Village Living 20 0511

Village LIVING

frEE â—? may 2011

Lifestyle | community | business

Steyning bramber beeding Ashington washington Storrington henfield Small Dole Ashurst Partridge Green

South Downs National Park

opens for business

Something fishy

Over the Farm Gate

The strangest spa treatment in Sussex

Lamb tikka Kebabs

Sparkling cider from Gospel Green

WIN! A case of Sussex Ales We review Whites Bar & Kitchen in Steyning

Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 1

14/04/2011 12:20

2 • BACK IN TIME

AN INDEPENDENT PREPARATORY SCHOOL FOR BOYS AND GIRLS AGED 2½ -13

S O M P T I N G A B B OT TS P R E PA R ATO RY S C H O O L

Parents are most welcome to view.

Please contact us for an appointment or to arrange a TASTER DAY

MEMBER OF THE INCORPORATED ASSOCIATION OF PREPARATORY SCHOOL

Tel: 01903 235960 SA Village living pg ad.indd 1 Village Living 20 mag_full 0511 AW.indd 2

www.somptingabbotts.com 18/01/2011 14/04/2011 13:51 12:20

3 • BACK IN TIME

Contents 7

Welcome to May

8-11

village News & Diary

13

Artist Paul Cutts Joins the Steyning Festival

15

Over the Farm Gate Follow our Farm Diary

17

Garden Diary Matt Cowan prepares for Spring

18-19

Something Fishy We try Sussex’s strangest spa treatment

21

Sussex in Focus Take part in our regular photo challenge

22-23

South Downs National Park Open for business

SOMETHING FISHY 19

SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK 22

24-25

Restaurant Review Whites Bar & Kitchen, Steyning

27

From The Farm Kitchen: At Over the Farm Gate

29

Drink Local: Sparkling Cider from Gospel Green

31

Sussex in Season: A New Look

33

Gardening: Thinking Big from the Big Plant Nursery

35

Talk Money: with Claire Cook

37

Mind & Body: Chris Jones & the art of Hynotherapy

OvER THE FARM GATE RECIPE 27

Where Can You Find village Living? village Living Magazine is delivered to 10,000 homes and businesses across 10 villages.

Editorial & advertising enquiries Melissa Love 07976 917363 melissa@villageliving.biz

Find us in Steyning, Bramber, Beeding, Small Dole, Henfield, Ashurst, Partridge Green, Washington, Ashington, Storrington as well as selected outlets in Worthing & Shoreham.

Production Toni Barrington The Magazine Production Company 01273 467579 production@villageliving.biz

We are increasing our circulation every month, so if you didn’t receive a copy through your letterbox, you will do very shortly.

© 2011 Village Living

Village Living is published monthly by Melissa Love Design.

High Elms, Jarvis Lane, Steyning. BN44 3GL 01903 814092 www.villageliving.biz

village Living is an independent magazine and does not endorse the products or services that appear in the magazine.

Opinions expressed in the magazine do not necessarily represent those of the editor or of village Living magazine.

www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092 Village Living • February 2011

13:51

Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 3

14/04/2011 12:20

Kings Stone Avenue, Steyning £440,000

Situated on the outskirts of Steyning is this three bedroom detached chalet style bungalow backing onto open farmland with fantastic views across The South Downs. This spacious property offers a lovely lounge / dining room enjoying the views, three good size bedrooms, a re-fitted kitchen and a bathroom.

The property is situated within a mile of Steyning’s High Street with it’s wide variety of unique shops, pubs and restaurants.

The property is also offered for sale with no ongoing chain and is well worthy of a viewing to appreciate the accommodation on offer and the superb location.

STEYNING office Tel:

01903 815806

Fax:

01903 879222

Email:

steyning@kingchasemorecountrywide.co.uk

Address: 29 High Street, Steyning, W. Sussex BN44 3YE Web: www.kingandchasemore.co.uk www.propertywide.co.uk

May 2011 • Village Living

Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 4

www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

14/04/2011 12:20

westholm STORRINGTON ÂŁ465,000

A beautifully presented Mellow brick stone cottage style detached bungalow with spacious and versatile accommodation, located within approx 1/4 mile of Storrington Village centre.

The accommodation is very well presented with three/ four bedrooms, sitting room, cloakroom, kitchen/breakfast room, conservatory, lobby/utility, study, en-suite bathroom and main bathroom, whilst outside the property is set in a good size plot with detached garage and ample off-road parking.

STorrington office Tel:

01903 745761

Fax:

01903 746289

Email:

storrington@kingchasemorecountrywide.co.uk

Address: 30 High Street, Storrington, W. Sussex RH20 4DU Web: www.kingandchasemore.co.uk www.propertywide.co.uk

www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 5

Village Living • May 2011

14/04/2011 12:20

May 2011 • Village Living

Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 6

www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

14/04/2011 12:20

welcome to may!

B

y the time you read this, the UK’s newest National Park will be open for business.

The fourth largest in the country, the creation of the South Downs National Park will bring significant changes for residents and visitors alike.

Find out how it will affect our local area on pages 22 and 23.

With spring well and truly sprung and summer on the horizon, in the village Living office our thoughts have been turning to beautifying ourselves. We sent intrepid reporter, Ginette Stevens, to have her feet nibbled by fish. Yes, that’s a real spa treatment and this latest craze is now available in Sussex. Turn to page 18 to find out how she got on.

If you’ve not ventured out into your garden yet, Matt Cowan’s seasonal to-do list will give you a helping hand (page 17). Our delicious recipe straight from the Over the

Farm Gate kitchen on page 27 might just inspire you to try your first al fresco meal of year and for the perfect tipple to wash it down with, don’t miss our feature on sparkling cider from Gospel Green (page 31).

In fact, let’s raise a glass to a long hot Sussex summer and keep our fingers crossed.

Melissa Deputy Editor Katie Downes

EmAIL mE AT: melissa@villageliving.biz

or follow us on Twitter @villageliving

Congratulations: to Colin Day, whose stunnning image of Birling Gap wins him a £25 voucher kindly donated by Park Cameras.

HePWOrtH reaL aLe COMPetitiON Congratulations to Clive Scutt of Henfield who wins January’s case of Hepworth Ales.

Congratulations to D John of Steyning who wins February’s case of Hepworth Ales.

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14/04/2011 12:21

8 • village news

Litter Battle

A

dditional litter pickers from Horsham District Council have been out recently tackling the growing amounts of litter on the main roads in the Horsham District.

The A24 and the A264 have both been identified as particular hot spot areas.

Litter pickers from Horsham District Council have been clearing the verges on the A264 from Great Daux to the Crawley boundary and the A24 south bound between Buck Barn and Ashington.

So far over 200 bags of litter have been collected and the additional resources will remain for another three weeks to help tackle the problem. The increasing amounts of litter in these areas are due to people throwing litter from their vehicles and commercial loads not being secured properly.

Councillor Roger Arthur, Cabinet Member for Operational Services at Horsham District Council, said:“We would like to appeal to all drivers to ensure their load is secure and properly covered and to dispose of their litter responsibly, not only is litter unsightly and offensive, littering is illegal,everyone needs to do their bit to help keep the Horsham District a clean, and safe place to live and work and we will seek to prosecute anyone found littering.”

www.horsham.gov.uk/environment/1144.aspx or call Horsham District Council on 01403 733144 to find out more.

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Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 8

Nick Herbert plants new trees in Steyning

A

rundel & South Downs MP Nick Herbert MP joined a team of helpers planting saplings at Dingemans Court in Steyning on Saturday morning (26 March).This special tree planting event was in conjunction with the Royal Horticultural Society’s ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’, a UK-wide scheme. The Woodland Trust provided the 105 saplings which were planted along the border of the gardens at Dingemans Court. The theme of the donated trees was ‘jams, jellies, chutneys and cordials’, and the pack contained varieties including crab apple and elder.

Mr Herbert had plenty of help with the digging and planting from a team of local Neighbourhood Wardens and junior wardens from Steyning & Upper Beeding Dingemans Court has been providing sheltered accommodation for senior residents in Steyning for over 20 years, and the residents were delighted by the activity when they watched the tree planting in glorious sunshine.It took less than an hour for all 105 trees to be planted, and the team were rewarded with tea and cake in the residents lounge. Zoe, a junior warden with the neighbourhood scheme said, “I really enjoyed it.

It was hard work, but I liked helping.” The team will visit their new saplings regularly to keep them watered.

Afterwards, Mr Herbert commented, “I was delighted to be asked to support today’s tree planting. It was tremendous fun, and the sun shone for us. I was also pleased to see five of our very special junior wardens from the Neighbourhood Warden scheme helping out.

The wardens and juniors regularly support communities like Dingemans Court, and do a fantastic job.”

www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

14/04/2011 12:21

9 • BACK IN TIME

Let’s go Solar!

D

oes your house have a sunny roof? If so, have you thought about installing solar panels?

With the new incentive schemes, this really is a great time to go solar. If you have a good roof, you can get a return of 8-10% a year, guaranteed for 25 years cut your carbon footprint and save on energy bills. It’s index linked, and tax free, which is pretty impressive.

More and more people are catching the solar bug and if everyone with a suitable roof put up solar panels, we could generate over 50% of our total domestic energy requirements. The Greening Campaign are organising a public event on Wednesday May 25th where you can find out about Solar Panelling your home. You can learn all about the incentive schemes, meet

some hand-picked companies that fit solar panels, and talk to local residents who already have panels on their house.

For every system installed by companies involved, the Greening Campaign have agreed to make a contribution to help Steyning Museum put solar panels on its roof. The Steyning Centre has had panels for more than a year and St Andrew’s Primary School has just fitted a big solar array. Although the initial cost of installing Solar panels is not cheap they can be a very good investment in the long run. A typical hot water system costs £3000-£4000 to fit whereas an average-sized PV system is more like £10,000-£12,000. There are two types of solar panels. Some produce hot water; and others, known as photovoltaic or ‘PV’ panels, generate

electricity. There are government-backed schemes for both these days, but the incentives for installing PV systems are particularly good. Fitting solar panels is a great way of making a ‘green investment’ that will keep paying back for years to come. There are a number of ‘rent-a-roof’ schemes where if you have a really good roof, commercial companies will agree to install PV panels for nothing. You benefit from free electricity, while they take advantage of the Feed in Tariff. Under the new ‘Feed in Tariff’ scheme you get reimbursed for every unit of electricity you generate.

And if you don’t use it yourself you can sell it back to grid and earn even more.

To find out more please look on the Steyning 10:10 website – www.1010steyning.org

Natures baby boom!

E

very spring wildlife centres and veterinary clinics are overwhelmed by an influx of ‘abandoned’ baby animals and birds that have been rescued by members of the public.

Unlike human babies, wild babies are not constantly watched by their parents and spend large amounts of time alone. Rather than rescuing a lone young wild animal it is best to think twice and watch from a distance. In spring and early summer fox cubs start taking their first steps outside the den at four weeks old, and it’s quite normal for them to wander and play above ground in daylight. The cubs’ parents are usually nearby keeping a close eye on them. Similarly baby hares, or leverets, are born above ground and then deliberately left by their mothers. She will return to feed them once a day at dusk so it’s important not to disturb them. If you find a young bird out of its nest it is probably a fledgling. Young garden birds usually leave the nest about two weeks after hatching – this is their ‘flight training’ stage. They will have grown all or most of their feathers, are very mobile and can walk, run and hop onto low branches. Fledglings are still fed by their parents who are rarely far away and are probably collecting food – but they won’t return to their young until you have gone. Many people contact the Trust concerned about injured birds and animals but we are a nature conservation charity and not equipped to deal with injured wildlife.

Please contact the RSPCA if you find an injured animal on 0300 1234 999. For wildlife information and advice please contact our WildCall Officer on 01273 494777 or visit the advice pages on our website. www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 9

Village Living • May 2011

14/04/2011 12:21

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Front Shop, Cobblestone Walk High Street, Steyning. BN44 3RD tel 01903 814264

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Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 10

www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

14/04/2011 12:21

11 • vILLAGE DIARY

Village Diary village Diary is a great way to publicise an event in your village. Charitable & not for profit events are listed free of charge. A small charge applies for commercial listings. Don’t forget to visit www.villageliving.biz to submit your own listing online.

FarMerS’ MarKetS

SATurDAY 16Th APrIL henfield Garden club Annual Plant Sale & coffee morning Henfield Hall, 10.00-12noon, 50p Entry (includes coffee or tea & biscuit). Cake & Tombola Stalls, Garden Tools & related garden items for sale.

For more information phone 01273 493754.

Ashington farmers’, Artists’ & makers’ market – 1st Fri of month. 9.30 – 13.30. Scout Hall, Ashington horsham – Every Sat. 9.00 – 16.00. Carfax, Town centre Pulborough – Last Sat of month. 9.00 – 12.00. village Hall Shoreham – 2nd Sat of month. 9.00 – 13.00. East Street Steyning – 1st Sat of month. 9.00 – 13.00. High St car park west chiltington – 2nd Sat of month. 9.00 – 12.00. village Hall worthing – 4th Sat of month. 9.00 – 14.00. South Street Square

ThurSDAY 19Th mAY Arthritus research uK Ploughman’s lunch Storrington Village Hall/The Henfield Hall 12.30-2pm, £6.

SATurDAY 21ST mAY Plant Sale Plus, 10.30 - 2pm Ashington Parish church For charity – huge variety of plants plus stalls, cafe, live music.

Dr. Steve Head, co-ordinator of the Wildlife Gardening Forum will talk and answer questions at 11.15am.

Contact Janet Ray – 01903 813964 janetinbeeding@hotmail.com, www.plantsaleplus.co.uk

eVeNtS SuNDAY 1ST mAY Greet may Day on the Sussex Downs at chantry Post As the sun rises at 5.30am. The Rotary Club of Storrington has arranged a celebration with the Thakeham Morris dancers and poetry readings. Ladies wear your decorative bonnets.

Contact Mike Webster, Club President, 01798 812764.

TuESDAY 24Th mAY The mary how Trust film Society: True Grit (15) West Chiltington Village Hall Directed by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Starring Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfield, Matt Damon ‘A tough U.S. Marshal helps a stubborn young woman track down her father’s murderer.’ screenings at 3.00pm and 7.30pm.Tickets: £5.00, including membership. Available on the door and from various outlets.

Ticket hotline: 01798 877641

moNDAY 2ND mAY/moNDAY 30Th mAY Storrington rotary club car boot sales, 8.00am Storrington Library Car Park. Cars £7. Vans £10 per space. wEDNESDAY 11Th mAY Storrington film Nights Final film of the current season – “The King’s Speech”.

7.30pm & interval with refreshments.

Tickets: £5 – all proceeds to charity, available from ‘The Card Centre’ in Storrington or on the door. Contact Ken Collins on 01903 740745 or Malcolm Bennett on 01798 812407.

wEDNESDAY 25Th mAY The Greening campaign Public Solar Event The Cricket Club Steyning: 7.30 – 9.30pm. www.1010steyning.org Please sign up online to come along.

There will be voluntary collection on the door to cover costs.

Learn all about the incentive schemes, meet some hand-picked companies that fit solar panels, and talk to local residents who already have panels on their house.

ThurSDAY mAY 12Th charity bingo in aid of the mary how Trust for cancer Prevention, Storrington Village hall. 7.30pm www.maryhowtrust.org. Click on ‘News & Events’

SATurDAY 25Th JuNE An Invitation to participate: Storrington Village Day Storrington Recreation ground from 2.00pm to 9.00pm.

Entertainment and events, Classic Car Show, Funfair, stalls, Beer tent, and a Musical Evening. For further information or to request a stall/attraction at the event contact David Tolerton on 01903 745357 (e-mail tolerton@aol.com) or Tony Vaughan on 01903 740633 (e-mail tvaughan.ashanti@btinternet.com).

SATurDAY mAY 14Th rotary car boot Sale, Adur rec, Shoreham In aid of the Chanctonbury Playscheme and the Special Task Force – plus RYLA. From 6 am. Book pitch on the day: £8.

General public 9am to 2pm. For further information, including restrictions on size of vehicle/what you can sell: www.steyningandhenfieldrotary.co.uk, or contact Diana Couling by email at meilicat@yahoo.co.uk or 01903 812099.

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Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 11

14/04/2011 12:21

TWENTY WINDMILLS An exhibition of recent works

by Paul Cutts

Saturday 28th Monday 30th May 10am - 4pm

Penfold Hall, Church Street, Steyning. Paul can be contacted on 07798 576634

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Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 12

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14/04/2011 12:21

• PAUL 1313 • BACK INCUTTS TIME

Paul Cutts Village Living meets Steyning’s own artist-about-town

B

efore I’ve even met Paul Cutts, I feel like I know him and his work intimately, because I’ve seen him so many times in front of his easel hard at work in the centre of Steyning in all weathers – I’ve even seen him painting in the snow.

He is a familiar figure to many and is happy for passers-by to watch him work over his shoulder.

“Painting is in my blood,” he tells me. His father was Head of Woodwork at Steyning Grammar and taught him to draw and paint with oils at a young age. Initially drawn to sculpture, Paul went to study it at Winchester School of Art but eventually returned to his first love and has been painting professionally ever since.

“I’ve been a full-time professional painter for 5 years now,” he continues, “but I’ve done all sorts of jobs over the years from gardening to picture framing but I can’t think of anything I’d rather do than paint.

It’s a dream come true.”

These days, Paul specializes in oils and occasionally watercolours and describes his style as impressionistic. Although he is known for his local street scenes, he also has a thriving portrait business. “I like to paint people with character and indeed buildings with character too.

Both are a lot of fun.”

About the Steyning Art Trail 28th may – 12 June As the Steyning Festival takes a rest from four exceptional years of theatre, music and events, the Art Trail this year will take place under the aegis of Steyning Arts. This new venture for artists in the Steyning is intended to become an established feature of Steyning’s cultural calendar. There will be eight venues displaying works by some thirty different artists including painters, sculptors, ceramicists, and printmakers. A special feature this year will be demonstrations of arts and crafts, music and performance at different venues.

As Steyning Arts is a “not for profit” umbrella organisation which exists to provide opportunities for individual artists and to showcase Steyning’s talents, organisers are seeking funding by asking local individuals, businesses and other interests for donations.

Paul’s latest exhibition, Twenty windmills, is part of the Steyning Arts Summer Show and Art Trail.

Paul can be contacted on 07798 576634.

for full listings and information about donating or getting involved, visit www.steyningarts.co.uk or contact jon.corballis@steyningarts.co.uk. www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 13

Village Living • May 2011

14/04/2011 12:21

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Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 14

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14/04/2011 12:21

15 • BACK FARM IN DIARY TIME

Farm Diary

I

can’t believe it’s the time to be writing the diary again.

Time just flies by. We are busy as usual on the farm. I am pleased to report that our lambing is going well. This year we have seen an increased number of twin births which is good. We have had lots of help at the weekends from visiting children helping me feed the bottle lambs. You will often find little Jade in the lambing barn with me at the weekends as the draw of the lambs keeps her here! I think it’s a good bribe to get all her homework done! The lambs have been a constant source of entertainment and cuteness for everybody! I did chuckle to myself when pretty little girls arrived to feed lambs in sparkly shoes and frilly dresses.

Dorothy’s piglets are growing very quickly and are escape artists... They will not stay where they are meant to be, typical of piglets, they have even made their way down to the car park and then up the drive to the house munching on the odd bag of compost and nibbling on my freshly planted pansies!!

Dennis our gardener has been busy getting the veg patch ready for planting. We need to make sure the fence is chicken proof as they are good at pulling up all the seeds.

They enjoy dust bathing in it too. Hopefully we will have lots of lovely fresh vegetables and salad to sell in the farm shop.

The new Tea Shed will hopefully be up and running by the time you read this diary, so do pop in for a light lunch or a big slice of homemade cake and a cuppa whilst enjoying watching the lambs playing in the fields.

We also have our taster day on Sunday 1st May from 10 till 4pm.

Enjoy the spring weather.

Sara x

FARM SHOP

GATEWICK FARM, A283 STEYNING Home produced free range meat Family-run butchery Delicious homemade sausages Fresh fruit & veg Homemade pies & cakes Look out Jams & chutneys for our handy recipe Local milk & cream sheets Ample free parking Open: Thursday - Sunday 10am - 4.30pm Gatewick Farm, Steyning, West Sussex BN44 3SF tel: 01903 812241 or 07977 186003 www.overthefarmgate.com info@overthefarmgate.com www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092 Village Living • May 2011

Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 15

14/04/2011 12:21

VillageLiving_May2011_170 x 240mm 12/04/2011 15:04 Page 1

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Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 16

14/04/2011 12:21

17 • GARDENING DIARY

matt cowan’s

Gardening Diary S

pring is fully under way now and I am sure that many of us are relieved to have survived a very bitter winter.

We’ve already had some wonderful warm sunny days and the grass is growing rapidly. For many people their main interaction with grass is probably their lawns and the necessity of keeping them under control between March and September. However, there is much more to the story of grass than one might imagine and I for one have a passion for the whole grass family collectively known as Poaceae.

Amazingly, there are over 10,000 species belonging to the Poaceae family of ‘true grasses’ (not sedges and rushes) which includes everything from giant Bamboo to turf and sport grasses and it is estimated that 20% of the vegetation growing on Earth is grasslands. When one considers how important cereal crops like wheat and rice are and the reliance on Bamboo for building in many parts of the world we can see how grass plays a vital part in our lives.

Some grasses are exotic travellers who have settled well here in Northern Europe. For example the beautiful ornamental Hakenochloa macra, now often seen in herbaceous borders originally came from the wet cliff tops of Honshu Island, Japan. The tall and elegant Stipa gigantea arrived from the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa.

So, why not add some grasses to your planting schemes and enjoy them through out the season as they provide bold architectural form, movement and a wide variety of colour. The taller grasses look magnificent long into the autumn and winter when covered in frost and can provide useful habitat for wildlife. They are fairly drought tolerant, very low maintenance and just come back year after year.

Most just need cutting back in late winter before new shoots appear. On the cautionary side, some of the grass family can be very invasive, as anyone who has bamboo marching across their boundaries will know. Most species of Stipa, Miscanthus and Calamagrostis are well behaved and thers can be contained in planted pots or special horticultural barriers.

Try the Fountain Grass (Penesetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’), the Zebra Grass (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’) and Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Overdam’). Plant drifts in pebbles or gravel and mix with a few favourite flowers for more colour and a wild prairie feel. I love the effect of Californian Poppies as in David Jarman’s garden in Dungeness. My wife Joss loves verbena bonariansis.

matt’s Jobs for Summer

wing looking after them Now young plants are gro n losing crops after all is critical. Nothing worse tha n. atio par the hard work in pre Things to consider: opportunity • Harvest rain water at every down water evaporation • Use plenty of mulch to slow y hot sunshine • Shade seedlings from intensel with horticultural fleece • Protect crops from pests now to encourage predators • Sow lots of wildlife flowers in their full • Visit other gardens to see them blooming glory urite drink and enjoy!

• STOP sit back with your favo

www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092 Village Living • May 2011

Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 17

14/04/2011 12:21

18 • Ziga Fish

Ziga Fish

W

hen I was invited to the opening of the new Ziga Fish treatment room in Portland Road, Hove, it couldn’t have come at a better time. With Spring truly upon us, and my sandals dusted off, my feet were jumping with joy at the thought of some pampering.

Arriving at the new shop, which is opposite Portslade Station, I was keen to learn more about Garra Rufa fish and their increasing popularity. Tom, the owner, was extremely welcoming and we settled down for a chat before my pedicure.

With 4 tanks currently in use, Tom was keen to educate me on the background of his little fish. They originate from Kangal in Turkey where they are found in river basins. They are carefully sourced before being flown to the UK. On arrival, they are held in quarantine for 3 months and health checked before being moved.

May 2011 • Village Living

Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 18

Their life expectancy is 5 to 7 years and they grow to between 5 and 7cms.

The fish in the shop are just under a year old. There are approximately 150 fish to a tank at Ziga Fish which is slightly more than the average treatment tank.

The fish are scavengers by nature but do not have teeth. They use their raspy lips to move over the surface of your feet and remove the old dead skin. They are happy to help with your hands as well for perfectly smooth extremities.

They are fed Tropical Fish Food every other day. This food is shrimp lava and helps their digestive system and protein intake. They recognise Tom each morning when he enters the shop and swim to the side of the tank expecting their breakfast. They like to bubble surf and have even been known to jump from tank to tank!

Tom’s client base is varied. From teenagers to OAPs, there is no age

limit to this treatment. Tom has had people from all walks of life enjoy the experience including burly Russian builders, pamper lovers, hen parties and couples. He attends exhibitions and team building events as his tanks are fully portable. In the warmer months he can be found on Hove Lawns – check with Tom for times and dates.

Asking how the tanks are kept clean, I was shown the five-tier filtration system. There is a UV sterilizer which kills bacteria. On the left of the tank, a tube sucks the water out which is then filtered and runs back into the tank on the right. This is done 10 times an hour so no two treatments use the same water. It certainly looked crystal clear.

www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

14/04/2011 12:21

19 • BACK IN TIME

Clients may be asked to use a foot spa before their treatment. One lady, when asked to do this was slightly puzzled as to how there would be enough room for her feet and 150 fish!

Tom is a stickler for hygiene. The water is changed every night and he keeps daily records of the PH levels.

Enough of the chat, it was time to sample the goods!

Clients may be asked to use a foot spa before their treatment. One lady, when asked to do this was slightly puzzled as to how there would be enough room for her feet and 150 fish! With my feet inspected and passed (you cannot use the tanks if you have open sores, veruccas, infections or athletes foot), I was ready to go. Being slightly naïve and overcautious, I had removed my nail polish the night before but, of course, you don’t have to.

Settling myself comfortably onto a cushion, I gingerly lowered my feet into the water and we were off. The water was beautifully warm and, with the sensation of the fish gently skimming the surface of my feet, it felt like they were in a container of warm lemonade. It was relaxing and intriguing. I couldn’t help but look down and see my new friends quietly cruising along my feet. I wiggled my toes and they wiggled with me. I opened my toes and they swam through. I swished my feet and they swished too.

Afterwards my feet felt much smoother although there were still areas of hard skin. To enjoy the full effects, Tom recommends 4 to 6 treatments every 2 weeks and then monthly. They will even help remove scar tissue.

Throughout May, to celebrate the opening of the new premises and the beginning of summer, Tom is offering a ‘Champagne and Sandals’ pedicure treatment. You enjoy the delights of the bubbly feeling on your feet together with a glass of bubbles in your hand for no extra cost.

At £12 for 15 minutes and £20 for half an hour, this is an affordable treat for yourself, or gift for friends and family. I wholeheartedly recommend spoiling yourselves and giving it a go. Tom’s invitation to return if I was ever passing will be the perfect excuse to catch up with my new fishy friends!

Ziga Fish is open Monday –Saturday.

422 Portland Road, Hove. Tel 01273 413178

SPEECH & DRAMA CLASSES For children 8-16 (classes for older age groups will be started if enough interest)

UPPER BEEDING VILLAGE HALL SATURDAY MORNINGS FROM 10 TILL 12 BEGINNING 7th MAY £40 per term (may be paid by the half term in two instalments of £20)

Children can come just for fun, but if interested they can be entered for the graded Speech and Drama examinations of the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA).

They will also have the opportunity to take part in the Worthing Festival next February.

Contact Maggie Hall 01903 813953 magihall@btopenworld.com www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 19

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Sussex in focus

21 • BACK IN TIME

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Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 21

Village Living • May 2011

14/04/2011 12:21

22 • BACK SOUTHINDOWNS TIME NATIONAL PARK

South Downs National Park is open for business

melissa Love examines the implications of living and working in the uK’s newest national park.

C

hurch bells rang out across Sussex at noon on the 1st of April to mark the birth of the UK’s newest national park. The South Downs National Park has been a long time in the making and has finally gained official status nearly 60 years after the area was first earmarked for protection.

Covering 627 square miles, South Downs is the fourth largest of the fifteen national parks which exist in the UK and includes towering white cliffs at its easternmost point, river valleys, wooded areas and acres of rolling grasslands which have been unchanged for hundreds of years.

The geographical area it occupies, sandwiched between a densely populated coastal area and the sprawl of towns and villages south of London make it unique and unlike other wilderness areas in the country, 85% of it is farmed which many believe may lead to problems for landowners and residents who live and work within its boundaries. Previous proposals to form a national park have been rejected on three separate occasions amid fears that a loss of control over local planning decisions would seriously hinder economic growth in the area.

Nick Herbert, MP for Arundel and South Downs offered his May 2011 • Village Living

Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 22

congratulations to the new park but also a few words of caution.

“It is possibly a step in the wrong direction at a time when local communities should be given more of a say over their own affairs, not less.

I feel it would have been better to have strengthened the South Downs Joint Committee, which manages the existing Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty within the area.

There is no guarantee that planning decisions will be delegated to local authorities.”

However, Horsham District Council is keen to emphasize that it, along with 14 other local authorities, will

be providing many of the day-to-day planning services on its behalf.

“What this means is that each local planning authority will determine most of the planning applications submitted within the National Park, under the agency agreement, and provide all the planning administration for the South Downs National Park Authority”, said Rod Brown Head of Planning and Environmental Services at Horsham District Council.

“However, the South Downs National Park Authority will determine the more potentially significant applications within the National Park and retain overall policy control. In practice it will

www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

14/04/2011 12:21

23 • BACK IN TIME

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mean that anyone wishing to make a small scale planning application (for example to their home) would apply to their local council as normal. By working in partnership with the National Park Authority, we aim to provide a seamless and cost effective service.”

The new national park has not been without its celebrity supporters who have supported the local South Downs Campaign group, consisting of 160 pro-park organizations. They include author Bill Bryson, president of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, presenters Ben Fogle, David Dimbleby and the actor Brian Blessed who all have links to the area.

Most crucially, national park status brings permanent protection and secure funding for the Downs as well as better management of recreational areas, which have often encroached in the past on farmland and private property.

Closer management of the area should lead to upgrading of signage on rights of way, reducing confusion for visitors and providing more protection to crops and livestock.

Figures show the area of the new National Park has around 39 million visits a year, with visitors spending some £333 million annually and according to Natural England, some 8,000 jobs are directly or indirectly dependent on this income.

National Park status will surely act as a draw and is likely to increase visitor numbers overall.

The South Downs is home to an array of important wildlife and habitats. Plants such as musk orchids, rock rose, wild thyme and juniper grow on the chalk downland, while heathland habitats are home to rare birds including the nightjar and Dartford warbler.

The Western Weald, which at one point was at risk of being left outside the park boundary, has internationally important colonies of Barbastelle and Bechstein’s bats, and rare woodland butterflies including pearl bordered fritillary and the wood white.

Whilst concerns remain about the eroding of local decision-making powers in relation to planning, the creation of the national park has been broadly welcomed. Paul Christensen, of Natural England, spoke for many at the launch saying, “The South Downs are a critical green lung for the South-East, providing millions of people with unparalleled access to open countryside and now the South Downs’ wonderful countryside will be protected forever for the enjoyment of everyone.”

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Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 23

Village Living • May 2011

14/04/2011 12:21

24 • restaurant review

Whites Bar & Kitchen Steyning Reviewed by: Melissa Love

W

e arrived for lunch on an idyllic day. With large glass retracting walls and glorious sunshine, the restaurant offered a perfect outside inside dining experience.

A relaxed traditional and contemporary mixed decor adds to the ambience without overpowering its diners.

We were left to relax and settle before being welcomed by our waiter who explained the specials – Fridays being local fish day. The menu offered a wide variety of dishes to suit all palettes/budgets and not really fancying anything too heavy (or maybe just because I’d seen the pudding menu and was saving myself) I ordered the Anti Pasti platter and a glass of house white wine. This consisted of a large wooden board, with several morsels including types of bread, dipping oil, balsamic aubergines, stuffed sweet pepperdews, hummus and sun dried tomatoes.

Each element was packed with flavour and perfectly complimented its accompanying dishes. My companion ordered the smoked duck salad, which was far from being just any salad and set my gills a little green with envy. No mean feat for a salad!

The food and ambience are not solely responsible for making a great restaurant. A large proportion of that title remains solely in the hands of the staff, who remained attentive and friendly without being overly familiar or fussy. I should add here that in addition to ourselves, we had the pleasure of a one year old with us. He was far more concerned with re-arranging the cutlery, sometimes on the floor, than he was the food. Despite several low flying objects the staff remained charmed by May 2011 • Village Living

Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 24

his presence, sympathetically cooing over him whilst soothing our apologies.

A refreshing attitude, as any young mother can attest to.

My companion chose a locally sourced Grilled Sand Sole for main course which was beautifully fresh and crisp and came with delicious chunky chips.

For dessert I was simply unable to resist the trio of rhubarb puddings.

This consisted of an ice-cream, panna

cotta and compote topped with a creme-anglais. The latter was a perfect marriage of sharp tang and cool cream, the panna cotta had the perfect consistency and all important wobble and the ice cream? Well I think I would be best advising you to try it yourself for fear of doing it an injustice by my description. Katie had the Bitter Chocolate and Hazelnut Torte with Mascarpone and praline ice cream, truly delicious apparently.

www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

14/04/2011 12:21

Whites Bar & Kitchen

Table 3 8Apr’11 7.54 Smoked duck salad Anti pasti -

£9.00

Fresh Grilled sand sole Rhubarb Taster

£13.95 £6.50

£6.50

Feta Stuffed Peppers, Hummus, Marinated Olives, Balsamic Aubergines, Pickled Beetroot, sun blushed Tomatoes, Olive Oil & Balsamic Vineg ar, Focaccia & sour dough bread

spiced Rhubarb Salsa and Vanilla Cream , Rhubarb and Yoghurt Ripple Sorbet

Bitter Chocolate & Hazelnut Torte £6.00

Frangelico Mascarpone, Praline Ice Cream

Bottle of sparkling water Glass of house white wine Total In conclusion, Whites restaurant has far more substance than just a place to be seen. It has a wide variety of local produce, a cleverly balanced menu defying anyones appetite not to be tempted, knowledgeable staff who have mastered the art of waiting and an understated relaxed presence allowing you to remain firmly in the centre of your experience, it’s a venue for a delicious grown up lunch – leave the kids at home and enjoy!

www.whitesbarkitchen.co.uk tel 01903 812347

£4.05 £3.95 49.95

whites bar & Kitchen, 23 high Street, Steyning west Sussex bN44 3YE 01903 812347. www.whitesbarkitchen.co.uk

ITALIAN RESTAURANT Brio Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria offers the very best in popular Italian dishes as well as house specialities and locally caught fresh fish.

H LUNC L A I SPECFriday 12-6pm

to A Monday R PAST IZZA O ANY P ing seafood d u cl ex

£5.95

The atmosphere is for friends, families, parties, colleagues and couples. We can accommodate a quiet table for one to parties of up to 75 people. Live jazz music every other Wednesday evening.

46 Brunswick Road, Shoreham-By-Sea West Sussex. BN43 5WB 01273 446445 Book now for Mothers’ Day on the 3rd April. www.briorestaurant.co.uk

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Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 25

Village Living • May 2011

14/04/2011 12:21

WE ARE OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK FRESH FRUIT & VEG BREAD & MILK PAPERS & LOTTERY STATIONERY GREETINGS CARDS WINE AND BEER CASH MACHINE TOBACCO

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14/04/2011 12:21

Lamb Tikka Kebabs

Serves 2 200g plain full-fat yoghurt or Greek-style yoghurt 1 large, peeled garlic, crushed 1cm piece of fresh, peeled ginger, finely chopped 1 small red chilli, finely chopped 1 tsp ground coriander ¼ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp garam masala 2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice ½ tsp dried fenugreek seeds 2 tsp single cream 1 pinch saffron strands, soaked in 1 tsp water 450g lamb fillet cut into 3cm cubes

Method 1. Soak 8 - 12 wooden skewers in cold water for 10 minutes, then shake dry or use metal skewers.

2. Place all of the ingredients except for the lamb fillet into a bowl and mix until well combined.

3. Add the lamb fillet pieces and mix until completely coated in the marinade. Cover and chill the lamb in the fridge for at least two hours, or preferably overnight.

4. Thread the marinated lamb cubes onto the skewers.

5. Heat a griddle pan until hot, then add the lamb kebabs (in batches if necessary) and grill for 1-2 minutes on each side, turning regularly, or until browned on all sides and just cooked through.

6. Serve with salad garnish and a wedge of lemon.

FARM SHOP GATEWICK FARM, A283 STEYNING Fresh turkeysGate, & all theGatewick trimmings over the farm farm, Fresh fruit & veg Steyning, west Sussex bN44 3Sf Homemade pies Local milk & cream / 07977 186003 Tel: 01903 812241 Christmas trees, stands & wreaths www.overthefarmgate.com Home produced meat & butchery Delicious homemade sausages (try before you buy)

www.villageliving.biz | tel: Open: 01903Thursday 814092- Sunday Village Living • May 2011 10am - 4.30pm Ample free parking

Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 27

Gatewick Farm, Steyning, West Sussex BN44 3SF tel: 01903 812241 or 07977 186003 www.overthefarmgate.com email: info@overthefarmgate.com

14/04/2011 12:22

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11/04/2011 14/04/2011 11:33 12:22

29 • SUSSEX IN SEASON

Springing into action Nick Hempleman: Owner of The Sussex Produce Company, award winning produce store in Steyning, West Sussex.

M

ay is truly a month of two halves. One minute the weather can be grey and cold and the next so warm and beautiful you think summer has finally come.

The extra daylight (if not always warmth), is what the crops need to start producing and already we have fat bunches of asparagus, freshly picked ‘wet’ garlic and very soon the first of the English strawberries.

It is not just the crops that are springing into action, as here at The Sussex Produce Company we have been busy with a very exciting new project that will see us move to much larger premises down the High Street.

For the last three and a bit years we have occupied a small but very characterful shop (50 High Street, Steyning), but there are so many things we are asked to stock and so little room both in the shop and in the store rooms out the back, that we have bitten the bullet and signed a lease on the old

It is not just the crops that are springing into action, as here at The Sussex Produce Company Co-op supermarket (88 High Street).

The extra room will give us more space for stock and customers – badly needed as those of you patient enough to queue up on a Saturday morning will testify!

We will continue to specialise in locally sourced fruit and vegetables and they will take pride of place at the front of the new shop, which is having a complete facelift so we can still display outside. We are going to have the space to take cheese more seriously – we already sell nearly 50!

Nothing accompanies cheese so well as a really good glass of wine and we will have an alcohol licence so we can sell an excellent range of wines and ports (none of it available in the

supermarkets!) as well as beers, and ciders, some of it on draught. Last of all we are going to have a small café serving award winning coffee and meals made exclusively from the food we stock in the shop, so if you like the taste of it we can point you to the ingredients.

We are on course to open at 10am on Thursday 5th May and to celebrate we are giving away a £5 gift voucher to the first 88 customers (the number of our new shop).

Our current shop will close on Saturday 30th April to give us a chance to transfer all the lovely fixtures and fittings down the road, although the premises will re-open as a very special art and gift shop the following Saturday.

So, as you can see, we are springing into action in Steyning and we hope to see you in the town very soon,maybe at the Country Fair on Bank Holiday Monday (30th May). I hope the weather holds!

HUrrY! free £5 voucher to the first 88 customers at our new shop.

Name: ..................................................................................................................................................................................................

Postcode: ..........................................................................................................................................................................................

Name and postcode is used for marketing analysis only. You will not receive any marketing form us as a result and we will not share your details with anyone else. This offer is subject to availability and will be subject to huge demand. The new store is planned to open at 10am on Thursday 5th may.

www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

11:33

Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 29

Village Living • May 2011

14/04/2011 12:22

Dirty Oven?

Mr OvenKleen

The professional domestic oven cleaning service ‘putting the “SHEEN” back into your oven’ OVENS • HOBS • MICROWAVES EXTRACTORS • RANGES • AGAs • BBQs Only non-toxic, eco-friendly, fume-free products used

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Specialist in installation, service

Please phone for an appointment on

and repair of LPG and Natural gas

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appliances including boilers, fires,

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cookers and water heaters. All

Supply & Fitting for Homes & Small Businesses • • • •

Fault finding Telephone extensions Broadband & Sky points Sockets fitted

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The Barn, Newmans Gardens, Tanyard Lane, Steyning, BN44 3RN 01903 810098 • www.studioleisure.com • info@studioleisure.com May 2011 • Village Living

Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 30

www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

14/04/2011 12:22

31 • DRINK LOCAL

Gospel Green is not available in supermarkets but can be bought directly from the hops and pips site, www.hopsandpips.com, independent outlets including The Sussex Produce company and from our own beermatt at www.beermatt.co.uk

Hops, Pips & Sparkling Cider

L

ocal brewer, Hops and Pips, was founded in January of 2009, by James Lane and his family, with the aim of amassing a collection of great beers and ciders all in one place. James claims they started up as an extension to his childhood hobby, producing and distributing real ales, beers, perries and ciders that are the real deal.

One of their very finest products, which recently featured at the Champagne and Sussex sparkling wine festival, is the beautifully refined traditional English dry cider Gospel Green.

This delicious alternative to white wine, is made using a traditional champagne process and is best served icy cold on a sunny day, according to James. More akin to the highest grade champagne than cider, the company has been receiving plenty of orders for it recently for weddings and other celebrations. Excitingly, well-known wine critic Jancis Robinson recently described it as ‘sophisticated – a drink to satisfy the most wine fixated palette.’ Quite an achievement for a small company who only produce 10,000 bottles each year.

James and Cathy produce the cider using the ‘methode champenoise’ process. The first fermentation begins in180 gallon vats in October, and after 6 months, it is bottled in March, which is when the sugar and champagne yeast are added to begin the second fermentation, with the bottles laying down to ferment for a further year. Light, dry and around 8% alcohol, it has a gentle apple aroma and a biscuity, dry finish. All of the apples used, which are a blend of desert and culinary, are locally sourced from within a 35 mile radius.

“ Building Community

For the Community”

Every Sunday at Henfield Youth Club 10.30 am Welcome Café 11.00 am Meeting with separate children's groups

win a case of hepworth real Ale! What is the name of the method used to produce Gospel Green sparkling cider?

Send answers to info@villageliving.biz or to the address at the front of the magazine for your chance to win. closing date 31st may, 2011

Tel 07548 850828 www.communitychurchhenfield.org www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 31

Village Living • May 2011

14/04/2011 12:22

Tottington Manor

Try our delicious homemade bar menu...

• • • • • •

Pure 8oz beef burger topped with cheese & chunky chips Beer battered fish of the day Cumberland sausages on bubble and squeak Homemade chicken goujons with salad and a selection of dips Homemade pie of the day Warm cajun salmon salad

FANCY A PITSTOP?

Try our delic ious bar menu from £ 7 -£11 or • Toasted garlic homemade just drink in the scenery bread topped with brie and 01903 815 caramelized red onions 757 • Chicken, bacon and avocado open sandwich with chips • Springs smoked salmon open sandwich with chive crème fraiche and chips

Excellent children’s menu available from £7

TOTTINGTON MANOR • EDBURTON • NR HENFIELD • WEST SUSSEX • BN5 9LJ info@tottingtonmanor.co.uk • www.tottingtonmanor.co.uk

Bay Tree Trading Home accessories & gifts 1 Caudle Street Henfield 01273 492160 www.baytreetrading.co.uk

Anthony James Brown Home & Garden Improvements

anthonyjamesbrown@yahoo.com 07738 268212

Painting & decorating, carpentry & tiling, gardening & exteriors

May 2011 • Village Living

Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 32

H R

F

www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

14/04/2011 12:22

33 • GARDENING

Around the world in a garden

H

ere at Big Plant we are getting excited about the warmer weather, encouraging the flowering of the beautiful and varied Japanese Maple trees. There are more than 1000 different cultivars of Japanese maples, ensuring a huge range of leaf colours, shapes and sizes.

Many Japanese maples do very well in containers or make great pot plants placed on a patio amongst other plants and with correct feeding and watering, can live happily in a pot for many years.

The ‘Japanese maple’ incorporates the species Acer palmatum, Acer japonicum and Acer shirasawanum, each type has very distinct characteristics.

They are actually very easy to care for as long as you follow a few basic rules. In the wild they mostly grow on the fringes of woodland, out of strong winds, with some light shade and grow best in acid to neutral soil. Some are more wind tolerant than others, some will take full sun but most enjoy

light shade at the hottest part of the day. One of our most popular is the Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ Japanese Maple due to its fantastic deep red colour which can sometimes almost be black-red. It has excellent autumn colour when it becomes a fiery scarlet.

Its eventual size can be around 4 metres in height but it responds well to pruning if you wish to keep it smaller.

  

Hole Street, Ashington.

RH20 3DE. 01903 891466

 

Hardy exotic plants Architectural trees Bamboos Japanese maples Olive specialist

Friendly, expert advice Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 33

It’s also the perfect weather for you to think about planting your very own piece of the Mediterranean. The olive tree, Olea europaea is instantly recognisable and will bring a little sunshine into your garden. It may surprise you that in the UK, olive trees perform well in both, coastal areas and urban locations. Olive trees can successfully grow in containers for many years with light, pruning being undertaken in mid-spring and heavier trimming in early to mid-summer. We don’t advise pruning during the winter, as like many Mediterranean trees, olives need some heat and recovery time to heal wounds before the dormant winter period. Once the trees are fairly mature, they have incredible cold tolerance and can be kept outside for the whole season, with no wrapping or mollycoddling! Olive trees are happy growing in southern England, as long as you site your olive tree in free-draining soil and in a good, sunny position.

www.bigplantnursery.co.uk www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

Village Living • May 2011

14/04/2011 12:22

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Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 34

www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

Never worry about energy price rises again

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14/04/2011 12:22

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SHOREHAM’S PREMIER JEWELLER Handmade jewellery to your design.

Repairs undertaken on the premises.

Stocks pre-owned watches including:

14 High Street, Shoreham-by-Sea Email: darren_ross@btconnect.com

01273 452121

a family jewellers for generations www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 35

Village Living • May 2011

14/04/2011 12:22

Design your own Composite Door online and receive a

large discount

Sussex-Surrey Doors & Windows Composite Doors: • 10 Year Insurance Backed Guarantee • Choice of Colours & Glass Designs • Yale Security Locking • Fitted Within 14 Days (subject to survey) • All with anti lock bumping technology as standard

Windows & Doors: • 10 Year Insurance Backed Guarantee • PVCu, Timber or Aluminium • Made to Measure • French/Patio and Bi-folding Doors • Modern security methods

FREEPHONE: 0808 1081666 www.sussexdoors.com See our large selection of doors & windows at our showroom: 35 Queen Street, Horsham, West Sussex, RH13 5AA Company Registered as Sussex Doors Ltd

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Carpets

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Karndean / Amtico Flooring

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Upholstery

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Leather / Nubuck Suites

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Est. 1988

Ring Ben for information and a free quotation on:

01903 774 959 Mobile: 07969 026589 Email: ben@ben07.plus.com Office:

Sam & Ben, your cleaning team May 2011 • Village Living

Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 36

www.villageliving.biz | tel: 01903 814092

14/04/2011 12:22

Ta

35 • TALK MONEY

37 • BACK IN TIME

Talk Money

Claire Cook from independent mortgage and financial advisers Talk Money, gives essential advice...

A financial overhaul?

T

here’s nothing like a global financial crisis to have us all poring over our bank statements with far more scrutiny that ever before. What is that direct debit which has been going out for years? Is it still relevant and what are you paying out for? Is that pension contribution you are making every month worthwhile, or would it be better invested elsewhere? These are the questions people are starting to ask.

By making a review there can be great savings to be made. Not only your mortgage, but out of date policies can be a waste of money especially if your situation has changed. For example, a self employed person still paying for redundancy cover, you cannot be made redundant if you are self employed and this policy may not pay out. You may have taken life cover when you were a smoker, but have since given up. A substantial saving could be made each month. These examples are quite common, and there are many more.

You can see how things get out of date.

what can I do to help?

As an independent financial adviser I deal with the whole spectrum of

although you may not be using it now, it should be looked after and invested in the right place. We can review this for you, invest your money with top fund managers and ensure your investments are looked after from now onwards.

Our client systems review the funds and rebalance your investments on an ongoing basis. The system constantly updates your values. You can sign onto your client file to check all of your investments at anytime, keeping you more in touch with your money.

financial advice. I can check out your mortgage and also any plans you currently hold. I will make sure the cover is relevant to you and is within your budget. I have access to the whole market place, so I can compare your current arrangements with others on offer to make sure you have the most competitive for your circumstances.

Often the process will make you a monthly saving or will give you more for your money.

Your pensions and investments could be languishing in funds which are not performing. Many remain without review for years. This is your money and

If you would like a simple, independent review of things, please give me a call. I am offering a free initial consultation to Shoreham Directory readers. My number is 01273 224667. I would be very happy to help.

Buy to let mortgages are not regulated by the Finanicial Services Authority. Talk Money is a trading style of Best Practice IFA Group Ltd, which is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Services Authority. If you prefer to pay a fee for advice this option is available, the exact amount of the fee will depend on circumstances but we estimate it will be 0.5% of the loan amount. Where a rate is quoted the rate will depend on individual circumstances and not all borrowers will qualify for acceptance of the loan (or similar).Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

Independent Financial Advice for an Independent You For a free initial mortgage health check talk to us on 01403 330822

Mortgages Investments Pensions Insurance

e info@talkmoney.co.uk w www.talkmoney.co.uk

www.villageliving.biz | tel:Services 01903 814092 May 2011the exact Talk Money Limited is trading style of Best Practice IFA Group Ltd, which is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Authority.

If you prefer toVillage pay a fee forLiving advice this•option is available, amount of the fee will depend on circumstances but we estimate it will be 0.5% of the loan amount. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

Village AW.indd Talk Living Money20Ad0511 (Village Living)37 0909.indd 1

14/04/2011 12:22 08/10/2009 15:18

Chalcraft Funeral Directors circa 1870

Long established & family owned business, dedicated to making traditional funeral services as personal & special to you as possible . . .

Chequers Yard High Street Steyning 01903 812656 info@chalcraftfunerals.co.uk www.chalcraftfunerals.co.uk Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 38

14/04/2011 12:22

37 • MIND & BODY

Mind & Body Chris Jones Cognitive Therapist and Mind Coach, Southdowns Hypnotherapy

hypnotherapy & Comfort-eating

E

aster provided us with an opportunity to legitimately pig out on chocolate and for many that goes on throughout the year. Chocolate provides comfort for many on two levels.

Firstly it contains chemical that produce the feel-good factor, but also there is a psychological association between feeling good and chocolate. (For many, you could substitute cheese, or cake or biscuits and the same would apply.)

Therefore, when an individual feels bad, a dose of chocolate will help alleviate the symptoms; in the very short-term at least. However, the almost immediate effect is to increase weight, which makes the individual feel worse and so he/she resorts to more chocolate to make things appear better. The result is a downwards spiral of: feel bad> eat chocolate>put on weight> feel bad etc. etc...

So-called comfort eating can be a vicious downwards cycle and the cycle needs to be broken to prevent despair and depression. Hypnotherapy can do this in several ways by helping the client to attack the component parts of the cycle.

Feeling bad can be due to low self esteem and circumstances beyond the control of the sufferer. Issues can be

example: the need to eat everything on the plate, portion control, eating too quickly and bad habits can be addressed to help the weigh-loss process.

The end result is to change the client’s relationship with chocolate and food generally, so that the client takes control of that relationship. for more information on cognitive hypnotherapy, either visit www.questinstitute.co.uk or my website www.chrisjones.uk.com.

identified and resolved using a mix of techniques aimed at achieving just this.

Motivation can be increased, to effect changes desired by the client.

Using hypnosis, individuals can be influenced to not notice chocolate (especially when shopping) and the myriad of marketing messages that we are subject to on a daily basis.

Internal feelings can be altered to negate cravings.

Treatment can provide help with losing weight generally by identifying other factors involved and helping to make the necessary changes. For

Chris is a Cognitive Hypnotherapist, NLP Master Practitioner and Sports Performance Mind Coach.

He became involved with mind techniques while practicing martial arts in his younger days.

He subsequently became interested in the concept of using them to help people and found that Hypnotherapy provided the ideal tools for this work. He is based in Storrington, where he works alongside his wife, Cathy (also a Hypnotherapist), who specialises in weight-loss.

Chris Jones

Treatment of

DipChyp, HPD, NLP, MNCH

 phobias  weight & eating disorders

Cognitive Hypnotherapy & Sports Performance Mind Coaching

 anxiety & stress  compulsions & addictions  performance enhancement  healing & pain management

01903 745606 or 07740 085101 www.chrisjones.uk.com Village Living 20 0511 AW.indd 39

14/04/2011 12:22

CSMA Club is a brand of Motoring & Leisure Services Ltd, registered o ce Britannia House, 21 StationStreet, Brighton, BN1 4DE, registered in England no. 02813598. VAT registration no 620966633.

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