Sussex Local - Findon - May 2019

May 2019

SUSSEX LOCAL

Findon - High Salvington - Salvington - Clapham - Patching

Local news and events through the door to 6,400 homes in this area every month

ROUGH SLEEPING

Official statistics & charities paint mixed picture in Sussex

WIN TICKETS! Leo Sayer Mary Portas

NEWS

Community, Council Charity, Schools

HISTORY

Operation Overlord 1944

GARDENS

Eco-friendly

WHAT’S ON

May Events

PLUS

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

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May 2019 Cover image Patching by Sheila Mills

Welcome...

The children are off school again at the end of this month with the Whitsun holidays so there are more family events in our What’s On guide starting on page 4.

This month our main article looks at rough sleeping in our county. Veronica Cowan discusses the disparity between official figures and the reports from local homeless charities. See page 26.

Andrew Staib looks at how to make your garden a haven for wildlife along with other eco-friendly tips and the regular monthly tasks. In Your Garden page 36.

Iconic singer Leo Sayer performs in Worthing, and you can win tickets on page 13. We also have tickets to see retail guru Mary Portas see page 13. Speaking in Worthing, Mary gives top tips, honest advice and lively tales from a woman on a mission to make the world of work a better place, for everyone.

4 13 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 26 32 34 36 44 46 47 51

...........................................................................What’s On ...........................................Win! Tickets to see Leo Sayer ........................................Win! Tickets to see Mary Portas ..........................................................Parish Council News ...................................................................................FVRA ............................................Young Readers’ Puzzle Page ...........................................................Local schools news .......................................................................Local Walks ........................................................Charity & Community ....................................................Rough Sleeping feature .................................................................Prize Crossword ................................................................................Recipe ....................................................................In Your Garden ...........................................................Health & Wellbeing ....................................................................Findon History .............................................................Business Directory ...........................................................Index of Advertisers Kay Publishing Ltd PO Box 2237 Pulborough RH20 9AH info@sussexlocal.net www.sussexlocal.net

01903 868474

Established in 2007, we publish and hand-deliver seven editions free of charge to over 45,000 homes and businesses every month.

Display advertising starts at just £24 a month per edition (1/8th).

Business Directory £10 per month per edition. We welcome reader letters and community notices which we publish free of charge.

Our Health article on page 44 looks at increasing your metabolic rate with weight training. Burn more calories all the time!

We have our regular history article, plus local council, charity and school news.

Please get in touch with anything you’d like published.

Until next month,

Kris & Jeff

Quote of the month “I’m a dyslexic, atheist, insomniac; I stay up all night wondering if there really is a Dog” - UNKNOWN

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. Views and opinions of contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher.

Seven editions across West Sussex Arundel - Arundel, Amberley, Burpham, Climping, Fontwell, Ford, Slindon, Walberton & Yapton Total addresses - 6,700 Barnham - Barnham, Eastergate, Westergate, Aldingbourne, Oving, & Tangmere Total addresses - 5,400 Chichester - Chichester centre & suburbs Total addresses - 7,800 Findon - Findon Valley, Findon Village, Nepcote, High Salvington, Clapham & Patching plus Salvington/Selden (south of A27) Total addresses - 6,200 Midhurst & Petworth - Midhurst, Petworth, Easebourne Total addresses - 7,100 Pulborough - Pulborough, Bury, Coldwaltham, Fittleworth, Marehill, Nutbourne, Stopham, West Chiltington village and Common.

Total addresses - 5,500 Storrington - Storrington, Ashington, Cootham Thakeham, Sullington & Washington. Total addresses - 6,600

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Competitions

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Win tickets to see Leo Sayer ‘Just a Boy at 70’ Saturday 18th May, Worthing Assembly Hall four US Top Ten hit singles; six UK Top Ten (one number one) and one US Top Ten album; a Gold Badge of Merit; and a Grammy Award, in 1977, for You Make Me Feel Like Dancing.

Add to that appearances on The Muppet Show, The Wiggles (DVD), Celebrity Big Brother UK (season five, for ten days), and a mention on The Simpsons, then you can safely assume it’s been a hugely successful, varied, and enjoyable career.

Find out more at leosayer.com

Win tickets to see Leo Sayer The iconic Leo Sayer returns to British shores this May/June as he embarks on a 25-date, second leg of his ‘Just a Boy at 70’ tour, the first leg taking in Australia/New Zealand.

Leo, who celebrates his birthday during the second, UK leg of the tour, has had an extensive career in the music industry dating back to the mid-sixties, starting out with David Courtney and Adam Faith – and he wanted to be a graphic designer!

Now performing in what will be his sixth decade as a musician, Leo has racked up eleven UK Top Ten and

To enter the competition answer the question below: Q: Which year did Leo Sayer win a Grammy Award? a) 1980

b) 1960

c) 1977

Send your answer and contact details including phone number to: Leo Sayer Competition, PO Box 2237, Pulborough, RH20 9AH or enter online at www.sussexlocal.net/features/competitions Winner drawn after 13th May 2019. Please indicate if you wish to remain on our mailing list.

Win tickets to Mary Portas In Conversation: The Work Like A Woman Tour Tuesday 28th May, Pavilion Theatre, Worthing Mary Portas – retail expert, business woman and ‘Queen of Shops' – tours the UK to discuss her life, her career, and her new book Work Like a Woman.

Drawing on decades of business experience, it’s packed with top tips, honest advice and lively tales from a woman on a mission to make the world of work a better place, for everyone.

If you feel like your voice isn’t being heard or you haven’t yet found your tribe at work yet, this is the tour for you. Don’t miss this chance to hear Mary’s advice on how to be happier, more productive and more collaborative, whoever you are and wherever you work. Share your stories on #WorkLikeaWoman and become part of the movement.

Find out more at worthingtheatres.co.uk

Win tickets to see Mary Portas To enter the competition answer the question below: Q: Mary Portas is an expert in _____? a) Retail

b) Art

c) Pottery

Send your answer and contact details including phone number to: Into the Mary Portas Competition, PO Box 2237, Pulborough, RH20 9AH or enter online at www.sussexlocal.net/features/competitions Winner drawn after 21st May 2019. Please indicate if you wish to remain on our mailing list.

14 Parish Council News

Findon Parish Council Edited extracts from the draft minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 4th March 2019.

Village Hall extension The Chairman invited Judith Davies, Findon Village Hall Trust (FVHT) Chairman, and David Gear, FVHT Secretary to address the meeting.

The Secretary provided a background to the current financial situation and insufficient funds to complete the new extension which had now been put on hold.

The building contractor had confirmed willingness to continue with the work when funding was available.

Four options were suggested at the recent FVHT AGM including approaching the Parish Council (FPC) to assess the feasibility regarding a Public Works Loan (PWL).

Some funding had already been received from villagers.

The FVHT Chairman reported that although 82% of the extension work had been completed, outstanding work included pipe and drainage work, soakaway, carpentry and plumbing, screeding of the new floor (71 days in total), wheelchair accessibility, kitchen, cycle racks, bat boxes, and lined car park markings.

The approximate cost would be £40k.

A meeting would be held on 7 March 2019 by FVHT together with a forensic accountant and a surveyor, with the architect as an observer, regarding the financial situation and a report was expected seven days after the meeting.

The Chairman invited Trevor Leggo to provide details of the criteria etc for a PWL application, summarised as follows:  FPC has the power to borrow for capital projects, but not to lend;  Any application must have demonstrable public support by way of thorough public consultation;  Application must include FPC ‘Resolution to borrow £xx’ minute, current/next years budget, details of how FPC would afford the loan repayments, if the Precept was to be increased to cover repayments; and a full report and Business Case from FVHT for scrutiny by Sussex Association of Local Councils (SALC)  Any initial application must be cleared by SALC;  The PWL Board is Treasury funded; and  Borrowing approval and consent is given by the Secretary of State. Should FPC be successful, any funding for the FVHT would be by way of a grant and the PWL repaid by FPC at a fixed rate e.g. 2% for an agreed term.

It was resolved that Findon Parish Council defers any consideration for a Public Works Loan until further information regarding the FVHT financial situation is available.

SUSSEX LOCAL Flooring grant Reference was made to the Grant Application form and quote for new flooring in the existing Village Hall (as previously circulated). In response to question, the FVHT Chairman advised that:  A number of residents had pledged a one year interest free loan towards the cost of the new flooring, however a grant contribution was also sought from FPC;  Investigate the use of maple for the new floor to match the current floor; alternative materials would also be investigated.

Any consideration for a grant towards the current Village Hall flooring would be deferred until further information is available.

Findon Village Pre-school The representative from the Pre-School was unable to attend the meeting to present the update on 2019 fundraising activities, and the high level timeline previously circulated was noted. FPC agreed that clarity was needed on the school’s future ambitions.

Traffic, Environment, People The proposed A24 40mph speed limit from Bost Hill to the Black Horse was subject to agreement by the Joint Eastern Arun Area Committee (JEAAC) in November 2019, although FPC could fund this independently at a cost of £9k+. Reference was made to the five applications submitted to the SDNPA infrastructure funding.

Resolutions  Pledges £100.00 towards the St John the Baptist Primary School PTA Summer Revels funding bid to WSCC Community Initiative Fund should their bid be successful;  Gifts the Pre-School the previous FPC laptop, if wanted.  Arranges a survey regarding moles on North Green at a cost of £21.00;  Contributes up to £1k towards the replacement post and rail fencing next to the car park to the east of North Green and approves AC Gardens as the contractor.  Does not wish to take part in the Great British Spring Clean due to the active Open Spaces Volunteer working group; and  Does not wish to enter Parishes in Bloom for 2019 www.findonparishcouncil.gov.uk

Clapham & Patching

Despite our best efforts to bring you news from Clapham & Patching Parish Councils, their websites are updated infrequently and they do not answer our telephone messages or emails. We will persevere!

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Findon Valley Residents’ Association (FVRA) Residents’ Surgery - Saturday 4th May 10am – 12 noon, in the library.

Monthly Gardening Group Now that the planting of the Community Garden is almost complete we are looking to set up a gardening group to help tend the planters and main flower bed. We would encourage everyone to go and look at this lovely display. We are required to keep the grass mowed and are looking for a professional gardener to volunteer their services for this task.

If you are interested please contact our environment officer at lorraine.taylor@findonvalley.org or Maggie Winter on 01903 263038.

A27 Grove Lodge - Road Surface In April last year Councillor Louise Murphy wrote to Highways England (HE) about the incomplete road surfacing at Grove Lodge roundabout. HE responded that they were aware of the remaining deterioration of the road surface and had put in a bid for funding in 2019/20. HE advised defects are categorised by order of the severity and safety implication to the travelling public. We understand that the more complaints that are logged, the more likely (and quickly)

action may be taken. To report your concerns email info@highwaysengland.co.uk AGM 2019 Katy Bourne the Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) gave an interesting and enlightening talk about current and future policing of Sussex. You can find out more about the role of a PCC by visiting the website at www.sussex-pcc.gov.uk The committee expressed its disappointment that despite wide pre-publicity and dry weather, so few residents supported the event.

Volunteer Collectors We are still looking for volunteers to collect subscriptions for:  Coombe Rise  Central Avenue  Findon Road A (Vale Drive - Bost Hill)  Findon Road B (Vale Drive - Wisden Court)  Findon Road C (May Tree Ave - Cissbury Ave)  Long Meadow  Hazelhurst Crescent  Storrington Rise  Sullington Gardens If you are interested in volunteering please contact Jim Booth, FVRA Membership Secretary, on 07757 703127 or email membership@findonvalley.org www.findonvalley.org

16 Puzzles

SUSSEX LOCAL Answers on www.sussexlocal.net after 1st May

Schools 17

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Findon Vale School Performing at Worthing Schools Sports Association dance festival!

Each year West Sussex schools are encouraged participate in an annual dance festival organised Worthing School Sports Association (WSSA). Time Dance is a weeklong celebration of dance enjoyed performers and spectators alike.

to by to by

For many years, children from Vale School have enjoyed taking part in the hugely successful event.

Each night numerous schools performed, so it was also an opportunity for the girls to enjoy watching other groups perform their dances.

On Tuesday 19th March, Mrs Wright took the newly formed group of 14 girls to perform their dance at Worthing’s Pavilion Theatre.

It was an excellent opportunity for the girls to showcase their new dance titled ‘Curiouser and Curiouser’. Their piece was based on Lewis Carroll’s famous novel, Alice in Wonderland and it explored her journey, movements and actions as well as the concept of time.

The dance was choreographed by Kathryn Stamp in collaboration with the girls aged

7 – 11. They worked well together, respecting each other’s artistic ideas to express themselves as the characters Alice encountered: The White Rabbit, Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat and The Caterpillar.

For some members of the group it was the first time they had performed on such a large stage and to so many people. We were very proud of the children and how they represented Vale School so well.

Vale Ave, Findon Valley, Worthing BN14 0DB 01903 872322 www.vale.w-sussex.sch.uk

Steyning Grammar School New state of the art classrooms There are many rites of passage at Steyning Grammar School that students remember fondly, including our great fundraising days such as Pink Day and Sixth Form Jailbreak. However one rite of passage, being taught in temporary accommodation at the Shooting Field campus, is coming to an end.

Planning has been submitted for a state of the art new classroom block that will ensure all the Steyning Grammar School ‘huts’ have been removed within a year, and every student has access to the best possible learning environment SGS is unique in many ways; a non-selective ‘Grammar’ school, with a four hundred year history of excellence. We have high expectations of all our students, to prepare them for their exciting futures, from our two Year 7 and Year 8 sites at Church Street and Rock Road up to our GCSE campus and Sixth Form College (one of the largest school Sixth Forms in the South) at Shooting Field. Ofsted recently referred to student welfare as ‘the beating heart of the school’ - there is no greater evidence for this than the 125 students who choose to live with us in our residential accommodation; SGS is one of

Artist’s impression of new classrooms the few state boarding schools in the UK and the only one in Sussex, offering boarding places from Year 9 to Year 13.

Developing character is at the heart of our school, built on the latest research in educational psychology.

All students learn, develop and are assessed on the key Learning Characteristics that have been proven to support success and most importantly happiness. Our curriculum supports students in developing the Growth-Mindset, Grit, Self-Control, Curiosity, Zest, Gratitude and Understanding of Others that they need to flourish. As we finally say farewell to our Shooting Field huts, the future for learning at Steyning Grammar School is an exciting one. Luke Talbot, Steyning Grammar School www.sgs.uk.net

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18 Walks

Local Walks - May All walks are led by friendly, trained volunteers - please do check with the organisers for full details and for any last minute changes. Health walks are 30 – 90 minutes, supported by Walking for Health & Horsham District Council. Level 2 & Level 3 are more challenging, for fitter walkers, supported by Horsham District Council Wed 1

10:00am Holmwood Common Park and meet at the car park The Royal Oak Public House, RH5 4DJ Thu 2 10:00am Leith Hill - Below the Tower Meet at Starveall Corner car park on the Leith Hill to Abinger Common road Sat 4 2:00pm Thakeham Circular Meet in Thakeham Church car park, RH20 3EP Sun 5 10:00am Pulborough Brooks Meet at Pulborough Library car park, RH20 2BQ Tue 7 10:00am Warnham Meet at Village Hall car park in Hollands Way, RH12 3RH Wed 8 10:00am Nuthurst Meet in the car park at the Black Horse public house, Nuthurst, RH13 6LH Wed 8 10:00am Irene’s All Day Walk Please phone Irene for details.

Thu 9 7:00pm Ron’s Evening Walks For experienced walkers over difficult terrain. Very social walk. You WILL be walking in the dark, bring torch Sat 11 9:00am Wiston/Steyning Downland Dog Walk Meet at Steyning Cricket Pavilion, BN44 3LE Sun 12 10:00am The Burgh Meet at Kithurst Hill car park Wed 15 10:30am Storrington Riverside Walk Meet at Storrington Rec Ground Car Park, RH20 4PG Sat 18 2:00pm Chanctonbury Ring Meet in the Washington South Downs Way Car Park Sun 19 10:00am Warminghurst Church Meet at Georges Lane NT car park, Storrington, RH20 3JH. Explore ancient tracks and byways to Warmingshurst Wed 22 10:00am Henfield Byways Meet Henfield Library, High Street, Henfield, BN5 9HN. Lovely walk around the twittens, ginnells and snickets Sat 25 2:00pm Rackham Hill Meet in Kithurst Hill car park Thu 30 10:00am Fittleworth Meet at Hesworth Common Car Park Fri 31 11:00 am Barns Green Meet in new car park above the Village Hall

5.5 miles

2.5 hrs

Mike 07855 502023 5.5 miles 2.75 hrs Lynne 01403 268157 3 miles 1.5 hrs Mick 01903 745971 5 miles 2.25 hrs Mick 01903 745971 2+ miles 60 - 90 mins Emmy 01403 255517 5 miles 2.25 hrs Mike 07855 502023 10+ miles 4+ hrs Irene 01403 783637 5-6 miles 3 hrs Ron 07933 106663 2 miles 75 mins Ann 01903 297553 4.5 miles 1.75 hrs Mick 01903 745971 2.5 miles 90 mins Mick 01903 745971 3 miles 1.25 hrs Mick 01903 745971 4.7 miles 1.75 mins Mick 01903 745971 2-3 miles 1 hr Anne 01273 493671 2.7 miles 1.25 hrs Mick 01903 745971 5.5 miles 2.5 hrs Lynne 01403 268157 2 miles 60 mins Chatter 07720 714306

Level 2 Level 3 Level 2 Level 3 Health Level 2 Level 3 Level 3 Level 2 Level 3 Health Level 3 Level 3 Health Level 2 Level 2 Health

Arun Adur Ramblers – www.arun-adur-ramblers.org.uk Wed 8 Sun 19 Sun 26

10:00 am Findon Meet at The Gallops, Bost Hill, Findon Valley 10:30 am Goodwood Meet at Counters Gate CP, Selhurst Road 10:30 am Storrington Meet at Leisure Centre car park

9.3 miles

Moderate

10 miles

Moderate

8 miles

Moderate

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20 Charity & Community

Sussex Snippets A campaign to fix one of Britain’s most treasured walking trails, the South Downs Way, has hit its £120,000 target following an incredible community fundraising effort. Work is already under way to mend sections of the 100 mile trail, with the rest taking place later this year. mendmountains.thebmc.co.uk Every spring, Chichester Festival Theatre reaches its much-anticipated Festival season. That’s where the CFT Buddies scheme comes in. This free companion service is for anyone who doesn’t feel physically able or comfortable attending a performance alone. Buddies are friendly volunteer companions, who will meet you at the Theatre, watch the show with you, and help you buy any refreshments. To request a Buddy or to find out more call 01243 781312, email access@cft.org.uk or visit cft.org.uk/buddies A whopping £1.7million has been raised for the NSPCC over the last 60 years thanks to volunteers connected to the charity’s South and Mid Sussex Branch hosting events such as jam sales, quiz nights, and coffee mornings. Anyone interested in fundraising or becoming a volunteer for the NSPCC’s South and Mid Sussex Branch get in touch by emailing kate.hershkowitz@nspcc.org.uk

SUSSEX LOCAL Carers Support West Sussex and cancer charity Macmillan Cancer Support has launched a new service to support those caring for someone living with cancer. A new specialist team of Carer Wellbeing Workers will work with carers to provide them with the emotional support and information they need. www.carersupport.org.uk The Duke of Edinburgh’s (DofE) Award is the chance for everyone aged 18+ to get a taste of an expedition.

Taking place on 21 and 22 September in the South Downs, it promises to be an unforgettable weekend hiking and camping, fundraising for the DofE Charity.

Participants will be taking on a 30 km hike on the Saturday and a 20 km hike on the Sunday. Every walker will be sponsored, with all fundraising going directly to the charity. www.dofe.org/adventure You and your friends and family are invited to ‘Push The Boat Out’ and try sailing or windsurfing for free or low cost across West Sussex this May. No fewer than six venues are hosting Push The Boat Out open days and taster sessions around West Sussex throughout the month. Clubs in Lancing, Crawley, Felpham, Pagham and Chichester are taking part. Find out more at www.rya.org.uk/ptbo.

West Sussex Record Office has been awarded a $100,000 (£76,000) grant for its new Transatlantic Ties project by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in New York. The project will explore and promote the close historical connections between America and West Sussex through the wealth of archival material for the county. The Record Office in Chichester is home to the Sussex Declaration, a rare copy of the US Declaration of Independence – one of only two ceremonial parchment manuscript copies in existence. The other is housed in the National Archives in Washington DC. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex visited the Sussex Declaration in October.

In response to ‘Court Closures: a setback for justice in Sussex’ in the last edition (March 2019) a HM Courts & Tribunals Service spokesperson said: The decision to close any court is not taken lightly and, where a service is moved outside an area, can only happen following a public consultation. To date, courts that have closed in Sussex are either underused, unsuitable, or too close to another. People will always have access to a nearby alternatives, but with some courts only being used for half the available time, it’s important taxpayer’s money is spent wisely.

HM Courts & Tribunals Service has held regular discussions with people in Chichester to listen to their concerns and are pleased to have found an alternative venue for hearings in the city. Since 2015/2016 approximately £124m has been raised from the sale of court buildings, with £130m spent on maintenance, and the rest being invested as part of HMCTS’s £1bn reform programme to improve access to justice. Hastings Magistrates’ and County Court is open and a list of all courts can be found on the HMCTS website. courttribunalfinder.service.gov.uk

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Better Driving Course Could you be a better driver? Worthing Advanced Motorists (WAM) can offer you a chance to find out.

Their tried and tested Better Driving Course will show you how to drive like an advanced driver. The course is best suited to those with some practical experience of driving. Even if you have been driving for many years without an accident you may be surprised at how much you can learn. You may even find that you enjoy driving more.

The course consists of five two-hour sessions (with a break for refreshments) and an information pack including a free Highway Code. It includes an opportunity to have your driving assessed in your own car by a trained IAM Observer. In addition there may be an opportunity to be a passenger in a Police Traffic Car driven by an officer holding the Class 1 Advanced Driving Certificate, the highest driving qualification available. There is a small fee of £32 for the course which is halved for anyone who is under 26 as statistics indicate that this is the most vulnerable group.

The Better Driving Course is held in Worthing on 5 consecutive Thursday evenings at 7.30 pm, the first being on Thursday 3rd October. We recommend early booking. For further information contact the Course Administrator: Email WAMbdc@gmail.com or call 07752 755599 for more information.

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Open your garden If you have a garden you are proud of, why not show it off to friends, family and local visitors, and help raise vital funds and awareness for local charity, Care for Veterans? Choose a date and time that is best for you and allow guests to access your garden in exchange for a donation to the charity. You might like to put on some refreshments, chat to other keen gardeners about your shared interests, or simply just allow visitors to appreciate the beautiful surroundings.

Care for Veterans will support you. They will provide you with information about the charity to display, help with publicity and even provide more money-making ideas for the event, if you would like them.

If you are interested in holding your own Open Garden, contact Antonia on 01903 218444

Volunteer at Night to Remember St Barnabas House is appealing for 200 course marshal volunteers to help support walkers at this year’s Night to Remember midnight walk taking place on Saturday 29 June 2019.Over 1,000 supporters are walking through the night to help raise money for the hospice’s night sitting service. However, in order for the event to run smoothly a team of volunteer marshals is needed to cheer on walkers, hand out refreshments, give directions and keep walkers safe.

Contact Angie Bacon on 01903 706326 or email fundraising-volunteers@stbh.org.uk

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Adur Brewery Open Day

Sunflower Memories Appeal

Adur Brewery are having an open day on Saturday 25th May between 11am-6pm at Wiston Barn, Mouse Lane, Steyning. It is free to enter and there will be tasting and draught beers and bottles to buy. Please email info@adurvalleycoop.com for more information.

The appeal enables supporters and friends of St Barnabas House to make a donation in memory of a loved one. In return for a donation, we have a lovely sunflower marker onto which the name of your loved one can be written. Each sunflower will be planted in the hospice grounds for the month of June 2019.

On Friday 14 June at 6pm and Saturday 15 June at 10.30am, Lead Chaplain, Stephen Gurr, will conduct a blessing in memory of all those for whom a sunflower has been dedicated. Will you remember a loved one with a sunflower dedicated in their memory? www.stbh.org.uk/sunflowermemories

Worthing Twinning Association For more than 20 years Worthing has enjoyed a thriving twinning arrangement with regions in France and Germany. Every year a group from Worthing travels either to the Elztal in one of Germany’s most attractive regions or to Le Pays des Olonnes on the French Atlantic Coast. And each year Worthing hosts a reciprocal visit by members of the Twinning Associations of our two partner regions. There is a five day trip to Le Pays des Olonnes this year at the end of August for which places are still available whilst the return by our friends in Germany is scheduled for October. But the Worthing Twinning Association (the WTA) is not just about reciprocal visits for its programme of activities is designed to keep you abreast of the cultural and social life of both countries and also organises social activities for its members. Whether you are a Brexiter or a Remainer our friends in Europe will remain our friends and it is both a pleasure and a necessity to develop and nurture a warm relationship with them.

The WTA offers you a way of doing exactly that. For full details contact pambennett8@btinternet.com

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24 Finance

But it has a 5 star review...

By Richard Cohen FPFS ACII MCSI Chartered Financial Planner “Mini-bond” provider London Capital & Finance (LC&F) has recently gone into administration with the 14,000 people who invested money in the company expected to lose 80% of their capital. At the time of writing the company still had a 4.8 star rating on review website Feefo, without a single 1 star review.

Recent reviews include “Clarity when explaining products on offer. Nice people to deal with.” That may appear to be a fantastic endorsement but should it come as a surprise that they are “nice” when it comes to parting you with your money? What qualifications does the reviewer have to be sure that the products were correctly explained?

Review sites do have a place for consumers researching what products and services to buy. When booking a holiday, I spend a lot of time reading the reviews on trip advisor and I’m willing to put my faith in the experiences of strangers to decide which hotel to book. However, the reviewer will have experienced the whole hotel. Reading Feefo, most reviews most relate to opening the account. Is this really the basis on which you should make an investment decision? It would be the equivalent of booking a hotel where all the reviews are about the reception. With the hotel, the worst that

happens is you have a miserable week’s holiday.

When it comes to where to put your savings making a mistake could cost you your retirement.

So how do you ensure your savings are safe or the adviser you are dealing with is legitimate? Firstly, check the FCA register. However, in LC&F’s case, they were on the register – they just didn’t need permission to sell mini-bonds because mini-bonds are not regulated. This meant there is no compensation if things go wrong, so you also need to check that the permissions they have are relevant for the service you are buying.

When asking for recommendations ask friends or family, not strangers on the internet and in particular ask them why they’d recommend them – the fact the firm took money off them efficiently should not be a reason to trust them!

For more details visit www.nsurefinancial.co.uk or to arrange a free review please call 01903 821010

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26 Local Issues

Rough Sleeping in Sussex Official statistics and charities paint a mixed picture

By Veronica Cowen The Guardian shone an analytical light on the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s (MHCLG) figures on rough sleeping after they recorded a 2% fall in 2018, following seven consecutive years of rises. It noted that 30 councils - including Eastbourne, Brighton and Hove, and Worthing switched from estimates of rough sleepers, aided by homeless charities and others, to a street count of those bedded down on a given night in November. It asserted that the resulting reported reductions in rough sleepers was on the advice of the MHCLG, after receiving money through the Rough Sleeper Initiative (RSI), and claimed one council leader had said central government required the council to switch the methodology. Asked to comment, a MHCLG spokesperson said: “All returns of the official rough sleeping statistics submitted by local authorities were independently verified or validated. Regardless of the method used, the figure records only those people seen, or thought to be, sleeping rough on a single ‘typical’ night. It is wrong to link councils receiving money under the (RSI) to the methodology used.”

The Government’s rough sleeping statistics were also questioned by the Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, John Healey, in a letter to Sir David Norgrove, head of the UK Statistics Authority. Responding on March 25, Sir David noted a “significant” increase in the number of local authorities switching from an estimate to a count, particularly in some of the councils in receipt of extra funding through the RSI. He urged the Government to improve the quality of its figures, and said more could have been done to acknowledge and explore this apparent methodological change this year, and its impact on the areas in receipt of RSI funding.

The Sussex councils mentioned were approached for comment. Tim Whelan, director of service delivery at Eastbourne Borough Council, which experienced an 85% drop on the previous year, attributed this to its strategies with other providers: “We had successfully moved 19 individuals onto an accommodation pathway, supported by multi-disciplinary teams [and] have a dedicated outreach worker who regularly visits rough sleepers to encourage them to engage with support services.”

According to official figures, Worthing Borough Council reported a 69% reduction. It didn’t provide comment, but sent a press release relating to a rough sleeping campaign on 11 March, which states: “The fall in rough sleeping comes on the back of a funding boost for Worthing Borough Council last year, after the government pledged £270,00 for 2018/19 and

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28 Local Issues

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£340,000 to the area for 2019/20 through the (RSI) Fund.”

A spokesperson for Brighton & Hove City Council, said the Council’s switch to a count was “reintroduced” following discussions with the MHCLG about how other areas conduct their counts. Following a count of people bedded down in the city after midnight and through the early hours of 21 November 2018, the official figure was 64, compared to 178 for 2017 under the estimated method, which had been used in the previous three years. The 64% reduction prompted an investigation into the statistics being requested by its Audit and Standards Committee, resulting in a conclusion that it was based on reliable and relevant data.

Whatever picture emerges from official figures, charities are helping homeless people all the year round, and according to Hilary Bartle, chief executive of Stonepillow, which runs hostels, drop-in centres and support teams in Chichester and Bognor Regis, rough sleeping has risen across West Sussex. It’s not unusual to see rough sleepers sheltering in shop doorways in Chichester, and walking to a restaurant on a cold February night this year, I passed a figure bedded down on a length of cardboard on the pavement.

However, Bartle says Chichester has now stabilised, but says rough sleeping in Bognor Regis has “massively increased”.

As to its incidence in other Sussex towns, John Holmstrom, chief executive of Turning Tides, which offers services to the homeless in Littlehampton and Arun, said that, in his charity’s experience of smaller market towns, like Burgess Hill or Haywards Heath, there would be the occasional rough sleeper but the charity did not have the provision to help them, despite their needs being as complex as those rough-sleeping in places like Brighton and Worthing. When I lived in Arundel, late-night dog walking would sometimes inadvertently disturb a couple of rough sleepers in the Ruins, but that was seven years ago. Churchyards can also be a haven for rough sleepers, but a spokesperson for Arundel Cathedral recalls: “We did have one person a year ago for one or two nights, but not at the moment. It is a rarity.”

However, according to Bartle, there is “hidden homelessness” in Arundel: “We see people who have travelled - by bus or they walked - to Chichester from Arundel to our hostels.”

Last year, some business owners in Arundel complained about a homeless man, drinking and begging tourists for money, and Bartle cautions: “You have to distinguish between people who rough-sleep and those who beg. You can end up colluding in their reasons for begging (such as to buy drink or drugs) by giving money and food. They should be told to go to one of the hostels, where they can get advice and

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30 Local Issues / Legal help in trying to turn their lives around. That is what we try to do.”

But rough sleeping is complex, notes Holmstrom, who says that in Worthing, around 80% of rough sleepers have a local connection. He adds: “There are all sorts of causes of homelessness, and it is now common for ex-prisoners not to be provided with accommodation on release. Prisons are overcrowded. It is part of the pressure and they are moved around. It is a perfect storm, with the Criminal Justice System and the probation service now less equipped to working with people with addictions.” Around three quarters of those who come into contact with Turning Tides have underlying mental health problems, and many have alcohol or drug addictions, too, he explains.

To add to the pressure, since the ring-fenced government grant to West Sussex County Council (WSCC) was removed by the coalition government in 2011, it has funded the services from its base budget. It has now had to review its contracts with a number of organisations due to end in April 2019, and whilst new ones will start in September, in 2020 the £6.3m it currently pays to housing support services, provided by voluntary organisations across the county for rough sleepers and others in need, will shrink to £2.3m. Its leader, Louise Goldsmith, said: “I’d hoped we would have been able to keep (housing-related support) but because it’s not our main statutory duty, we have to look at everything.”

Its refusal to allow further scrutiny of the decision has been criticised, and Cllr Dr James Walsh, leader of the Liberal Democrats on the Council, comments: “The moral argument is that we have an obligation to help the weak in a relatively wealthy society and the County Council saying the tax-payer should not be doing it, and we will leave it to the voluntary bodies, is wrong. It should be a partnership and the voluntary sector can’t cope on its own.”

WSCC’s decision passes the burden to district councils, with the knock-on effect that support for Stonepillow will be reduced by £300,000, says Bartle. She chairs a coalition of 13 organisations which provide a range of services that help vulnerable people get and maintain tenancies and live independently. She says WSCC is working with the district councils to see how they would allocate the £2.3 million to prioritise the homeless, and that from April 2020, the districts will look at the care models they want to commission with the money. But she explains: “I am not sure what it will be, so we can’t plan. We rely on contracts from the county, and can claim housing benefit for clients who live in our accommodation, for offering concierge services, but the reduction will destabilise us.”

There is no real improvement in sight, said Holmstrom, because the depressing fact is that the underlying pressures that create rough sleeping remain undiminished.

Expert Opinions

By Emma Wells MIPW Will Writer I had the pleasure of attending the annual Institute of Professional Will writers conference in March and listened to several industry experts, including senior lawyer Mary MacGregor, from the Office of the Public Guardian. The OPG claim that they are currently receiving around 3000 applications to register Lasting Power of Attorney documents every single day, which as you can imagine is causing some significant delays. However, I think that, excepting the delays, this news is a good thing, it shows that more of us are realising the importance of getting our affairs in order. It also highlights the importance of registering your LPA documents at the point you have them drafted. The documents can’t be used until they have been successfully registered.

If for example, you haven’t registered your LPAs and lose capacity it could essentially be months until your chosen attorneys can step in and act for you. Worst case scenario if there is a mistake on the forms and you’ve lost capacity it’s too late to change anything.

Another speaker who I had the pleasure of listening to at the AGM was Stephen Mayson, Honorary Professor of Law, who is currently reviewing regulation within the legal sector.

Interestingly, Stephen said that he and his wife had very recently rewritten their Wills and they chose not to use a solicitor to do this for them. They instead used a Will writer as, in his opinion, it was better to use someone who did the job day in and day out and would therefore be an expert in the area. His valued opinion ties in with one of my very early pieces which was about unregulated Will writers which I’m aware may have ruffled a few feathers but I was pleased to have my opinion on the profession substantiated by someone at the top of their game!

We have a couple of bits of exciting news here at Nsure Estate Planning Services. The first is that Director Tony Cohen has been appointed the Institute of Professional Will writers Southern coordinator. Tony is known for raising standards wherever he goes, so we hope to see membership of the IPW grow in the South, which will in turn give people more and better options when estate planning. We are holding another seminar on Wills, Lasting Powers of Attorney and funding later life care.

The event is being held at our premises in our conference suite at 6pm on 19th June. Booking is essential so to book your place or find out more please call 01903 821010 or email wills@nsure.co.uk.

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32 Crossword

Prize Crossword

Win a £20 voucher for Gifted Worthing

Findon May 2019 March 2019 answer below:

Winner: Judy Street from Findon Valley. Congratulations and thank you to all who entered.

Finish the crossword and fill out the box below with the letters from the shaded squares. Work out the anagram

1 5 8 9 10 11 13 16 17 20 21 22 23

Across

South North American republic (6) Warning (3-3) Version still being developed (4) Boss (8) Packages (7) Literary work (4) Donkey (5,2,6) Close (4) Commander in chief of a fleet (7) Parasol (8) Wicked (4) Gorge (6) Loftier (6)

2 3 4 5 6 7 12 14 15 16 18 19

Down

Lift up (7) Hebrew patriarch (5) Fail to notice (8) Class (4) Flourish (7) Eats (5) Submissive to authority (8) Soft and moist (7) Scrutinise (7) Sweatbox (5) Standard of perfection (5) Futile (4)

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

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

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Send the word above to: Sussex Local Crossword, PO Box 2237 Pulborough, RH20 9AH or you can enter it online at our website www.sussexlocal.net/crosswords Closing date: 31st May 2019.

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Legal 33

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Scotland 1, England 0

By Karen Fleming, Fleming & Co Solicitors Cohabiting couples are the fastest growing family type in the UK, but there is no legislation in England and Wales to protect such couples on separation.

Most still believe in the ‘common law marriage’ myth and are utterly unaware that they have few or no legal rights. The gap in the law has a particularly detrimental effect on the financially ‘vulnerable party’, usually women. Calls for law reforms on cohabitation date as far back as 1984 when in Burns v Burns the Court of Appeal decided that the complainant had no right to the family property despite bringing up the children and contributing to household expenses. In 2007, The Law Commission recommended reforms, but nothing has changed.

There were 3.3 million cohabiting families in 2017, more than double the figure of 1996. Few are aware of their legal rights, or rather lack of them. People will often think that because they’ve been together for say 15 years, and have three children, that they are entitled to something. That is often not the case. For example, if the property is registered in one partner’s name, the other is not entitled to anything. By contrast, the starting point in a divorce, regardless of ownership, is equal division of the ‘matrimonial pot’.

Under Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006, cohabitees are given certain rights including allowing the courts to award a capital sum payment from one cohabitee to the other and introducing statutory presumptions about the joint ownership of household goods and money put aside for household expenditure.

There was a recognition that the law needed to be updated to reflect the reality of how people were increasingly choosing to live, and to make sure that they had some protection even if they were unmarried. However, claims, under this act, do not sit within a balancing framework as divorce claims do. For example, there is no requirement (as there is in financial provision on divorce) that the claims be reasonable having regard to the resources of the parties.

More people have been obtaining advice since the 2006 act and claims are being made that couldn’t have been before. Cohabitees in Scotland do not have the same rights as married people, but they have some rights. Will England and Wales bite the bullet and follow Scotland’s decision to protect the rights of unmarried people? Probably not, but time will tell.

See www.flemingandco.co.uk or call 01903 444744 email karen.fleming@flemingandco.co.uk

34 Recipe

Cheesy Garlic Roasted Asparagus Kick off the Sussex Asparagus season in style Ingredients  175g unsalted butter, softened and extra for greasing  500g Sussex asparagus spears, woody ends removed  3tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing  4 garlic cloves minced  ¾ tsp rock salt  ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper  200g St Giles (a beautifully rich, smooth semi soft Sussex cheese), grated straight from the fridge

Method:

1) Preheat oven to 220°C. 2) Arrange the asparagus on a lightly greased baking tray and set aside.

SUSSEX LOCAL 3) In a small bowl mix together the olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.

Drizzle the oil mixture over the asparagus and toss to evenly coat.

4) Bake for 10-15 minutes until just beginning to get tender.

5) Remove from the oven and top with the St Giles cheese.

Return to the oven or grill until the melts and becomes golden (about 45 minutes) 6) Season and serve immediately Recipe kindly supplied by Hollie from Village Larder, Squires Garden Centre Washington. All ingredients available from Village Larder. Follow Hollie on Instagram and Twitter for more foodie inspiration and family fun @village_larder

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36 Gardening

In Your Garden Monthly gardening ideas and tasks

by Andrew Staib, Principal Designer of Glorious Gardens Create an Eco Friendly Garden The news can be depressing about the destruction of nature the world over and the UK has seen a massive decline in most species since the 50s with loss of habitat as the greatest single cause. Recently scientists have announced enormous drops in insect numbers which could have devastating consequences for soil fertility and the upper levels of the food chain.

However private gardens account for nearly 20% of our urban landscape and they are the one place that is in our control to nurture and encourage wildlife.

They can be our small but important way to contribute to what we love and there is nothing more satisfying than planting a shrub and seeing it feed a dozen or so different insects with its pollen and sap or see birds eat the berries of a tree we planted a year ago.

Hard Landscaping Think hard about hard landscaping. Many gardens change ownership every decade and often one garden is pulled out and another put in its place. You can try bark paths rather than paved ones, decking from sustainable pine trees rather than sandstone all the way from India or shingle rather than cement. You can opt for softer looking hedges and rather than buy oak materials (it is highly unlikely that oak is being re planted as quickly as it is being used and most of it is coming from what is left of oak forests in Eastern Europe) you can go for treated soft wood options.

Julia Young, the manager of WWF’s Global Forest and Trade Network programme at WWF-UK recently said: “We purchased goods (oak) from 17 companies, and not one could provide evidence that they had carried out sufficient due diligence”.

Ponds Ponds are powerhouses of nature, not just providing animals and birds water to drink and wash but are also the home to countless insects and amphibians.

A lot of people think ponds are a lot of work but, if you are not interested in keeping fish and thus need the water filtered or pumped for a water feature, there is not that much to do. When you do choose your pond plants research them properly so you choose non invasive ones and every so often scoop the pond weed off the surface of the water, this can be composted. Once every 5 -7 years you can empty a good amount of water and take out some of the silt that has collected at the bottom.

Don’t forget it takes at least 7 years for a pond to develop a full ecosystem of interrelated species.

through the door Compost You can buy barrels that are above ground on a stand that allows you to turn them which moves the compost around and aerates the material. This is the most effective way to compost plus there is no rodent problem. And what a joy to know the potato peelings and egg shells will become rich dark earth.

Trees, Shrubs and Perennials When you chose your next plant, you can think of its food and shelter giving properties.

Medium trees for the garden- the top “supermarket� of trees are Rowan, Malus, Yew and Buddlea.

Shrubs can include Skimmia, Catoneaster and Pyracantha. Generous perennials with fragrant flowers and seed heads are Knautia, Scabios, Helenium, Rudbekia, Phlomis, Teasels, Chives, Roses and Lavender.

The RHS online also has a comprehensive list of plants that are good for pollinators. Also if you choose your plants well they will suit the soil and light conditions in your garden, reducing the need for heavy maintenance and chemical fertilisers or pesticides. At Glorious Gardens we always try to design beds with strong performing ground cover that will shade out most weeds.

Boxes Bee boxes, hedgehog boxes, bird boxes and bat boxes - make your garden into a veritable city of homes for wildlife.

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Peat Other environmentally friendly tasks include not buying peat based composts. Garden Centres surprisingly still sell a lot of peat based products. Peat is Spagnum moss that has accumulated over 12,000 years and is a habitat to unique wildlife. Also the manufacture of peat release millions of tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere. There are good alternatives and the RHS is busy with research.

Collect rainwater The more we can use rainwater from our roofs the less dams have to be built and maintained and the more money you will save if your water is metered. Also if you are topping up your pond it is best to use rainwater to avoid the chlorine and lime in the tap water.

Wild Spaces You can leave a bit of your lawn uncut. You would be amazed at how many little bugs love the privacy and edible seed heads of long grass. Plus it looks good and a swath of long grass is an antidote to having to be in complete control of everything in our lives!

Mulch Use mulch to control the weeds on your beds. It will save on back breaking weeding as the weed seeds struggle to germinate. It also keeps the moisture in the soil so less need to water plus it improves the soil so after a few years even the most clay solid new bed starts to develop a reasonable structure.

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38 Gardening Leave the leaves here and there Hard to do, as you might not want your garden looking neglected, but leaving the leaves about in piles or corners of the garden or under hedges allows all sorts of hibernating insects to burrow away and hide. Leaving old piles of logs in the corner can also provide homes for the bigger creatures including hedgehogs.

Custodians We could see ourselves as only partially owning our garden, and that the thousands of fungi, millions of ants and wood lice, bees, birds, bats and voles also need a home. Like a benevolent King or Queen you can provide a rich and pleasant land where there is enough for everyone!

May tasks  Plant annual flowers and other frost sensitive plants like vegetable plugs- tomatoes, runner beans, peppers, aubergines and chillies  Feed lawns  Water any new plants and fertilise and water pot plants

Where to visit this May A visit to Leonardslee Gardens should be number one on your list. You may remember that I featured this Garden in March. It is now open to the public and will be at its peak of beauty!

 Prune Pennstemons back to the fresh green shoots if they show lots of new basal growth  Thin out the clematises that have already flowered this year.  Hoe weeds to save you having to get on your hands and knees - little and often

Photo © Peter Trimming

 Grow Marigolds and Lobelia in trays

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SUSSEX LOCAL

40 Property

Bricks

By Chris Ennis FRICS Most property built in the 19th and 20th century is constructed with walls formed in brick, of different thicknesses. Older property is often formed with enclosing walls in solid brick either 9 inches or 4 ½ inches in thickness. Many early period properties are constructed around a structural timber framework and these days timber framed walls are becoming more popular due to their ease and speed of building.

Modern metric bricks in the UK are sized to create a modular format. The standard brick size is 215mm x 102.5mm x 65mm (face x bed x end) which, with a standard 10mm wide bed joint gives a working size of 225mm x 75mm. There are many types of brick including ‘solid’, ‘perforated‘, ‘frogged’ and special handmade designs. Bricks are categorised by use.

Facing bricks present the external face to the home, ‘common’ bricks are a relatively cheap ‘fill’ brick.

‘Engineering’ bricks are very resistant to the elements and are typically used below ground and in retaining walls where strength is required. Calcium silicate (White) bricks can be prone to thermal movements and are used in areas where clay sub soils are scarce. I like the appearance of reclaimed bricks which are salvaged from old buildings and cleaned.

Stop!

‘Fletton’ bricks are made from lower Oxford clay found in the South East. The firing process is shorter than that of other bricks and the appearance of the resultant facing can show different effects. The shorter firing process reduces the cost of this type of brick which is commonly seen in the Worthing area often with a ‘crinkled’ external finish. The cheapest type of brick is the highly automated mass produced wire cut design produced by cutting a continuous strip of clay with wire, not unlike a cheese cutter.

Bricks are further categorised by their ability to withstand frost (F = frost rated, M = medium, and 0 = not rated), and their soluble salt content which over a period of time affects their colour and the extent of any efflorescence, the white crystalline deposits often seen on new face brickwork.

Chris Ennis FRICS is a Chartered Surveyor. Call him on 01903 261 217 or you can send an email to surveyor1@talktalk.net or see www.propdoctor.co.uk

“Call me before you buy your dream home”

To make sure your dream home doesn’t hide any nasty surprises!

Shockingly, many people do not obtain a professional survey before buying a house. This can result in future misery and thousands of pounds of repair work.

I will report on the current condition of a property and also forewarn you of any major problems which may arise. I am a fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and have over 30 years local experience.

Based in High Salvington, I pride myself on my speedy and personal service. Feel free to call me for an informal chat.

Chris Ennis FRICS 01903 261 217 07703 131 686 www.propdoctor.co.uk

- Homebuyer reports - Probate valuations - Defect diagnosis - Pre-sale inspections - Condition reports - Building surveys

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42 Finance

SUSSEX LOCAL

Staying out of the dog house

By Ivan Lyons, MD Investment Solutions, Worthing Dog Funds You may have seen articles in the financial press referring to ‘dog’ funds, and wondered what the term means. If so, don’t be concerned, put simply, a ‘dog’ fund is one that is regarded as an underperforming fund.

Meaningful comparisons All investment funds fall into sectors – for example, UK All Companies, Global Equity Income, Japan, UK Smaller Companies or Global Emerging Markets. By classifying funds under these headings, it makes it much easier to make meaningful comparisons.

As well as being compared against each other, they can also be compared against the average performance for all the funds in that sector. If a fund is consistently 10% below the sector average, it can earn the ‘dog’ tag.

Staying out of the dog house By keeping a close eye on the performance of your assets, underperforming funds can be quickly identified and monitored, and if necessary, changes made to your portfolio.

The value of investments and income from them may go down. You may not get back the original amount invested.

Review Has it been a while since you or your Financial Adviser reviewed your investment or pension funds? If so – why not contact us? Investment Solutions are an Award winning firm of Chartered Independent Financial Advisers. We provide an initial meeting without obligation or charge Contact Investment Solutions: Grafton House, 26 Grafton Road, Worthing, BN11 1QT. 01903 214640 or send an email to Ivan at: ilyons@graftonhouse.net or visit www.investment-solutions.co.uk Twitter: @investment_sols Instagram: Investmentsolutions5785

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Paws for thought Allergies

Dr Julian Hoad

Allergy is a disease in which the immune system reacts excessively to certain substances. Although we often hear about allergies in relation to humans, pets are equally susceptible.

Starting from scratch Although the signs and symptoms of allergies are usually easy to see, identifying the root cause can take time and patience. Talking to your vet is the best way to begin figuring out the cause of your pet’s discomfort. Identifying the itch – there are three top causes of allergies in pets: 1) Two’s company, flea’s a crowd If you’ve noticed fleas on your pet, the chances are that both they and your home are already infested.

Fleas are one of the most common external parasites and it’s the proteins in their saliva that can cause an allergic reaction in some pets. Fleas aren’t just a summer problem, they’re active all year round. However, with monthly application of a suitable parasite prevention treatment it’s easy to stop them from becoming an issue.

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2) Food allergies - not as common as you think Despite common belief, food allergies in pets are quite unusual, with the Banfield State of Pet Health Report showing that food allergies are only seen in 0.2% of dogs and 0.1 % of cats. Allergies to protein sources such as chicken, beef or dairy are also far more likely than allergies to grain. Pets that do have food allergies are likely to suffer from other allergic skin conditions as well, which can make identifying a food allergy particularly challenging.

3) Home sweet home Many of the same environmental allergens that affect people can affect pets. Pollen, for example. Not all environmental allergens are seasonal though and many can be found inside your home; dust mites, fabrics and cleaning solutions are all common culprits and difficult to avoid in most houses. Like food allergies, environmental allergies can be difficult to identify and often require long-term management.

A pet health plan covers the cost of preventive treatments like monthly parasite products and regular check-ups. Who doesn’t want the best for their new best friend?

Crossways Veterinary Group, School Hill, Storrington, 01903 743040 www.crosswaysvets.co.uk

SUSSEX LOCAL

44 Health & Wellbeing

Don’t Exercise to Burn Calories

By Heather Smith, Personal Trainer It feels like the right thing to do. It feels like hammering it hard every time you exercise is going to give you the best results. The more calories you can burn during your workout, the more results you’re seeing from that workout – it sounds logical.

The problem is that this style of exercise is really not optimal.

It is absolutely true that you will burn more calories during these kinds of workouts. But it is also true that you are opening the door to burn out and injury by pushing as hard as you can every time; not to mention the fact that your body adapts annoyingly well to the calorie burn style workout; which means that if you’ve been working out like this for a while you’re almost certainly burning less calories during your workout than you used to.

You will indeed burn more calories in an hour run than you would during an hour of resistance training.

But there is a key second part to this. When you stop your run, your metabolism drops straight back to its normal level. When you finish your resistance training session though, your metabolism rises by a considerable amount for over 72 hours afterwards. One recent study showed an additional calorie burn of 50%

of what was burned during the workout over just 24 hours afterwards.

It sounds counterintuitive, but the goal of your workout shouldn’t simply be to burn as many calories as possible. As we can see with the running vs resistance training example, the goal of your workouts must be to teach your body to use more calories all the time. And if we can do that, surely that must be weight loss gold, don’t you agree?

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

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Health & Wellbeing

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Tues 9.30 AM & 11.30 AM (Forest Road off A27)

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SUSSEX LOCAL

46 History

Findon’s Longest Day - part 1

Operation Overlord 5/6th June 1944. By Valerie Martin Operation Overlord was on the drawing board for three years before being implemented.

By the 24th April 1944 there were Doodlebugs droning over Findon at any time of day or night.

Emergency water supply on the Findon Road

The above photograph shows the emergency water supply on the Findon Road. It was one of many constructed during the Second World War in case the mains supply was disrupted by air raid damage.

On 26th May 1944, the Supreme Allied Commander General Eisenhower decided that the 5th June 1944 would be D-Day (at the last minute it was delayed because of bad weather). The army camps in our area were sealed with every man confined to camp and forbidden to communicate in any way with the public. Anybody who became ill was taken to a specially isolation hospital and all mail was suspended until after D-Day. The troops were briefed on their DDay roles and security risk kept to a minimum.

It was a sweltering hot day on 28th May 1944 and the Findon area roads were crammed with long columns of military vehicles of all shapes and sizes on the move. The marshalling of the invasion forces to their embarkation areas had entered its final stage.

It is said that the atmosphere was strange to say the least. The troops' manner had changed; there was no usual banter between the local friendly children and the soldiers. In previous months the military had developed a good rapport with the local people, especially the children, as many of the soldiers were not much older themselves.

By the following morning there was not a soldier or an army vehicle to be seen. Suddenly there were silent streets and green empty spaces after they had departed. Everyone guessed why they had vanished so suddenly but where to was the big mystery. There was a sense of anticipation everyone knew that something important was soon to occur. Like the Germans, residents had only to wait a few days for the answer and this was Normandy. Because of the essential secrecy at the time, few locals ever learned the identities of the many and various army units which during those critical 26 weeks of 1944 passed through Findon.

By the time it culminated in D-Day on 6th June 1944, the allies had gathered together the largest unified

armed invasion force the world had ever known. In the ensuing three weeks, almost two million troops with 365,000 tanks and other sundry vehicles, were shipped over the English Channel in an attempt to end the war with Germany in Europe. The Americans had invented the term D-Day to indicate THE DAY (whenever that would be) when the Allies would liberate Europe. This was unfortunate terminology for me because I was always very confused as a child, as I thought it stood for Dunkirk Day — another painful memory for the British in May 1940!

By the late spring of 1944, the whole of Southern England was a vast military camp. By late May there were few places in West Sussex without a least one unit — often many more, all awaiting the signal for D-Day. The whole area was cordoned off and a line drawn so that no unauthorised person could cross. The county was a vast military camp comprising ammunition and supply dumps and airfields. Traffic practically ceased and even essential commodities were moved in and out with difficulty. Some idea of the immense task accomplished in assembling the allied forces for D-Day can be gained if I tell you that more than 4,000 landing craft were required to carry 38 army divisions, each consisting of some 20,000 soldiers with more than 3,000 tanks and sundry vehicles.

Hundreds of aircraft were needed to protect the initial landings and prevent the enemy aircraft attacking our forces as they endeavoured to establish a stronghold in France. 1,078 transport aircraft with accompanying gliders were needed for the airborne assault.

Inhabitants living in the area shook their heads and said that at the time the Canadians seemed to have taken over Worthing and Findon.

The weather can, and often does, alter the course of history. The D-day landings in Normandy were delayed because of worries over the likelihood of storms in the English Channel. After days agonising over the weather forecast, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, commander of Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe, drawled three decisive words in the early hours of 5th June 1944 after much painful deliberation — "Okay, we'll go".

To be continued. Read part II next month.

Below, the view looking north-west from the A24 Findon Road looking towards High Salvington c. 1944

Business Directory 47

through the door Aerial & Satellite

Building

Carpentry

Carpet Cleaning

Blinds & Shutters

Chimney Sweeps

SUSSEX LOCAL

48 Business Directory Chiropody

Computer Services

Exterior Cleaning

Drainage

Fencing

Electricians

Cleaning Garden Services

Clearance

Business Directory 49

through the door Garden Services cont.

Hair Dresser

Key Cutting & Shoe Repairs

Locksmiths

Handyman / Property Svs. Oven Cleaning

Painting & Decorating

Groundworks

Home Help

SUSSEX LOCAL

50 Business Directory Pest Control

Plastering

Plumbing / Heating cont.

Plumbing / Heating cont.

Private Hire / Taxi

Reflexology

Plumbing / Heating

Roofing

through the door Roofing cont.

Security

Soft Furnishings / Curtains

Tree Surgery

Business Directory / Advertiser Index 51 Tree Surgery cont.

Accountants MHA Carpenter Box Bathrooms Bathe in Safety Blinds Direct Blinds Car Servicing Keen & Betts Stedmans Garage Care Services Egalite Carpets & Flooring Carpets & Vinyls Direct S Baker Flooring Wall Bros Charity Guild Care St Barnabas House and Chestnut Tree House Cleaning Miss Mop Ltd Computer Services The Laptop Workshop Vipernet Technology Services Conservatories and Garden Rooms Greenspace (UK) Limited Courses The Arts College Domestic Appliances Carters Domestic Appliances Drains Drainjet Elderly Care Clapham Village Care Home Country Court Care Group Ltd Electricians Sussex Sparky Events The Floral Fringe Fair Fires and Fireplaces

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W&H Supplies Furniture Restorers Barcombe Wood Finish Ltd Garden Design Earth Architecture Glorious Gardens Greenacre Garden Design & Build Garden Machinery Servicing Findon Garden Machinery Health and Wellbeing The Awareness Key WPA Healthcare Heating & Electrical Domestic Heating & Electrical Services Ltd Home Care Highgrove House Home Entertainment Bowers & Wilkins Horse Manure Sussex Manures Ltd Horseracing & Leisure Venue Fontwell Park Racecourse Independent Financial Advisors Investment Solutions Wealth Management Ltd Nsure Financial Services The Mellor Practice Kitchen Doors Dream Doors Osteopath Rebecca Wangi Osteopath Oven Cleaning Oven Cleaning King OvenU Property Maintenance Valentine Property Maintenance Roofing Ark Roofing Ltd BB Roofing Slimming Cambridge WIth Karen Slimming World Findon Solicitors Fleming & Co Miller Parris Solicitors Surveyors Property Doctor Surveys Tree Surgeon Ashwood Tree Surgery Vet Crossways Animal Care Ltd Visitor Attraction Amberley Museum Water Softeners Scott Jenkins Water Softeners Will Writing Nsure Estate Planning Services Limited Windows Doors Conservatories Unbeatable Conservatories Ltd

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