April 2014 – Sussex Living Magazine by Sussex Living

feathered friends History

Sussex Legend Tommy Cook Finishing touches

for your garden Balcombe

Victory for the Players

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No 107 April 2014

Discover our

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the

most readers in mid sussex quality publication

of any

Sussex Living is published monthly by:

Sussex Living Ltd 128 High Street, Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex BN6 9PX Tel: 01273 835355 Fax: 01273 831658 www.sussexliving.com @sussexliving /sussexliving

Managing Editor: Tanis Banham info@sussexliving.com Financial Director: Carla Faulks carla.faulks@sussexliving.com Deputy Editor: Nicole Tata nicole.tata@sussexliving.com Design and Artwork: Lee Meads lee.meads@sussexliving.com Advertising: Tanis Banham Sonya Clare Charlotte Parvin Charlotte Stevens (Online Sales) sales@sussexliving.com Proofreader: Diane Clark Distribution: Carla Faulks Contributors: Martin Faulconbridge, Susan Fleet, Robert Hanson, Deirdre Huston, Ruth Lawrence, Hanna Lindon, Roger Linn, Lisa de Silva, Nicole Tata, Flo Whitaker

Editor’s comment Welcome to our April issue – it’s full of the joys of spring! For starters, we have a beautiful feature on birdwatching. Simon Biddle of the Sussex Ornithological Society (www.sos.org.uk) was kind enough to share huge amounts of information as well as some truly spectacular photos, so that we could bring you a peek into the fascinating world of our feathered friends (pp. 7-11). My personal favourite is the Eurasian Eagle Owl on our cover – isn’t he a star? We’ve had fun naming him here at the office – say hello to Egbert! April is a wonderful month to rediscover your garden. If you need ideas and inspiration on how to give some finishing touches to your outside spaces, take a look at pp. 26-33. This month’s walk takes us around Wolstonbury Hill near Hurstpierpoint – surely the perfect way to spend a sunny April afternoon. We are delighted that Deirdre Huston gave us permission to reprint this walk from her new book Sussex Walks – 20 Walk exploring the Weald and the South Downs (Vertebrate Publishing 2013). Roger Linn, meanwhile, has been busy researching the story of a true Sussex legend – a man who fought for his count(r)y on the sports field as well as on the battlefield. Read all about Tommy Cook on pages 50-51. A special thank you goes to Cuckfield Museum, an invaluable local resource for all history enthusiasts,

including us! Were you aware that they rely entirely on donations to fund their very worthwhile work? Please do support them if you possibly can. Hanna Lindon was off to see the Victory Players (pp. 53-54) who are celebrating their 10th anniversary of putting on local theatre productions in Balcombe’s historic Victory Hall; while Lisa de Silva went to find out what support is available for Parkinsons’ sufferers and their families (p. 45). Finally, it’s Easter time soon! Hopefully, you’ll get a chance to wind down after a busy (and rainy!) first few months of the year and enjoy the long Easter weekend. We thought we’d take the opportunity to entertain you with another quiz, so why not get together with your friends and pit your wits against our Eggciting Easter Quiz (pp. 57-59)? Email your answers to info@sussexliving.com by 30th April for a chance to win some great prizes. Best of luck – break an egg!

nicole tata

Deputy Editor

Printed by: The Magazine Printing Company plc, Enfield, Middlesex

Sussex Living is proud to be a member of the following business associations: Periodical Publishers Association, Federation of Small Businesses, West Sussex Trading Standards ‘Buy With Confidence’ scheme, Haywards Heath & District Business Association, East Grinstead Business Association and Burgess Hill Business Parks Association.

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SuSSex Living April 2014

Whilst every reasonable care is taken with all materials submitted to Sussex Living we cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to such materials. Opinions expressed in articles are strictly those of the authors. This publication is copyright and may not be reproduced in any form either in part or whole without written permission from the publishers. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and Sussex Living can take no responsibility for omissions or errors. No responsibility is taken for unsolicited submissions or the return of submitted items.

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Contents 7-11

Discover our feathered friends

by Ruth Lawrence

12-13

Rushfields Plant Centre

In full bloom after 30 glorious years

14-21 22

Local Living Help for the Haven Centre, Crawley Down by Roger Linn

Blooming Times by Flo Whitaker, Burgess Hill Horticultural Society

27-33

Home & Garden Finishing touches for your garden by Lisa de Silva

34-35

Food Glorious Food by Robert Hanson

67 68-75 75

Taste the best: Everest Spice Diary Dates Book Review by Hanna Lindon

Business to Business

Letters & Feedback

78-79 80

Distribution The Last Word by Tanis Banham & Carla Faulks

Great Walstead School Wraparound care and extended learning opportunities

Haywards Heath Meat & Greet P&P Family Butchers and Delicatessen

80-86

Local Business Directory

Mid Sussex Marathon Weekend by Martin Faulconbridge

Mirror mirror on the wall…

7-11

27-33

by Nicole Tata

40-41

Health & Beauty Happy Easter, beautiful!

Heights health & fitness Guaranteed fitness powered by Gravity

Local support for Parkinson’s by Lisa de Silva

47-48

Wolstonbury Walk by Deirdre Huston

50-51

Sussex legend Tommy Cook by Roger Linn

53-54

50-51

57-59 EAS TER QUIZ

Balcombe’s Victory Players

TATA BY NICO LE

by Hanna Lindon

57-59

Eggciting Easter Quiz by Nicole Tata

The Cat Inn, West Hoathly The secret is out!

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by rutH Lawrence

nature

discover our feathered friends Look skywards and see a world of wildlife in ﬂight

over Sussex.

Yellowhammer ©John Flowerday, Netherfield

What would our world be like without birds? No dawn chorus to herald the end of winter, no enlivening flutter emerging from hedgerows, no magnificent silhouetted wings circling above; Sussex is so blessed with birdlife that it’s often easy to take their presence for granted. Wherever you travel within our county, there will be birds: wheeling raptors, chattering songbirds, bolshy gulls or the heart-stopping thrill of an owl gliding by at dusk. Sometimes, they’re the only moving point in a landscape, catching our attention with a dash of brown or a burst of wing flurry. The variety of species we enjoy is down to our wealth of contrasting habitats – from sea cliffs, downland and salt marsh to ancient woodland, river bank and open heath. Even our cities are home to the fastest bird on the planet, the magnificent peregrine falcon, which raises its brood on the plentiful pigeons flying beneath. Watching birds is something we do automatically. A sense of wonder combined with a decent pair of binoculars is all you need to spark a lifelong curiosity in our native species. I recently spoke to Simon Biddle from the Sussex Ornithological Society (SOS), an active organisation that engages people to record, study and conserve birdlife across Sussex and beyond. For birds to continue filling our habitat with song and beauty, we need to understand how our presence can affect them and how we can aid their conservation. The SOS encourages and educates people to record bird sightings and organises annual programmes of outings for members across the main birdwatching sites in Sussex.

It’s surprising how far a little knowledge goes. Last year, a friend invited me to Chailey Common to listen for nightjars, a species I’d never encountered in my life. We parked just before dusk and made our way to an expanse of open heath, surrounded by tall trees. Almost on cue, as the light faded, something that sounded like a small, persistent motor broke the silence, a ‘churring’ that seemed more machine than bird. After this long, unbroken fanfare, a silhouette glided from the trees, wings brought sharply forward in a loud clap as it made a series of gentle swoops to the other side of the heath. This happened again and again, my friend grinning at my look of pure astonishment. Visiting a habitat with someone who knows it intimately is one of the best ways to discover birds. That little brown shape turns out to be a rare migrant, an unusual song alerts the presence of a courting pair or a vague distant pair of wings shouts the looming appearance of a top predator. Walk the Downs in summer and you will see sparrowhawks and buzzards out hunting. Follow a melodious trickle of song from high above and, if you have sharp eyesight, spot the tiny skylark hovering in the blue. Stand above Seaford Head in breeding season to watch 300 pairs of kittiwakes continued on next page SuSSex Living April 2014

continued from previous page

European Sparrowhawk © John Flowerday, Netherfield

encouraging their chicks to leap from the cliffs on their first flight. Listen to the legendary song of a nightingale in season from the Sussex Wildlife Trust’s base in Woods Mill or catch the unmistakeable bright white little egret on the Henfield Levels. The River Adur is winter home to kingfishers. I’ve occasionally caught sight of one while out canoeing on Ardingly Reservoir, a quick flash of iridescent blue reminding me of the riches that surround us, if only we are there to witness. St Leonard’s Forest is home to treecreepers, nuthatches and the occasional brightly coloured mandarin. A century ago, it briefly became winter home to three white tailed eagles. Ditchling Beacon, with its steep north-facing scarp slope and warmer hazel woods in the dip, provide habitat for the red-legged partridge and marsh tit while the cuckoo’s unmistakeable song marks the breeding season. Buzzards and kestrels scan for prey all year round while spring brings yellowhammers, whitethroats and linnets. So much of Sussex is accessible; even people with limited mobility can watch birds just metres from a parked car, and public transport reaches most of the places, as described in the superbly detailed guide ‘Best Birdwatching Sites in Sussex’ by Adrian Thomas and Peter Francis. The recently published ‘The Birds of Sussex’ by the SOS has excellent photographs of each species you are ever likely to discover in Sussex; their website has a ‘sightings’ page where members can describe species they have spotted, often with surprising results. A glimpse at a single day’s sightings in mid-February revealed an Iceland gull at Goring Gap, a Kumlien’s gull and Glaucous gull at Littlehampton and a dead puffin, washed up in the storm on Hove seafront.

A sense of wonder combined with a decent pair of binoculars is all you need to spark a lifelong

curiosity in our native bird species.

Nuthatch © John Flowerday, Netherfield

Also on the SOS website is a page dedicated to a tagged cuckoo called ‘Sussex’ who transmitted information from his solar-powered tag as he winged his way from the Ashdown Forest across France, through Sardinia, Corsica and into Chad. By the autumn, he had flown to the Central African Republic, a migration of over 3000km! His journey highlights the transience of many of our species who are global nomads, following routes lodged in their DNA; they appear at the turn of season and disappear months later to warmer or colder countries. Swifts travel back from Africa in April or May; they live for years in an airborne world, landing only to nest, feet stunted through lack of need. They gather in town centres, becoming numerous in Lewes, Midhurst and Horsham. Overall, however, their numbers are declining in Sussex, largely due to humans blocking up the holes in eaves where swifts prefer to build their nests. The SOS has launched a swift initiative, giving advice on suitable swift boxes to install near a colony or where the birds are seen prospecting for a site. One of Sussex’s success stories is the reappearance of the Dartford warbler; its old country name was ‘furze wren’ as it is mostly seen on heather covered heathland, such as that found at Gills Lap on the continued on next page

S u ss e x L i v i n g April 2014

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S u ss e x L i v i n g April 2014

continued from previous page

Ashdown Forest. After not being seen after World War II until 1960, a recent survey found it to be a ‘fairly common but localised resident’, due in part to the management of its preferred habitat and its ability to raise up to three broods in a successful year. The males display a rich wine-red throat, a grey cap and a piercing red eye; combined with its long, expressive tail and scratchy song, it’s a distinctive bird, living on the northernmost edge of its European breeding range. Another species that was declining until recently across Sussex was the iconic barn owl. I once had the luck to watch one hunting, or ‘quartering’, across a field at dusk, a drifting, pale, large bird, flying silently on specially adapted feathers. Barn conversions and the demolition of old buildings led to declining populations until dedicated volunteers began putting up nest boxes in likely areas. Numbers seem to be stable, fluctuating with weather and the presence of prey, mainly voles – a far cry from a few generations ago, when barn owls were feared and persecuted for their ghostly appearance. The success of nest boxes is heartening. It shows that we are not powerless to help a struggling species. The right shaped box with the correct sized hole is more likely to be utilized and although most nest boxes are put up in gardens, it’s essential to support organisations like SOS and local reserves so that they can put up boxes in specific habitats.

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their endless repertoire of song.

Common Whitethroat © Dave Potter, Selsey

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Given the right habitat, species will return; it’s telling that some of the steepest declines are in farmland, where hedge destruction and ploughing up the rough damp edges of the field have removed vitally important breeding and feeding areas. Where a landowner decides to take part in a Higher Level Stewardship Scheme (HLSS), namely leaving a 2-metre growth round the field edge, the results have been spectacular. The grey partridge had all but disappeared in Sussex, but numbers are now increasing, mostly on HLSS land and coastal margins such as Pagham Harbour, Climping and Snowhill Marsh. The birds are subtly coloured with pale orange faces, grey bills and a distinctive call that was once common throughout the countryside. Although one of the most obvious ways to help birds is to put out food, it’s essential to remember to disinfect the feeding equipment about three times during the winter season. Simon told me that greenfinches, chaffinches and house sparrows are suffering badly due to the ‘trichomonosis’ parasite which thrives within busy communal feeding stations unless they are regularly cleaned. Old food needs to be scraped away and dilute bleach can be used to clean the equipment. We rarely, if ever, get to touch a wild bird, and other than whistling hopefully at the garden robin, we can never hope to communicate – and yet birds occupy a vitally important part of our being. We evolved beside them; we look to them with envy at their freedom of flight and feel uplifted by their endless repertoire of song. Here in Sussex, we are surrounded by an incredible variety of species,

Mandarin © Dave Potter, Warnham

many of which we may not yet recognise. Look skyward, listen to the call from the deep hedge and the leafy canopy. Let your curiosity lead you to discovery and the enjoyment that comes from engaging with life in the skies over Sussex.

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S u ss e x L i v i n g April 2014

by roger Linn

advertising feature

Rushfields Plant Centre is one of the most successful garden centres in Sussex. it’s also one of the most

uplifting places i can think of.

In full bloom

after

glorious years On my recent visit to Rushfields, the place was buzzing with activity: the Café was doing a brisk breakfast trade; the Farm Shop was full of eager customers, while many people, myself included, were happily strolling around the outdoor plant areas admiring the massed ranks of daffs, primulas and pansies dazzling the eye and making the heart sing. Rushfields Plant Centre is a perfect example of an independent, family-run business, and this year is the 30th anniversary of its founding. I was eager to discover what the journey had been like since they started all those years ago with a few polytunnels and bedding plants in Upper Beeding, so I went to talk to Adrian Hillman, one of Rushfields’ owners. “30 years of hard toil,” he laughed, “and that’s not counting my 30th wedding anniversary, which is in three days’ time.” The business was initially started by Adrian’s wife Kathryn and her brother Colin. As is the case with many fledgling companies, it was some while before anybody could think about giving up proper wage-earning jobs to devote their time and energy to growing the small nursery business. A breakthrough came in 1983 when six acres of land at Rushfields became available to purchase and they were able to expand the operation. Even then, Adrian was employed as a warehouse manager for 4 1/2 days a week and worked at Rushfields for the other 2 1/2. “It was the only way to see my wife,” he said, “because she was working here seven days a week!” Ah, the joys of running your own business… The first large greenhouse went up in 1985 and a second in the winter of 1986. Throughout this

SuSSex Living April 2014

time, they were growing carrots, potatoes, gladioli, courgettes, going to shows and fairs, laying concrete paths and hard standing – a truly awesome amount of work went on, with both Adrian and Kathryn’s fathers contributing substantially. Kathryn and Colin’s dad, Eric Langridge, who sadly is no longer with us, would have been incredibly proud of his children’s achievement, Adrian was keen to put on record. When the hurricane visited in October 1987, it wrought devastation, completely destroying the original greenhouse and leaving Rushfields looking like a huge pile of tangled and broken steel, wood and glass. It took them three weeks just to pick the glass up, but it’s the chickens that Adrian remembers ruefully. “We had an ‘ark’ for the chickens,” he said. “It was so heavy that it took a tractor to move it, but when we got here after the storm, it had completely vanished. Sucked up into the vortex, I suppose. God knows what happened to all the chickens; we never saw any of them again.” Rushfields was back up and running again before Christmas that year. Since they had to rebuild everything themselves as no contractor could undertake the work in the timescale they needed, the team learnt to build greenhouses from scratch. Around 1990, a café was added to bring in passing trade, then

Far right: Rushfields’ proprietors: Adrian Hillman, Pam Langridge, Kathryn Hillman, Colin Langridge (from left).

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carnival atmosphere and substantial

discounts on 12/13th April including a

massive 30% off all plants to celebrate rushfields’ 30 years in business.

a farm shop, then the product range expanded – and the rest is history. “It has been a continuous process of learning,” says Adrian. “I believe that you have to be an optimist to make a business like this work.” The real celebration of Rushfields’ 30th birthday will be on the weekend of 12th/13th April when the garden centre is going to take on a carnival atmosphere – helium balloons, face painting, tastings, and general all-round cheerfulness. Best of all, there will be substantial discounts and genuine bargains throughout the Centre, including a massive 30% off all plants to celebrate Rushfields’ 30 years in business. “It’s the perfect time of year to buy all your bedding plants, hanging baskets, all your annuals and roses. There will be discounts on lots of other things as well: terracotta pots, furniture – you name it.” Adrian’s enthusiasm is infectious; the success of the garden centre has in large part been driven by the energy and enthusiasm of the whole family team. Rushfields now sells around 5,000 roses a year and this spring customers will buy around 1,000

hanging baskets, 19,000 bedding plants, 7,500 geraniums, 2,000 tomato pots and more besides. With a turnover of well over a million pounds per year, Rushfields has come a long, long way. And considering the affection in which the business is held by its customers and the energy supplied by its owners, Rushfields has much further to go.

rushfields Plant centre Henfield Road, Poynings, West Sussex BN45 7AY Tel. 01273 857445 www.rushfields.com Open 9am-5.30pm 7 days a week

SuSSex Living April 2014

LOCAL Hurstpierpoint Players Come and see the Hurstpierpoint Player’s spring production, a riotous comedy by David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin Jr: “The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society Murder Mystery”. Every drama group has experienced the horrors of what can go wrong on opening night, and the ladies of the F.A.H.E.T.G. Dramatic Society are no diﬀerent, with the possible exception that almost everything that could go wrong does! The scenery collapses, cues are missed, lines forgotten, and the sound eﬀects take on a strange note at times, as the ladies present their ambitious evening’s entertainment with the cunning whodunit, “Murder At Checkmate Manor.” And just in case the audience should get bored there’s a Film and

www.sussexliving.com Email your local news to

editorial@sussexliving.com Fashion Show and Murder Mystery Quiz, complete with a Prize! The crunch comes in the denouement when the “murderer”, about to be revealed, has to rush home to bandage up an injured daughter. But Mrs. Reece, doyenne of the group, rises above the slings and arrows of outrageous dramatics to save the situation and provide the final inventive twist. Performances are at the Players Theatre, High Street, Hurstpierpoint, will take place from 29th April to 3rd May, 8pm. Tickets at £10 (£8 Concessions) are available from Vanilla, 40 High Street, Hurstpierpoint. Tel. 01273 834506.

Bolney Pram Race The Bolney Pram race returns this year on 21st April, after appropriately being on April Fool’s Day last year, and sees the return of a madcap dash around

this quaint, and somewhat unassuming Sussex village. After the amazing amount of eﬀort all the competitors went to last year (from Egyptians to skiers, Blues Brothers to James Bond, Dr Who to Worzle Gummidge and even a corpse in a coﬃn, some were sprinting, some staggering, some

just focusing on breathing, but all finishing the gruelling course) we can’t wait to see what 2014 brings! Some prams faired better than others; the vision of “Fred” assaulting his broken down “Mystery Machine” will live long in my memory, in fact my sides are still aching!

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Last year over £10,200 was raised and donated to two national charities, with local impact; SERV who are the motorcycle “bloodrunners” delivering vital supplies to NHS Hospitals out-of-hours and DREAMFLIGHT who take seriously ill and disabled children on a life-changing holiday to Orlando, Florida, providing an opportunity for the children to experience independence and to make friends with other children with similar challenges to themselves, in a nurturing atmosphere of support and fun. The money raised for SERV fuelled 2 mid sussex bikes, 4 sets of tyres, paid for the servicing and MOTs for both vehicles, and covered the cost of the diesel needed to keep the 4x4 operational last year. The excess was used to pay for bespoke hiviz jackets for riders. The money donated to Dreamﬂight paid for 2 (and a half!) children to go on the holiday of a lifetime. This year there will be music throughout the afternoon at The Eight Bells, along with fun for the kids – face painting, bouncy castle, and more (weather permitting). We also have a fantastic prize draw to win 2 ﬂights from Gatwick to a longhaul destination, kindly donated by British Airways – tickets are limited, and are available from The Eight Bells. If you would like to enter a pram for either the children’s race or adult race, or would like to find out more about our sponsorship packages, we would love to hear from you. Please visit www. bolneypramrace.co.uk or call Emma at The Eight Bells, Bolney on 01444 881396.

Coffee Morning for St Christopher’s Please join us from 10am until 11.30am on Saturday 5th April at the Guide HQ in Trinity Road car park, Hurstpierpoint. Entrance fee is 50p per person to include coffee and biscuits and there are a wide range of stalls including cakes, books, dvds, cds, raffle, tombola, plants and gifts.

If you have any small items you would like to donate for sale please get in touch with Jo Kearns, 01273 834200. We are happy to arrange collection. St. Christopher’s is a small residential home for elderly people and the Friends group works to raise funds to arrange benefits and social outings for all the residents.

St John Ambulance Cycle Responders A new team of first aiders on bicycles is being trained across Sussex in order to swiftly get to those in need at large events. The St John Ambulance Cycle Responders will be on duty at events such as festivals that cover a large area with dense crowds that make it difficult for vehicles to get to a casualty. Each Cycle Responder rides a mountain bike kitted out with enough equipment to make it effectively a mini ambulance on two wheels. South East Regional Operational Cycling Officer Peter Leach said: ‘We already have a small team of Cycle Responders but there aren’t enough of them to cover the events for which we receive requests. ‘We train them up to the Bikeability Level 3 and also carry out some fitness training including a 1km sprint bike ride followed by a full Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) which is the energetic chest compression needed if someone’s heart stops. ‘Each bike carries a huge variety of equipment from bandages and aspirin to oxygen and an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) which is also used to restart people’s hearts.’ Some of the events across the South East at which St John Ambulance Cycle Responders have already been present include the Milton Keynes Marathon, the She Runs Windsor 10k race, the Blenheim International Horse Trials, Hampshire Youth Games, the London to Brighton British Heart Foundation cycle ride and West Bletchley Council Carnival. The www.sussexliving.com

LOCAL next major event will be the Brighton Marathon on Sunday 6 April. ‘We are always looking for new volunteers who want to be trained in this role,’ added Peter Leach. ‘People who have a reasonable level of fitness and are already comfortable on a bike, and who would like to learn how to be the diﬀerence between a life lost and a life saved.’ Anyone interested in training to be a Cycle Responder should contact Peter Leach on 07747 766554 email peter.leach@sja. org.uk.

www.sussexliving.com Email your local news to

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Wivelsfield Little Theatre It was the most unlikely love story. He, a world famous writer and academic; she, a feisty American divorcee. He, a Don, enclosed in the secluded and privileged world of 1950s Oxford: she, a single mother, struggling to raise her son alone in a strange and alien land. And yet, a love will grow between them that will transcend all those divisions. A love that will change their lives forever. Wivelsfield Little Theatre are proud to present William Nicholson’s moving play Shadowlands, the story behind the man who gave us to the world of Narnia; the story of C S Lewis and Joy Gresham, the woman he loved. Performances will take place on 10-12th April at Wivelsfield Village Hall. Tickets from the Box Oﬃce 01444 471201.

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Spring Concert After a very successful spring concert in 2013, of music by Vivaldi and Bach, the Hurstpierpoint Singers are returning to Hassocks’ United Reformed Church on 5th April to present parts 2 and 3 of Handel’s every popular Messiah, under the direction of Paul Simpson. Tickets at £10 are available from Hassocks Hardware, Janton News and The Mint House Hurstpierpoint. Concessionary tickets at £8 for students and school children are available only on the door.

Keymer & Hassocks Cricket Keymer and Hassocks Cricket club is on the lookout for new Junior and Senior players, as well as people who may just be interested in cricket and want to get involved. Based in Adastra Park, Hassocks, we offer a friendly and fun environment to enjoy cricket in. KHCC offers cricket opportunities for children aged between 7-16 as well as running 4 weekend adult sides of differing abilities. However, if playing sounds like a lot of hard work but you’d still love to get involved then we are always on the lookout for new members who would be interested in learning to umpire, score or even just have a few drinks in the bar. Ability is unimportant but enthusiasm is key, so if you are interested in becoming a part of our club or you know someone that is, please get in touch with

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Looking for young champions Hove based charity, the Starr Trust, are looking for local champions to support. Young people aged 10-18 years old and living in the BN postcode area can apply to the Starr Trust for an Edward Starr Award of up to £5,000. Awards are given to those who wish to take part in activities, in sports, arts or education, which they might not otherwise have access to, and are not about who the young person is already, but who they might become with a bit of a helping hand. Director Darren Abrahams says: “We started as a small family charity in 2008. Five years later and we have donated over £200,000 to approximately 2,000 children, created our programme

in social entrepreneurship and set up our Starr Hub – our dynamic networking event with inspiring talks for local young people and professionals. We are looking to support more young people in need across the BN postcode area to give our support to.” The Starr Trust’s current campaign is ‘Change 4 Champions’ – asking people to donate their spare change to change a young person’s life. To donate £1 or more, text STAR21 to 70070. To find out more visit www.starrtrust.com

Bake Oﬀ for Sussex Air Ambulance Inspired by the Great British Bake Oﬀ, the Sussex Vale Rotary Club and Hassocks WI have teamed together to organise a local version of the competition. Taking place on 10th May at Adastra Hall in Hassocks, aspiring bakers will be pitting their favourite recipes against each other in the following five categories: Scones, Tray-Bake (chocolate brownies, lemon drizzle or carrot cake), Chocolate Heaven, Victoria Sandwich and Gluten Free. Bakers can enter as many categories as they wish, each entry costing £2.50. Junior bakers aged 12 or under are invited to enter the Decorated Cupcake Competition at 50p per entry. This is a challenging and fun event which will be assessed by an independent, qualified WI Judge. Prizes will be awarded to the winners of each class, with a

further prize for the overall baking champion. Refreshments will be available after the judging when the competition cakes and scones will be sold. From 1st April, entry forms can be collected from and submitted to The Cook Shop and The Mint House in Hurstpierpoint, and Orion News in Hassocks. All entries must be submitted and paid for by 30th April. Watch out for our eye-catching posters in the next few weeks. All proceeds from the competition will go to Sussex Air Ambulance, so please dust oﬀ your cookery books and whip out your mixing bowls to support this worthy cause. For more information please contact Duncan Honeyman (01273 845068).

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LOCAL an outdoor amateur theatre company which brings quality open air theatre to the people of Sussex – a natural assumption to make! Well, maybe not, but Cathryn Parker has had a lifelong love affair with the theatre since she was 6 years old. She has been a member of Lewes Theatre Club since 1987 and has directed over 60 productions for many theatre companies. Perhaps not the image of your average lawyer, then? So, you will be even more amazed to hear that her husband Geoﬀ who works slavishly behind the scenes of the many productions, designing and building sets and overseeing the whole technical production spends much of his time lovingly tending his ﬂock of ostrich. This fantastic couple really are a force to be reckoned with in the amateur dramatics world. Their next big collaboration will be with St Peter & St James Hospice’s

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editorial@sussexliving.com Fundraising Department with Bard in the Barn. They will be putting on an 8-night performance of Shakespeare’s ‘Taming of the Shrew’ from 11-14th and 1821st June at Cockhaise Farm in Lindfield. All seating is reserved and indoors and any profit is donated to the Hospice. Tickets are on sale and there are substantial earlybird savings to be made if you book before Easter. Go to www.stpeter-stjames.org.uk for more information.

Verdi Requiem

opera Verdi never wrote’ and is as compelling as anything he ever put on the stage. It ranges from the explosion of the terrifying Dies Irae through the majestic trumpet summons in the Tuba mirum, to the poignancy of many quieter passages. The concert is on Saturday 26th April at 7.30pm, at St Andrew’s Church, Junction Road, Burgess Hill. Tickets are available from choir members, Burgess Hill Town Council’s Help Point or at the door. For further information, see www. burgesshillchoralsociety.org.uk

In our Spring concert, Burgess Hill Choral Society under the musical direction of Michael Stefan Wood BEM, will be performing the great Requiem by Giuseppe Verdi. The Requiem is a work of highly concentrated emotion and theatricality which explores the range of human feeling in a direct and powerful way. It is often described as ‘the best

Sussex Chorus Sussex Chorus, one of the county’s foremost choirs, is performing Handel’s Messiah for its opening concert of 2014. This performance will take place on Saturday, 12th April, at 7.30 pm in St Bartholomew’s Church, Ann Street, Brighton, BN1 4GP. Handel’s Messiah, composed in 1741 and first performed in Dublin in 1742, is one of the great iconic choral works and is a favourite for singers and audiences alike with its beautiful arias and uplifting choruses, including the stirring ‘Hallelujah Chorus’. The concert will be conducted by Alan Vincent, Assistant Conductor of Sussex Chorus. Alan Vincent read music at Clare College, Cambridge, and after working in London he moved to Kent where, over the years, he has founded various musical bodies including the Kent Chamber Choir and the

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LOCAL Kent Youth Choir. In addition he works with Gravesham Choral Society and Orchestra. The soloists for this performance will be soprano Bibi Heal, mezzo soprano Tabitha Reynolds, tenor Joseph Cornwell and bass baritone Douglas Rice-Bowen. John Walker will be playing the harpsichord and Nick Houghton the organ whilst Kent Sinfonia will provide the orchestral accompaniment. Tickets are £15, concessions £12, students and children under 16 £5 and are available from the Sussex Chorus website and Ticket Manager on 01444 412579, the Dome Box Oﬃce on 01273 709709 and www.WeGotTickets. com We do hope that you are able to join us for this event.

Ansty Village Multi Garage Sale The Ansty Village Hall Trust are organising a Village Garden Sale on Saturday, 26th April, 10am2pm, when many residents of Ansty will be selling items on their forecourts and in the Village Hall. The Ansty Village Hall Trust will publish a brochure with addresses and a map of everyone taking part and a summary of items being sold. This is for sale (£1.50) at the Village Hall, along with refreshments. All brochures will entitle you to be in a lucky draw. For any enquiries, please contact Maureen Gibson (gibson50qqq@btinternet. com, 01444 413061) or Marion Petitpierre (marionpetitpierre@ gmail.com, 01444 453277).

Clark & Company London Harness Horse Parade The South of England Showground at Ardingly hosts the famous London Harness Horse Parade on Easter Monday – a chance for the whole family to experience the sights and sounds of old England and see the history of transportation before their eyes. The Parade has been expanded to include a display of the earliest motor cars, vintage tractors and historic motorcycles. See how everything from eggs to beer were transported before the invention of the motor vehicle. Over 100 horse drawn vehicles and carriages, from Shetlands to Shires, will take part from all over Britain, together with a parade of vintage cars and farm machinery. There will be plaiting, harnessing, shoeing and farriery demonstrations. Take a ride on the Fullers Brewery Dray pulled by two of their magnificent Shires. There will also be a good choice of trade stands for any Easter shopping and a range of food outlets oﬀering freshly cooked food to suit all the family. On Easter Monday 21st April gates open at 9.30am with the event, an Easter tradition since 1885, starting at 10.30am with the Veterinary and Farriery inspections. Watch the judges at work from 10.45am for Light horses, and 11.45am for Heavy horses, with the prize giving and Grand Finale Parade at approximately 1pm. Admission £6 per adult, under 16s & parking FREE. For further information visit www.lhhp.co.uk.

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by roger Linn

Crawley Down’s community centre is a welcoming that caters for a thriving village community.

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place

Help for the Haven Centre From left: The Haven Centre, Crawley Down, Mary Stein, Beryl, Malcomber.

At the age of 72, Mary Stein (pictured above left) thought she needed to play a bigger part in her local community of Crawley Down. Accordingly, she replied to an advertisement for people to join the management committee of the Haven Centre, Crawley Down’s purpose built community leisure complex. A registered charity, the Haven Centre, which was opened by HRH Princess Alexandra in 1991, is the successful result, as these things usually are, of a great deal of hard work by local volunteers who saw the need for an up-to-date, multi-purpose building to accommodate the very wide range of interests and activities generated by the growing local population. Their vision was translated into today’s extremely flexible, modern two-storey structure. It houses not just the Social, Football and Snooker clubs, but halls and meeting rooms of a variety of sizes, catering facilities, a badminton court, a lift and a stage with projection facilities. It is a hugely popular venue for clubs and societies and is regularly hired for social events, including weddings and birthday parties. In 2007, however, Mary, by now the Secretary of the

SuSSex Living April 2014

Management Committee, felt that the place lacked a little TLC – the homely, housekeeping furnishings quite often missing from big, socially owned premises. So she set about doing something about it. Mary and an equally feisty lady, Beryl Malcomber (pictured above right), the then Chairman of the Management Committee, took over the running of an existing group, the ‘Haven Helpers’. This group had been formed to raise money for what they called the ‘nice-tohaves’. They had run table-top sales for the purpose, but were now leaderless. “It was always the intention of the Haven Helpers to bring the nice touches to the Centre,” explained Mary, “and initially we continued organising table-top sales to raise money.” The sales ran every month from September to April and they became so popular that people hiring tables came from not just the surrounding area of Crawley, Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill, but from all over East and West Sussex. “When they began to tail off a bit,” Mary went on, “we then organised Craft Fairs.” They put on Charity Fashion

Shows too, in conjunction with St Catherine’s Hospice. In support, Mary (aged nearly 80) and Beryl (who has a family and a full-time job) could both be found on Saturday mornings pounding the pavements selling tickets outside the shops in Crawley Down. Over the course of the succeeding six years from 2007,

The tireless Mary and beryl between them raised around £20,000 it is estimated that the seemingly tireless Mary and Beryl between them raised around £20,000, all of which went to pay for furniture, curtains, carpets, signage and kitchen facilities for the Haven Centre. Mary and Beryl have both now retired from the committee; their ‘swan song’ was last year’s Christmas Fair, but I think it’s unlikely that they’ll sit back and take things easy. Beryl has become Church Secretary and Mary is now a Parish Councillor and has a part-time job with Meridian FM, the East Grinstead community radio station! I’m exhausted just thinking about them. www.sussexliving.com

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gardening

Blooming Times With spring on the doorstep, make sure you carefully check your containers and borders – hidden gems will have endured the recent rain-lashing.

Many plants work their socks off all summer, producing offspring that are wiped out by frost before we’ve had a chance to properly notice them. However, many plantlets will have survived this year’s exceptionally mild winter. These tough little plants will have already made substantial roots as they wait to take advantage of the first warm spring days – and their growth rate will be phenomenal. The hanging baskets and patio pots you neglected to empty last autumn will be worth an inspection. Some members of the nemesia family are surprisingly hardy and will have benefitted from the extra drainage a container provides. Remove decaying foliage and re-pot into fresh compost. Stems of trailing bedding plants, such as bacopa, nepeta and plectranthus take root where they touch the compost surface, producing multiple plants along a single stem. Some petunia varieties set seed, usually the darker coloured flowers, which often have the added bonus of being night-scented. In the border, cosmos, nicotiana and cleome are prolific, easy-going self-seeders and will barely notice being moved into a new position. Lilium regale is easy from seedlings – carefully transplant the baby plants and grow them on in a welldrained, sunny position. Don’t forget to water them in hot weather and watch out for slugs and

lily beetle. Be patient – it will be at least three years before the bulb is large enough to bear a flower – but what a thrill when it does! Pansies that have grown straggly are often best thrown away but there’s a trick to encourage rejuvenation. It’s not a method blessed with 100% success, but it’s always worth a try. Mix up some coarse compost, comprising 50% standard potting compost and 50% horticultural grit. Carefully make a ‘spider’ shape with the plant, spreading the straggly stems outwards and away from the central crown. Gently sprinkle compost over the stems, a couple of centimetres in depth, making sure you don’t bury the central point of the plant. Water, and cover with a dome of protective mesh. Check regularly, keeping the compost damp. If you’re lucky, the stems will root into the compost, making new plants. When they’re approximately 3cm high, carefully detach them and pot them on. This is a useful method if you have a favourite plant you want to keep going, as it’s guaranteed to produce plants that are identical to the parent; whereas pansy seedlings are random by nature and unlikely to produce the same colour flower. Such randomness is due to their depraved, sexual habits: they beguile us with their innocent faces, but pansies and violas share a sordid secret, worthy of any tabloid headline – they enjoy promiscuous pollination. Crikey!

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Home & garden

Finishing touches for your garden

Spring is the perfect time to think about giving your garden a facelift. it needn’t be a major project; sometimes all a garden needs is some homely touches.

There are now so many garden accessories out there to tempt you that there’s really no reason to style your outside areas like you would your interiors. What type of feel are you hoping to create – country cottage, retro, contemporary or vintage? Also think about the types of material that will be best for creating your chosen look – wood, plastic, metal?

A Natural High While it’s impossible to change the general shape of your garden, the addition of a pergola or wooden arch will immediately give height and structure. Both can be used as supports for climbing plants to add scent and colour. You can add outdoor lights for a starlit effect in the evenings and, with a pergola, create a shady seating area. If you have unsightly fences or walls, why not paint them to soften the effect? Or add a dramatic backdrop for your plants by going for a bold colour. If you like the organised look, a row of box cubes

or balls always looks stylish and can be used to add structure to your garden. Pots and tubs are another great way to make a statement. Remember, the bigger the pot, the less maintenance required, and while gorgeous terracotta pots may be expensive, you can always take them with you when you move. What’s more, plant pots come in all shapes and sizes – from traditional urns to ubermodern galvanised squares – and you’re sure to find all sorts of inspiration at your local garden centre. continued on next page

SuSSex Living April 2014

continued from previous page

Light Up Lighting options are now vast and varied. Whether you are looking for wall-mounted lighting, hurricane lamps, lanterns, candles or solar lighting, you will be amazed at the selection. Fairy lights – easily available these days with a solar option – always look pretty and add to the atmosphere. For a more sophisticated effect, think about using up or down lighting to pick out the shapes and textures of your plants, giving them a sculptural dimension.

Water Works It’s been known since ancient times that the sound of trickling water can be soothing and relaxing to body and mind – so why not incorporate a water feature into your garden? Garden ponds and water features can really transform your garden – add drama with a water cascade, or a sense of calm and serenity with a trickling fountain. In terms of garden design, water opens up a totally new dimension, giving you the ability to explore and enhance your outdoor space in many different ways. On a practical note, the sound of water can also soften and disguise noise from nearby roads, and it’s good for attracting wildlife too! continued on next page

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STRICTLY

s n r u t Re

SATURDAY 10TH MAY 10am - 4pm THE ORCHARDS SHOPPING CENTRE

Join your community for gardening and much more Put your questions to our panel of celebrity gardeners (11.00am & 1.45pm) Learn and buy from local experts, gardens and workshops Watch the Scarecrow Procession • See the Painting Competitions Admire the mosaics by our Care Homes • Listen and see local Choirs and Dancers In association with Haywards Heath in Bloom S u ss e x L i v i n g April 2014

GREAT IDEAS FOR OUTDOOR LIVING From natural stone and concrete paving to walling, fencing, decking, garden buildings and specially selected and graded natural aggregates, Parker Paving can help you create anything from a small patio to large domestic or public gardens.

LANDSCAPING I PAVING FENCING I DECKING GARDEN FURNITURE branches at

in HASSOCKS, HAYWARDS HEATH and throughout the South East

www.parkerpaving.co.uk TelS u0844 ss e x L i257 v i n g 7000 April 2014

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In the Shade Shade is an essential feature of any garden. For a patio area, you might want to consider an awning fixed to the house or a wall-mounted umbrella. Alternatively, you could have a parasol, which either slots into the centre of a patio table or is free standing. Many parasols now have an extended arm that can be tilted to offer protection as the sun moves around through the day. A brightly coloured garden sail is another elegant option. These wind-resistant sheets can be moored permanently to the house or secured to poles and guy ropes.

Room Outside Visit any garden centre and you’ll be wowed by the choice of garden furniture on offer. If you want to create a room outside, look no further than allweatherproof modular sofas, chairs and tables. This type of furniture is very low maintenance. Made of resin and aluminium, it’s rust-proof and UV resistant and can be left outside all year round. What’s more, finishings and colourings are now a lot more natural, giving the appearance of wood and wicker. Simply add your colour choice of cushioned seating and hey presto – you have an additional lounge! Bistro furniture makes a good choice for smaller gardens, and traditional teak garden furniture is durable, stylish and comes in a variety of styles, though you have to be prepared to look after it. continued on next page

Woodburners Ltd

Full free survey and advice British quality and flues to the highest standard Retailers for: Creative landscaping and plant design Sustainable and Eco Friendly Naturally Inspired Driveways Plants and advice at Hassocks Market every 4th Saturday of the month All plants supplied by Mill Nursery, Hassocks

Maple Leaf Gardens M: 07968 711930 E: mbmapleleafgardens@gmail.com

www.woodburnersltd.co.uk Office: 01403 820 983 Mobile: 07773 781506 Email: info@woodburnersltd.co.uk The Workshop, Petworth Road, Kirdford, West Sussex RH14 0NW

S u ss e x L i v i n g April 2014

continued from previous page

Max Relax

Harvey Self Drive Taking Risk out of Rental.... Local Company Established Over 30 years

If you’re looking to create a space for casual lounging in your garden, you’ll be pleased to hear that the latest trend is for luxurious daybeds. Often circular and made from all-weather material, they typically come with a canopy for shade. You might want to consider a hanging garden chair for that chillout vibe! But what if you don’t have the room? There’s always the classic steamer chair, a nice comfy sun lounger or a traditional deckchair. You can even get garden beanbags for relaxing on. If space is at a premium, look for foldable items that can be easily stored. Benches can also add to a relaxed and informal look. Whether you opt for a contemporary wooden structure, a pretty painted metal one, or even a bench swing, they can provide a focal point, adding a touch of romance and reflection to the garden.

Garden Art Let your creativity run wild in the garden with garden art to reflect your personality and style! Alongside the ubiquitous garden gnome, you can now find a whole raft of ornaments and sculptures, made in metal, ceramic or resin specifically for outdoors. How about garden mirrors, wind chimes and spinners, sun dials, decorative plaques and fairy lights to really make your garden a part of your home?

• Largest Mercedes fleet in Sussex • Quality vehicles at competitive prices • Comprehensive 25 item safety inspection carried out before each hire • 24 hour 365 day Mercedes breakdown cover • No mileage charge • FREE evening collection (subject to availability) • Ample free parking

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SuSSex Living April 2014

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Selling your house? Let us present your property to sell

Best Price + Faster saLe

Spare a thought for our animal friends – invite them

After its makeover this home sold in one week for the full asking price Free initial consultation

to share your outdoor space

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Ann’s Interiors Bespoke Curtains & Blinds

Making Friends Spare a thought for our animal friends when putting the finishing touches to your outdoor space. Better still, invite them in! Wildflower meadows are very popular at the moment – not only do they look wonderful, they’re also a great way to encourage bees and butterflies into your garden. Simply mark off a patch of garden and seed with a wildflower packet mix (available at good garden centres), then wait for nature to do her thing. Ponds and water features are useful for encouraging frogs and other wildlife which will then feed on bugs and snails. Bird tables, nesting boxes and bird baths come in a wide range of styles and materials – and all of them will delight the local avian population and give you hours of birdwatching pleasure. Make your garden an inviting place to spend time in and the reward will be well worth the effort. Whether you’ve created a sanctuary from everyday life or a place for entertaining friends, you’re bound to enjoy all your garden can offer.

Ann’s Interiors’ aim is to provide a personal and exclusive service. Ann will visit you, in your home, to discuss your individual requirements and present fabrics from leading fabric manufacturers and blind suppliers. All our curtains are hand finished and will be fitted, by our highly experienced fitter, under Ann’s personal supervision.

Ann Davies Tel: 01444 461087 Mob: 07595 727791 Email: Ann.Interiors@yahoo.co.uk SuSSex Living April 2014

by Lisa de Silva

advertising feature

care

Wraparound and extended Flexible before and after school care is a huge help for working parents, while children just love

the vast choice of activities on offer.

Great Walstead School has developed a number of initiatives to offer extended care and learning opportunities, benefiting children and working parents in particular. The school prides itself on providing ‘added value care’, giving children the opportunity to mix in the wider community of the school, experience new activities, develop new talents, increase their social confidence and even finish their homework, all before going home to relax with their families. While the school enjoys an excellent reputation for academic achievement, Great Walstead is just as proud of the breadth and depth of its outstanding programme of afterschool extra-curricular activities, many of which make use of the school’s first-class facilities and enviable 260-acre woodland site. “Our children are fortunate; with our grounds and facilities, we can offer them more adventurous on-site activities, such as Bike Ability,” explains Headmaster Colin Baty. “Mountain biking through the woods is proving very popular!” Alongside the more usual activities, such as football and cricket, children can also choose from a programme that includes photography, sewing,

S u ss e x L i v i n g April 2014

gardening, swimming, chess, golf, fencing, electronics and model making. To keep children’s interest, the range of activities is constantly updated according to demand. Streetdance and cheerleading are enjoying a surge in popularity at the moment. There is also the opportunity to develop skills in ballet and karate, by taking a series of nationally recognised exams, although achievement and attainment are not the motivation behind the programme. “It’s really about encouraging the children to have a go at a number of different activities that they may not get the chance to try elsewhere,” Colin Baty tells me. “It helps to give them the confidence to try new things without worrying.” While the children benefit from enhanced and extended learning opportunities, they also get to mix with children from other year groups, helping to develop their self-confidence alongside their communication and interpersonal skills. What’s more, parents benefit because their children get to try out a number of different activities without disrupting any precious family time. www.sussexliving.com

With our woodland grounds and first-class facilities,

we can offer more adventurous on-site activities.

At the end of the school day, Great Walstead offers Keep Care, where children can relax and enjoy supervised play in a home-from-home environment. Younger children, who may not have afterschool activities, enjoy a drink and a snack and can either indulge in some quiet time, reading or crafting, or take the opportunity to play with friends. The children can also have a cooked dinner before being picked up by their parents. Keep Care will also ensure that those with afterschool activities get to and from them safely, before providing supper, if requested. Again, the main aim is for parents to enjoy flexible care as and when it is needed, so there is no need for a weekly commitment. As long as a child is booked into Keep Care, they are welcome whenever it suits. When a term ends, few parents have the luxury of time off, so Keep Care is open all year round, running a popular holiday club for those who need it. During the holidays, activities are more structured and the fantastic grounds at Great Walstead School really come into their own – children can enjoy woodland walks, the outdoor challenge course and the new tree house. There is also daily swimming, organised days out to local attractions and a full range of arts and crafts activities, including the very popular junk modelling. To keep things varied and to fire the children’s imagination, each holiday’s activities and outings are based around a theme, such as jungle, underwater, space and planets. While the extra curricular activities, Breakfast Club and Keep Care all help parents to balance both work and family life, there is no doubt that the children also reap huge benefits in terms of improved self-confidence, feeling part of the wider school community and having the opportunity to experience many new and varied activities.

learning

opportunities

Children from Year 4 upwards can also use afterschool time to get their homework done. After a drink and a snack, they can complete the work in a supervised environment, so by the time they get home, they can enjoy their time relaxing and parents do not have the pressure of making sure homework has been completed. For those whose working days start early, Great Walstead School operates a Breakfast Club from 7.45am. There is also the option to bus into school on the two minibuses, which operate on two different local routes, covering Ditchling to Haywards Heath and Lewes through to Newick. “Breakfast Club is really popular,” says Colin Baty. “It’s a very sociable time of day, when children from all years in the school get to sit together and enjoy an extended family breakfast. By the time they’ve had breakfast and a chat with their friends, they are ready to settle into the school day as soon as they enter the classroom.” As flexibility for parents is of paramount importance, children can dip in and out of Breakfast Club as it suits and there is no requirement to commit to Monday to Fridays.

Great Walstead School East Mascalls Lane, Lindfield, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 2QL Tel. 01444 483528 Email: registrar@greatwalstead.co.uk www.greatwalstead.co.uk

S u ss e x L i v i n g April 2014

by martin fauLconbridge

mid susseX maratHon

How do you measure up?

From

East Grinstead to Athens

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SuSSex Living April 2014

When she lined up at the start for the East Grinstead leg of the Mid Sussex Marathon in 2012, Natalie Chivers had no idea how much her life was about to change. It was her first ever race and it would go on to ignite a passion for running she never knew existed. “It scared the living daylights out of me at first,” admits Natalie. “I was probably like a lot of people out there – I didn’t want to make a fool of myself and I was worried I would be left behind by the other, faster runners. But everyone was so supportive; those who finished first waited around to cheer you on and everyone respects you for doing it. Even the marshals were brilliant. I was expecting them to be thinking ‘there goes this flabby girl’, but they were all applauding and urging me on; it really keeps you going. “I had the best time doing the run. I felt so proud of myself when I finished and I kept my medal on for 2 days solid!” Natalie got so much out of her first race that she began to run regularly and was soon looking out for the next race to try. She ran her first Marathon after running for just nine months and completed five marathons last year, including the original Marathon in Athens, Greece. Natalie’s development has been helped by joining Haywards Heath Harriers running club and she feels the support provided by local clubs is great for new runners. “All the running clubs in the area are really friendly. I like being part of them because they cheer you on when you’re finishing. It feels like you’re part of a family, more than anything,” said Natalie. “I never thought that I would be able to run 10 miles and when I did it gave me such a confidence boost. I felt unstoppable, like I could do anything and that confidence helped me to improve other areas of my life. I’ve lost 3 stone in weight since I started running, I’ve got better skin, better hair, I’m more toned and I’ve got so much more energy, it’s just been amazing.” The Mid Sussex Marathon returns 3rd to 5th May. www.midsussexmarathonweekend.co.uk For information about the Haywards Heath Harriers, visit www.haywardsheathharriers.co.uk

www.sussexliving.com

Light years Light years ahead ahead If the question is ‘How do I stop being overweight once and for all?’ If the question isquestion “How do I stop If the is ‘How dobeing I stop thenoverweight the answer once is Rachel Ricketts. andthe for all?’ overweightbeing once andand for tested all?” then Her tried weight loss then the answer is Rachel Ricketts. programme is entirely free of spin by Nicole Tata answer is Rachel Ricketts. Herweight tried and Herand tried and tested loss gadgetry and gets the job done programme is entirely of spin loss programme isgood. entirely bytested Nicole Tata weight quickly, safely and forfree

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Clients with feelings hunger and cravings, clients on onetheir clear goal: is very long term dream offocused a happy, healthy weight. tomaking nameremark afailure fewthat obvious ones – so that term dream oftoaweight happy, healthy weight. constantly much likely. theyless don’t feel hungry, permanent loss to improve From housewives senior execs, children they can be addressed and eliminated. From housewives to senior execs, It’s all too easy to be lulled into their looks and general wellbeing. cravings disappear and their energy levels to grandparents, Rachel’s clients are focused thinking we’re healthily. programme alsoeating quickly deals to grandparents, Rachel’s areThe higher. Wethat are frequently hearing how onteenagers one clear goal: permanent weight loss Bowl ofclients cereal for breakfast, sandwich pleased our with their health with feelings ofare hunger and cravings, focused on one clear goal: toclients improveare their looks, health, self-esteem for lunch and pasta tea? 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For some people, out there, no wonder people are Rachel’s eating plan uses normal foods it’s just a matter of fine tuning whereas Some of my clients that are easily available – no forconfused. others, their whole diet needs to funny beneed to beshakes, completely about the pillsare orre-educated medication. addressed. There so many different diets effects of nutrition on their bodies, Judging by Rachel’s long list of out there, no wonder people are confused.” while others just need finetuning.” delighted clients, the programme is hugely successful. hasnormal also earned Rachel’s programme usesShe normal foods that Rachel’s eating plan uses foods theare respect of –available local GPs who very arethat easily available no shakes, pills or easily –diet noare funny impressed weight extensive loss and list quick fixes. Judging by Rachel’s shakes, pillsbyorthe medication. health improvements they’ve seen of delighted clients and hundreds inspiring Judging by Rachel’s longoflist ofin some of their patients as a result ofis delighted clients, the programme working with Rachel. hugely successful. She has also earned As an investment into your health, the respect of local GPs who are very the Metabolic Weight Loss programme impressed byeffective the weight and is more cost thanloss well-known health improvements they’ve seen in some of their patients as a result of working with Rachel. As an investment into your health, the Metabolic Weight Loss programme is more cost effective than well-known

“All the tools you’ll ever need to reach and maintain a healthy “All the tools you’ll weight – for life!” ever need to reach and maintain a healthy

“Allthethe tools you’ll testimonials, programme is hugely weight – for life!” successful. She has also earned the respect ever need to reach and of GPs who are very impressed by the weight a healthy loss andmaintain health improvements they’ve seen in diet clubs. Rachel explains: some of their patients as a result of working weight – for “One life!” ladyRachel. came to see me; she was 4 stone with overweight. ‘I can’t afford it,’ she said but was so impressed with the what a As anshe investment into your health, diet clubs. Rachel explains: friend had achieved on the programme Metabolic Weight Loss programme is“One cost that shecame askedtoexplains: her towas pay lady seehusband me; shelady 4 stone effective. Rachel “One came to for it asshe a combined Christmas and see me; was 4‘Istone overweight. ‘I she can’tsaid overweight. can’t afford it,’ birthday present toimpressed her.was In so just 10 what a afford ’ she said so but she impressed butit,she was with weeks she had actually recouped the with what a friend had achieved on the friend had achieved on the programme cost ofshe the that programme by not having programme sheher asked her husband to that asked husband to pay herfor of wine byshe had pay as present. In just 10and weeks fornightly itit as abottle combined Christmas and changing her eating habits. It programme took her actually recouped the cost of the birthday present to her. In just 10 less than four months to slimofdown by not having her nightly bottle wine and weeks she18-20 had to actually recouped the from a size ahabits. size 10, losing an by changing her eating It took her less cost of the programme by not having amazing 4 stone!” than four months to slim down from a size 18her nightly bottle of wine and by is losing committed to providing 20 toRachel a size 10, an amazing 4 stone!” changing eating habits. It took her the very besther weight loss consultancy less than four months to slim down service, giving her clients a clear Rachel is committed to providing the very from a size 18-20 to a size 10, losing an structure to follow and lots and best weight loss consultancy service, giving lots of one-to-one support. And the amazing 4 stone!” her clients a clear structure to follow and oneprogramme works! In programme essence, she Rachel isAnd committed to providing to-one support. the works! provides all the tools you’ll ever the veryshe best weight losstools consultancy In essence, provides all the to help need to reach and her maintain a weight. healthy service, giving a clear you reach and maintain aclients healthy Q weight – forto life! structure follow and lots and lots ofRicketts one-to-one support. And the Rachel Weight Loss Consultant programme works! In essence, she Tel. 01342 327396 / 01825 705020 provides all the tools you’ll ever www.rachelrickettsweightloss.co.uk need to reach and maintain a healthy weight – for life! Q

For a free consultation, absolutely no obligation, call

Rachel Ricketts 01342 327396 • 01444 226328 rachel@rachelrickettsweightloss.co.uk Rachel Ricketts Weight Loss Consultant 3 www.rachelrickettsweghloss.co.uk Tel. 01342 327396 / 01825 705020 SuSSex Living for mid SuSSex August 2011 S u ss e x L i v i n g April 2014

www.rachelrickettsweightloss.co.uk

by nicoLe tata

HeaLtH beaut y st yLe

Project ‘Perfect Pins’ it would appear that spring has arrived. Time to ditch the tights

and get your legs out!

A healthy

bronzed glow will

make your legs appear slender

and sexy

Like it or not, fashion trends for SS14 include a great deal of leg baring, with skirts and dresses of all lengths featuring heavily. “Your new BFF is the SFS!” cooed one fashion observer, and I guess if split front skirts (SFS) are indeed going to be everywhere this spring, you may as well make friends with the idea. Equally fascinating is the proliferation of much shorter legwear for the coming season. From sports luxe to office chic and all style options in between, shorts rule! You will be bewildered by the sheer choice when you’re out wardrobe updating: City board shorts, anyone? Office culottes? How about a skort – possibly the best (or worst!) of both worlds? It’s what we’ll be wearing sooner than you think… In order to pull off any of the above with cool sophistication, you don’t just need to bare your legs, you’ll be wanting to transform your pasty pins into tanned, toned and sexy summer limbs in double-quick time. How?

Soft options

MIRROR MIRROR MIRROR

Take stock

on the wall...

Take a long look at what nature has given you – and smile: it’s all good. An action plan is all you need.

‘Moisturise, moisturise, moisturise’ is the mantra for spring and summer. Invest in a good body oil or moisturising cream of choice and apply to damp, freshly showered skin. Shine adds a whole new dimension to smooth legs, providing extra radiance.

Defuzz

Go for glow

Whether you choose to shave, wax or invest in longer-term options such as laser or IPL treatments, nice smooth legs is what summer fashion is all about. Choose your weapon and get to work.

Brush up

Winter neglect may have left your legs dry and flaky, so get the loofah out and slough off. Or try a luxurious body scrub, applied twice a week in the shower with an exfoliating glove – you’ll be reviving your mind as well as your body! Dry body brushing is a great way to stimulate the lymphatic system, helping the skin to detox and get rid of the dreaded cellulite. Always brush towards the heart and repeat daily for best results.

SuSSex Living April 2014

Pins prepped thus far, it’s time to for a sun-kissed glow. If you’re not in a hurry, use a moisturising lotion with added self-tan to gradually build up a subtle sheen. Otherwise, apply self-tanning lotion (with a tanning mitt, so your hands won’t look tangoed!) at home or treat yourself to a professional salon application. There’s no doubt that a healthy bronzed glow will make your legs appear slender and sexy.

Move it

Regular exercise is key for toning and keeping your legs tip top shape. This need not involve anything too drastic (unless you want it to). Get into a good habit of running, walking, jogging or bike riding and you’ll soon see the benefits. www.sussexliving.com

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Book your Baby Shower exclusively with Willo Baby & Childrenswear 10% discount for parties of 10+ Old Post Office House, High Street, Cuckfield, West Sussex RH17 5JX Tel: 01444 414 435 / email: willochildrenswear@btconnect.com

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Old Post Office House, Cuckfield High Street West Sussex BN6 9PX gift Haywards Heath RH17 5JX s rd a Tel: 01273 831110 c Open Tuesday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm CBN1000484 Theo Browns April Advert 2014 Approved.qxp_Layout 1 18/03/2014 09:32 Page 1

Spring has arrived at Theo Brown’s, with 25% off Mondays & Tuesdays. • Mondays and Tuesdays, offering 25% discount on all services, subject to availability, with certain stylists.

• We are pleased to introduce a new & exclusive product from Wella, ‘Nioxin’ designed for customers with thinning or fine hair. ‘Nioxin’ is a complete treatment range which, when used consistently will increase the volume of existing hair & also generate new hair growth. Mon: 10am-7pm Thurs: 10am-9pm

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WELLA - SEBASTIAN PROFESSIONAL- 5-STAR RATED BY GSG www.theobrowns.com | 01444 450011 | info@theobrowns.com Theo Brown’s, No.11, The Broadway, Haywards Heath, RH163AQ SuSSex Living April 2014

Happy Easter, Beautiful! Enjoy some feelgood time this April.

Let there be sunshine! Sunglasses now in stock

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uS ss eX x L Ii V v Ii N nG g SU SE 2014 April 2014

Mature, experienced hypnotherapist JUDY SHARP Dip Hyp; Dip PLT GHR & CNHC registered 01444 459 433 – 07597 020 512 www.effective-hypnotherapy.co.uk

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Spring Style & Easter Chic!

Sarah Lacey Dry Cleaning because special clothes deserve special care 155 High Street, Hurstpierpoint Tel: 01273 834686 www.feathersofhurstpierpoint.co.uk

NEW website: www.bodywithanita.co.uk www.facebook.com/bodywithanita Call Anita for up-to-date info on FITSTEPS and ZUMBA classes in Hassocks and Burgess Hill Tel: 07971 866787

Put a bit of Spring in your step 3 for 2 offer on Back Massages: Offer Price: £56 www.tamarindtreatmentrooms.co.uk www.facebook.com/tamarindtreatmentrooms Tel: 01444 233060 43 Silverdale Road Burgess Hill

1 College Road, Haywards Heath, RH16 1QN Tel: 01444 416644 Email: sarahlaceydrycleaning@gmail.com www.sarahlacey-drycleaning.co.uk Monday-Friday 8.30-17.30, Saturday: 9.00-17.00

Easter gifts without the calories! I have recently returned from Jaipur, India, with some fabulous Tibetan Turquoise and many other sumptuous gems. Come and see my new HIMALAYA COLLECTION!

10% off during April for Sussex Living readers with this advert. Open Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 5pm 12 Turner Dumbrell Workshops, Dumbrells Court Road Ditchling, East Sussex BN6 8GT Tel: 01273 845582 | natasha@auricula.co.uk www.auricula.co.uk

Special Easter Treat - 10% off when you mention this ad

Charity Fashion Show

in aid of CLIC Sargent Children’s Cancer Charity Monday 7th April, New Inn, Hurstpierpoint

Tickets available from Emmie Boutique, Bespoke Footwear and Ashley Thomas 123 High Street, Hurstpierpoint Tel: 01273 835147 www.emmieboutique.co.uk @emmieboutique uS ss eX x L Ii V v Ii N nG g SU SE April 2014

CATWALK STYLES FOR BRIDES & GROOMS CONTEMPORARY & TRADITIONAL CHAMPAGNE & CANAPES

10am-3pm on 11th May at The Orchards Shopping Centre, Haywards Heath.

42 Find out more today at theorchardsshopping.co.uk SuSSex Living April 2014

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by Hanna Lindon

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HeaLtH

Local support for

Parkinson’s 7-13th April is Parkinson’s Awareness Week. Look out for volunteers collecting donations for this worthy cause.

One person in every 500 suffers from Parkinson’s, a degenerative condition causing movements to become slower; sufferers can experience tremors and rigidity. There is no known cause and no cure, and the symptoms and the rate of progress of Parkinson’s will vary with each patient. A diagnosis of Parkinson’s can be a shock and, as the condition progresses, the impact it has on the life of the sufferer and their carers can take its toll. This is where local support groups become invaluable in helping to boost morale, share experiences, advice and support. The Crawley & East Grinstead Branch of the national charity Parkinson’s UK provides both practical and emotional support to sufferers, carers and their families. Monthly meetings give people a chance to chat, discuss worries, or ask advice. There’s usually also an invited speaker, such as a professional or complementary therapist. There are weekly exercise classes for sufferers, which are generously subsidised by the Branch, as well as a programme of social outings and events. Above all, the aim is to provide people whose lives have been touched by Parkinson’s, with information, friendship and support. “Enormous benefit is to be gained from meeting with others in a similar situation and our monthly meetings provide a welcoming space where those with Parkinson’s and their carers can meet with other members and chat over a cup of tea or coffee,” explains Branch Secretary Carol Booker. The Branch has set up a partnership with a local care company who will carry out a range of duties, ranging from practical help with shopping, housework and personal care, to emotional help for carers, by sitting with sufferers, so they get some time to themselves. This service is dependent on Branch funds and all members are encouraged to help with fund raising. It is Parkinson’s Awareness Week 7-13th April, so do look out for volunteers collecting donations for this very worthy cause.

Local networking groups are vital in providing a lifeline of support and understanding for sufferers and their carers. Local support is also available from Parkinson’s Pals, run by the Speech and Language Therapy department at the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead. “These sessions are extremely helpful for sufferers,” says Emma Veal, Speech and Language Therapist. “They come to mean a lot, allowing them to share their experiences and enjoy the support and friendship of other people in similar circumstances.” Recent sessions have offered sufferers the chance to enjoy a sing-along, exercising throat muscles and lifting spirits. As Rita Chapman, whose husband Alan suffers from the condition, confides, “It’s good for Alan and myself, as his carer, to meet like-minded people who are going through the same things. You can learn a lot from other people’s experiences and these groups allow us to still be part of the social world.” Crawley & East Grinstead Branch of Parkinson’s UK meets every month at the Haven Centre, Crawley Down. For further details please call Carol Booker on 01342 321419. For more information on Parkinson’s Pals, please contact Speech & Language Department, Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead, tel. 01342 414471. Free Helpline 0808 800 0303, www.parkinsons.org.uk

SuSSex Living April 2014

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by deirdre Huston

LocaL waLK

Wolstonbury:

A Signiﬁcant Hill This varied walk features far-reaching views, open downs and woodland, with just one noticeable climb. it leads you around Wolstonbury, a hill of historic and environmental significance.

From the start of the walk S (TQ 292 126), walk up ‘The Wyshe’. Follow the bridleway past the play area. Walk along this narrow, hedge-bordered path. As you gradually climb higher, look out for glimpses of the Jack and Jill windmills through the hedge. At the marker post, walk straight ahead, staying on the bridleway and ignoring the stile. Wolstonbury Hill includes an area of chalk grassland. This particularly diverse habitat can support as many as 50 separate plant species in a single square metre as well as any associated animal species. Eleven species of orchids are found here, including the rare man orchid. Also look out for the adonis blue, a rare butterﬂy which enjoys a symbiotic relationship with the ant colonies here. The butterﬂy chrysalis is protected by the ants. Why? Once it’s a caterpillar, they milk the sweet sugary honeydew from the caterpillar’s poisonous gland, offering continuing protection to the growing caterpillars from predatory wasps. The managed grazing on Wolstonbury enables the anthills to survive. Somehow those ant hills don’t look quite the same once you know about their role! At 2 (TQ 292 133), the path opens into a crossroads. Walk past the marker post and turn left, following the bridleway through the gate onto the National Trust access land of Wolstonbury Hill. Follow the path straight ahead.

Views to the right over Hurstpierpoint and Hassocks are far-reaching. Look behind you to see one of my favourite views of the Jack and Jill windmills. At the top of the slope, go through a gate to follow the track straight ahead between two fences. Views to the left over Newtimber Hill, with the line of the downs beyond. Pass a step-over stile. Optional Route: Take the path heading right if you wish to expore the ‘fort’ at Wolstonbury. It’s probably easiest to retrace your steps to pick up our route by the step-over stile as the later directions can be easy to miss. Main Route: Walk straight ahead on the chalk bridle-way. Go through the gate and stay on the chalk bridle-way. Sadly the A23 is clearly audible. You may also hear the splutter and ratchet continued on next page

SuSSex Living April 2014

continued from previous page

of machinery at the nearby chalk pits. Walk down, passing the three rounded basins of Wolstonbury on your right and the copse on your left. 3 (TQ 279 138): This next turn is easy to miss: where the path divides you will see one track goes left to a gate (not initially visible) in the copse, one goes straight ahead down the hill and if you look to the right, there’s a marker post and a grassy not-so-obvious footpath. Turn right along this grassy track, passing the marker post. Keep straight ahead on this track. See Danny House down to your left. I was recently lucky enough to hold a 3,000-year old axe-head which was found on the hill – an experience that puts time into perspective! The edge of the axe-head was a perfect line. Perhaps its use was ceremonial? The fort at Wolstonbury is unusual for a bronze-age enclosure in that the ditch is inside the ramparts, leading some to speculate that it was built with peace in mind. If you’d like to ﬁnd out more about the fascinating history and ecology of Wolstonbury, why not go on a guided walk with knowledgeable National Trust staff (www.nationaltrust.org.uk/devils-dyke) or join Friends of Wolstonbury (www.wolstonbury.com). Cross the stile and follow the narrow track. The path leads into a copse (slippery and uneven, steep ground underfoot). Keep walking in the same direction. Come through the trees to where the narrow path forks. Take the left fork, walking slightly downwards along the line and then back into the woods. Cross the stile and join the bridleway, turning right so that you keep walking in the same direction. Towards the end of the First World War, Lloyd George stayed at Danny House. He walked on Wolstonbury Hill with Smuts and Borden and is even rumoured to have prompted a security scare by misplacing secret papers during a walk – perhaps the views distracted him! It was at Danny House on 13th October 1918 that the terms of the Armistice to be offered to Germany were agreed.

START

The crossroads between Church Hill and Church Lane in the centre of Pyecombe between the A23 and the A273. Church Lane is the road beside The Plough.

OS MAP

Explorer 122: Brighton and Hove

GRID REF

TQ 292 126

DISTANCE

5.3km/3.3miles

TERRAIN

Mud or chalk tracks. High start means great views. One noticeable climb. Uneven underfoot on footpath across Wolstonbury.

TOTAL ASCENT

670ft/200m

PARKING

Small car park by play area in The Wyshe or roadside by crossroads.

4 (TQ 284 142): At the marker post in the clearing, turn right following the bridleway up into the woods. The path bends and then climbs steadily upwards until you reach a gate. See the Jack and Jill windmills in the distance ahead. Follow the bridleway straight ahead to the gate. Go through. 5 (TQ 290 139): At the bridleway sign, turn right. Ignore a stile on your right. Pass a fenced dewpond. This is Wellcombe Bottom. Wolstonbury was used for rifle-shooting training during WW2 and perhaps even further back, according to old maps. Target gear has been found in this area. The steep slopes of the downs are all around you. Go through the gate and follow the chalky track left and then upwards. This is the steepest climb of the walk. As you emerge onto open downland, you should recognise the view of Wolstonbury to your right. Ignore the stiles and return to the top corner of the field and through the gate which you will recognise from earlier. Turn right at the crossroads and follow the familiar bridleway back to Pyecombe.

Reprinted with kind permission from: Sussex Walks – 20 Walks exploring the Weald and the South Downs, by Deirdre Huston, Vertebrate Publishing 2013

PUBLIC TRANSPORT Bus – Regular bus routes from Brighton/ Haywards Heath to Pyecombe. Train – The nearest train station is Hassocks. REFRESHMENTS The Plough Inn, Pyecombe

SuSSex Living April 2014

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S u ss e x L i v i n g April 2014

by roger Linn

History

Tommy Cook:

A Sussex Legend Today’s leading footballers and cricketers have celebrity status with a global following and astronomical pay packets. 80 years ago, Mid Sussex had its own world-class sportsman, and things were very different then. Thomas Edwin Reed Cook was born in 1901 into a modest family home in Cuckfield where his parents ran a small confectionery shop. He had one elder brother and, secure in his loving family, he grew up like any other boy, living an entirely unremarkable life until 1917. At the age of 16, Tommy joined the Royal Navy as a boy seaman. If that seems a strange decision, and I think we can be sure that his parents would not have been very happy about their son going off to war, it is worth remembering a year earlier, the 16-year-old Jack Cornwell had become the nation’s hero by winning

He scored an incredible 123 league and cup goals including eight hat-tricks.

a posthumous Victoria Cross with the Royal Navy at the battle of Jutland. Who knows what influence that might have had on young Tommy? He was posted to the ‘Insect’ class gunboat HMS Glowworm based at Archangel in northern Russia. Imagine that if you can: Tommy was transported from a sleepy Sussex village to somewhere a long way north of the Arctic Circle, while Russia at that time was in the grip of revolution! Unsurprisingly, his new

SuSSex Living April 2014

life was not without incident: Tommy reportedly won a gallantry award for rescuing a comrade from the icy waters of Archangel harbour. An ammunition barge blew up alongside the Glowworm during his time in her; fortunately he was not one of the 20 or so men killed. Discharged from the Navy at the end of hostilities, Tommy returned to Sussex and went to work as a fitter for the Southdown Bus Company. He had played football for Cuckfield as a lad and now, in 1921, he signed up for Brighton and Hove Albion as an amateur. That first year, he played in the reserves, but when he was selected for the first team at the start of the following season, he turned professional. In the succeeding five years, Tommy scored an incredible total of 123 league and cup goals including no less than eight hat-tricks! Little wonder that he became a local legend, especially when he was invited to play for England against Wales in 1925. Then, as now, it was unheard of for a third division player to be picked for the national side, and when Tommy was awarded a benefit match in 1927, it realised £437 (around £23,000 in today’s money). By way of comparison, that’s the sort of money that some of today’s football players earn per day! www.sussexliving.com

Curiously, for someone with his amazing talent, Tommy had always preferred cricket to football and he went for a trial with Sussex County Cricket Club in the summer of 1922. He was a natural at that as well, and it is said that he went from playing cricket for Cuckfield 2nd XI one week, to playing for the county the next. Just how good a cricketer Tommy was may be judged from the statistics: In 16 years playing for Sussex, he scored over 20,000 runs. He hit 32 centuries including three double hundreds and had a top score of 278 against Hampshire in 1930. Why he was never picked for England is a mystery. In 1937, at the end of his illustrious sporting career, Tommy emigrated to South Africa where, in addition to acting as a cricket coach, he became manager of the Prince Albert Hotel in Simonstown – and that is where he was when war broke out again. At the age of 38, he joined up again, this time in the South African Air Force. It was to have terrible consequences because, in 1943, he was on board an aircraft which crashed on take-off killing everybody but Tommy. After spending months in hospital, he recovered physically, however the mental anguish and its accompanying depression was to stay with him for the rest of his life.

He went from playing cricket for cuckfield 2nd XI one week, to playing for Sussex county the next When Tommy returned to England in 1947, the directors of Brighton and Hove Albion, in an effort to boost the club’s fortunes, asked him to take over as the club’s manager. It was to be a very unhappy time for this legendary sportsman, with Brighton winning only three times in 17 games. After seven months in charge, there was what must have been the ultimate humiliation for Tommy, once the club’s hero, when the fans staged a pitch invasion in protest at the management. 11 days later, he left the club for the last time. Two years later, at the age of 49, his health in decline and depression taking hold, Tommy Cook, one of the greatest sportsmen this county has ever seen, took his own life. He is buried in Cuckfield churchyard.

Pictures courtesy of Cuckfield Museum, with thanks.

Many thanks to Cuckfield Museum and to Richard Constable (Researcher) and Tim Carder (Chairman) of the BHAFC Historians Society for all their valuable information and assistance.

SuSSex Living April 2014

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S u ss e x L i v i n g April 2014

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by Hanna Lindon

communit y

As Balcombe’s Victory Players celebrate their 10th anniversary, we take a look at the group’s history and the secrets behind their success.

Victory for the Players Balcombe’s Victory Hall is one of the most inventive war memorials in the UK. The Hall’s walls are covered with exquisitely painted frescoes. Some show the grim reality of life on the front line, others depict the contrast of rural existence during peacetime. As well as featuring in Ian Hislop’s recent BBC TV series Not Forgotten, this haunting backdrop was the driving force behind the creation of Balcombe’s thriving amateur dramatic society, the Victory Players. Group Secretary Rodney Saunders has lived in the village for most of his life. It often used to occur to him that the Hall would be the perfect setting for the classic musical Oh! What a Lovely War!, so in 2003 he decided to put the idea into practice. “I was talking to a friend who was a very experienced amateur director,” he explains. “I asked him whether he would direct Oh! What a Lovely War! at the Victory Hall if I were to produce it, and he said yes. He suggested involving a musical director who lived in the village, making three of us. We put up a notice saying that we were going to put on this show and it just went from there.” The Victory Players’ first production premiered at the end of March 2004, almost exactly ten years ago. Not only did the group have the advantage of a member with a garage full of specialist lighting equipment, they also persuaded local Oscar-winning actor, the late Paul Scofield, to record an opening and closing reading. Not surprisingly, the four-day run was a complete sellout. “People came up to me afterwards saying they didn’t know whether

Right: My Fair Lady. Below: The Victory Hall at Balcombe.

People came up to me saying they didn’t know whether to laugh or cry ; that’s when I knew it had been a success .

to laugh or cry,” says Rodney proudly. “That’s when I knew that it had been a success.” Oh! What a Lovely War! was the first in a string of acclaimed amateur productions. Other popular shows have included The Old Time Music Hall (2006), My Fair Lady (2009) and The Importance of Being Earnest (2010). The Victory Players now have 50 members who put on between one and two productions every year, with continued on next page S u ss e x L i v i n g April 2014

continued from previous page

every genre from pantomime to art house theatre represented. Perhaps the most poignant show that the group has been involved in, says Rodney, was A Man for All Seasons. The piece was a fond tribute to Paul Scofield, who was the honorary president of the Victory Players and came to every one of their productions before he passed away in 2008. “Paul won an Oscar for his role in that film, and although we didn’t feel that we could put it on during his lifetime it seemed like a fitting tribute to him,” Rodney explains. “He famously said that acting was just a job, and when he finished he came back to his real life – his wife, family and dogs in Balcombe. His involvement with the Victory Players was really fantastic. I remember, when we were doing a pantomime I wrote the usual letter inviting him and his wife, but it seemed a bit presumptuous asking this great actor to attend a pantomime, so I gave him a let-out by saying that I quite understood if it wasn’t his thing. Anyway, a letter came right

Above left: A Man for All Seasons. Above right: Rodney Saunders, one of the founders of the Victory Players.

back saying not to be ridiculous and of course he was coming! That was the kind of man he was.” A-list associations aside, the Victory Players have a unique way of doing things that has kept the organisation buoyant while many other groups face a decline in interest. Audiences sit around small tables rather than in rows, so that they can enjoy a drink and a snack during the show. Lead roles are rarely given to the same person; instead, members have to audition for every show and everybody has a chance to get involved. The group doesn’t just offer opportunities for actors and singers either. There are plenty of backstage roles available for those who are keen to join a lively community initiative but perhaps lack performance experience. If you’re keen to see the Victory Players in action, the next production is The Browning Version by Terence Rattigan (10-12th April, 7pm, Victory Hall). Tickets are available by calling 01444 811372. In a move that will represent a first for the Players, dinner will be served straight after the show on the evenings of the 11th and 12th. Rodney believes that performances like these help to bring the community together. “We like to think that we achieve a high quality,” he says, “but we never forget that we are a communitybased group, and that’s what it’s really all about.”

Paul Scofield’s

involvement with the Victory Players was

really fantastic. Below: Robin Hood Christmas Panto. Sir Guy of Gisborne confronts Abbot Grouser.

Balcombe residents can join the Victory Players by contacting membership officer Robin Williamson (robin@thewilliamsons.org.uk; tel: 01444 811519). Amateur dramatics enthusiasts who live outside the parish will need to be proposed by a Balcombe local, but are equally welcome. www.victoryplayers.co.uk

S u ss e x L i v i n g April 2014

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4 and 5 bedroom homes from £474,995 Millford Grange, Storrington Road, Washington, Pulborough RH20 4AG Show homes and Marketing Suite open daily from 10.00am - 5.30pm For more information or to speak to one of our Sales Advisers call 01903 240 057 Help to Buy

See the Difference at dwh.co.uk or call 01903

S uSee S Swebsite e x L ifor v idetails, n g subject to contract and status. Images typical of David Wilson homes. Terms and conditions apply. April 2014

240 057 www.sussexliving.com

by nicoLe tata

easter QuiZ

Easter Quiz Are you an egghead or an empty shell? Here are 20

seasonal questions for you to crack – with some great prizes to be won.

1 2 3

‘Easter Parade’ is a 1948 American musical film starring Judy Garland and which famous late actor, dancer and singer? How many daﬀodils did William Wordsworth see when he wandered lonely as a cloud? Which electronic plaything takes its name from the Japanese for ‘Loveable Egg’?

4 5 6 7 8

Easter Island (Rapa Nui), a remote island in the Pacific Ocean, belongs to which South American country? What is the name of Roger Rabbit’s wife? Which country celebrates New Year’s Day (’Nowrooz’) on the spring equinox? Which vegetable is served with Eggs Florentine? 1978 saw the release of the highly acclaimed album ‘Easter’, featuring the hit single ‘Because the Night’. Who was the artist? continued on next page

SuSSex Living April 2014

Cottage Bakery

• Speciality breads • Cakes • Traditional hot cross buns, spelt & honey hot cross buns, novelty Easter cakes

continued from previous page

9 10

10 The Green, Newick, East Sussex BN8 4LB Tel: 01825 722206

CLIVE MILLER LocaBluy this FAMILY BUTCHER Easter See our range of Sussex Farm Reared Beef Southdown Lamb Storrington Free Range Pork Free Range Chicken

F O R Y O U R LO C A L P R O D U C E 2 Cuckfield Road, Hurstpierpoint - 01273 832256 www.sussexbutcher.co.uk

11 12 13 14

Which British MP lost her job in 1988 after some inopportune words about eggs? Which basic mathematical function is it said rabbits can do rapidly? Which artist painted the famous mural in Milan depicting The Last Supper? Signed on Good Friday 10 April in 1998, by what other name is the ‘Good Friday Agreement’ known as? Which Jewish feast coincides with the celebration of Easter weekend? According to pagan tradition, for good energy in the home, spring cleaners should scrub in which direction – clockwise or anticlockwise?

James Chocolates

Come and see our range of James Chocolates Fun ideas for Easter Bunnies, piglets and even honey bees! 43 High Street, Lindfield, RH16 2HN 01444 483700 www.fieldandforrest.com

Some very good reasons to visit

Tottington Manor HOTEL • RESTAURANT • WEDDING VENUE

Murder Mystery Night 3 May... Hello, hello! Join us for a fabulous evening of live entertainment. £45pp including a glass of bubbly on arrival and a 3-course dinner.

Lunchtime Treat

BOOK NOW 01903 815757

Join us for weekday lunch 2 courses £13 and 3 courses £15.50 See our website for menu.

www.tottingtonmanor.co.uk 01903 815757 EDBURTON ROAD • EDBURTON • BN5 9LJ

SuSSex Living April 2014

www.sussexliving.com

15 16 17 18 19 20

Approximately how many eggs (+/- 20) does a chicken lay in a year? Easter Day fell on 6th April four times in the 20th century, but what else begins on that date in the UK each year? What is ‘Osterhase’?

Established 1976

OPEN THROUGHOUT

EASTER WEEKEND A selection from our new menu:

When it comes to eating chocolate bunnies, 76% of people prefer to eat which part of the bunny first?

• Jheenga Malai • Murgh Tikka Makhani • Lamb Rann • Mirchi Murgh-Juhl

Which Scottish football club plays its home matches at Easter Road?

BOOK ONLINE NOW nizamindian@aol.com

Approximately how many calories (+/- 20) does a large egg contain?

•MAKE A BOOKING AND ORDER TAKEAWAY ONLINE•

BRANCHES AT:

Nizam

Nupur

139 South Road, Haywards Heath

122 High Street, Hurstpierpoint

Tel: 01444 457527/ 01444 412794

Tel: 01273 833156/ 01273 834016

Indian Restaurant

Car Park at rear of restaurant

Indian Restaurant

www.nizamindian.co.uk

1 Sunday Lunch for Two (2-course lunch, glass of house wine during may only)

Townings Farm Shop Meat for the connoisseur www.towningsfarm.co.uk

Ea Or st ga er n Tr ic ea ts

Please email your answers to info@sussexliving.com, including your name, address and telephone number, by 30th april 2014, for a chance to win one of these fabulous prizes:

The Fig Tree, Hurstpierpoint www.figtreerestaurant.co.uk

2 1-Day Family Ticket (2 adults, 2 children)

South of England Show, Ardingly 5-7th June 2014 www.seas.org.uk

3 2x VIP Tickets Best of British Choral Concert Sunday 20 July, 7.30pm St Wilfrid’s Church, Haywards Heath featuring Coro Nuovo with Musical Director Andrew Rees www.coronuovo.org.uk

Speciality Meat

Mutton – Hogget – Lamb Beef – Pork – Turkey EASTER AT TOWNINGS FARM easter eggs • local produce • chickens • lambs OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK Local delivery available call or email for details

Tel: 01444 471352 email: info@towningsfarm.co.uk

Townings Farm, Plumpton Road, Chailey, Lewes BN8 4EJ SuSSex Living April 2014

THE CROFT THAKEHAM

CHALKERS VALE Hurstpierpoint

S u ss e x L i v i n g April 2014

www.sussexliving.com

by Hanna Lindon

advertising feature

With a mention in this year’s

good Food guide and a growing collection of

prestigious awards under its belt,

The Cat inn has gone from hidden gem to premier gastro pub.

The Cat’s secret is out I’ve only been to The Cat once before, but walking into this gloriously cosy inn hidden away in the rural heart of West Hoathly is like returning to the arms of an old friend. Relaxed locals gather round the bar, joking with genial landlord Andrew Russell. A medley of mouth-watering smells drifts out of the kitchen, and diners wait expectantly in a restaurant that’s a mix of rustic charm and contemporary cool. Rarely do you find a place that manages to combine a country inn atmosphere and a sophisticated foodie scene with this degree of success. Unlike other gastro pubs that might spring to mind, The Cat is wonderfully free of all snootiness. You can tuck into a selection of delectable dishes without feeling like you have to be on your best behaviour - and the menu adroitly mixes old favourites such as Traditional Harveys Beer Battered Fish & Chips with more refined offerings like Hertford Ribeye Steak, Trufﬂed Rocket & Parmesan Chips or Venison & Pistachio Terrine, Quince Jelly and Toast. Over the past few years, this Sussex gem has gone from a jealously guarded local’s secret to one of the most popular pubs in the area. The Cat’s well and truly out of the bag! Its recent Good Food Guide mention – the result of recommendations from enthusiastic readers/diners – has cemented its popularity. On my visit during a gloomy mid-week lunchtime, the place

is packed. Tucking into my starter, Sussex Cornice Pear, Brighton Blue & Walnut Salad, I can see why. Not only is the dish based around the best local ingredients, it sings with subtle flavour, the tangy balsamic dressing perfectly complementing the creamy cheese and caramelized pear slices. Next up is Herb Crusted Loch Douart Salmon with Brown Shrimp Hollandaise, Tarragon Crushed Potatoes and Salad – a mouthwatering combination crowned by a flavoursome herby crust and light, fluffy Hollandaise sauce. I just about find room for the sweet and comforting Sticky Toffee Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream, but I really can’t fit anything else in. That is, until I spot the innovative selection of ‘Savouries’ recently added to the menu. Perfect for a quick-snack or postmeal digestive, the list includes The Cat Welsh Rabbit: Wookie Hole Cheese with Cat’s Whiskers Beer, Cayenne & Worcestershire Sauce on Toast. Who could resist that? I tuck in happily and don’t regret it; the Whiskers Beer and tangy cheese combine to create the best cheese on toast I’ve ever tasted. Having recently won the Good Hotel Guide’s ‘Newcomer of the Year’ Cesar Award for its gorgeous B&B rooms, The Cat will undoubtedly continue to attract visitors from further afield. At heart, though, this idyllic inn remains a quintessential country local, which simply happens to serve some of the best food in Sussex.

rarely do you find a place that manages to combine a country inn atmosphere and a

sophisticated foodie scene with this degree of success.

the cat inn Queen’s Square, West Hoathly, West Sussex RH19 4PP Tel. 01342 810369 Email: thecatinn@googlemail.com www.catinn.co.uk

SuSSex Living April 2014

by Roger Linn

Opinion

THE SPORTSMAN Goddards Green, West Sussex BN6 9LQ

Open throughout

Easter weekend

Locally Sourced Food • Cask Marque Ales Parties & Celebrations • Large Car Park • Dogs Welcome Follow us on Twitter: @thesportsmanpub and Facebook: The Sportsman Pub, Goddards Green

01444 233460

www.thesportsmanpub.com eat@thesportsmanpub.com

Beer Festival Ad 2013_94 x 130 12/03/2014 16:42 Page 1

AT THE COCK INN

North Common Road, Wivelsfield Green, East Sussex. RH17 7RH

2nd, 3rd & 4th MAY 2014 LIVE MUSIC on SATURDAY and SUNDAY EVENING. FOOD AVAILABLE with BARBECUE on SUNDAY. Over 15 real ales & ciders to sample! For more information call 01444 471668 or visit www.cockinn-wivelsfield.co.uk Drink responsibly. don’t drink and drive

S u ss e x L i v i n g April 2014

Recently, as I was overtaken by yet another group of thin joggers wearing loud lycra, I became aware that my waist belt seemed slightly tighter than was comfortable. Apparently like a lot of people this time of year, I’ve been ‘comfort eating’. They say it’s something to do with winter’s appalling weather, long nights, lack of exercise and, in my case, the way Scotland’s rugby team has been performing. Actually, I think it’s more to do with a non-stop TV diet of celebrity cooking challenges, bake-offs and exotic food programmes with which I’ve become very slightly obsessed. And to think that, a year ago, I couldn’t have told a flan from a French Fancy. At all events, I was advised to get a book on something called ‘portion control’ which would show me how to alter my diet to achieve the desired effect of a new, slimmer and healthier me. On purchasing this helpful volume, I discovered that it consisted very largely of photographs of plates with not much food on them, alongside photographs of normal plates of food. It informed me that the former were better for me than the latter. Now, call me picky if you like, but I think I could have got there on my own. It contained other advice which, if less obvious, was equally unappealing and can be summed up by thinking ‘if I eat anything other than boiled chicken accompanied by brown rice and raw vegetables, I will go to hell’. As you can tell, I was a touch reluctant to accept this no doubt excellent guidance, especially since, in my opinion, brown rice is the work of the Devil and raw carrots are only really enjoyed by the nice donkeys at the local Farm Shop. Imagine, then, my delight at finding that life would not be entirely bleak on my new diet when I came across the uplifting and useful little tip that I could add taste and a bit of variety by “dipping your vegetable stick into reduced-fat hummus”. Well, that’s better. Yum – I can hardly wait to get started.

www.sussexliving.com

by Ruth Lawrence

advertising feature

With bunches of red balloons marking the first day of trading for P & P Family Butchers and Delicatessen in Haywards Heath, I could scarcely get through the door for customers.

Meat & Greet Owner Pete Bradley has been a butcher his whole life – give or take the 5 years he spent running his own fruit & veg stall – and he had just about retired a couple of years ago. Now he is back in Haywards Heath with a new enterprise: P&P Family Butchers and Delicatessen at The Orchards Shopping Centre. “I got bored of retirement,” he told me before leaping forward to help an elderly lady decide on a choice cut of rump steak. Pete is clearly a people person; he enjoys chatting with customers and relishes introducing them to new and delicious products behind the counter of his new shop. Succulent Sussex lamb sits next to enticing locally-made sausages – herby Romany, Wild Boar, Pork & Leek and the popular Old English. The deli counter boasts an enormous selection of pastrami, salami, chorizo, Parma ham and patés, including duck and wild boar. Fish and shellfish are being sourced, along with an impressive selection of soups such as Lobster Bisque and Seafood Gumbo. Being something of a cheesaholic, I scanned the local cheeses and sampled some Olde Sussex, a deliciously fiery mature cheese (from Ripe, appropriately

enough!) although my favourite had to be the Sussex Buttercup with a strong kick and lively sharpness. Plumpton College supplies some beautiful local cheddars – the strong Lords Burgh Cheddar and the milder Baromar are definitely worth a try. A fine selection of olives, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh salad complements the stonebaked bread made by French bakers in Brighton, while delicious sourghdough, foccaccia and chewy white loaves cater for every taste. The vast choice of locally made pies, fresh sandwiches and baguettes mean that the deli is certain to be popular at lunchtime. Pete’s wife makes a Kenyan speciality: Kachumbari spiced salad – add this to any cold meat or cheese and you have the ultimate instant summer lunch. Lillie’s Chillies of Lindfield supplies jars of mouthwatering jellies, including a tempting lime & ginger variety. Sauces for the kitchen and BBQ mean that flavoursome accompaniments are on hand for all meat and fish dishes. Pete’s determination to provide quality local foods at reasonable prices means that P&P Butchers are likely to top the shopping list

The deli counter boasts an

enormous selection

of pastrami, salami, chorizo, Parma ham and paté. of any discerning buyer. Appealing to the lunchtime worker popping in for a tasty fresh sandwich, the family who needs a proper Sunday joint or the single shopper wanting a couple of delicious local sausages, P&P Butchers meet the needs of the entire community.

P&P family Butchers and delicatessen Unit 26 The Orchards Shopping Centre, Haywards Heath RH16 3TH Opening Hours: Monday-Saturday: 8am-5:30pm Tel. 07807 109303 www.haywardsheathbutchers.co.uk

S u ss e x L i v i n g April 2014

by robert Hanson

food & drinK

Food, glorious

food!

Christopher Columbus, on a journey to the new World in 1492, was inspired to write: “The air as soft as that of Seville in April, and as fragrant that it was delicious to breathe it.” This has inspired me to suggest for April something that is also fragrant and delicious: lamb! 1. Preheat the oven to 150˚C/300˚F/Gas Mark3. 2. Season the lamb well with salt and pepper.

Lamb Shanks with Chorizo and Rosemary (serves 4)

Ingredients: 4 lamb shanks 350ml/12fl oz Rioja 250ml/9fl oz balsamic vinegar 1 garlic bulb, unpeeled, cut in half horizontally 2 bay leaves 1-2 teaspoons paprika Handful of black peppercorns 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary 300ml/10fl oz beef stock 125g/4oz chorizo, sliced 1 large red onion, peeled and cut into wedges 2 carrots, topped, tailed, peeled and chopped 1-2 teaspoons honey Salt and freshly ground black pepper Oil (for frying)

SuSSex Living April 2014

3. Drizzle oil into a heavy-based saucepan set over a high heat.

Turn down the heat slightly and brown the lamb shanks all over.

4. Pour the wine and vinegar into a casserole dish and boil for 5 minutes. Add the lamb, garlic, bay leaves, paprika, peppercorns, half the rosemary and the stock. Cover with a lid and bring to the boil.

5. Once boiling, put the dish into the oven and cook for 2 hours. 6. Remove the dish from the oven and add the chorizo, onion,

carrots, honey and remaining rosemary, then return it to the oven for another hour or so, until the meat is tender and falling oﬀ the bone.

7. Remove the meat and vegetables with a slotted spoon and keep them warm.

8. Put the casserole dish onto a high heat and boil for 8-10

minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly. Season with a little salt and quite a lot of pepper.

9. Serve the meat and vegetables with creamy mashed potatoes and masses of sauce.

If you are at a loose but inquisitive end on the first day of Spring (20th March this year), you might like to try an experiment to prove or disprove a bit of eggy folklore which says that at the Spring Equinox it is possible to stand a raw egg on its end. I recently read about a group of people who tried it, and 17 out of 24 eggs stayed standing!

www.sussexliving.com

David and Leisa welcome you to

The Thatched Inn Sunday Special: 4 courses for only £10.95 per person The ﬁnest contemporary Indian cuisine in the heart of Cuckﬁeld.

Don’t forget

Authentic mouthwatering dishes Open 5.30 -10.30pm every day incl. Bank Holidays Takeaway service available Fully licensed

1 Ockenden Lane, Cuckfield, West Sussex RH17 5LD 01444 441373 – 01444 451123 www.spicevillagecuckfield.co.uk

Easter

We are open over the Easter weekend and look forward to welcoming you with our full menu and seasonal specials.

• Fresh Food prepared to order on the premises • Specials Menu changes daily

Don’t forget we will be showing every game of the World Cup LIVE in June • Spectacular views over the countryside • Large Garden, children are welcome • Dog friendly

Tel: 01273 842946 | www.thatchedinn.co.uk

Limes

Grand Avenue, Keymer, Hassocks, West Sussex BN6 8DH

Great Food, Great Service, Great Surroundings To celebrate the launch of our new menus, we are offering a

20% DISCOUNT on weekday Breakfast or Lunch throughout April*

Open Good Friday and Easter Saturday Breakfast: 10:00 - 11:45 Lunch: 12:00 - 2:30 Dinner: 6:30 - 9:30 67 High Street, Lindfield RH16 4SL

* Food only, just mention this advert to receive your discount. Check our website for example menus. This offer is available once per person and cannot be used in conjunction with any other promotion. Ends 30th April.

Telephone 01444 487858 www.limesoflindfield.co.uk @LimesLindfield S u ss e x L i v i n g April 2014

T he Bolney

Easter Monday 21st April, 2014

Proudly Sponsored by Bolney’s annual test of man, machine, stamina and a touch of madness! Start planning... start building...start training... Various Live Bands, Face Painting, Bouncy Castle, Hog Roast, Prize Draw and more.

Funds raised this year in support of SERV. SERV, motorcycle “bloodrunners” giving incredible out of hours support to NHS hospitals, 365 days fo the year.

www.serv.org.uk This marketing material was kindly contributed by

Dreamflight takes seriously ill and disabled children on a life-changing holiday to Orlando, Florida. Provides an opportunity to experience independence, meet other children with similar illnesses to themselves, and to have FUN!

www.dreamflight.org Accelerated Mailing & Marketing - Delivering You Results.

FOR MORE INFORMATION WWW.BOLNEYPRAMRACE.CO.UK OR CALL THE EIGHT BELLS 01444 881396

“One of Sussex’s best-kept secrets”

Visit The Oasis.

Beautiful gardens. Ancient woodland. See meerkats close-up. Near Haywards Heath. Email Becky at wildlifeforall@hotmail.com for an Open Days leaflet for further details. a deeper approach to nature conservation

British Registered Charity No. 1006174

S u ss e x L i v i n g April 2014

www.sussexliving.com

by Hanna Lindon

advertising feature

Taste the best: Everest Spice

The newest addition to Haywards Heath’s fast-growing dining scene, Everest Spice

takes Indian cuisine to new heights.

Everest Spice opened its doors just two days before my visit, but this elegant Indian and Nepalese eatery in the heart of Haywards Heath is already proving a hit with customers. “We had 50 diners here last night,” says owner Rosan Sapkota, as we sit at the back of the restaurant sipping glasses of crisp white wine. “It was our first weekend evening, so we were very pleased.” The secret to Everest Spice’s instant success is simple, and it already has a glowing reputation for excellence. Rosan’s flagship restaurant in Redhill is number three in Trip Advisor’s list of top Surrey restaurants, and last year made it onto the British Curry Awards’ prestigious shortlist. Tucking into my first starter, a light and crispy Onion Pakora, I can see just what all the fuss is about. Unlike some Indian food I’ve had in the past, this is delicately spicy yet not overpowering, and fabulousy moreish without a hint of heaviness. That’s the Nepalese influence at work. Rosan explains that the chefs at Everest Spice always use the best ingredients, adding barely any oil and only using fresh spices and herbs to flavour the food. If you’re hooked on Indian takeaways but worry about your waistline, then this is the answer! Working my way through two more scrumptious starters – Rasilo Kabab, subtly spiced and cooked in a clay oven, and a punchy, flavour-packed Chicken Chilli – I begin to feel that Everest Spice is one delicious contradiction. From outside, it looks like a classic

Indian restaurant, but inside the glittering chandelier and elegant design give the place a very sophisticated feel. The food is extremely well priced, and yet it looks and tastes like haute cuisine. This unique combination is something that Rosan is extremely proud of. “Our aim is to provide fine food and excellent service at reasonable prices,” he

The food is extremely well priced, yet it looks

and tastes like haute cuisine.

explains. “We try to source the freshest food possible but we also think that presentation is important. You eat with your eyes first, then your nose savours the dish’s aroma, and by then half the job is already done.” The result is food that is delicious without being pretentious. My Tikka Makhani main course is a symphony of creamy flavour, and there’s a dish of fluffy naan bread for mopping up the remaining sauce. I can’t resist trying a second main – spicy Gurkhali Lamb – which is fiery but equally fabulous. Rosan’s ultimate goal is to see Everest Spice at the top of Haywards Heath’s Trip Advisor rankings. I doubt he’ll have long to wait.

Everest Spice Nepalese & Indian Restaurant 59-61 The Broadway, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 3AS Tel. 01444 474566 www.everestspice.co.uk

S u ss e x L i v i n g April 2014

Diary Dates Tuesday 01 – Wednesday 30 April

fun feline photo competition The Mewes Vets, 4 Haywards Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex Has your cat got what it takes? Win £100 worth of cat food by posting their picture on www.facebook.com/TheMewesVets by 30th April. Contact: Sarah Burns, The Mewes Vets, 01444 456886, enquiries@ themewes.co.uk, www.themewesvets.co.uk

Tuesday 01 – Wednesday 30 April

bake oﬀ in aid of sussex air ambulance See Local Living.

Tuesday 01 April, 10:30

mid sussex ramblers Meet at Plumpton Station or Playing Field car park opposite 6.1 mile Plumpton circular walk via Streat Half Moon - East Chiltington. Please bring picnic lunch. Optional refreshments after walk. Contact: Leader Pam B 01444 248717.

Tuesday 01 April, 17:45

Living and Loving well beyond 40! Clair Hall, Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 3DN Join us for a lively interactive meeting led by health and wellbeing experts. Living well - nutritional needs for middle years. Loving well - a healthy sex life at 40 and beyond. Your body beyond 40 - heart

health, HRT and the menopause. Breast care, midlife cancer risk. Open Forum Speakers to include: Dr John Stevenson, Menopause, HRT and Heart Specialist; Kathryn Colas, Menopause Mentor; Laura de la Harpe, Nutritional Therapist; Victoria Lehmann, Sexual and Relationship Therapist; Jo Marsden, Surgical Consultant, Breast Care; Programme Adviser: Dr Thikra Bashir, Consultant Gynaecologist, PRH. Buﬀet Reception followed by Workshop and Open Forum. Space is limited to 60, so please register early at www.womenshealth-concern.org/workshop. Admission: £10 charitable donation, to include a goody bag, light refreshments, access to the wellbeing exhibition and free entry into a prize draw.

Wednesday 02 April, 13:45

burgess Hill flower club

Cyprus Hall, Cyprus Road, Burgess Hill

Workshop: Ikebana, the art of Japanese ﬂower arranging, by Lyn Stratmann. Entry £5.50 for visitors or free entry with a copy of Sussex Living. Contact: Hazel Foster, 01273 757176, hazelf31@talktalk.net

Ticket price £5 each. No ordering - buy on the night - pay by cash or card. Tickets from Sue 01273 891701 or Gill 01273 891218. In support of St Peter & St James Hospice.

Thursday 03 April, 20:00

ditchling film society: the angel’s share (18) Village Hall, Lewes Road, Ditchling

Wednesday 02 April, 13:45-17:00

Lindfield & district folk dance club

Wednesday 02 April, 19:45

Ashenground Community Centre, Vale Road, Haywards Heath

burgess Hill Horticultural society

Director: Ken Loach. UK 2012. 97 mins. A delightful, uplifting comedy which successfully blends a charming story of redemption with some dark humour and a social message. Robbie, a young oﬀender, is saved from prison as his girlfriend is due to give birth, then together with a group of other petty criminals, community service brings whiskey into their lives. Guests and temporary members are welcome for a small charge payable at the door. Refreshments and parking.

Cyprus Hall, Cyprus Road, Burgess Hill

Friday 04 April, 10:00-15:00

Tuesday 01 April, 20:00-22:00

Folk dancing for fun, no partner needed. Entrance £2, to include refreshments at half time. First evening is free. Contact Mike on 01444 482741.

chigago bridge afternoon

Village Hall, 18 Lewes Road, Ditchling

Ditchling Support Group are hosting their annual Chicago Bridge Afternoon. £32 per table. Cheques payable to St Peter & St James Charitable Trust. Please bring cards, markers, a table and table cloth. Details from Rosemary Hutson 01273 843558.

Illustrated talk: Gardening for Wildlife, by Laura Brook from the Sussex Wildlife Trust. Members free, visitors £1. All welcome. 01444 245509, bhhs@talktalk.net

Tuesday 01 April, 20:00

Wednesday 02 April, 19:30-22:00

music Quiz – Lindfield bonfire society

travelling trends fashion show

The Stand Up Inn, 47 High Street, Lindfield

Plumpton Village Hall, 1 West Gate, Plumpton Green BN7 3BQ

Pub music quiz hosted by Lindfield Bonfire Society to raise funds for 5th November. Contact: Sarah Tampion-Lacey, 01444 487470, lindfieldbonfiresoc@gmail.com

High Street clothes – all prices slashed! Bargains galore! Come and get your summer wardrobe. Licenced Bar and Raﬄe.

wolstonbury Hill: fencing tasks Sliproad off A23 near The Plough, Pyecombe Repairing fences and removal of fence along the bridleway at the bottom of the hill. Tools and hot drinks provided. Bring packed lunch. Wear boots and old clothes. Contact: Mike, 07971 045607, mike@ wolstonbury.com www.wolstonbury.com

Friday 04 April, 19:30

butchers blue band

C u c k f i e l d Vintage Emporium vintage

home

garden

wares

saturday 19th april £1 entrance

11am - 4pm Queens hall, High St, Cuckfield.

The Family Run Garage in Lindfield ➲ Friendly Welcome ➲ Top Quality Service ➲ On Site MOT’s ➲ Realistic Prices ➲ All Makes Cared For ➲ Diagnostic and Electrical Specialists

Tel: 01444 482988 or 01444 483988

Lewes Road, Lindfield RH16 2LG www.lindfield-motors.co.uk

SuSSex Living April 2014

tearoom serving homemade cakes, teas and coffees. facebook.com/cuckfieldvintageemporium Twitter.com/darcyvintage darcymaclean@yahoo.co.uk

Are you enjoying our listed local events? We’d love to hear from you! Email your Diary Dates Feedback to info@sussexliving.com or message us on Facebook (sussexliving) Twitter (@sussexliving)

www.sussexliving.com

do you have a mid susseX community or charity event to Promote? email info@susseXlivinG.com and ask for a diary dates form.

Conservative Club, 1-3 Cyprus Road, Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 8DX

Saturday 05 – Monday 21 April, 10:00-18:00

Butchers Blue Band, Buﬀet and Raﬄe. Fundraising for Lupus.Tickets £15. Contact: Madelinemurphy53@hotmail.com

easter eggsplorer trail & activities

Friday 04 April, 19:30

A rollercoaster ride of nostalgia. Book online www.freedom-leisure.co.uk or Box Oﬃce 01444 242888. Tickets £15 or £16.

Hunt the creatures and complete the trail and find the Easter Bunny. Easter Zoo (13th). Mad Hatter’s Picnic Party (20th). £8 per adult, £7.50 concession £5 child. £22 family ticket (2+2) or £25 (2+3). Contact: 01444 450326, info@bordehill.co.uk. www.bordehill.co.uk/events

Friday 04 April, 20:00

Saturday 05 April, 10:00-11:30

Johnny cash revisited

Martlets Hall, Burgess Hill RH15 9N

friends of east grinstead museum East Court Mansion, East Court, East Grinstead ‘China Ancient and Modern’ – Brian Phillips will give an illustrated talk on how China has evolved over the centuries. Members free, Non-members £2.50.

Saturday 05 – 19 April, 09:30-17:00

back to school children’s shoes

Happy Feet Boutique – Children’s Fitted Footwear, 2 Denmans Lane, Lindfield Take the hassle out of Back 2 School – book an appointment for your children’s fitting of school shoes, including Start Rite, Hush Puppies and GEOX. Our dedicated team are ready to help you or, if you prefer not to book, please drop in anytime. Free Easter treat for every pair of happy feet. Contact: 01444 487744. Open Mon-Sat 9.30-17.00. www.happyfeetboutique.co.uk

Borde Hill Garden, Borde Hill Lane, Haywards Heath RH16 1XP

Saturday 05 April, 20:30-23:30

417654 or Mrs S Ventham 01273 831264 www.ardinglychoralsociety.org.uk

Clayton & Keymer Royal British Legion, Woodsland Road, Hassocks BN6 8HE

Monday 07 – Friday 11 April

desperate measures

6-piece classic rock & blues band. £3 for non-members, free for members. Contact: ckrbl@btconnect.com, 01273 845829.

Sunday 06 April, 10:30-17:00

mind, body & spirit fayre

Drill Hall, Denne Road, Horsham RH12 1JF

coﬀee morning for st christopher’s Home

A day of holistic therapies, readings with psychics, mediums, therapies and products including crystals, skin care etc. £2 adults, children free. www.soulstarevents.co.uk

Guide HQ, Trinity Road car park, Hurstpierpoint

Sunday 06 April, 14:00-17:00

See Local Living.

Saturday 05 April, 14:00-16:45

Lindfield Horticultural society King Edward Hall, 24 High Street, Lindfield Spring Show with classes for spring flowers and shrubs, vegetables, flower arranging, cookery, handicraft, wine and liqueur, photographic and children. Plus a plant stall and homemade afternoon teas. Entrance: £1 (accompanied children free). Contact: Publicity Officer 01444 451363.

Saturday 05 April, 19:30

Hurstpierpoint singers’ spring concert URC Hall, Keymer Road, Hassocks See Local Living.

oldland mill open afternoon

Oldland Mill, Oldlands Lane, Hassocks

The Mill will be open and run if weather permits. Refreshments and gifts available. No car parking near the Mill, but it can be reached with a pleasant walk via Oldlands Lane, Keymer, or Lodge Hill Lane, Ditchling. Contact: info@oldlandwindmill.co.uk

Sunday 06 April, 19:30-21:30

spring concert

Ardingly College Chapel, Ardingly RH17 6SQ Ardingly Choral Society with Mid Sussex Sinfonia and international soloists will perform J S Bach’s St John Passion, conducted by Robert Hammersley. £14 (£12 concs) from Carousel Music 01444

furniture making i (beginners) John Lloyd, Bankside Farm, Jacobs Post, Ditchling Common, East Sussex Cabinet-Making Skills for Beginners: sharpening and tuning hand tools, hand skills and techniques, setting out and principles of cabinet-making. Fee £640. Contact: 01444 480388 or info@ johnlloydfinefurniture.co.uk

Monday 07 April, 19:45

Hair and scalp clinic

Theo Brown’s Hair Salon, 11 The Broadway, Haywards Heath RH16 3AQ We are running a hair clinic with an expert from Nioxin, especially designed for clients with thinning, fine or excessively damaged hair. Booking essential. 01444 450011.

Tuesday 08– Thursday 10 April, 10:00-15:00

a twist of shakespeare’

Scout HQ, Station Road, Burgess Hill RH15 9EN Students will be introduced to the world of Shakespeare exploring the famous works of the great writer. Students will rework versions of the classics, looking at the universal themes and linking scenes with movement and song. Main School: £75 per student. Sibling discounts available.

strong demand sees amber prices rocket

To arrange a FREE valuation of your Amber please call us on 0800

881 5684

www.gorringes.co.uk 15 North Street ,Lewes, BN7 2PD

SuSSex Living April 2014

Diary Dates Contact: Kim Wright at JK Theatre Arts, info@jktheatrearts.com, 07504 059640. www.jktheatrearts.com

Tuesday 08 April, 10:00-16:00

books valuation day

Bonhams,19 Palmeira Square, Hove BN3 2JN Bonhams Books Specialist will be at the oﬃce to oﬀer free and confidential auction valuations on items you are considering selling. For information or to make an appointment, contact Jenny Bouston on 01273 220 000 or email jenny.bouston@ bonhams.com

Tuesday 08 April, 19:45

Hurstpierpoint Horticultural society Village Hall, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint

HypnoBirthing classes for couples preparing for a natural, safe, pain-free birth. Self-hypnosis techniques taught over 5 weekly classes. The gold standard Mongan Method. £250 x 5 weekly 2.5 hour classes. Other dates/times available. Contact Paula Hart, 01273 844132, hart-holistic-hypnotherapy.co.uk

Wednesday 09 April, 19:45-22:00

Hassocks Horticultural society Adastra Hall, 31 Keymer Road, Hassocks Illustrated presentation ‘The Tale of the Tulip’ by Russell Bowes. Members £1.50. Visitors £2.50. Refreshments included. Contact: Sylvia Hancock, 01273 844544, n8a5cluv@talktalk.net

‘Snowdrops and Hellebores’ – two illustrated talks by Nick and Jane Baker, well-known for opening their spring garden, Pembury House in Clayton, for the National Garden Scheme. Members £1. Non-members £2.

Wednesday 09 April, 20:00-22:00

Wednesday 09 April, 14:00-16:30

A richly illustrated talk in French entitled ‘Proust et l’œil de Ruskin en Bourgogne’ by Dr Cynthia Gamble. All members and visitors are most welcome. Contact the Secretary, Mrs Barbara Stevens, 01444 452385. Visitors’ fee: is £4 per evening.

east grinstead art society

St Swithun’s Church Hall, East Grinstead

Demonstrations, lectures, talks and workshops at this twice monthly meeting. For details contact Jenny, 01342 328438.

the mid-sussex franco-british society Function Suite, Clair Hall, Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath RH16 3DN

Wednesday 09 April, 20:00

Wednesday 09 April, 18:00-20:30

Hypnobirthing classes

richard Hilson: growing & showing dahlias

41 Chancellors Park, Hassocks BN6 8EY

King Edward Hall, 24 High Street, Lindfield

Hints and tips from Richard Hilson, member of Lindfield Horticultural Society, a National Dahlia Society qualified judge and an experienced dahlia exhibitor. Entrance: £1 members, £2 visitors. Contact: Publicity Oﬃcer 01444 451363.

Members £1, visitors £3 including refreshments. Our museum in the basement of Cyprus Hall will be open on Saturday 12 April 10am-12 noon. Contact: Pauline Miller, Publicity, paulinetm@gmail.com

Thursday 10 – Saturday 12 April, 19:30

Hurst village cinema: shadow dancer (15)

the browning version

Victory Hall, Stockcroft Road, Balcombe See page 51-52.

Thursday 10 – Saturday 12 April, 19:30-22:00

wivelsfield Little theatre: shadowlands Wivelsfield Village Hall, Eastern Road, Wivelsfield Green RH17 7QG See Local Living.

Friday 11 April, 20:00

Players Theatre, High Street, Hurstpierpoint Director: James Marsh, 2012. 101 mins. Starring Clive Owen, Angela Riseborough, Gillian Anderson. A superb, slow burning spy thriller. Tickets £4 (£6 non-members) from Mishon Mackay, online or on the door. Refreshments available. www.hurstfilms.com

Friday 11 April, 20:00

the neil diamond story

Friday 11 April, 19:45

cuckfield nature village spring talk Queens Hall, High Street, Cuckfield RH17 5EL ‘How’s our wildlife doing around Cuckfield?’ by David Mortimer, author of ‘Sussex Wildlife’. Tickets from Sussex Crafts and Wealden Stores, Cuckfield.

Friday 11 April, 20:00

burgess Hill Local History society Cyprus Hall, Cyprus Road, Burgess Hill

Dr Geoﬀrey Mead gives us a pictorial journey through the Ouse Valley, noting aspects of its economic and social landscapes, geology and natural history.

Martlets Hall Cafe, Civic Way, Burgess Hill A ‘must see’ for all Diamond fans! Tickets £12. Book at www.freedom-leisure.co.uk or Box Oﬃce, 01444 242888.

Saturday 12 – Sunday 13 April

rushfields 30th anniversary weekend Rushfields Plant Centre ,Henfield Road, Poynings, West Sussex BN45 7AY Massive savings on a number of products, including 30% oﬀ all plants. Children’s face painting (donations to the Martlets Hospice) and tastings in the Farm Shop. Free entry. Contact: 01273 857445, enquiries@ rushfields.com. www.rushfields.com

Cuckfield Crafts & Market Friday April 25th 9.30am-1pm Lively village market offering a delightful mix of stalls with something for everyone, including a huge plant stall. Tea, coffee and cakes are available.

Next Market 16th May Contact Beverley allthingsnicecft@aol.com | 01444 440274 Queens Hall, High Street, Cuckfield

Agatha Christie’s legendary, recordbreaking, Box Office smash hit thriller 28 April - 3 May 01293 553636 www.hawth.co.uk

SuSSex Living April 2014

www.sussexliving.com

do you have a mid susseX community or charity event to Promote? email info@susseXlivinG.com and ask for a diary dates form.

Saturday 12 April, 06:00-9:00

to Memorial Hall

Saturday 12 April,

Bedelands Farm Nature Reserve, Maple Drive, Burgess Hill

6.5 mile Danehill circular walk via High Wood - Cumnor House School - Lambs Farm - Pollardsland Wood - Sheﬃeld Forest. Leaders Ray and Alison, 01342 311632. Dogs on leads OK. Please bring a snack. Optional visit to Coach and Horses pub after the walk.

Salford Hall Hotel, Abbot’s Salford, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire WR11 8UT

dawn chorus bird walk

Meet in car park. Free walk with John Prodger and Geoﬀ Kent. Discover the birds’ first morning calls in a delightful setting. Contact: Mary Smith (Friends of Burgess Hill Green Circle Network), 01444 242667, mary.s.smith@talktalk.net

Saturday 12 April, 10:00-14:00

spring garden open day

Saturday 12 April, 09:30

Jennifleur, 163 Lower Church Road, Burgess Hill

Guide HQ, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint

Garden gifts, plants, teas, coﬀee, cakes and craft stalls. £5 to hire a stall. Come and enjoy our lovely garden. Free entry. Contact: shop@jenniﬂeur.co.uk, 01444 257797.

slimming world Hurstpierpoint – new group opening! Join your local and friendly Slimming World Group today! Save £5 – half price membership! Just £9.95 on your first meeting, then £4.95 a week. Contact Becky on: 07751160657. www.slimmingworld.com

Saturday 12 April, 9:30-13:30

vintage coﬀee morning

King Edward Hall, 24 High Street, Lindfield Coﬀee and tea served in vintage tea cups with homemade cake, bookstall and tombola, to raise funds for 5th November. Contact: Sarah Tampion-Lacey, 01444 487470, lindfieldbonfiresoc@gmail.com

Saturday 12 April, 10:15

mid sussex ramblers

Danehill Car Park in School Lane, adjacent

Saturday 12 April, 11:00-15:00

craft fair

Village Centre, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint Organised by Heber Opera. Wide variety of stalls with many interesting crafts. Refreshments available. Admission 50p, to include tea/coﬀee/orange juice. Stallholders, please contact Jenny Letton on 01273 834703, jenny.letton@btinternet.com.

Saturday 12 April, 13:00 / 15:00

postman pat Live!

Martlets Hall Cafe, Civic Way, Burgess Hill Songs, laughs and much more in this fabulous show for 3-6 year olds. Tickets £10/£12. www.freedom-leisure.co.uk, 01444 242888.

murder mystery event This exciting evening is only £40 per person for dinner and entertainment. £150 per room for two people inclusive of dinner, entertainment and breakfast. Contact: 01386 871300

Sunday 13 April, 14:45

the g & s society of sussex The Birch Hotel, Lewes Road, Haywards Heath

The Lea Graham Quartet – Susan Fleet, Belinda Sharp, David Farmer and Christopher Simms– present ‘Here’s a How-De-Do’, a programme of ballads, songs and snatches from the best-loved Gilbert & Sullivan operettas as well as music from their eclectic repertoire of songs. It promises to be an afternoon of music and fun. For tickets, please call Edwin Cowley 01342 715709, www.gilbertandsullivantoday.org.uk

Sunday 13 April, 19:30

wivelsfield films: saving mr banks (pg) Wivelsfield Village Hall, off Eastern Road, Wivelsfield Green RH17 7QG

Director: John Lee Hancock, 2013. Starring: Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks. Inspired by true events, ‘Saving Mr Banks’ is the extraordinary, untold story of how Disney’s classic ‘Mary Poppins’ made it to the screen and the testy relationship that the

legendary Walt Disney had with author P L Travers that almost derailed it. Tickets £5.50 on the door, in advance from the Post Oﬃce and Village Stores or The Cock Inn, or online via the Facebook page for Wivelsfield Films or via our new website wivelsfieldfilms.wordpress.com. Refreshments and parking.

Monday 14 – Friday 18 April

antique furniture restoration techniques John Lloyd, Bankside Farm, Jacobs Post, Ditchling Common, East Sussex RH15 Beginners/Intermediate Course. Fee £640. Please bring several small items of furniture to work on. Contact: 01444 480388 or info@johnlloydfinefurniture.co.uk

Monday 14 April, 20:00-23:00

the group Pub near Haywards Heath Club for single men and women, aged 45+, meets in Haywards Heath on the second Monday evening of every month and also in Lewes, Brighton, Horsham and Worthing. Walking, eating out, sport, arts & music, theatre, travel. Not a dating agency, but an opportunity to make new friends doing the things you enjoy. www.thegroup.org.uk

Tuesday 15 April, 10:00-16:00

paintings valuation day Bonhams, 19 Palmeira Square, Hove BN3 2JN Bonhams Paintings Specialist will be at

Classes from 3 years to Adult Children – Ballet, Tap, Modern and Mime – with Sally-Ann Adults – Tap and Modern – with Robin

Point4 Modern Dance Classes Classes from 5 years to Adult – with Sally-Ann

Cheerleading Sessions with Sally-Ann

Adult ballet with Emma For further information call Robin on 01903 817029 or email: robin@letsdancehassocks.com

SuSSex Living April 2014

Diary Dates the oﬃce to provide free and confidential auction valuations on items you are considering selling. For information or to make an appointment, contact Jenny Bouston on 01273 220 000 or email jenny. bouston@bonhams.com

Tuesday 15 April, 10:00

mid sussex ramblers

Clayton Recreation Ground Car Park

8.25 mile Clayton circular walk up to Jack and Jill Windmills - (picnic) - Wesmeston Oldland Windmill - Keymer. Leader: Erica. Please bring a picnic.

Tuesday 15 April, 13:00

austin gray property auction Hove Town Hall, Norton Road, Hove BN3 4AH Contact: Auction Team, 01273 201980, auctions@austingray.co.uk. www.austingray.co.uk

Tuesday 15 April, 19:45-21:45

wolstonbury wi

Club Suite, Village Centre, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint

Talk ‘Life above a Railway Tunnel’ by David Porter. Contact: Brenda Mack, Secretary, Wolstonbury WI. 01273 832575.

Tuesday 15 April, 20:00-22:00

Lindfield & district folk dance club Ashenground Community Centre, Vale Road, Haywards Heath

Folk dancing for fun, no partner needed. Entrance £2, to include refreshments at half time. First evening is free. Contact Mike on 01444 482741.

Wednesday 16 April, 20:00

Lindfield preservation society King Edward Hall, 24 High Street, Lindfield

AGM followed by Gary Miller: Sussex Fire and Rescue. Entry free. Contact: John Chapman, 01444 484470. john_chapman@talk21.com

Friday 18 – Monday 21 April

bo peep easter specials

The Bluebell Railway, Sheffield Park Station, East Sussex TN22 3QL

Steam hauled ride through the beautiful Sussex countryside with Little Bo Peep who will be travelling on the 12.15pm & 2.45pm service from Sheffield Park and 1.15pm & 3.45pm from East Grinstead all weekend. Bo Peep will be on board special carriages meeting children on board and present them with an Easter Gift and Creme Egg. Adults won’t be left out, they will all receive an Easter Cup Cake from Bo Peep’s helpers. All seats must be booked in advance by calling 01825 720800 or call into the Travel Centre at East Grinstead station or Sales & Information Office at Sheffield Park. Adult 3rd Class ~ £20.00, Child 3rd Class ~ £10.00 (3-13 years), Toddler ~ £8.00 - no seat allocated. General enquiries 01825 720800, info@ bluebell-railway.co.uk

Bo Peep Easter Specials

Meet Little Bo Peep on board the Bluebell Railway all through the Easter Weekend, with an Easter Gift and Crème Egg for everyone! • STEAM HAULED RIDE THROUGH THE BEAUTIFUL SUSSEX COUNTRYSIDE • THIRD CLASS SEAT RESERVATIONS* • GIFT FOR EVERY CHILD • ON-BOARD CHILDREN‛S ENTERTAINER • FREE CUPCAKE FOR EACH ADULT Little Bo Peep will be travelling on the 12.15pm & 2.45pm service from Shefﬁeld Park and 1.15pm & 3.45pm from East Grinstead from Good Friday 18th April through to Easter Monday 21st April.

Adults:

£20.00

Child (3-13 years): Toddler (no seat allocation):

£10.00 £8.00

Friday 18 – Monday 21 April

Saturday 19 April, 11:00-16:00

Clayton & Keymer Royal British Legion, Woodsland Road, Hassocks BN6 8HE

The Queen’s Hall, High Street, Cuckfield

easter bank Holiday music festival Friday, 20:30, £3: Decades of rock & pop with Rapscallion. Saturday, 20:30, £3: Pop & rock with Reload. Sunday, 13:00, free: Starting with solo artist Dan Russell, followed by duo Lorelei Rock, and finishing with solo artist Kevin Ward. Sunday, 20:00, £3: The Firetones. Monday, 13:30, £2: Acoustic/electric trio Sag Aloo covering tracks from Michael Jackson, Bruno Mars, Kings of Leon etc. Entrance Weekend Passport £7! Contact: 01273 845829, ckrbl@btconnect.com

Friday 18 – Monday 21 April, 10:30-16:00

cadbury easter trail

Sheffield Park and Garden, Sheffield Park, East Sussex TN22 3QX Be an eggsplorer and complete our Cadbury Easter Egg trail to claim your prize. £2.50 per trail. Contact: 01825 790302, sheﬃeldpark@nationaltrust.org.uk www.sheﬃeld-park-and-garden

Friday 18 April, 19:15-21:45

music for everyone

Cyprus Hall, Cyprus Road, Burgess Hill International musician, David Harrild, playing electric organ/keyboards. Entry £5 on the door. Contact: Rosalie Birchmore 01444 241269, bhkeyclub33@talktalk.net

cuckfield vintage emporium

A beautiful village hall full of vintage treasures, decorative homeware, rustic gardenalia, pre-loved cashmeres and silks, handmade jewellery and country antiques. Free tea/coﬀee with our delicious homemade cakes. Try our pies too! Entrance £1. Free prize draw. Supporting CHICKS, the charity for UK disadvantaged kids. Contact: Darcy Shepherd, 07773 360631, darcymaclean@yahoo.co.uk, facebook com/cuckfieldvintageemporium.

Saturday 19 April, 10:00-14:00

coﬀee morning & spring market Cyprus Hall, Cyprus Road, Burgess Hill

Hosted by Burgess Hill Horticultural Society. Various stalls, in support of local groups, selling homemade cakes, preserves, greetings cards, crafts and plants. Free admission. 01444 245509, bhhs@talktalk.net

Saturday 19 April, 11:00-15:00

celebration of spring

Burgess Hill Town Centre

Come along and see the mini petting farm, ‘Grow it Green’ interactive make and take craft workshop, Morris Dancing, Burgess Hill Horticulture Society’s ‘Spring Fair’ and ‘Gardening Help Point’ to help with your gardening questions. Live music. Wear your Easter Bonnet and enter the Easter Bonnet

Johnny Cash Revisited A rollercoaster ride of nostalgia Fri 4 Apr | Martlets Hall

The Will Pound Band BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards nominee Fri 25 Apr | Clair Hall

The Neil Diamond Story Featuring iconic songs. A ‘must see’ for all Diamond fans. Fri 11 Apr | Martlets Hall

Judie Tzuke Woman Overboard Tour Sat 3 May | Martlets Hall

Postman Pat Live! Songs, laughs and much more in this fabulous show for 3-6 year olds. Sat 12 Apr | Martlets Hall

Maz O’Connor Duo BBC Folk Awards nominee Thur 8 May | Martlets Hall

Kast Off Kinks Fomer members of The Kinks performing all the hits Fri 9 May | Martlets Hall

*Seats not reserved on the return journey but tickets will allow travel on any other trains throughout the day.

All seats must be booked in advance by telephoning the Customer Service Team on 01825 720800, or call into the Travel Centre at East Grinstead station or Sales & Information Office at Sheffield Park. The Bluebell Railway, Sheffield Park Station, East Sussex TN22 3QL Enquiries: 01825 720800 info@bluebell-railway.co.uk www.bluebell-railway.com

SuSSex Living April 2014

martlets hall, burgess hill 01444 242888 or clair hall, haywards heath 01444 455440 book online at www.freedom-leisure.co.uk

www.sussexliving.com

do you have a mid susseX community or charity event to Promote? email info@susseXlivinG.com and ask for a diary dates form.

Competition to be in with a chance of winning a fabulous prize. Free event organized by Burgess Hill Town Centre Partnership.

Tudor Banquet, breakfast and tickets to Warwick Castle is £169 per room for two. Contact: 01386 871300.

Saturday 19 April, 19:00-22:00

rotary mammoth car boot fair

Quiz night Luxford Centre, Library Way, Uckfield Popular Quiz Night run by Uckfield Support Group for St Peter & St James Hospice. Tickets £6 per person, (incl light refreshments) for tables of six, available from Margaret Kirby, 01825 672367.

Sunday 20 April, 14:20

totepool easter sunday family raceday Plumpton Racecourse Ltd, Plumpton BN7 3AD Gates Open: 11.00am, First Race: 2.20pm, Last Race: 5.20pm. With over £100,000 prize money on oﬀer over the two days, this meeting will attract the best jockeys and trainers. Grandstand and Paddock Enclosure: Advanced Online £14; £18 on the day. Picnic Enclosure: £10. Children under 18 free. Race programme and parking free. Contact 01273 890383, @plumptonraces

Monday 21 – Friday 25 April

shakespeare’s birthday celebration week Salford Hall Hotel, Abbot’s Salford, Stratford upon Avon, Warwickshire WR11 8UT For this special ‘Celebration Week’ we are oﬀering a 4-course Tudor Banquet for £30 pp. A full overnight package, including the

Monday 21 April, 09:00-13:00

Oakmeads College, Station Road, Burgess Hill

Friendly family day out at this traditional boot fair. Sellers £10. Contact: 01273 844314. www.therotaryclub.co.uk

Monday 21 April, 09:30-15:00

London Harness Horse parade

South of England Showground, Ardingly

See Local Living or contact Jackie Shearman, 01737 646132, parade@ edenbridge-show.co.uk, www.lhhp.co.uk

Monday 21 April, 11:00-23:00

the bolney pram race

The Eight Bells, The Street, Bolney, West Sussex RH17 5QW

Gates Open: 11.00am, First Race: 2.20pm, Last Race: 5.45pm. Grandstand and Paddock Enclosure: £14 advance, £18 on the day. Picnic Enclosure: £10. Accompanied Children under 18 free. Race programme and parking free. Advance ticket sales close 12 noon Tuesday 15th April. Contact: 01273 890383. @plumptonraces

Wednesday 23 April, 09:30-14:30

get to know your overlocker

Made and Making, The Workroom, Unit 3 Turner Dumbrells, Dumbrell Court Road, Ditchling BN6 8GT

Come along and understand how to get the best from these wonderful machines. Fee: £60. Contact: 07967 819540, sarah@ madeandmaking.co.uk. www.madeandmaking.co.uk,

Wednesday 23 April, 18:00

bowls ‘taster sessions’

See Local Living. Kids Race 12:00 (suggested £1 donation to enter), Adults Race 13:00 (£10 to enter). Live music all afternoon. Bouncy castle, face painting, hog roast & family fun. FREE entry for spectators. Contact Emma Wasyliw, 01444 881396, info@theeightbellsbolney.co.uk. www.bolneypramrace.co.uk.

Hurstpierpoint Bowls Club, South Avenue, Hurstpierpoint BN6 9QB

Monday 21 April, 14:20

Hurst village films: wings of desire (12a)

totepool easter monday family raceday Plumpton Racecourse Ltd, Plumpton

Free coaching, free 6 weeks membership and free use of equipment. Please wear ﬂat shoes or trainers. We are a very friendly and socially active club and look forward to meeting you. Contact: Anne 01273 842770.

Thursday 24 April, 20:00

Players Theatre, High Street, Hurstpierpoint Director: Wim Wenders, 1987. 128 mins.

German (subtitled). Damiel is an angel perched atop buildings high over Berlin who can hear the thoughts of the people living below. But when he falls in love with a beautiful trapeze artist, he is willing to give up his immortality and come back to earth to be with her. Made not long before the fall of the Berlin wall, this stunning tapestry of sounds and images, shot in black and white and color by the legendary Henri Alekan, is movie poetry. Tickets £4 (£6 non-members) from Mishon Mackay, online or on the door. Refreshments available. www.hurstfilms.com.

Friday 25 – Sunday 27 April

workshops: social ecology & community Emerson College, Hartfield Road, Forest Row, East Sussex RH18 5JX

Workshops on themes connected with social development, collaboration, community building and related areas. Starting with: Spirit of Community – how spiritual insights inform social development. Tuition £160 per workshop (10% oﬀ when booking more than one workshop). Contact Belinda Heys at: socialecology@emerson. org.uk or visit: http://emerson.org.uk/201401-08-10-50-27 to find out more.

Friday 25 –Saturday 26 April, 10:00

great walstead open mornings

East Mascalls Lane, Lindfield, West Sussex Meet the Headmaster, tour the school, sample our homecooked food and

Open Mornings 25th & 26th April starting at 10am To book your visit at Great Walstead School call 01444 483528 or email registrar@greatwalstead.co.uk www.greatwalstead.co.uk

SuSSex Living April 2014

Diary Dates visit our splendid woods. Contact: Fiona Clutton, Registrar, 01444 483528, registrar@greatwalstead.co.uk. www.greatwalstead.co.uk

Friday 25 April, 09:30-13:00

cuckfield crafts and market

Queens Hall, High Street, Cuckfield RH17 5EL

35+ quaint, quirky and contemporary stalls – jams to jewellery, vintage homewares to Italian handbags! Free admission. Refreshments available. Contact Beverley, 01444 440274, allthingsnicecft@aol.com

Friday 25 April, 19:00-23:00

fawlty towers ‘dinner is served’ experience

beginners crochet

Made and Making, The Workroom, Unit 3 Turner Dumbrells, Dumbrell Court Road, Ditchling BN6 8GT

Come along and master the fundamental stitches and work your way to creating a wonderful granny square. Fee £30. Contact: www.madeandmaking.co.uk, sarah@ madeandmaking.co.uk, 07967 819540

Friday 25 April, 18:00-20:00

the will pound band

Enjoy a three course meal served while you enjoy first hand ‘Fawlty’ hospitality in a spectacular comedy tribute evening. £35pp for meal and entertainment plus optional B&B at £15pp. Contact: Nancy Rosen, 01293 854045, nancy.rosen@roﬀeypark.com

BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards nominee. Tickets £6/£9. Book online at www.freedomleisure.co.uk or 01444 455440.

Equestrian Centre, Plumpton College, Plumpton BN7 3AE

Meet in the car park. Led by Reg Lanaway. Please wear sensible shoes as it can be muddy! Tickets £2 adult and £1 child. Organised by the Plumpton Support Group for St Peter & St James.

Clair Hall, Perrymount Road, Haywards Heath

Saturday 26 April

Let’s dance! (Hassocks)

Friday 25 April, 19:30-21:30

Keymer Church Hall, Church Mead, Keymer

Main Hall, East Court Mansion, East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 3LT

Summer Term, Saturday 26th April 2014. No classes on Wednesday, 30th April. Replacement class Wednesday 16th July. For more information please contact Robin on 01903 817029 or robin@ letsdancehassocks.com

‘Keepers of the Peace’ – an illustrated talk on the work of Sussex Magistrates, including audience participation, with a brief look at how Magistrates try to prevent crime, by John Darwood JP. All welcome. Nonmembers £1.50, members £1 including refreshments. Contact: Joan Roberts, 01342 322648. www.eastgrinsteadsociety.org

Friday 25 April, 19:30

bluebell walk

Friday 25 April, 20:00

Roffey Park Institute, Forest Road, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 4TB

east grinstead society meeting

Friday 25 April, 09:30-12:00

in advance. Contact: Jacqueline Matthews, 01444 811312, wigmat@gmail.com

celebration of english sparkling wines & speciality cheeses Victory Hall, Stockcroft Road, Balcombe A convivial evening of tasting with renowned wine critic, Charles Metcalfe, and cheese enthusiast, Andrew Johnson. (St Mary’s Church fundraising event). £12 tickets

Saturday 26 April, 09:00-13:00

Hassocks village market

The pupils and teaching staﬀ look forward to welcoming prospective pupils and their families to the Brighton College Open Morning. Tours commence at 9.30am. Please contact the Admissions Team, registrar@brightoncollege.net www. brightoncollege.net, Tel: 01273 704200.

Saturday 26 April, 10:00-14:00

multi garage sale

Ansty Village & Village Hall See Local Living.

Saturday 26 April, 10:00-15:00

wolstonbury Hill: fencing tasks

Sliproad off A23 near The Plough, Pyecombe Repairing fences and removal of fence along the bridleway at the bottom of the hill. Tools and hot drinks provided. Bring packed lunch. Wear boots and old clothes. Contact: Mike, 07971 045607, mike@ wolstonbury.com www.wolstonbury.com

National Tyres Forecourt, Keymer Road, Hassocks

Saturday 26 April, 10:00-12:00

Come and see Maple Leaf Gardens at this vibrant monthly market, held every fourth Saturday of the month.

Henfield Hall Garden Room, Henfield

Saturday 26 April, 09:30

brighton college open morning (11+, 13+, 16+) Brighton College, Eastern Road, Brighton, East Sussex BN2 0AL

plant sale and coﬀee morning

The Henfield Gardening Club are inviting you to join them. Plants, cakes, tombola and garden-related items for sale. Entrance is 50p which will include coﬀee and biscuit.

Saturday 26 April, 10:00-14:00

craft, gift & Local produce market Victory Hall, Stockcroft Road, Balcombe

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0330 222 7775

www.westsussex.gov.uk/fostering 74

SuSSex Living April 2014

www.sussexliving.com

by Hanna Lindon

do you have a mid susseX community or charity event to Promote? email info@susseXlivinG.com and ask for a diary dates form.

Out first market this year is in aid of the Royal British Legion who will also make and sell refreshments plus a variety of lovely stalls, local produce and plants to browse. Free entry. Contact Glenda Thomson 01444 811462.

Saturday 26 April, 10:15-12:45

worth school open day Paddockhurst Road, Turners Hill, RH10 4SD A chance to find out more about the Worth ethos, meet the Head Master, monks and teachers and see the campus with a personal student tour guide. Call Yvonne Lorraine on 01342 710231 or visit www.worthschool.co.uk

Saturday 26 April, 10:30-14:30

workshops: building Homes for wildlife Holy Trinity Primary School, Glebe Road, Cuckfield

Cuckfield Nature Village is running free workshops to show you how to build homes for wildlife, including bird boxes, hedgehog homes, bug, bee and ladybird hotels, how to create habitats for butterﬂies and moths, and how to make small water features for even the most petite of gardens. The workshops are taking place at the Grounds Day at Holy Trinity School, Cuckfield, so you can also take advantage of finding out all about the wonderful work they are doing for nature there. Contact Trisha Comrie, 01444 454208, trishacomrie@tiscali.co.uk

Saturday 26 April, 11:00

bowls ‘taster sessions’

Hurstpierpoint Bowls Club, South Avenue, Hurstpierpoint BN6 9QB

Saturday 26 April, 15:00

Hurst saturday cinema: rise of the guardians (u)

Players Theatre, High Street, Hurstpierpoint Computer-animated fantasy film for children of all ages. www.hurstfilms.com

Saturday 26 April, 19:30

will be playing your favourite hits. Prizes, bar and parking available. Ticket £12 to include a snack supper. Tickets available from the Mint House, High Street, Hurstpierpoint. Contact Hurstpierpoint Twinning Society, Stephanie Traynor, 01273 831181, Mike Shute 01273 833195.

Saturday 26 April, 20:00-22:45

strictly dance magic: easter dance The Martlets Hall, Burgess Hill RH15 9NN

Ballroom, Latin, Jive and Sequence. All levels welcome. Entrance: £7.50 on the door, to include cakes & biscuits. Licensed Bar. Enquiries 01444 248926 or 07852 330758, strictlydancemagic@talktalk.net, www.strictlydancemagic.co.uk

Saturday 26 April, 20:30-23:30

disco with the turntable twins Clayton & Keymer Royal British Legion, Woodsland Road, Hassocks BN6 8HE

Put your dancing shoes on and dance the night away with all the latest hits and classics. £1.50 entry fee for non-members. Members free. Contact 01273 845829, ckrbl@btconnect.com.

Sunday 27 April, 09:00-12:00

car boot sale

Nationl Cat Adoption Centre, Chelwood Gate, Haywards Heath

Set up from 8am (must be ready by 9am). Our café will be open for refreshments. Also judging the Easter Bonnets from the previous week’s workshop at 11am & 1pm. The centre will be open to look at all the cats looking for a new home. Entrance: £10 per car. £12 per small van. Contact: 01825 741331.

Sunday 27 April, 11:00-15:00

wedding fayre

Wakehurst Place, Ardingly, West Sussex

An opportunity to view the hotel’s facilities and their suppliers. Free entry. Contact: wakehurstevents@kew.org

Monday 28 April, 10:00-16:00

watches valuation day Bonhams, 19 Palmeira Square, Hove BN3 2JN

vivace!

Bonhams Watches Specialist will provide free and confidential auction valuations on items you are considering selling. For further information or to make an appointment, please contact Jenny Bouston on 01273 220 000 or email jenny. bouston@bonhams.com

St Wilfrid’s Church, Church Road, Haywards Heath RH16 3QH

Tuesday 29 April – Saturday 3 May, 20:00

burgess Hill choral society St Andrew’s Church, Junction Road, Burgess Hill See Local Living.

Saturday 26 April, 19:30

The Vivace! Choir will be giving a concert to raise money for the Yews Community Centre in Haywards Heath. It will be a lively evening with a wide range of music with songs in the style of Joni Mitchel to the Puppini Sisters, traditional songs such as Scarborough Fair, and a sprinkling of songs by classical composers. Tickets £8 in advance from www.haywardsheathlive. org.uk/home/ or £10 on the door. Contact: Malcolm Hulatt, malcolm@hulatt.net, 01444 417953.

Saturday 26 April, 20:00-23:00

twinning association 1960’s night Village Centre, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint Dress the part for a fab evening dancing to groovy 60’s music. DJ Tommy the ‘Legend’

Hurstpierpoint players

Players Theatre, High Street, Hurstpierpoint See Local Living.

Wednesday 30 April – Friday 02 May, 20:00

plumpton players

Plumpton Village Hall, 1 West Gate, Plumpton Green BN7 3BQ

Presenting ‘Habeas Corpus’ by Alan Bennett. Our first 20th anniversary year production directed by Rick Farmer with cast, original and new and a brilliantly funnily written script is a recipe for a very entertaining evening! For box oﬃce please contact Plumpton Village shop or Carole Leeds on 01273 890883.

booK review

‘Gatekeeper’ by Mike Smart With the USA’s National Security

Agency currently under fire for spying on its own citizens, local author Mike Smart’s new novel ‘The Gatekeeper’ couldn’t be more timely. The book plays on our insecurities about the threat to personal privacy in the Internet Age. Our increasing attachment to technology makes it possible to monitor our communications, determine our personal preferences and even track our movements through GPS. Could these capabilities be exploited for a sinister purpose? In the world of ‘Gatekeeper’, the answer is a resounding ‘yes’. Rich-as-Croesus businessman Jack Hunter has invented a computer virus that lurks undetected in almost every piece of software across the globe. Its aim is to gather information – information that Jack can sell on to governments and big businesses for vast sums of money. When the novel opens, a new, covertly installed version of Gatekeeper has gone horribly wrong, corrupting the devices it’s designed to monitor and causing a series of increasingly catastrophic events. The global economy is faltering, planes are colliding in the sky, and all major cities are gridlocked. With the world on the verge of a complete technological meltdown, Jack is determined to hide the real reason behind the chaos at all costs. He orders the kidnapping of a reporter whose investigations have led her a little too close to the truth, prompting the involvement of her ex-special forces brother Max Thatcher. The resulting catand-mouse chase is enlivened by some seriously big questions. Are we proceeding blindly into a world where everything, from our choice in breakfast cereal to our darkest secrets, can be sold to the highest bidder? Is it really a good idea to hand decision-making over to intelligent computers? And could our dependence on technology end up being our downfall? It takes a few chapters to get up to speed, but ‘Gatekeeper’ develops into a fast-paced thriller with a believable premise and some seriously thoughtprovoking core issues. West Sussex-based author Mike Smart worked in the IT industry for 30 years, and his complete familiarity with computer software and systems underpins the book. For a debut novel it’s remarkably engaging and well put together. The odd 2D character and a few laborious explanatory passages don’t distract from ‘Gatekeeper’s’ broad scope and addictive pace. ‘Gatekeeper’ by Mike Smart CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2013

SuSSex Living April 2014

by susan fLeet

business to business