Sussex Local Magazine Storrington - February 2020

February 2020

Storrington - Ashington - Cootham - Sullington - Thakeham - Washington Local news and events through the door to 6,600 homes in this area every month

Martha C. Storrington Primary Y4

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February 2020 Cover image Air quality logo by Martha C Year 4 Storrington Primary

The logo is done - now can we have some signs?

At a Storrington Parish Council meeting late last year, council chair Anna WorthingtonLees led her colleagues - bar one - into voting against a motion for Storrington to declare a climate emergency. Her reason was that by so doing, the council would leave itself open to criticism if it was seen not to be taking enough action on the issue.

We accept that the Parish Council often doesn’t have a great deal of clout. But it does have a bit and it does have some funds. Is it too much to ask for some signs to be put up at key points in the village where cars sit belching out fumes for no reason?

We set up a competition at Storrington Primary School for the children to design a logo for a banner outside the school gates to ask parents not to leave their cars idling.

Sussex Local is paying for the banner.

Wouldn’t it be great if the Parish Council did something similar in other parts of the village such as the car parks and outside Barclays?

We predict hearing lots of reasons why this cannot be done - much of which will involve “meetings with West Sussex or Horsham District Councils” which will conclude there is “no budget” or some other excuse. Here’s our challenge to Storrington PC - show some leadership and tell drivers that Storrington does not tolerate idling.

Kris & Jeff Quote of the month “Never confuse motion with action” - BENJAMIN FRANKLIN 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.

What's On Local Walks Charity & Community news Health & Wellbeing - reaching your goals Charity Profile - Winston's Wish Prize Crossword Recipe In Your Garden - rewilding Property - Alternative energy sources Property - Shared ownership schemes Local Schools WIN! Tickets to Fishers Farm Young Readers' Puzzles Motoring news Storrington Air Quality - letters & logo competition Storrington neighbourhood wardens Parish Council news Business Directory Advertiser Index

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Kay Publishing Ltd PO Box 2237 Pulborough RH20 9AH info@sussexlocal.net www.sussexlocal.net 01903 868474

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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 - 8,000 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 - 7,000 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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What’s On

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FETES & FAYRES

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16 Walks

Local Walks - February All walks are led by friendly, trained volunteers - please do check with the leaders named below for full details and for any last minute changes.

Health walks are 30 – 90 minutes, supported by Walking for Health & Horsham District Council (HDS). Level 2 & Level 3 are more challenging, for fitter walkers, supported by HDC. Sat 1st 2:00pm Kithurst South Circular 3 miles 1.5 hrs Level 2 Meet at Kithurst Hill car park. Off the Storrington to Amberley Road (B2139) Nearby postcode RH20 4HW. Dogs welcome. Refreshments provided Mick 01903 745971 Sun 2nd 10:30am Leechpool and Owlbeech 2.3 miles 1 hr 15 mins Health Meet at Leechpool Woods car park, Harwood Rd, Horsham, nearby postcode RH13 6SG. Woodland walk, some inclines and can be muddy. No Dogs Alex 01403 273751 Tue 4th 11:00am Steyning Health Centre Walk 2 miles 75 mins Level 2 Meet at Steyning Health Centre, Tanyard Lane, BN44 3RJ. Includes some stiles and inclines. Can be muddy across fields. Toilets available in Health Centre Ann 01903 297553 Thu 6th 11:00am Billingshurst 2.3 miles 60 mins Health Meet at Billingshurst Library, Mill Lane, RH14 9JZ. Can be muddy. Dogs on leads allowed. Parking 75p per hour - annual parking permits are available Chris 01403 782745 Fri 7th 11:00am Barns Green 2 miles 60 mins Health Meet in new car park above the Village Hall, RH13 0PT. One gentle incline, some views but can be muddy. Well behaved dogs welcome Chatter 07720 714306 Sat 8th 9:00am Wiston/Steyning Dog Walk 2 miles 75 mins Level 2 Meet at Steyning Cricket Pavilion, BN44 3LE. A walk for dog owners into accessible areas of the Steyning Downland. Max of two dogs per handler Ann 01903 297553 Sat 8th 2:00pm Roundabout West Chiltington 3.8 miles 1 hr 45 mins Level 2 Meet at West Chiltington Village Hall, RH20 2PZ. A lovely varied walk around West Chiltington. Dogs welcome, refreshments provided Mick 01903 745971 Wed 12th 10:00am Henfield Byways 2-3 miles 1 hr Health Meet Henfield Library, High Street, Henfield, BN5 9HN. Lovely walk around the twittens, ginnells and snickets of Henfield. No dogs Anne 01273 493671 Sat 15th 2:00pm Sullington Church 3.3 miles 1.5 hrs Level 2 Meet at Storrington Recreation Ground Car Park, RH20 4BG. This walk takes us to Sullington Church. The route is flat and easy. Dogs welcome Mick 01903 745971 Sun 16th 10:00am Lee Farm 5.2 miles 2 hrs Level 3 Meet in Kithurst Hill car park. Off the Storrington to Amberley Road (B2139) Nearby postcode RH20 4HW. The walk includes a steep hill. Dogs welcome Mick 01903 745971 Wed 19th 10:30am Storrington Riverside Walk 2.5 miles 90 mins Health Meet at Storrington Recreation Ground Car Park, RH20 4PG. This flat, walk is ideal for people who want an easy walk. Suitable for children's buggies Mick 01903 745971 Fri 21st 10:00am Southwater Footpaths 5.5 miles 2.5 hrs Level 2 Park in the car park of the Country Park, (off Cripplegate Lane, RH13 7UN) Mainly flat walk. Good views to the South Downs. No dogs. No parking charge Lynne 01403 268157 Sat 22nd 2:00pm Cootham 3 miles 1.5 hrs Level 2 Meet at Storrington Recreation Ground Car Park, RH20 4BG. It is an easy flat route and suitable for all abilities. Dogs welcome. Refreshments provided Mick 01903 745971 Sun 23rd 10:00am North Stoke 7.4 miles 3 hrs Level 3 Meet in Kithurst Hill car park. Off the Storrington to Amberley Road (B2139) Nearby postcode RH20 4HW. The walk includes a steep hill. Dogs welcome Mick 01903 745971 Sat 29th 9:00am Three Woods and Sullington Hill 8 miles 4 hrs Level 3 Meet at Storrington Recreation Ground car park RH20 4BG. Great views. Please bring hydration and snacks. Refreshments provided at the end of the walk Mick 01903 745971 Sat 29th 2:00pm Nutbourne 3 miles 1.5 hrs Level 2 Meet West Chiltington Village Hall, RH20 2PZ. One of our prettiest and most varied short walks. Dogs welcome, refreshments provided Mick 01903 745971

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Charity & Community

Sussex Snippets The Good Neighbours scheme is run for West Sussex County Council (WSCC) by the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS).

It connects people who may be feeling isolated with volunteers who offer their help during 12 arranged home visits. The RVS is appealing for new volunteers to donate their time to help clients of the Good Neighbours scheme across West Sussex, particularly in the Crawley and Worthing areas where there are currently several people on a waiting list to receive assistance. 01903 257019 or email gnwscoastal@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk Community and environmental aviation group, CAGNE, is urging supporters to write to the Secretary of State for Transport and demand that the growth proposed by Gatwick Airport from the main runway is a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) under the Planning Act 2008 examination as it “will add approximately 55,000 extra flights a year 340,000 aircraft movements by 2033 with 61m passengers added to the current infrastructure.” A suggested letter can be found at www.cagne.org.

The LoCASE programme is a unique opportunity for small to medium size businesses in East Sussex to improve their energy efficiency and overall performance. With free energy audits and grant funding of up to £10,000, businesses can cut overheads, gain a competitive edge, and enhance their brands. This will be achieved with support from Carbon Smart – selected by East Sussex County Council to deliver the LoCASE project. Eligibility rules apply. 01323 790030.

A crowdfunding programme launched in May 2018 has seen more than 100 community-led projects in West Sussex hit their target and the window is now open until Thursday 13 February for community groups to put forward new initiatives and projects they would like to receive funding for. The West Sussex Crowd, run in partnership by West Sussex County Council and civic crowdfunding website Spacehive, invites communities to come together and propose ideas to regenerate their local areas. Since its launch, more than 2,800 local people, businesses, district/ borough and town/parish councils have backed projects across the county, collectively raising over £750,000 and showing the strength of community buy-in for their ideas. www.westsussexcrowd.org.uk.

Following Eastbourne Borough Council’s declaration of a climate emergency for the town, a new organisation, Eastbourne Carbon Neutral 2030 (ECN2030), has been set up to tackle the challenge of achieving zero carbon emissions within a decade. Meanwhile Hastings Borough Council has confirmed it is now looking at two possible sites to install solar panels, both in Hastings Country Park. Hastings has also pledged to be carbon neutral by 2030.

A December meeting of the WSCC Performance and Finance Scrutiny Committee expressed concern over the programme and the predicted savings of the Whole Council Design project launched in 2019. In response to a report on the project by Katharine Eberhart, Director of Finance and Support Services, members noted: • The use of a new consultant was queried as work had already been done and there was a risk that a £19m investment might only achieve £17m of savings • Non delivery of savings would not invalidate work done by the previous consultants as many savings were to be made in areas of Children’s Services, such as using ipads to update cases on the road, which had subsequently needed increased spending in administrative support • Savings from the programme were at significant risk as the projects hadn’t reached delivery stage, but advances in IT meant the position to make progress had improved and there was confidence that the programme would achieve savings • The projected overspend of £1.5m was reported in the Total Performance Monitor and would be mitigated or balanced from reserves A further report on the programme with details of costs and savings would come to the Committee in January. Notices to: info@sussexlocal.net

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01903 863 539 07508 475 442

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Storrington Conservation news Have an enjoyable carbon reduced New Year. Each one of us can play a part in reducing our impact on the environment. It helps to know the extent of our carbon footprint and how to minimise it. Those of us who use the internet can get guidance from footprint.wwf.org.uk. To act is a good start to the new year. It's a big problem even so individually we can make a difference.

The work party on 4th January continued the management and restoration of the Fryern Lower Dell. We next meet on 1st February again at 10am at Fryern Dell, this time at the pond by the waterfall, clearing invasive vegetation. All comers are invited to join in, gardening clothes and wellies advised, other equipment provided.

On 22nd February we have the Tea and Talk in the Village Hall at 2pm. Our speaker is Dianne Dodsworth WSCC/BIFFA Waste prevention in West Sussex, an introduction to waste treatment. All welcome to hear about this important subject. £3.50, refreshments included. www.storringtonconservation.org.uk

Squires’ Chatter Natter tables….

February can be a lonely month, so if you would like some company then head to Squire’s Garden Centre at Washington, as their café has ‘Chatter Natter’ tables. Part of the Chatty Café scheme these tables are for anyone – if you’re on your own, in a couple, with a

Squires chatter natter tables

friend, young people, old people and anyone in between. It’s just about having good old-fashioned human interaction. There are Chatter Natter tables every Tuesday morning plus other days throughout the week too - simply look out for the signs on the tables.

London Road, Washington, RH20 3BP.

….and a family fun pet event Meanwhile, children are catered for with lots of free fun activities including “meet furry friends” and face painting at their Pet & Aquatic event from 7th-9th February, with 15% discounts on most pet items.

Storrington Probus Club news Storrington Probus had a busy run up to Christmas. Members enjoyed a visit to the Aviation Museum at Tangmere where the club was welcomed and given an tangmere-museum.org.uk interesting talk by one of its volunteers. He explained that Tangmere began as a fighter station in the First World War and in the Second World War became a staging post for agents on their way to France. After the war it was the base for high speed flights and the world air speed record was broken in 1946 and 1953 by Neville Duke. Some members had the chance to “fly” a simulator and finished the day with an excellent lunch at the Gribble Inn nearby.

Later in the month members enjoyed The Annual President’s Ladies Dinner, The club president John Wilkinson and his wife Kathy officiated the proceedings ably assisted by Vice-President Roger OvertonSmith. More than seventy members, friends and family celebrated in style, with a fine meal provided by the chefs at The West Sussex Golf Club and afterwards members danced and thoroughly enjoyed music and vocal entertainment by Kerry Le Bern.

The Christmas festivities were finalised with a trip to Gun Wharf Quays in Portsmouth where members went shopping in a super atmosphere of lights and decorations, then later saw a performance of The Nutcracker. www.storringtonprobus.com.

Notices to info@sussexlocal.net. events to www.sussexlocal.net

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Health & Wellbeing

Small steps to reach your goal

By Heather Smith

When making what could be a pretty significant lifestyle change, one of the many reasons people fall off the wagon is confidence.

Making a big change can feel like a huge opportunity to fail. Instead, try making changes which are so easy, it’s almost impossible not to make them.

What could you do this week to take you a step closer to your overall goal? And how confident are you that you can do those things? If you’re not completely convinced, take it back a bit until it feels ridiculously easy to achieve. Set yourself up to succeed.

Let’s say you’re a bad vegetable eater, and you’re aiming to improve your health. Of course, eating 8 portions of veg every day is going to get you closer to your goal. But that feels like a really big commitment which you’re not sure you could make long term.

How about including one vegetable with each of your meals this week?

If that is a step

forward from where you are now, but seems so easy you couldn’t fail, then you have your starting point. If it still feels like too much, don’t be afraid to step it back even further.

You’re aiming for guaranteed success, which will leave you feeling good about yourself. Now you have had a positive experience in moving towards your goal, it becomes easier to take another step.

Next week, you might feel like it is so easy to get one vegetable with each meal, that you feel totally confident you could actually increase to two vegetables with dinner every night. Other times, it might take longer to get really comfortable with the change before you’re ready to move on.

Often, the slow route is the route which leads to the longest lasting changes. Aim for repeated positive interactions with your goal. Be kind to yourself. Take things slowly and celebrate each victory, however small, along the way.

Heather Smith is a fat loss specialist Personal Trainer. Get in touch for a free five-day meal plan www.fitbiztraining.co.uk

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Business Profile / Legal

New funeral directors Care without compromise

A new funeral directors has opened in Storrington, Safe Hands Funeral Services. Set up by Penny Strachan, the new business opened in December with the aim of offering a ‘fresh, modern, more open approach’.

Penny told Sussex Local that during her time working for two independent Worthing funeral directors she became concerned at the increasing (and often hidden) costs to the bereaved and how ’money driven’ the funeral industry can be. She set out to provide an affordable, caring and compassionate alternative.

Penny told us, “My aim is to provide a quality service, individually tailored to suit the family’s wishes, be that a traditional, modern, alternative or natural service either burial or cremation.”

The premises, in West Street Storrington, on the site of the former Southdown Bikes workshop, has been completely renovated and transformed, it is homely and inviting and offers the correct and appropriate facilities to ensure proper care for the departed. They also have an on-site service chapel, perfect for those wanting a more intimate service (for up to 25 people) and not restricted to the time constraints of local crematoriums. Penny confirmed, “A cremation only service can be arranged for just £1,595”.

Penny is very keen for potential clients to be aware that although she can arrange “no frills” funerals,

there is no compromise on respect, care and kindness. Penny’s partner Adam Johnson was manager for HD Tribes Goring branch for 18 years. Between them, she told us, “We have a wealth of knowledge and experience in helping people arrange the most fitting of funeral for their loved one”.

Penny and Adam are always happy to talk with people about the way they work and would welcome anyone seeking advice about funerals or funeral plans to call in for a no obligation chat. Their moto is, “Better to know us and not need us than to need us and not know us”. www.safehandsfuneralservices.co.uk The Forge, 38 High Street, Storrington RH20 4EE 01903 741444 (24 hrs).

Powers of attorney

By Emma Wells MIPW Will Writer Many people confuse having a Will with having arranged Lasting Powers of Attorney (LPA); however, the two things are entirely separate. In simple terms you need a Will for when you die and an LPA for when you’re alive.

One in four of us is going to lose capacity at some point during our lives and whilst we know these statistics, what we don’t know is which of us are going to be the unlucky ones.

There are two main types of lasting power of attorney, health and welfare and property and finance. You do not have to have both kinds; however, if you are taking the time to do one you may find it efficient to get both done at the same time.

When it comes to appointing attorneys the most popular scenario is for people to use their spouse as their first choice with their children or a family member as their replacement attorneys so should their spouse predecease them or be unable to act they have a safety net in place.

I consider lasting power of attorneys to be a bit like an insurance policy, you hope you never need to use it but if things go wrong you’re pleased that you have it. You don’t want to be one of the people whose loved ones are frantically phoning round companies hoping that someone can sort out LPAs for their parent as they’ve lost capacity only to find out it’s too late. It’s like not having holiday insurance because ‘it won’t happen to me’ and falling ill abroad and being stuck expecting your family to have a whip round to fund your extortionate medical bills and get you home. Don’t be that person when you don’t need to be.

You can put restrictions and guidelines in place for your attorneys, such as certain amounts of money needing to be agreed by at least two of your attorneys before being spent or in the case of Health and Welfare Attorneys all must be in agreement to end life sustaining treatment.

If you haven’t arranged Lasting Power of Attorney documents or would like more information on this or making your Will please don’t hesitate to contact me for more information or to make an appointment. emma.wells@nsure.co.uk or on 01903 821010. www.nsureestateplanningservices.co.uk

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Charity Profile

Winston’s Wish Sussex based charity helping grieving children

By Georgia Brown Bereavement is an inevitable reality for many, yet our intrinsic human nature hopes the death of a loved one is not something that occurs in life until we are much older. Unfortunately, losing a family member at a young age is a tragic reality that thousands of young people are faced with every day.

The effects of grief are highly impactful on children’s lives, often manifesting in unique ways for each individual depending on the circumstances of the death, the child’s relationship with the person who has died and how accessible their support network (if any) is. For example, a child who witnesses the deterioration of a parent’s health may have a different experience of grief to a child who loses a sibling unexpectedly.

Support during bereavement Ensuring a child has access to support during a bereavement is necessary for their mental and physical health. However, often schools and families are not well equipped to deal with the effects of grief, negatively impacting a child’s life during their grieving process.

This is where Winston’s Wish comes in, providing a wide range of practical support and emotional guidance for the children and families that need it most.

Winston’s Wish is a national child bereavement charity with a base in Sussex. Their Sussex team are professionally trained to offer face to face support for bereaved children. There is no right or wrong way to grieve, and the charity team recognise the many faces and stages of grief, tackling the physical and emotional challenges that accompany bereavement in a comforting and supportive nature. The charity’s mission is to ensure that every young person has access to the support they need to help understand, cope with and survive the bereavement of a loved one.

Award-winning service First started in 1992, Winston’s Wish was set up by Julie Stokes OBE, who began her career with the NHS in 1984 and was instrumental in establishing one of the first hospital-based teams focusing on palliative care.

Her desire to involve children before and after a parent’s death and to support parents led her to apply to the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust. In 1992, she was awarded a Fellowship and travelled to America and Canada to better understand the services provided in these countries for bereaved children. Inspired by what she had experienced, Julie founded Winston’s

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Charity Profile

Wish in September of that year. After just 3 years the grief support programme was well established and Julie won the BT/Childline award ‘for providing outstanding services to children’.

Recognising expressions of grief Sarah Egerton from Winston’s Wish explains how it is important to recognise that grief is a natural reaction to the death of a close person, and not all children need direct support. She says, “Sometimes children, young people and adults don’t react how we expect them to - for instance, they may not be overly sad or upset. There can be many reasons for this, including the shock and numbness that follows a death. If a child isn’t overtly expressing grief that’s okay, and it’s important not to rush them as this can be intrusive, and is counteractive to the natural psychological processes taking place. Part of our work at Winston’s Wish is helping families understand how they are managing, and reassuring parents and carers that there is no set way to grieve, it’s all normal.”

Sarah goes on to explain how the charity aims to help parents and carers to recognise the ways that their child is expressing their grief. She continues, “The age of a child dictates what they understand about the finality of death, and how they express feelings. Generally, children under the age of five experience the death of a close person as a separation. All parents will have experiences of their child having separation anxiety when they are not with them, and the distress this can cause. If a child is impacted by grief, then they will show this through their behaviours. Signs that a child is unsettled include disruption to sleep routines, changes in appetite, psychosomatic (body based) symptoms that include eczema and stress rashes, stomach aches, and headaches, a child may be more irritable and less easy to soothe when distressed, or they may have more frequent tantrums. They may also regress to an earlier stage of development, for instance they may want to be treated like a baby or want a dummy or bottle, when they may have stopped using these some time ago.”

Supporting the whole family Sarah explained how whilst this list may seem scary or extreme, they are all normal signs that a child is struggling. In this instance, Winston’s Wish focus on supporting a child by also supporting their parent or carer; making sure a parent feels reassured and confident that the child is okay, and also exploring ways they themselves can offer reassurance and soothing.

Sarah continued, “We also encourage families to talk about the person who has died and begin to help children make sense of what’s happened in age appropriate ways. For instance, it’s important families use the words ‘dead’ and ‘died’ when speaking about the loss as this avoids confusion. There are also times where we work directly with families and individual children using play, and therapeutic approaches, to help children manage their feelings.”

Even in the case where children have a strong support unit within the home, research conducted by the University of Cambridge suggests that schools around the country are ill equipped to offer bereaved children the support they need. Researchers have consistently found that childhood bereavement is associated with an increase in psychological distress and the majority

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Charity Profile

of bereaved children and young people exhibit acute grief reactions, such as fear, helplessness, anxiety, anger, regression in developmental milestones, lower self-esteem, insomnia, intrusive thoughts, apathy and psychosomatic symptoms. These indicators of distress are to be expected as the death of a parent or sibling is extremely distressing. Often these reactions can be incredibly frightening and confusing for a young person and inevitably this is an even more overwhelming experience for a child who is still at school. Volunteers at Winston’s Wish are specially trained to deal with such symptoms, easing the pressure off families and schools that may not know how to support a bereaved child.

Helping over 17,000 children and young people Fundraising is vital to the sustainability and longevity of Winston’s Wish. Each year they strive to help as many children, young people and families as possible in the UK, but require around £2.5million a year in order to do this.

Sarah said, “The wonderful generosity

of our supporters is the only way we can continue to provide a variety of quality services and look to grow them. We helped over 17,000 children and young people last year. This is, however, no tall order - and with a 100 children newly bereaved of a parent every day in the UK, there is always more we can be doing. The ultimate goal is that no child goes without bereavement support, but we need financial stability and long term support to achieve this.”

People can support Winston’s Wish in a variety of ways including individual donations, community fundraising events, challenges, trusts and grants, in memoriam donations and corporate partnerships.

To find out more about how you can support, visit: www.winstonswish.org/help-us or call 01242 515 157 or email info@winstonswish.org.

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32 Crossword

Prize Crossword

Win a ÂŁ30 voucher for The Frankland Arms

Storrington February 2020 December 2019 solution below:

Winner: Sheila Noble from Storrington. 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

Across 5 Pharisee's rival (8) 8 Surprised expression (1,3) 9 Compelled (6) 10 Smiled broadly (6) 11 Helium's is the lowest (7,5) 13 Type of verbal communication (5,7) 16 Doctors' organ? (6) 18 Spain and Portugal, mainly (6) 19 Shell shock (1,1,1,1) 20 Elevated highway crossing (8)

Down 1 Throaty expression of disapproval (8) 2 Hebrides nigh destroyed in Wales (12) 3 Japanese emperor (6) 4 Challenge (4) 6 Found in the detail (5) 7 Jewish and Christian rite of passage (12) 12 Shortest, perhaps (8) 14 Some rechargeable batteries (6) 15 Devoured (3,2) 17 Pot contribution (4)

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: 29th Feb 2020.

Win a ÂŁ30 meal voucher

FOR A MEAL FOR TWO to use for

The Frankland Arms Washington

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

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

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

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

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

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

Answer from yellow box: .................................................................................

Valid for 3 months after issue. No change given.

Cannot be exchanged for cash value.

London Rd, Washington RH20 4AL www.thefranklandarms.com

Sussex Local may wish to keep in touch with occasional information and offers.

We will never share your details with third parties.

Please tick if you would like to receive such information.

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Recipe

5-spice beef & aubergine hot pot Warming Chinese dish

Ingredients Serves 4 - 6 • • • • • • • • • •

1 kilo diced beef 2 tbsp olive oil 2 tsp Chinese 5-spice 3 chillies, 2 chillies split in half and seeds removed and 1 chilli to garnish the dish 50g ginger, grated 5 tbsp oyster sauce Juice of 1 lime 600ml chicken stock 2 aubergines, sliced longways, roughly 1 cm thick Serve with rice and season with soy sauce

Method 1. Heat the oil in a heavy based casserole dish (which has a lid) on a medium heat, add the diced beef and lightly brown on each side 3. Meanwhile prepare your stock and set aside. In a separate bowl combine the split chillies, ginger, oyster sauce and lime juice 4. Once the meat has browned, turn the heat down a little and coat all the beef with the Chinese 5 spice and pour over the chilli mix and stir for 2 minutes 5. Add the stock to the pan and bring to a boil for 5 minutes, before reducing the heat to low and apply the lid for 1 hour 6. Once the hour has passed, give the stew a good stir and layer the top of the dish with the aubergines, leave again for a further hour and a half, with 30 minutes cooking time remaining, remove the lid and bring the pan to a boil to reduce the liquid.

Serve with rice, season with soy sauce and garnish with chopped chillies.

Recipe supplied by Hollie from Village Larder at Squires Garden Centre Washington, RH20 4AL. Open Mon - Sat 9am-5pm Sun 10am-4pm. 01903 891744. www.villagelarder.co.uk

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Gardening

In Your Garden Monthly gardening ideas and tasks

by Andrew Staib, Principal Designer of Glorious Gardens Rewilding your garden - 8 easy steps Firstly, what is rewilding?

Rewilding is returning outdoor spaces to a natural state where nature can evolve without the intense involvement of humans. It allows original ecosystems to reassert themselves, thereby supporting damaged natural systems to heal and threatened species to recover their populations.

The scale of rewilding is normally whole valleys being returned to forest or boglands being left to replenish after years of vegetative extraction.

But we can rewild our little bit of the earth that we have inherited!

Here are 8 ways to go about it: 1) Not so tidy Think differently about needing a tidy garden. Nature can start to shape your garden, or parts of your garden, and the need we have for straight lines and clean lawns and beds can relax a little. Leaving piles of leaves, mounds of fallen apples and crab apples and old logs to house insects can make your garden into both a factory and a hotel for life. You can leave a whole area of your garden over to nature. You may start to see tidiness as barrenness after a while, a garden stripped of natural abundance. Your neighbours, once you show them the increased amount of wildlife that your approach has yielded, may start asking you for advice.

2) Food for nature You can plant trees and shrubs that are rich in berries all year round to feed the myriad of garden visitors. From bats to bees and birds to frogs, your planting decisions will foster a smorgasbord.

Buddleia and Lythrum salicaria for bees, Sweet Chestnuts and acorns for small mammals, plus for the birds plants such as Cotoneaster, Black Cherry, Hawthorn, Ivy and Holly will keep a good supply of nutrition going all year. For butterflies and moths, try nettles and Lilac, Lavender, Foxgloves, Angelica and Honeysuckle.

3) Homes for nature As well as leaving piles of leaves about, and decaying logs, you can create your own insect hotels and bird feeders. (If you put your bird feeder near your rose garden you can keep the aphid population down rather than using insecticides).

Having some evergreen shrubs can provide valuable protection as well as cool shade in summer.

through the door You can chat with your neighbours and make sure that wildlife can move through one garden to the next. Indeed, the next time a fence needs replacing you can both think of replacing it with a mixed hedge rich in food.

4) Water Any pond, no matter how small, will give life to insects and slug eating frogs, as well as providing drinking water and a bath for birds to clean their wings. It is like creating a fertile soup as the whole of the food chain depends on it.

5) Mix and match planting

A variety of plant life will allow a variety of wildlife e.g. certain birds prefer only certain berries. Perennials that die down in the winter provide a food source and

Gardening

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a place for bugs to hide, flowers produce different types of nectar and a pond will allow the growth of water plants that certain insects need.

You can allow certain weeds like clover, nettles and teasels a place to thrive whilst not taking over.

6) Don’t bother hoeing If you keep your veg beds well weeded there is no need to disturb the delicate ecosystem of the soil by yearly hoeing. This no-dig method involves putting a thick mulch on top of the pre-existing soil each year.

You do, however, have to have a really good and plentiful supply of compost to do this. Worms and other microfungi will be happier left undisturbed (did you know that there are over one million different types of worms?!).

7) Lawn care You can give a bit or all of your lawn over to wild meadow grasses. Even leaving the lawn to grow long and plug-planting some wildflower perennials will create a healthy habitat for wildlife. Paths can be converted to bark chip paths, which eventually break down and can be spread on the beds each year or two when it is time to replenish them with new bark.

8) Become a nature detective It is amazing how once you learn the name of something, you enter into a relationship with it. The hundred common garden insects, once you know their proper name, won’t just be lumped under the pesty insect

38

Gardening

category but will become the doorway to being able to find out more about them. Do you know what a pear midge is? Or a flea Flea Beetle beetle? Or a green Capsid Bug? Or how familiar are you with the sex life of snails? You can keep a little book of sightings in your garden - much more interesting and varied than bird-watching!

Rewilding your garden can be done a little here and there. It is not maintenance free but it is a relaxed attitude to nature where fertility and abundance can make up for the moss free patio that we worry so much about!

What to do this February February is a great time to explore woodland. The bare bones of the earth are at rest and the quality of the forest is still and waiting for Spring with some small delights emerging. Also the evergreens like Ivy, Yew and Holly come into their own.

Try visiting Angmering Park Estate Trust, Burton and Chingford Pond, Petworth House Woods, Slindon and The Warrens.

February tasks • Do a last tidy up and cut old perennials and ornamental grasses to ground level (as long as they are not the evergreen ornamental grasses!)

• Now is the time to finish pruning your Roses and Wisterias.

• Cut back Hardy shrubs like Cornus, Salix and Cotinus as well as Buddleia.

• Anything that has flowered during the winter can be pruned back into shape now like Winter Jasmine and Mahonia.

• Lift out and separate your Snowdrops after they have flowered.

You can then replant them in different areas of the garden.

• If you have a greenhouse you can start sowing leeks and onions.

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40 Property

Alternative energy sources

By Chris Ennis FRICS These days there can be few more important issues than climate change which, in a few short years, will challenge the lives of our children and grandchildren.

We must act now to curb greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce reliance on fossil-based fuels. This is a massive issue that has dominated, and will continue to dominate the press for many years to come.

There are many measures that will save energy and these will come to the fore in years to come. Insulation is probably a good point at which to start…

There are still many homes where roof spaces and water storage tanks are inadequately insulated. Many properties have replacement window systems, but older installations do not possess the good thermal qualities of more modern installations.

Gas/oil fired water boilers replaced / installed after 2005 are likely to be modern ‘condensing’ systems. A condensing water boiler extracts heat from the waste products of combustion. A condensing boiler is typically 90% efficient and research shows that some boilers can have a remarkable 98% efficiency. The boilers can be identified either by the white gaseous emissions through the external flue or by the condensate pipe which should discharge into a nearby drain.

Alternative sources ‘green’ of power also include wind power as can be seen in the Rampion wind farm a few miles off Worthing. The wind farm is now fully operational and includes 116 turbines with a rotor diameter of 110 metres and an overall height of 135 metres. There are (smaller!) domestic wind turbine systems available and frequently these are located on masts since wind speeds increase with height.

There are a number of types of heat pump which extract energy from the ground (known as ‘ground source’) or from the air (‘air source’). They work rather like a refrigerator in reverse….a fridge takes warm material and makes it cold, but a heat pump takes cold water and makes it warm for domestic heating needs. The dedicated green householder might also consider solar powered energy with commonly seen photovoltaic panels generating electricity, or with a solar powered hot water system which might provide up to 50% of typical domestic requirements.

Chris Ennis FRICS email: surveyor1@talktalk.net 01903 261 217 or www.propdoctor.co.uk

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42 Property Search

Getting on the property ladder Help for first time buyers

Shared ownership could be the answer to buying your first home Getting on the property ladder is something most people aspire to. Whether you’re looking to put down roots locally or further afield. You may have just started saving or have a nice little ‘nest egg’. For many the goal of owning their own home is way out of reach. If this is the case, then shared ownership may be the right direction to help you onto the property ladder.

What is shared ownership?

Contrary to what the name may suggest, shared ownership doesn’t involve sharing with anyone. Shared ownership simply means that you part-buy a house and part-rent it, essentially buying a share of a property instead of the whole thing. The flexible thing about shared ownership is you can start off with buying 25% of a house and renting the other 75% at a tenancy cost, at a fraction of what you’d normally pay in rent for the home under a private landlord.

You can then get a smaller, more manageable mortgage, pay a deposit that’s only on the share you’re buying and save the extra to buy more shares in your property and work your way up the ladder without moving anywhere at all. The scheme allows you to avoid some of the bigger upfront costs that many

Featured Property

£950,000 Storrington

Tudor Lodge, Sandgate Lane. An attractive family home constructed circa 1938 occupying approximately 1/3rd of an acre, located just over a mile from Storrington village centre. The property is presented in first class order having been sympathetically extended with spacious reception hall, triple aspect sitting room, split-level dining room, feature kitchen/breakfast room with semi-vaulted ceiling, utility room, study and ground floor cloakroom, four bedrooms with en-suite facilities to bedrooms 1 and 2. Extensive parking leads to a detached garage with attractive gardens to all sides of the property.

Contact Fowlers: 01903 745844

struggle with when buying their first home and the heavy mortgages that banks are reluctant to lend and first time buyers are reluctant to take on.

How shared ownership can help you We all have our own reasons for wanting to buy a home, be it wanting to settle down and start a family, avoiding wasting money on renting alone or wanting to make a financial investment to take you from living with Mum and Dad to full blown independence.

Shared ownership is suited to first time buyers mainly due to the low deposits that could have you paying as little as 2.5% of the total value and the ability to apply for a smaller mortgage if you’ve not quite aced the credit score just yet. With a wide selection of homes available, from semi-detached houses to smaller apartments, Sussex has a great range of shared ownership properties so there’s no compromising when it comes to finding what you want. A fast track route onto the property ladder and an affordable way to buy your first home, shared ownership comes with a whole heap of benefits, taking you from home moaner to homeowner sooner than you may have considered. Find out more on: www.propertybooking.co.uk To view local properties for rent and for sale visit our portal at www.sussexlocal.net/property-search Currently featuring Storrington & Pulborough properties - more coming soon!

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44 Schools

Publish your Charity and Community news for free in this magazine Email us your local interest stories and we will publish them for free for you. Don’t worry about spelling and grammar just email the details and any accompanying photos to us at info@sussexlocal.net along with your contact details and we can get in touch if we need more information.

There is no charge to publish anything which is not-for-profit

info@sussexlocal.net

www.sussexlocal.net

Steyning Grammar School Jack 'The Lad' Hayes visits SGS to inspire students We had a wonderful visit from Jack “the Lad” Hayes (Heart FM) who spoke to Year 10 students about daring to dream big. He described his life growing up in South London in difficult circumstances and challenged students to think about how they treat each other in school. He gave examples of famous people who did not give up and who failed numerous times before they found success. He asked the students to think about what they want to do in life and to follow their passions and their dreams.

We massively enjoyed his visit; he was charming, honest, inspirational and funny.

SGS Digital Makers win trophies in the LEGO league Following 3 months of hard work, SGS digital makers club are celebrating, not one but two trophies in the regional finals of the first Lego league; a global competition aimed at developing teamwork, creativity and innovation. Our two teams came 1st in the robot design presentation, and scored the highest in the

robot competition where teams have two and a half minutes to complete as many challenging missions as possible.

They showed great application both in the run up, putting in lots of extra hours, and the competition itself, with exemplary self organisation, teamwork and fair play.

They are a credit to themselves, their families and our school.

Sociology trip to London The sociology department took year 12 and 13 students to London to experience the court system at Southwark Crown Court, as part of their studies in crime and deviance, followed by a seminar as part of the sociology in action series, with feminist speaker Germaine Greer.

At the court students were able to visit different cases and see how the judiciary system works, as part of studying policing and prevention in the module on crime.

Listening to Germaine Greer was not only an excellent opportunity for students to hear from experts in the field of sociology but also to ask questions, and listen to her answers from a range of sociology students from around the country. This visit has started to bring what students study in textbooks more into a real-life setting and context.

Luke Talbot Assistant Headteacher, www.sgs.uk.net

Competition

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Out of this world storytelling Half term outer space mission promise, they will come in peace!

But we hope they’ll have you roaring with laughter and delight in our daily magic show and boogieing to 'Spaceman' at the family disco! It’s set to Rock your World this half term!”

We have a family ticket available for ‘Out of this world storytelling’ at Fishers Farm Park. From Saturday 15th - Sunday 23rd February 2020, subject to availability. www.fishersfarmpark.co.uk “5, 4, 3, 2, 1…Get ready for “Blast Off” this February half term at Fishers Farm Park as we prepare for an outer space mission!

We’ll be zooming into the atmosphere and gliding through the solar system to experience some Out of This World themed storytelling in our Fishers Barn Theatre.

You’ll hear about aliens and rockets and planets galore as we travel through space with so much to explore.

Touch down at our space craft station to make your very own alien pal… we

Win a family ticket to ‘Out of this world storytelling’ To enter the competition answer the question below: Q: What can you make at the space craft station? a) Alien b) Rocket c) Planet Send your answer and contact details to: Fishers Farm Competition, PO Box 2237, Pulborough, RH20 9AH or enter online at www.sussexlocal.net/ features/competitions Winner drawn after 7th February 2020. Please indicate if you wish to remain on our mailing list.

46 Puzzles

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48 Motoring

Motoring News Citroen's C1 available with free insurance Citroën UK has announced one year’s free insurance on its popular C1 city car, for eligible retail customers from 19 years Citroen C1 urban ride special edition of age.

The offer is available across the most popular trim levels in the C1 range, including the ‘Urban Ride’ special edition and the ‘Origins’ collector’s edition. The current generation Citroën C1 has sold more than 70,000 units in the UK since it launched in 2014.

Nissan Leaf named ‘Car of the Year’ in 2019 Stuff Gadget Awards The Stuff Gadget Awards recognise excellence across 20 different product categories. Judges were impressed by the extended 239-mile range Inside Nissan Leaf and increased 217PS of power in the new-for-2019 Leaf e+. One of the most

accessible, and readily available, electric vehicles on the market.

Win £1000 towards a new car - British Motor Show Test drives, live action, the biggest variety of cars under one roof and the chance to win £1,000 towards your next set of wheels, are just some of the draws of the newly relaunched British Motor Show. The showreturns as an international event in 2020, at the Farnborough International exhibition centre in Hampshire from August 20th to 23rd. Tickets are £18.50 for adults or £37 for families.

Parents spend four days every year getting children into the car According to new research from Seat, just having to manoeuvre children into the car twice a day, means that parents can Seat Tarraco look forward to spending four days of 2020 getting their children out of the house and into the car. Rob Fryer, Head of Product at Seat UK, said: “We’ve included a raft of family-friendly elements to our Tarraco that means that we can make this a little bit easier. The hands-free boot opening makes access easy, while the seven seats can be configured quickly at the push of a button. And with Apple CarPlay also available, it’s easy to keep the tots amused once in the vehicle.”

Pets 49

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Paws for thought

The importance of good dental hygiene in pets

There is no doubt that dental disease is a widespread problem in the pets that we see in practice. It Dr Julian Hoad is one of the top three disorders according to a study by VetCompass.

As with most things, being aware of a problem or the potential for a problem is the first step to resolving it.

For many pet owners their pet’s mouth is usually something that they do not look in and a dental problem may not become obvious until there are other clear signs present such as bad breath, the pet eating less or dropping food. Things to think about: Toothbrushing isn’t just for humans Bad breath doesn’t have to be a problem for our pets.

It is something that we can help to prevent and often successfully improve. However, the thought of trying to brush the wriggly puppy’s teeth or the not very impressed cat’s teeth is daunting and therefore often avoided. Yet we know that brushing pets’ teeth can be one of the most effective ways of preventing dental disease and it is also beneficial in getting the pet used to a regular oral examination.

Diet The other aspect, and one of particular importance for rabbits, is diet. Getting the diet right can also help with dental disease and, just as importantly, will aid

in reducing obesity which is one of the major welfare concerns in vets’ practices.

Check-ups and treatment Prevention is not feasible for all owners and even when owners do all the right things, dental disease can still occur which is why it is vital that pets get regular dental check-ups.

Potentially painful dental disease can only be treated if it is spotted early. It is often an unseen problem for owners - an unseen problem that could be causing significant discomfort and other potential problems.

An essential part of identification and treatment of dental disease is the use of x-rays to help spot any problems that could otherwise go undetected. Using this technology your pet gets a thorough dental examination and it avoids the pet leaving the vets with a potentially painful ‘hidden’ issue. At Crossways we have the latest dental x-ray technology available to ensure nothing goes undetected. I would encourage all pet owners to see the benefits prevention, correct diet, regular dental check-ups and prompt treatment can make to the health and welfare of pets.

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

50 Storrington Air Quality

Storrington Pollution More of your letters This letter was sent to the leaders of Horsham District Council and Storrington Parish Council, copied to us for publication.

Dear Sirs and Madam Thank you for your responses in the January edition of the Sussex Local. I note with interest the summary of HDC’s proposed interventions to improve Storrington’s air quality which highlight the two measures taken to-date to address the issue (prohibiting lorries from turning from Manleys Hill into School Hill and peak time loading / unloading restrictions). HDC’s 2019 Air Quality Status Report assesses that these measures will collectively reduce emissions by 2%.

Over the period when the AQMA has been in place, HDC has approved hundreds of additional homes in Storrington and nearby villages, such as Thakeham.

I have done a quick survey of air quality assessments produced for major housing and industrial planning applications (e.g. the 112 house development on the Paula Rosa site). These assessments only consider the individual impact of the proposed development.

They also use modelling which does not take account of traffic congestion effects. It should also consider the non-linear impact of additional vehicles: as traffic density builds, congestion effects increase, resulting in higher emission rates per car.

Also note that these assessments only look at Annual Mean NO2 levels. There is also a statutory obligation not to exceed a 1-hour mean of 200µg/m3 NO2 more than 18 times a year, but this is not examined – perhaps deliberately.

By approving applications on this basis, the HDC Planning Committee appears to be repeatedly ignoring advice given by the HDC’s Public Health and Licensing Department, which in its February 2012 report stated: "Dispersion modelling of air quality data for Storrington indicates that, in order to comply with the air quality objective, the emission of oxides of nitrogen at the worst receptor location needs to be reduced by approximately 30% [based on older data - the figure is now 50%]. This is a very challenging task and will be difficult to achieve. In view of this, all new development in Storrington and surrounding areas needs to be carefully assessed in terms of traffic generation and air quality impact. This must include the cumulative impact of all planned developments, including those whose individual impact may have been calculated as ‘negligible’."

Operating in this fashion means that the Planning Committee is going against the UK Supreme Court’s 2012 0179 judgement against the UK Government, which found that “The UK is in breach of its obligation to comply with the Nitrogen Dioxide limits provided for in Article 13 of Directive 2008/50/EC”.

By ignoring both this ruling, and your own experts advice, the Planning Committee appears to be acting both unlawfully and negligently.

This may also place councillors and officials in breach of HDC’s code of conduct.

More importantly, it demonstrates that HDC is not fulfilling its duty of care to the residents of Storrington.

I would therefore recommend that HDC considers the long-term net impact of its actions. For example, HDC could keep a running total of the estimated additional impact of developments that have either been approved, or are going through the planning approvals process, where an air quality assessment for the Storrington AQMA has been made. This can be compared with the estimated impact of pollution control measures. Note that the net figure would be an underestimate as the modelling takes no account of cumulative congestion effects, or the impact of small scale developments, though the latter could be extrapolated.

To help initiate this work, I would like to make it a formal Freedom of Information Act request, covering approvals and ongoing applications since February 2012 (when the report quoted above was published).

To save time, perhaps only look at the estimates for air quality receptors which consistently have the highest readings.

In the interim, my ‘guestimate’ is that the Planning Committee is creating significantly more harm than the HDC AQMA Steering Group can put right. This disjointed and unlawful approach cannot continue.

Finally, I would ask that the Planning Committee (South) take on board your own HDC experts’ advice, and HDC’s statutory obligations under the Air Quality Directive, by refusing planning applications containing Storrington AQMA air quality assessments which don’t: • look at the cumulative air quality impact of their plans in combination with other planned developments (e.g. through modelling sensitivity analysis); • incorporate the, all too real, Storrington congestion effects into their air quality modelling; • model pollution / congestion peaks, not just annual averages.

Yours sincerely, Philip Jones, FORS Dear Editor It is clear that very little has been done in practice to reduce air pollution in Storrington since the Air Quality Management Area was introduced nearly ten years ago (see Sussex Local Oct 2019 and Jan 2020). The fundamental problem has always been the increasing

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through the door volume of vehicle traffic including HGVs through Storrington. That problem is about to get worse.

When the Minerals Local Plan for this area was adopted in 2018 it called for a review of the need for and available supply of soft sand (building sand rather than sand for concrete). The resulting review was published at the beginning of January. It identifies three sites for the extraction of soft sand which it deems acceptable in principle subject to a planning application. Two of these sites should be of concern to anyone living in Storrington: the first is an extension of the (disused) quarry off Chantry Lane, which is inside the South Downs National Park, the other is a new site at Ham Farm near Steyning.

The so-called Soft Sands Review states that one of the advantages of extending an existing site is that the infrastructure for example with regard to access is already in place. In the case of the Chantry Lane site this is manifestly not the case. Chantry Lane is far too narrow - it is single lane in places - and the turning onto the A283 is already a traffic hazard. Apparently the intention is to build a new access road joining Sullington Lane and coming out onto the A283 opposite Water Lane. This would add to the existing traffic flow problems along the A283, not to mention the impact on the A24/A283 Washington roundabout, which will be compounded if the Ham Farm site comes on stream at the same time.

As regards air pollution the Review states that the

Storrington Air Quality 52 developer for both sites will be required to sign an HGV routing agreement to ensure HGVs avoid the centre of Storrington and that this will include robust monitoring. We all know from experience with the Storrington AQMA that monitoring by local authorities is invariably lax because they do not have the necessary resources. The Review adds that if the traffic to and from the Chantry Lane site could have a negative impact on the AQMA in Storrington High Street an Air Quality Assessment will have to be carried out without indicating how or whether a negative impact could be avoided. This is hardly reassuring.

The proposals in the Soft Sands Review are the subject of a public consultation by WSCC which runs till 2 nd March so there is still time for your readers to register their opposition. It is to be hoped that the Storrington and Sullington Parish Council will do the same. Martin Vasey Dear Editor Following your report regarding the pollution around School Hill, I was interested to read the response from Mr.Rankin at Horsham District Council and his suggestion that the restriction on HGV movements on School Hill was expected to make a difference albeit small, to pollution levels.

A total of at least ten road signs have been erected on School Hill / Fryern Road / Thakeham Road / Washington Road and High Street, making it quite clear that there is a 7.5 ton weight limit on School Hill between the entrance to the car park and the mini roundabout but as someone who walks up and down School Hill everyday, I have to say that the signage is being totally ignored as I am continually passed by vehicles well in excess of the weight limit.

The signs would have cost several thousand pounds to supply and erect but we have the usual mindset of the council that having put the measures in place job done. However, there is no enforcement in place, which renders the measures pointless and having spent so much of our money on installing the multitude of signs, the Council should consider backing this up by spending a little more on installing Number Plate Recognition cameras at the bottom of School Hill. Drivers who continued to ignore the signs would then be fined and this would finance the cost .

Surely, that would be better than ineffective and expensive signs that have no effect whatsoever on the levels of pollution in that area. W.Norris.

53 Storrington Air Quality Dear Editor I have just read the article in our Sussex Local concerning the ongoing air pollution problem in our village. My wife and I have lived in Storrington for more than 17 years, we have seen the surrounding villages and Horsham District grow considerably with new housing developments and with these come the inevitable increase in people and cars/vans/lorries etc. It seems to me that we have made very little inroads into improving the air quality in our village.

The whole system is a shambles, with the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing, like climate change we will not be happy until it is too late, why are we still allowing this to happen, we know the air is polluted which will effect our children and their children, we have to stop the main pollutants who I assume are the lorries and other diesels that are not Euro 6 compliance. Stan East Dear Sussex Local If your article on the review of Storrington air quality is correct, then I think this is an outrageous situation.

Ignoring the fact that little has actually been done to address the issue, the fact that a steering group was set up to drive this forward and yet they only meet on an ad-hoc basis and do not record their meetings is unacceptable. Clearly there is no accountability whatso-ever and HDC should be chasing this through to ensure an audit trail exists and actions are taken; however, judging by your findings HDC are complicit

in the inaction and seem to be discouraging any experimentation that is suggested.

The concept of 'doing nothing' as NO2 levels will decrease as cars become more efficient has a considerable timeline as it relies on people replacing their vehicles for newer, more efficient ones, and secondly, takes no account of the ever increasing traffic volume.

I think that it is time to form a Steering Group (whatever it is actually labelled does not matter) comprising people who are actually willing to do some steering, and for them to record and publish their work, as would be expected in any responsible organisation. I hope that the 'Champion for Air Quality' gets well supported and is able to actually do something about the pollution related issues in Storrington. Dr Mark Jones Editor’s note. Many thanks to everyone who has written in. Parish Council and Air Quality Steering Group Chair (AQSG) Mrs Worthington-Lees writes on Page 59 that there are now a “couple of alternatives” which will be reviewed again. Are these the two issues we highlighted last month? Why can we not be told what they are?

We also understand that the AQSG may now take “notes” of their meetings. This still falls short of publishing a list of members; terms of reference; a schedule of meeting dates; and proper minutes. Clearly this group, which has produced 2 actions in 10 years resulting in a massive 2% reduction in emissions, is still fighting tooth and nail to remain in the shadows. info@sussexlocal.net

54 Storrington Air Quality

“Switch Off” logo design Storrington Primary competition

We had a wonderful response to our logo design competition. Storrington Primary pupils really engaged with this important topic and produced some superb designs. The winning entry from Martha C in Year 4 is on our cover and the runners up are shown here.

Thank you to The Capitol Horsham who provided a three month pass to their “family film fun” cinema screenings for the winner. Sussex Local is paying for a banner - including Martha’s winning design - to be installed outside the school in the near future.

Ava S - Year 5

Apolonia - Year 1

Jack - Year 6

Zoe C - Year 4

Tilly F - Year 1

Ava H - Year 6

Storrington Air Quality

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Max M - Year 6

Neve A - Year 3

Taylor B - Year 5

Isla - Year 5

Amy C - Year 3

55

Finance 56

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Facing Retirement Life after work

By Ivan Lyons, MD Investment Solutions, Worthing Stop Investing Some think reaching retirement age means they don’t have anything to plan for the future with their money.

Financial advice can only help Financial advice is not just about money. It is about planning for your life and that of your family. Also, it is not as costly as many think and can be accessed both online and in person. An expert guide can help make sure your finances are on track and help you enjoy your retirement stress free.

In 2019, there were more than 11.9m people aged 65 and over in the UK, which means many of them have reached retirement. As estimates say there will be another London-sized population aged 65 and over in 50 years, we look at the main preconceptions and realities about starting a new life after work.

Running out of money One common idea about retirement is that it will be financially unviable A ‘Life-Shocking’ Event Finishing working can be scary for many.

Reaching 65 (or more) means we will stop working and earning a salary. This could affect our sense of purpose in life.

Wasting Money Pension freedoms allow many people to access their pensions by 55, possibly spending capital.

Investment Solutions, Grafton House, 26 Grafton Road, Worthing, BN11 1QT. Telephone: 01903 214640 email Ivan at: ilyons@graftonhouse.net or visit our website www.investment-solutions.co.uk for more information. ‘Investment Solutions’ is the trading name of Investment Solutions Wealth Management Ltd who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

57 Community

Storrington & Sullington Neighbourhood Wardens Now that the ‘Our Village’ project is in full flow, we would like to thank all the local businesses that are participating in the scheme. This is a scheme that protects the vulnerable should they feel the need for assistance in our village. We have had an extremely positive response from our residents and we have extended the scheme with other businesses keen to join. Look out for our sticker in participating shop windows.

We are currently in discussions with Gordon Hay, the Manager of Impulse Leisure Centre, and our Parish Council to arrange sporting activities in the school half term and end of term holidays throughout the school year. These activities will be available for all ages. There is also an exciting new initiative of a boxing club for youngsters (details to be confirmed).

‘Dad La Soul’ is an exciting and innovative scheme that supports single fathers. The scheme utilises

the arts, music, technology and play to allow single fathers to interact with their children and to socialise with those in a similar position. They will be meeting at the Impulse Leisure Centre on Saturday 29th February from 11:00 -13:00 and we will be there to offer our support with a view to making this initiative a regular event in Storrington. www.totrockinbeats.com/dad-la-soul Do you wish to become part of a team of Storrington’s most skilled and caring crafts people? We are in the early stages of creating an initiative that will require your skills. Fans of the BBC TV show ‘The Repair Shop’ will understand the concept. The idea is to rescue and resurrect items that owners thought were beyond saving. Please let us know if you wish to become part of this initiative with your skill-set so we can collate an ‘experts’ list.

We are extending our meet and greet surgeries to two a month to be held at the Library in Storrington.

If you have any concerns or would like to ask any questions, (within reason!) we will endeavour to answer. The February dates are Tuesday 11th and Tuesday 25th February, 11:00pm – 12:00pm.

Warden contact details Chris Poore: 07795 046743 Steve Christian: 07789 943201 storrington-sullingtonwardens@horsham.gov.uk

58 Parish Council News

Ashington Parish Council

Neighbourhood Plan update

February 2020 will see the publication of Horsham District Councils (HDC) local plan review which is a full review of their strategy for delivering new homes.

Members of the Parish Council attended a presentation by HDC and understand that some key principles of the current HDC framework will likely remain ie settlement hierarchy (town, village, hamlet), building in or adjacent to Built-Up-Area-Boundary etc but it seems probable that there will be new policies, possibly including the building of brand-new settlements.

The facts are: HDC still need to find land for 9,00016,000 homes to 2036; they are assessing 500 sites across the District, including Ashington; they are considering 8 strategic sites (>1000 homes) – 4 are ‘add-ons’ to existing settlements (Ifield, Southwater, Billingshurst), 4 are essentially new settlements (Kingsfold, Adversane, Buck Barn and Mayfield); it seems likely that they will choose some new and some add-on strategic sites and the remaining balance of homes will come from ‘smaller’ (<1000 homes) sites spread across the District; they are fully aware of neighbourhood plans and are taking these into consideration but, going forward, they want to deliver homes through their own allocations process so that they can be sure that the minimum

numbers required by Government are being delivered at the right times. Failure to achieve the right numbers means all potential sites could come forward for development.

Ashington’s Neighbourhood Plan is at an advanced stage and HDC have asked that it continue to make progress towards completion. Some archaeological information is still needed, and this is being chased as a matter of urgency. Once the HDC local plan review is published a meeting will take place between HDC and every Parish in the District to look at housing numbers, site allocations, Neighbourhood Plans and the future.

Email: clerk@ashingtonpc.org.uk Tel: 07851 009655 www.ashingtonpc.org.uk

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Storrington & Sullington Sullington Recreation Ground â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Outdoor Gym I am pleased to announce that the tender process to design and install an outdoor gym facility at Sullington Recreation Ground will shortly be underway. The brief is to create an innovative and exciting facility that can be used by a wide range of ages from young adults to older people who want to improve their health and fitness.

Public Toilet - As reported last month, the matter of the public toilet has been suspended whilst we try to ascertain whether these will be available as part of the plans to reopen the garage on Old Mill Drive along with a new convenience store. If it turns out that these facilities are not available to the public then we will press on with the plans to install a toilet in the Library car park but I hope that we can clarify this during the next few weeks.

Community events - I am pleased to report that the Storrington Village Day and SADCASE Classic Car Show will be held again this year and we look forward to working with the organisers to ensure that these continue to be successful.

Visitor Information Board - Horsham District Council is carrying out a project to install digital information boards for visitors in rural towns and villages and the first one for Storrington is due to go live this month on Place Villerest. These boards will provide infor-

ParishCouncil News 59 mation about what is available, where to shop, what to see and do in the parish as well as details of any community events that might be occurring. We look forward to seeing the facility being used by visitors and locals alike.

Air Quality - We have written to West Sussex County Council to ask what they intend to do regarding their use of high polluting school buses and have arranged a meeting with the relevant Cabinet Member so hopefully, I will be able to report on this next month. We are reviewing the actions that have been undertaken by the Air Quality Management Steering Group. There are a couple of alternatives that were previously rejected for what at the time were good reasons but may warrant a fresh look now.

Climate Action - We now have all the data we need to calculate our carbon footprint as a Parish Council and will be reporting on this at the next Infrastructure, Communications and Environment Committee meeting and discussing ways we can reduce it. In the meantime, the contract to supply electricity to the Memorial Pond (for the two pumps that clean the pond) came up for renewal in January. The Parish Council used the opportunity to switch to a renewable energy supplier, saving 1.8 tonnes of CO2 each year.

Next Parish Council meeting is on 26th February at 7pm. Text by Anna Worthing-Lees, Parish Council Chairman. For more information on SPC please contact www.storrington-pc.gov.uk 01903 746547.

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