groups and learn about the support they provide. These include Places Leisure, Healthwatch West Sussex, Alzheimer’s Society, Age UK Horsham, Horsham Health & Wellbeing Team, Carers Support West Sussex, Health and Independent Living Support (HILS), SP NHS FT Dementia Assessment Services, Care UK and Know Dementia. healthwatchwestsussex.co.uk

Juan Gris (Spanish, 1887–1927), Carafe and Glass, pencil on laid paper, 1916, auctioned in September for £12,000

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Musicians from Ron Green’s Big Band performed at Westlake House, Pondtail Road, Horsham in September, as a surprise for its founder. Rodney ‘Ron’ Green played alto sax in a number of bands including Petworth Town Band, and formed the Ron Green Big Band in 2006 to pursue his love of jazz. After moving to Westlake House care home in June 2023, he wanted to see the band perform and the staff helped make it happen with help from Ron’s family and friends. Mel Smith, a dear friend of Ron’s, travelled from Somerset to perform. Ron said: ‘They played some of my favourites and I had a tear in my eye!’ Horsham Chamber Choir perform a world premiere at The Barn, Causeway, Horsham, on Saturday 11 November, 4.30pm. Part of the concert brings together William Byrd’s Mass for Four Voices with electronic music written for the choir by London-based baritone David Buckley. This year marks the 400th anniversary of Byrd’s death. Musical Director Tim Peters says that the concert aims to guide the audience through surges of sensation and emotion, whilst retaining a sense of presence. Tickets £15 (£8 from U18s) from horsham-chamberchoir.org.uk Horsham Twinning Association hosts a Carol Concert at the Unitarian Church, Worthing Road, Horsham on Saturday 9 December, 7.30pm. The concert, featuring One Accord Choir (pictured) will be sung in English, German and French, with seasonal drinks, nibbles and light refreshments. horsham-twinning.org.uk Soul Purpose is a new evening of uplifting funk and soul music, held at Mungo’s Bar, Park Place, Horsham. The launch night will be held on Saturday 11 November, 8pm – 2am, with free entry. mungosbar.com

Chamber Choir (@AAH/TP)

West Sussex Philharmonic Choir (©AAH/Alan Wright 2021)

West Sussex Philharmonic Choir presents an autumn concert at St Mary’s Parish Church, Horsham on Saturday 18 November, 7.30pm. The choir will perform two beautiful Stabat Maters, the first by Joseph Haydn and the second by Italian baroque composer Emanuele d’Astorga. They will be accompanied by the Orpheus Sinfonia and soloists. Tickets £18 from westsussexphilharmonicchoir.org.uk

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Horsham District Council is to acquire about 34 acres of green space on land at Bramber Brooks near Steyning, for the benefit of local communities and to boost biodiversity. The site benefits from public access, a private nature reserve and a community orchard, and is currently enjoyed by members of the public. Adding Bramber Brooks to the Council’s countryside estate ensures that public access to the land is retained, while biodiversity improvements can be made via a fully-funded Environment Agency approved project to create more wetland areas.

©Ray Gibson

Horsham Flower Club meets at North Heath Hall, St Mark’s Lane, Horsham, on the second Tuesday of each month at 2pm. The club is affiliated to Sussex Area of N.A.F.A.S and extends a warm welcome to visitors who enjoy flower arranging demonstrations and workshops. On Tuesday 14 November, Barbara Caldecourt demonstrates how to make and decorate a hay-based wreath and seasonal potted plants. On 12 December, Michelle King leads another festive-themed demonstration. Entry for visitors is £8. Tea, coffee and cake. For details, call Nancy on (01403) 264482 or email nancy@hubbard3.plus.com

Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens in Lower Beeding will come alive with colour and sound during Leonardslee Illuminated, taking place on various dates from 24 November - 21 December, with trails held from 4.15 - 8.15pm. Now in its fifth year, Illuminated sees the historic 240-acre Grade I listed gardens

transformed with lights, large-scale installations and atmospheric soundscapes. Visitors can also enjoy a Victorian funfair, a small Christmas market and seasonal food and drink. Tickets are available at a reduced price of £16 (£9 children) with discounts for members. leonardsleegardens.co.uk

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British space scientist and science educator Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock MBE recently visited Christ’s Hospital School. Dr Maggie gave an inspiring talk in the Theatre as part of a series of events held to mark the 350th anniversary of the Royal Mathematical School at Christ’s Hospital. She is currently presenter of BBC4’s Sky at Night and her books include The Book of the Moon and Dr Maggie’s Grand Tour of the Solar. Earlier this year, she was honoured as a Barbie role model in recognition of her achievements in making space and science fascinating and accessible to girls. christs-hospital.org.uk Ashington CE Primary School hosts a fireworks extravaganza on Friday 10 November, 5.30 – 7.30pm. In addition to fireworks, there will be games, raffle, BBQ and refreshments. Advance tickets from the school office or Cubitt & West, Ashington, cost £4 (£12 family) or £5/16 on the gate.

A Skate Jam was held on 30 September to mark the opening of a rebuilt skatepark at Ben’s Field, Stakers Lane, Southwater. Team Extreme provided an afternoon of entertainment including skateboards, BMX, scooter and skating demos. Skate park users

were encouraged to enter competitions and music added to an enjoyable atmosphere. The event was organised with the support of Southwater Parish Council, Southwater Community Partnership and Southwater Youth Project.

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Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner Katy Bourne met members of the newly formed Horsham District Business Crime Reduction Partnership (BCRP) in October, to launch a new Smartphone app to crackdown on business crime. The unique intelligence and information sharing app, called Disc, is being offered to retailers and business partners in the Horsham District free of charge, thanks to funding from the Sussex Police & Crime Commission. Registered users can use it as a platform to alert one another about shoplifters or anti-social behaviour. It enables users to quickly share descriptions and photos of offenders, and also to swiftly report crime to the police. Over 100 businesses have joined BCRP and registered for the Disc app. To register, email communitysafety@horsham.gov.uk Covers Timber and Builders Merchants has acquired NYEs Building Supplies. Formerly owned by David Nye, the independent building, landscaping, timber and plumbing merchant has sites in Kingsfold and Billingshurst. These depots will continue to operate, now also benefitting from Covers’ extensive range of timber. David Cover and Son is a familyowned timber and builders merchant based in Chichester, which celebrated its 175th anniversary in 2022. David Nye said: ‘Having built the business over many years, the time has come to pass it on to a successful company that has similar family values.’ dwnye.co.uk Horsham District Council has been awarded over £800k to invest in local rural businesses and sustainable community projects. The Council has reopened its Rural England Prosperity Fund (REPF) to Expressions of Interest for eligible business growth projects. Projects that involve farm diversification, boosting rural tourism and rural community infrastructure projects are eligible for funding. The fund is open to applicants until 30 November. Apply at: horsham.gov.uk/business/businessfunding/rural-england-prosperity-fund Hotpod Yoga launches a new studio in Horsham in November. Hotpod, which operates 50 studios nationwide, will be hosting a series of complimentary taster classes over the launch weekend of 18 - 19 November. Hotpod Yoga pods are filled with glowing lights, rhythmic beats and aromatic scents, with 37°C heat leaving people energised and relaxed. The studio, next to Pret a Manger in West Street, will be run by Sarah Wyatt and Marina Mikus. hotpodyoga.com/horsham

GIVE THE GIFT OF LOCAL THIS CHRISTMAS! 15

Crates local brings the best and freshest local produce into Horsham’s historic Carfax. Our bespoke or off-the-shelf hampers offer something for everyone! We also cater for corporate gifting, whether you are looking to treat employees or business partners & customers. We can create the perfect gift for you and deliver nationwide. For details, visit the shop of contact us online.

Email: info@crateslocal.co.uk Order online: www.crateslocal.co.uk Facebook & Instagram: @crateslocal

The Gatwick Airport Community Trust has distributed £200,000 to good causes across the region this year. Among the groups to benefit from the Trust’s most recent phase of funding are Horsham Borough Band (£2,500), The Clarkes Mead Trust (£2,250), Horsham Rotary Club (£2,000), Horsham Rugby Sports & Social Club (£2,000) and Albion in the Community (£1,800). Across Sussex, other beneficiaries include organisations such as JubyLee Bakes CIO (£2,500), West Sussex & Surrey Angling Academy (£2,250) and Sussex Chorus (£1,750). Funding applications for 2023 are currently closed, but groups will soon be invited to apply for 2024. gact.org.uk Parkinson’s UK hosts a Charity Race Night at Mannings Heath Village Hall, Goldings Lane, on Saturday 18 November, 7pm (races from 7.30pm). Tickets cost £15 (price includes fish and chip supper) by email from johnhwills@btinternet localsupport.parkinsons.org.uk com

Phoenix Club (©AAH /AW) JubyLee Bakes (©AAH/TP)

Here are some of the latest volunteering opportunities available in the Horsham District. Mary How Trust for Cancer Prevention needs someone to put on fundraising events for the Trust and make a difference for those with cancer. Conversation Starter Project requires someone who will lead a ‘walk and talk’ group to improve people’s wellbeing. Finally, if you enjoy cooking and want other people to benefit from your talent, why not join the volunteering team at Phoenix Stroke Club? Fore details of these and other opportunities, contact the Voluntary Sector Support team on 01403 215191, email volunteering@horshamdistrict.gov.uk or visit volunteerhorshamdistrict.co.uk

Horsham Golf and MY Golf Academy hosted its annual Spooktacular Junior Golf Event on 21 October. Over 80 children aged 4 – 18 took part in the event, with the driving range decorated with coffins, pumpkins, scarecrows and ghouls as target practice. Children were invited to wear fancy dress, with prizes for the best dressed Halloween golfer, best carved pumpkin and other challenges on the driving range. Senior PGA coach at the academy, Dave Dickenson, and staff member Carly Humphrey designed a series of interactive games to test all elements of golfing skills, using various Halloween-themed props. martyn edwards eighth page.qxp_Layout 1 21/03/2018 16:11 Page 1 my-golf-academy.co.uk

MARTYN EDWARDS PAINTING AND DECORATING Stabat Mater Haydn & d’Astorga Conductor Sean Bui with Orpheus Sinfonia and Jessica Wise, Angharad Lyddon, Greg Tassell, Ed Birchinall

St. Mary’s Parish Church, Horsham

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HIVE HR SOLUTIONS CELEBRATES SUCCESS AT ROFFEY PARK

18 The Hive HR Solutions team at Roffey Park (©Chrissie Brooks Photography)

Hive HR Solutions invited clients and business partners from across Sussex to celebrate its move into larger offices at the Roffey Park Institute on 19 October. Founded in 2017 by Gemma Baxter in her spare room, Hive HR Solutions has grown steadily ever since and its eight-strong team has now relocated to the Mike Plumridge Suite at Roffey Park, complete with a central office hub for staff, a break-out room and an additional meeting room for clients. Speaking at the celebrationt, Gemma said: ‘Through working with our clients and helping them to succeed in their business, they in return have helped Hive HR Solutions grow and become the success it is today. I am delighted to celebrate with those who have supported, recommended and laughed with us during our six years in business. Moving into the new suite is a huge milestone for Hive HR Solutions and the first step towards our next business goals.’ Hive HR Solutions provides bespoke HR management services that are tailored to a client’s own needs,

package supports clients on a continually proactive basis, while blocks of bookable hours help tackle standalone employee issues, while ‘pay as you go’ options provide HR support on an ad-hoc basis. As a Horsham-based company, Hive HR Solutions has also provided discounted support to local charitable organisations.

Gemma Baxter, Founder of Hive HR Solutions (©Chrissie Brooks Photography)

budgets and industry. The company has been instrumental in the development and growth of many businesses in Horsham and across Sussex, thanks to its growing team of HR professionals, each with different but complementary skills to help clients achieve their goals. Its services include providing training and engaging with managers and employees, helping people to further their careers, achieve professional satisfaction and add value to a company, which in turn has a positive impact on employee retention. Hive HR Solution’s packages offer flexibility to suit a variety of businesses. A monthly

‘I am delighted to celebrate with those who have supported, recommended and laughed with us during our six years in business.’ Gemma Baxter

Lucy McMann from SENse Learning explained the role Hive HR Solutions delivers for their business: ‘We started working with Gemma in 2020 and the Hive team has enabled us to successfully grow from a team of two to where we are today, with 18 employees and an additional 180 contractors. Gemma and her team created our employee contract templates and manage all our larger business staffing needs, including the higher level support for our Directors and consultancy services for our small in-house HR team.’ Steve Burrows, Chief Executive Officer of Qualitas Consortium UK, added: ‘Hive’s commitment to building a genuine business partnership with us and their exceptional client management have made all the difference. They truly understand our needs; it feels like the whole team is personally invested in our success.’ Further information: hivehrsolutions.co.uk Hive HR Solutions

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REGENERATION X

SUSTAINABLE FARMING OF CROSS-BREED CATTLE AT TRENCHMORE FARM

Andrew Knowles at Trechmore Farm, Cowfold (©AAH/Alan Wright)

At Trenchmore Farm in Cowfold, Andrew Knowles checks on his herd of cattle. The cows and calves seen in the pictures above and below are Sussex cattle, a red beef breed native to the Weald. They are renowned for being a hardy breed that thrives on rough pasture, having been used to haul oak from local forests for centuries.

grow naturally on a pasture-fed diet. Although they will soon come inside for winter, our cattle graze across 400 acres of land for most of the year. The result is a happier animal and – in my opinion – a better flavour of beef to the end consumer.’

While these are pedigree Sussex, the vast majority of the 500-strong herd at Trenchmore Farm are cross-bred with Wagyu, a beef cattle originating in Japan. Sussex cattle provides good beef, but Sussex Wagyu satisfies an even more discerning palette while also promoting a healthier herd. Trenchmore is one of the few farms that has successfully managed to cross breed the two to produce a high-quality suckler beef. Andrew said: ‘Although the standard of beef production in the UK has improved, a lot of beef is still made through intensive feeding. Calves are often separated from their mother after only a few days and are fed milk substitute. They are kept indoors, rather than grazing in fields, as many farms operate on tight margins. Sustainability is very important to us, so we approach beef production in a different way. We produce suckler beef using natural, ethical farming methods. Our calves stay with the herd for six to eight months and

STAR APPEAL Sussex Wagyu has become especially popular with chefs in the south east and London. The reason behind this is the quality of the beef, which is most noticeable in the marbling. Marbling is the term given to the white veins of intramuscular fat that are visible within a cut of beef; these often provide an indication of the tenderness, moistness and flavour of the meat. Andrew said: ‘In the UK, we don’t grade beef by its quality, as it’s all dictated by price. In other countries they use quality bands, such as prime, select and choice in America. Only about 5% of beef is classed as ‘prime’ in the US, yet 40% of Wagyu cross makes the grade, as it produces good quality marbling. Sussex cattle doesn’t provide that same standard of marbling as Wagyu, but the combination of the two is superb, and people are starting to appreciate the quality. It has taken time, but slowly we have grown by word-of-mouth.’

Sussex cattle at Trechmore Farm (©AAH/AW)

‘London restaurants are an important market for us. If you are a top chef serving discerning diners who expect the very best, you need to source the best produce available. Chefs use Trenchmore as they can taste the difference in pasture-fed beef, and we provide a consistency that suppliers who source beef

Rachel Knowles pours a glass of Silly Moo at Trenchmore Farm (©AAH/Alan Wright)

from different farms cannot Silly Moo Rachel said: ‘Silly Moo was initially a fun side project, guarantee. People also buy was initially a but it is now a massive into our regenerative and sustainable side project, but part of the farm. We have many fantastic pubs approach to agriculture, is now a massive in the local area that using crop rotation to support us by serving our keep the soil fertile while part of the cider in bottles or on tap, also bringing benefits to farm. and Horsham and Brighton the surrounding have become real foodie hubs, environment, providing with lots of people actively seeking hedgerows and other habitats for out local, independent producers. We rodents, small mammals and birds.’ have thought about introducing new flavours, as demand is growing and SILLY MOO other cider producers have released new products in recent years. However, During the pandemic, Trenchmore sold we’re limited to what we can do as a its beef to local customers, with queues family farm; dad hardly ever takes a often forming along Burnthouse Lane day off as it is! So, we are resisting the on Saturdays. Demand has naturally temptation to expand the range for the tailed off since, but there are still time being, focusing on making the best customers who regularly order their beef online and collect it from the small apple cider we can.’ farm shop. People also visit the shop for another reason – to stock up on APPLE SWAP Silly Moo, the farmhouse cider made by Andrew and his daughter, Rachel. Trenchmore covers several hundred acres, but only four are given over to The orchard was planted in 2012 and orchards. Consequently, most of the 19 varieties of apples now grow there. apples used to make Silly Moo come However, the orchard alone isn’t enough from other farms. Apple swap events to meet demand for Silly Moo, which held at the farm also brings in has become as important to the farm’s donations from the local community, revenues as beef. So, Trenchmore Farm with fruit traded for Silly Moo cider. works in partnership with other Sussex orchards to source enough Jack Bailey, who works at the farm on apples to produce some 80,000 litres of weekends, was helping to mulch and cider annually. press thousands of apples donated during an apple swap on 14 October.

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Clare Kennett sells chilli plants (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Apples are traded for Silly Moo (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Jack said: ‘The apple swap is hugely popular and we’ll probably collect 1,000 litres of juice today. One farmer brings a trailer full of apples from his orchard and takes away several crates, as we hand out one bottle of Silly Moo for every 8kg of apples. We take any variety, as long as they’re ripe and clean, except for Bramley apples as they’re too acidic for cider. All the fruit goes into the mulching machine and is pressed to make the juice. The arrangement helps us, as we don’t have to pay people to pick from the orchards, and it also prevents thousands of apples from going to waste, so everyone wins!’

RURAL COMMUNITY The apple swaps have become popular family events, even expanding to include hot food stalls, a licensed bar and stands by other independent producers selling everything from honey wine to chilli pepper plants. At October’s event, these included High Weald Dairy, which specialises in artisan cow, sheep and goats milk cheeses, and Cocoa Loco, producers of organic and fairtrade chocolate. Clare Kennett, founder of Clare’s Chillies, was selling chilli plants, which are grown from seed close to Trenchmore Farm. Her plants

cover the entire chilli heat spectrum, from mild peppers that register only about 500 on the Scoville scale, to the giant purple reaper, a derivative of the famous Carolina Reaper, which has 1.6 million heat units. Clare said: ‘Nobody really eats the purple reapers, but they’re popular as they make for a fun talking point! These events are good for my business, as it gives me a chance to advise people on how to grow the plants and which chillies might suit them. Some customers are now returning to buy their favourite varieties like the purple tiger, and also to try new chillies.’

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To be here selling my family’s produce makes me very happy.

Susana Perez and her daughters Eva and Maya (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Shane Pope sells his Sussex Honey (©AAH/AW)

Shane Pope sells Sussex honey from hives he maintains near Bolney. He extracts the honey directly from the hives without any additional treatments, ensuring the product is as natural as possible. Shane said: ‘The texture of the honey varies with the seasons, as it depends on the nectar that honeybees gather. Hives located near oil seed rape crop often lead to a hard-setting texture, but we are fortunate to have fantastic diversity in the crops and wild flora in this part of rural Sussex. Some buy local honey as it can help prevent hay fever, while for others it’s about supporting local producers, as the honey on supermarket shelves is mostly sugar syrup and can be sourced from anywhere in the world. You can certainly taste the difference with our honey.’

HONEY & SUNNY Continuing the theme, Danny Bacon from Loxwood Meadworks offered tastings of his honey wine. Danny established the business in 2018, working alongside his father Maurice, organiser of the Loxwood Joust. Initially formed to produce mead for the mediaeval festival, the business has since developed a selection of contemporary mead-based drinks and is beginning to make waves in the drinks market. Danny said: ‘A lot of people find traditional mead too sweet, so we have created a product that is lighter, fresher and better suited to modern tastes. Our methods are similar to those used by winemakers, although we use honey instead of grapes! We now have three products, including Stargaze 22, which is an English sparkling honey wine, with the second fermentation carried out in the bottle, like the Champagne method. Glow 21 is a mulled honey wine and Festival 18 is our signature honey wine. Some Michelin star restaurants are now selling our products, and stockists include Fortnum & Mason, so demand is growing as more people discover mead for the first time.’

Danny Bacon of Loxwood Meadworks (©AAH/Alan Wright)

SPANISH FLAIR Susana & Daughters were also selling three products at the apple swap. The family business was founded by Susana Perez, initially to sell kefir, a fermented milk drink produced naturally from cattle on the Cowdray Estate. More recently, Susana & Daughters have introduced rice to their range, working in partnership with farms in Albufera National Park in Valencia. In Albufera, a freshwater lagoon provides the perfect conditions for paella rice. The third product is extra virgin olive oil from a family farm in Andalusia. Susana said: ‘For five generations, my family has been harvesting olives in Spain, in a region that has the perfect sunny climate for them to grow. We use early harvest olives for the oil, as they are rich in vitamins and natural antioxidants and give incredible taste and aroma. Olives are my passion, so to be here at Trenchmore, selling my own family’s produce with my daughters Eva and Maya, and receiving support from the local farming community, makes me very happy.’ WORDS: Ben Morris PHOTOS: Alan Wright Further information: The next event at Trenchmore Farm will be the Winter Market on Saturday 9 December, 11am – 4pm, with live music and festive farmyard fun. trenchmore.co.uk @Trenchmore_farm @Sillymoocider

Here are some links to some of the other businesses featured: susanaanddaughters.co.uk loxwoodmeadworks.com Clareschillies

ATS Machinery Ltd, Selehurst Farm, Brighton Road, Horsham, RH13 6NQ (01403) 891580 | www.ats-machinery.co.uk

Andrew Knowles and daughter Rachel enjoy Silly Moo (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Locally available Joanna’s Boutique Tea Room Storrington/Chichester The Brolly Brewing Tap Room Horsham Firebird Brewery Rudgwick Kissingate Brewery Lower Beeding New House Farm Horsham Jeremy’s 2 Cowfold The Billi Tap Billingshurst The Fox Inn Rudgwick Brod + Wolf Horsham Random Hall Hotel Slinfold The Horsham Cellar Horsham Carfax Fairview Wines Midhurst

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Bill and Rich King at Firebird (©AAH/Alan Wright)

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Firebird Brewing Company in Rudgwick celebrated its 10th anniversary in September. Its craft beers have become an increasingly familiar sight at pubs and bars in the Horsham District and beyond, thanks to contemporary branding and a burgeoning reputation for exciting beers. AAH met owners Bill King and Richard Peters to find out more…

OLD FRIENDS Firebird was founded in 2003, after old friends Bill and Richard discovered that they were living only 20 miles apart. Having met at the University of Birmingham’s brewing school in the 1980s, they reunited for a beer and after a few pints, decided to start a brewery. They found the ideal spot for their fledgling business in Rudgwick. Richard recalls: ‘We needed a place where we could have a retail presence and sell directly to our customers. In town centre locations, it can be difficult to park

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UCCESS and there’s less scope to expand as a business grows. We found this site at the old brickworks, which was then derelict, owned by a local farming family with an astonishing array of skills at their disposal, from groundwork specialists to electricians. They have been great, providing us with storage space before we opened and even helping unload our first brewing tanks when they arrived from Northern Ireland on a cold day in February 2013.’

‘Our arrival was beneficial to them too, as they used us to demonstrate to other businesses what was possible on the industrial estate. Now, there’s fantastic variety to the businesses and the transformation of the site has been incredible.’

AMERICAN DREAM

Having both completed an MSc in brewing science and technology, Richard and Bill carved out successful yet different careers in the industry. Richard worked for Courage Brewery before venturing into the wine and spirits market, while Bill is a 5th generation brewer who worked at King and Barnes in Horsham, co-founded by his family, until it closed in 2000. A year later, Bill established WJ King and Co, based on Foundry Lane, before selling the business in 2010. WJ King ceased in 2016, becoming part of Two Tribes Brewing Co in London. Bill then took a break from brewing and pursued a love of flying, but brewing would eventually lure him back.

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The Brewery Bar at Firebird (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Canned range of Firebird beers (©Alan Wright)

‘WJ King was very much a cask beer brewery,’ he said. ‘We were based on a small industrial estate with little room to grow, and I felt it had achieved all it could, so decided to sell it. On reflection, perhaps I did lose a little passion for brewing as my love of flying took over. It was great fun and I spent a lot of money doing it! Then, after doing some locum brewing briefly, I joined forces with Richard for one last brewery. Our original aim was to make beer appropriate for a changing craft beer market. We knew that making solely cask beers for pubs wasn’t enough, so we wanted to offer keg beer too, replicating some of the exciting beers appealing to younger generations in America.’

is its signature lager, brewed with

HARD TIMES

‘We knew Czech hops and Munich malt, while Pale Face is an American Pale Ale As they would be brewing that making with a full, hoppy aroma. American-style craft beers, cask beer wasn’t while also rising once again as a Richard said: ‘There were only two brewing force, Firebird was the enough. We of us in the early days, so we had ideal name for the new company. wanted keg to do everything we could to keep Their first commercial brew was our overheads down. We worked released in July 2013. Heritage, a too.’ long hours for little financial reward to Sussex Best bitter, was based on an old recipe used by Bill’s great, great grandfather. If Heritage was a nod to the past, Firebird’s next beers offered a sign of things to come. Bohemia

ensure the business survived. I remember joking with my wife that even though I couldn’t pay myself, at least I had plenty of free beer! There were times when we looked at the figures and thought, “is that all we sold this week?”

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Richard Peters at the Brewery Bar (©Alan Wright)

But we persevered and gradually our beers appeared in more places. Through one of Bill’s contacts, we supplied the Indigo Pub Company in Brighton, which was essential to establishing Firebird. Now, thanks to our fantastic team including Chris, Venessa and Leah, our beers are sold at many pubs and bars. In Horsham alone, you’ll find us at The Black Jug, The Malt Shovel, The Anchor Tap, The King’s Arms, The Beer Mine, The Horsham Cellar, Crates Local, as well as sports clubs such as Horsham FC.’

BREWERY BAR The pandemic presented an unexpected turning point for Firebird. With pubs and bars closed, it seemed that the business would be forced to close. The furlough scheme provided staff with a lifeline, and when brewery shops were given the same classification as an off-licence – and therefore essential shops – the owners spotted an opportunity. Firebird had already established a small shop, selling beers and merchandise directly to the public. However, the pandemic caused a surge in popularity, with queues forming outside the brewery and the team making countless home deliveries. Remarkably, Firebird matched its previous year’s sales during Covid, and its proactive approach during testing times ensured that the brewery reached hundreds of new customers. With more people now visiting the brickworks – not only for beer but also for other businesses including The Milk Churn, a café popular with Downs Link users – Firebird decided to develop its brewery bar. With its bright décor, including a striking mural by Brighton artist Nick Burdett, the bar has helped Firebird take another step forward. Richard said: ‘We offered tours and ran experiences so people could learn about brewing, but the bar has negated the need for these. Really, all people wanted was the beer anyway, so now they can enjoy our drinks while looking out across the production plant. It requires effort to come here, as it’s not like popping round the corner to your local pub, so we have to offer a different kind of experience. People like that they’re drinking beer directly from the tanks and can see the brewers around them. More of us are looking for an experience and want to feel connected to the environment. A pint of beer isn’t cheap, so if you’re going to have a pint before going home, or you’re meeting up with a friend for an hour or so, why not make it an enjoyable pint, in in a place where you can feel safe and comfortable?’

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TRUST IN KEG Investment in bold, bright, contemporary branding has also helped Firebird reach new heights, with distinctive colours and clear descriptions helping its products stand out on the shelf. While the range of beers has expanded, it has done so steadily, with each new release offering something new. Cask beer mainstays include Heritage, Parody (Session IPA), Two Horses (Pale Ale) and Paleface (American Pale Ale), while

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seasonals include Festive 51 (Sussex Ale) and Citra, a single hop pale ale inspired by beers of the Pacific Northwest. However, keg beers have become increasingly important. Whereas cask beer ages in barrels, keg beer is brewed in stainless steel tanks and is unfiltered, unpasteurised and naturallycarbonated, making it fizzier, colder and with a longer shelf life. Bill said: ‘In the 1970s and 80s, keg beers were terrible and many people who enjoy craft beers today don’t remember how bad keg used to be! But it has come on leaps and bounds, to the point that it now commands a premium over cask and makes up about 60% of our business. Our keg beers include Bohemia (lager), Work Ethic (New England IPA) and Table Manners (2.8% IPA). We also have Mojave (Brut IPA), which is another of our beers made with New World hops, from countries such as America and New Zealand. We also have Vice (Bavarian-style Weissbier), The Twins (double IPA), Mandarina (white IPA) and Coffee Porter, a collaboration with Surrey Hills Coffee.’

Paul Domican in the Firebird brewery (©AAH/Alan Wright)

MARKET SHARE The Firebird team has expanded too, with extra hands pushing sales growth in Sussex, Surrey and beyond. There are additional brewers as well, including Paul Domican and Rich King, who is continuing the King family’s brewing tradition for a sixth generation. Firebird’s success has also gone some way to laying to rest the ghost of King and Barnes, with Bill noting that the historic Horsham brewery now crops up in conversation far less frequenly!

While the craft beer market has remained relatively flat in recent years, Firebird has increased its sales by around 20% annually since the pandemic. However, it isn’t resting on its laurels...

Venessa Alexander (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Firebird’s cask beers (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Richard said: ‘In business, you have to keep growing, otherwise you are effectively going backwards. Craft beer is a dynamic and highly-competitive market, so the fact that we’re growing shows we’re doing something right. We don’t saturate the market with new beers; instead, we prefer to maintain a high standard and release a beer when the market is ready for it.’ ‘Currently, much of our success is driven by keg. Few breweries are doing well with cask, yet it remains an important part of the business and you never know how the market will shift in future. We always said we wanted to make a sustainable business that makes enough money for us to be able to invest in the brewery and new products, which we’ve done, and also to be responsible employers who can help people to further their careers. It hasn’t always been easy, but after 10 years, we are very optimistic about the future of Firebird.’ WORDS: BEN MORRIS PHOTOS: ALAN WRIGHT Further information: Firebird Brewing Company, Rudgwick Brickworks, Lynwick Street, RH12 3UW Order online at firebirdbrewing.com

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Explore more customer projects

STRAGGLE RO IT’S BEEN A LONG WAY TO THE TOP FOR BLUE STRAGGLERS Blue Stragglers are a Horsham-based rock band that have been performing live for more than 15 years. The trio recently signed to an independent record label and will be releasing a new EP this November. AAH met Lee Martin (vocals/guitar), Andy Head (drums) and Ali Waite (bass) to talk about their musical journey over a pint…

How did you meet? Lee: Ali and I both went to Collyer’s and hit it off over our shared love of music. Later, we worked together at The Dun Horse in Mannings Heath, which became a hub for our friendship group. Andy was drumming in a good band called Kept by Casino, and we went to watch them play at venues like The Junction in Broadbridge Heath. There was a really vibrant music scene in Horsham at that time, with events like Battle of the Bands

attracting dozens of entries and several pubs and bars regularly hosting live music nights. We learned a lot just by watching bands on the local circuit. When did you start playing together? Ali: We became good friends with Andy and he joined us for jamming sessions in the basement of my house in Mannings Heath. We always had a good time playing together, as the onus was never on getting signed or trying to sound commercial. We played a couple of gigs and Kept by Casino were happy for Andy to play with us too, as we never took ourselves seriously. Our first gig as Blue Stragglers was in 2007 and we’ve been jamming most Tuesday nights ever since. What’s the secret to your longevity? Andy: We found a rehearsal space at Golding Barn Estate in Small Dole. It wasn’t much, but it was a cheap place for us to jam. QM studios

in Horsham is a great studio, but it costs money to hire and we didn’t have any! When you book studio space, it can add a bit of pressure too and if the creativity isn’t flowing for whatever reason, it can end up not being much fun. The best advice I can impart on any band starting out is to find a space where you can just go and play at any time. You were all also in another band… Lee: Blue Stragglers has always been a trio, but all three of us were also in a five-piece called Tied to the Mast. The other members were Rhys Stubbs and Jim Faulkner, both good friends of ours. Tied to the Mast was perhaps a more ambitious project and swept up most of the best tunes we wrote at the time. Jim and Rhys are brilliant songwriters and penned some really catchy songs with great guitar hooks. We were playing gigs in London every week and built up a solid fanbase.

Ali Waite, Lee Martin and Andy Head at The Anchor Hotel, Horsham (©AAH/Alan Wright)

How close did you come to being signed? Ali: We were managed by Rick Lennox, who had a strong track record and signed acts such as Skunk Anansie. He put us in front of several labels, as we had some very good tracks including Plain Lazy, Heartbreaker and Melissa, which was played on BBC 6 Music and gained us some traction. But nothing came of it. However, we learned a lot and – in some respects – Blue Stragglers became the antithesis to Tied to the Mast, giving us an outlet to play music that was less pop-driven, more experimental, and inspired by the bands we loved. But you’ve not had the same ambition? Lee: We have stayed together for so long because we love playing music. If you have no expectations other than to write songs that are as good as they can be, then that to me is spiritual nirvana. That is all we want to do - write our next great tune.

OCK

Yet, after all these years, you do have a record deal! Ali: An unexpected but pleasant surprise! We cobbled together enough money to record six tracks on vinyl and released a self-titled EP on Spotify. A friend called Mark ‘Bomber’ Randon, who is well-known in Horsham music circles, sent the lead single to Hassle Records, an independent label in London with alumni including Alkaline Trio, We Are The Ocean and Juliette & The Licks. They liked it and came to watch us play. We selected 10 of our best tunes, but ended up playing about 20 and they gave us a chance. We have been sceptical about record labels in the past, as they can sometimes try to mould young bands towards a more commercial sound. But the great thing about this happening to us now is that we’ve been together so long that we can’t be shaped into anything we don’t want to be!

Our appropriately named on-site café and bar with its thoughtfully created Breakfast and Seasonal Menus offers a selection of hot and cold options for your indulgence. Many of our cakes and sweet treats are handmade on site. Locally sourced ingredients feature throughout our menus including local craft bakers’ breads and burgers from our very own beef herd. Not feeling hungry? From the bar we provide a generous choice of soft drinks, draught and bottled beers, premium spirits and a wide selection of wines all to be enjoyed overlooking our beautiful Sumners Lake. Find a comfortable spot outside on the upper or lower decking and take in the scenery or cosy up in our Safari Tent and enjoy the warmth and crackle of log-burning stoves. Current Opening times: Monday to Sunday 9am to 4pm Food Service: 9am to 3pm

Andy Head at Electric Brixton (©Chris Patmore)

Tel: 01403 732539 Web: sumnersponds.co.uk Instagram: @sumnersponds Facebook.com/SumnersPonds

Lee Martin at Electric Brixton (©Chris Patmore)

Bassist Ali Waite (©Chris Patmore)

Have you recorded anything new? Ali: We have recorded the Fool’s Errand EP and have just released the title track as a single. Other tracks include Reactor, which has already had about 44,000 views on YouTube. We are launching the EP with a gig at The Black Heart, Camden on 8 November. It will be released online and in independent record stores (including Resident Music in Brighton) on 10 November. This might be the only time people can see us live this year. Next year, we will release our debut album, Cautionary Tales of Excess, through Hassle Records. What is great is that we’ve been able to fine-tune songs that we wrote years ago. They don’t feel long in the tooth though because we’re constantly reinventing them, and they sound better than ever.

You are known for energetic live shows… Andy: We have become a tight band and playing together is second nature to us. We’ve played some great gigs in recent years, mostly in London, supporting the likes of (Australian rock band) Wolfmother at Electric Brixton, but we’ve also played local venues like The Rec Rooms and The Malt Shovel. They’ve not all been great gigs; we played on the last live music night at the Old Town Hall and were faded out! Every band has ups and downs, but we’ve never once thought about quitting. How does it feel to get some recognition? Lee: For me, music is its own reward. It is not a hobby – music is absolutely what I live for. Having the support of a label is massive, as it opens doors that were closed before and

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we might even be able to perform at festivals too. But for me, having just one person in the crowd who has a single euphoric moment while listening to our music makes it worthwhile. And if there’s not that one person in the crowd, it doesn’t matter, as at least the three of us get that feeling from playing! INTERVIEW: Ben Morris PHOTOS: Alan Wright/Chris Patmore Further information: The band play at The Black Heart, Camden on 8 November to launch the Fool’s Errand EP. @Blue Stragglers

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BAGS FOR LIFE

BESPOKE STYLING AT HORSHAM BUSINESS JANORAH HANDCRAFTED

Deborah Jannels, founder of Janorah Handcrafted (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Janorah Handcrafted offers a wide range of products, from swim bags for children to beach bags and an ever-growing selection for pet owners. Here, Deborah Jannels from Horsham describes her journey as an independent small business owner…

beach bag. I designed and customised one in a colourful fabric with several compartments and she loved it! For the first time, it made me think about starting a business.

BESPOKE STYLE

I have always been creative and during a 20-year career in education, enjoyed making things that could be used in a classroom or in school plays. Teaching can be stressful, so to help me relax and unwind, a friend convinced me to buy a sewing machine. We enjoyed sewing sessions together and I found it had a positive impact on my mental health.

I spent three amazing years teaching in Tanzania before returning to the UK and teaching at primary schools for another 15 years. Teaching has been an important part of my life and I wasn’t ready to stop completely, but by going part-time, I had the chance to try and grow my fledgling business. I named it Janorah, a combination of my names, and launched with a stall at Funday Sunday in Horsham Park in the summer of 2018.

Initially, I was just having fun. I experimented with different fabrics and materials, learnt new techniques and gradually developed my sewing skills. I made many things for family and friends, but everything changed when my sister-inlaw mentioned that she needed a new

From the outset, the focus has been on customised bags. I make each one to suit the client. If they need lots of pockets or compartments, or like to wear the bag a certain way, or need waterproof lining so it can be used in the rain, I make it that way. Some like to

BEACH BAGS

have straps in a certain position, or clips on the front or back to make the bag more versatile. These little touches might suit their style or they can serve a specific function. Some of my customers have been looking for a certain kind of bag for a long time, so they are very happy to have finally found someone who will design a bag that gives them exactly what they need.

STARFISH & SHELLS Beach bags remain one of my most popular products, coming in a range of sizes with fabrics including starfish and shells. I also make tote bags, handbags, backpacks and crossbody bags, which are increasingly popular, as they’re small enough to hold essential items and are worn hands-free across the body. As my bags are handcrafted, you do perhaps pay more than what you would for massproduced bags in High Street stores, but they’re great value for the quality they provide.

A lot of people know me for my dog walking bags, my best-selling product.

Debbie with a selection of her handcrafter bags (©AAH/Alan Wright)

KIDS STUFF 42

I source bold, interesting and colourful fabric designs, many of which people will not have seen before. I have a wonderful selection of bags for children, including swim bags that feature fast cars, dancing dinosaurs, footballs and mermaids, and some beautiful backpacks with cartoon owls, unicorns and pink

butterflies. Teenagers can be more difficult to please. For example, boys often stick mostly to plain black, grey or blue colours, and design is important, so I make sling bags with the strap going over one shoulder and stretching diagonally across the body, which seems to be a trend at the moment. The bags are well made, but of course many teenagers prefer a bag from a sports shop because it has a specific logo on it. That’s just how it is!

TIME FOR WALKIES

A lot of people know me for my dog walking bags, my best-selling products. I have adapted my own style, with spacious compartments for phones and keys, another for treat pockets, and a hole where you can easily access poo bags. Lots I have used similar techniques to of people like to choose a fabric expand the range to include other that matches the breed ofeighth dog page_james small bags, such as water1 bottle widger.qxp_Layout 26/05/2023 19:2

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Dog walking bags at Janorah Handcrafted (©AAH/Alan Wright)

carriers, peg bags and toiletry bags. Covid was a hard time, but I made face masks and they were extremely popular, helping to keep the business afloat. I ended up making about 3,500 masks, which evolved as people started seeking out stylish or more comfortable fabrics. Leopard print masks were particularly popular, I recall!

MARKET TRADE Having started at Funday Sunday, I have continued to run a stall at local markets and events. For a while, I felt that I needed to have a stock of everything I made, whereas now I know where the demand is and work accordingly, while always offering a selection that gives people ideas for customised bags. I do the Horsham Market one Saturday a month, as well as Billingshurst Artisan Market, pop-up shops and other events in the summer. Lots of people see me at the markets and later visit my website or Facebook page, so just meeting people and talking about your business does make a difference. About 18 months ago, I was in a position to stop teaching, although I still do some tutoring. Now, Janorah Handcrafted is my primary focus. This year has been challenging, as people have reined

in their spending. However, the people of Horsham support local independent businesses in a way that you don’t see elsewhere. That is one of the reasons why we have such a vibrant arts and crafts community. Many of my designs are aimed at girls and women. While that is where most of the demand comes from, I would like to add to my unisex range in future. I would love to see my bags in more local shops too, and am also exploring opportunities to work with other local businesses. Already, I help Wool Shred (featured in AAH, Sept 2023) make draught excluders and garden kneelers using South Down wool. I also make a number of items for other market traders, including Trumbles, who are now selling dog treat pouches and poo bag holders which I have made to order for them. When it comes to sewing, I am always up for a challenge, so if you have an idea for a bag that’s fashioned to suit you, please do get in touch! WORDS: Ben Morris PHOTOS: Alan Wright Further information: www.janorah.co.uk info@janorah.co.uk

Don’t let a poor credit rating ruin your dream As we edge ever closer to Christmas, it’s worth reflecting on yet another tumultuous year, especially for those with a mortgage, those wishing to get a mortgage for the first time and for tenants. Thankfully, lenders are starting to reduce rates gradually, but rates aren’t going back to where they were, so we all have to get used to that fact and life moves on. I fully expect a degree of pent-up demand in the UK housing sector to be realised when the economic winds become a little more favourable, although I’m not sure that demand will wait for the outcome of any government election result. With fewer buyers competing, if you are looking to move now, there are many mortgage options available including those for borrowers with low deposits. Because rates are higher than they were, affordability assessments can still be a challenge, but that’s where a good broker can talk through the options. 2023 has definitely demonstrated the value of mortgage brokers to guide customers through an everchanging market and our lender partners tell us that the percentage of business via brokers has never been higher. This is especially so when it comes to specialist lending.

‘Every financial journey has its ups and downs, and your credit history doesn’t define your future.’ Don’t let credit blips and a poor credit history deter you from your homeownership dreams. While it might be more challenging to secure a mortgage with a less-than-stellar credit history, it’s not impossible. Be proactive about improving your credit, explore your options, and seek professional guidance when necessary. With determination and a well-thought-out plan, you can still achieve the goal of owning your dream home. Remember, every financial journey has its ups and downs, and your credit history doesn’t define your future. So I would advise anyone reading this who is considering moving, buying for the first time, remortgaging, is a property investor seeking to build their property portfolio or are simply someone with rental properties that you’re not sure to keep or sell, please seek professional advice from your local and multi award-winning mortgage brokers! YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE.

Debbie runs the business from her Horsham home (©AAH/Alan Wright)

MICRO BIZ

BUSINESS MAKES QUIRKY CUFFLINKS FROM MICRO MACHINES Inspired by his passion for Micro Machines, Stuart Harvey launched Cool Car Cuffs from his Southwater home in 2013. His first sale was a pair of Lamborghini Countach cuffs and a decade later, there is still a demand from those nostalgic for the 1980s toy. Stuart said: ‘They tried relaunching Micro Machines but the new cars didn’t have the same quality as the originals, which were made by Galoob and were die-cast, with great attention to detail. They made more than 1,000 cars, trucks, planes, motorbikes, boats, and even special editions for film franchises such as Star Wars and James Bond. Some have become very collectable and a book has been published too, listing most of the models made. I have collected hundreds over the years through online auctions and charity shops, and I thought that using them for cufflinks made for a cool, quirky gift.’

With more people working from home – and with fewer of those who are going to the office wearing a suit – there is dwindling demand for cufflinks. During the lockdown, this dilemma earned Cool Car Cuffs a ‘small business shout out’ on Parenting Hell, a podcast hosted by comedians Josh Widdicombe and Rob Beckett. While this stoked up some interest, Stuart has had to expand his range to broaden appeal. Monopoly pieces are now used as cuffs, as are Scrabble letters and wooden ‘meeples’ from cult board game Carcassonne. Blank cufflinks can be filled with pictures, such as football club emblems, making them an ideal gift for ushers at weddings, while Micro Machine keyrings are available too. Stuart said: ‘The business is never going to make me enough to retire on, but I enjoy it and the cufflinks are ordered by people across the world. The value of Micro Machines is steadily rising and if that continues, my collection could yet become a nice little egg nest!’ Further information: coolcarcuffs.etsy.com coolcarcuffs

Stuart Harvey, founder of Cool Car Cuffs (©AAH/Alan Wright)

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MIXED PALETTE HORSHAM ARTISTS GATHER FOR CONTEMPORARY ART FAIR

Horsham Artists hosted a Contemporary Art Fair at Parkside on 14 – 15 October. The popular event saw 44 artists exhibiting a wide range of work including watercolours, oil portraits, glassware, jewellery, ceramics, textiles, sculptures and even upcycled items. The group includes some of the finest artists in the Horsham District, such as wildlife painter Alison Ingram, contemporary artist Jo Willis and abstract landscape artists Mark Wilson and Emma Gillo. Others were exhibiting for the first time, offering something new to the art community, while guest artists and a series of workshops and demonstrations provided fascinating insights into the techniques used in a variety of artistic genres. Although we couldn’t feature them all, AAH spoke to several artists to capture a flavour of the event…

Natasha Luise

Having studied art at university, I returned to painting during lockdown, like many others! Much of my work depicts cities that I have either visited or lived in. However, rather than featuring recognisable landmarks, I try to capture my emotional connection to each place by creating multiple layers. I work with oils for my portraits, but the city scenes are best suited to watercolours, as they provide a translucent effect. I paint very wet, then use straight edges to add definition and create a degree of architectural influence. Colours are important to the work, and as a former graphic designer, I use CMYK colours, building up layers over a cyan base. I have painted cities such as London, Berlin and Tokyo, and each work has its own feeling. The Tokyo painting, for example, has many buildings layered over one another, with sharper colours to capture the feeling of claustrophobia. This is the first time I have exhibited with Horsham Artists and it’s been good to talk to people about my work. I have previously sold online, but you don’t get much feedback as to how your work is perceived that way. It has been nice to hear people’s thoughts and see how they respond to my art. natashaluise.co.uk Natasha Luise (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Pippa Honess (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Pippa Honess I’m one of four guest artists at the exhibition, and this is my first involvement with Horsham Artists, although I live in West Chiltington. I make sculptural, smoke-fired ceramic pieces inspired by my love of nature and the sea. I use a white stoneware clay, firing it initially in an electric kiln to make it ceramic, before coating it and giving it a second smoke firing.

I pack in sawdust and natural materials that I find in the garden, such as pine needles and twigs, and they influence the finished piece. What I love about this process is that you can’t control it; the results are unpredictable. The effect can be incredible – or somewhat disappointing – but always unique! I find the contrast of the light and dark tones (a dramatic effect of the smoke-firing) draws people in. So, I make pieces of all shapes and sizes, so even those who don’t have much money to spend can afford something.

My art is inspired by modernist and art deco architecture, as I like linear forms and find an element of comfort in smooth textures. However, they are sculptural and are not intended to be functional. Some people like the idea of using them as vases, but because of the smoke firing process, they do not hold water very well, without the addition of a waterproof solution. pippahonessceramics.com

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Andre P. Westerdijk I have an interest in old objects and an appreciation for how they are made. Over the years, I’ve collected many different things, buying quirky or interesting items from eBay, car boot sales and charity shops. My wifetold me that I was in danger of being a hoarder, so I decided to upcycle them, creating interesting, practical or functional items out of things that would otherwise end up in landfill. I have a degree in industrial engineering and design, I make and utilise these skills lights from to transform all unusual objects, manner of objects. I came across some like cassettes vintage tennis racket from Reader’s presses, which are useless as nobody plays Digest. with wooden rackets these days, and turned them into interesting frames for mirrors or pictures. Thermos flasks from the 1970s look fantastic, with a classic design that people recognise. However, when they’re broken internally, people chuck them out. I find that you can make lights out of them. I also make lights from other unusual objects, such as street lanterns and cassette tapes from Reader’s Digest magazine. I also found 12 encyclopaedias from the 1930s that were being thrown out and use small piles of three or four to create interesting desk lights, with electrical devices contained in timber blocks within the books.

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What I love about upcycling is that everything I try to make presents a new problem to overcome, so it’s always a challenge. People are always intrigued if they take the time to look. Even the jewellery pieces are made using interesting pieces of ceramic from smashed dinner plates! AWDesignUpcycling

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Anthony McIntosh I studied Fine Art, but I’m best known as a ceramicist and glass artist. I’m one of four guest artists to have been invited to the Contemporary Art Fair. It’s fantastic to see such as supportive artistic community in Horsham, as it’s something we don’t have in Eastbourne, where I’m based. I love bold colours and a lot of my work features either fused glass or copper, which reacts with glass to create fascinating effects. What isn’t so obvious is the narrative theme that runs through my work. For this exhibition, several pieces are inspired by the life and work of Percy Bysshe Shelley, Horsham’s most famous son. Shelley drowned in Italy aged 29, and there is an apocryphal story of his friend Edward Trelawney taking his heart from the fire during the cremation. That inspired one of my pieces, Cor Cordium, which translates as ‘Heart of Hearts’ and appears on Shelley’s gravestone. Having recorded the sculptures of Surrey and Sussex while researching for a book, I was fortunate to see the Shelley Fountain when it was functioning in Horsham, so it has been great to further explore his poetry for inspiration. Every piece I make has its own story and is designed to be a piece of art, rather than a functional piece of pottery. I wouldn’t really mind if someone was to use one as a fruit bowl, but wouldn’t want to see a trifle in one! Anthony McIntosh Ceramics and Glass

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Steve Lympany I enjoyed drawing and painting when I was young, but then embarked on a career in software development. It wasn’t until I had a kidney transplant about 10 years ago that I started painting again, and this is my first exhibition with Horsham Artists.

Copying works by the Old Masters is something I love to do, as you learn an awful lot that way. I have tried to replicate Caravaggio’s Sacrifice of Isaac, the original of which hangs in the Uffizi Gallery, Florence, and Self-Portrait by Rembrandt. Both artists

are known for their earthy tones and stark contrast of light and dark, and that influence is evident in my original work too. Paintings of St Mary’s Church in Horsham and a holiday cottage I have visited in Cornwall both feature that distinction of light and dark. I work predominantly with oils, although I use charcoal for portraits and have built up quite a collection of pictures of my grandchildren over the years! I’ve drawn famous faces too, including John Malkovich. I hope that by joining the art group, I can attract a few commissions and sell some paintings too. stevelympany

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Maggie Knight My work includes floral paintings, landscapes, seascapes and also wire sculptures inspired by my love of nature. Currently, I have a lot of floral images, as I exhibited at Borde Hill in the summer. Many people remark on the colours of my paintings, as I often adopt softer, muted tones. I use water soluble oils and mix from a base of just a handful of colours, which provides a degree of consistency to my output. Although I only joined Horsham Artists this year, I have been painting for a lot time and my style is continually evolving. In recent years, I’ve tried to paint

with more freedom, inspired by the great impressionist painters, and have incorporated collage into my work too. It is a balance, as I don’t want to paint abstracts, as I like people to identify the flowers, whether they are hollyhocks, poppies or fuchsias. I don’t want them to be botanical either, which involves more detail, as I enjoy painting with a looser, more expressive style. Further information: For details about joining Horsham Artists, future art events, and galleries featuring the work of its members, visit the website at horshamartists.org INTERVIEWS: Ben Morris PHOTOS: Alan Wright

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PACK MENTALITY DIY APPROACH BOOSTS CABINET MAKER’S FORTUNES

DIY Alcove Cabinets, a family-run business based in Rudgwick, was among the winners of the Ideal Home Awards 2023. AAH visited the workshop and met Managing Director John Graham about the company’s recent success and plans for the future… When did you establish the business? I started a company called Quality Fit in 1995, specialising in designing and installing kitchens, bedrooms and cabinets. I had actually trained as an aircraft engineer and discovered that making furniture not only utilised my technical skills, but also provided me with a creative outlet. Quality Fit remains successful after more than 25 years. However, we became particularly known for bespoke alcove cabinets, which led to us forming a sister company, DIY Alcove Cabinets.

What is the difference between the two? At Quality Fit, we make fitted cabinets, bookshelves, wardrobes and other furniture for the home, including bedrooms and kitchens. We provide a completely bespoke service covering the design, build, installation and painting of your project. For some, this is perfect, as they might not have time to do the work themselves. However, some customers wanted bespoke furniture but asked us if there were ways to save money. One way of reducing the cost is to paint the furniture themselves, as it’s labourintensive. Going a step further, you could supply furniture as a flat-pack kit, so they not only paint it, but build it. This is what we offer at DIY Alcove Cabinets and over recent years, this side of the business has become very popular.

Examples of recent work by DIY Alcove Cabinets

Where is the demand coming from? DIY Alcove Cabinets has nationwide appeal. Whereas Quality Fit serves customers mostly in Sussex and Surrey as it requires our fitters and painters, we can send pre-cut, pre-drilled flat furniture to customers across the country, with step-by-step instructions on how to fit it. Why focus on alcoves? There were many companies offering bespoke furniture for kitchens and bedrooms, but not alcoves, even though they’re everywhere! An alcove is any recess in a wall and they are particularly common in Victorian houses, often either side of a fireplace. They can be all manner of heights, widths and depths, and often have awkward shapes through sloped ceilings or angled walls. So, filling the space properly requires made-to-measure furniture. Bespoke and affordability are not usually words spoken

Prices are clearly listed, so our customers can stay within budget.

How do you reach customers then? We have developed a user-friendly Price Calculator on our website. Customers enter the dimensions of their alcove and choose the type of cabinet or wardrobe they need to fill it. They pick the style of doors they require, as well as drawers, shelves, edging patterns, knobs, handles and other fittings. They can add additional touches such as lighting and paint priming too. Prices are clearly listed, giving customers complete transparency. There are no

in the same sentence, but we can offer that, as we don’t have high street branches, salespeople or glossy brochures.

hidden costs and we provide instant quotes, so customers can stay within their budget. Customers can contact us directly by telephone or email to receive a quote for other made to measure furniture such as dressers, media units, bookshelves and doors.

saved money too! We work with trade partners who provide high-quality MDF and fittings too. Often, we are approached by suppliers offering inferior products, but we don’t see the point in sacrificing style and quality just to save £20 on an otherwise beautiful cabinet.

Is it a high or low price point? We pride ourselves on offering a premium product at an affordable price. I often see people post pictures online of poor-quality cabinets that are either made with low grade timber or are badly fitted, and I always find it hugely frustrating! If they had come to us, they would have had not only a better product, but probably

Do you also get business from tradespeople? A lot of work comes from carpenters. Sometimes, one of our customers will employ a carpenter to install their furniture, as they find they can still make a saving this way. Often, these carpenters will later become a customer our owns, as they see benefits to their own business. For example, for carpenters who don’t

have workshop space, or who find themselves behind schedule, we can provide an alternative option by supplying kits for them to simply fit. However, supplying to those in the trade has its challenges; we try to turn around all orders within six weeks, but any delay can cause difficulties for a carpenter working to their own timescale, so we need to work to strict deadlines. How do you make bespoke furniture affordable? By investing in state-of-the-art machinery. We use Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines that cut, embed, drill and engrave shapes into the wood. We input dimensions into the computer and the machine carries out the work accurately and efficiently. There are carpenters using traditional methods, and there will always be a need and demand for their talents, but for us, the CNC machine is less labour intensive and means we can make cabinets at an affordable price. Global furniture companies have machines that dwarf ours and handle an extraordinary workload, often producing cheaper, lowerquality furniture. That isn’t something we are looking to replicate, although we do plan on investing in another CNC machine that offers us even more flexibility.

Alcoves can usually be found on either side of a fireplace

Shaws Glass has been part of the business landscape in Horsham for over 20 years. Our family ﬁrm is the region’s independent choice for all things glass, including:

CONSERVATORIES

Brochures & examples of our stunning conservatories and orangeries online Shaws Glass is an ofﬁcial outlet and installer of Livin Room by Ultraframe

WINDOWS

FlushSash windows offer modern performance with weatherproof PVC-U, which will never need sanding or repainting.

DOORS

At our Horsham showroom, view beautiful front and back doors, patio and French doors and concertina bi-fold doors

66 North Street, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1RD Tel: (01403) 211133 Email: mail@shawsglass.co.uk

www.shawsglass.co.uk

Southern Company of the Year 2018 Winners – The Master Window & Conservatory Installers Association

Do you have plans to expand the warehouse in future? We started out on a small site in Shalford, near Guildford, before moving to Rudgwick. We’ve already had to extend the workshop once and we hope to do so again in the near future to cater for new machinery. We have seen considerable growth in the past few years, thanks mostly to my wife Samantha, who looks after marketing. We have been featured in several publications and in one instance, we built a kitchen for interior designer, journalist and founder of madaboutthehouse.com Kate Watson-Smyth. Kate praised us in Red and The Metro as well as to her thousands of followers on social media, which led to a flurry of orders. Also, we will soon be updating the website, giving customers even more choice for alcoves, whilst also offering a similar service for kitchens and bedrooms. Finally, we must mention your award… We won the title of Best Living Room Storage Solution at the Ideal Home Living Room Awards 2023. Some big brands were nominated for awards including Next, Little Greene Paint Company and Barker and Stonehouse, so it means a lot to have been recognised by such a prestigious magazine. It’s nice to have the trophy on the shelves in the office and reminds the team that their hard work is not only appreciated by us, but recognised by others. WORDS: Ben Morris PHOTOS: Alan Wright Further information: For more information and a gallery, visit diyalcovecabinets.co.uk diyalcovecabinets

Ex NO p W An erie H d Vi nce IRI ny d NG l F Ca itt rpe er t s

Specialists in Carpet, Vinyl and L v t for over 20 years

Arrange a home visit with James today

01403 801802 jamesforcarpets.co.uk info@jamesforcarpets.co.uk

WAX LYRICAL ANTIQUES AND BARGAIN HUNTING WITH JOSEPH BARR

Joseph Barr learned the basics of furniture restoration from his father while growing up in Cyprus. Now, he runs his own Horshambased business, Beeswax Antique Restorers. Fresh from an appearance on BBC’s Bargain Hunt, Joseph describes his life-long passion for furniture…

workforce. However, recessions hit the industry hard and in 1988, my parents decided to do something completely different. We moved to Cyprus, a place my dad knew well from his time in the military, and renovated a Venetian house to live in.

Antique restoration runs in my blood. My dad, Jim Barr, first trained as a carpenter while serving as an engineer in the Army. Later, he launched his own business that covered furniture restoration, re-upholstery, curtains, carpets and flooring, gradually expanding his

Furniture restoration was my dad’s passion and eventually he established a new business in Cyprus, Beeswax Antiques Restorers. He employed me and my brother, Jon-Paul, when we were still teenagers, and gradually we learned the trade. We worked mostly with Turkish pine, very different to the English period furniture my dad was used to, and this helped us all to develop a broader range of restoration skills. My mother was an artist and taught me how to restore gilding work and

FAMILY TRADE

repair porcelain and glass too, and these additional talents have served me well. Eventually it was time for me to pursue my own career. I lived in Canada for four years, where I specialised in restoring modern furniture. Most of the work was carried out on-site, so I would visit a customer’s home to repair or polish a piece of furniture. With on-site projects, you are usually working with furniture that is in continual use, such as a farmhouse kitchen table. They pick up scratches, cracks and other signs of wear and tear, so need to be polished every couple of years to protect the wood, making it more durable and also restoring its natural shine.

Recent projects by Beeswax Antique Restorers

FRENCH POLISH When I first came back to the UK, I worked for a Sussex-based furniture restorer renowned for working with high-end, period pieces. It was great to handle beautiful French furniture and helped me to further my knowledge of different types of lacquers, varnishes and veneers, while also becoming more proficient in the art of French polishing. Most period pieces are used as decorative pieces, as they have value and history attached to them, and French polishing helps restore their original beauty. However, when you are working with modern furniture that serves a regular function, it is better to use a water-based polish or lacquer, as they provide more durability and protection. One problem of focusing solely on high-end furniture is that you’re exposed to recessions and fluctuations in the market. When the price of antique furniture plummets, the work dries up. So, I wanted to start a new business that covered the whole spectrum of furniture restoration, from fixing a broken lock or chair leg to complete restorations. I spoke to my wife, Isabelle, and in 2010 we launched Beeswax Antique Restorers – the name my dad had used in Cyprus 25 years ago. It was tough, and I needed to take on occasional work for antique dealers and my previous employer to help pay the bills, until I was in a position to focus solely on my own projects. I started in a small shed but gradually more work came in and I now have a purpose-built workshop at our Horsham home.

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SENTIMENTAL VALUE I have been fortunate to have worked with clients all around the world, on a variety of period and modern furniture. The majority of the work is on furniture that has sentimental value to customers, rather than monetary value. It might be that they have inherited a piece that belonged to a grandparent and want it restored, so that it remains a quality piece of furniture but retains the memories. Recently, I restored

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a Parker Knoll chair that had belonged to the customer’s brother. She wanted the chair re-upholstered in the same fabric to maintain the emotional connection to her brother, while ensuring it remained a functional piece of furniture. Some people like to buy things at antique fairs or auctions, where they can be picked up cheaply. By having them restored, these pieces of furniture can become focal points of a room. I have had customers who have bought chairs at auction for £10 or £20, as they loved the piece and couldn’t find anything like it new. When it has cost so little to purchase, it is worth spending a bit of money to have it restored. I do most of the re-upholstery myself too, but when I need additional expertise, I work with CMD Interiors, another family-run business.

DO YOUR RESEARCH Every piece of furniture is different and therefore research is vital, especially when it comes to furniture with age or provenance. You need to know exactly what wood you are working with, as well as the colours it has been painted or treated with in the past. Treatments applied years ago react in different ways to the materials applied during restoration, so you must be wary of what lies beneath.

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Sourcing timber, fabrics and other components is rarely as easy as you’d like it to be. It is incredible how many antique pieces have locks with missing keys! These

‘Most customers prefer to employ an experienced craftsman using timehonoured methods.’

keys are becoming harder than ever to find, so when we do come across them at antique fairs, we buy as many as we can afford, as you never know when they’ll come in handy!

Joseph Barr and Bargain Hunt’s Eric Knowles

BARGAIN HUNT I was interviewed by presenter Eric Knowles for a segment on the BBC show Bargain Hunt (which aired on 2 October). The teams were attending an antiques fair in Ardingly, and the producers wanted to speak to a furniture restorer to complement the theme. It felt great to be able to highlight the traditional skills of the trade. The dawn of 3-D printing may present challenges in future, as it means that replacement parts can potentially be made in a wide variety of materials. However, I find most customers still prefer to employ an experienced craftsman who uses time-honoured methods. When I started working for my dad at the age of 15, I wasn’t sure if furniture restoration was something I could see myself doing in the long-term. There are occasions – like when I’m working on 10 identical chairs – where the job can become a little repetitive, but overall I find furniture restoration extremely rewarding. I invest in the sentimental value of a piece and enjoy taking the time to bring furniture back to life. Sometimes, I cover up a piece for a dramatic unveiling, and it’s always nice to receive a positive reaction from the customer!

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WORDS: Ben Morris PHOTOS: Alan Wright Further information: beeswaxantiquerestorers.co.uk Email: info@beeswaxantiquerestorers.com

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FINAL WORD

COMMUNITY PROJECT PROTECTS OUR ANCIENT WOODS BOB EPSOM Woodland Trust Outreach Adviser for the Lost Woods of the Low Weald and Downs project Bob reflects on the importance of our oldest trees, and how you can join the new ‘Lost Woods’ project to restore ancient woodland in Sussex.

If you’re lucky enough to walk towards St Mary’s Church in Sullington, you will spot the most magnificent yew tree in the churchyard. Believed to be at least 500 years old, with claims it could even herald from the 9th century and the time of the Saxons, the tree is a whopping five metres in diameter and an incredible piece of living history.

You may have a favourite tree; one that you look forward to glimpsing as the seasons change, that you picnic under, or use to navigate as you hike on the Downs. The chances are that this tree is mature and centuries old; in the conservation world we might even class it as ‘ancient’ or ‘veteran’, depending on its species and age. Ancient and veteran trees, like the yew in Sullington, are amazing. Each an irreplaceable habitat in its own right; a single ancient oak tree can be home to over 2,000 species of wildlife, plants and fungi. They are vitally important to some of our most endangered species, such as bats who rely on the diverse insect populations they provide, and who like to roost in the hollows and cavities of these old trees. But despite their biodiversity value, many ancient trees do not have much legal protection and are in danger of being lost. A new project that I’m very proud to be a part of – the Lost Woods of the Low Weald and Downs – aims to restore ancient woodlands on

Volunteers are needed to help maintain and restore ancient woodlands

Lost woods volunteers measure a tree in Sullington

our doorstep in Sussex. This includes finding and mapping all the ancient and veteran trees in the 314 sq km project area, spanning from Lewes in the east to Storrington in the west. And we need your help.

to reconnect patches of ancient woodland through planting or natural colonisation (allowing trees to naturally seed). We could create new nature corridors and strengthen habitats, so that our oldest woodlands can thrive once more.

In Sussex and across the UK as a whole, we We’re also looking for suitable land to create don’t know where all our ancient and veteran the next generation of veteran trees, by trees are, or which are facing threats from planting new trees in fields and hedgerows. development. That’s why we’re running a The project is named the ‘lost’ woods, volunteer-led project to find them; it’s the because Natural England has crucial first step in making the case identified the Low Weald as an for protecting these trees at local You’ll be priority for woodland and national levels. We’re looking part of a huge ‘outstanding’ conservation. By volunteering for people to join our volunteer citizen science with us, you could play a crucial team and receive a few days’ role in protecting our natural training with me in how to project that heritage for future generations. identify ancient and veteran could reveal trees and make records of their surprises. There are so many ways to get condition. Volunteers will then go involved in the five-year project, out and survey small areas at a time which is made possible by The National that suits them. You’ll be a part of a huge Lottery Heritage Fund. You could join us on citizen science project and one that could free or subsidised training courses in reveal surprises as we see what trees are woodland management and green discovered. woodworking skills. Or sign up your community group to receive support from us, so that more As I look at the Ancient Tree Inventory map and people can access woodlands and enjoy the see where we know our ancient trees are so immense benefits that being in nature brings. far, there are big gaps in the areas surrounding Ashington and Storrington. Here, there could be small and hidden ancient trees, such as To find out more, sign up to join the volunteer field maples or hawthorns. By filling in the team, or tell us about an old tree in your missing data, not only will we be helping to garden or on land you own, please visit protect these trees for future generations, but www.lostwoods.org.uk we may also be able to work with landowners

For when life changes If you’re thinking of moving contact our local property experts to find out how we can help you.

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Horsham 01403 886288 | Storrington 01903 741212 athomeestates.co.uk