AAH Magazine November

AAH ALL ABOUT HORSHAM MAGAZINE

Magic Melodies Can folk band Stick in a Pot conjure up something special?

Christmas Edition Festive Gifts Special Barns Green Half Marathon The Greets Inn Review Haunted Horsham Fireworks Display Pictures

The Pass wins first star

For the first time in seven years, the Horsham district has a Michelin star restaurant.

The Pass restaurant at South Lodge Hotel in Lower Beeding has been awarded its first Michelin star.

The Michelin guide is arguably the most revered restaurant guide amongst chefs, restaurant critics and guests alike.

In 2005, Sawyards in Storrington held a Michelin star but closed just a year after opening. The Ockenden Manor in Cuckfield, near Haywards Heath, has held a star for several years, while Gravetye Manor in East Grinstead lost its star after four years of holding one from 2005.

Matt Gillan, Head Chef at The Pass, said: “I

feel truly honoured. To be awarded a Michelin star is a remarkable achievement. I am immensely proud of the team. It just goes to show that hard work does pay off!”

The Pass opened in November 2008 following a multi-million pound investment programme at the hotel. It was awarded 3 AA rosettes only three months after opening and has retained them ever since.

The restaurant, one of two at the hotel, the other being The Camellia - was also ranked as number 29 in the 2012 Which?

Good Food Guide’s top 50 restaurants.

The Pass has taken the chef’s table concept and transformed it into a 22 cover restaurant situated in the heart of the

kitchen. Guests are able to watch the chefs as they work and LCD screens are installed to ensure that they see their food prepared, cooked and presented.

Head Chef, Matt Gillan (Gordon Ramsay in London and Midsummer House Restaurant in Cambridge) offers a selection of four, five, six and eight course tasting menus, adapted for both lunch and dinner.

Dishes include Lamb, rhubarb and turnip; mackerel, smoked eel and onion and cauliflower, risotto and chive.

For dessert, choose from options such as amedei chocolate, milk, pecan and coffee and meringue, lemon and tarragon.

For details visit the South Lodge website at www.southlodgehotel.co.uk

Orphans have taught me how to play again

Chris Connors, Group Director

Many of us forget what it is like to be a child………

Having just got back from the orphanage in Ubombo, South Africa, it was our intention to bring two of the children over for a life changing experience to attend Pound Hill Infant School in Crawley.

Unfortunately the powers that be would not grant the visas, so the trip is on hold. So I stayed there with the children for a week and just played…

I remembered my Mum and Dad on a sunny day making a slide out of a piece of plastic and us stripping off and placing washing up liquid on our

bums and whizzing down the make shift slide with such joy.

The sun was shining, so only one challenge - where to get a piece of plastic! After two hours of driving I found some. So much happiness check out The CoCo’s Foundation on Facebook and follow the Youtube link to see.

The children thought I was mad, but I got one of the older boys to get his swimming shorts on and put the washing up liquid on and with one great push he flew down the makeshift slide. Madness followed and all the children shot down the slide one after another.

They have taught me to play again!

You can view old editions of AAH in full at www.aahorsham.co.uk.

The website also has a news section and events diary.

The

Truth is out there

Editor Ben Morris and Photographer Toby Phillips on a late night ghost watch at Chanctonbury Ring. They were everywhere - you just have to wear 3D glasses to see them...

There are occasions when AAH calls on the expertise of Jeremy Knight, curator of Horsham Museum.

He provided us with details for the Horrible Horsham feature in June’s edition, and for the well received pieces on the First World War that formed a significant part of our July and August editions.

But on our last visit, Jeremy laughed at our request, related to a Halloween special! “I’m constantly being asked to give talks about ghosts and ghouls in Horsham,” he said. “The first thing I say to people is that there aren’t any. It’s nonsense!”

But we ploughed on regardless, visiting two reportedly haunted spots - Chanctonbury Ring and St Leonard’s Forest - after dark. We spoke to people who claimed to have had paranormal experiences.

It was all great fun, and whilst we didn’t find anything other than a tree stump that looked ‘a bit spooky’ we think we’ve put together a feature that you’ll enjoy reading.

You may well conclude though that the truth is out there - in the curator’s office at Horsham Museum!

Toby, however, is less sceptical than Jeremy or I - he claims to have had four ghostly experiences in his life, including a motorbike ‘collision’ with a ghost deer! Don’t worry readers, we’ll get him checked out soon...

Incidentally, the picture above is a perfect example of how easy it is to create a ghostly image. The figures you see are all me wrapped up in a white sheet and it took Toby just a few minutes to add them in the background!

They say the camera never lies, but it does when Toby is involved...

Whilst we were unsuccessful in our quest to uncover paranormal activity, perhaps we’ve had better luck in our efforts to provide information on unique gift ideas for Christmas.

Most people will of course be dropping some hints around this time of year, but if you get stuck and start thinking about the CD/cheap DVD /book voucher option, maybe there’s a decent alternative in our list for you...

We hope you enjoy the magazine, our last of the year. It’s been a testing but enjoyable first year for AAH, and we’ll be back in January.

I must express thanks to the AAH photographer Toby for incredible his efforts this year. It’s not only the readers who know that the best thing about the magazine is the pictures...

Ben, Editor

To buy AAH photographs visit Toby’s website at www.tobyphillipsphotography.co.uk

Find our advertising rates at www.aahorsham.co.uk If you want to discuss advertising in AAH, please contact Ben or Kelly on 01403 878026.

We’re happy to design adverts and/or write advertorials.

Quarter page: £100 Half Page: £175 Full Page £300 Double Page: £500

Contents 10 The Top Ten

45 Christmas Gifts

We highlight ten of the best sports clubs for young people in the Horsham district

14 In the Dock

AAH uncovers some of the district’s hidden gems in the run-up to Christmas

54 Hot Chillies

After a pensioner lost his life savings, is it time we put an end to cold calling?

16 Half Marathon

The Partridge Green company selling the world’s hottest chilli plants!

60 Fishers Farm

How the Barns Green Half Marathon has become a hugely popular annual event

20 Events

The district’s leading adventure park is gearing up for Santa’s arrival

64 Capitol Panto

Christmas Events in Southwater and Storrington and more local events

22 Fireworks

AAH interviews the writer and stars of Jack and the Beanstalk

67 Music

Incredible pictures from Horsham Fireworks Display...and a bit of history too!

28 Haunted Horsham

Stick in a Pot, a folk band set up by Horsham’s Piers Blewett, chat to AAH

70 Group Discussion

Are there such things as ghosts and ghouls in St Leonard’s Forest?

34 Devil’s Ring

We meet Horsham Rotary Club during a special fundraising event in Horsham

75 Art

We head up to Chanctonbury Ring, seeking out paranormal activity!

Terry Copping of West Chiltington talks about his stunning portraiture art

78 The Big Quiz

39 The Review AAH tries out The Greets Inn, a delightful pub in the village of Warnham

Editor Ben Morris editor@aahorsham.co.uk 01403 878026 / 01903 892899

07968 795625

Advertising Manager Kelly Morris advertising@aahorsham.co.uk 01403 878026 / 01903 892899

Thank you Jeremy Knight of Horsham Museum, Kate Rollings of Fishers Farm, Gordon Wren for his photos of the Hare and Hounds and Chris Woolgar for photos of Eric Richardson.

Photography: Toby Phillips tobyphillipsphotography.co.uk info@tobyphillipsphotography.co.uk

Contributors Chris Connors (Coco’s Foundation)

Website www.aahorsham.co.uk

Win pantomime tickets and a Drusillas Park family pass in our great quiz

Cover Image We were a little unsure as to how the photo shoot with Stick in a Pot would pan out! We wanted a rural setting - maybe a hay barn and a tractor - to fit their folk sound, but the band could only get together at 8pm so Toby had to work in the dark, and in the vicinity of The Olive Branch pub! It all worked out well in front of the Shelley Fountain, although there is nothing symbolic about the false sorcery!

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AAH News Round-up 1

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1 The Kings Arms in Horsham was among the winners at the Hall and Woodhouse 2011 Business Partnerships Awards.

The Award for Best Beer Quality was won by Lyta Fry and her team at the Kings Arms in Horsham. Lyta has exceeded the Hall and Woodhouse chairman’s expectations, with Mark Woodhouse expressing how delighted he has been with the quality of the beer that the Kings Arms provide.

2 Horsham Rugby Club has just signed a five year sponsorship deal with estate agents Henry Adams’ Horsham office.

As main sponsors of the Club, Henry Adams’ branding will appear on the post protectors, boards, flags and the rugby shirts.

Horsham office partners at Henry Adams, Robert Crawford Clarke

and Howard Ball, commented: “We both enjoy a good game of rugby but we also wanted to support the club. It has a great buzz to it and we feel it’s really going places.”

The club recently relaunched its website at horshamrufc.com 3 The acoustic Battle of the Bands final was held on Sunday, 13th November at The Holbrook Club.

The much-improved Taygan Paxton won the contest ahead of Pip & Tabor and Mailman (pictured) in what was an evening of great music.

4 The opening of Ask at Ye Olde King’s Head Hotel in Horsham’s Carfax has been put back to early next year. When Ask opens, it will be the first time the historic building has been used for business since 2004.

5 Dominic Walheim, Victoria Jacobs, Richard James and Ben Jacobs will be attempting to climb Mount Kilimanjaro next June for Marie Curie Cancer Care. The group, pictured at a recent fundraiser in Southwater, are trying to raise £15,000. To donate please visit their Just Giving page at http://www.justgiving.com/teamkili2012 6 Luke Jibb from Portsmouth, who has been training at the Camelia Botnar Foundation in the metalwork department for the last two years, was the 2011 Winner of the Camelia Botnar Cup at the South of England Show at Ardingly this June.

Luke’s entry was a traditional style boot scraper and he was awarded the cup for being the most promising blacksmith.

7 Award-winning micro-brewery WJ King has become the first brewery in the world to put their head brewer into every pub. Exploiting new technology, the Brewery has added a unique QR code to the pump clip and bottle label of each of its 25 beers. The videos are also available to view at www.kingbeer.co.uk 8 Jolyon Palmer produced a great drive during the GP2 Finals Feature Race at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi to secure his maiden podium on his debut drive for team Addax.

In the second race of the F1 support series on 12th-13th November, the Southwater racer finished fifth. The son of former F1 racer Jonathan, is hoping to earn himself a drive in GP2 for a second season in 2012.

Miss World honour for superb stylists from Strands A team of talented stylists from Strands in Horsham were selected as part of the official Hair Team at the Miss World competition in London.

A team of leading hair stylists from across the globe were carefully selected for the event by Head of Hair and Make-up Andrew Shaun Minarik and ID Hair UK Creative Director Kala Kilshaw-Laing.

The Strands team of Lou, Jen and Brooke helped style models from nations from all over the world. Ivian Sarcos Colmenares from Venezuela was crowned the 61st winner of Miss World, with Miss England and Miss Scotland both making the top seven.

Bruce Forsyth was among the VIP guests with his wife Wilnelia Merced, who was crowned Miss World in 1975, whilst dance group Diversity and boy band Blue performed for the audience at Earls Court Exhibition Centre on Sunday, 6th November.

Lou Edwards, owner of Strands at 5B East Mews off East Street, said: “It was an incredible experience and an honour to be involved in Miss World, working with great hairdressers from across the world, and meeting Diver-

sity was pretty exciting too!”

Strands prides itself on its friendly service, which stems from the extensive experience of its stylists. Jen has been with Strands for 13 years while Brooke and Emma have established long-term relationships with clients through their time at Strands.

Strands uses Scruples and ID Hair colours, which give fantastic results, and Sexyhair products for styling to suit all hair types. Lou, Jen and Brooke are also part of the UK Sexy Art team and educators for Scruples, which has seen them take part in photo shoots and styling demonstrations. They will soon be featured in leading magazine Hair Ideas (Dec/Jan issue).

Lou added: “We believe in giving our clients exactly what they want, so we offer a free consultation which focuses not just on styles, products and colours but also your lifestyle. This is so we can consider the cost and commitment needed to maintain the style and keep the desired look.

“There’s a great feeling to the salon, and we would welcome people to come along to find out why!”

Welcome back Jen!

Strands welcomes back Jen after six months travelling the world. Jen is now back and working full time and looks forward to meeting clients old and new.

5B East Mews, East Street, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1HJ info@strandshairsalon.co.uk 01403 249990

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www.aahorsham.co.uk

Standard Bearer’s Royal day out in

Wootton Bassett On Sunday, 16th October, HRH The Princess Royal Princess Anne handed the title of Royal Wootton Bassett to the town.

Also present for the ceremony were Prime Minister David Cameron and defence secretary Philip Hammond.

For four years the people of Wootton Bassett honoured British servicemen killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, paying their respects to the repatriated dead.

Among the Standard Bearers in the British Legion’s Parade was Eric Harrison from Horsham.

Eric was the sole representative of the Sussex Wing of the RAF Police Association.

Eric told AAH: “I was proud to be there representing the RAF Police Association.

“It was quite a moving occasion.

There were 78 bearers from all over the country gathered in Royal Wootton Bassett and it’s very rare we all get together.”

These days, Eric is a member of the South Downs branch of the Royal Air Force Police Association, a collection of retired and serving officers who meet regularly. Eric also voluntarily helps many different organisations.

His police career began in London in 1965 when he joined the RAF Police, but after five years he left and joined Hampshire and then Sussex Police.

Eric was a Police Sergeant in Horsham for many years. He retired in 2001 but continued in a training role at Sussex police until March of this year.

Now he works as a volunteer for The Sussex Heart charity, which delivers community resuscitation courses across the county.

Eric said: “I think I’m one of those people that fails to step back when they ask for volunteers! I was a cub scout leader for seven years for 10th Horsham Scouts

and I’ve also run training courses at schools including Millais recently.”

Eric recently became a member of the Order of St John in recognition of his charitable work in first aid training - something which was far from expected!

“It came as a surprise to me,” said Eric. “As I understand it somebody from Sussex Police put me forward for the Order, and it arrived on the doorstep in April.

“I thought initially it was a circular and almost threw it away!”

Pictures of Eric Harrison and the parades at Royal Wootton Bassett by Chris Woolgar

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Top 10: Excellent sports clubs for youngsters

Fun and Fitness!

It wasn’t too long ago that the masses began to sympathise with young people who complained about having nothing to do.

Thankfully, the sight of bored-crazy kids lingering in bus stops making spit pools is not so common any more, and the phrase ‘but where are we supposed to go?’ isn’t such an easy excuse.

We have great facilities that are well used and respected by young people, such as the skateparks in Horsham and many of the surrounding villages.

We have groups such as the recently featured 1015 Air Training Corps, numerous amateur dramatics and dancing groups, youth clubs, and of course some fantastic sports clubs.

Here in Horsham, children are a little spoilt for choice. The local organisation and facilities for the big sports - football, cricket, hockey and rugby - are supreme. We also have excellent new facilities for our gymnastics and swimming group, allowing them to maintain healthy memberships.

Unusually, the district also has a couple of extremely successful American sports clubs. The Horsham Junior Baseball Club in the largest baseball club in the country, while the Horsham basketball team has enough members to make not one but three teams!

We look at ten (in no particular order) of the friendly and most accessible clubs out there for youngsters to enjoy!

Horsham Rugby Club

Picture: Chris Woolgar

Horsham Rugby Club has an excellent junior set-up, with the club running teams from under 7s all the way through to under16s.

Once a year the club also hosts a Minis festival, inviting clubs from across the county to compete in a junior tournament at their home pitch at Coolhurst.

3 Picture: Clare Turnbull

Horsham Hockey Club

Picture: Toby Phillips

There is a fantastic team spirit on show at Horsham Junior Baseball Club, with children of all abilities encouraged to participate.

There’s a great family atmosphere to the games, and even though the season is only held during the summer, the club still manages to squeeze in two fun days into the events diary! The games - played in the colours of America’s top teams - are played at Ingfield Manor School in Five Oaks. horshambaseball.co.uk

The club itself has ambitious plans which include building a new changing room facility and a total refurbishment of the existing clubhouse.

Training for the junior teams is held on Sunday mornings at 10.30am.

For more details visit the club’s website at horshamrufc.com

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Horsham Hockey Club is one of the most successful hockey clubs in the south, and it has an excellent Colts set-up too.

The club has teams for both boys and girls from the under 8 mixed team right through to the under 18s, and many of the juniors have progressed to the senior team.

Training is held on Sunday mornings at Broadbridge Heath. For details visit horshamhockey.co.uk

Blue Star Harriers

2 Horsham Junior Baseball Club

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Blue Star Harriers athletics club was formed in 1925 and these days youngsters aged from ten upwards train and compete in most disciplines.

Blue Star welcomes young people of all standards from complete novice to the highest levels and provides a friendly environment.

Club nights are Monday and Wednesday from 6-7pm for new athletes at Broadbridge Heath, which has excellent indoor facilities. Visit horshambluestarharriers.org.uk

The North Sussex Soccer Academy has become increasingly popular in recent years.

Run by respected coach Ted Streeter, the Academy welcomes players aged from four to take part in training and friendly games on Saturday mornings in Horsham Park.

It’s become popular not only for Ted’s coaching methods, but for the pay-as-you-play format, with parents having to pay just £3 per player for the 90 minute training session

from 10am.

Ted, who has strong links to senior football clubs (the Academy recently formed a Partnership with Horsham YMCA), also runs advanced training sessions for players in some age groups. The Academy is also linked with the Horsham Ambassadors football club, one of the many very well run clubs in Horsham’s junior football leagues.

For contact details visit http://horshamleisurelink.co .uk/sports

The Hawks is a basketball club that currently caters for boys and girls aged seven to 14. The Hawks is a friendly club that demonstrates great team spirit and fair play. The club train on Saturdays at Forest School with sessions for both experienced and new players. The three Hawks teams also have a midweek training session. For details see http://horshamhawks.intheteam.com

Horsham Gymnastics Club is run by accredited coaches in an excellent purpose built facility at The Pavilions in Horsham. The club holds classes for children of all ages - including parent and toddler sessions and pre-school classes during the week.

Among the young gymnasts training there is Jocelyn Hunt, a 2010 European Championship silver medallist (above). Visit www.hgc.org.uk for details.

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Picture: Chris Woolgar

Top golf courses have really raised the bar in terms of providing good junior academies in recent years. Slinfold Golf Club has the Launchpad scheme for young players, whilst Horsham Golf and Fitness Club runs the well established Mike York Golf Academy sessions and offers affordable golf for youngsters. At Mannings Heath Golf Club, PGA Pro Carl Watts runs academy coaching.

Comptons Tennis Club

Atlantis Swimming Club recently celebrated its 30th Anniversary and is as strong as ever.

Atlantis offer training and competition for those aged 7 and above at The Pavilions, Billingshurst Leisure Centre and Steyning Leisure Centre.

Several of its swimmers have competed at national and regional level, but the club is well known as a friendly, sociable club, organising several trips and events each year. For more visit www.atlantishorsham.co.uk

Junior Golf Academies

Picture: Ben Morris

Atlantis Swimming Club

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Horsham Gym Club

7 Picture: Victoria Thompson

Horsham Hawks

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Picture: John Lines

Soccer Academy

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Comptons Tennis Club in Lower Beeding has seven courts (three all-weather and four artificial grass), five of which are floodlit.

The club hosts pay as you play group coaching sessions on Saturday mornings for children aged from only five (£5 for non-members) comptonstennisclub.co.uk Junior coaching is also held at Horsham Lawn Tennis Club for juniors of all abilities. See horsham-tennis.co.uk

Just Married Currie & Martinique

Brian Currie and Fleur Martinique, both of Horsham, were married at St Mary’s Church in Horsham on Saturday, 17th September.

Brian, originally from Falkirk in Scotland, is the director of Sound Industry in Horsham. The couple met at a motorcycle club as Brian rides a Ducati and Fleur an Aprilia.

Derek Richards was Brian’s best man. Emma Davies was Fleur’s bridesmaid and Fleur wore a dress designed by Ian Stuart. The couple were driven by Rolls Royce to the reception venue at Rookwood Golf Club where DJ Stu, or Big Stu to his friends, led the pack of seven DJs. The couple honeymooned in St Lucia and will soon be moving to a new home in Horsham.

Picture courtesy of Lusher Photography.

Dexter & Fenn

Matthew Dexter of Horsham and Joanna Fenn, of Selsdon, Croydon, were married at St James Church, Stedham on Friday, 26th August.

Tim Dexter and Ben Morris were Matthew’s best men.

Carolyn Jones, Caroline Coxall, Kylie Butcher and Michelle Butcher were bridesmaids to Joanna.

On a beautiful late summer’s day, the couple were driven to the reception venue at The Walled Garden at Cowdray Park.

The couple’s first dance was to Love You More by JLS and the wedding cake was created by Victoria Taylor Cakes.

The couple honeymooned in The Loire Valley and Koh Samui, Thailand before returning home to Horsham where they live together with their dog, Branston.

Picture courtesy of Andrew Bennett/Tall Oaks Photography.

Send Your Wedding Reports

Email: editor@aahorsham.co.uk Tel: 01403 878026

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IN THE DOCK: In October, a Pulborough man was jailed for nearly five years for deceiving an 80-year-old West Chiltington resident out of £460,000. He had initially made contact with the elderly victim by knocking on his door, claiming the roof needed repairing. With door-stepping increasingly associated with unscrupulous tactics, should we all consider No Cold Calling Zones?

The Case For The Prosecution Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, these are hard times for many, but whilst most of us are prepared to work harder for our pennies, there are sadly some who resort to underhand tactics.

The case of the 80-year-old West Chiltington resident who lost £460,000 to a fraud who knocked on his door and told him he needed his roof repairing is deeply upsetting.

Having worked his whole life, this elderly person’s money was frittered away at the bookmakers by a man he had trusted, and he was left with nothing.

Yes, Joseph Smith, 33, of Pulborough, was brought to justice. He was convicted of fraud and money laundering offences and jailed for four years and 10 months.

But surely this case raises questions about door-to-door salesmen. How many reputable companies really need to resort to using such ‘Del boy’ tactics to generate business?

Should we continue to make it easy for people to target elderly people, claim they need their roof doing, do a shoddy job and disappear before anybody starts asking questions? Why is it down to BBC’s Rogue Traders to highlight these people?

Thankfully, most people now are all too wary of door-to-door tradesmen. Most will ask for ID, question dubious quotations, request references, demand certification such as Checkatrade, log on to the internet to check for authenticity...

But that, ladies and gentlemen, is why you don’t get people knocking on YOUR door.

These people, these vultures, they target the vulnerable. They seek out people with money, with the sole aim of taking more than they deserve.

It is time that we all introduced ‘No Cold Calling Zones’. This allows residents or communities to say no to uninvited salespeople and warn rogue traders and cold-callers that they are being watched.

Hundreds of zones are now operating successfully across the UK with reports of significant crime reduction and a greater feeling of security amongst residents.

There are of course legitimate door-todoor sellers, but very few that we really want knocking on our doors.

A survey carried out by the Trading Standards Institute in 2003 found that 96% of the 9,000 people questioned were opposed to uninvited doorstep sellers. That’s what we would call a landslide ladies and gentleman.

But while it may not yet be illegal, we can do all we can to stop it through the introduction of these zones!

Some groups such as Direct Selling Association may argue that the creation of no-go zones would penalise legitimate traders and put unreasonable restraints on good businesses. But the prosecution argues that the practice is outdated, and has no place in the 21st Century. In 2003, Tupperware closed down operations in the UK, citing customer dissatisfaction with their direct sales model as an issue.

‘I don’t want to read about any more people who have lost their life savings’

That tells its own story.

The best businesses should be the ones that provide a good service and develop customers through advertising their high quality products and through word of mouth. It should not be the ones who manipulate welloff pensioners.

I don’t want to read about any more people who have lost their life savings, who now have nothing to leave for their loved ones, because of a heartless fraud.

We may never eradicate such fraud, but putting an end to cold calling would be a start.

I rest my case...

COLD CALLING ‘Making door-to-door selling illegal would be a logistical nightmare’ The Case For The Defence Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, what happened to this one elderly victim is awful, but we cannot make decisions that will affect thousands of people on individual cases.

We can’t throw a blanket over all doorto-door sellers because one fraud targeted an elderly man and blew his bank balance at the bookies.

Low life, yes, law changing, no.

Let’s be honest, it would be folly for me to pretend that any of us enjoy speaking to door to door salesmen. But where exactly do we draw the line? How do you define a sales person?

Is it okay to drop off a catalogue or a magazine, but not to knock on the door and deliver it by hand?

What do you do if you are delivering a parcel?

Can we tell people representing the church or religious groups that they no longer have the freedom to knock on our door?

Cold calling is so vague, that if it were illegal our courts would be full of people who had done nothing wrong. Drivers asking for directions, neighbours in search of a lost pet, even children who had dared to knock on a door after their football or frisbee had gone into a nearby garden!

This country is built on its community spirit, and some would say that has diminished in recent years. Would it not take a further hit with such an un-neighbourly law that forbid anyone from ringing a doorbell unless they had made an appointment?

We must also remember that most of these canvassers are young people, who have simply answered an advert in the local paper looking to earn some extra cash. So would it be smart, in these times of record youth unemployment, to take away this potential source of income?

Perhaps more importantly, what would a ban on door-to-door sales do for honest workers? If you were a hardworking person, skilled in garden maintenance, roof repairs, patio paving or driveway construction, cold calling is one of the best potential outlets for creating business.

It’s not ideal, and no doubt most who do it have to swallow their pride to a certain degree, but if we do not allow them to do this how can any new business grow? Unless of course they have a hefty budget for advertising?

In the vast majority of cases, the person knocking on your door and selling his services is thinking ‘if I do a good job here, maybe they will tell their friends and family and my business will grow’. They are not thinking about sneaking into your house and stealing your life savings from the cookie jar!

Making door-to-door selling illegal would be a logistical nightmare. All we can do is to raise awareness, and ensure that frauds are brought to justice.

We must encourage people, if they have any doubts, to contact a family member or close friend who may be able to carry out a basic check on any caller.

If any trader has provided a poor service, contact West Sussex County Council Trading Standards. They have been able to highlight cases in the past - there’s even a video called ‘Dave the Dodgy Roofer’ on their website!

But do not tar everyone with the same brush because of this isolated case.

I rest my case.

To find out more about No Cold Calling Zones visit and http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/ and search ‘Doorsteppers’’ or call 08454 040506

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www.aahorsham.co.uk

Gr een Gia It’s now one of the biggest fun runs around, but the Barns Green Half Marathon started with a simple favour for the village football team

On the morning of Sunday, 30th October, two cyclists were enjoying a bike ride through the West Sussex countryside.

They were heading towards Barns Green, where they sometimes stop for a pint at the Queens Head before jumping back on their bikes, perhaps saying a friendly hello to the occasional dog walker on the village green before heading out of the quiet village towards Itchingfield.

But on this particular day, the route was closed, with barriers crossing the road and a marshal telling the surprised cyclists that they would

have to wait ten minutes.

Moments later, the first of the runners passed by, followed by a steady stream of club runners, a Batman, a topless man wearing make-up and crime scene tape, two men in tutus, a spider man and four men with a wheelbarrow.

The cyclists may well have been impressed– in addition to being slightly irritated – by just how many runners the Barns Green Half Marathon now attracts.

More than 1,500 took part in this year’s event, roughly the population of the village itself. Organisers say that on race day the village attracts

17

ant three times its normal population.

Competitors are mainly from the local area but people come from all over the country to take part. There are teams who regularly compete from Scandinavia, Holland and Germany.

Many of the runners race for charity and the half marathon raises thousands of pounds for charity.

This year the race is expected to raise over £15,000, with this year’s chosen recipient being The Springboard Project in Horsham. Contributions by main sponsors Slinfold Golf & Country Club and Total Butler have helped boost the figure.

The Half Marathon has come a long way since it was first run in 1982, started by some enthusiasts as part of an agreement between Barns Green Football Club and Muntham School in the village.

In the winter of 1981 the football club

asked Alan Train, the newly appointed Head of Muntham House School if they could use the school’s floodlit tennis courts for training. He agreed, and insisted there would be no charge.

The footballer club appreciated this and in return 13 footballers - as well as Mr Train and his two sons - took part in a sponsored 10 mile run which raised £350 for electronic equipment at the school.

Relaxing after the race in the Village Club, they decided to organise a Half Marathon. The following year, the first race was held and attracted just over one thousand runners, with John Leversedge winning. It has been a success ever since.

The race starts and finishes next to the village hall in Barns Green and goes through Itchingfield, Christ’s Hospital School and skirts Southwater. One of the most scenic parts of the course

“I love this race and have finished in the top 10 every year since 2000”

Top right: James Baker on his way to victory. Above left: Many runners wore fancy dress for the event. Above right: Young spectators

18 takes competitors right in front of Muntham House School, where young volunteers (among more than 100 helpers) were handing out cups of water to the runners of this year’s event.

The course record is 1 hour 4 minutes 28 seconds set last year by the 20-year- old Kenyan athlete Edwin Kipyego, but this year’s race was won by James Baker from Chichester Runners in a time of 1 hour 10 minutes 30 seconds.

“I love this race and have fin-

ished in the top 10 every year since 2000,” he said after the race.

“The conditions were ideal and as always the race was very well organised.”

It was the 34-year-old’s fourth win in the race and he finished over a minute and a half ahead of Tim Haughian from Windsor, Slough, Eton and Hounslow AC. Third place went to Neil Boniface from Horsham Joggers, two minutes behind the winner. Anthony Bourne of Horsham Blue Star came

Above: Kirstie Ashton sets off and Stuart Adesilu takes a drink on the run. Right: A young spectator cheers on competitors

A warm welcome !"

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The Hare and Hounds is a warm and friendly country pub on Henfield Road in Cowfold village.

The pub, named in the 2012 CAMRA Good Beer Guide, offers a large open log fire in the bar to warm you up on the cold, winter days.

We offer a full menu, with hearty home cooked meals using made using locally sourced produce and game. A ‘specials’ board is changed daily at the Hare and Hounds.

With three ales available, including

Harvey’s, a beer from Partridge Green-based Dark Star Brewery as well as a guest ale, the pub has earned its place in the Good Pub Guide.

As well as serving up great beer and food, we also host regular jazz music and comedy evenings, and themed party nights once a month. A popular pub quiz is held every other Tuesday night.

There’s always a warm welcome at the Hare and Hounds. Do come along and find out for yourself some time soon!

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home seventh overall.

In the ladies race the honours went to Claire Grima from Hercules Wimbledon in a time of 1 hour 22 minutes 45 seconds. She ran with her husband, David, who crossed the line just in front of her. “He always does that” said Claire after the race.

Second in the women’s event was Fiona Powell from Brighton and Hove City AC who finished just in front of Sarah Kingston of Fittleworth Flyers.

There were stories right through the field, but few will have topped that of 58-year-old Keith Valentine from Horsham Joggers, who was competing in his 100th half marathon and completed the race in just 1 hour 28 minutes and 11 seconds. He finished fourth in the Veterans Men (55-59) race.

There were also many running just for charity, such as the team raising funds for Streetscape , which helps long-term unemployed people aged 18-25 by providing apprenticeships in a landscape gardening enterprise.

Sam Attfield and Neil Vanson enjoy the run, as do Paula Rowland and Becky Hillman.

Top right - Neil Boniface of Horsham Joggers and above, the Streetscape team

For full results visit www.barnsgreen-half.org.uk

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Events guide online at aahorsham.co.uk

EVENTS

Southwater Christmas Celebration Saturday, 26th November Father Christmas will be ditching the reindeer and arriving by horse and carriage for the festive event in Lintot Square, Southwater.

He will be accompanied by Christ’s Hospital School band and ‘Dame Trot’ (Michael Neilson) from Jack and the Beanstalk at The Capitol. Father Christmas will be in his grotto in Beeson House for all Southwater children to come and visit.

The day (events from 10.30am5.30pm) will be compered by Paul Leyshon who appeared in Hollyoaks.

On the main stage, sponsored by Coco’s, you will see demonstrations

from local groups including Zumba, Phoenix Centre TRX, and live music from last year’s Horsham Battle of the Bands (Acoustic) winners The Collector.

There will be market stalls, a children’s funfair, magic shows, arts and crafts, face painting, fun and games and much more. Father Christmas and guests will turn on the Southwater Christmas lights with carol singing round the Christmas tree accompanied

by Horsham Youth Concert Band and led by Southwater Community Methodist Church and Church of the Holy Innocents.

Picture: Ben Morris

Tree of Light Service

Steptoe & Son

Beyond Endurance

12th December

7th-17th December

19th November

St Catherine’s main Tree of Light service takes place at the K2 leisure centre in Crawley on Sunday, 4th December.

It’s a simple service, which includes carols, readings and most importantly an opportunity to pause, reflect and remember the life of someone special to you.

There will also be smaller services taking place in local churches across Sussex and East Surrey.

A Horsham service is taking place at 6.30pm at both Trafalgar Road Baptist Church and St Mark’s Church. For more info or to sponsor a light visit www.stch.org.uk/treeoflight or call 01293 447364.

In October 2008 the Beyond Endurance expedition set out to retrace the route taken by Sir Ernest Shackleton on his epic escape from Antarctica in 1916.

Join Keith Young, a member of the Beyond Endurance team, as he shares his account of this extraordinary story of survival, endurance and leadership at 6.30pm on Saturday, 19th November at Lodsworth Village Hall.

The evening will include a light meal by So India Restaurant of Pulborough, with a raffle and licensed bar.

Tickets cost £25 and can be purchased from 01798 877 641. A booking form is available from www.maryhowtrust.org

The English Shed Theatre Company present Galton & Simpson’s Steptoe & Son this Christmas at the Capitol in Horsham.

The Christmas Special offers an alternative to the Christmas pantomime (more on that inside) and will be shown on 7th-17th December (no shows on 12th-13th) The company performed a three episode format of Steptoe & Son back in March to standing ovations and this December they will be re-working the two Christmas episodes from 1973 and 1974.

Tickets cost £12.50 from the Capitol box office on 01403 750220.

Events listings also at www.aahorsham.co.uk

25th November

A Fairtrade Christmas Market will be held at St. John's RC Church Hall, Horsham at 10am - 4pm.

This is the best place to buy ethical Christmas presents which support communities throughout the world.

Visit South Lodge Hotel for an evening of classic musical songs from Phantom, Chicago, Les Miserables, Mamma Mia and more from 7pm.

Cost is £79.50 per person with three course dinner, wine and entertainment.

3rd December

Storrington hosts its late night shopping event, during which the Christmas lights will be switched on.

There will be Fairground attractions, Father Christmas, music and choirs, a Festive Market & fun on the High Street.

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Father Christmas and his elves are in the Fishers Farm grotto from today.

You can choose any present you wish before it's wrapped! To pre-book call 01403 700063. The price is £8.50 per child. fishersfarmpark.co.uk

16th December

19th November

Razzmatazz Roller Disco comes to the Holbrook Club in North Heath Lane, Horsham, at 4.30-5.45pm. £3.50 members, £4 non members,skate hire £1.

Under 12s must be accompanied. razzmatazzrollerdisco.co.uk

1st December

Holy Trinity and St John’s host a Christmas Market at Lower Beeding Village Hall at 2pm. All types of gifts will be available and there will be a raffle, Father Christmas, mulled wine, tea, live music and a Christmas card contest.

There’s a Ladies Night at Horsham Rugby Club hosted by comedian John O’Sullivan from 7.30pm to midnight. Includes disco, comedy and, erm, entertainment. Tickets £12 from The Candy Box and The Rugby Club.

10th December

19th November

The annual Horsham Hospital Christmas Bazaar takes place at 10am -12pm. Gift ideas, toys, Father Christmas and a chance to win £400 cash prize. Proceeds go towards future hospital projects. All welcome.

26th November

25th November

The Coco’s Foundation, which raises money to help orphans with terminal illness in Africa, is holding a Bingo Night at Southwater Junior Academy, at 6.30pm.

Cost is £3 per book. visit cocosfoundation.co.uk

Horsham Symphony Orchestra opens its new season includes a performance of Brahms’ pioneering Variations on a Theme of Haydn and Haydn's Concerto for Two Horns. Tickets £14 from 01403 750220.

4th December

19th November

Horsham Amateur Boxing Club host a night of boxing at The Holbrook Club, Horsham, at7.30 11pm. Tickets £12 (£15 OTD) in advance from Holbrook Club, Apache menswear, Horsham Barbers and Horsham ABC

3rd December

Updated events guide at aahorsham.co.uk

The Manor Theatre Group present their own panto, Cinderella, tonight at North Heath Hall, St Mark’s Lane, Horsham, at 7.30pm and tomorrow (17th Dec) at1pm, 4pm & 7.30pm. Tickets £8 from manortheatrehorsham.com

Please send event details for consideration to

editor@aahorsham.co.uk

Explosive History of Horsham As hundreds enjoy a huge fireworks display at Horsham Sports Club, we look back at the story of Guy Fawkes Night, and the involvement of brothers from one Roffey family in plots against the Monarchy.

Isn’t it wonderful to celebrate Gunpowder Treason Day? Of course, it’s been a while - centuries in fact - since it’s been commonly known as that, with Guy Fawkes or Bonfire Night being the popular term these days.

How many of the thousands of people at the Horsham fireworks display at Horsham Cricket and Sports Club on 29th October were thinking about the 1605 plot to blow up parliament as they gazed in awe as another set of rockets lit up the night sky?

Precisely zero, and neither should they - it was over 400 years ago after all.

But it does give us a chance to remind ourselves of the reasons behind this great family occasion by looking back to the time of the plot, and how it led to huge anti-Catholic sentiments across the country.

That may sound about as much fun as a Religious Education lesson (and not the lesson on the last day of term when the teacher just sticks on a video of The Cross and The Switchblade).

However, the story of the Copley family of Roffey makes for astonishing reading.

It you do find it a little hard going, just enjoy Toby’s photos from the Horsham display, produced by Aurora Fireworks of Wisborough Green...

The Gunpowder Plot took place in 1605, a time when members of the Catholic Church in England were often in conflict with the Monarchy.

One of the Copley boys was involved in a plot to kidnap King James I just two years before the famous plot. He was fortunate to escape execution.

He was a feisty chap and was said to have thrown a dagger at the Parish clerk in Horsham Church!

Another of the four Copley brothers was also involved in the Catholic Church in England at a time when tensions with the increasingly Protestant Church of England had never been greater.

The story of the Copley family is detailed in Volume One of The History of Horsham by Jeremy Knight, curator of Horsham Museum. But before we get to those troubled Copley boys, let’s start with a quick re-cap on what you once learned but have probably forgotten...

The Gunpowder Plot of 5th November 1605 was a failed assassination attempt against King James I of England by a group of English Catholics led by Robert Catesby.

Continued on Page 24...

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Guy Fawkes was merely the man caught guarding the explosives beneath the House of Lords. He was arrested, and later sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered.

Celebrating the fact that the King had survived the attempt on his life, people lit bonfires around London, and months later the 5th November became an annual public day of thanksgiving.

Within a few decades ‘Gunpowder Treason Day’ became a popular commemoration, but it also became a focus for anti-Catholic sentiment. It was common to burn effigies of the pope on bonfires.

Gradually it became known as Guy Fawkes Day, the anti-Catholic elements waned and by the 20th Century Guy

Fawkes Day had become primarily a social, family event. We don’t throw pope effigies on to bonfires any more, although in recent times some bonfire societies have courted controversy with some ill-advised choices of effigy.

The 2003 burning of a gypsy caravan in Firle, East Sussex, springs to mind!

Looking back, the Elizabethan period (1558-1603) was one of excitement, particularly amongst those of the Catholic faith, but religion often caused turmoil within families.

There are few greater examples of this turmoil than the Copleys, who owned land at Roffey, known as Roughey back then (behave!)

Thomas Copley was born in 1532, the eldest son of Sir Roger Copley. He was

‘in Horsham Churche he threwe his dagger at the parishe Clarke’

related to Elizabeth I by common descent, as well as being kinsman to her advisor William Cecil Lord Burghley and Francis Walsingham, the famous spy master. He was very well connected, owning estates in Southwark and in Sussex, Roughey included, and Queen Elizabeth would be godmother to one of his sons.

During Queen Mary’s last parliament he spoke out as an ardent protestant, promoting the cause of Elizabeth’s right to succeed her. For that he was imprisoned.

When Elizabeth became Queen he received royal favour, but according to the Spanish ambassador he converted to Catholicism in 1563. Copley was fined and imprisoned, even though he was still a commissioner for the peace for Surrey. In 1570 he went abroad without a royal licence, and although he remained abroad for the rest of his life he corresponded with the Queen, Burghley and Walsingham amongst others.

He was given a Spanish pension, ennobled by Philip II, made a baron and knight by the French king. He died on 25th September 1584 near Antwerp.

Back in Roffey meanwhile, his wife Katherine had been bringing up the children. Whilst she died and is buried in Horsham, she was with Thomas in 1577 and in Rouen in 1582 and Liege in 1586. In 1577 at Louvain in the Spanish Netherlands she gave birth to John Copley, their fourth and youngest surviving son.

At some time, possibly in 1595, she returned to England and in May 1596 she was confirmed, hence being able to be buried in a Horsham Church.

John had an older brother, Anthony, who was born some ten years before and seems to have remained in England when his father fled abroad. Anthony

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Copley would have a short but tempestuous life. In 1582, at the age of 15, he left England, and joined his parents at Rouen where he stayed for two years.

His cousin, Robert Southwell, obtained a pension of £10 for him from Pope Gregory XIII, probably on the agreement that he would study in Rome where he spent a further two years.

He returned to England in 1590 and shortly afterwards he was arrested. From the prison on 6th January 1591 he sought the Queen’s pardon and employment. Through a series of letters he detailed the whereabouts of English

Catholic fugitives, pleading loyalty to the Queen. It was not to be the only time that he had talked himself out of (and probably talked others into) severe punishment!

It is around that time that Katherine returned to Roffey along with Anthony, though his behaviour left a lot to be desired. His father’s will gave him £30 a year and it was now that he married and settled down with his wife.

However as Richard Topcliffe reported to the Queen on 26th June 1592: “Anto Coplaye, the most desperayte yowthe that lyvethe. Coplay did shoote at a gentilman the Last summer, and killed an

Oxe with a muskette and in Horsham Churche threwe his dagger at the parishe Clarke…There lyvethe not the lyke I think in England for sudden attemptes.”

Anthony was back in Horsham by the summer of 1591. By the December of that year he was questioned about some speeches that he made. The state was watching him because “he doth avoutch himself to be a papist”.

Copley was though a moderate Catholic, loyal to the throne and hostile to Jesuits, a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Continued on Page 26...

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In 1603 King James came to the throne after Queen Elizabeth’s death and Copley became involved in The Bye Plot.

The plotters aim was to kidnap the King and compel him to grant Catholic toleration. But the plot was a failure, and was exposed by the Jesuits, led by Father Henry Garnet, who were afraid of retribution against the Catholic Church.

These fears would be realised two years later after The Gunpowder Plot, when Father Garnet was executed for his involvement, even though there are historians who believe he knew nothing about it!

As for Copley, he gave himself up after the Bye Plot and gave an “ample and full” confession implicating others. As a result of the plot, King James ordered all Roman Catholic clergy to leave England.

Copley was pardoned but banished from the realm, but that was better than the execution that three of the conspirators were given.

He travelled to Jerusalem, Brussels, Rome and The Hague, then disappears from the records.

The fourth son, John Copley, was born in Louvain but taken back to England at nine days old to be nursed and educated.

When he was nine he and his mother Katherine went to Liege and the following year he entered various Roman Catholic colleges and schools, being one of the first to enter the Jesuit English college of St Omer in 1593, remaining there until 1595.

In 1599 he was admitted to the English college in Rome, becoming a priest in 1602 when in September he left for London.

The Gunpowder Plot of 1605 led him to question his faith. He was convinced that priests were connected to the plot and the priests would not have acted without the Pope’s blessing.

In July 1606 he was banished along with Thomas Garnet (the nephew of Henry) and 22 other priests.

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‘He is now a Saint - one of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales’ He returned to England but was arrested in 1607. By now Copley had read up on the protestant beliefs, in order to refute them, yet he was also being converted to them. This led to doubt, in which “my poore soule environed with perplexed assaults of flesh and bloud” and a struggle “to overcome these conflicts between truth and falsehood”.

He then led a comparatively quiet life, marrying three times but apparently not having any children. He died in Ashford, Kent in 1662.

This is just one of the many fascinating parts of Horsham’s history. Surpassing even the incredible story of the Copley family is the story of Thomas Garnet. Thomas attended Horsham grammar school and his name – like that of his uncle Henry – will forever be in the history books.

After the Gunpowder Plot, which Garnet was not involved in, he was arrested and tortured to make him give evidence against his uncle,

who was leader of the Jesuits and was suspected of being behind the plot.

After seven months in the Tower of London, he was put on a boat to Flanders (a region now covered by Belgium and Netherlands) with 46 other priests. He was threatened with death if he ever returned.

Sadly for him, he did return, and after refusing to take the Oath of Allegiance he was executed, aged 32. He is now a Saint - one of the famous Forty Martyrs of England and Wales.

So the next time you look up at a sky of spider affect pyrotechnics, whilst your children try desperately to write their name with a sparkler before the light fades away, spare a thought for those religious rebels, whose acts – however unsuccessful - made it all possible!

Thank you to Jeremy Knight of Horsham Museum for his assistance with this article.

The night I saw dead people

In 2008, two friends camped out in St Leonard’s Forest, where they claim to have seen the ghost of a young girl. Were they haunted by spirits, or did they simply scare themselves silly?

Spooky special

Chances are you’ll have already formed an opinion on this story, from the headline alone.

You’ll either be of the opinion that all ghost stories are nonsense - created by an over imaginative mind - or be intrigued as to what spooked Stephen Foster and his friend Todd Bevis in St Leonard’s Wood three years ago.

Stephen claimed that during a night’s camping close to St John the Evangelist Church in Coolhurst, opposite Horsham Rugby Club, he saw the ghost of a young girl at the entrance to his tent.

Throughout the night, he and his friend were terrified by a series of strange noises, and they claim that something or someone pushed them around from outside of the tent.

This marked the first in a spectacular series of spooky spirit sightings for Stephen - he since believes that he spoke to a ghost on a return trip to the area, and was overwhelmed by a dark figure during a séance during a home visit by the Sussex Paranormal Research Group. It would seem there are enough hauntings out there for the county to have its own ‘ghost busters’.

During our visit to St John’s, there was nothing remotely spooky that happened, although we did here a grunting noise coming from the woods. A ghost pig, perhaps?

But could the area be haunted? Those who attend the service of Holy Communion here every Sunday at 8:30am every Sunday are unlikely to think so.

Surely, these stories are inevitable, due to the church’s location in an isolated spot on the edge of woodland?

Perhaps the stories stem from tales told by pupils boarding at nearby St John’s College. There were Continued on Page 30...

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Spooky Special

stories of a ‘grey lady’ that haunted the college, which has long since closed and is now private apartments.

Stephen had heard of these stories, so were they playing on his mind the night he decided to camp out about 100 metres from the church after a walk with friends one summer night in 2008?

Stephen said: “I had heard stories - with people saying the church was haunted but I didn’t think anything of it at that point. I was very sceptical.”

Stephen and Todd had spent the day walking through the woods with three other friends, before deciding to camp out for fun. He says that the ‘haunting’ could not have been his three other friends playing a joke on him as they lived in Crawley, and that he hadn’t been drinking alcohol or taking anything that might have enhanced the potential for ghostly experiences!

He said: “My mum dropped Todd and I at the church and we walked down a little way and pitched up at about 8pm. It all started to kick off at about 10pm.

“It felt like there was a horrible presence around us. We started to put it to one side but at about midnight there were more noises. There was a dog barking, but it seemed to be all around us, and it sounded like it was in great pain.

“Then there was something scratching at the tent from outside. You could see what looked like a finger running down the side of the tent. I pushed against it and could

feel a force, but if you looked out there was nobody there. You could hear footprints though.

“One of the other things you could hear was a girl screaming. It was like a horror film and the screams seemed to be coming from all around us.

“The scratching was getting more and more frequent. We were very scared.”

Stephen claims that a force inside the tent pushed him over and into his friend, before the zip to the tent porch opened. And it was at this point Stephen says he saw the figure of a young girl.

He recalls: “As we were pushed around, I let go of the zip and it opened up and we saw a young girl figure, maybe nine or ten, wearing very old clothes which were all white. I sort of froze for a moment.

“It wasn’t human. Even her eyes were not human - they were white and she was just staring, and the body only seemed to be from the knees upwards. It wasn’t real, it was horrible.

“She was wearing old white rags, but her eyes were glazed - there was no expression there. She stared and vanished. After that we zipped the tent up and were too scared to move or go outside!”

So scared were the two lads that they didn’t actually get out of their tent and pack up until 9:30 the next morning after their harrowing night of howling and hauntings. Not that it got any better for Stephen - he claims that a manifestation

UFO sightings There has not been a great deal of UFO sightings in the Horsham area.

But in Billingshurst in 1978, following a number of reports from members of the public, Horsham Police dispatched a marked police vehicle to the area.

On arrival PC Page observed a triangular shaped UFO hovering motionless in the sky as clouds passed by it.

After a short period the object departed in a westerly direction.

In January 2010, Aubrey King saw a dark orange flame coming from an object several hundred feet in the air above Horsham station. Aubrey thought it was a large Chinese lantern at first, but decided it was going way too fast. Aubrey reported that it “didn't seem to be flying smoothly, but rather it looked like it was stuttering as it moved.”

Bob Barker also from Horsham posted a report on a UFO database at www.uk-ufo.co.uk on the same day.

There have also been some strange sightings on Langhurstwood Road near Warnham. The Fortean Times, a well-known publication which picks up strange news from around the world, once reported that a "Silver Suited" seven foot tall man leapt across the width of the road in one step.

The government runs a research facility near by...

Ghostly Hotspots?

Horsham’s historic Causeway is said to be stalked by a ghostly figure, perhaps a monk, which walks towards St Mary's Church before disappearing.

The Greets Inn in Warnham, a 13th Century building is said to have a ghost that sits near the fireplace. We actually sat in that exact spot for our dining out feature this month, and noticed nothing unusual. Neither did King Edward Longshanks, who unexpectedly joined us.

31 from the woods followed him home and began haunting his house and family.

Stephen said: “Over the course of a couple of months the haunting got worse. It would be ice cold in the room, and I would be hiding under my bed covers and there would be something tugging at the duvet. I woke up one morning at 3am and the bed was shaking.

“I remember running out onto the landing one night and mum was convinced I was behind it all. My mum thought I was either making it all up or that I was just being a bit of a wimp.

“One night we heard mum screaming. I ran into her room, and she was all shaken up. She thought something was tugging at her necklace. About half an hour later, she was going back to sleep but she said something didn’t feel right - she didn’t feel alone. Then she felt something grab her ankles and try to pull her away from the bed.”

Sussex Paranormal Research Group was invited into the family home, and a report on their website confirms that 12 members of the group visited.

Stephen said: “It was all quite bizarre. One of the lead members asked if I’d been camping recently, and I was freaked out that she was picking that up.”

But you didn’t need to be Columbo to know that Stephen had been camping - a

simple search on the Internet of ‘Stephen Foster Horsham’ brings up a report about the haunting from the West Sussex County Times.

Nonetheless, a séance was held by the group with the family and a guest all taking part. The report on the SPRG website (www.sprg.co.uk) reports: ‘At first there seemed to feel like a breeze going around the circle and Angie began to pick up on a tall figure in a hat, and at least two more entities.’

Stephen himself recalls: “There was a tall figure, stood in the middle of the room. It came towards me and it was like this black sheet wrapped around my face. It felt like I was being suffocated.”

The paranormal research group felt they were successful in clearing the house, although Stephen does say that strange things do occasionally still happen. He has since moved out of the family home into a ghost-free flat. but what happened on that night in 2008? Was Stephen scared by the sound of a squirrel? Was he the victim of a cruel joke played by his friends?

He admits most people think he’s making up the ghost stories.

“If you tell people, they just think it’s a load of rubbish”, he said. “If I was told this story, I just wouldn’t believe it. It’s one of those weird things that people are never Continued on Page 32...

Off his head All Horsham children have heard of the legend of the Headless Horseman.

But he’s not really deserving of such legendary status, as its debatable as to whether the phantom was ever truly feared.

Howard Dudley was the first writer to mention the ghost in1836, and it was suggested it could be the ghost of a Captain William Powlett who died in 1746.

The headless phantom was said to lurk among the trees at dusk and launch a terrifying attack on passing horseman.

Even more fanciful is the idea that the wooded area was home to a dragon in the 17th century, which killed men with its poison. There is a detailed account of the dragon in a pamphlet produced in 1614. It may have been a story concocted by smugglers to keep people away from the area.

St Leonard’s Forest is named after a French Hermit who is once said to have battled a dragon in the woods. St Leonard defeated the beast, and at his request God banished snakes from the woods and silenced the Nightingales.

It’s possible therefore that the woodland is named after a Frenchman who probably never even came to town, or even if he did, achieved little other than telling a big fat lie about slaying a mythical beast!!

Maude of Ditching's screams and cries can be heard in the ruins of Bramber Castle, it is said. Her lover was bricked up in the dungeon after being caught

by Maude's husband. The castle is also said to be haunted by child siblings seen begging for food. Other than that, it’s a lovely spot for a picnic!

There is said to be a hitch hiker ghost on the A24. Those who pick up this hiker find she has vanished soon after their journey commences. She is said to have given a few drivers her telephone number; when the number is called, it is discovered that the girl died in an accident near the site years previously.

One for the camp fires!

going to really know about.”

But you may be surprised to know that, according to a 2000 poll by leading market research company NOP, about 42% of Britons think ghosts, phantoms and other supernatural apparitions really exist.

Almost two-thirds of those in Scotland and northern England admitted to having seen

or felt the presence of a ghoul. But here in the south we are more sceptical, perhaps wondering how none of the 25 million people in this country who believe in ghosts have managed to take a decent photo.

We won’t leave it on that mocking note, as AAH photographer Toby claims to have had four paranormal experiences, including a

motorbike ‘collision’ with a phantom deer.

We’d love to hear your stories, so if you have seen a ghost, or experienced a paranormal experience that in no way could have been the boiler playing up, do let us know.

Email editor@aahorsham.co.uk or visit the All About Horsham Facebook page.

The Real Experts Mark Antony Windows called in to clean-up after ‘cowboy builder’ Mark Antony Windows recently made its television debut in Channel 5 show Cowboy Builders.

The locally based company were called in to help presenters Melinda Messenger and Dominic Littlewood clean up the work of a ‘cowboy builder’.

The show told the story of Southwater couple Neil and Davina, who needed an extension to their two-bedroom semi. But the builder they contracted to do the job frequently failed to show up.

Seven months later, with £25,000 invested, the extension was still half-finished and building control found 15 faults with the work. That

Mark Antony Windows was awarded official status by DGCOS

was when Mark Antony Windows were called in...

Mark Edwards said: “ We were contacted by the show’s producers, asking if we would donate two doors and a window for this couple who had lost a lot of money, and we were happy to help.

“The only problem was that they needed the doors and windows in four days and this is unheard of in our industry!

“But we spoke to John Fredericks Plastics, our main supplier, and they said they could do it for us as a special one off and would even pay half the cost of materials, which we were extremely grateful for. “We fitted the job and met the presenters, Melinda and Dominic and found them to be very nice people.”

Business partner Antony Deakin added: “It was pleasing to get the job done properly with such time constraints. Plus, we had a great day and it was good to help someone who’d been let down by

poor service elsewhere.”

Earlier this year, Mark Antony Windows was awarded official status by DGCOS - Double Glazing & Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme set up to maintain high

standard in the industry. They are also approved by Checkatrade.

For more details about Mark Antony Windows visit www.markantonywindows.co.uk or call 01403 732800

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Windows

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Our aim is to provide the best service supplying and installing PVC-U and aluminium products in the South East and all at competitive prices.

We cater to all needs with every aspect covered, from complete conservatories, including design, project oversight, planning regulation, etc, to minor repairs, locks and condensated units.

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34

Spooky special

The Hill Chanctonbury Ring has, for many years, been a site of great archeological and historical interest.

Neolithic finds at the site include a polished flint axe, an arrowhead, some early Bronze Age pottery, late Bronze Age copper-alloy gouges and a swordhilt fragment.

But it has also been a site that young people have visited late at night in order to scare the Bejeezus out of each other!

Chanctonbury Ring is a large hill-top enclosure or hill-fort, which has far ranging

views from the north edge of the South Downs across the Weald to the North Downs, and the sea to the south. It’s a popular spot with walkers, cyclists and horse riders too for its stunning views.

Yet some visitors to the Ring have told of phantom horses, fairies, an old bearded man, a druid searching for lost treasure, a Saxon killed at Hastings, and there have been UFO sightings galore.

In addition to this, running around the ring in different directions for a variable number of times has its consequences.

Spooky Special Chanctonbury Ring may have been devastated by the Great Storm of 1987, but it retains some of its magical and mythical allure. Is it also a favourite haunt for ghost, ghouls, alien spacecraft and even the Prince of Darkness?

has eyes For instance, it is said that the Devil can be summoned by running around the clump of trees seven times anticlockwise and will then offer you a bowl of soup in exchange for your soul.

There’s no conclusive evidence of the type of soup offered, or if a bread roll is part of the deal. If you’re not feeling so energetic, then a three circle walk offers the comparatively paltry reward of a lady on a white horse.

The stories have dried up since 1987, when the copse of Beech trees was

devastated by the Great Storm. This would suggest that spirits, apparitions and alien beings who have travelled through space and time to be here prefer a certain amount of tree cover.

It was the trees, planted in 1760 by Charles Goring within the earth bank of the fort, that brought fame to the Ring, and the replanted trees are still some way off restoring the ring to its former glory. Perhaps soon though, a new generation will be able to let their imagination run away with them under

36

Chanctonbury Ring a new blanket of healthy beech trees. Until then, we are left with stories of old.

Chanctonbury Hill has been frequented for thousands of years, but archaeology has yet to reveal a coherent story.

You could argue that the same could be said of those that have attempted to unearth evidence of paranormal activity on the hill in the past 50 years.

In 1967 a group of university students who had planned to spend the night there making tape recordings and taking photos were frightened away.

A year later, the Sussex Sky Watchers began an all night vigil at Chanctonbury. Most of the night passed without incident, but in the early hours of Sunday morning one member of the group, who was walking among the trees, suddenly lost the use of his arms and legs and fell to the ground screaming for help.

Other members of the group were soon suffering similar affects. This lasted about five minutes after which they all

recovered with no apparent after effects.

Reports continued to be made of UFOs and ghostly images and then in 1974 the Ghost and Psychic Investigation Group was formed and they dared to spend the night on Chanctonbury Ring.

On 24th August 1974 four members of the group, including Charles Walker, settled down for a night under the stars. At about 11pm, whilst walking through the centre of the Ring, one member of the group, Mr Lincoln, was lifted several feet off the ground.

The group reported: ‘He remained suspended in mid-air for several seconds, although at the time it seemed like hours. During this he was crying out 'No More! No More!' and was obviously in some considerable pain. He then dropped to the ground landing heavily on his back.

“He was very shaken by his experience, as we all were, but unlike the rest of us Mr Lincoln refused to visit the site for further

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Spooky Special studies. “ Was Mr Lincoln lifted up by a phantom spirit, or could it have been something to do with aliens?

There’s been plenty of UFO sightings over the years. In 2005, BBC Southern Counties published two pictures taken by Jerry White and his family while walking on the Ring.

Both appeared to show an unidentified object in the sky.

Back in the Ring’s haunting heyday in 1972, Mr Simpson of Worthing was out walking with two friends along a muddy track towards Chanctonbury when they saw what they thought were flames from a bonfire flickering among the trees on top of the hill. But upon closer inspection, it appeared that it was in fact a UFO hovering above the trees.

The top was illuminated by a blue light and there were four small windows in the side of the object.

When the UFO reached the outskirts

of the trees it hovered for a very short time and then shot up in to the sky and was lost from sight within a very short time.

However, seeing as this had happened late on bonfire night, and the trio decided not to tell anybody about their close encounter until some weeks later, eyebrows may have been raised!

I’m afraid though, that our trip was uneventful. We took along our ghostbusters proton packs but there was no need to use them. It was cold so we had a bit of a run around the ring before settling down to some lovely soup courtesy of a stern and awfully sunburnt man with a gruff voice.

That was before a lovely but awfully quiet lady gave us a ride on her white horse.

We passed out after a big blue flash lit up the sky and woke up in Roswell, New Mexico.

Thanks to Charles Walker for his account from 1974. For more unusual happenenings visit the and Paranormal Investigation website: http://occultandparanormal.webs.com/

Shaws has been part of the business landscape in West Sussex for over 15 years and is now firmly established as the region’s independent choice for all things glass.

With their showroom in Horsham and factory site in nearby Faygate Shaws are a full service glazing firm Conservatories Double Glazing Front Doors Back Doors Composite Doors Fascias and Soffits Replacement Hinges Cat Flaps Table Tops Shop Fronts Replacement Double Glazed Units Cut Glass Toughened Safety Glass Supply only windows Glass Balustrades for staircases Acoustic Glass

66 North Street, Horsham, RH12 1RD Tel: 01403 211133 www.shawsglass.co.uk

leasehold

management limited

Efficient management What we do We specialise in the management of apartment blocks and private estates.

This service as not an addition to an estate agency or letting operation - it is our core business.

Our aim For a competitive fixed fee we efficiently undertake the many complex tasks surrounding property management.

We leave our clients in control while removing the day to day tasks and providing a cost effective, tailor-made management service.

How we achieve our aim We provide a personal service where clients and residents get to know the team who are providing the management of their development.

We have a local office with easy parking so we can

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Proof of success We are involved in the management of over 100 developments containing in excess of

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‘Our development is now run in a professional manner where nothing seems too much trouble’

Find out more For more information on our services please visit www.lmltd.co.uk or call us on 01403 251570. You can also email leaseman@lmltd.co.uk

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The Review Greets Inn, Warnham

Pleased to Greet you

The Greets Inn has long been part of the village of Warnham and could serve as a template for an archetypal public house in rural England.

The original cottage was built back in 1350, and an original flagstone floor and inglenook fireplace remains. Locals enjoy ale from dimpled pint glasses which hang above the bar and the walls and the oak beams are decorated with horse brass.

But The Greets Inn has not always played to its strengths. Duncan and

Natalie Entwistle took over the pub two years ago and have had to work hard to bring the customers back.

Prior to that, the pub had been run by an Italian couple serving up dishes from their homeland. Unfortunately though, the Italian menu didn’t suit the traditional English village public house setting and The Greets failed to drag sufficient numbers away from East Street’s numerous Italian restaurants.

The Entwistles quickly set about getting back to what the Greets had

always done best. They started serving ‘quintessentially English’ dishes and sourcing food locally, to the extent that they use duck eggs from a village resident for the ham, egg and chips, whilst the crumble is made with cooking apples from a Friday Street garden.

They started growing vegetables in a small allotment in the pub garden, set up a partnership with M&J Seafood in order to offer fresh fish daily on the specials board and linked up with Horsham based wine supplier Deakin Continued on Page 40...

40

To advertise in AAH call Ben on 01403 878026

Fine Wines.

Duncan said: “When we took over at The Greets we wanted to go back to serving good quality English pub food. We’ve worked hard to get a reputation back, but I still get people coming in that haven’t been to the Greets for years, as they came before we arrived, had a bad experience and hadn’t been back.

“So it’s been a big challenge to get that reputation back in uncertain times.

“People want value for money these days and if they don’t get it then they will go somewhere else. In Horsham alone you have far too many restaurants and more are opening all the time.

“For me, as someone running a pub or restaurant, it’s frustrating when more are opening all of the time and at some stage it’s going to have an effect.”

But if some pubs owners are battling for survival, Duncan and Natalie are certainly equipped for the fight. They’ve built up their VIP club, offering promotions and offers for its customers, and the food on the menu has widespread appeal.

One of the signature dishes is the Warnham Venison. The Greets is fortunate enough to be situated next to a Deer Park and the game keeper drinks in the pub! Duncan said: “We also have duck eggs from a couple in the village, which we serve with the ham, egg and chips (£8.95). There is an initial on each egg with the date it was laid so we can even tell you which duck laid your eggs!”

Another favourite is the huge Ribeye Beef for Two (a one kilo rib of beef, served with hand cut chips, peppery watercress and a choice of sauces – peppercorn, béarnaise or blue

‘We can even tell you which duck laid your eggs’ cheese, £39.95). A small chalkboard by the fireplace keeps a tab of how many have been sold.

Duncan said: “It’s a bit of theatre, a bit different, and that’s what people like.

It’s about serving food with a twist, so the fish and chips comes with chip shop pickles, and we hope that people go away and talk about their experience here.”

The head chef at The Greets is Paul Lowe, although he was off on the night of our visit, with assistant chef Michael Zavkovski taking over. But Duncan says this is not a problem: “If Paul isn’t here you don’t notice. That’s the skill of the head chef – to create a menu that will please all of the customers but is also within the

41 ‘The Parma ham helped keep the gamier tasting flesh fresh’

capabilities of everyone else in the kitchen.”

For starters, we went for the grilled mackerel fillet served with melted onions and lemon oil (£4.95) and the baked whole camembert to share with onion marmalade and rustic bread (£7.95). The fish was light and fresh and the melted onions -with a tingling touch of lemon - worked excellently. The camembert was served with a good

amount of bread and if you’re going to go for the ribeye for two this would make an ideal start to a night of sharing.

For the main course, Toby went for the breast of guinea fowl with sage and Parma ham (£12.95) served with potato and mash and a wild mushroom fricassee.

I went for the venison casserole, served with potato, vegetables and thick gravy.

I’m not sure how my children would feel about me eating venison, as we have Continued on Page 42...

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42

Review: The Greets Inn, Warnham

walked around Warnham and the deer park is their favourite sight on the route, but it was excellent, and what with it being sourced in the village I could be sure the meat hadn’t been hung for too long.

Toby enjoyed his guinea fowl too. It wasn’t overcooked and the Parma ham helped to keep the gamier tasting flesh tasting fresh. There is a good amount of mash and mushrooms to help ensure that it is a filling dish, but as is often the case with guinea fowl, it can leave you wishing for seconds. If you are one with a big appetite, then perhaps this isn’t the best option, good though it is.

Other favourites include autumn Warnham lunch, award winning local butcher’s Olde English sausages, and wild mushroom, baby spinach and hazelnut bread and butter pudding.

I had visited The Greets Inn a little over a year ago, and whilst I enjoyed my previous visit, I do feel it has stepped up a level since Paul took over. There’s nothing on the menu that’s aiming at fine dining, but the dishes being served appeared to be of a consistently good standard.

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Seeing as Duncan had raved about the desserts, we couldn’t really miss that out, and I plumped for the Raspberry and lemon brulee with butter biscuits. Toby went for the apple and cinnamon crumble served with custard.

Made with apples from a local resident’s garden, it is one of several delicious, traditional puddings at The Greets Inn. The pub is now geared towards food, as many now are, but they have managed to maintain part of the spirit of an ale drinker’s pub, thanks in part to a bar area separate to

the restaurant area. Duncan said: “You can’t survive on the beer alone so you have got to have that food element. The rules have changed on drinking now - the drink driving laws, the smoking ban - all have had an effect.

“When we first got here, we recognised that The Greets had fallen off the list of pubs that most people like go to, sadly. The challenge for us it to get it back on that list.”

The autumn and festive menus can be viewed at www.thegreetsinn.co.uk

43

The Review On the Menu Duncan Entwistle, landlord of The Greets Inn in Warnham, makes some recommendations...

Starters

Main Course

Dessert

Drinks

“I would go with the grilled mackerel fillet (served with melted onions and lemon oil, £4.95) This was a dish that Paul introduced. I think it’s a very nice fish, and there is nothing too complicated about the dish.

There are some great flavours in there with the melted onions. “

“If you are coming as a couple you might try the huge Ribeye Beef for Two (a one kilo rib of beef, served with hand cut chips, peppery watercress and a choice of sauces – peppercorn, béarnaise or blue cheese, £39.95). It’s just a lot of fun to share. We’ve had a few people tempted to try one for themselves, - I think you could do it if you were hungry enough!”

“On the specials board at the moment we have apple and cinnamon crumble with custard, which is a great, traditional dessert and is absolutely delicious. We get the apples from a garden in Friday Street.

The owner brought a lot in andin return we made a big crumble for her and took it over. I think it’s important to build up links with the community and we enjoy doing things like that.”

“We have Harveys, London Pride, Timothy Taylor (ale from Yorkshire) as well as a few guest ales. We’’ve had Brighton Blonde on from King’s in Horsham before. Simon Deakin (Deakin Fine Wines) came in about a week after we arrived and we work with them. The wines are high quality and they are not ones you will find in the supermarket. Also, I can give him a call after a busy night if we run out of a certain wine and he can be up here very quickly, which is great for us.”

Pictured: The grilled mackerel, Michael preparing a steak in the kitchen, the raspberry and lemon brulee, and Simon Deakin of Deakin Fine Wines

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Huge range of scooters

and wheelchairs Nursing Hygiene has an incredible range of scooters, wheelchairs and recliner chairs at its enormous showroom in Southwater.

Not only is there an extensive range of products, there is also room to try them out, and importantly a large amount of free parking space right next to the showroom entrance.

Nursing Hygiene is known for its friendly and experiences staff.

Paul Andrews of Nursing Hygiene said: “It’s the perfect place to come as there are no problems with parking, we have large electric doors at the entrance and once you are in here you can browse and try out all of the products.

“There is no need to look through catalogues; you can get a feel for scooters, chairs or walkers right here as there is so much space.

“We can provide all of the support you need too. I have 14 years of experience looking after a relative who suffered a stroke, so I know all of the pitfalls.”

Nursing Hygiene is based in a large unit at Oakhurst Business Park in Southwater, about 100 yards from the RSPCA building.

They have an incredible range of new and innovative products, such as the Topra Troja (left), an innovative aluminium-synthetic Rollator from Norway that has been highly praised for its design, light weight, braking capabilities and manoeuvrability.

Also at Nursing Hygiene is the TGA Powerpack, which can be fitted to most wheelchairs, and the Roma Sena chair

which has a two motor midwheel drive system that enables it to turn 360 degrees within its own space.

Nursing Hygiene also stocks the Go Go Elite Traveller, a fun and simple scooter which has a removable battery pack.

Paul Andrews of Nursing Hygiene said: “The Go Go Elite Traveller break downs into several components, so you can put the scooter into the back of a car.

“It is a great scooter for those who want to maintain an active life. It’s a very reliable scooter but we have all the back up here to put it right should anything go wrong.”

All are welcome to drop in and browse the latest range of specialist beds, chairs, wheelchairs, motorised scooters and rehabilitation equipment.

Visit the showroom at Charwood house, Oakhurst Business Park, Southwater, RH13 9RT.

You can call Nursing Hygiene on 01403 825875 or visit www.nursinghygiene.com

Visit our Southwater showroom

Before you panic and end up buying a loved one an Adele CD or a book voucher they will never exchange, have a read through our Christmas Gifts feature.

There is all manner of hidden gems in

Horsham and the surrounding villages, with some fantastic shops which you may not even know existed.

It’s not the ultimate guide, as you won’t need telling that The Entertainer and Goodacres stock a good range of

toys. Instead, we’ve focused our attention on shops that are not on your standard ‘get it all done in a day’ Christmas shopping autopilot.

Hopefully there’s something in here for you. If not, pants and socks it is...

46

Christmas Gifts Special Horsham Music, East Street, Horsham GJ’s Guitars, High Street, Storrington, Sound Industry, Blatchford Close, Horsham ICS Studios, Colgate

MUSIC

Sound Industry

Horsham Music

Pop music trends come and go, but the joy of playing an electric guitar will never die.

Admittedly, you may soon regret buying the instrument as the distortion bounces off the walls whilst your child insists he’s nailed the first three chords of Teen Spirit.

But still, better than buying drums...

At Horsham Music there is a good deal on a Fender Squire with a 15 watt amp. Available for £215, it’s a good set for beginners.

There are also some good stocking fillers guitar straps, plectrums, mouth organs and how about a ukulele for just £25.

Andy Walker of Horsham Music said: “They’re a nice little instrument. It’s a lot different to a few years ago when the cheaper ukuleles were really not great.”

GJ’s Guitar Emporium in Storrington has a superb range of both new and used guitars, and while it does sell instruments for novices, it is a great place to go if you’re looking for a top end guitar.

Like the staff at Horsham Music, most of whom play instruments in local rock and jazz outfits, the staff are knowledgable and offer sound advice.

If its dance music that a loved one is into, perhaps a state-of-the-art record deck would be well received on Christmas morning.

Sound Industry, located at the Blatchford Close Industrial Estate in Horsham, sells an extensive range from beginners kits to professional DJ equipment.

They stock the new Traktor Duo 2 software package, which allows you to mix on two decks and easily add loops. With this you’ll be using the same software as many of the world’s top DJs. It works with your iTunes® library and can find the right song instantly with the Crate Flick cover art search and allows you to start mixing. It costs only £85.

Do you have the X-Factor?

Why not record a song in our professional studio and have it filmed at the same time to find out?

At ICS Studios in Colgate, we record the song, video you singing with lighting and a background and produce a professional DVD. This makes for an excellent Christmas

or birthday present idea.

This offer is open to anyone that fancies a go, regardless of age or experience.

Why not give yourself or someone else the chance to be a star for the day?

Call us now on the number below for a chat or to make a booking.

Record your own song: Call 01293 852995

47

www.aahorsham.co.uk

BAGS & LUGGAGE Classic Bags, Piries Place, Horsham Admittedly, travel cases are not likely to be very near the top of your average child’s wish list to Father Christmas, but if you wanted to make journeys more exciting, there is a fantastic range of cases for children at Classic Bags in Horsham.

The shop, located in Piries Place just off the Carfax, has an extensive range of the increasingly popular Cuties and Pals cases. The two wheeled cases are strong but lightweight and come with an interior zipper compartment, dual opening zips which can be locked and a two station, telescopic pulling handle. But most importantly, they look like a penguin or a dinosaur!

Staying with the kid’s range, Classic Bags also stock Trunki, the award-winning case that children can ride on or pull along. The Trunki first showcased on Dragon’s Den and the range has expanded dramatically since. Classic Bags stock an assortment of the latest and most popular characters.

For adults there is also a huge range of quality handbags luggage, briefcases, travel accessories, gloves, wallets and purses, as well as a range of laptop holders ipad covers and

cases for smaller gadgets such as iPhones and BlackBerrys. A great gift idea for this Christmas is charm Stackers designed to accommodate modern day charm bracelets, an elegant solution to the bead and charm collector.

Classic Bags is an independent family owned business established in

Horsham since 1999 and are authorised stockists for leading brands including Radley, Kipling, Tula, Gianni Conti, Hidesign, Samsonite, Ochre Blue, Delsey, MyWalit and Knomo. When you’re next in Horsham pop into Piries Place and visit Classic Bags! www.classic-bags.co.uk

BEERS & WINES Hepworths Brewery, Nightingale Road, Horsham WJ King, Jubilee Estate, Foundry Lane, Horsham Dark Star Brewery, Star Road Trading Estate, Partridge Green Deakin Fine Wines, Horsham Amphora Wines, Slinfold

Beers, wines and in the case of Dark Star, clothing too, make for a great gift.

Dark Star’s range of clothing is very popular.

The Partridge Green brewery has its own shop, with T-Shirts, rugby shirts, hoodies and even cycling tops by Morvelo available to buy. Visit the brewery website to browse the designs for men and women.

Rather than buying the gift packs of novelty ales often sold at department stores over the Christmas period, why not buy proper ales directly from our excellent local breweries?

Hepworth’s Brewery sell bottles of their best

known ales including the new Sussex Conqueror Stout and their organic lager, Blonde.

WJ King also sell bottled beers at their new and improved brewery shop (you can get 10% off with the voucher on Page 51 too!).

If it’s wine you’re after, but you want something that you can’t pick up at the Supermarket, Amphora Wines in Slinfold and Deakin Fine Wines in Horsham both hold wine tastings in the run up to Christmas, where you may find a new wine for an adventurous drinker...

UNIQUE TREATS

TOYS & GAMES

Splodge Clock, Cowfold The 'Splodge' clock is unique, made at a shop in Cowfold village. The clock comes in 12 different colours and special editions are created from time to time.

The Splodge itself is a 2.5kg splatter of metal, measuring 86cm by 55cm. They certainly make an interesting talking point!

It’s not all about computers...

Hot Air Balloon Rides, Petworth Gliding Lesson, Cootham

The British School of Ballooning has a launch site just north of Petworth and flights cover a beautiful area of Sussex. Website prices start from just £95.

Sticking with flying, Southdowns Gliding Club offers a trial lesson in a glider for less than £100.

After a ground briefing you will be aerotowed to 2,500 feet, then the instructor will explain the action of the controls and guide you through some simple manoeuvres for a flight lasting 20 - 30 minutes.

Wattle & Daub, Cowfold

Battlequest, Horsham www.childrenstoysandgifts.co.uk Full Throttle Models, Upper Beeding Games consoles and tablet-style computers - a kind of Apple iPad for children - are likely to be amongst the more popular gifts at Christmas.

The LeapPad and InnoTab children’s tablets come complete with touch-screen applications including games, e-books and MP3 players.

If you are after something a little more traditional, you could look to a website based company in Partridge Green called Children's Toys and Gifts.

The family-run firm source quality children's toys, with educational, traditional and activity toys and gifts being a priority.

The majority of toys are made from wood or metal. One of the most popular gifts is a range of child and toddler ride-on toys, and they also supply traditional wooden ride-on trikes, wooden educational shape sorters, wheelybugs, and rocking ride-on

toys in a range of animal designs.

Along Brighton Road in Horsham, you’ll find Battlequest, which specialises in strategy and fantasy games.

They stock a great selection of games and miniatures with brands including ASL, Axis and Allies, Carcassonne, Dungeons and Dragons, Games Workshop, RPG's, Warmachine and lots of accessories.

There’s a great range of stocking fillers too, and it’s the best place to pick up trading cards such as Match Attax and Deadly 60 cards in Horsham.

Another place worth investigation in Full Throttle Models in Upper Beeding, which stocks a great range of remote controlled cars, planes and helicopters.

They stock electric and petrol cars for novices and experienced enthusiasts, covering anything from Maverick Strada cars to others which cost over £600!

If you’re wandering around waiting for the perfect gift to jump out and bite you on the nose, you could do worse than head to Cowfold’s hidden gem, Wattle & Daub.

There are all sorts of gift ideas here - locally-made jewellery, a cheeseboard created by a Sussex woodturner, home-made chocolates and a range of Christmas candles with unusual smells such as figgy pudding.

There is also a good range of Jellycat teddies, including rabbits, monkeys and dragons, while the owl cushions are also wonderfully quirky.

49

Christmas Gifts Special Beauty Secrets East Street, Horsham

The Retreat, Slinfold

The Retreat, Slinfold Golf & Country Club Mi Spa, Carfax, Horsham

Spa and skincare treatments have become more affordable in recent years, so if you have a loved one that needs to unwind with a little pampering, there are some good offers to be found.

Mi Spa, a new Beauty, Skincare and Wellbeing centre in The Carfax, Horsham, offers organic massage treatments from just £35 and gift vouchers are available.

All of Mi Spa’s spa and skincare services include the use of the Amethyst relaxation room, where fresh fruits and soft drink refreshments are provided. For details call 01403 250777 or visit www.mi-spa.co.uk The Retreat is Slinfold Golf and Country Club’s spa and it is divine. The Retreat’s product range of choice is ESPA – a 5star range bringing together the most effective techniques from around the world.

The Retreat offers a range of therapeutic treatments including hot stones, envelopments, advanced facials and exceptional ayurvedic inspired treatments.

The Retreat also offers a comprehensive nails service, using products from Jessica Nails and Lash Perfect, the leading supplier of Professional semi-permanent eyelash extensions.

TREATMENTS & SPAS The Retreat is currently offering reduced prices, with a deluxe manicure costing just £25. Visit www.ccgslinfold.com/retreat-spa/ Beauty Secrets in East Street also has an extensive range of treatments and some appealing full day and half day packages for men and women.

For example, escape for a day or for even just a few hours of pure relaxation and indulgence at the Arabian Day Spa at Beauty Secrets.

Those guests experiencing a Day Spa Package can enjoy a light ceremonial lunch and exotic fruit in a relaxation area!

Visit www.beautysecretsspa.co.uk for details.

Beauty Secrets, Horsham

‘Guests can enjoy a light ceremonial lunch and exotic fruit in our relaxation area’

Mi Spa, Horsham

50

Christmas Gifts Special

SPORT & LEISURE Wrapping up a bike can cause major headaches, but at least you don’t have to worry about a lack of choice in the area.

Bliss Bikes in Partridge Green has a great range, stocking everything from children’s bikes, through to jump bikes for street riding or dirt jumping, as well as road bikes and mountain bikes. They also have a range of helmets, cycling clothing and accessories.

Freeborn is another good stockist of bikes and accessories, with specialist equipment as well as bikes across the price spectrum.

On the Freeborn website, they’ve even their own top 20 products and components for Christmas!

Southwater Cycles could be in the toys and games section, as in addition to its large range of bikes, the shop is one of the best stockists around of radio controlled vehicles.

These include cars, planes, helicopters and boats, and they also stock scooters including the popular JD Bug range.

Away from bikes, Edge & Wax in Partridge Green has a large range of ski and snowboard products and customised boot fitting services.

They stock products for men, women and children with leading brands including Head, K2, Line, Whitedot Skis,Volkl, Nordica, Schöffel, Scott, Icebreaker and Falke.

Bliss Bikes, Huffwood Estate, Partridge Green Southwater Cycles, Lintot Square, Southwater Freeborn, Bishopric, Horsham Edge & Wax, Huffwood Estate, Partridge Green PalmerSport, Southwater Bell Leisure, London Road, Ashington

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Drive of your life This is going to be out of the budget for most of us, but if you did want a true once-in-alifetime experience, then look no further than the driving experiences on offer at PalmerSport, a corporate motorsport company based in Southwater.

Cars in the Palmersport fleet include hot rods like the 420bhp V8 BMW M3, and the new Palmer Jaguar JP-LM (pictured below)

Heavily influenced by F1 technology, it has a three litre V6 Cosworth developed engine and paddleshift gears.

There are full day, half day, and individual driving experiences available too at www.palmersport.com On a far more leisurely note, how about a pool, snooker, table tennis or even air hockey table from Bell Leisure, just off the A24 in Ashington?

Proud sponsors of the 2011 Austin Healey Club Race Championship and the 2011 MG Midget Challenge

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SWEETS & TREATS

Cocoa Loco, West Grinstead Mr Simms, West Street, Horsham If it’s chocolate you are after, but you don’t want a loved one to think you’d popped along to the supermarket and bought whatever was on special offer, visit the Cocoa Loco website at www.cocoaloco.co.uk The family run-firm based in West Grinstead has made chocolates for Prince Charles’ Highgrove Estate and Jamie Oliver’s company too, so it’s about as good as organic chocolate can get!

Cocoa Loco has a number of gift boxes, including a giant hamper and a wooden presentation box. You can see more at a couple of open days on Friday, 2nd December at 12-7pm.

Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe in Horsham sells hamper packs of various sizes with themes such as the Retro sweets hamper, which has a range of treats that you didn’t know they still made!

Simply Olive Oils, Brighton Road, Horsham

Simply Olive Oils stocks Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a variety of flavours including Truffle, Chilli, Lemon, Basil and Garlic as well as Balsamic Vinegars, Balsamic Glazes and Fresh Olives.

Perhaps the best idea for Christmas would be the hampers which are individually made.

The oils are affordable and customers can even take advantage of a refilling station at the shop, which is located within the showrooms of Sussex Kitchen Designs at 1 Brighton Road, Horsham, RH13 5BD.

Architectural Plants, Nuthurst Big Plant Nursery, Ashington Sussex Ornaments, Southwater Camelia Botnar Homes and Gardens Centre, Cowfold

There’s no shortage of garden centres in the Horsham area, but it is a trip to some of the less well-known that can pay dividends.

Architectural Plants nursery in Nuthurst, near The Black Horse pub, specialises in plants that are both shapely and exotic.

Here you can find Japanese and European Topiary, hardy palms, bananas, bamboos, plants for screening and a range of rare evergreen trees.

Architectural Plants is the home of the interesting, unusual, quirky and bizarre the tropical and the jungly, of both big and small specimen plants.

Priding itself as being ‘the Antidote to Garden Centres’, the adventurous gardener will be sure to find something of interest here.

In Ashington, along Hole Lane, lies the Big Plant Nursery, which also has a good range of trees, shrubs, hardy palms and bamboos.

But it is also one of the best places in the country to buy olive trees, which are becoming more common in both private and commercial gardens.

Camelia Botnar Homes & Gardens is the retail outlet where the items made by the craftsmen and trainees at the Camelia Botnar Foundation can be bought.

The Foundation and the Homes and Garden Centre have been featured in AAH.

Fire tools at Camelia Botnar

HOMES & GARDENS

Architectural Plants The nursery in Littleworth Lane, Cowfold, has a good selection of plants, trees, hedging, shrubs, bedding and hanging baskets.

However, you may find it’s the woodwork, pottery and metalwork showrooms that grab your attention, with gifts such as the unique fireplace tools.

Sussex Ornaments, based at Oakhurst Business Park, Southwater, create statues and water features for the home and garden. Their products are sold at several local homes and gardens centres but you can order directly from their website at www.sussexornaments.co.uk

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‘The Big Plant Nursery is one of the best places to buy Olive trees’

www.smart-pro.co.uk Tel: 01403 888412 or 07967 778232

HOT

Stuff

You may have read recently how two people needed hospital treatment after taking part in a ‘world’s hottest chilli’ eating competition.

Those taking part had tasted a Bhut Jolokia, which has been officially recognised as the hottest. It measures 1,040,304 on the scoville scale, the measurement used to register a chilli’s heat.

Compare that to the Jalapeno’s rather wimpy 5,000 and the Cayenne Pepper’s 50,000 and you realise just how hot this chilli is.

Two hundred times spicier than Jalapeños, the peppers are so hot

that workers handling them in India wear goggles and gloves to avoid burns! If any food should carry a health warning, it’s certainly the Bhut Jolokia, or Ghost chilli as it is also known.

But you can buy these plants commercially and the best local suppliers of chilli peppers is the Edible Plant Nursery in Partridge Green.

The nursery has been established by The Garden Specialists, a landscaping and gardening business but with a huge passion for chilli and sweet pepper growing.

Having started supplying a few rare and unusual varieties of chilli and

pepper plants for family and friends, Zöe Bruce and Sean O’ Connell now have about 50 varieties of chilli and 20 of sweet peppers with more planned for 2012.

These include the Bhut Jolokia, Trinidad Scorpion and 7-Pot, some of the world’s hottest available chilli plants.

Zöe, who has extensive experience with plants, said: “It’s a business born out of an obsession with chilli and plants really. I just wanted to take it a bit further as we’ve seen that many people are keen on growing their own food.

“We’re both horticulturists and

CHILLI PLANTS Edible Plant Nursery, Partridge Green

plants are our thing, so it’s a nice way of doing something we love doing on both aspects, bringing in the chilli as well as the horticultural side.”

Sean and Zöe recently held a tasting night at The Partridge pub, run by Partridge Green based brewery Dark Star, with the help of Rob and Vicki at the pub. As part of the pub’s popular quiz night, participants had to guess the strength of chillies based on their appearance alone.

Needless to say, few guessed correctly, with the common mistake being that smaller chillies are the most potent!

Sean at Hutching’s Butchers in the village produced chilli sausages for the evening, whilst West Grinstead based Cocoa Loco provided some chilli chocolate.

Zöe said: “For next year I’ve

tried to get a few more milder varieties because there are quite a lot at around the same sort of level as the Habanero’s heat (100,000-350,000) and then you jump up a lot to the really, really hot seeds.

“What we’ve found this year was that there was a big demand for the very hot stuff and demand from people who are interested in experimenting with food but not big chilli eaters.

“I’ve also tried to make sure there are a few more variations on colour and prettiness. There is a huge variation in pepper colours and they come in all shapes and sizes.

“Most garden centres will only have a small selection of plants and seeds, typically a Scotch Bonnet, a Jalapeno, Cayenne and ornamental varieties like a Medusa, but there is much Continued on Page 56

From left to right: Peter Pepper, Tokyo Hot, Elephants Trunk, Toyko Hot, Toyko Hot, Naga, Peter Pepper, Big Bang Habanero, Big Sun Scotch Bonnet, Fatali, Red Scotch Bonnet, Pickled Frog, Peruvian Purple, Exploding Fire, Thai

Sean and Zoe of The Garden Specialists/Edible Plant Nursery

56

Christmas Gifts Special Chilli tasting at The Partridge quiz night

more to offer.”

Plant propagation starts in late January, with the plants ready to sell by the beginning of April.

Rather than just passing the plants over, Zöe and Sean are able to advise people on how best to handle the plants and tips on cooking too.

Sean said: “I think more people are aware of international cuisine and actually cooking it rather than going out for a curry. They

are more prepared to experiment with new ingredients. Thai cuisine is popular and we have good peppers for red and green curries and milder peppers are great for stir-fry.

“It’s not all about intense heat it’s about changing flavours of things.

“People don’t realise how good they are for freezing as well, so you can have a supply all year round. They don’t lose any heat

Seers Croft Veterinary Surgery

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or colour. “ It is of course the hot chilli peppers that attract the most interest, but Sean said that many should be approached with extreme caution and cooking should be carried out with care.

“We do try to warn people and explain to those who want to buy the hot chillies that there is a big, big difference between a Habanero and a Bhut Jolokia. I

believe there should be a health warning, people don’t realise the difference in strength.”

Whilst the plants will not be ready for Christmas, gift certificates for the Edible Plant Nursery are available, for one, two or three plants.

The plants will be ready to buy from April 2012.

Visit the website at www.thegardenspecialists.com

The Garden Specialists

Sean O’ Connell has more than 20 years of experience in all aspects of gardening.

His partner Zoe Bruce is RHS qualified and offers advice on plants and fruit maintenance.

As The Garden Specialists, they can offer a full design and build service as well as all year round garden maintenance.

Other areas of gardening that we specialise in include lawn and turf care, fruit and vegetable growing, designing and maintaining ponds, planting and cutting hedges and trees and maintaining swimming pools.

Partridge Green, West Sussex Tel: 01403 713744 www.thegardenspecialists.com info@thegardenspecialists.com

Mobility Specialists focus on customer care Atlas Mobility is a friendly, empathetic shop in East Street, Horsham that supplies a diverse range of leading mobility products.

They offer superb customer service, competitively priced products and a quality after-sales service.

Neil Howell and Stephanie McCann advise; “as owners, we take great pride in our product knowledge, customer service approach and reputation.

Many of our satisfied clients tell us that our ability to tailor our service when needed really does

bring a sense of reassurance and reliance to those who are unable to get out and about. Feedback we receive from institutions such as Horsham Hospital and many local care homes/agencies also endorse this work ethic”.

The shop, at 64 East St, (near the Iron Bridge) sells mobility scooters, riser recliner chairs and a vast array of living aids. Atlas Mobility provides bespoke chairs for individual needs.

Neil says – “our aim is to fit each custom made chair to the person’s shape and size. By offering a wide variety of styles, sizes and features, we can promote optimum posture, comfort and support for those who may need to sit for longer periods of time.”

Atlas Mobility provide a high quality range of stair lifts.

Stephanie adds: “Comfort,

reliability and safety are key and are all taken into account during the technical survey, and installation could be achieved in as little as 72 hours on confirmation of an order. From a low price guarantee to the way we schedule our survey and installation appointments, we keep you fully informed and in control at all times.”

Atlas Mobility also offer extensive bathing solutions, pressure relief cushions, and Cosyfeet products for those who have problem feet.

We would like to thank all of our customers for their ongoing support; Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Tel: 01403 263553 www.atlasmobility.co.uk

64 East Street, Horsham (near to the Iron Bridge)

www.atlasmobility.co.uk Tel: 01403 263553

Mobility Scooters Stairlifts Bathlifts & BathAids Riser Recliner Chairs with Bespoke Fitting 1000s of Living Aids

Your choice of Handi-Reacher or Wheat Bag when you spend £50 or more in December

AAH-DEC

58

Christmas Gifts Special

FASHION

Start dropping hints Cape Scarlett, East Street, Horsham La Vida, Piries Place, Horsham

Donna Camera of La Vida Boutique gives readers some top fashion tips for the Winter season...

Christmas is always an exciting time at La Vida.

As well as offering a very popular christmas wish list service, where customers can choose their favourite items in-store and we let their loved ones know, we have our Christmas party nights with drinks and nibbles for regular customers.

Coats are always a popular choice at Christmas and we have a great selection at the moment. Faux fur is strong this season and always make a woman feel glamorous, along with leather bikers and flying jacket inspired styles.

Knitwear too is a lovely gift to give, and with a strong heritage trend at the moment chunky knits in rust and mustard will keep your loved ones nice and cosy throughout the winter months.

Accessory gifts such as scarves, gloves and jewellery are always beautifully gift wrapped by us and make a lovely little treat. Of course if you’re not sure then we do offer gift vouchers!”

La Vida 01403 259222 www.lavidaboutique.co.uk

lavidaboutique.co.uk Christmas is one of the best opportunities to bolster your wardrobe, but it can go horribly wrong all too easily.

Buying clothes for a woman, if you’re a man that doesn’t happen to be Gok Wan, is generally best avoided.

We all have a fable of a festive fashion faux pas, and that is why gift vouchers are a blessing!

But it is easier to get it right these days, thanks to a number of high quality, independent boutiques now in Horsham.

It used to be the case that Crawley offered superior choice when it came to ladies fashion, but the likes of La Vida in Piries Place and Cape Scarlett in East Street, both run by enthusiastic

‘We have the experience to help you uncover your own unique style’

and knowledgable staff, have changed that.

La Vida Boutique, established in 1999, specialises in affordable women’s designer fashion and accessories.

Labels such as Rene Derhy, Maggie & Me, Darling, Postcard from Brighton, Pia Michi and Mascara are as unique and quirky as the boutique.

Manager Donna Camera said: “Our range is constantly evolving as we only buy our unique collections in limited quantities. This is part of our charm and allows us to stock very individual products.

“It’s relaxed and informal here, but if you need advice we have the experience to help you uncover your own unique style. “

Photos all of La Vida Boutique by Toby Phillips

Christmas Gifts Special capescarlett.com Cape Scarlett, located a short walk from La Vida at the end of East Street, is also establishing a reputation as one of the area’s most exciting ladies fashion boutiques.

The store offers high-fashion in a stylish and friendly atmosphere. Run by Sarah Lidstone, Cape Scarlett stocks designer labels you normally wouldn’t find outside London.

Designers include Nougat, French Connection, Numph, Almost Famous and Ruby London. The shop also stocks a range of jewellery, Italian umbrellas by Aqueo and handbags by Wilbur & Gussie.

There is also a great range of comfortable tops, pyjamas and soft boots by Bedroom Athletics, perfect for those lazy Sundays!

Sarah said: “We offer a personal service with as much or as little attention as

you'd like. If you'd like to browse then take your time, there's no hurry whatsoever.

“On the other hand if you've got an event coming up - a party, a dinner, a wedding and you'd like some pointers as to what you'll look stunning

in, then I can help.”

For women looking for a fresh look, La Vida and Cape Scarlett have much to offer.

For men prepared to be more daring than gift vouchers, you may find Sarah can help you out!

Photos of Cape Scarlett

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Father Christmas, elves, pantomime, ice skating, Toboggan run & hot doughnuts...

Fishers Adventure Farm Park Wisborough Green

...must be Christmas at Fishers Adventure Farm Park A trip to Fishers Farm Park at any time of year is enough to get children buzzing with excitement.

But at Christmas, when Father Christmas is in his magical grotto at the Farm, a trip to the award-winning family visitor attraction in Wisborough Green is extra special.

Father Christmas and his elves will be adding some festive cheer from Saturday, 3rd December.

As well as there being the opportunity to see Santa, children can enter the magic world of 'the elves toy factory' where they can choose

any present before it's wrapped!

Not be missed over Christmas is the Fishers Farm pantomime. This year it's the longawaited and much loved family pantomime Cinderella, with performances running from 17th - 24th December.

In addition to the festive fun, Fishers Farm Park offer a unique mixture of farm animals and adventure play - the ideal place for action-packed days out with the kids.

The skate rink is open during the winter for children with shoe size 8 up to adults. It's

really tricky, so hold on to the sides until you get the hang of it. One thing to note is that you will need socks to take part in the skating - but they're usually on sale at the Alpine Lodge if you forget yours.

In the Alpine Adventure zone, kids can also enjoy the Cresta Fun Toboggan Run - all you need to do is roll your inflatable doughnut to the top and our helpful staff will settle you in and push you off! The Alpine Lodge serves delicious hot drinks and warm home-made doughnuts for the children - and parents too!

A Real life Bambi story...

The August edition featured the story of a rabbit who has been caring for a deer, since the deer was knocked down by a car. The two have become inseperable at their new home at Holbrook Animal Rescue

Old editions of AAH can be viewed in at www.aahorsham.co.uk

61

Christmas Gifts Special

The park is the perfect day out for children - from toddlers to 10-years-old.

The fun begins as you enter the indoor soft play barns where the children can let off steam and you can relax with a drink (and a piece of Trina’s homemade chocolate cake!) in the coffee shop.

You can enjoy old favourites, such as a ride on the Tractor trailer or the Barrel Bugs, as well as new activities including the enchanted woods, the Spanish Galleon and giant zip lines!

There’s no end of fun for the children with activities including 25ft Climbing Wall for big children and adults, small animal handling, horse and pony rides in the sand school, farrier demonstrations, pig racing, happy haunting ghost tunnel ride, pedal karts, Forgotten Farm adventure golf, lighthouse slides, sandpit and

&

diggers, swing Boats and water peddle boats.

There is plenty of food and drink at the Park. Enjoy breakfast, lunch and tea in the Saddle Rooms Restaurant all year round, and during the holidays there are fast food snacks in Jolly Jumbo’s Grill, homemade sausages and specials at the BBQ, as well as the treats at Alpine Lodge.

The gift shop is open to visitors and passers-by and has a great range of stocking fillers, presents and educational toys. Tickets to meet Father Christmas are now available and can be bought in advance from 01403 700063. The price is £8.50 per child. Pantomime tickets can also be purchased in advance.

For more information please visit the website at www.fishersfarmpark.co.uk or call 01403 700063.

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62

Something Different Horsham Rugby Club calendar Horsham Rugby Club Lost in the Loft, Southwater Sussex Woodstoves, Horsham

Sadly Calvin Klein has not taken an advert out in AAH. Instead, Horsham Rugby Club have produced a calendar for 2012, with photos taken by our own Toby Phillips.

The club’s social secretary, John O’Sullivan, has somehow managed to talk several of the players into posing topless for the calendar! The calendar is on sale at the Rugby Club and the Candy Box in Horsham’s Carfax, priced £10, with proceeds going to Everyman, which raises awareness of male cancer.

An idea that shows a little bit of thought is converting a loved one’s memories on to DVD. Lost in the Loft offer a personal video transfer service, taking videos and lovingly restoring them into digital form. It comes back to you in a fully personalised case and printed disc. As well as VHS they can also convert Hi-8, mini DVD and 8mm Cine Film to DVD. For details call 01403 734465 or visit www.lostintheloft.com We’re also starting to see more chimenea, an open fire garden heater, in garden centres. The likes of Hilliers Garden Centre and Newbridge Nurseries stock a range of chimenea but you may also want to check the products available at Horsham-based firm Sussex Woodstoves.

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63

www.aahorsham.co.uk

FURNISHINGS

Hoads, Bishopric, Horsham A&H Furnishings, Plummers Plain

Hoads of Horsham is well known for its range of furniture for the home, but they are also the only local stockist of Fatboy products. They also stock Quirky Gifts products such as the Doggy Doorstep. Fatboy is perhaps best known for its enormous and colourful bean bags. They come in a range of designs and fabric - one even being made of denim - and you will be the envy of your friends if you have one!

A bit out of town at Plummers Plain you’ll find A&H Furnishings.

It’s an interesting shop with a large variety of fabrics for curtains, chairs, throws and cushions. You’ll also find accessories such as beads and tassles and door stops. It’s run by people with vast experience who can help out with most requests.

ART Horsham Museum & Art Gallery Sussex Sculpture Studios & Emily Ball at Seawhite (Both in Partridge Green)

If you know someone that has always expressed a desire to paint, but has never done anything about it, perhaps you could look into art courses?

Seawhite of Brighton are based at the Star Road Trading Estate in Partridge Green. They are primarily art suppliers and run an art shop too, but they have collaborated with Emily Ball to create a unique painting studio.

Contemporary art courses are regularly held and can be booked up through the Seawhite website.

The Sussex Sculpture Studios are based just around the corner in Partridge Green’s High Street. They host wood carving, animal sculpture, freeform, garden sculpture and other courses hosted by a number of experienced artists.

Horsham Museum and Art Gallery’s new temporary exhibition ‘How much?’ is an affordable and intriguing exhibition of quality art.

You can buy pieces by artists including Alison Ingram, Mary Bacon, Jill Combs, Peter Slight, Alice Harman, Irene Grant and Derek Golledge (pictured) at a low price under the Own Art scheme. All the art costs less than £350, or just £35 a month for 10 months, interest free.

A&H Furnishings

Capitol Panto scales new heights Once upon a time (in mid-October) at The Capitol in a town not too far away, a kind fairy, a dastardly villain and a neutral scriptwriter came together in a castle in the clouds to talk about a pantomime. Upon hearing tales of magic beans, giants, and lured by the scent of an Englishman’s blood, AAH Magazine sent a reporter up a huge beanstalk to join them.

The story begins with a girl who loved to dance and act and sing…

SJH: I started on stage when I was two, and danced all through my childhood. I did acrobatics and in 1992 won the Miss Dance Great Britain competition, before I became a contortionist. I then landed a role in Cats in the West End. Where she nearly ran into another multiskilled performer...

CB: I started off as a dancer, but that was a long time ago – back in the dark ages. I then did Cats shortly before Sarah Jane was in it, and then I went to do Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. I was in it for a year with Jason Donovan and then played the Pharaoh when Phillip Schofield was in the lead role. I then started a career in television, most recently in Tracy Beaker as Mike.

Sarah Jane, meanwhile, had also become a big name in children’s television…

SJH: I had been getting lots of work as an

Interviews

actress, when I had shaved my hair off!

But I had to think about what I should do with my career, and the one thing I knew was that children had always flocked to me. At family barbecues I would be the one playing with the kids in the sandpit whilst the other grown-ups were chatting.

I’d be a terrible mum as I’m a hopeless cook and really disorganised, but I’m really good at playing Barbie!

A successful career at CBeebies, most notably as the host of Mighty-mites, followed, but 4’11” Sarah-Jane woke up one morning with a terrifying thought…

SJH: I’m 37 and don’t want to end up like Janette Krankie, so maybe it was time to hang up my bunches! I’ve been an actress in films, performed in pantomime, yet all I’m known for is being a children’s presenter.

But there’s so much more that I can do so it’s like I have to re-establish myself.”

Meanwhile in Horsham, the theatre manager was struggling with writer’s block…

MG: I have to say I couldn’t get into Jack and the Beanstalk for a couple of months.

Sarah Jane Honeywell (SJH): The star of Mighty Mites stars as Fairy Twinkle.

Connor Byrne (CB): The CBBC’s children’s presenter, best known for his role as head care worker Mike in Tracy Beaker Returns, stars as Fleshcreep.

Michael Gattrell (MG): The General Manager of the Capitol directs the panto

Jack

and the

Beanstalk The Capitol Pantomime 8th December 2011- 2nd January 2012

I could picture the structure of the scenes, but I couldn’t put pen to paper. But it’s all finished, and the script has been sent out to the entire cast.

Michael sprinkled magic dust on the scripts, and they flew off in various directions. One found its way to Connor…

CB: I’ve never done pantomime before in my life. I just got the call and I thought, why not?

Because I’m a television actor that’s all people think I can do – they don’t necessarily know that I can dance and I can sing. I have been to see a pantomime every year for the past 15 years, sometimes two different ones. I have three children, so it’s part of Christmas for us.

Michael was so happy about having two big names for his new panto…

MG: I’m excited to have Connor with us, as he is a big name in the world of acting with a lot of experience. He has done a lot of voiceover work (voice work includes War Horse, a new film directed by Steven Spielberg, and In Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists, starring Hugh Grant, currently being filmed). He is an unassuming actor with an

incredible CV. Meanwhile, Sarah-Jane was just glad to be back in Horsham and was dreaming of buying a massive pink castle in the town…

SJH: I love Horsham. Every time I come here (Sarah-Jane starred in Peter Pan at The Capitol in 2008/09) I think I should buy a house here, it’s such a nice place.

I’m really excited to be working with Connor too as he also has a musical theatre background.

As if by magic, the rest of the cast fell into place…

MG: Amanda Sim, who played the Slave of the Ring in Aladdin last year, takes on the role of Jack. Silly Billy is played by Joseph Pitcher, who has recently finished a UK tour of Oklahoma! playing ‘Will Parker’ . Michael Neilson will be playing Dame Trot. Hannah Robertson plays Jill, and Paul Bentley takes on the role of The King. Whilst Connor and Sarah have the lead roles, it’s very balanced so no-one dominates the script.

Obviously you have the hero, Jack, but they all have the same amount of stage time.

Across the land, word

“You have to have the good, the bad, and a bit of slapstick as people still love to see a custard pie.”

spread of The Capitol’s magical new script…

SJH: Michael is so involved. He wants to know what you think and he is a great leader too.

He’s like a Dumbledore character, very in control and leading you without you knowing you’ve been led. You never want to disappoint him as he’s such a lovely man.

The show’s cast though are taking it all seriously...

CB: As an actor, you do not switch off for pantomime. The more you commit to it the more you and the audience will get out of it. If you are really into it, there will be times during the windows of opportunity that Michael has given us to step out of

the box, to add some humour when things go wrong or at certain moments. It can’t be set in stone - a good pantomime will have a little give and take.

Michael though was plotting the perfect panto...

MG: Being a pantomime doyen, I’ve seen loads so I know how it works. It has to be very visual, funny, you have to have the good, the bad, and a bit of slapstick as people still love to see a custard pie. It’s putting all of those elements together. You don’t want to get bored, so it has to be very fast and very visual with a bit of

For tickets call 01403 750220 music, a bit of dancing, a bit of interaction and audience participation.

He then asked his Fairy Twinkle to choose one of three options which would change history…

SJH: Last time I was here in Horsham I actually sang a song off a CD of children’s songs I had recorded, but after singing the song I thought it was selfish of me to have done that as the audience really want a song that they know. So this year Michael gave me three options and I said ‘I can I do this one.’

Now the big day is near, the whole Kingdom of Horsham is ready to rejoice…

CB: I’ve no doubt that I’m going to have a ball because of the cast, The Capitol, the town, and the script is terrific and very funny. It should be a romp for everybody, and don’t forget it is Christmas time so let’s really

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enjoy ourselves.

But townsfolk, be warned, there will be strings attached…

MG: We’re bringing back Ultra Violet puppets, which people loved a couple of years back.

We’ve got a beanstalk that grows and Sarah will be bringing a bit of magic to the stage. I can’t say too much about that but she’ll be very fast, so there’s a bit of a clue. The sets and costumes are superb, and it’ll be a giant of a panto!

“We’re bringing back ultra violet puppets”

And with that, everyone danced merrily towards The Capitol to buy their tickets, and they all had a wonderful Christmas.

Jack and The Beanstalk runs for 44 performances from Thursday 8th December 2011 until Monday 2nd January 2012.

Tickets are available from the box office on 01403 750220 or The Capitol website at www.thecapitolhorsham.com

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I searched for us on Spotify and it came up with the message ‘Did you mean

Sick in a Pot?

Stick in a Pot are winning fans with their harmonic folk songs. But have they missed the boat?

Don’t tell me, they’re called The Bearded Bandits?

No. Hairy Harry and the Bristle Boys?

No - this is Stick in a Pot, a harmonic folk band made up of five members -Piers Blewett (vocals, guitars) Ollie Barron (guitar, vocals), Adam Whittles (bass, vocals), Alex Hay (keyboards, vocals) and Richard Joy (guitar, vocals).

Five singers – who do they think they are, Il Divo?

The songs are sung by Piers, who writes the material too, but each of the band members provides harmonies, often all at the same time - sort of like the Beach

Boys used too, but the songs are more folksy rather than Californian. Richard joked: “The gig organisers love us when they ask how many microphones we need and we say five.”

When you say folksy, do you mean like Morris Dancing, or like Bob Dylan?

Actually, the music stems from Piers’ love of Sparklehorse, an American indie band led built around singer Mark Linkous, who took his own life in 2010.

The music of Stick in a Pot is also along the same lines as the contemporary folk of recent years by successful bands such as Fleet Foxes. Mumford & Sons are the most successful of the current British

acts, even if Stick in a Pot are not fans.

Sparkle who?

You’re not the only one not to have heard of them. Bassist Adam told us: “I hadn’t heard Sparklehorse until a few months ago, when I thought I had better find out about this band we’re supposed to sound like! I like it though it’s folk but there's a bit of psychedelia in there too.

Did they not try to take their chance whilst folk music was enjoying its mini revival then?

Piers said that when Fleet Foxes and similar bands came along, rather than thinking ‘this could be our time’ he felt

Further listening for Folk fans Pipe and Tabor (formerly Mr Fynn) have started playing new material live, supporting Sandweaver in Findon in October. Singer Carly Stubbs, a backing singer for Phil Collins tribute act No Jacket Required, remains a stunning vocalist.

Horsham has its own folk club, which attracts leading folk performers. A recent performer was Victoria Vox, who has played with her ukulele on the Jay Leno show. Another local singer with a folk sound is Gregk Foley (right)

he had “missed the boat”. The band has though seen more people coming around to their type of songs. Alex said: “I know of one band that has always been a rock and grunge band that have kept their name but now have banjos. “ So is this a new band?

In its current form, yes, as the band only added Adam and Alex to its number in recent months. Piers and Richard started in about 2005, playing a few open mic nights.

Their first gig was at The Candy Bar on St James Street in Brighton, supporting Oom, a trip hop band who actually originated in Horsham. Alex was a guitarist with Oom, one-time winners of Horsham’s Battle of the Bands.

What about Ollie Barron?

Ollie came in after Tom Patterson, the band’s previous guitarist, left. Ollie said: “I was in a rival band called Super Ego (they later became Shoot More Holes) but that fell apart. I heard Piers was putting Stick in a Pot together and joined.”

Stick in a Pot; strange name really.

The band did discuss changing its name but couldn’t agree. Adam said: “I searched for us on Spotify and it came up with the message ‘Did you mean Sick in a Pot?’”

Stick in a Pot played at a recent Live Lounge night at The Tanners Arms

What has the band done so far then?

Piers said: “I released an EP called When the Monsters Arrive which I recorded with some friends in Melbourne and released when I got home from travelling. Then in April this year we released the album, A Number More Than Nothing At All. I recorded it with a friend, Ed Chivers, at my parent’s house in Horsham. Ollie and Richard play on the record, but it’s more of a bedroom project.”

Is it any good?

At AAH, we think it is. When Piers gave it to AAH at a gig at the Tanners Arms in Horsham, he warned that it was a ’grower’ and would take a few listens. He was

right – we have enjoyed it after repeated listening, and as we mentioned in last month’s ‘Top 10’ we loved Plinky the Alien off the band’s EP. Decider, Naval Lint (view the video at http://vimeo.com/18557037) and Synaesthesia are all well worth a listen. A video is now being made for the latter, even though the band isn’t sure how to play it!

How can they not play it?

The song was recorded with Tom Patterson on guitar, and he’s now left the band. The new line-up must work out the complicated arrangement. The video itself will use stop motion animation – Piers said it features a spider and a little man.

To buy photos visit tobyphillipsphotography.co.uk Will the five-piece be putting together songs for their new album?

Yes, they’ve been writing songs for a second album. Piers said: “We’re stuck at the drum stage at the moment, as we don’t have a drummer. I have a friend who is away at the moment but he said he would record the drum parts separately. It’s a similar sound although the songs are better.

Well, they’re certainly not any worse!”

Is it still mainly about Piers?

Not so much. He said: “Since Adam and Alex have joined the band there’s been a lot more arrangement in the music and it’s more of a collaborative effort. Before I was sort of bossing people around.”

Do they have big hopes then?

Stick in a Pot are not expecting to be top of the pop charts any time soon. Piers said: “We’ll send off demo tapes to record labels with new material but whereas in the past we might have been massively excited about doing that, we won’t be too expectant. The music so far

69

has been put out on my own label (Sad Sentry Records) but I’d like to think that we can try and get it released by someone else. It would be nice to be successful, and make a living from music, but it’s not realistic.”

Are they all so downbeat about their chances?

Keyboardist Alex said: “The whole industry has changed, and nobody really ‘makes it’ unless they were sort of preordained to in the beginning. But at the same time, it’s become much easier to make your music be heard because the recording process is more affordable, and then you can put it straight up on to the Internet.”

Can I see them live soon then?

Most of the live gigs are in London and Brighton, but they have recently played at the Tanners Arms in Horsham and are trying to arrange another night to play there. They are a very good live band, and the music is appreciated by most music fans.

Not all fans?

They do have the occasional night which must dent their enthusiasm. Richard said: “We did a gig recently just to the sound man. It does happen sometimes, that you take on a last minute gig and so you don’t take a following along.

Normally other bands are there and they all watch each other, but that wasn’t the case on this occasion.”

Where can I find out more about them?

All you need – tour dates, tracks, CDs – is at http://www.stickinapot.com/ You can view the Naval Lint video at http://vimeo.com/18557037 (there is a link on the Culture section of the AAH website at www.aahorsham.co.uk)

70 Group Discussion: Rotary Club of Horsham

Changing tradi Chances are you will have been to an event organised by The Rotary Club of Horsham, even within the last few months.

The organisation was influential in setting up the Kidz Stuff and Sparks in the Park events in Horsham Park, runs charity markets in the Carfax at Easter and Christmas, and in early November welcomed Pudsey to town for a day of mascot mayhem that raised about £2300 for good causes.

With children’s entertainer Dave BensonPhillips leading the likes of Howie the Hornet (Horsham FC mascot) and Ringo (Horsham’s Olympic mascot) in a sing-along and dancers from Fi-Steps staging a ‘Flashmob’ routine as Holding out for a Hero blasted out from the stereo, it was not the sort of event you may traditionally associate with the Rotary.

But this is a transitional period for Rotary, both internationally and locally.

The club was founded and built on the principles of fellowship amongst members of the business community, but as time has gone on the focus has shifted more

towards helping the community.

The age of its members has risen too as the busy lives of the modern young businessman or businesswoman leaves little time for such things as Rotary.

But by changing the strict rules on meeting attendance and the formation of new, more dynamic groups within Rotary with a ‘less talk, more action’ stance, Rotary hopes to appeal to the next generation of people involved in the community.

In the next few years, it is hoped that a new younger group formed of men and women aged 25 - 40 can develop within Rotary, with its own ideas and schedules.

Caroline Gould, who will become the president of the Rotary Club of Horsham next year, said: “The young group are liaising through Facebook, meeting in pubs, and they’re focused more on activity rather than meetings.

“We hope that we will gradually become a club that has many different arms to it.

Hopefully the young group will get to a point where some of them come to our meetings

and we go to some of theirs but each club develops in its own way.”

Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland (RIBI) has over 55,000 members in 1,840 clubs. The Horsham Club was established in 1923 and has a healthy membership. Rotary members are enthusiastic, fun-loving and active volunteers who give their time and talents to serve communities both at home and overseas.

The Horsham Rotary Club works closely with Set4Success, a charity for young talented sports people who live or go to school in the district, and also changes lives through the Making a Difference campaign. Internationally the Rotary is fundraising for End Polio Now, with the worldwide fundraising figure set to be matched by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

If you would like to know more about the Rotary Club of Horsham call John on 01403 754005 or email horshamrotary@btconnect.com or call

Read previous editions of AAH at www.aahorsham.co.uk

John Le Rossignol

itions

“It’s enjoyable talking to people both within Rotary and the people you meet in town. Rotary is a trusted organisation so when you talk about projects with people there is a general respect there and they understand we have a genuine desire to want to help.

It’s good fun, expecially focusing on children’s projects as we have done.

We’ve done this partially to offset the image of Rotary being an old folks institution, which it isn’t. So we did Kidz Stuff and the Trick or Treating in Horsham shops, working with traders.

The Pudsey and Pals event is an extension of that and it’s nice to see children having a good time, especially special needs children which we’ve paid particular attention to.

The Rotary has had problems in recruiting young people as members though, so Rotary International set up a scheme called Innovative and Flexible Clubs, where 200 clubs were selected - us being

Caroline Gould

one - to grow the young membership, so people aged about 25-45.

To a certain extent the rule book has been thrown out and we are on a three year pilot scheme to develop a younger club that meets modern demands.

We have a vision for the future that has the existing club, which has been going since 1923 and members like the way it is run, as well as a Young Rotary Club which is less formal and meets less frequently.

Another group that we would like to establish in a year or so is a Young Mother’s Club or Professional Ladies Club, which perhaps meets mid-morning with a creche. We currently have the Inner Wheel, which stems from the days when women were not allowed to be Rotarians so the wives set up their own group.

So between the three groups - The Rotary, Young Rotary and Inner Wheel, we have about 100 members but we would like to double that, as with 200 people you can make a huge difference.”

“My father David Gould was a Rotarian and one of his friends asked me if I’d like to join and I did.

I like giving something back to the community and it’s nice when we have our weekly meetings too.

We are trying to create new ideas to attract young people. We have started a tenpin bowling group once a month. We are hoping to win the area Rotary Club competition next time!

The increasing focus on young members has been passed down from Rotary International.

The Rotary Club has traditionally been older men meeting once a week for lunch and talking about business. But businessmen don’t do that anymore – they don’t have the time or the money. It used to be that you had to attend 80% of the meetings too, but Rotary is becoming more flexible.

We find that the Young Rotary Group are liaising through Facebook and they’re focusing more on activity rather than meetings.

We hope that over the next few years we will grow as one club that has many different arms to it. It may be that the group develops its own ideas and decide they want to operate in a different way.”

72

To advertise in AAH email editor@aahorsham.co.uk

Jason Anderton

“I only joined the Rotary about a week ago.

I’ve been doing a bit of work for them for a few months but only officially joined them recently.

I’m based at the YMCA centre and part of my role is to engage young people in the community. That is why I joined the Rotary. I hope that I can help the Rotary work more closely with young people in the area.

My focus is on the youth and that’s very much what the new Young Rotary Club is working towards as well.

We’re looking at attracting people aged 2545 to get involved in the community through the Young Rotary. It’s very rewarding for members as you get a lot out of helping people of all ages.”

David Daniels Peter Lake “We get involved in events and fundraising activities and normally meet once a week, but members fit this in with their business and family commitments.

We raise funds for causes locally and around the world. It’s basically trying to help people who need a hand and if life has been reasonably good to you this is a chance to give something back.

There are French and German Rotary Clubs we exchange with

and we are planning to do some charity work in Romania.

One of the big things we do in Horsham is the Making a Difference Campaign. People write to us looking for quite small amounts of money that might, for example, help them pay for enrolment fees for a course when they are really hard up. The scheme can really help people get started. It helps people living locally who have encountered difficult times. “

Gaby Lothian

“I guess I get more out of it than I put in. I just enjoy being part of a group that are actively involved in the community and meeting really interesting people from all walks of life.

I think Rotary has survived for so long because it is a non-political, non-religious organisation and has no affiliations. There are no administrative charges – all the money raised goes straight to good causes.

Our motto is ’Service Above Self’

and so it’s not all about raising money – it’s about helping the community work together.

Our club is doing reasonably well, but globally Rotary – like many big organisations – is not growing as quickly as we would like. There is always a need to attract younger members and perhaps Rotary hasn’t been as clever as it could have been in recruiting people in the past.

But it is trying to do something about that now.”

“I moved from Surrey into the area and didn’t know anybody, so I joined the Rotary as it combines the social aspect with helping the community.

There are very few ladies at the moment and it would be nice to have a few more. There is nothing to be frightened of – the members are all very friendly!

I enjoy the social side of Rotary very much; it is not only meetings - we go to restaurants, cinema and the theatre too.

We now have the Young Rotary Club for people over 20 who can spare a little time. They will not meet as often for social occasions – they have a task at hand and will get on with it!”

73

www.aahorsham.co.uk

Fred Coalbran Rob Davies Roy Francis Fred: “I’ve been a member for 40 years and while the Rotary has the same objectives in the local community as it always has, it’s now harder to recruit members.

People don’t have time for service.

When I joined it was essentially a luncheon club with all local working people and only one or two retired people. They are trying to get that back now. “ Roy: “I have been a member since 1973. It’s changed as it was

strictly a professionals club and the original rules have diminished. It used to be that if you didn’t commit to meetings you were out. These days there are people involved in Rotary who have the heart but they can’t spare the time.

The Rotary still does so much good in the community – here in Horsham it is giving £1,000 a month to worthy causes. I’ve stayed for the fellowship and because of the help we provide.�

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“The biggest satisfaction comes from knowing you are helping people and that every penny collected goes to good causes.

One example of how we are helping is through ‘End Polio Now’. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has got involved in that and is matching whatever we raise as an International organisation.

In the last few years we’ve introduced the Pancake Races in the Carfax and markets at Easter and

Christmas. We have a fantastic relationship with Horsham District Council and they help us to organise these events.

I think the biggest challenge for Rotary in the next few years is membership. People who don’t know much about us might say ‘it’s a bunch of old folks coming together’. There are older members who enjoy the social aspect, but we have more active members who want to put something back into the community.�

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‘People are afraid to say it’s all a load of rubbish.

They are pulling the wool over our eyes.’

Terry Copping on elements of modern art

Terry Copping An artist specialising in portraiture from West Chiltington

“Art has been a lifetime obsession, it has never left me.

“You’re always learning, always picking bits and pieces up. It’s also very frustrating as sometimes you think ‘why didn’t I take up something sensible?’ But you press on and keep pushing it.”

Those are the thoughts of Terry Copping, although many artists probably hold similar sentiments.

At his studio in West Chiltington, a number of stunning, framed figurative and portrait paintings decorate the wall.

Many more paintings are held up by hangers on a clothes rail. There are images

of rock stars such as Johnny Cash, Keith Richards and Seasick Steve, a portrait of actor Patrick Mcgoohan and another of French painter Henri Matisse – a huge influence on Terry’s work.

But arguably Terry’s most striking images are inspired by photographs of people living ordinary lives in countries around the world – in particular Latin America – such as Terry’s favourite image, The Way Out, of a young girl with a notebook detailing handwritten English words.

Terry said: “Most of my work is figurative. I believe it should tell a story, it should have narrative in it.”

Terry has been painting since he was 16, struggling to make a living from his paintings. He initially won a scholarship to study fine art at Sutton School of Art, concluding at St Martins, London. Terry was awarded first prize in an international pastel portrait competition organised by Faber-Castell, which led to his being featured on a BBC radio arts programme.

The Pastel Society selected one of his portraits for their centenary exhibition at the Mall Galleries, and his work has been on display at the Patterson Gallery in Albemarle Street. Terry has also been a finalist in the Not the Turner Prize

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sponsored by the Daily Mail.

He has been a member of the Association of Sussex Artists since 2005 and became the Association's Chairman in 2010. He continues to paint daily and also runs a monthly pastel workshop and also offers individual lessons from his studio.

But whilst Terry’s love for painting has never waned, he grew increasingly frustrated with how artists were treated by galleries as he struggled to make a living from his work. He worked for an architect for a long time to keep in business, as he saw galleries take huge percentages from sales of his paintings.

Terry said: “It’s very difficult making a living from this. I try to keep my students away from ‘chasing the money’. What happens is that artists think ‘I’ll do something like that because that’s where the money is.’ But what actually happens is their work becomes mediocre because you’re not doing your own work. Chasing the pound can be

Art: Terry Copping

disastrous, as art fashion changes every 15 minutes.

“I’ve done stuff for galleries, but it’s difficult. I’ve used Western galleries but there’s always tension there as they take so much out of your sale you begin to wonder, is this for prestige or to get money out of this?

“Some of them will rip you off. I sold one large piece and was given £3000 even though they had sold it for £9,000. It’s like taking your car to a dealer and they tell you it’s the wrong model, the mileage is too high, it’s not fashionable, and ask how much do you want for it? They say ‘Oh I couldn’t possibly get you that’ and it goes on. I can’t do it anymore.

“It’s a case of ‘Great! I sold in a West End gallery! How much money did I lose?’

Painting is not a sensible career

choice!”

Terry’s most successful line of work, from a commercial aspect, has been portraits, but he is now in a position where he can paint what he wants to so has cut back on the portraits. Terry’s recent paintings have been more inspired by the expressive colour used by artists such as Matisse in the Fauvism style.

Now producing artwork using a range of materials, using pastels and paints, terry said he is able to “fall back on all of the things that I’ve done and been trained to do”.

He now hopes to impart some of his wisdom on students during lectures, which he has been doing for 12 years, and his art tuition classes.

“With teaching the mature students, you pick up as much from them as you

‘With teaching the mature students, you pick up as much from them as you impart.’

Andrew Vince artist feature June’s edition featured Slinfold artist Andrew Vince, who has created stunning artwork of Brighton pier and other buildings in his demanding technical style. He has also created many abstract images of wildlife

Old editions of AAH can be viewed in at www.aahorsham.co.uk

‘We can’t keep producing twee pieces of work all the time, as life isn’t twee’

My favourite piece ‘The Way Out’ has been my favourite piece of work for a long time, it ticked all the boxes.

The young girl came from a photograph my son had, from South America I think. I could see the tension in the face.

I put the graffiti in the back-

ground just to suggest that kind of environment, and you can see she has written English words on her notebook there, to represent the way out of this life. I didn’t want it to be sentimental, I wanted it to stand on its own and I think it achieves that.”

impart. In trying to find ways to talk to people you open up channels within yourself. Sometimes though, the lectures can be draining. It’s good if you get an audience that are responsive, but if they’re not, you’re looking at a lot of stony faces!”

But whilst Terry continues to open up new channels, he does not entertain much of ‘modern art’.

A piece of work should inform and inspire,” he said. “That’s the two golden rules. I cannot stand people who are not trained, or the idea that everything has to be done in 15 minutes.

“There’s no drama in the pictures, there’s no narrative whatsoever, and a lot of modern art works are mechanically produced and

disguised to look like an intellectual piece of work, when it’s not. We can’t keep producing twee pieces of work all the time, as life isn’t twee. You should be working towards something that is profound.

“You have these huge lumps of abstract, with 100 people there all with a different opinion on it, including the artist who’ll change his opinion the following day. You’ll get all the Mystic Megs there, but it’s the King’s new clothes – people are afraid to say it’s all a load of rubbish.

They are pulling the wool over our eyes.”

For further information please contact Terry on 01798 813077 or e-mail terrycopping@f2s.com

BIG QUIZ It’s the already-famous AAH quiz. One winner will scoop ALL of these superb prizes. Have a go if you think you’re smart enough!

Email answers to editor@aahorsham.co.uk. If your business would like to contribute a prize, please call 01403 878026 or email editor@aahorsham.co.uk

Golf and Lunch for Two at Slinfold Slinfold Golf and Country Club has put up a fantastic prize - a day for two at the club which includes two rounds of golf, use of the facilities, lunch and a bottle of wine for two. The club has superb health facilities, a swimming pool and The Retreat spa. For more details about the club’s facilities read the feature article on Page 13.

Dark Star Brewery

Italian Olive Oils Gift Hamper Simply Olive Oils, located within the Sussex Kitchen Designs showroom at Brighton Road, Horsham, has donated a £25 gift set to our winner, with basil, chilli and lemon flavours included! simplyoliveoils.com

Capitol Pantomime!

The Partridge Green based brewery is best known for its hoppy beers, but they’ve also got a great range of Dark Star clothing! You’ll receive a bit of both if you win our comp! darkstarbrewing.com

Family Pass to Drusillas Park With hundreds of exotic animals and a large adventure play area, Drusillas Park is the ideal place to let your little monkeys go wild this Christmas.

Dashing into the award-winning zoo with a sleigh full of presents, Santa is in his magical Christmas Cottage during weekends from 3rd December and then daily from 10th – 23rd December.

For further details call (01323) 874100 or visit www.drusillas.co.uk

This year’s Capitol pantomime is Jack and The Beanstalk, on from from Thursday 8th December to Monday 2nd January 2012.

Leading the cast as Fairy Twinkle is Sarah Jane Honeywell from CBeebies. As always the pantomime will be packed full of fun, music and comedy and is not to be missed. The Capitol has kindly donated a family ticket to the show for our competition winner!

Cut and Blow Dry Undercutting is a fun and trendy but relaxed unisex salon at 41 Brighton Road, Horsham that offers pampering without the ponce! They’ve put up a cut and blow dry as a prize! undercutting.co.uk

THE BIG QUIZ

1 round 1round Best

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selling Christmas toys

We’ve tried to uncover some unique gift ideas for Christmas, but when it comes to children’s toys, there is no saying what the next big thing will be! Can you name these 12 best sellers from down the years?

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To Donate a prize call Ben on 01403 878026

round22 round

Are you paying attention?

It’s the round that makes sure you’re not just looking at the pretty pictures. It’s an old fashioned Q&A

Horsham Rotary Club, featured on Page 70, collected money for Children in Need whilst Pudsey and many other mascots took part in a special fundraising day in Horsham on 6th November. How much was raised?

We’ve featured The Edible Plant Nursery and their super hot chilli peppers on Page 54.

Bhut Jolokia has been officially recognised as the hottest in the world, but by what other name is Bhut Jolokia often referred to?

Our meal review on Page 39 comes from The Greets Inn in Warnham. The pub tries to source its produce locally and its crumble is made from apples provided by a garden in which street in the picturesque village?

We’ve featured the music of Stick in a Pot on Page 67. The band played their first gig at The Candy Bar on St James Street in Brighton, supporting which previous winner of Horsham’s Battle of the Bands?

Stephen Foster believes he saw the ghost of a young girl whilst camping out in St Leonard’s Forest (Page 28). According to a survey, what percentage of Britons think supernatural apparitions really exist?

AAH had a far from successful ghost hunt on Chanctonbury Ring (more about that on Page 34) but what is the devil said to offer anyone who runs around the ring seven times in an anti-clockwise direction?

Sarah Jane Honeywell stars in the Capitol pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, this year.

The Mighty-mites star, interviewed on Page 64, plays a naughty fairy, but which part did she take on in the Capitol’s 2008 Christmas panto?

Thousands turned out for the second annual Horsham Fireworks display at Horsham Sports and Cricket Club, as shown on Page 22. Which Wisborough Green based fireworks company were behind the display?

Among the more remarkable individual stories of the Barns Green Half Marathon entrants (Page 16) was that of Keith Valentine, who was competing in his 100th half marathon. In what time did he finish?

THE BIG QUIZ

round 3

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Another name

We’ve given pubs in the Horsham district a cryptic, alternative name. Can you work out which ones?

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round 4

Bulls eye

The AAH bull is hiding on five other pages in this edition. Can you tell us the page numbers?

round 5

Drawing Board

AAH has been out ghost hunting in recent weeks. We came across these four famous Hollywood ghosts. Can you name them?

round 6

Tie-breaker

AAH photographer Toby Phillips took some great shots at Horsham Fireworks Display. Can you guess how many photos he took on the night?

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THE BIG QUIZ

Email answers to editor@aahorsham.co.uk

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Rules, terms and conditions

Name

One point awarded for each correct answer The entry with the most correct answer wins all the prizes In the event of a tie break, the closest guess to Q36 will decide the winner Entries must be received by Tuesday, 27th December 2011 The winner will be revealed in the following month’s edition along with answers Details of entrants will NOT be passed on to any third party The editor’s decision is final Any businesses wishing to get involved in the All About Horsham (AAH) Big Quiz can contact the Editor

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October’s answers...

1: Emperor Tamarin 2: Kiwi 3: Blue Ringed Octopus 4: Komodo Dragon 5: Narwhal 6: Red Panda 7: Amazon River Dolphin 8: Aardvark 9: Sunfish 10: Tasmanian Devil 11: Axolotl 12: Sloth 13: 9C Ramps 14: Pied a Terre15: The Bat and Ball 16: Dean Stoneman 17: The Keep18: Jessie J 19: Grob Tutor 20: Fillet Steak 21: Nick Finch 22: Strutt & Parker 23: White Stuff 24: Moss Bros 25: Mallards 26: Colle & Haddock 27: Page 5 (at the Crabtree) 28: Page 22 (with bill Stallion) 29: Page 40 (at SkateJam) 30: Page 55 (at Lawnmower races) 31:Page 65 (with Flight Sergeant Hill) 32: Bill Oddie 33: Terry Nutkins 34: Steve Irwin 35: David Attenbrough 36: Toby took 151 pictures at the Horsham Skatejam

The ones that most stumbled up on

Axolotl (not a very rude suggestion we had!), Hidden Bull on Page 40 and the Amazon River Dolphin So close this month - Ten people - including Adrian Allmay, Mark Pope - would have won were it not for one incorrect answer. The two who got them all right were Sarah Lewsey and Julie Wallace, both of Southwater. Both were way off on the tiebreak, but Julie wins with a guess of 371 (Sarah’s was 389)

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