6 minute read
Charity & Community
20 Charity & Community
Sussex Snippets In November new named Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) began being assigned to their areas. Every community across Sussex will now have one or more dedicated PSCO to enhance public confidence and collate vital community intelligence. Sussex is also well underway with the recruitment of the extra 250 police officers as promised in last year’s precept. www.sussex-pcc.gov.uk Sussex Wildlife Tust are selling calendars and Christmas cards, all profits support the Trust’s work. www.sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/shop Local business owner Carol Ives is organising and participating in the World’s Big Sleep Out raising awareness and money to combat homelessness. The local event takes place at Hove Lagoon and will be supported by DJ Norman Cook. Carol will be sleeping out in just a cardboard box. To donate please visit: https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/carol8ives The Aldingbourne Trust is one of this year’s finalists for the Sussex Business Awards 2019, having been shortlisted for the Charity of the Year award. They are hosting a disability friendly club night on Wed 4th December to provide a full on clubbing experience for people with a learning disability and/or autism. www.aldingbournetrust.org Chestnut Tree House (CTH) children’s hospice are inviting schools and groups to have “Reindeer Fun” this December. CTH will provide free reindeer antlers and red noses, posters, helpful hints and sponsorship forms. www.chestnut-tree-house.org.uk/reindeer-fun Local Solar farms are generating more electricity than expected. Tangmere solar farm is out-performing original predictions and Westhampnett solar farm, opened on a former landfill site in October 2018, is also well on track. WSCC is also installing solar panels on more than 80 schools and plans to develop other energy projects, including a large battery storage facility on a former waste site in Sompting. From 2 December, opposite sex couples can give notice of intent to form a civil partnership The signing of the schedule or a ceremony can then take place from New Year’s Eve. www.westsussex.gov.uk/ registration. Small Business Saturday on 7th December is the UK's most successful small business campaign. Now in its seventh year, last year saw an estimated £812 million spent in small businesses across the UK on the day, according to research commissioned by founder and principal supporter American Express. www.smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com The Planning Committee of the South Downs National Park Authority voted to approve 31 new gateway signs at locations across Sussex and Hampshire. The
Advertisement
Charity/community notices to: info@sussexlocal.net new signs, made from iron or a mixture of wood and iron, will be installed during 2020. Following the resignation of Ms Louise Goldsmith as Leader of WSCC, Paul Marshall will be appointed as the new leader of the Council for the remainder of the four-year term to 2021. During October this year there was a 7,000 increase in 101 callers compared to 2018. However call waiting times have improved. In October 2018 there was an average wait of 17m 57s for the 101 nonemergency number, that has now reduced to an average of 7m 39s. From 1 December anyone using a West Sussex household waste recycling site (HWRS) will need to provide proof of residency in West Sussex. The sites are funded by West Sussex council tax payers and access will be denied if proof of residency is not shown. www.westsussex.gov.uk Organisations across Sussex now have the opportunity to bid for funding of up to £5,000 to help keep Sussex safe. To qualify, projects should demonstrate how they will increase or promote community safety within the local community. Applications are open until 11 December. For more info and to apply please visit: www.sussex-pcc.gov.uk/get-involved/apply-forfunding/
through the door
21
22 Charity & Community
Funding for small businesses Horsham Disrict Council is granting funds of up to £2,000 per organisation in six tranches from June 2019 to March 2021. The current tranch is open for applications until the end of Deccember 2019. The current programme is targeted at the District’s small businesses and start-ups. Once all funding is allocated, the programme will be suspended, so we are dealing with applications on a first come, first served basis. More information www.thinkhorsham.co.uk. Canal crowdfunding Volunteers have pulled out all the stops to help the Wey & Arun Canal Trust sprint ahead with two ambitious bridge building projects and the Trust has launched a Crowdfunding campaign to help continue the success. At Birtley, near Bramley, a lift bridge will allow the Trust to create a picturesque 2.5km circular canalside walk in the area, leading from the Downs Link path, and is one of two bridges needed. The Trust has set up a crowdfunding page to raise funds to pay for equipment and materials needed to complete the project. Investors receive rewards in return for their donations - a £20 donation gets the investor a year's Wey & Arun Canal Trust membership, while donations of more than £500 qualify for a private half-day boat charter on the restored section of the canal at Lox
wood in West Sussex for a party of up to 48 people. The Crowdfunder site can be found at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/birtley-bridges. Birtley bridge substructure complete
through the door
23
24 Charity & Community
Sandham Hall fibre broadband After many months of battling with telecoms suppliers, Sandham Memorial Village Hall in Coldwaltham has announced it has full fibre broadband available free to access for its users. It has been a struggle of many months to achieve this, starting with no broadband supplier being able to find the hall as, according to the postcode address database, it didn't exist. In 2004 Hall Chairman Simon Berry co-founded the "Community Broadband Network" (CBN) to support community-led broadband initiatives, mostly in rural areas. as BT had stated that they would not upgrade many rural exchanges to enable the roll-out of a broadband service called ADSL which is delivered over the old copper telephone wires. It is slow and unreliable, certainly by today's standards, and the ADSL service gets worse the further you are away from the exchange. Yet back in 2004, even ADSL was an unattainable dream for most rural areas. However the hall now has the fastest fibre connection available. How has this happened? Simon believes that Coldwaltham is so far from the nearest exchange that even a decent ADSL service is difficult to provide reliably, so he thinks 'the powers that be' decided that the only way forward was for Coldwaltham to 'leapfrog' straight to a full fibre service. Despite this revolution, the booking arrangements for the Village Hall remain the same - call Pauline StreetSandham Hall interior
er on 01798 873868 - and experience full-fibre broadband for yourself! Horsham festive light show A highly engaging light spectacular show due to take place in Horsham throughout December is the result of a year of hard work by a local video, animation and film business with an international reach. Light Up Horsham, created by RMV Productions of Horsham, is a light spectacular sponsored by Wakefield’s Jewellers and organised by Horsham District Council. The show is due to take place from Saturday 30 November until Tuesday 31 December featuring a 10-minute projected show which will be focused on the front of Bill’s Restaurant, the Old Town Hall, in the Market Square of Horsham Town Centre. Notices to info@sussexlocal.net. -
through the door
25
