AAH (All About Horsham) November 2024 by AAH (All About Horsham)

AAH NOVEMBER 2024

COVER STORY

The November 2024 cover features Tyson Bennison, owner of Tyson London, a decorative lighting and bespoke furniture specialist, based on an industrial estate in Holmbush.

AAH snapper Alan had become so engrossed in the glass-blowing process that he spent the best part of an hour taking photos of the furnace, before taking shots of Tyson in a frankly jaw-dropping stockroom full of striking light displays, upcycled antiques, tribal art and ornamental minerals. Alan tried to capture some of this range of products in this photo. Tyson – who was born in Australia but now lives with his family in Horsham – is leaning against a bespoke table decorated with beautiful, yet unusual, onyx bowls.

Other cover contenders included Alex Emmett and Gary Core at The Horsham Butchery, members of the Shelley Memorial Project at St Mary’s Church and George and Megan Lewis, owners of The Pawfect Day.

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, please contact Ben (preferably by email). We offer every 6th advert free, like a cafe. We also design adverts for free if you need help.

ADVERT RATES (Per month/edition)

Eighth Page: £60 + VAT (93mm x 63mm)

Quarter Page: £115 + VAT (93mm x 133mm - portrait or landscape)

Half Page: £195 + VAT (190mm x 133mm or long, upright shape)

Full Page: £325 + VAT (A4 with 4mm bleed)

Double Page: £550 + 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 magazine founded in 2011. It is owned by Ben Morris, a life-long resident of the District.

Editor: Ben Morris editor@aahorsham.co.uk (01903) 892899

2 Viney Close, Ashington, RH20 3PT

Photographer: Alan Wright alanwrightphotography.co.uk 07747 617387

Alan works for AAH on a freelance basis and can be booked for all kinds of commercial work.

DOOR-TO-DOOR DELIVERIES:

We deliver over 6,000 copies of AAH directly through doors in and around Horsham. Jacquie Paterson, Jill Shuker, Bloomfield family, Oliver Matson, Charlie Merchant, Alec Baker, Walker family, Ben Raymond, Joseph Down, Browning family, Katie Drysdale William Fuglsig, Chapman family, Palmer family, Butcher family, Derek Bradnum SPRING-LOADED STANDS

6,000 copies of AAH are also distributed through our stylish, bespoke, spring-loaded stands. Horsham: Swan Walk (outside M&S), Henry Adams, At Home Estate Agents, Crates Local (all Carfax), Gwyn’s Bakery, Johansson’s Cafe (Bishopric), Horsham Bedding Centre (Medwin Walk), John Lewis, Pavilions in the Park, Horsham Rail Station, Horsham FC, New House Farm, New Street Butchers, Holbrook Club, Steban’s Salon. Village Stands: Newbridge Nurseries, The Bridge Leisure Centre (BBH) 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, 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, Roffey News and Post Office (Roffey)

SUPERMARKETS

In association with Self Select Distribution, AAH is available at Tesco Extra in Broadbridge Heath and Sainsbury’s Horsham.

AAH ONLINE

AAH is published on the 1st of the month at www.aahorsham.co.uk

NOTES

THE AAH EDITOR SITS THROUGH A CELEBRATION OF SHELLEY

Nothing wilts faster than laurels that have been rested upon.

Percy Bysshe Shelley

I’d rather be home, sat watching the telly

Wine glass in hand, with my wife Kelly

Instead it’s St Mary’s, on Saturday night

Pondering precisely what I might write

On this annual event honouring Percy Bysshe Shelley

When I should be at home, with my wife Kelly

Horsham’s most famous son, that’s what some people say

About this privileged poet, from out Warnham way

We erected a fountain, built in his honour,

It didn’t bloody work, so now it’s a goner

So they’re carving a statue for some brand-new display

For our most famous son, from out Warnham Way

Shelley was known for his Romantic verse

Yet like Keats and Lord Byron, seemed plagued by a curse

In a Sicilian storm, there was lightning and hail

Yet no-one on board seemed to know how to sail

Shelley, he drowned, and came home in a hearse

This poet who seemed to be plagued by a curse

To remember his name, there’s an annual celebration

Where contemporary poets can perform a citation

Not really my thing, so I hide, back of church

On a pew where I can anonymously perch

Then sneak off, not lasting the whole night’s duration

While poets stand up and perform a citation.

I’m bored so I stare, at the ornate ceiling

Gently kicking a cushion for Christian kneeling

Don’t think they get used much, which is a pity

As the embroidered patterns are really quite pretty

Though they look like the 70s, that’s my general feeling

As I kick the cushion used for Christian kneeling

Forgive me for that, if you think I have sinned

While I mention a poem, Ode to the West Wind

Inspired by this, all the poems being hurled

Follow a theme of the natural world,

Just the best ones are read, guess the others get binned

All those poems inspired by Ode to the West Wind

I have some admiration, as in full public glare

Poets act out their words, full of beauty and flair

Personal thoughts – honest and profound

Maybe written alone, with no other sound

Yet now read aloud, for strangers to share

All their poems, full of beauty and flair.

Yet I can’t help but wonder, if Shelley is deserving

Of the hype and praise that this evening is serving

Is it really the case, two hundred years later,

No-one from Horsham’s done anything greater?

Perhaps they have not, I’m merely observing

If Shelley deserves what this evening is serving

We once turned to poets for radical leaning,

But now we have pop stars, to give our life meaning

Be it Bob Dylan’s song of the North Country Fair Or a rocking Bon Jovi, Livin’ on a Prayer, Or those snazzy Swedes and their Dancing Queening Today we’ve got pop stars to give our life meaning

As a world-famous author plays classical guitar

An idea starts to form, though I know it’s bizarre I could write out my column, completely in rhyme, Not thinking at all, it might end up a crime, Against poetry, of course, if it fell below par My column in rhyme, which I know is bizarre

But it needed a focus, some connection to Percy Could I capture his spirit, create controversy? I read To a Skylark, and one about a mountain Mont Blanc, it’s called, it inspired the fountain Cos’ it needs an ending – show readers mercy! One that captures his spirit, creates controversy

These poems were fine, but they could not inspire A finale of sorts, that had passion and fire I just lack the romance of old Percy Bysshe, Don’t have his vocab, his desire for risk, So, I binned the idea, as the whole thing was dire It didn’t have passion, it didn’t have fire

Then I found this quote about laurels that wilt, And it struck such a chord that it left me with guilt, That I dare call to question how great was this poet Query his legacy, threaten to blow it, After two hundred years when it’s gradually built, Thanks to beautiful quotes, like laurels that wilt.

For my poem’s last line, I thought I would dare Steal a line from Ozymandia, which then I could share I’m aware that some may think this contentious, More likely, you’ll find it mildly pretentious, But read up on Shelley, if you’ve time to spare Look on my Works, Ye Mighty and Despair!

Experience a breathtaking light trail

as Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens transforms into an enchanting woodland awash with light, sound and colour.

Experience a breathtaking light trail as Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens transforms into an enchanting woodland awash with light, sound and colour.

Step into a magical realm where trees shimmer and thousands of twinkling lights dance on the crisp winter breeze. Now in its sixth year, the annual winter light trail at Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens is back with a brand-new route. Experience the magic on select nights from 22 November – 30 December.

Intricate light displays, combined with the natural beauty of the gardens, create a truly unforgettable experience. Witness a symphony of stunning illuminations, captivating large-scale installations, mesmerising fountains, ethereal soundscapes, and meet enchanting characters along the way. Working closely with remarkable local artists and performers, including one of our most stunning features this year, a field of 300 illuminated crocuses!

Beyond the light trail, Leonardslee Lights offers a festive atmosphere with a boutique Christmas market, delicious seasonal food and drink, and vintage funfair rides.

Don’t miss this opportunity to create lasting memories with loved ones. Book your tickets early and prepare to be enchanted by the magic of Leonardslee Lights.

Free parking for this event. For more information, visit www.leonardsleegardens.co.uk/lights

New for 2024

Hassle-free travel with our FREE shuttle bus service!

Experience the magic in peace with our

Quiet Night

Enjoy greater flexibility with flexible tickets

Enjoy a convenient round-trip journey from Horsham Station directly to Leonardslee Lights with our complimentary shuttle bus service. Simply purchase a Leonardslee Lights + Shuttle Bus ticket to take advantage of this perk.

Designed for those seeking a more tranquil atmosphere, our Quiet Night offers a sensoryfriendly experience with reduced crowds and lower sound levels on 5 December 2024

Our flexible tickets offer the ultimate convenience, allowing you to change your ticket date and trail entry time up to 31 October 2024.* Tickets start at just £17.50, and Leonardslee members can enjoy even greater savings with free or discounted ticket options.

* T’s & C’s apply

ROUND-UP

NEWS & EVENTS FROM ACROSS THE HORSHAM DISTRICT

A Christmas Launch Party will be held in Horsham on Friday 22 November, 4 - 9pm. In partnership with Your Horsham (Horsham BID), Horsham District Council kick-start Christmas with live music, festive lights, markets and extended shopping hours until 8pm.

St Mary’s Church Choir and St Mary’s Primary School Choir lead a lantern parade from St Mary’s Church, via The Forum to Market Square, from 5pm. John Partridge, star of this year’s Jack in the Beanstalk panto at The Capitol, will be joined by other members of the cast to perform festive songs at the Carfax Bandstand from 6.30 - 7.15pm, before John switches on the Christmas lights outside Bill’s restaurant in

Market Square. There will be further music from singer/guitarist Paul Stanworth in West Street at 4 - 5pm, carols and hymns from Holy Trinity Church Choir in Piries Place at 7.30 – 8pm and the Almost Elvis Band in Market Square at 8 - 9pm. There will also be roaming acts and stilt walkers throughout the town and an array of local food and drink stands and artisan gift stalls. If you spend £50 or more from 4 - 8pm at local businesses, you will be entered into a prize draw (see the Town Ambassadors in Swan Walk to get receipts stamped). There will also be a Beanstalk-themed Christmas Trail launched on the night, with prizes on offer. yourhorsham.com

Festive pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk is coming to The Capitol on Saturday 30 November – Sunday 5 January 2025. Following the success of last year’s production, John Partridge will star as Fleshcreep and also makes his debut as Director, guiding this year’s panto to new creative heights. Chrissie Cartwright joins as Choreographer/Assistant Director, having previously worked on West End productions such as Cats, while Jack Lane (recently nominated for the National Panto Award 2024 for Best Set Design) will lead the costumes and set design team. For tickets, visit thecapitolhorsham.com

l There will also be further Horsham town centre events in the run-up to Christmas, beginning with Horsham Peaks on Saturday 16 November, 11am - 7pm. There will be an Après Ski themed market with extra stalls hosted by several town centre businesses including The Bear, Love it Again, John Lewis and Cote. There will also be musical performances from Taygan Paxton (11.30am), Will Jones (4pm), The Starlites (5.30pm) and a Les Misérables performance by Christ Hospital School.

l There will also be a special Friday Lates on Friday 20 December with the return of mariachi sensation Beato Burrito celebrating Feliz Navidad with the community.

The Capitol also hosts Santa’s New Sleigh, ideal for children aged two and above, in the Studio on Monday 9 – Tuesday 24 December. Christmas is fast approaching and Santa’s Sleigh is nowhere to be found. Will Sprocket and Dibs be able to create a new sleigh in time, or will Christmas be cancelled? With audience participation, sing-alongs and Makaton signs to join in with, it promises to be a perfect festive treat and every child will receive a present from Santa. Tickets from £16.50 for the 50-minute show from thecapitolhorsham.com

The Rec Rink at The Rec, next to Horsham Park, will be closing in the New Year. It was initially announced that the ice-skating rink was to close on 2 November. However, The Rec Rink will be open over the festive season, opening from Friday 15 November to Sunday 5 January. Enjoy ice-skating, festive tipples and hot food from new pop-up food partner, Saucy Cow.

The closure was announced on the Rec Rink Facebook page, with the operators thanking staff and those who have supported the rink. Quiet and accessible sessions are available. It is recommended that all skaters dress warmly, wearing gloves and thick socks. Sessions on the ice are 45 minutes long. therecrink.com/ice-skating

The Rotary Club of Storrington & Pulborough District has launched its Christmas Sacks Appeal to help local families in need. Sacks will be tailored to the needs of recipient families brought to the club’s attention by local schools and include gifts, clothing and a Tesco voucher. The aim is to raise £5,500 to provide 50 Sacks this Christmas. To donate, email rotaryxmassackappeal@gmail.com

Billingshurst Christmas Market will be held at Billingshurst Centre, Rowan Way, on Saturday 23 November, 1.30 – 5pm. The market includes small stalls by local businesses selling gifts, crafts, skincare, candles, cakes and more. There will also be a craft station for children and a wide range of refreshments. Free Entry.

l There will also be a Christmas Fayre at the Centre on Saturday 7 December, 10am – 3pm. The event is well supported by the community with over 30 stalls from local organisations, charities and traders, as well a raffle and Father Christmas. To book a stand, call Sarah on 01403 782555 or email sarah@billingshurst.gov.uk

Capel Christmas Fair will be held at the Parish and Memorial Halls, 55 The Street, Capel, RH5 5LD on Saturday 16 November, 12 - 4pm. The event will be fundraising for the parish churches of Capel and Ockley and the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA). There will be over 30 stalls selling art, jewellery, Christmas cards, decorations, jams and chutneys, truffles and cakes, skincare products, candles, books, crafts (including Janorah Handcrafted Bags, pictured) and gin. Claire of Creative Pickle runs children’s craft workshops. Entry £3 (U12s free) with refreshments and BBQ.

From our Head Office in Horsham, we provide all aspects of installation and maintenance services for all our domestic clients’ needs. Our engineers are trustworthy, professional and Gas Safe registered and can assist with any boiler/heating services that you require.

l Boiler Services l Breakdowns & Repairs l Complete Gas Services l Landlord Gas Safety Checks

l Boiler Installation l Under Floor Heating

l All Aspects of Plumbing

We also provide bespoke solutions for both Commercial and Industrial clients throughout London and the South of England. Unit 8, Mulberry Trading Estate, Foundry Lane, Horsham, RH13 5PX 0800 669 6229 info@cooperweston.co.uk www.cooperweston.co.uk

The Rec Rink

A Fairtrade Christmas Market will be held at St John’s RC Church Hall, Springfield Road, Horsham on Saturday 30 November from 10am - 4pm. There will be about 20 tables of unusual Fairtrade products and also eco stalls selling a variety of gifts suitable for those concerned about ethics and the environment.

The Southwater Infant and Junior Academies

PTFA (Southwater Academies PTFA) are bringing back their popular Christmas Fair community event on Saturday 7 December, 11am - 3pm. The fair, sponsored by At Home and About Mortgages, will be held across both schools, with the communities of both academies coming together to enjoy festive fun. Includes Santa’s grotto, secret present room, snow globe and tombola with arts, crafts and gifting stalls.

Warnham Winter Fair will be held in Warnham Village Hall, Hollands Way, RH12 3RH, on Saturday 30 November, from 11am - 4pm. There will be stalls selling Christmas gifts, art, cards, wood-turned items, cakes, chutneys and jams and books, with refreshments and mulled wine as well as a raffle, tombola and face-painting. The fair raises funds for St Margaret’s Church and other local good causes. warnhamchurch.co.uk

Businesses across the Horsham District are invited to enter the Christmas Magic Displays Competition, held as part of the Council’s Buy Local Gift Happy campaign. The competition celebrates the festive windows and displays of local shops, businesses and market stalls which help to make our towns and villages a magical place to be over the festive period.

Local businesses with winning displays will receive prizes and publicity in AAH and other publications. The public will be invited to vote for their favourite overall display and there will be a number of other awards to encourage participants of all sizes to participate. For entry details, visit horsham.gov.uk/visualmerchandising

Christmas 2023 display at

Carmela Deli

©AAH/AW)

Step into a magical Christmas wonderland at Fabulously Festive, Hurtwood Park Polo Country Club, Horsham Lane, Ewhurst Green, from 16 November – 5 January 2025.

Nestled in the Surrey Hills, the event promises a delightful experience for families and Christmas lovers alike. Wander through the enchanting Christmas Village with festive decorations and traditional market stalls

selling unique gifts, seasonal treats and handcrafted items. The Après Ski Bar offers indulgent hot chocolate, mulled wine and festive ales, accompanied by live music and entertainment. Children follow a snowy path to Father Christmas’ grotto, where they’ll help the elves and receive a gift. Other highlights include fairground rides, ice rink and food stalls. fabulouslyfestive.co.uk

Join the West Sussex Philharmonic Choir for an evening of beautiful French music at St Mary’s Parish Church, Horsham on Saturday 16 November, 7.30pm.

The concert will feature Fauré’s Requiem in a setting for harp, violin, cello and organ together with songs and instrumental pieces by Debussy and Franck. The choir will be joined by local soprano Kitty Casey (inset), runner-up in last year’s Sussex Young Musician of the Year competition. Tickets £20 on the door or from westsussexphilharmonicchoir.org.uk

l The choir return to St Mary’s Church, Horsham, for a carol concert accompanied by Surrey Brass, on Saturday 7 December, 7.30pm.

Horsham Harmony

Choir has welcomed a new Musical Director, Sharon Lewis. Sharon, who also runs two choirs in Brighton, is looking forward to expanding the choir’s pop and folk repertoire.

The choir hold a Christmas Concert at YMCA FC, Gorings Mead, Horsham, on Sunday 8 December, 3pm. There is no admission charge but a collection will be made in support of a local charity. At its summer concert, the choir raised £267 for the Phoenix Stroke Club. The choir meets at Brighton Road Baptist Church on Wednesdays at 11am and welcomes new members. horshamharmonychoir.co.uk

Lifespring Church present a contemporary carol concert at the Drill Hall, Denne Road, Horsham on Sunday 8 December, 4 – 7pm. Free entry and festive refreshments. The church also hosts a Christmas Fayre at the Drill Hall on Saturday 30 November at 10am - 4pm. For more details visit wearelifespring.church

One Accord Choir hold a concert at Holy Trinity Church, Rushams Road, Horsham, on Sunday 24 November, 3pm. Hear the choir in the church, led by MD Jon Openshaw and accompanied by pianist Jenny Jeffery, and join the singers for tea and cakes afterwards. Disabled access available. Tickets £10 from Deborah on 07922 750636 or oneaccordchoirhorsham@gmail.com

Horsham District

Twinning Association are holding a Carol Concert in English, German and French, featuring One Accord Choir at the Unitarian Church, Worthing Road, Horsham on Saturday 7 December, 7.30pm. The concert will be followed by seasonal drinks and light refreshments. More information at horsham-twinning.org.uk and Facebook.

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

Random Hall Hotel Slinfold

The

Horsham Carfax

Harvest BOCO Royale

1. Experienced Design

We’ll

2. Project Coordination

Horsham District Council’s plans to refurbish the Capitol Theatre are to be reviewed after a key contractor significantly increased its cost estimate. In February, the Council approved a budget of £10.7m to deliver improvements across the venue, including increased seating capacity and a refurbishment of the glass foyer. The Capitol would have been closed between April 2025 and November 2026 while work was completed. However, a key contractor has since announced that they would be increasing the cost estimate for the project by over 25%, so the Council has decided to ‘re-scope’ the project

at a reduced cost. Paul Anderson, Director of Communities at HDC said: ‘We have had to make the decision to downscale the project and original ambition. At this point in time and based on the predicted costs, the financial risk was too great. We are still committed to making improvements which will enhance the overall customer experience, meet our environmental ambitions and secure this much-loved cultural venue for the future.’

Readers can register for Capitol updates at thecapitolhorsham.com/my-account/

The Horsham Music Circle’s 83rd Season continues with a performance by distinguished British pianist Leon McCawley at St Mary’s Parish Church, Causeway, Horsham, on Saturday 23 November, 4.30pm (doors 3.50pm). Since being awarded 1st Prize at the International Beethoven Competition, Leon has delighted audiences worldwide and received glowing reviews from critics for his live performances and extensive discography. His afternoon recital includes works by Beethoven, Rachmaninov, Mendelssohn and Schumann. Tickets £23 from wegottickets.com/HorshamMusicCircle or on the door.

The Chantry Quire presents A Choral Extravaganza, showcasing music composed for double choir, at St Mary’s Parish Church, Church Street, Petworth, on Saturday 23 November, 7.30pm. The programme includes works by Bach, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Victoria, Schütz, and the magnificent Mass for Double Choir by Frank Martin, under the direction of Peter Allwood (pictured) with organ accompaniment by Andrew Lumsden, former Director of Music at Winchester Cathedral. Tickets £16 from chantryquire.org.uk

John Partridge in last year’s Capitol panto, Beauty and the beast (@ Brinkhoff Moegenburg)

©Anna Paik

West Grinstead Swimming Academy holds a Christmas party on Thursday 19 December in aid of Watoto, a charity caring for orphaned children in Uganda. Last summer, children from Watoto enjoyed a swimming lesson at the pool and WGSA is helping build mini pools for babies and toddlers in Uganda. The Christmas party day involves music and games in the pool throughout the day. Tickets £15 per child (includes a Christmas gift) from wgsa.co.uk Nick Isaacson, WGSA’s Technical Director, has also completed a Charity Challenge, swimming all distances and disciplines featured at the Paris Olympic, covering 14,550m in four hours, raising £1055 for Rocking Horse.

Hepworth Brewery in Pulborough is the first business in the UK to trial a pioneering new heat pump which can reduce carbon emissions by up to 90%. The Greensteam heat pump from Futraheat recovers low grade waste vapour from the brewing process and delivers it back as steam with a temperature of 130 degrees, far higher than most heat pumps. The brewery will also be installing an anaerobic digester to convert organic matter in wastewater into biomethane, as it looks to become 85% carbon neutral by the end of 2025. Hepworth Brewery is introducing a new logo and strapline of “Great beer, naturally” to encapsulate its ethos. hepworthbrewery.co.uk

PMW Marketing was named Communications Agency of the Year at the Third Sector Awards 2024.

PMW earned the award for its philanthropic initiative DO30, launched in 2023 to mark the Billingshurst-based company’s 30th anniversary. The project set out to support 30 charities and community groups by offering them pro bono marketing services and assistance. Among the charities supported were Action Medical Research, Sussex Green Living, Children’s Hospital Pyjamas and Dame Vera Lynn’s Children’s Charity. pmwcom.co.uk

Antler Homes has revealed the launch of a new village shop at its Knights Green development on Guildford Road, Loxwood. The shop will stock essentials from groceries to newspapers, and opens in spring 2025. Knights Green comprises 19 houses ranging from two to four bedrooms, and shared purchase apartments. antlerhomes.co.uk/developments_sites/ knights-green-loxwood/

Nick Isaacson of West Grinstead Swimming Academy

TOOVEY’S

Coins, Medallions and Banknotes

Please

Horsham Park has taken Gold in the South & South East In Bloom 2024 competition. This is the scheme’s top accolade and represents the hard work of the Friends of Horsham Park volunteer group and HDC’s Park and Countryside team. The In Bloom competition demands high standards across a range of judging criteria including horticulture, sustainability, conservation, facilities, access and community involvement. Judges were impressed by improvements including the redesigned area around the pond, new flower beds at the station entrance, large meadow areas and the Bee Bed. Horsham Park also achieved the top ‘Outstanding’ level in the ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ category for a second year. Sally Sanderson, Chair of Friends of Horsham Park, said: ‘What’s great about this prize is that it isn’t rewarding us just for pretty flowers, but for how we have made the park a vibrant, muchloved green space that’s enjoyed by so many Horsham residents. Our thanks to everyone who has gardened, picked litter, donated money, audited trees, built a bug hotel or awarded us a grant or supported us in other ways.’ friendsofhorshampark.co.uk

Horsham District Council Cabinet has agreed an extension to the Wilder Horsham District initiative. The five-year project was created in 2020 to support nature recovery and biodiversity in the District. Since then, the unique partnership between the Council and Sussex Wildlife Trust has supported landowners to create and improve habitats, establish more natural grazing, introduced flood management measures and delivered workshops and habitat management training. The project also works with West Sussex County Council and other neighbouring authorities to develop joint projects that will help to deliver the Nature Recovery Network, including the Weald to Waves scheme and the Adur River Recovery project. At a meeting on 25 September, councillors agreed to extend the project until March 2028.

A respectful act of remembrance will be marked at the War Memorial in Carfax, Horsham, on Sunday 10 November, at 11am.

HDC Chairman Cllr Nigel Emery will lay a wreath on behalf of the people of the Horsham District. Wreaths will also be laid by John Milne MP, Zäl Rustom (Chairman of Horsham branch of the RBL), Cllr Christian Mitchell on behalf of WSCC, and the Royal Observer Corps. A Remembrance Service will be held afterwards at St Mary’s Parish Church. horsham.gov.uk/remembrance

Gerry Plummer, a resident at HC-One’s Oakhill House Care Home in Horsham, raised £1,360 by selling his paintings at a special auction. Gerry, 84, has painted over 100 paintings since moving into Oakhill House. To celebrate the National Day of Arts in Care Homes, an annual event run by the National Activity Providers Association (NAPA), Gerry’s paintings were exhibited and then sold at the care home on 20 September. The auction was attended by dignitaries including Horsham MP John Milne, while celebrity auctioneer Andy Scarborough, who has appeared on BBC’s Flog It, was auctioneer. Money raised from the auction will help fund special activities. hc-one.co.uk

Dame Judi Dench has painted a watercolour of Scottish landscape Wester Ross, exclusively to raise money for St Catherine’s Hospice. The watercolour has been used to create limited-edition prints, each hand-signed by the award-winning actress. Dame Judi said: ‘All the money raised from these prints will help provide care for local people who need the hospice. I hope the beauty of this Scottish landscape, that I was inspired to paint, will capture many of your hearts too.’ Dame Judi has gifted her prints to the Burstow Friends Group, long-standing supporters of St Catherine’s. Each print costs £150 and includes a grey frame. For more details, email StCatsBurstowGroup@gmail.com

Leonardslee Lights

(©Alan Wright)

Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens in Lower Beeding runs its annual winter light trail on select nights from 22 November – 30 December, 4.15 – 8.15pm. Now in its sixth year, Leonardslee Lights returns with a new route that includes illuminations, large installations, fountains, ethereal soundscapes and enchanting characters. New features include a field of 300 illuminated crocuses and a Sea of Light installation by Brightonbased Ithaca Studios, who worked

with Coldplay at Glastonbury 2021. Complementing the visual spectacle, sound artist Dan Fox of Sound Intervention will present his new work, Glittering Grove. A small boutique Christmas market will be open from 3 – 9pm with seasonal food and drink, vintage funfair rides and stalls by local artisans. Quiet Night offers a sensory-friendly experience with lower sound levels on 5 December. For tickets and information visit leonardsleegardens.co.uk/lights

The Mediaeval Baebes bring ‘The Ceremony’ to St Mary’s Church, Horsham on Saturday 14 December. The audience can join in with a ‘Lighting of the Chalice’ by bringing a drum, lantern, or dressing up as the Mediaeval Baebes lead a

torch-lit procession to the church. At St Mary’s, they will perform carols, traditional folk songs and innovative settings of ancient poetry, accompanied by period instruments. Tickets £28.50 (£13 children). mediaevalbaebes.com

OPEN TUESDAY TO SUNDAY

The Best Local Produce

New House Farm is located in a beautifully renovated 16th century barn in the rural outskirts of Horsham. Our locally-sourced produce includes fruit & veg, bread, meats, cheeses, a wide range of Sussex beers, spirits and wine, and hand-made local arts and crafts, with. The Mobile Fish Company visit Fridays, 11am - 2pm.

Strawberry Fields Tea Rooms

Our popular Tea Room serves a full breakfast menu, as well as Ploughman’s lunch, sandwiches, toasties and baps, with a fantastic selection of home-made cakes. We have plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Hot food served until 4pm.

New House Farm Function Room

Set within a beautiful barn, our function room is available for private hire, catering for all kinds of occasions from family celebrations to corporate events.

l Fresh turkeys can be ordered from November. Award-winning free range turkeys from Bridgers Farm & Christmas trees will also be for sale.

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

St Catherine’s Hospice is to make £1.5m in cost savings to sustain its services for people across West Sussex and East Surrey. After several years of high inflation and rising living costs, the local hospice, which cares for over 2,500 people every year, cannot maintain its current costs. As a care provider, over 77% of the hospice’s costs are staffing. After formal consultation with its teams, St Catherine’s expects to lose in excess of 40 roles, including nurses. The hospice will not be reducing its inpatient care and will continue to operate 12 beds at its Pease Pottage hospice. Although STCH has capacity

for 24 beds, it is currently unable to increase the number of beds available, due to funding. Giles Tomsett, Chief Executive, said: ‘It’s heartbreaking to have to reduce our team of highly-skilled, specialist clinicians, some of whom have delivered expert support for many years and who all care deeply about supporting families living with a terminal or life-limiting diagnosis and people coming towards the end of life. Whilst everyone is saddened by this situation, we’re encouraged by the continuing loyalty of our many supporters.’

To donate, visit stch.org.uk/donate

Barnstormers

Comedy presents The Big Sundae at the Capitol Theatre, Horsham, on Sunday 17 November, 7.30pm.

This year’s showcase features Slim, star of Live at the Apollo and undisputed king of the Black British comedy circuit, and Louise Young, a rising star who has been seen on Comedy Central. Circuit legend Paul Tonkinson (pictured), a regular support act for Michael McIntyre, also performs. The evening is compéred by Kevin Precious. Tickets £12.50 in advance (£15 on the door) from thecapitolhorsham.com

Horsham Golf and MY Golf Academy hosted its annual Spooktacular Junior Golf Event on 26 October. Over 80 children aged from 4 – 18 took part in the event, with the driving range decorated with coffins, pumpkins, scarecrows and ghouls, which were used as target practice. Children were invited to dress up, with prizes for the best dressed Halloween golfer and also the most creatively carved pumpkins. Dave Dickenson, Senior PGA coach at the Academy, hosted the event, supported by staff member Carly Humphreys. For more information about the Academy, email david@my-golf-academy.co.uk or visit my-golf-academy.co.uk

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Giles Tomsett, Chief Executive of STCH, at the hospice opening in November 2023 (@AAH/AW)

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ROGER BARBER PUBLISHES JACK THE RIPPER BOOK G-RIPPING READ

Roger Barber from Horsham has researched the Whitechapel murders for over 40 years. He has now written a book, Jack the Ripper: Dissecting the Truth, in which he attempts to build a psychological profile of London’s most famous serial killer while focusing on a lesser-known suspect. AAH met Roger and discussed the grisly case…

You have previous experience of publishing?

My first love was actually opera and I was in the original D’Oyly Carte Opera Company in the early 1970s, staging Gilbert and Sullivan productions. I was also a session performer at the Royal Opera House and attended a Pavarotti masterclass, which not many people can say! My singing career never quite took off as an opera singer must demonstrate complete devotion to the craft and be prepared to travel all over the world, which I wasn’t in a position to

do with a young family. I carved out a career in advertising, starting at Industrial Exchange & Mart before establishing my own company, specialising in magazines for the engineering industry. We still publish two titles and I also sing at care homes with a friend, usually focusing on musical numbers but with the occasional operatic tune thrown in.

Where does your interest in Jack the Ripper stem from?

It started with a Jack the Ripper mini-series starring Michael Caine, aired in 1988. It coincided with the 100th anniversary of the murders and although the plot was mostly nonsensical, it was hugely entertaining. It got me interested in the Whitechapel murders, so I

started doing more research and read Stephen Knight’s book, Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution. I wrote an article about the murders for The Criminologist (a quarterly magazine published from 1967 –98) and was subsequently invited to contribute to The Jack the Ripper A-Z, a collection of theories and observations. This was 30 years ago but after retiring, I wanted to revisit the story.

How did you go about researching the case?

There have been countless theories about the Whitechapel murders and who Jack the Ripper might have been. However, I wanted to go right back to the source material to see what I could unearth. In the Victorian era, newspaper articles about criminal cases were very detailed as

Roger Barber has written about the Whitechapel murders (©AAH/Alan Wright)

physically strong and would have known the docklands well. He would also have operated a handcart and worked unusual hours. Some people believe the killer must have lived within the immediate vicinity of Whitechapel and dismiss suspects living elsewhere, but I’ve never subscribed to this theory.

What makes Buchan a possible suspect in your mind?

Buchan’s older brother married a woman who lived in George Yard, one of the murder scenes, but this and any other links he had with Whitechapel are tenuous. However, what I have tried to do is to look at the murders from a psychological perspective. Why was the killer mutilating his victims? Why was he removing organs? By analysing various studies, I learned that people prone to psychotic behaviour also have an increased probability of committing

suicide, while an analysis of Buchan’s handwriting hints at a personality disorder. This is supported by the fact that his sister was committed to a mental asylum for attacking their mother.

Did you unearth any significant new evidence?

‘The mystery will never be solved as the evidence is gone!’

I wasn’t able to find a direct connection to any of the murders because the physical evidence isn’t there. The mystery will never be solved as any evidence that existed has long since gone. However, one of the more divisive theories I present in the book relates to the “double event”, a term given to the murders of Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes. It is speculated that the killer was disturbed during the first murder and disappeared to commit another on the same night. I present a different theory, whereby the killer recognised his first victim. What’s interesting is

READ

reporters spoke directly to police officers and witnesses, while there were in-depth reports from inquests too. During my research, I came across an article about Edward Buchan, who committed suicide on the same day as the funeral of Mary Jane Kelly, widely believed to be the Ripper’s final victim. The funeral procession went past Buchan’s house, which piqued my interest.

Has much been written about Buchan before?

You could compile a list of 60 suspects for the Whitechapel murders and some names regularly crop up. Buchan isn’t perceived as a leading suspect, but he’s not unknown and Steve Pemberton’s character took his name in the TV series, Whitechapel. I decided to research his life and discovered that he took his own life on his birthday. He worked at his father’s marine store, which means he would have been

that Buchan once lived on the same road in East London where Stride had worked in a coffee shop. If the killer didn’t want to be linked to any of his victims, he could have hastily sought out a second victim after recognising the first.

How did you find the experience of writing a book?

‘Jack the Ripper was coined by tabloid journalists at The Star!’

I enjoyed it, but it’s hard work. After three hours of writing, I would spend just as much time verifying facts. The forward has been written by Stewart P. Evans, a leading authority on the Whitechapel murders. We talked until the early hours about the case and he felt my theory about Buchan was interesting and deserving of further research. Since releasing the book, I’ve been interviewed by Richard Jones, who runs the original Jack the Ripper Tour, for his YouTube channel and the video has been viewed over 10,000 times. Not everyone agrees with my theories and some have been critical about the book, but others are intrigued by its ideas.

Why is there still so much interest in the Whitechapel murders?

It’s the mystique of Jack the Ripper and the fact he was never caught. Even his name was the work of a sensationalist newspaper. The moniker “Jack the Ripper” was coined by journalists at The Star, a tabloid-style paper which printed gruesome drawings alongside reports of crime scenes. When sales dipped during a period without a murder, they wrote hoax messages and came up with the name Jack the Ripper to generate interest. Even the

image of a shadowy figure in a cloak and hat lurking in the misty darkness of Victorian London bears little relation to most eyewitness accounts. In my view, the murderer was someone very different. An ordinary man, who quietly went about his work. But we will never know for sure…

WORDS: Ben Morris

PHOTOS: Alan Wright

Further information: Jack the Ripper, Dissecting the Truth is available on Amazon for £12.99 or signed copies can be purchased for £15 at Loretta Lay Books at laybooks.com. Copies can also be picked up at Natty Noo in the Carfax, Horsham. n

Roger Barber signs copies of his book on Jack the Ripper (©AAH/Alan Wright)

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BID WATCHING

HORSHAM AMBASSADORS GET DOWN TO BUSINESS

In December 2023, businesses in Horsham town centre approved a proposal to establish a Business Improvement District (BID).

There are more than 300 BIDs in the UK, some operating in towns such as Guildford and Dorking, others in villages or even industrial estates, including Manor Royal in Crawley. BIDs are funded entirely by businesses within the area they serve, with each one paying a levy equating to about 1.5% of their business rates. They run for five years, after which businesses can choose to extend or stop the BID.

Under the brand of Your Horsham, Horsham’s BID is led by Project Manager Rachel Noel and supported by a Task Group comprised of owners and managers of town centre businesses. They hope to improve life for those working in or visiting the town and one of their first significant initiatives has been to introduce ambassadors. AAH met lead ambassador Emma Jeffries, as well as Lucas Rymarz and Tim Fifield, to find out more…

Why did the role appeal to you?

Emma: I met (Project Manager) Rachel while working at fashion boutique Doodie Stark in Market Square. Having previously worked at Café @No.4, I had six years of retail experience in the town and was excited about the BID. I enjoy helping people and love the town, so it was a perfect opportunity to contribute to Horsham’s development.

Lucas: I was working in Chococo in Carfax when I saw an advertisement for the role of ambassador. I have always taken pride in customer service and thought I was well suited to the role. I was the first ambassador to be hired and for a month worked alone, introducing myself to businesses and getting to know the Police Community Support Officers (PCSO) and Neighbourhood Wardens.

Tim: I joined the team in September as a part-time ambassador, working one day a week. I am Business Development Director at town centre-based company britweb, and we supported Your Horsham with the development of its website. As well as being a business person, I’m involved in running

Ambassadors Emma, Lucas and Tim (©AAH/Alan Wright)

networking groups and have lived in Horsham since 1994, so its social and economic wellbeing is important to me. I have also staged comedy shows at the Capitol Theatre, so I’m embedded in the culture of the town and its economic prosperity. Therefore, the idea of giving something back to the community appealed to me.

What is the aim of the ambassadors?

Emma: Essentially, we’re here to help. As we’re still finding our feet, we attract strange looks as most people don’t know about us, but that will change in time. We help visitors to town by providing directions to shops or facilities around the town, and support local businesses in any way we can. They can report issues such as broken paving slabs or graffiti to us and we’ll look into it quickly.

Tim: We also run subsidised courses for local businesses. These range from first-aid and mental health awareness courses for employees to visual merchandising courses that offer advice on displaying goods and produce. We are also organising networking events to promote collaboration, as none of us is as clever as all of us, so it’s good to work together and address key issues that impact the BID area.

Are you targeting anti-social behaviour?

Emma: We met some youths who asked who we were and what we do, and a passer-by said we were there to keep an eye on people like them! That’s not strictly our role, but we hope our presence alone will have a positive impact. By maintaining a visible presence, we can be additional set of eyes and ears that could assist the PCSOs and Neighbourhood Wardens. We also help business to engage in schemes such as DISC, an informationsharing App used to report crime and anti-social behaviour, which has already been adopted by the Business Crime Reduction Partnership in Horsham.

Your uniform is quite distinctive…

Lucas: We wanted to create an unique image so that people could differentiate our role from that of the police, the PCSOs and Neighbourhood Wardens. We have our own role to play in the town and hopefully it won’t be long before people associate our grey bright pink uniform with Your Horsham.

Tim: We also have a distinctive logo, designed by Horsham branding specialists xHeight. It is a strong logo, as it incorporates a point on a map and has a heart at its centre, symbolising Horsham as a great location.

Your Horsham also hosts events…

Tim: One of the aims of Horsham BID is to organise events across town. Friday Lates, a series of summer events with music and entertainment organised by Horsham District Council, really took off and got people talking. So, we’ve organised the first big Your Horsham event, our Christmas Launch Party on Friday 22 November. We’re encouraging businesses to extend their opening hours to promote late night shopping, aiding the town’s evening economy. These things take time to build momentum, but I’m sure there will be a tipping point where more businesses see the benefit of opening later, even if it’s only on the odd occasion.

The Ambassadors in Bishopric, Horsham (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Emma: Horsham BID covers East Street, Piries Place, Market Square, West Street, Swan Walk and the Bishopric (as far as the King’s Arms), then loops around John Lewis, Sainsbury’s, the Forum and the library. So, the Christmas party will be spread across town with many independent outlets and larger retailers such as TK Maxx, Dunelm, Waterstones, John Lewis and Swan Walk Shopping Centre opening their doors. As well as enjoying the entertainment, we want visitors to spend at local shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants, so we’re encouraging visitors by entering those who spend £50 or more into a prize draw, with some amazing prizes on offer.

What do you have planned for the party?

Emma: It’s a festive celebration with angels on stilts, a lantern parade and St Mary’s Choir singing carols around the town. There will also be live music from the Carfax Bandstand, culminating in a show by the Almost Elvis Band. The focal point of the night will be the switching on of the Christmas lights by John Partridge, star of the Capitol Theatre pantomime. We’ve invested a significant amount in Christmas trees and festive lights and they will be placed not just in the Carfax and West Street, but throughout town, including the Bishopric and The Forum. Whirligig Toys is hosting lantern-decorating for children prior to the parade, and we’ll also be launching the Jack and the Beanstalk Christmas Trail, which includes major retailers such as John Lewis and independents such as Ragdolls Fine Framing, Gwyn’s Bakery and Valsa Gelato.

Tim: Going forward, we hope to host events for Easter and other occasions throughout the year. The Council used to organise wonderful events such as Piazza Italia that attracted thousands of people to town, boosting the local economy. Sadly, they’re not in a position to do that currently, but while we may not be planning anything quite on that scale, we can organise many smaller events that businesses can engage with.

Are all local businesses – even those who voted against the BID – becoming more open to the scheme?

Lucas: I think they are, because they’ve seen how it can make a positive difference. Rachel Noel has been very proactive, meeting local businesses and making newcomers to the town feel welcome, while the newsletter is packed full of information. It’s early days, but we have good momentum and as ambassadors, we are helping to increase awareness of the various aspects of Horsham BID.

INTERVIEWS: Ben Morris

PHOTOS: Alan Wright

Further information

Email Rachel Noel, BID Project Manager, at rachel@horshambid.org horshambid.org

The Ambassadors support independents such as the wonderful Valsa Gelato (©AAH/Alan Wright)

HOUNDS OF LOVE

THE PAWFECT DAY OFFERS DOGS A HOME AWAY FROM HOME

The Pawfect Day is a Horsham-based business offering ‘a home away from home’ daycare and boarding service for dogs. The business recently opened The Pawfect Pool, giving owners and their pets the chance for a safe swim. AAH met owners Megan and George Lewis to find out more…

When did you launch your business?

Megan: The Pawfect Day began four years ago. I worked for Virgin Atlantic in the Upper-Class Lounge at Gatwick, but was made redundant during Covid. While considering my options, I worked at a day care centre for dogs, as I grew up with family dogs and always loved them. I realised it was what I wanted to do for a career. The day care centre I worked at was popular

and looked after many dogs, but I formulated different ideas for my own business. My vision was to care for fewer dogs and to offer them a home away from home.

Do you still have your own pets?

Megan: We have a French bulldog called Mabel, who is the inspiration for the business. She was a Covid puppy who was given up by her owners and needed a new home. She came to live with us and although she’s stubborn and difficult to train, we adore her. Mabel is depicted on our company logo, although since it was designed, she has had an operation on her ear that has left it floppy! Mabel acts like the manager of the business, keeping all the other dogs in line. We have also fostered three dogs on a

short-term basis, which is hugely rewarding. Arundawn Dog Rescue in Horsham has many dogs in need of a loving home and we help when we can. Fostering is hard as you grow attached to dogs in your care and it’s sad to see them go, but at the same time, it’s wonderful when they’re permanently re-homed. This experience has helped me to understand how others feel when leaving their pet in our care and what a big responsibility we have.

Where did you initially run the business from?

Megan: George and I bought a house near Littlehaven and ran the business from home. Initially, we were allowed a maximum of eight dogs a day, but they still dominated the house! Within a year, we were fully booked and we

George and Megan Lewis at The Pawfect Park (©AAH/Alan Wright)

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‘Owners can bring their dogs down for a splash around.’

ran the business this way for three years. One day, I took Mabel to a swimming pool for dogs. We had a travel an hour to get there and booked weeks in advance as demand was high, but Mabel enjoyed it. I thought it was something we could offer too, but we needed more space to achieve this. We found a warehouse on the outskirts of town with space for a pool and when I went to view it, I learned there was also a field and a house to rent on the premises. The vision of a field, pool and indoor space for dogs use was everything I’d ever wanted.

Did the site need much work?

George: I didn’t even see the house until the day we moved in! It happened so quickly that some clients dropped their dogs off in Littlehaven and picked them up again from our new home! The site has potential, but there was a lot of work to do to make it a safe space for dogs, so we called in family and friends to help clear the car park and warehouse and erect fencing. We devote part of the house for day care, also sacrificing our garden to give dogs an easily accessible outdoor space too.

You also have a dog park?

George: The field was so overgrown that we couldn’t even open the gate at first! However, we cleared the space and put up fencing around the perimeter, so dogs are free to run, play and socialise. We also

Megan and George Lewis (©AAH/Alan Wright)

added dog agility apparatus that really appeals to some pet owners. There are some beautiful fields in Horsham where people can exercise their dogs, but they can be very busy, so having our own Pawfect Park on-site with free parking is more convenient for us and others. It’s a work in progress and we’re hopeful of being able to add a path around the field in the near future.

And the pool?

George: We bought the pool second-hand from Facebook. It is a heated, saltwater pool, with decking round the sides so dogs can run around it. We fit the dogs with life jackets and they love leaping in the water to chase balls and toys. The swimming pool is available to hire, so owners can bring their pets down for a splash around and even join them in the water. Some split the cost with a doggy playmate and we also welcome families, as up to six people and two dogs can use the facility per booking. The pool is fun, but cleaning it can be a nightmare, especially when hairy breeds such as German shepherds have been in it! Dogs like Monty, a springer spaniel, would stay in there all day if they could, but some breeds are wary around water. It’s interesting to see how different dogs react to the pool.

How has the move to new premises impacted the business?

Megan: We have more capacity and can accommodate up to 25 dogs a day, although we don’t take in even close to that many as we don’t want to lose the cosy ‘home from

Megan Lewis, Founder of The Pawfect Pool (©AAH/AW)

home’ feeling we’ve created. When we go away on holiday, we leave Mabel with friends and family who we know and trust. We give that same nurturing care to our customers. We get to know our dogs and only take on a small number of new dogs each month. When possible, we arrange a meet and greet to ensure that a new dog is compatible with the others, as each breeds has distinct characteristics and it’s important that they’re all content. You don’t want to upset several dogs for the sake of one.

It must be challenging balancing all these personalities?

Megan: It can be chaotic, but I love it! We face challenges every day and the dogs continually

test you. You learn not to be too precious about things around the house too, as they often get destroyed! One dog ripped the lining out of the pool two weeks after it was installed! It’s not always easy but it’s fun and something we love enough to do every day of the year, even Christmas Day.

What are your goals for the future?

Megan: Horsham is a wonderful place for a pet-based business, as there are so many animal lovers. We would love to offer dog grooming in future, as many of those already established in Horsham are operating at capacity. I would also love to organise a monthly meeting for dog owners and their pets

to encourage them to socialise. But at the moment, we’ve just opened the pool and are delighted by the initial response. We’ve had more bookings than we ever imagined and people have travelled from across the Horsham District and beyond, as what can be more fun that going swimming with your dog?

WORDS: Ben Morris

PHOTOS: Alan Wright

Further information: For more details, visit the website at thepawfectday.co.uk

The Pawfect Day thepawfectday_

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Monty and Bracken chase a ball at The Pawfect Pool

(©AAH/Alan Wright)

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CHRISTMAS VILLAGE

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8th December // Drill Hall // 4pm

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A Lifespring Christmas

Contemporary carol service

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RHYME TIME

The Shelley Memorial Project (SMP) held a Celebration of Poetry and Music at St Mary’s Parish Church on Saturday 12 October. The evening, which included an announcement of the winners of the SMP’s International Poetry Competition, was compered by BBC Radio 4 newsreader Chris Aldridge and featured poetry and music by Louis De Bernières, the best-selling author of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin. AAH attended the evening to find out more about the Project’s efforts to celebrate the life and legacy of Percy Bysshe Shelley…

First, a little context…

Shelley is often labelled as Horsham’s most famous son, having been born at Field Place, Warnham in 1792. He was born into privilege, with his father Sir Timothy being the 2nd Baronet of Castle Goring and a former MP for Horsham. Having died in a boating accident off the coast of Sardinia aged 29, Percy Bysshe didn’t achieve widespread acclaim in his own lifetime, but is now recognised

alongside John Keats and Lord Byron (who also led tragically short lives) as one of the most influential English romance poets.

To celebrate the bicentenary of Shelley’s birth in 1992, Horsham District Council commissioned Angela Conner to create a sculpture as a lasting legacy. Inspired by one of Shelley’s poems, Mont Blanc, it was called The Rising Universe and finally installed in 1996. The Shelley Fountain (as it was more commonly known) had a central sphere that would rise up, before slowly descending as it filled with water. Then, it would release six tonnes of water into a basin below, creating a dazzling spectacle.

It was spectacular yet divisive, making it a fitting tribute to a radical poet. However, the complex mechanical structure of the sculpture meant that it often malfunctioned, resulting in costly repair and maintenance bills. By 2016, The Rising Universe’s time was up and it was dismantled. You’ll be forgiven for not having noticed the 16 birch trees

Louis De Berniéres, author of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, performed at St Mary’s Parish Church (©AAH/Alan Wright)

between The Lynd Cross and Specsavers that were planted in the basin instead. Horsham was left without a notable memorial to the poet, thus inspiring the formation of Shelley Memorial Project.

‘The performance aspects of poetry isn’t for everyone!’

David Hide, Chair of SMP, said: ‘Percy Bysshe Shelley is the most famous person that Horsham can lay claim to and he should be memorialised in some way. After The Rising Universe was dismantled, a small group led by Susannah Brady, who had fought for the fountain to remain, set about creating a permanent legacy and the Shelley Memorial Project was founded.’

‘Initially, we worked closely with Collyer’s College, but they pushed on with their own memorial, the Shelley Building, an educational facility funded by a former Principal and featuring a sculpture by Horsham artist and former Collyer’s student Hannah Stewart. This was wonderful, but it mainly serves the college and our aim was to provide

Park, and invited artists to submit designs for a piece of public art inspired by the life and works of Shelley. Nobody wanted to get their fingers burned after the experience with The Rising Universe, so after creating a shortlist of four concepts, we held a consultation, with 1,700 people voting for their preferred design. There was no majority, but 38% voted for a design by Chichester-based artist Vincent Gray (of a bronze quill pen sitting on a pillar inscribed with Shelley’s poetry) and this was the one we have commissioned. Aspects of the final design have been softened and we will be adding an inscription too, once again engaging with the public during the process.’

POETRY CONTEST

Once a month, project supporters meet for a Poetry and Pints evening, where they can read and share their poems or the work of others, encouraging participation in poetry across the Horsham District. This

David Hide (Chair) and Carol Hayton (Treasurer) of the Shelley Memorial Project (AAH/Alan Wright)

The 2024 competition attracted a record 230 entries thanks to an accessible theme of “the changing seasons”, with poets taking inspiration from the last line of Ode to the West Wind, one of Shelley’s most famous poems.

Ted Gooda, a Director of SMP, is a writer and teacher who has recently published a pamphlet of poetry, Silence & Selvedge. Ted said: ‘SMP has evolved and now our focus is not just the statue, but also celebrating poetry. Works of public art are not always popular so we wanted the project to offer something else, and what better tribute to Shelley can there be than a poetry competition?’ Although we encourage local entries, it’s an international competition that attracts entries from all over the world. In our first year, we sent books out to a prize winner in Africa.’

‘Every year we invite a different judge to reads all the entries and make an independent decision on the winners. I judged the competition in the first year alongside author Nicola Garrard, with Sussex-based performance poet Simon Zec judging in 2023 and author/poet Liz Barnes invited to judge this year’s entries. We have prizes for the top three poems as well as a Sussex Cup, open to poets who live locally or poems with a connection to the county.’

‘Winners can read their poem on the night, although the performance aspects of poetry isn’t for everyone. Have been a teacher for 27 years, I prefer to learn my poem by heart, so that I can perform it without referring to notes, which helps to engage the audience.’

Trends and Challenges In the Lettings Industry

Tenant demand continues to surpass available supply throughout the UK – a challenge that’s set to intensify as more landlords contemplate leaving the sector.

A Tough Time for Tenants

In a challenging economy where rents continue to rise, many tenants are under financial pressure. A shrinking supply is causing rents to soar, with half of tenants* stating that they now spend more than 40% of their gross income on rent, a threshold which is classed as being “rent poverty”. One in eight tenants pay more rent for their property than the amount for which it was advertised.

At the same time, the supply of rental properties has continued to decline, with 58% of letting agents reporting a decrease in the number of available properties.

Why are some landlords saying goodbye to the Private Rental Sector?

Just under a third of landlords (29.9%) are saying they had either sold one of their rental properties or put one up for sale on the market in the past year. A further 17.4% of landlords said they were considering reducing their portfolio in the coming year, for reasons including:

l Increasing legislation

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l Economic pressures

l Shifts to short term rentals

l Taxation and investment alternatives

Consensus

There’s an urgent need for innovative strategies to both support and incentivise landlords to remain part of a sector that provides essential housing for millions of tenants and is vital to the economy. But there are opportunities to address these challenges. With the right strategies and planning, the new government can help the Lettings industry overcome these challenges and ensure it remains a sustainable one for decades to come.

Caroline Berry, winner of the Sussex Cup (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Simon Zec includes humour in much of his poetry (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Members of the Shelley Memorial Project (©AAH/Alan Wright)

SUSSEX CUP

The overall winner was Sarah Mills’ Mood Disorder, with Peter Devonald’s Winter Has a Wish For You and Lucy Crispin’s Getting the Summer Clothes Out of Storage third. Winner of the Sussex Cup was Caroline Berry, a Horsham poet who performed her entry, Here She Comes, at St Mary’s.

‘There’s no culture in the world that doesn’t have poetry.’

Caroline said: ‘I started writing poetry during lockdown. I enjoyed writing when I was young so it was nice to have time to re-engage with poetry. It helped me to make sense of feelings during a very strange time. Much of my work follows themes of mental health and I find poetry helps me process my feelings. I tend to write from the heart, so it was challenging to write something to a specific theme. Taking inspiration from Shelley’s Ode to the West Wind, which has autumnal themes, I wanted to write a more optimistic poem about the

arrival of spring. I wasn’t sure if it would appeal to the judges, so I was delighted to win the Sussex Cup!’

The evening also included readings by poets Liz Barnes, Theresa (Ted) Gooda, Simon Zec and Barry Smith, with the latter joined by guitarist Chris Hardy to beautifully set Shelley’s poetry to music. The event was compéred by BBC Radio 4 presenter/announcer and Horsham resident Chris Aldridge, who has supported the SMP since attending Shelleython in 2021.

Chris said: ‘I was a fan of The Rising Universe and feel sure that Shelley would have enjoyed the controversy it caused! It got people talking and when it was working, children loved it and would engage with the four smaller spheres around it. I was sad to see it go, so to see Shelley’s profile being raised once again is fantastic. It’s nice to have the chance to compére at St Mary’s, as the Shelley family has historic connections to the town centre. Shelley’s grandfather lived at Arun House in Denne Road and a young Percy Bysshe was often known to join him at The Swan pub, so I use these stories during the evening.’

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Topping the bill was award-winning author Louis de Bernières, who performed poetry and music. As well as writing best-sellers including Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, Louis has written four collections of poetry and recorded four albums. As well as playing guitar, there were murmurs of joy when Louis started playing the instrument featured in his most famous book!

Louis told AAH: ‘Writing poetry is less lucrative than writing books, but it can be fun. As well as poetry, I have written songs inspired by musicians that I love listening to, such as Bob Dylan, Paul Simon and Tom Paxton. I’ve been playing guitar since I was 17 and became very good at one point, but now have focal dystonia, a neurological condition that affects many musicians, so I’m gradually losing dexterity.’

‘I have written poetry since my teenage years but didn’t have any of my poems published until about 15 years ago. When I set out to be a writer, I submitted poetry to an agent who responded by telling me that they didn’t like poetry and that there’s no money in it! I sent a manuscript for a book instead and that was how I became a novelist rather than a poet. The upside of that is, I could afford a house of my own! It seems to me that poetry remains popular as it’s one of the ways we like to express ourselves. There is no culture in the world that doesn’t have poetry of one form or another, as much like music, there is something essentially human about it.’

LASTING LEGACY

With the statue plans progressing and the poetry competition well established, the SMP is committed to shining a light on Shelley’s work and hopes that, in time, the poet can make a greater contribution to local tourism.

David Hide said: ‘There is a strong arts community in Horsham that embraces music, art, theatre, film and poetry and we believe that Shelley can provide this cultural community with a focal point, helping put Horsham on the map. When you think about Stratford-UponAvon, you think of Shakespeare, while Portsmouth celebrates its association to Charles Dickens and Bath draws visitors

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through its Jane Austen connections. What we would like to do is for Horsham to tap into Shelley’s legacy, creating opportunities for local businesses and tourism. The late, great performance poet Benjamin Zephaniah is just one of those to have referenced Shelley as the poet who most influenced his work, so we should recognise what a special person he was and create a legacy that brings lasting benefits to the District.’ n

WORDS: Ben Morris

PHOTOS: Alan Wright

Further information: shelleymemorialproject.co.uk

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Poets

Barry Smith, Liz Barnes, Theresa Goody and Simon Zec at St Mary’s Church (©AAH/Alan Wright)

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LONG STRETCH A PRISONER’S LOST POEMS ABOUT HORSHAM GAOL

Jeremy Knight

The former curator of Horsham Museum has unearthed new verses relating to Horsham Gaol that date back to the 1720s. Here, he describes the findings…

Readers may know that I am a collector of antiquarian books and that since taking early retirement, I have pursued my interest in the history of books. Currently, I am undertaking an MA in Book History at UCL.

I often receive catalogues and one of these was sent to me by Christopher Edwards, a former pupil at the old Horsham Manor House school, which once stood opposite Horsham Museum in Causeway. This catalogue contained a small volume, The Merriest Poet in Christendom: or, Chaloner’s Miscellany by Thomas Chaloner. It was written during his Residence in the Excise and also while he was a School Master at New Shoreham and Little Hampton in Sussex, 1732 and includes accounts of Horsham Gaol.

As I now live near New Shoreham and as a former curator at Little Hampton, I was intrigued. The volume also appealed to me because the verses were not great poetry, but more doggerel verses dealing with everyday life, such as running out of toilet paper (or as he called it, ‘bum-fodder’) and the New Shoreham parson who saw more of a bride than he should have done!

There were only four known copies of this book, with this one taking the total to five. Three copies are in UK libraries with one in the USA, but none of these were in Sussex. It seems a pity that there are three poems about spending time in Horsham Gaol which are not known to historians of the town, including William Albery, who researched the history of Horsham Gaol for his book, A Millennium of Facts in the History of Horsham and Sussex 947 – 1947

We know very little about Thomas Chaloner, other than the introduction to the poems by his friend and (probable) lawyer Robert Hartley, who signed the preface with a Lincoln Inn Chambers address. Here, he tells us that Thomas Chaloner was born at Thornham, Norfolk, the great-great grandson of the courtier and poet Sir Thomas Chaloner (d.1615).

Horsham Gaol (©HDC/Horsham Museum)

His parents died when he was 15, so he didn’t attend university, but joined the Excise, which ‘Business he never relish’d rightly, it being repugnant to what he had been used to, and to slavish and mean for his aspiring Genius.’

The book of poetry included works written over the previous 10 years, some of which he appears to have spent at Horsham Gaol for an unmentioned crime. It may be that he stopped being an Excise man because of this crime, instead becoming a School Master at ports of New Shoreham and Little Hampton, which at that time had not been developed.

Horsham Gaol was the County Gaol for Sussex. It stood at the top end of the Carfax, where the old Post Office stood more recently, before it closed down and moved into WHSmith. The new

Gaol

This poem was written about 10 days after Chaloner was confined to Horsham

‘Little is known about life at Horsham Gaol for the prisoners.’

County Gaol was built in 1640, though had to be rebuilt by 1649, due to corrupt builders. In 1729, the building was described as ‘at the North end of the market place stand the gaol built of free stone and crenelled on top,’ meaning it looked a little like a castle. But very little is known about life there for the prisoners, so these poems give a flavour of life and, for that reason, are essential records. We know that prisoners had to pay for their own food and lodging, or be reliant on charities. One poem thanks Charles Eversfield for providing food.

There is a famous print by Hogarth showing ladies looking on at prisoners and mad folk at Bedlam – a short verse here shows that such ‘entertainment’ was given to the people of

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Horsham, who probably paid the gaoler a fee for doing so. A letter written in the 1750s mentions that prisoners walked in chains through the town each Sunday for church service, standing in the aisle for all to pity or gawp at. Public shaming was part of polite society.

Thomas left the gaol thanks to Eversfield, who was Horsham’s MP and lived at Denne Park House. As Justice of the Peace, he released him after receiving some verses, which suggests that the crime was either minor or one of debt. As I couldn’t risk breaking the binding of the book to take good photos or the verses (it’s 292 years-old, fragile and expensive!) we have instead sourced some photos of Horsham Gaol for this feature instead. n

Horsham Gaol

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LARD ALMIGHTY

HORSHAM FC WELCOMES FIRST GENERAL MANAGER

Horsham Football Club has appointed Leighton Mitchell as its first General Manager. Having spent most of his career working at a Premier League Club, Leighton aims to help Horsham develop its community links as it strives to move up the leagues.

How is Horsham FC currently faring?

Horsham FC has come on leaps and bounds since moving to its new stadium in 2019. Last season was a good one, with the club reaching the Isthmian Premier Division play-offs (for promotion to National League South), winning the Sussex Senior Cup and reaching the 2nd Round of the FA Cup, with the 1st Round tie and replay against Barnsley giving the club some of the most memorable nights in its history. Every season has to begin with a target of promotion and Horsham coach Dominic di Paolo has compiled a strong squad for the 2024/25 campaign. After a promising start, we are in a good position to challenge. Another cup run would be wonderful, although we have a tough 1st Round fixture away at Chesterfield.

What experience have you brought to the role?

‘I hope we can tap into the appetite for football in Sussex.’

I spent more than 20 years at Southampton FC. During that time, I led merchandising and licensing aspects of the club and held different commercial responsibilities as part of the senior management team. For most of my time there, Southampton played in the Premier League, but the club also had seasons in the Championship and League One. We played Inter Milan at the San Siro after qualifying for the Europa League, but I was also there when the club entered administration, so it was quite a rollercoaster!

You have worked in other sports too?

After leaving Southampton FC, I did consultancy work in rugby and cricket before joining Peterborough United FC as Head of Operations. I spent 18 months as interim CEO there, which proved a good grounding as I was overseeing every aspect of the club, with the highlight coming last April, when Peterborough won the Bristol Street Motors Trophy at Wembley. Running a professional club is difficult as every day presents fresh challenges and tough choices. People would be surprised at how few full-time, non-playing members of staff work at clubs, even at the top level.

What was it about Horsham that appealed?

On a personal note, I was looking for a new challenge after 25 years at professional clubs. I absolutely love the game and felt that, at a non-league outfit, I could become more invested

in the club’s journey and hopefully contribute to it reaching the next level. After applying for the position, I met Chairman Kevin Borrett and members of the board and was amazed by the positivity surrounding the club and its aspirations for the future.

Have you set targets for the coming years?

One of our aims is to grow the family-friendly atmosphere and strengthen community ties. If you look at what Crawley has achieved and Brighton’s success in the Premier League, football in Sussex is on the rise. I hope we can tap into this appetite for football, as few non-league clubs have as much potential as Horsham. We’re also focusing on improving the match-day experience. We already have a fantastic

clubhouse serving local beers, soft drinks, hot drinks and good food. However, we can improve merchandising and improve the match day experience for supporters, sponsors and partners. We recently introduced a new partnership programme that will help us to work with companies of all sizes and support their business objectives. As part of this, we’ve opened up the 1881 Lounge for hospitality with a welcome drink, two-course meal, drink and match day tickets only £99 for two people.

Do you have a long-term plan?

We are working on a five-year strategy and this comes after a period when the club has enjoyed exponential growth. Now, it’s about sitting down and defining who we want to be and what success might look like going forward. We have

to be careful not to focus solely on the here and now, but also what we would like to achieve in future. However, things can change quickly in football and I’ve seen fantastic five-year strategies unravel after a run of poor results, so you have to be ready to adapt.

The club also has a women’s team and a strong youth section?

We have a great programme now, with Horsham Women faring well in their first full season in the Sussex County Women & Girls’ League, and youth teams from Under-12 to Under-18s. Developing this programme alongside the Senior squad is not easy but we want to be a community club. We are getting there and it has been great to see many youngsters supporting the Seniors on a Saturday afternoon.

Why do you see such potential?

The club has a great group of supporters, as well as a friendly and committed team of staff and volunteers who have created a fantastic atmosphere. I can’t stress enough how much work has been done long before my arrival to create a positive atmosphere, and my aim is simply to build on this. Compared to what I’ve seen in the professional game, Horsham FC offers a friendly match day experience. Sometimes, stadiums can be intimidating places, especially for families with young children. However, the atmosphere at Horsham is fantastic. People support the club the right way and the fans, led by the Lardy Army, show their appreciation in the right way and set an example for others to follow. It’s an awful lot cheaper than watching a top-level game too, yet the standard at Isthmian Premier level is high. People who haven’t been along for a while will be impressed by the quality of the football. We would encourage anyone who has thought about watching a match to come down, as I’m sure they will enjoy it.

WORDS: Ben Morris

PHOTOS: John Lines

Further information:

l Horsham’s next home game is against Dartford on Saturday 16 November, 3pm. For a full fixture list visit the website at www.horshamfc.co.uk For details about sponsorship and hospitality, email: commercial@horshamfc.co.uk

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SHINING LIGHT

Tyson London is a decorative lighting and bespoke furniture specialist based in Horsham. Thanks to its incredible array of handcrafted pieces, the company works with some of the world’s leading interior designers.

AAH met founder Tyson Bennison to find out more…

What do you do at Tyson London?

We’re a leading supplier of lamps, lights and furniture, working with interior designers both in the UK and around the world. While major retailers have more customers than we do, they don’t maintain a stock of 600 different lamps made with from a wide range of materials in a variety of colours, putting us in a unique position. We also create furniture and decorative accessories, from bespoke wrought-iron tables and mirrors to hand-blown squiggle vases and onyx bowls.

Why do you appeal to interior designers?

Designers seek out unique items that can’t be picked up off the shelf of a High Street store. They may be seeking a lamp or a piece of

furniture made with a certain material to a specific size and colour. We’re very hands-on with our clients and treat them as friends, so we do our utmost to meet their demands through our in-house team of metalworkers, fabricators and glass-blowers.

You offer glass-blowing?

We have a highly skilled glass-blower with many years of experience. Many of the finest glass-blowers in the world today are women, creating beautifully coloured and textured work. However, these tend to be smaller, ornamental pieces, and one of Phil’s talents is in shaping larger pieces. When you’re rotating heavy glass at the end of a six-foot pole in a furnace burning at 1,000 degrees Celsius, you need strength to manoeuvre and manipulate the glass. He does this, creating vases and lamp bases in countless colours. However, glass-blowing is expensive and recently our energy costs have soared from £1800 a month to about £5800. Unlike on the continent, we haven’t received any government support and that’s why glass-blowing is a dying art.

Mary

and Tyson

Are all of your lamps created with glass?

As well as making our own glass lamps, we buy antiques, with a keen interest in pieces that originate in China and Japan, transforming them into functional lamps. It is unusual to take a 200-year-old antique worth thousands of pounds and bore a hole through it to create a lamp base, but that’s exactly what we do! In years to come, I expect one will appear on The Antiques Roadshow and an expert will remark about some idiot

drilling through it! However, we like to create something new for clients that utilises the antique’s beauty.

Do you have overseas clients?

We are a great export success story and half our sales come from abroad. Our clients include designers, private home owners, boutique businesses and even small hotels and guest houses. Labour costs are high in the UK and Brexit has made shipping more difficult, but there are still people who are happy to pay more for high quality British manufacturing.

Many of your pieces feature minerals… I’m fascinated by the beauty of rare minerals. Several times each year, I travel to a rural part of Brazil and buy minerals including agate and quartz directly from the miners. I buy a variety of rocks, some small and others 80cm in diameter, before

MEADOWS WELLBEING

Osteopathy, Complementary & Alternative Therapies

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they’ve even been split. There’s risk involved in this strategy, as some can be relatively featureless. However, others reveal amazing colour and clarity and I feel like a child on Christmas morning! I love Brazil and its people, but travelling to remote areas can be extremely dangerous.

How do you use these minerals?

Some make for interesting ornamentals, such as agate slices, which come in a variety of colours including blue, brown and black. We also have paperweights and bookends made from rose quartz, green fluorite, pink Rhodonite, amethyst and other minerals, while the biggest agate slices can even be used as table tops. We also use minerals in hanging lights and chandeliers, while onyx makes stunning decorative bowls. We also have a contact in Perugia, Italy, who works with alabaster, which offers a subtle, sculptural blend of colours and can be used to create beautiful spherical lamp bases. By using these materials, we can create even more unique products for clients.

Where does your passion stem from?

I was born and raised in Brisbane and as a child was obsessed with interiors. I must have been the only teenage boy in Australia who subscribed to World of Interiors Magazine! When I was 14, I came across a talented street artist and asked him to paint my house. When my dad came

The

home, he found this artist up a ladder painting cherubs and clouds on the ceiling! My mum was quite obsessive when it came to interior design and dad collected antiques, so they both inspired me in certain ways. However, I carved out my own path and on my 18th birthday, paid $50 to change my surname from Smith to Bennison, in honour of Geoffrey Bennison, who in my opinion is the greatest ever interior decorator.

What brought you to England?

‘As a teenager in Australia, I was obsessed with interiors!’

I was employed as a rugby coach and taught at Eton for a while, but education wasn’t for me. Thirty years ago, Eton was full of antique shops and I loved browsing the town, buying bits and pieces. The idea of trading in antiques seemed like a wonderful thing to do for a living, so I set up a stall at Portobello Road Market. Having bought knick-knacks from sale rooms, I set up my stall and sold out within an hour. I was a fixture at Saturday’s market for several years, gradually developing my knowledge of antiques. I still love antiques and can’t resist unique pieces of furniture or tribal art that catch my eye. Building on the success of the market, I opened a shop on Fulham Road. When customers started asking for more of certain things, I found a workshop specialising in reproductions. That worked for a while, but employing people with different skills was costly and time consuming, so I established my own workshop in Battersea. Eventually, we had an eight-strong team which included metalworkers, electricians and decorators.

When did the business shift from retail to trade?

We were based next door to Philip Treacy, the famous milliner, who became a good friend of ours. His array of hats and haute couture attracted the great and the good, and many visited our workshop too. So, we’ve sold to every style icon you can imagine! That was how the business took off and how we attracted leading designers too.

Why move to Horsham?

‘We have discussed opening a new showroom in Horsham.’

Mary had joined the business, having previously worked as a nurse, to oversee the administrative aspects, allowing me to focus solely on the

creative process. As our three children were getting older, we needed more space at home, so decided to move out of London. A relative of Mary’s introduced us to Horsham and we fell in love with it. We found a beautiful house in the town centre which took us a year to renovate, but we’re now settled as a family.

Have you considered opening a shop again?

The pandemic has changed how business is conducted, so not having a showroom isn’t the end of the world and most of our business is done online. Clients simply tell us what they would like and we let them

know if it’s feasible and what the cost will be. We have a website where people can buy from us at retail rates, but our trade prices are much more competitive. However, we have discussed opening a showroom in Horsham one day. The town is moving forward and has a great feel to it, so maybe the right time will come. n

WORDS: Ben Morris

PHOTOS: Alan Wright

Further information:

For more details about the range of products, visit the website at: https://tyson.london/ Tel: 0207 720 9331 Email: tyson@tyson.london

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MEAT & GREET

THE PORKY BLINDERS ARE HERE AS THE HORSHAM BUTCHERY OPENS

The Horsham Butchery opened in the Bishopric in September, with the speciality butchers supplying local, free-range and pasture-fed meat. AAH met co-owners Gary Core and Alex Emmett to find out more…

When did you begin your journey as butchers?

Alex: We met about 16 years ago at Rawlings of Cranleigh, where we both served as apprentices. After leaving to pursue other things, we both returned to the butcher’s and as we became closer friends, discussed ideas for the future. We both had ambitions to run our own business and our vision and ethos aligned. We sat down with my brother, who became our business partner, and wrote down all the ideas that we’d formulated over many years. This gave us the courage to fulfil our ambition and open our first butcher’s shop.

What was your vision for the business?

Gary: We had ideas as to how we presented the produce and established an ethos that smashed some of the stereotypes associated with the trade. Butchery is one of the oldest professions in the world and has traditional values, but we wanted to blend these with a more contemporary approach. From the outset, we worked closely with farms, developing relationships with local producers so that we

can trace the meat’s journey, from field to fork. By working with trusted suppliers with good animal welfare practices in place, we could inform our customers and serve them with the best produce. Butchers face many questions from customers and we wanted to answer them with confidence.

Where did you open your first shop?

Alex: Our idea was to identify a market town where there would be demand for an independent butcher’s. We found an ideal unit in Dorking and everything happened quickly. When we opened in February 2016, we had a sense of imposter syndrome and it was a real baptism of fire. Although we were experienced butchers,

nothing could prepare us for being business owners. There’s no handbook for it and the first few years were a rollercoaster! However, we soon settled and The Dorking Butchery was named Best New Butchery Business at the Butcher’s Shop of the Year Awards 2016 and Butcher of the Year at the Surrey Life Food & Drink Awards for two consecutive years. We have also earned Great Taste awards, including two stars for our signature burger, made with rare-breed, dry-aged beef.

You have a distinctive uniform…

Gary: The uniform was important as we wanted to create the right image. When we started out, most butchers still wore trilby hats, but we wanted to get away from that. I had an idea of taking inspiration from the dandy style of the Teddy Boys of the 1950s, with big quiffs and collars, but we didn’t hit on the right look. It wasn’t until Alex visited New York and saw someone wearing braces and a flat cap that everything fell into place. We also wear aprons made from quality leather, which gives us a distinctive look. When we popped into Dorking town during breaks, people started to recognise us, helping us establish the brand. At around the same time, Peaky Blinders became a hugely popular show, so we earned the nickname Porky Blinders!

You also present beef a certain way…

Gary: The presentation of our shops is important and that includes how we present ourselves and engage with customers. Our shops are very clean and welcoming and customers are less exposed to the butchery side. We present speciality meats clearly and the dates of our dry-aged beef is clearly marked. Traditionally, a butcher’s can be quite an intimidating environment, which is why some people prefer to buy from a supermarket where they don’t need to engage with anyone. We create a more welcoming space and encourage conversation where people can ask us questions about the produce

or even for cooking suggestions. On our website, we describe the various cuts of beef and provide cooking tips too, so we try to help in any way we can.

The Horsham Butchery is your third opening?

Gary: We opened a second butcher’s in Guildford in 2020 and now we’re in Horsham too, so the expansion has been gradual. We considered Horsham for our first opening in 2016, as it’s an historic market town with a good demographic. Since then, the town has changed

with new developments offering an attractive option for families – including both of ours –to move into. We strolled through town on a Saturday morning and were amazed how busy it was. The Bishopric was appealing as we saw other excellent independent businesses such as Gwyn’s Bakery, Johansson’s Café and Valsa Gelato had been established and were benefiting from the footfall of John Lewis and Waitrose. So, when Apache Menswear relocated, we felt that the unit was the perfect spot for our third butcher’s. From the moment we arrived, neighbouring businesses, Horsham BID and customers have been wonderful, making us feel very welcome.

Monza Sport is an approved service dealer for Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Abarth and now Jeep, offering the highest levels of customer satisfaction.

We offer servicing, repairs, warranty work and MOT on Fiat, Abarth, Alfa Romeo and Jeep. Also, air-con re-gas, tyres and 4 wheel alignment. We have a waiting area with Wi-Fi and are near the Red Lion pub – alternatively we have modern low mileage courtesy cars available for our customers.

We have a vastly experienced Service Manager in Keith Avey and one of the country’s best technicians and diagnostic experts in Kevin Riddles. On four occasions we’ve topped the JD Power customer satisfaction surveys for Alfa Romeo.

(*No.1 out of 165 Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Chrysler Jeep dealers for customer satisfaction in the UK, Jan - Mar 2018)

Was it always the plan to expand?

Alex: We were perfectly content with one butcher’s shop and we thought we had made it! However, we had a talented team of young butchers who were hungry to succeed, much as we were, and we wanted to offer a career pathway for them. The best way to do that was to open other shops to provide managerial roles and in turn give opportunities to young apprentices to learn a good trade and begin their own journey. There are now 20 people involved in the business and Lewis, who joined us at the beginning, now manages the Dorking branch, while a former winner of the Young Butcher of the Year title will soon manage the Horsham team.

Are you working with local suppliers?

Alex: Traditionally, the backbone of the UK economy has been agriculture, but for many farmers, the route to market has become complicated. The pressure of supermarket quotas has seen many resort to intensive grain farming and with price becoming the dominant factor, much of this country’s produce is exported, while we buy from overseas. There is another way or working which is far better, that not only encourages regenerative farming methods to minimise environmental impacts, but also offers better-quality meat. As a nation, we produce fantastic beef and the Scottish in particular have a reputation for producing some of the best, as cattle graze in open pasture. You only need to look at a map to see how much of Sussex and Surrey is dominated by agriculture. So, we have established partnerships with some excellent local producers using regenerative methods. These include Sussex beef from Burgess Hill, lamb from Horsham, pork from Ockley, chicken from Leith Hill and traditional Scotch beef from Box Hill.

Is local produce more expensive?

Gary: One of our local producers is a poultry farmer who provides us with superb chickens that cost about £20, rather than the £5 you might pay at a

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Consider benefits of independent surveys

With every mortgage, the lender will require to know that they are lending money on a property that is suitable security and that could return their loan, should they need it. This will entail a valuation and normally a surveyor will visit the subject property.

This is a fairly basic valuation and is for the lender, possibly paid for by the borrower, and it should not be relied upon as a guarantee that the property is sound and fit for purpose. It only responds to the questions lenders ask relating to the property being suitable security for mortgage purposes. They have no obligation to tell you what is in the report or give you a copy!

In some cases, the surveyor may not actually visit. This is because they can often access detailed information electronically, normally called an Automated Valuation Model (AVM) or desktop valuation, where a mathematical system calculates the property’s value based on a number of comparable properties and other in-depth calculations from online. Therefore, you should always consider the benefit of an independent survey on the property you are purchasing to ensure that defects are noted before signing contracts. There are a number of survey types available, aside from the standard lender mortgage valuation, but the most popular tend to be:

1) RICs Home Survey Level 2 (previously known as a Homebuyer report). Set out by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). This will not focus on every aspect of the property as a building survey will (see below), but will advise on urgent matters needing attention. It may advise if items (a leaky roof for example) might have an adverse effect on the value of the property, or if further investigations are required.

2) RICs Home Survey Level 3 (previously known as a Building Survey). An in-depth survey for all properties. The surveyor will examine all accessible parts of the property and advise on technical information, including the condition relative to age, further investigations required, and provide extensive information on major or minor defects.

Both will comment on whether the agreed asking price is reasonable, whether it reflects the condition of the property and should give you peace of mind whilst making the biggest purchase of your life!

YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED

supermarket. However, they’re totally different birds. You don’t need to drain our chickens of water and the breast is plump and succulent. When you taste it, you know you’re eating good chicken!

Alex: Cheap does not equal value and while the cost might not be paid at the till, it will be paid elsewhere, perhaps by the farmer not getting a fair deal or by the consumer in terms of the product they’re eating. As with fruit and vegetables, people don’t always appreciate the time and effort that goes into farming quality produce. While it can cost more, you help tip the scales towards more sustainable local economy every time you buy from a local producer.

Do you have plans for further expansion?

Alex: We will soon be taking on a new production unit which will allow us to control consistency and give us the scope to serve all three of our butcheries. Perhaps further down the line, there is the potential for us to offer a delicatessen, if space becomes available, which will provide even more employment opportunities and new partnerships with local producers. n

WORDS: Ben Morris

PHOTOS: Alan Wright

Further information: Visit the The Horsham Butchery at 9 Bishopric, Horsham, RH12 1QA Tel: (01403) 461268 info@thehorshambutchery.co.uk thehorshambutchery.co.uk

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FARLINGTON NURSERY CELEBRATES

Little Farlington celebrated its first anniversary with a party on 18 September.

Farlington is an independent school on the outskirts of Horsham, welcoming day and boarding pupils aged four - 18. In 2018, the school welcomed boys for the first time and six years on, there are boys in every year group.

In September 2023, the school also launched a nursery, Little Farlington, for children aged six months to four-years-old.

The success of the first year was celebrated with a party for staff, children and their families, who enjoyed magic and games from entertainer Excellent Emma, as well as face-painting and birthday cake. James Passam, Headmaster, said: ‘Little Farlington has had a positive impact on the entire school and strengthened our primary provision. Many parents have older children in the school

are now they are able to bring their younger children to the nursery. This really helps them to balance work with family responsibilities, and with the nursery open 51 weeks a year, we can support them all-year-round.’

‘The nursery benefits our older pupils too. Those who express an interest in childcare as a profession have been able to volunteer at the nursery, which has given them invaluable insights. We find that pre-school children often relate to older pupils in a different way to adult staff and it’s wonderful to see that close connection. Now, we can nurture children from when they’re babies and toddlers, all the way through their educational journey to Sixth Form, getting to know their strengths and challenges and ensuring their outcomes – academic, pastoral and co-curricular – are the best they can be.’

PIONEERING NURSERY

Prior to September 2023, there was a nursery on the Farlington site run by Little Barn Owls, who also have nurseries in Southwater, Horsham and West Grinstead. With the conclusion of Little Barn Owls’ lease, Farlington decided to integrate the nursery with the rest of the school, and Little Farlington was born. Jo Hiscock, who has over 30 years’ experience in childcare, was appointed Nursery Manager and has

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 war mth and crackle of log-bur ning stoves

Current Opening times: Monday to Sunday 9am to 4pm Food Service: 9am to 3pm

Tel: 01403 732539

There’s plenty of play time at Little Farlington

RESTORING YOUR TREASURED MEMORIES

If you’re seeking a thoughtful gift for a lovedone this Christmas, then how about converting old recordings on to a modern format?

Most of us have a box full of VHS cassettes or even 8mm cine-reel from holidays, school plays, parties, weddings and other special occasions that are not compatible with modern technology. Horsham-based business Lost in the Loft transfers analogue formats into digital ones, using broadcast standard equipment and software such as Final Cut Pro to restore footage, enhancing sharpness, improving colour and correcting audio.

Vic Chase, who founded the business in 2008, said: ‘For the first few years, we were taking camcorder and VHS tapes, and cine-reel, and

putting them on to DVD. Some clients still prefer DVDs, especially those who struggle with computers. However, most want a digital file now, typically a memory stick containing MP4 files. It means they can then send the footage to friends and family around the world.’

While there are companies offering a similar service online, being local has many benefits for Lost in the Loft. There is a risk with sending original formats in the post to be handled by web-based digital converters. Vic said: ‘There is intrinsic value in these old videos and cine reels, so it’s nice for customers to meet me and see the editing suite. I live in Horsham, so they know their tapes are not going far. For me, it’s wonderful to reunite people with their lost memories.’

loved the experience. She said: ‘The role appealed to me as I love helping a new nursery establish an ethos and developing a team that can consolidate these principles.’

‘We’ve created a welcoming, nurturing environment that utilises the natural surroundings at Farlington. When children step inside the nursery, they’re not confronted with bold colours or bright lights, but calm lighting, wooden furniture and natural resources such as pine cones that they have found while exploring the grounds. They love being outside, so we bring some of the natural world inside!’

The nursery has three rooms, each aimed at children of different ages. The first is for children as young as six months. When they’re ready, they progress to another room where they can enjoy more independence. They stay here until the year before they start school, when they join the pioneers class. In addition to an early years curriculum, children enjoy music, art, dance and modern foreign language lessons with specialist teachers from the main school.

Ros Clayson, Head of Lower School and Little Farlington, said: ‘The pre-reception class is right next to the reception class, which provides them with a smooth transition. Children see their friends from the previous year in reception and become familiar with the teachers too,

so when September comes, they move on with confidence and the jump to ‘big school’ is less daunting than it might otherwise have been. Our youngest learners are given other opportunities to interact with Lower School pupils too, whether that’s eating lunch in the dining hall, playing in the Forest Schools area or taking part in school productions, such as the annual nativity play.’

OUTDOOR FUN

The flexibility of the nursery helps parents maintain a healthy work/life balance. Madeleine Cole has three children at Farlington and the school nurtures their various talents, which range from horse riding to football and theatre. Madeleine said: ‘As working parents, there is great appeal in us being able to drop off the children before 8am and picking them up after 4pm, knowing they’re safe and happy. It’s also nice to see pupils integrating, so my youngest two get to see their big sister at lunch time!’

Many parents also expressed gratitude to the nursery staff, who not only provide a wide range of opportunities and activities, but have such affection for the children. Katie Mullin’s daughter Grace was the first baby at Little Farlington, joining when she was only six-months-old. Katie said: ‘During the early weeks, I was constantly looking at the news feed on my phone as I was worried about leaving Grace at such a young age. Now, I don’t worry as much as the staff are wonderful and I trust them completely. When Grace sees them, her face lights up and while she’s always pleased to see me, she often doesn’t want to go home!’

Storm Clarke also praised staff for

FAMILY FEEL

The addition of a nursery is just one aspect of an exciting period, in which Farlington has perhaps undergone more changes than at any time in its 128-year history. This includes joining Bellevue Education (a group of 19 independent schools), becoming a co-educational school and welcoming its first male Headteacher in 2021.

James Passam said: It is only natural that it would take a short while for some to adapt to Farlington being co-ed, having been a girls’ school for more than a century, but now we have some year groups with more boys than girls, and all year groups throughout the entire school have over 40% boys in them. We have

also reshaped our curriculum as we prepare pupils for careers of the future. Our development plan focuses on three key areas, one of which is to provide a Future Ready Education, giving pupils the technical and soft skills they need to succeed.’

‘We also promote a culture of personal growth, helping pupils maintain good physical and mental health, with opportunities for sport, fitness, dance, creative arts, healthy eating and a focus on the outside world. Last year, we introduced a Scholarships programme, sponsoring five Sixth Form students to travel to America for the Harvard Model United Nations Conference. We’re trying to go beyond the ordinary and create opportunities for our pupils. Our third focus is what we call Our Farlington

Worried about paying for care?

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Family, creating a home from home where meaningful relationships develop. This is about making every child feel safe and cared for and the nursery is an important part of that. The Farlington family is what makes our school so special.’

WORDS: Ben Morris PHOTOS: Alan Wright

Further information: Visit farlingtonschool.com or email admissions@farlingtonschool.com

Nursery & Reception Open Morning: Thursday 14th November 2024 Whole School Open Morning: Saturday 1st March 2025 Visit farlingtonschool.com to book.

Headteacher James Passam and Nursery Manager

Jo Hiscock cut the birthday cake

(©AAH/AW)

FINAL WORD

HENFIELD COMPUTER CLUB HELPS MEMBERS STAY SAFE ONLINE

Dawn Butcher & Sue Willis

Henfield Computer Club is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The club helps people with their computer queries and hosts workshops covering a range of topics...

It all started when a number of reconditioned computers were donated to Henfield. A subgroup of Henfield Community Partnership, Action for Older People organised an information day where the main topic was ‘Getting Connected’ and addressed the difficulties many older people had in using a computer and getting online.

They were amazed that 61 people came along and after presentations and demonstrations, over 20 were interested in ongoing support. Two training sessions were organised, but it became clear that individual needs and interests varied widely. This was how the Computer Club was born. Rose, part of the original team, is still with us and makes sure we have a cuppa and delicious biscuits when we meet.

The meetings were held at the Leisure Centre for the first couple of years but this was then redeveloped as a soft play area and the club had to find another venue. The Garden Room at Henfield Hall was ideal but the hall had no Wi-Fi. A couple of the club’s mentors made it their mission to address this and today the hall has excellent Wi-Fi throughout the building.

At about that time, the club moved from being run by Action for Older People and became an independent group open to anyone, but remained under the umbrella of Henfield Community Partnership. Today, the club has over 140 members and 15 mentors. We offer support on all types of devices, smart phones, tablets and laptops irrespective of whether they’re Apple, Windows or Android devices.

The club is not only a place to come to learn or get help but also somewhere to meet others socially. Our mentors are kind, caring and supportive individuals that take time to listen to members to understand their requirements. We aren’t computer geeks but between us have a wealth of experience that we are happy to share. The club is unique in the Horsham

District and members come from far and wide. The club has regular presentations and workshops with key topics, often suggested by members. The themes cover a wide subject matter and have included; how to stay safe online, online banking and shopping, managing passwords, digital library services, how to set up the NHS app, introduction to social media, to name a few. We assist members in all sorts of ways, such as helping if they’ve affected by a scam, changing a service provider, renewing a driving licence or using a new App. Anything goes! If we don’t know the answer, we ask one of the other mentors or find out. Sometimes, it’s simply a little help that’s needed to build confidence with what one already knows.

‘We aren’t computer geeks but between us have a wealth of experience.’

We followed the introduction with a workshop for anyone wishing to have assistance in the use of the workbook. Over 60 people signed up to this workshop, 35 attended the first workshop and we are now preparing the second. We can provide further assistance on a one to one basis at our club meetings.

By joining, members also receive a monthly newsletter. This includes tips and advice, exposing the latest scams, details of future presentations and reference to previous ones too. New for this year is the recycling basket, where members can drop off new or unwanted items such as printer cartridges and tablet covers. Members help themselves and leave a small donation.

Our talks are open not just to members but anyone interested. We publicise these on the Computer Club and Love Henfield Facebook pages and in our local magazine, BN5. Our last presentation was an update on the Digital Legacy talk that we ran last year. This time, we also included an introduction to the “My Future Care” interactive workbook, an aid to prepare for one’s future. It’s an excellent publication produced by local social enterprise, My Care Matters (mycarematters.org)

If you are interested in joining the Computer Club, as a member or mentor, we meet in the Garden Room, Henfield Hall every Wednesday 10am – 12pm. Whether member or mentor, we all find we are all still learning! Annual membership is £5 and £2 any week you attend (includes refreshments). To find out more, email henfieldcomputerclub@gmail.com or pop along one Wednesday to meet us.

Henfield Computer Club helps its members with all types of devices, smart phones, tablets and laptops

Have you seen the signs?

We sell 80% of the properties we advertise* If you want to move, try using the agency that's most likely to get you sold and moved.

*Compared to the local average of 60% in the year to April 24.

ALL CHANGE FOR LANDLORDS?

Sophie Windsor Lettings Manager

21,286 homes are privately rented in Horsham District

Rental demand continues to outstrip supply

The Renters’ Rights Bill will impact the rental market

Correct property management has never been more important

How

will the upcoming changes to lettings legislation and the rental market affect you?

The rental market continues to see demand outstripping supply, which is not surprising when you consider that the number of private rented households in Horsham has increased by 37.3% over the last decade. Being a landlord is therefore an important role within the community and one that private tenants rely on. However, there are changes ahead which all landlords should be aware of to ensure that their rental assets are protected and that they can continue letting within the requirements of the law.

The upcoming Renters’ Rights Bill, which is expected to come into force by spring/summer 2025, contains a number of changes such as the removal of Section 21 notices, the removal of fixed-term tenancies, and a change in the grounds for seeking to regain possession of rental property. Henry Adams has created informative guides to help landlords understand the upcoming changes, but the importance of a robust tenancy agreement, detailed professional inventory, and correct management of a property has never been so critical.

Our professional lettings and property management team has a 5-star landlord rating because we ensure that our landlords (and their tenants) are protected whenever changes arise. If you are a landlord concerned about the impact of the Renters’ Rights Bill or just want to understand how you can ensure your rental property is best protected in the ever-changing market, we would love to help!

Call us today to sign up for our free Renters’ Rights Bill Guides, or to arrange an up to date market appraisal of your property: 01403 282500