Chichester Local - August 2018

August 2018

CHICHESTER LOCAL LocalLocal newsnews and events to over and events through the door to 7,800 5,900 homes homes in in this this area area every every month month through the door

COMMUNITY ENERGY Power to the people

WIN!

Family Ticket to Weald & Downland

PLUS

HISTORY

Tremendous Trees

LOCAL NEWS

Community & Council

What’s On, Local Walks, Recipe, Prize Crossword, Charity, Local Groups, Young Readers Puzzles, Business Directory

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CHICHESTER LOCAL

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August 2018 Cover image Chi & District Archaeological Society at Priory Park dig - see page 22. By Andrew Berriman

Welcome...

So the school summer holidays are upon us, let’s hope the warm weather lasts. Our What’s On guide starting on page 4 has plenty of ideas to keep the children amused over the summer break and more events are listed on our website at sussexlocal.net This month our main charity feature is on Community Energy South (CES) a not-forprofit organisation helping generate and supply local energy and reduce fuel poverty.

See page 26.

Our August recipe is for feta and herb couscous, a healthy and delicious barbecue accompaniment. See page 34.

‘Cherish our trees’ says Andrew Berriman who points out some of his local favourites in this month’s Chichester history article, see page 14. We have more on nature and the RSPB Medmerry Reserve from Visitor Experience Officer Roy Newnham, page 30.

Burnt to the ground every winter, the Sussex Prairie Gardens bring a taste of the Wild West to Sussex. Andrew Staib reports along with some garden tasks, page 35.

As usual we are pleased to bring news from Chichester City council on page 15. We are proud to promote the valuable work of local councils and support the many volunteers who do so much for our communities.

Please do get in touch if you have any local news you would like us to publicise.

Happy holidays!

Kris & Jeff

Quote of the month “Smell the sea, and feel the sky.

Let your soul and spirit fly.”

- VAN MORRISON Disclaimer - Whilst advertisements are printed in good faith, Sussex Local (Kay Publishing Ltd) is an independent company and does not endorse products or services that appear in this magazine. Sussex Local cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions or claims made by contributors.

The views and opinions of contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher.

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...........................................................................What’s On ........................................Health & Wellbeing - gut health .............................................................................Property .............................................................Chichester History ...........................................Chichester City Council News ............................................Young Readers’ Puzzle Page ..................WIN! Tickets to Weald & Downland Museum ........................................................................Local Walks .........................................................Charity & Community ....................................Community Energy Charity Profile .......................................RSPB Medmerry Nature reserve .................................................................Prize Crossword .................................................................................Recipe ....................................................................In Your Garden .............................................................Business Directory ...........................................................Index of Advertisers

SUSSEX & CHICHESTER LOCAL 01903 868 474

info@sussexlocal.net www.sussexlocal.net Kay Publishing Ltd PO Box 2237, Pulborough RH20 9AH Sussex Local & Chichester Local magazines are published monthly and delivered free to over 37,700 West Sussex addresses. There are six editions and display advertising starts at just £24 a month per edition. Business Directory adverts £10 per month per edition.

1. Arundel edition - Arundel, Amberley, Burpham, Climping, Fontwell, Ford, Slindon, Walberton & Yapton Total addresses - 6,400 2. Barnham edition - Barnham, Eastergate, Westergate, Aldingbourne, Oving, & Tangmere Total addresses - 5,400 3. Chichester edition - Chichester centre & suburbs Total addresses - 7,800 4. Findon edition - Findon Valley, Findon Village, Nepcote, High Salvington, Clapham & Patching plus Salvington/Selden (south of A27) Total addresses - 6,200 5. Pulborough edition - Pulborough, Bury, Coldwaltham, Fittleworth, Marehill, Nutbourne, Stopham, West Chiltington village and Common. Total addresses - 5,500 6. Storrington edition - Storrington, Ashington, Cootham Thakeham, Sullington & Washington. Total addresses - 6,400 The combined circulation of all six editions is over 37,700 addresses.

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What’s On

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10 What’s On

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Health & Wellbeing

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Gut Health

By Heather Smith, Personal Trainer, Fitbiz Training Useful health advice is becoming much more easily available these days, which is only a good thing as far as I can see. There seems to be less and less cabbage-soup type diets, and more and more real food, truly health-promoting diets. Many diets are beginning to focus on gut health, which I believe to be the foundation of good health.

Inside our guts there are millions of bacteria, known as the Microbiome. The Microbiome qualifies as an organ, and the exact combination of bacteria making up each individuals Microbiome is pretty unique.

The microbiome adjusts based on what you eat, where you live and what you do – I find this completely fascinating! We get a lot of our bacteria during birth and childhood, and so have something of a natural ‘base’ which we can then either build on or not, depending on lifestyle choices as we age.

The gut is intrinsically linked to every aspect of health; the direct link between our gut and brain illustrates its

importance – what is happening in our guts is communicated to our brains, and vice versa. This is why you get butterflies in your tummy when you’re excited.

It’s also why a poor diet shows on your skin, and how nutrition can play a huge part in depression.

Research suggests that the diversity of bacteria in our guts is very important. So, how can we optimise gut health?

The bacteria in our guts enjoy fibre-rich seeds and vegetables, especially the fibrous parts of vegetables which we often bin, like broccoli stalks or cabbage hearts. The idea to ‘live dirty, eat clean’ is a simple one to follow in order to improve your gut health. It means not worrying about a bit of dirt under your fingernails or disinfecting everything all the time, and making sure you eat a really good quality, whole food diet.

Fermented foods are appearing more and more on our supermarket shelves, they are great natural probiotics and can be a helpful addition to your diet.

Heather Smith is a fat loss specialist Personal Trainer. www.fitbiztraining.co.uk

12 Property

Maintenance free windows?

By Chris Ennis FRICS It is easy to assume that replacement plastic windows are maintenance free, however this is not the case. That said, the days of old ungalvanized steel (crittall) windows and draughty timber frames are mainly past.

Modern replacement windows are constructed in a upvc frame. Upvc stands for plasticized polyvinyl chloride which to ordinary mortals like you and I is ‘plastic’. Windows constructed in this material require minimal maintenance but are not maintenance free.

In urban locations the Upvc can discolour and periodically the white plastic parts should be cleansed with a upvc cleaner. Care should be taken not to abrade the plastic surface…………. No scouring pads or ‘Jiff’ or steel wool.

All moving parts should be lightly oiled. In the absence of lubrication exposed south and west facing windows may become jammed and undue force to open them could cause expensive damage to hinges.

Any silicone exterior sealant around the edges of the plastic where it meets the adjacent walls should remain pliant and not be cracked.

CHICHESTER LOCAL Any glazed panels which have misted up should be replaced…

This is probably a job for a professional glazier. The misting is caused by condensation forming between the inner and outer pains of glass where the original vacuum has broken down.

The opening casements are lined with a rubber draught proofing strip. On exposed elevations this rubber can dis-disintegrate and require renewal. In my house the rubbers have lasted 10 years.

You should ensure that all windows can be easily locked, and that the window keys are close by for use in the event of an emergency.

You should plan an escape route from the upper floors in the event of fire. The building Inspector may specify special wide opening escape windows.

These days windows have to be approved by either the Building Inspector, or member of a ‘competent Person Scheme’ the most common of which is either FENSA (fenestration self-assessment, or Certass Ltd).

Without appropriate documentation, there may be problems when the property is sold.

Chris Ennis FRICS is a Chartered Surveyor www.propdoctor tel: 01903 261217 or email surveyor1@talktalk.net

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CHICHESTER LOCAL

14 History

Andrew’s Favourite Trees in Chichester By historian Andrew Berriman I do love trees. They are just so important. They remove harmful carbon dioxide pollution from the atmosphere, and release life-giving oxygen. They soak up rainwater, and prevent flooding. They provide an essential habitat for insects and birds.

As for us humans, a relaxing walk in a forest is hard to beat. To walk through Ashling Woods near West Stoke, and marvel at the fresh carpet of bluebells in late April, is totally life-enhancing. The best form of mindfulness, and relief from stress.

Conversely, I am always sad when a diseased mature tree has to be chopped down, or when a tree blows down. Who can forget that fateful night in October 1987 when over 15 million trees were lost across a huge swathe of the South? But many survived; here are my top five Chichester trees, all to be found within the Walls.

The ash is my favourite; search out the one behind the Assembly Rooms. The tall canopy of the ash is so graceful and so delicate, particularly in early summer when its pale lime-green leaves emerge from those distinctive black buds. If its leaves come early, then we can expect summer rain aplenty. As the old saying goes, ‘Ash before oak, we’re in for a soak; oak before ash, we’re in for a splash’. The bark of young ash is smooth and grey, but with age it splits and becomes ridged. In autumn, when the leaves have fallen, the seed pods hang in deep clusters, and their winged seeds emerge, called ‘keys’ because they resemble bunches of car keys.

A huge example of my second favourite, the beech, with its silver grey, smooth bark, can be found in the south west corner of the East Pallant Car Park. Its girth is the largest of any tree in Chichester, mainly because it was pollarded in its youth. It looks rather sorry for itself now, with some worrying fungi which suggests it isn’t in the best of health. The beech is the pre-eminent tree of the chalky South Downs near Chichester, being able to establish itself on a very thin layer of soil, which also explains why it was the main victim of the Great Storm. Its bark is favoured by young lovers carving on it expressions of their eternal fidelity.

My third choice can be found in the Bishop’s Palace Garden, and is by far the tallest tree in Chichester. It’s the Giant Redwood, or Sequoia, or Wellingtonia. It’s one of the many specimen exotic trees which were brought from all over the world to Chichester by our collector Bishop, Richard Durnford, Bishop from 1875 to 1890. This tree came from the Sierra Nevada, California. Today, it’s well over 100 feet tall. By the way, nearby is a Wollemi Pine from New South Wales, Australia; it was discovered in 1994, and its bark is a dead ringer for a chocolate Aero bar, all dark brown and bubbly.

Now for the common lime. It is better known as the ‘sticky’ lime.

This is because the aphids who feed on the leaves produce a stream of ‘honeydew’ which tends to land on pavements, car bonnets and us. You can see a row of them bordering the southern edge of Priory Park. It’s hard not to smile at their mutton-chop whiskers protruding from the bole, at the top of the trunk.

My final choice can be found alongside New Park Road; the London Plane.

The Victorians planted them in towns, because their outer bark was able to absorb urban pollutants. The trees then shed this bark, revealing large blotchy creamy patches underneath. They were usually pollarded, so that they didn’t grow too tall.

Trees are so special. Do cherish them one and all; they need our love and protection. Don’t be afraid to join with Prince Charles and be a tree-hugger!

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Parish Council News

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Chichester City Council Edited extracts of minutes of the Finance Committee meeting held on 12th June 2018 It was decided that the following budgets be carried forward from 2017/2018 to 2018/2019 financial year :  Walled Towns Symposium = £1,000  Chichester in Bloom = £3,180  Bus Shelters = £500  Public Realm Projects = £23,966 It was also decided that IGS Fencing would be paid £1,890.76 to replace the damaged chain link fence to the boundary of Litten Gardens and the New Park Recreation Ground footpath.

The Chairman welcomed the BID (Business Improvement District) Chairman, Colin Hicks, to the meeting.

The BID Chairman had asked for funding towards Christmas Lights (£20,000) plus a £10,000 contribution to hire a part-time City Ranger for weekends and a floating day. Mr Hicks added that the City Rangers had been working in the City Centre since 1 June 2018 and within 8 days, 41 incidents had been reported ranging from thefts from businesses, cycling in the precinct, and buskers not moving on. The Council decided to recommended that £10,000 be allocated to the BID for the City Rangers and that this be funded from the Public Realm Project. It was decided that the City Council would not contribute towards the Christmas Lights.

The Committee were advised of the Government initiative ‘Cyclescheme’ which aims to reduce the dependency on cars for commuting to work, alleviate the requirement for parking spaces and reduce pollution and congestion. The scheme allows employers to provide bicycles and safety accessories to employees as a tax-free benefit with the whole process being managed and administered by ‘Cyclescheme’ free of charge. The balance of the purchase cost of the bike is recovered from the employee from their monthly gross salary over a 12 month period. The financial benefit to the employer is a saving on National Insurance payments. Both the West Sussex and Chichester District Councils were involved with this scheme. The Committee felt that more information was required, and that this item be deferred to the next Finance Committee in October 2018.

It was recommended to Full Council that £5,000 towards the repainting and replacing (where necessary) of cycle racks and the installation of additional racks (where feasible) be allocated from the Public Realm budget. This sum would be added to the agreed contribution of £7,500 from Chichester District Council for this project. www.chichestercity.gov.uk

CHICHESTER LOCAL

16 Puzzles

Young Readers’ Puzzle Page Wordsearch - Big Find the listed words in the grid. Words may be hidden horizontally, vertically or diagonally and in either a forwards or backwards direction.

BROAD HUGE MASSIVE

ENORMOUS HEAVY IMMENSE JUMBO MIGHTY VAST

Anagram Trace the lines connecting the circles to find out what the 2nd word is

HEFTY LARGE WEIGHTY

Maze

Win a pair of tickets to Help the pirate find her treasure chest! Start at the arrow on the top of the maze.

Win a pair of tickets to Pirates on the Run: a colourful bouncy fun run for all the family, to raise treasure for St Wilfred’s Hospice. At Chichester High School from 11am on 1st September. Dress up as a pirate, go on a treasure hunt, and much more!

Please send your completed entry to: Pirates on the Run, PO Box 2237, Pulborough, RH20 9AH or scan and email to: competitions@sussexlocal.net

Closing date of competition will be Monday 20th August. Winner will be first entry drawn.

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

Age: ..............................................................................

Full address: ................................................................ ......................................................................................

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

Email: ...........................................................................

Phone: ..........................................................................

Mobile: .........................................................................

Competition

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Win a family ticket to Weald & Downland Museum Discover how Sussex lived in the past!

Head to the Weald & Downland Living Museum at Singleton to discover a fascinating collection of rescued buildings set in a beautiful landscape, which tell the stories of the people who lived and worked in them over 1,000 years ago in rural south east England.

Enjoy the Museum’s 40-acre site and visit its collection – there are over 50 buildings to explore, ranging from a replica Anglo-Saxon hall house to an Edwardian tin tabernacle church. There are currently three new exhibit buildings under construction: a Georgian dairy and an early 20th Century bakehouse (opening spring 2019), plus a late 18th century barn and stable.

Visitors can enjoy trade and craft demonstrations, including milling in the 17th century watermill, cooking in the Tudor kitchen, blacksmithing in the Victorian smithy, plus seasonal demonstrations and talks.

The Museum is home to traditional farm animals, including heavy horses, working oxen and Southdown sheep, plus chickens and geese. The Museum and its café are dog friendly.

The lucky winners will receive a family ticket which will include entry for two adults and three children.

Under 5s are free. Tickets valid for 12 months.

To book tickets and for more information please visit www.wealddown.co.uk

Win tickets to Weald & Downland Museum To enter the competition answer the question below: Q: What century is the watermill from? a) 17th b) 14th c) 16th Send your answer and contact details to: Weald & Downland Museum Competition, PO Box 2237, Pulborough, RH20 9AH or enter online at www.sussexlocal.net/features/competitions Winner drawn after 31st August 2018. Please indicate if you wish to remain on our mailing list.

CHICHESTER LOCAL

18 Walks

Local Walks - August These walks are supported by Chichester District Council, are led by volunteers and are designed to cater for all ages and abilities. No booking is required but please arrive 10 mins before the walk is due to start. Dogs are welcome unless otherwise stated but must be kept on the lead.

Timings are for guidelines only. If the weather is poor the walk may be cancelled, if unsure please check, contact 01243 534589 health@chichester.gov.uk www.chichesterwellbeing.org.uk.

L = Walk Leader Wed 1st Fri 3rd Sat 4th

Mon 6th Tues 7th Mon 13th Wed 15th

Sun 19th Tues 21st Tue 21st Thurs 23rd Fri 24th

Wed 29th Thurs 30th Fri 31st

10:30 am Bignor Hill L: Chloe 2 hrs Circular walk from Bignor Hill returning through The Rise of Northwood project area. Meet in Bignor Hill car park 10:30 am Sidlesham to Church Norton L: Peter 2 hrs A walk along the foreshore to the Saxon church of St Wilfrid's.

Meet in Pagham Harbour Local Nature Reserve car park 9 am Isle of Wight - Ryde L: Dominic All day Bring water and lunch. Approx. cost ÂŁ12. Meet at Chichester or Barnham Train Station. Contact Chichester Wellbeing to book your place info@chichesterwellbeing.org.uk or 01243 521041 10:30 am Petworth Ancient Trees Walk L: Gerald 2 hrs Fascinating walk through the trees from 350-800 years old.

Meet in Petworth Park, London Road, north car park 10:30 am Slindon Park Lane L: Janet 1 hr 30 mins A walk through the woods and up onto the Downs.

Meet in National Trust Car Park, Park Lane, Slindon, BN18 10:30 am Chichester Canal L: Helen 30 mins Meet at Chichester Canal, PO19 8DT 10:30 am Kingley Vale L: Peter 2 hrs Enjoy a walk around the perimeter of this beautiful Nature Reserve containing one of the finest yew forests in Europe.

Meet in West Stoke car park, Downs Road, PO18 9BE 10:30 am Burpham L: Dominic 2 hrs Hilly walk with some stiles. Lovely views. Meet in the public car park behind the George at Burpham, BN18 9RR 10:30 am Chichester City Walls L: Janet 1 hr Meet by the aviary just inside the entrance to Priory Park in Guildhall Street 10:30 am Buriton Village L: Bruce 2 hrs Hilly walk in Ludgersham Copse and Buriton Chalk Pits.

Meet at Buriton Church 10:30 am Sutton Common L: Peter 2 hrs Through woodlands and sandy heathland.

Meet at Lord's Piece car park 10:30 am West Marden L: Jane 2 hrs 30 mins A pleasant walk with some hills and stiles through woodland and open countryside with some good views.

Meet in West Marden on the corner of Noredown Way 10:45 am Arun Riverbank L: Dominic 2 hrs Flat river bank walk returning by same route.

Meet at Arun Yacht Club 10.30am Stoughton Down L: Jane 2 hrs 30 mins Meet at Stoughton Down Car Park - Forestry Commission car park east of Stoughton on the sharp bend 10:30am Amberley Village L: Peter 2 hrs Through Amberley village and back round the castle and along the river Arun. Meet at car park at Amberley Station

4 miles 4 miles --

4 miles 3.5 miles 1 mile 4 miles

4 miles 1 mile 4 miles 4.5 miles 5 miles

4 miles 5.5 miles 4 miles

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20 Charity & Community

Sussex Snippets Places are filling up fast for an exclusive Arundel Castle Abseil organised by Chestnut Tree House children’s hospice. The two-day event involves abseiling 180ft down the iconic Bake House Tower at Arundel Castle while raising vital funds for local life-limited children and their families. Places are available for Friday 28 September. For the chance to abseil, sign up now at www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk/arundelabseil Primary school children in West Sussex are being invited to fight plastic pollution by taking part in a global Plastic Planet Challenge. West Sussex Council is urging all of its primary schools to take part.

Schools can access a range of great resources to explore plastic and recycling in the classroom and will be invited to ask their children to design a plastic pollution poster. The winning designs will be made into a customised design on a refillable drinking water bottle. Schools can find out more about the challenge by visiting www.wastebuster.global More than 40 West Sussex projects, from a choral festival to a drop in centre for veterans, have embraced a new funding scheme. The West Sussex Crowd brings together worthwhile projects which aim to improve their local areas, with those willing to offer funding and support. So far £22,657 has been donated. West Sussex

Making solid wood kitchens!

Cabinet Furniture Specialists Including bedroom, dining room, study furniture. Beautiful collections in oak and pine, or painted in the colour of your choice.

Crafted in our own workshops near South Bersted. Visit us for a bespoke, friendly, personal service.

South Bersted Business Park, Dickinson Place, PO22 9QU

01243 865010

www.cfsfurniture.co.uk

County Council is also making a £330,000 Community Initiative Fund available to pledge to projects on the site. To upload an idea or pledge support, visit: www.westsussexcrowd.org.uk The new West Sussex Care Guide 2018/19 is now available. It is full of useful information and advice about the adult social care services that are available around West Sussex. The guide lists day care providers, extra care provision and more. The Care Quality Comission recently surveyed 1000 people looking for adult care either for themselves or a loved one with 70% saying the process was more stressful than finding a wedding venue or a school for a child. The Guide is available online or as a printed book, which can be found in libraries and GP surgeries across the county.

View online at www.westsussex.gov.uk/careguide CLA South East, an organisation which represents landowners and farmers across Sussex, is urging the public to respect the countryside this summer. They warn not to litter, fly-tip or leave dog litter, as severe penalties will be served. Not picking up dog litter can result in sickness in sheep and cattle. For more information visit www.cla.org.uk The third Behind Closed Doors conference bought together national experts and local public services to discuss how to prevent the rise of criminal exploitation in the area. The conference focussed on how to identify and protect vulnerable people in the community, and particularly the rising threat of so-called ‘county lines’.

This is where drug gangs from urban areas, particularly London, recruit children and adults in more rural areas to sell drugs for them. Recent statistics have shown that 50 per cent of the drug lines into West Sussex come into Worthing. Speaking at the conference, Mark Pearson, a national expert on criminal exploitation, praised the level of cooperation in Adur and Worthing between community and public service organisations.

A joint letter signed by the leaders of Adur and Worthing Councils states that schools in West Sussex would receive almost £100 extra per pupil a year if the government funded the county. The letter to the Secretary of State for Education, Damian Hinds, points out that West Sussex has the eighth lowest funding per primary school pupil in the country and the sixth lowest for secondary school pupils. The letter has been sent to the Chancellor, Philip Hammond and all West Sussex MPs. Sussex Wildlife Trust wants to provide wild activities for thousands of children in Sussex this year. Children’s contact with the natural world is in decline.

Only 10% of children now spend time in wild places, compared to 40% of their parents when they were young. Sussex Wildlife Trust is ready to provide wild activities for thousands of children in Sussex this year, with their new programme 'Rewild a Child'. They need your support to help them raise the remaining £60,000 for the programme. To find out more visit sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/get-involved/appeals

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22 Charity & Community

Priory Park turns 100 in September The Friends of Priory Park and Priory Park Festival combine for 10 days of birthday celebrations in Priory Park from Saturday 22nd – Sunday 30th September.

100 years ago this September the Park was given by the 7th Duke of Richmond and Gordon to the people of the City, for their leisure and as a perpetual memorial to the fallen in the First World War. Find out more at www.priorypark100.com

Roman remains in Priory Park Local archaeologists returned to Priory Park in July for a second public dig to uncover more of the Roman secrets hidden beneath the ground. This year’s project extended the work carried out last year, which uncovered the very well preserved remains of part of a Roman bath-house, complete with its underfloor heating system. It was probably part of a luxurious Roman townhouse, occupied by one of the city’s wealthiest citizens. The dig was led by Chichester District Council’s own archaeologist, James Kenny, with volunteers from the Chichester and District Archaeology Society.

Two years ago the remains of three Roman buildings were identified using ground penetrating radar equipment. The discovery was confirmed following a small dig carried out by James and the volunteers in 2016. Scans appear to show two large masonry

CHICHESTER LOCAL houses, which would now be the equivalent to Chichester’s grand Pallant House Gallery building, and would have been owned by someone of great importance. The 2017 dig showed that the third building was part of a small but well-appointed bath suite, probably privately owned and associated with an affluent nearby town-house. Datable pottery and coins indicate that it was built after the 2nd century AD and used until the 4th. The find is of great national importance because it so unusual to find the remains of Roman buildings that have survived in such a good condition in a built up area. Find out more at www.cdas.info

Pets of the Month This month the Cat & Rabbit Rescue Centre's pets of the month are Mulled Wine & Mulled Cider. A lovely brother and sister who are looking for a forever home as a pair. They are four years of age and have been at The Centre since January.

Since arriving at The Centre they have undergone full health checks and are having regular grooms and are a stunning looking brother and sister. Mulled Cider is a light brown lionhead male and Mulled Wine is an agouti colour female. Mulled Cider is easy to handle, he likes being stroked and is happy to be handled.

Mulled Wine is now getting used to being handled and happy to be stroked. With a little more time she will be as happy and as trusting as her brother.

The brother and sister are ideally looking for a home with older or no children where they can have lots of fun and love from their new owners. If you think you may be able to give Mulled Wine and Mulled Cider a home please call The Centre on 01243 641409. Or you can email info@crrc.co.uk or visit www.crrc.co.uk

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CHICHESTER LOCAL

24 Finance

Cash Flow Planning

By Mark Lloyd, Financial Planning Consultant, Lucas Fettes Financial Planning, Chichester With the introduction of pension freedoms, people who are approaching retirement age have reduced, or are considering reducing their working days to instead supplement their income by drawing funds from their assets. However, many are unsure if their assets are sufficient to maintain an income throughout their retirement. Cash flow planning and forecasting is key to understanding what you can achieve with your assets. It can help you to make the right decisions about timing your retirement, like calculating your likely income depending on whether you choose to retire earlier or later in life.

Cash flow planning provides:  Peace of mind that you won’t run out of money or

alternatively, a realistic view of what you can afford

 A way to identify where and when shortfalls may

occur to your income in the future

 If you have surplus assets, an understanding of

how much you might be able to afford to give away without running out of money

 An assessment of whether your future income

targets are realistic or not

A cash flow forecast should be regularly revisited to ensure that it reflects your changing situation. It can help you make a range of lifestyle planning decisions, for instance whether it would be financially beneficial to downsize at retirement, or help you assess when and how much you can afford to pass on to your family.

It can also have a valuable role to play in tax planning, reducing the tax you pay in funds drawn and enabling you to make plans to reduce inheritance tax that might otherwise be payable by your estate when you die. Mapping out your future cash flow also means you’re able to plan for later life expenditure, like the cost of residential or nursing care. We can help access your cash flow needs and make the right decisions for your wealth.

Need advice? Lucas Fettes Financial Planning are a national firm of Independent Financial Advisers, providing bespoke and tailored advice to individuals and companies in Chichester for over 20 years. Feel free to contact Angela Carpenter or Mark Lloyd at our Chichester Office. Call us on 01243 530450 or visit www.lffinancialplanning.co.uk IMPORTANT INFORMATION The way in which tax charges (or tax relief, as appropriate) are applied depends upon individual circumstances and may be subject to change in the future. ISA and pension eligibility depend upon individual circumstances.

Financial Conduct Authority regulation applies to certain regulated activities, products and services, but does not necessarily apply to all tax planning activities and services. The value of assets invested in can go down as well as up putting your capital at risk. This information is solely for information purposes and is not intended to constitute advice or a recommendation. Lucas Fettes Financial Planning are independent financial advisers authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

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Legal Lucy

Powers of Attorney – are you covered?

With schools broken up and temperatures soaring, we’re all protecting ourselves from the sun and making sure we have travel insurance. We’re planning how to spend our time and making sure we have enough holiday money. But, how many of us are turning our attention to planning and protection in relation to our legal and financial affairs? Life has a habit of throwing challenges at us and we could find ourselves incapacitated. Incapacity comes in different forms; it doesn’t necessarily mean lack of mental capacity in later life (although this is important to recognise too) but even something as apparently straightforward as a broken arm or broken wrist can play havoc with your ‘financial life’ and decision making. What if you can’t sign for yourself? What if you are sitting on a beach when important decisions need to be made and documents need to be signed?

Having a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) in place can guard against all of these problems. An LPA is ‘life’s insurance policy’; an incredibly useful legal document to protect you and your family by appointing trusted individuals to make decisions for you if you are unable (for whatever reason) to make those decisions yourself. Aside from practical issues such as being out of the country and broken limbs, issues affecting

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mental capacity are not to be overlooked. We are told that there is an increasing gap between the number of people likely to lose mental capacity compared with the number of people who have made the wise decision to make LPAs. Dementia diagnoses are on the rise and there are of course also lots of undiagnosed cases. We all need to make proper arrangements for care and financial decision-making in later life. Having conversations with our relatives and loves one is a good start, but documenting your wishes in an LPA is far better. This formalises your views and wishes and makes sure that your choices are legally valid. Contact us at legalmatters to see how we can help. Lucy Thomas, Head of Legal Services. Email: Lucy.Thomas@legalmatters.co.uk

CHICHESTER LOCAL

26 Charity Profile

Community Energy Helping power the community

by Lynn Smith Climate Change is something that concerns most of us.

Fossil fuels have had their day, gas and oil reserves are dwindling. But many of us are confused, not to say disheartened, when we read that governments are still providing fossil fuel generators with subsidies, and that the United Kingdom has dropped well behind the rest of Europe in terms of green energy.

But it isn’t simply a matter of personal concern: over the next decade the UK must prepare to meet national energy targets by moving to low carbon technologies. Seeking guidance from your local authority may not provide a great deal of clarity – most local authorities are wrestling budget cuts and the threat of future reductions in core funding; even with the best will in the world, green energy may not be top of their agendas.

More and more, people are seeking greener solutions themselves; looking locally for like-minded people who share their concerns and desire to find a different way to produce energy. But finding or establishing a group in your own community or organisation is only the first step. Where do you go from there, how do you translate the desire into the deed?

Community Energy South Community Energy South (CES) is a not for profit organisation providing information to local community energy groups and helping them to connect with more experienced energy developers and so achieve their goals.

So, what is community energy? CES‘s definition is that it is people coming together to reduce energy use, and purchase, manage and generate low carbon heat and power that community energy projects are often delivered collectively by a group or organisation; focussing upon engagement, local leadership and strong positive outcomes for the local community.

Community groups often have distinct, specific localised goals with an overarching benefit of tackling climate change, energy security and making energy affordable.

Community Energy South Put simply, CES helps groups generate and supply local energy, develop a local energy service, and reduce fuel poverty.

How it does this is explained by Office Co-ordinator Liz Sleeper: “We run training and networking events; we support groups in grant applications; we provide a regular newsletter full of information about activities and we support the Big Energy Saving Network and its community energy champions to provide bill checking and switching advice to those in fuel poverty.”

When was it born?

Set up in 2014 by Ovesco, (Ouse Valley Energy Services) a community benefit company run by local volunteers for the local community in East Sussex, CES is an umbrella organisation and regional hub enabling its members to grow themselves as sustainable low carbon businesses in the South East of England.

Local groups range from the Cuckmere Community Solar Company - where the community is set to become joint owners of a part-commercial, partcommunity owned solar farm - to Energise Sussex Coast - whose projects include rethinking energy production in order to benefit the local community and eradicate fuel poverty.

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28 Charity Profile Who is behind CES? The driving forces behind CES are: Ollie Pendered, Chair and Director of Partnerships, and Directors Kayla Ente, Chris Rowlands and Richard Watson, all of whom have strong Community Energy credentials and commitment. Chris Rowlands has been with the organisation since its inception and he explains the ethos behind CES as: “Not for profit. The ethos of the community groups is to recycle any profits made back into their local communities. We have a vision of community owned renewable energy and fair energy supply to residents in the South East.”

Projects

CHICHESTER LOCAL “Particularly,” Chris Rowland says, “to work on the Big Energy Saving Network which advises people, particularly those in fuel poverty, on how to switch and or reduce bills.” In 2016-17 CES supported twenty energy advisors across the region whose services included setting up local energy advice clinics, giving individual energy bills a health check and offering advice on home energy.

Wind energy

Chris Rowlands gives examples of the organisation’s projects in West Sussex: “CES has a community owned 5MW solar farm at Merston, Chichester, called Meadow Blue. We have a community energy group called SOLESCO – also Chichester based, and one called HKD energy (Hassocks Keymer and Ditchling).”

CES’s advice is open to everyone regardless of their financial situation and the organisation is especially looking for more volunteers in West Sussex and Kent.

Chris Rowlands advises that, ideally, volunteers should have some background or experience in energy, councils, legal, financial or social and cooperative areas.

“CES has a community owned 5MW solar farm” Liz expands the list: “We support some really exciting projects including Ovesco's "Sunny Schools” a project to put solar on 25 schools in East Sussex - the project will be funded by share offers which are opening shortly. We are also still looking for schools who would like to take part … Ovesco are particularly keen to find schools open to installing solar on their roofs and reducing their fuel bills significantly.

“CES also supported the village of Balcombe with their "Riding Sunbeams" re-power project, which is a ground-breaking project to get solar into the National Rail Grid.”

Who runs CES? At present CES is staffed by two part time paid employees, plus Directors and volunteers, and has recently received EU funding from LoCASE (Low Carbon across the South East).

Working with the University of Brighton’s Green Growth Platform, CES can provide twelve hours of specialist support and a £10,000 grant scheme for Community Energy Groups or Community Organisations to develop new renewable energy, innovation and energy efficiency projects. The organisation is keen to find more volunteers.

through the door There is plenty for volunteers to be involved in – CES is setting up a grant giving charity, which they hope will launch in the next few months, and which will provide small grants to community and other organisations to set up community energy projects and teach people about renewable energy.

Challenges Unusually for a not-for-profit organisation, when asked about key challenges CES doesn’t mention funding but rather education. What Chris Rowlands describes as, “A lack of understanding about the significant benefits for local communities from community energy projects. Decision makers don’t always recognise that there are both financial and social benefits from having such projects in these areas. We are,” he adds, “way behind countries like Denmark and Germany in this regard.”

Liz Sleeper echoes this when she says, “Because so many of our projects are pioneering, there is often a big learning curve for people before they grasp the benefit.”

In 2017 the first State of the Sector report was issued by Community Energy England, setting a benchmark for annual community energy generation, energy savings and CO2 projects in England Wales and Northern Ireland. The second report was launched in June of this year and amongst its key findings is a call for clearer strategy from government and local

Charity Profile

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authorities; a warning that the sector faces increased risks due to retractions and reductions of subsidy and tax incentives and – hearteningly – the resilience of the community energy sector in the face of difficult conditions.

Community Energy South offers consumers the chance to take some control over how their energy is produced, becoming actively engaged in the production of energy - as individuals and as a community.

Find out more about Community Energy South at www.communityenergysouth.org To get involved or find out more about the Sunny Schools Project email patrick@ovesco.co.uk, To get involved or find out more about Big Energy Saving Advisors please could you email membership@communityenergysouth.org.uk To find out more information about LoCASE email ollie.pendered@communityenergysouth.org

CHICHESTER LOCAL

30 Nature

RSPB Medmerry Reserve

By Roy Newnham, Visitor Experience Officer Straddled either side of Selsey on the Manhood Peninsula you will find our reserves of Pagham Harbour and Medmerry. The former has a rich history as a commercial port dating back to medieval times before it gradually silted up and was declared a nature reserve in 1964. It is a well-established reserve with a variety of habitats dominated by its central mudflats and saltmarsh which attracts a multitude of waders, wildfowl and seabirds for which it is internationally recognized.

Medmerry however, is a brand new reserve, with big open vistas and wide horizons. Prior to its creation in 2013, the villages around the area were constantly at risk from flooding. Each year the Environment Agency used a fleet of diggers to move shingle along the coastline to protect them.

The solution was to undertake the largest coastal realignment ever seen in the UK. Although essentially an Environment Agency flood protection scheme, by working in partnership we were able create new habitat for a wealth of wildlife. The area within the new bank wall fills and empties with each tide much like Pagham Harbour.

Invertebrates and crustaceans are colonising the developing mud banks bringing in waders, while the sculpted pools and ditches hold back some of the retreating sea water providing nurseries for fish. This attracts a variety of fish eating birds including ospreys, large spectacular birds of prey, that stop off during their autumn migration to chase mullet up the channels as they come in on the tide. In the winter great flocks of geese and wildfowl feed on the weed and raised grasslands. On the outside of the bank, pools created as flood storage provide vital nesting habitat in spring for birds such as avocets, the RSPB’s black and white insignia bird with the up-turned bill.

In summer however, it’s the mosaic of farmland that surround these wetlands that brings me the most pleasure. This is where butterflies chase one another across the fields and dragonflies patrol their freshwater pools with a clash of wings. Where the air hums with the sound of bees and hoverflies busily gathering nectar, while grasshoppers chirrup from sunburnt grasses. From far above the quintessential sound of the summer countryside drifts down. It’s the song of the skylark. A rich continuous outpouring of silvery warbles and trills delivered high up on the wing. It can be hard to spot this little lark against the bright sky despite its ability to hang in the air while it delivers its song for several minutes at a time. However, if you see one perched on a post you will discover a simple brown streaked bird which often raises a crest on its head when alarmed or excited.

Skylark

Another distinctive voice you will almost certainly hear, is the often described ‘little bit of bread and no cheese’ song of the yellowhammer repeated over and over. The depiction portrays the songs’ pace and form of this colourful bunting, with a bright yellow head, yellow breast and brown streaky back. You will often find them delivering their song from the tops of bushes lining the fields.

Yellowhammer

The corn bunting, like the skylark is camouflaged a streaky brown but is far less frequently heard or seen.

Like much of our farmland wildlife it has suffered dramatic declines since WW2 and the intensification of farming.

However, by working landowners and partners to restore some of this habitat, it can still be spotted at Medmerry, clinging onto fence lines and singing with a series of notes likened to the jangling of keys.

Corn bunting For more information on Medmerry pop into our Visitor centre on the B2145 just north of Selsey or visit our website www.rspb.org.uk/medmerry

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CHICHESTER LOCAL

32 Crossword

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CHICHESTER LOCAL

34 Recipe

Feta & Herb Couscous A healthy & delicious accompaniment to BBQ’s Ingredients - serves 4 

150g couscous, ready to use



1 x 250g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and drained



225g small plum tomatoes, halved



2-3 tbsp mixed fresh herbs



175g feta cheese, cubed



2 red onion, finely chopped



6 tbsp vinaigrette dressing



Salt and pepper

To serve 

110g mange touts



1/2 cucumber sliced



Mixed salad leaves

Method 1) Prepare the couscous as directed. Allow to cool.

2) In a large salad bowl mix the chickpeas, tomatoes, herbs, feta cheese and red onion together and season to taste. Stir in the couscous and the dressing.

3) Mix the green salad ingredients together in another bowl and serve alongside the couscous.

Cookery Courses for all Why not give a Voucher for the perfect gift?

Contact Alex 01243 532240 www.cookwithalex.co.uk

Gardening

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In Your Garden Monthly gardening ideas and tasks

by Andrew Staib, Principal Designer of Glorious Gardens farm. Not only that, they created a huge Herrigbone Sussex Prairie Gardens irrigation network to stop the clay from collecting water The Wild West on our doorstep and water logging the dry-loving Prairie plants. They

then had a two and a half week planting party where friends and relatives planted solidly for a fortnight.

“We just fed and watered them and then fed and watered them!”

“It was a risk. We used all our money and it was a leap into the unknown but we knew it would pay off.”

In ten years they have not only created an award winning garden where bus-loads of garden lovers arrive each day, but also a community.

Currently they have students from France, Russia and China, an army of volunteers who love spending time in the garden and artists who exhibit their work amongst the great grasses and tall flower stems.

“It has become a whole life for us. We treat our volunteers well with cake and tea and work beside them.

We have students from three or four colleges plus

Decades ago, when Pauline met Paul, a Scotsman tending the Commonwealth War Graves in the Somme, she not only met the unequivocal love of her life, but their union began an adventure into the horticultural world of Prairie flora that has dazzled the South of England for the last 10 years. With 35,000 plants, it is Britain’s largest Prairie or ‘Naturalistic’ gardens.

Pauline and Paul travelled through Europe designing people’s gardens until a billionaire businessman in Luxembourg commissioned them to design his garden.

He took on board Piet Oldorf as an advisor, the European ‘Rembrandt’ of planting combinations and leader in a style that was just beginning to sweep across Europe and the rest of the world. Over the next few years, Pauline and Paul took master classes in this Prairie style of planting.

For 10 years they worked on a single garden until they decided to realise their dream of bringing their skills back to the UK to create their own public garden.

Pauline returned to the farm she grew up on and they embarked upon turning it into a prairie amidst the placid cows and hay bales just outside Henfield.

They grew thousands of plants from seed and brought in hundreds of tonnes of soil to improve the clay of the

36 Gardening some from Sheffield University. We have also been accepted as an RHS garden recently. We run all sorts of garden workshops and work experience programmes as well.” Pauline agreed with me about the whole world now coming to them. “Yes but we still love to travel. Obviously we can only leave in the Winter but last year we went to South India and were so inspired that we have now created a little tropical garden as you enter the main space” Why the Prairie style?

Pauline can’t say exactly but her eyes brim with passion before she shoots off to serve a customer a slice of one of her cakes. When she comes back she talks about the beauty of this style. ‘Most English gardens peak in the Spring and early Summer. Prairie plants come into their own in late Summer and Autumn as that is how long they take to develop in the mild English weather. We do add bulbs for Spring interest and over the years we have added strong Winter structural plants like Ilex crenata and Hornbeam.

“Prairie plants have so much to give. The leaf texture, stem colour and structure, seed heads and flowers.

We even factor in the way the buds look. We restrict the planting pallet to create strong visual impact.”

CHICHESTER LOCAL Ornamental grasses, so often looking like out of place in suburban gardens, come into their own in this garden and because flowers are woven in amongst them the whole effect is like a wild tapestry.

How do you maintain this many hectares?

As well as an army of volunteers the sprinkler is on permanently at the moment, and it takes a full 6 weeks of moving it to different areas to cover the whole garden - and then they start again.

“In the late winter we wait till its a very still and dry day and then burn everything to the ground, just as it would happen in the wild.” Anyone nervous about pruning their grasses or prairie originated perennials should take note of this!

Pauline and Paul have created a space one wants to revisit. The tea house is a comfortable, eccentric mix of found objects, coloured throws, chairs and sofas and they even have a little nursery selling more unusual plants.

Gardening

through the door The passion and generosity of the founders is everywhere. When I asked if she had kids Pauline told me evenly - “This is our baby” Any more ambitions to expand?

“We don’t think so. We have enough work to keep up with everything here. We would like to do a garden at Chelsea. We are just waiting for the right sponsor to come along!”

Where to visit this August Sussex Prairie Gardens, Morlands Farm, Wheatsheaf Road (B2116), near Henfield, West Sussex, BN5 9AT Opening until the 14th October 1pm to 5pm open every afternoon apart from Tuesdays.

Plus events coming up at Sussex Prairie Gardens including: 17th-27th August - Indian Summer Bizarre - 5 big marquees 2nd September - Unusual Plant and Garden Fairspecialised nurseries Visit www.sussexprairies.co.uk for more details.

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August tasks  Keep up the watering in this sustained hot weather, especially with plants in pots and new plants.  Top up the mulch to retain moisture and keep weeds down  Keep pinching out your tomatoes and sowing new rills of lettuce, radishes and spinach  Prune the bigger shrubs that have just finished flowering like Wygelia, Philadelpus, and Sprireacut out the old flowering wood back to new growth that next year’s flowers will bloom from  Mow your lawn on a higher setting to keep moisture in the grass and help mitigate against summer browning  Apply a nitrogen feed if Red Thread fungus is taking over your lawn  Sit and relax in your favourite garden chair or hammock things slow down in the garden now, and so can you!

CHICHESTER LOCAL

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