February 2019
SUSSEX LOCAL
Midhurst - Petworth - Easebourne - Duncton - Heyshott
Local news and events through the door to 4,750 homes in this area every month
AMBER FOUNDATION
Transforming young lives
WHAT’S ON February Events
WIN TICKETS!
Wine Tasting ‘Call My Bluff’ at Chichester Festival Theatre
GARDENS
Colour
NEWS
Community, School Council, Charity
HEALTH Back Pain
PLUS
Events, Local Walks, Recipe, Prize Crossword, Charity, Young Readers’ Puzzles, Local News, Gardening, Business Directory
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February 2019 Cover image Early flowering purple Croci
Welcome... It’s February, the month of Valentine’s Day... We are sharing some love with the chance to win a lovely three-course lunch for two with a glass of wine plus fizz on arrival. The ’Showcase Lunch’ takes place at Chichester Festival Theatre. See page 11 for more details or enter via our website. Our charity profile feature this month is on the Amber Foundation (page 26). Providing accommodation and training for homeless and unemployed young people, the charity gives the opportunity of a fresh start to disadvantaged individuals aged 18 to 30. Andrew Staib has some ideas to help brighten up your garden (page 23) plus the main gardening tasks for the month. Our Health article on page 15 looks at lower back pain, the causes and what you can do to help yourself if you suffer. In this month’s property feature (page 29) Chartered Surveyor Chris Ennis discusses the “Horror” words no one ever wants to see on a property survey - Settlement, Subsidence and Damp... Local historian David Johnston tells of St Anne’s Hill Castle, Midhurst and its chapel which survived until late in the 14th century. See page 30. As usual we have event listings for the month starting on page 4 and our regular local Charity & Community news from page 20. Please get in touch with anything you’d like published and add any event details directly to our website.
Kris & Jeff
Quote of the month “There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved.” - GEORGE SAND 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.
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.........................................................................What’s On ........Win 3-course lunch at Chichester Festival Theatre .................................................................Prize Crossword ................................................................................Recipe ...........................................................Health & Wellbeing ............................................Young Readers’ Puzzle Page .......................................................................Local Walks ........................................................Charity & Community ....................................................................In Your Garden .....................Charity Profile feature - Amber Foundation .................................................................Property Doctor .......................................Local History by David Johnston ...........................................................Local Schools news .............................................................Business Directory ...........................................................Index of Advertisers
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Established in 2007, we publish and hand-deliver seven editions free of charge to over 42,000 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.
Seven editions across West Sussex Arundel - Arundel, Amberley, Burpham, Climping, Fontwell, Ford, Slindon, Walberton & Yapton Total addresses - 6,400 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 - 4,750 rising to 7,600 from April 2019 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 - 6,400
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Competition
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Win a pair of tickets to Caper & Berry Showcase Lunch Wednesday 20th March Win two tickets and two glasses of fizz on arrival to a fun and informative lunch from Chichester Festival Theatre’s caterers Caper & Berry. Enjoy three-courses, each presented by the outstanding team of chefs. You will dine on some of Caper & Berry’s signature dishes from 2018 events including Her Majesty The Queen’s Royal Visit, The BAFTA Awards and the ITV Palooza. This event is part of a mini season of lovely lunches, entertaining evenings and gin-tastic get-togethers created by CFT caterers, Caper & Berry. Tickets normally £34.95 each, and includes a three-course lunch with 175ml glass of house wine and coffee. Visit cft.org.uk/taste for more details.
Win tickets to Showcase Lunch To enter the competition answer the question below: Q: Caper & Berry are presenting some of their signature dishes from which year? a 2016 b) 2017 c) 2018 Send your answer and contact details to: Caper & Berry Competition, PO Box 2237, Pulborough, RH20 9AH or enter online at www.sussexlocal.net/ features/competitions Winner drawn after 28th February 2019. Please indicate if you wish to remain on our mailing list.
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12 Crossword
Prize Crossword
Win a £10 Marks & Spencer voucher
Midhurst/Petworth February 2019 Finish the crossword and fill out the box below with the letters from the shaded squares. Work out the anagram
Do you want to sponsor this Crossword? Only £25 per month + prize Contact 01903 868 474
info@sussexlocal.net
Across 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 16 19 20 21 22
2nd smallest continent (6) Microphone inventor (6) Probability (4) Fragile (8) Join (5) Couple (7) Long established (3-4) Mature (5) Yes (3,5) Profane expression (4) Reduce (6) Vestige (6)
Down 1 2 3 4 5 6 13 15 17 18
Painful abdominal complaint (8,5) Maiden Castle county (6) Is inclined (5) Colours developing in Autumn (7) Performing animal show (6) Reflection (13) Conceive (7) Shove (6) Gadget (6) Hiding place (5)
Name: ............................................................................................................... Full address: .................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................................... Postcode:.......................................................................................................... Email:................................................................................................................ Phone: .............................................................................................................. Mobile: ............................................................................................................. Answer from yellow box: .................................................................................
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: 28th Feb 2019.
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14 Recipe
Celebration Steak With red wine sauce Ingredients - serves 4
350-450g piece beef fillet (in one piece)
25g butter
2 shallots, finely chopped
2-3 sprigs thyme
1tsp Dijon mustard
150ml red wine
150ml good beef stock
Salt and black pepper
Method 1) Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas Mark 6. Wipe the piece of beef dry. Heat half the butter in a small frying pan and sauté the meat on all sides until sealed.
SUSSEX LOCAL 2) Wrap in foil tightly and place in a small roasting tin in the oven. 3) To the frying pan add the rest of the butter and the chopped shallots. Sauté until softened but not browned. Add the thyme, mustard, stock and red wine and simmer gently until reduced to taste. Adjust the seasoning. 4) Remove the steak from the oven and carve into four thick slices, adding any juices to the sauce. Serve immediately with fresh vegetables or a green salad and the sauce (sieved if you wish). Cookery Courses for all Why not give a Voucher for the perfect gift? Contact Alex 01243 532240 www.cookwithalex.co.uk
Health & Wellbeing
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Is Your Back Pain Really In Your Back? By Heather Smith, Personal Trainer Lower back pain is one of the most common physical complaints. Sometimes it just starts aching, other times it seems you injure yourself and are left dealing with the aftermath for much longer than you would like. In an overwhelming majority of cases, low back pain is caused by some variation of poor posture and the solution lies in locating and correcting the problem area; which, surprisingly, is not usually your actual back. Of course, there are exceptions to this, and pain should really be assessed by someone who knows what they’re talking about. Then you can be confident you’re taking the right course of action. Although back pain often feels like stiffness, your lower back is supposed to be a pretty stable area. Excess movement is often a trigger for pain. Your lower back can start to move too much to compensate for a
lack of movement elsewhere in your body; most often in the thoracic spine (your upper back) or the hips. Stand side-on next to a mirror and try lifting your arms in front of your body. Watch your lower back and see how high you can lift your arms before your lower back has to start moving. This is your lower back compensating for a lack of mobility in your upper back. Staying side-on to the mirror, try standing on one leg and extending your other leg out behind yourself with your knee straight. Again, watch your lower back and see how far you can take your leg behind your body before your lower back starts to move. This is your lower back compensating for lack of mobility in your hips, and it may be different on both sides. Mobility exercises which will help release tightness in the thoracic spine and hips are pretty easy to find online, otherwise please get in touch with me and I will happily talk through some with you. It’s worth building some mobility exercises into your daily routine for a few weeks, you may be surprised at the improvements you can make with just a few minutes a day. Heather Smith is a fat loss specialist Personal Trainer. www.fitbiztraining.co.uk
16 Puzzles
SUSSEX LOCAL Answers on www.sussexlocal.net after 1st February
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Local Walks - February These walks are supported by Chichester District Council, are led by volunteers and are designed to cater for all ages and abilities. No booking is required but please arrive 10 mins before the walk is due to start. Dogs are welcome unless otherwise stated but must be kept on the lead. Timings are for guidelines only. If the weather is poor the walk may be cancelled, if unsure check, contact 01243 534589 health@chichester.gov.uk www.chichesterwellbeing.org.uk L = Walk Leader Fri 1st
10:30 am Wey Arun Canal (Loxwood) L: Richard Meet in Canal visitor centre car park in Loxwood
1 hr 30 mins
3.5 miles
Mon 4th
10.30 am Tillington L: Gerald Come along and enjoy the picturesque and peaceful countryside via vineyards & then to Pitshill House
1 hr 30 mins
3 miles
Mon 4th
10:30 am Emsworth to Prinsted Meet in Emsworth town square, PO10 7AW
L: Anne
1 hr 30 mins
3 miles
Mon 4th
10:30 am Chichester Canal Meet in Chichester Canal, PO19 8DT
L: Helen
30 mins
1 mile
Fri 8th
10:30 am Kirdford L: Richard Through farmland and fields, returning past a fish farm and woodland. Meet in front of the Half Moon pub in Kirdford
1 hr 30 mins
3.5 miles
Tue 12th
10:30 am Petworth Park L: Gerald Fallow deer, views and ancient trees make for a compelling walk. Meet in Petworth Park, London Road, North Car Park
2 hrs
4 miles
Wed 13th
10:30 am Queen Elizabeth Country Park Meet in Buriton, Kiln Lane, Halls Hill Car Park
2 hrs 30 mins
4.2 miles
Thurs 14th
10:30 am Burpham & Wepham L: Jane Meet in the public car park behind the George at Burpham, BN18 9RR
2 hrs
5 miles
Fri 15th
10:30 am Stoughton Slow, gradual, peaceful ascent through beech woods. Meet in Forestry Commission car park
2 hrs
2 miles
Sun 17th
10:30 am Burpham L: Dominic Meet in the public car park behind the George at Burpham, BN18 9RR
2 hrs
4 miles
Mon 18th
10:30 am Chichester Canal Meet in Chichester Canal, PO19 8DT
30 mins
1 miles
Tue 19th
10:30am Wisborough Green L: Richard Walk to the unrestored section of the Wey Arun canal, which we follow to an old lock and water wheel. Meet on North side of the green near the cricket pavilion
2 hrs
4 miles
Sat 23rd
10:30 am Slindon Woods L: Dominic Meet in National Trust car park, Dukes Road, Slindon
2 hrs
3.5 miles
Mon 25th
10:30am Emsworth to Westbourne L: Anne Through meadows to Emsworth and back. Meet in Emsworth Town Square
1 hr 30 mins
3 miles
Thurs 28th
10:30am Parham Park & Wigginholt L: Jane Meet in RSPB car park (free) at Pulborough Brooks
2 hrs 30 mins
5 miles
Thurs 28th
10:30am Chapel Common L: Andy Walk on heathland tracks, including part of the Serpents Trail. Meet Chapel Common Parking area
1 hr 30 mins
2 miles
L: Bruce
L: Andrew
L: Helen
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20 Charity & Community
Sussex Snippets The Youth Emotional Support (YES) team has received national recognition for the work it does to support young people in West Sussex with a range of mental health and wellbeing needs. YES were finalists in this year’s Children and Young People Now awards. The service was runner-up in the Mental Health and Wellbeing category. YES is a free service for 11-18 year olds, supporting young people with a range of things, including anxiousness, mood, relationship issues, self-injury and unhelpful thoughts. YES received approximately 2,500 referrals last year and provides one-to-one and group support, with a community-based, young person-centred approach. Visit www.westsussex.gov.uk Victim Support (VS) is an independent charity dedicated to supporting victims of crime and traumatic incidents in England and Wales. Their purpose is to provide specialist help to support people to cope and recover to the point where they feel they are back on track with their lives. Their volunteers provide emotional and practical support to people affected by crime. They always need new volunteers to join their Sussex teams so please get in touch – email SussexVolunteering@victimsupport.org.uk or visit www.victimsupport.org.uk
SUSSEX LOCAL Are you or is someone you know interested in training to be a teacher? There are 284 schools in West Sussex looking for teachers. Whether you want to teach, become a school bursar, a governor, a governing body clerk or apprentice, there is something for everyone. There are two recruitment fairs that will give you the chance to find out what our schools can do for you. One on Saturday 2 February, 10.00am-2.00pm at Fontwell Park Racecourse, BN18 0SY. Another on Saturday 9 February, 10.00am-2.00pm at Ifield Community College, Crawley, RH11 0DB. For more details visit www.westsussex.gov.uk Would you like one of the Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex volunteer speakers to visit you? If you are a member of a local group, club or society, then you can book a talk with them - free of charge. The volunteer will talk about how they work, innovate and save lives. It promises to be an interesting and inspiring meeting for your members, whilst enabling them to raise vital awareness of the charity. Get in touch now to book a talk at a time and place that suits you. Please note the presentation is only suitable for audience members over the age of 16. Get in touch via 01634 471 900 and talks@aakss.org.uk It can be difficult to get all the information and advice needed to support you in your day to day activities. That’s why West Sussex Council have created West Sussex Connect to Support – a website that brings together a wealth of information and resources that you can access with just a few clicks. You can get information and advice, find things to do locally, buy products and services, and find out about social care support. Visit www.westsussexconnecttosupport.org Neighbours everywhere are invited to join The Big Lunch on the weekend of the 1st and 2nd of June, when millions of people living locally come together to share food, have fun and get to know each other better. It’s a glorious moment of fun in the year that anyone, everywhere can share. Research in 2018 found that 4.5million people who went to a Big Lunch made new friends. Over 5 million people believe The Big Lunch creates stronger communities. The Big Lunch is an idea from the Eden Project made possible by the National Lottery. www.thebiglunch.com Choosing care for yourself, or supporting a family member to do so, is an important decision to take. The good news is that there is advice and support available to help you with this important financial decision. Carewise offers advice and guidance, so that you choose the most cost-effective way of paying for your care. It has an approved panel of care fees specialists who are all qualified independent financial advisers. Your first consultation with a care fees specialist is free. Arrange your free consultation with a new ‘request a call back’ service. Visit www.carewiseadvice.com where you will find a list of all the care fees specialists, choose the adviser you would like to talk to, and request a call back from them. You will be contacted within one working day.
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Wey & Arun Canal Trust Volunteers Needed Everyone can make a difference. That’s the message from the Wey & Arun Canal Trust as it launches an appeal for volunteers in 2019. The Trust is holding a number of taster days for those interested in joining its working parties, giving the chance to try out some of the jobs volunteers tackle and see some of the restoration teams in action. “The Wey & Arun Canal Trust volunteers are achieving amazing things every week, working towards our aim of restoring the waterway that runs from Shalford in Surrey to Pallingham in West Sussex,” said Trust chairman Sally Schupke. “The Trust is run almost entirely by volunteers; they aren’t all experienced builders or forestry workers, just ordinary members of the public who are proving the extraordinary can be achieved with the right training, tools and motivation.” Sally Schupke highlighted the many benefits of volunteering with the Trust. She said: “You’ll get a warm welcome from the friendly men and women who volunteer with us, people who come from all walks of life. You’ll also learn new skills, guided by our experienced team, and we’ll ensure you get all the equipment and training you need.”
“On top of this is the knowledge that you are leaving a legacy for years to come as more of the canal is restored for the enjoyment of all. So far 22 bridges and two aqueducts have been reconstructed, eleven locks restored and a new one built, several culverts rebuilt and many miles of canal bed cleared and dredged. None of this could have been achieved without volunteers.” “We encourage everyone to come and join us for a cuppa at our taster days and find out how you can be part of the success story.” The taster days are being held from 11am to 1pm on Wednesday 20 February and Thursday 14 March at the recently restored section at Dunsold/Alfold. For full details see www.weyandarun.co.uk or email events@weyandarun.co.uk.
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Bungee jump for dog charity A wheelchair user is set to take on the world’s highest commercial bungee jump in South Africa to raise vital funds for the assistance dog charity that transformed her life. Jackie Kennedy will be jumping 709 feet from Bloukrans Bridge in Tsisikamma, South Africa, on Tuesday 5 February despite having a serious neurological condition. “I have decided to take part in this challenge to thank Canine Partners for partnering me with the most amazing dog in the world, my precious boy canine partner Kingston, as my life has been totally transformed in ways I could never imagine,” says 53-yearold Jackie. “Thanks to this awesome charity and my utterly amazing canine partner, I now have a life where I am living it to the fullest and not merely existing as I was previously.” Jackie was diagnosed with Cauda Equine Syndrome and spinal stenosis in 2007 and although she underwent two emergency operations, she was left with severe weakness in the lower half of her body and has to use a wheelchair full time. “Kingston helps me
SUSSEX LOCAL to get undressed, he accompanies me to the shower where he will take off my clothes and put them into the washing machine and then pass me my towel when I need it,” says Jackie. Canine Partners is a national charity that trains amazing assistance dogs to transform the lives of people with disabilities, boosting their confidence and independence. Jackie is aiming to raise £10,000 to sponsor an amazing puppy. To sponsor Jackie please visit justgiving.com/fundraising/jackieandkingston or text JAXX93 and either £3, £5 or £10 to 70070. Please visit caninepartners.org.uk to find out more information about Canine Partners or to take on a challenge yourself.
Gardening
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In Your Garden Monthly gardening ideas and tasks by Andrew Staib, Principal Designer of Glorious Gardens February can be a joyless month in the garden. Andrew takes a look at some interesting plants to “light up” your garden in the winter February is a tricky month. Sometimes clear days have us running out to turn over the soil and dig in some compost, other days have us sheltering indoors looking out of a rainy window. If you are one of those gardeners who don’t start visiting their local nursery until Spring and then buying the flowering plants you see, you will miss out on the January and February performers. We can embolden our gardens with very interesting planting at this time of year. A visit to your local gardening centre will show the planting shelves quite bare but the plants they will have will add an extra dimension to your garden.
Plants for February Shape Obviously evergreens have a prominent place in February. Hedges of Yew, Box and Lonicera can subdivide your space allowing for the creation of interesting rooms. Architectural beauties like Phormiums, Yukka gloriosa, Chinese Cabbage Palm and Corokia can come into their own especially laced with frost smitten spider webs. The twisted Hazel, Corylus avellana ‘Contorta Red Magic’ can give endless interest as well as too the conifers like Minus Mungo and the monkey puzzle tree, Araucaria. Leaves, Stems & Berries When the wide and quite boring leaves of Cornus ‘Midwinter Fire’ give way in Autumn the amazing stems of the Cornus enliven a garden. ‘Midwinter Fire’ starts orange at the base and then finishes with a blazing red at the end of the stems. When this is planted en masse it becomes a memory of fire in the centre of February’s cold. Skimmia japonica has bright red berries at this time of year as well as a fresh green and compact leaves. Photinia Red Robin, which can now be purchased in dwarf and variegated forms, begins to set its new shoots in late February and if you want to light up a dark corner try Choisya ‘Sundance’. Ilex crenata ‘Convexted Gold’ brings more of that fresh yellow into the garden.
Scent A well placed Daphne bholua ‘Jacqueline Postill’ near the front door will give you a pretty scent for weeks and look good in the Summer with its evergreen foliage. In a shadier spot Sarcococca humilis and
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24 Gardening Trees
Trees in Winter are beautiful anyway but if your garden is large you need to have a Tibetian Cherry for it’s lovely, shiny red bark. Garrya eliptica can produce millions of catkins which hang down like earrings, while Viburnum minus and especially Viburnum bodnantense ‘Dawn’ is full of bright pink blooms. Cornlian Cherry Dogwood, Cornus mas, has small yellow flowers that cling close to the branches. For ultimate colour over February the Witchazels come into their own. Try Hammamelis mollis Plaida and Hammamelis Jelena. Flowers cortorta have a delicate and fragrant white flower moving on to dark purple berries. Perhaps the queen of Winter scent is the Winter honeysuckle, Lonicera purpusii ‘Winter Beauty’. It can get to 150cm tall and has an unexpectedly intense scent. Mahonia x media ‘Winter Sun’ has a tall upright structure and is best at the back of a border where its stiff plumes can rocket up through other shrub’s branches. Don’t forget Winter Heather, they are actually ok in a range of soils and planted generously in one area can create a shimmering compact look. Climbers Clematis never ceases to surprise me in the Winter as there are some varieties which flower quite profusely, like Clematis Winter Beauty and Clematis Jingle Bells. the Chinese Jasmine, Jasmine nudiflorum has bright yellow flowers and can pick up any North wall. In Chinese its name means “the flower that welcomes Spring”. So try a nursery visit soon and enrich your garden with some unusual and valiant plants!
Where to visit 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.
Of course low to the ground we have the bulbs at this time of the year. Snowdrops, Crocus, Anemones and the beginnings of Daffodils that seem to bloom earlier each year. There is also the old fashioned and valiant Winter Pansies and Winter Violets to grace your pots. Then there are the hardy February performers like Helleborus niger. In shady corners, especially if your soil is on the acid side, you can opt for one of the many Japanese Camellias eg Elegant. The tall Cherry, Prunus subhirtella Autumnalis can flower all the way from November till the Spring and had lovely purple foliage in the Summer.
February tasks A last tidy up - cut old perennials and ornamental grasses to ground level (as long as they are not the evergreen ornamental grasses!) Pruning - Now is the time to finish your Roses and Wysterias. This month start to prune to the ground your deciduous ornamental grasses, Hardy shrubs like Cornus, Salix and Cotinus can be cut right back as well as Buddlea. Anything that has flowered during the winter can be pruned back into shape now like Winter Jasmine and Mahonia. Bulbs - After your Snowdrops have flowered you can lift them out of the ground and separate them and then replant them in different areas of the garden.
Burton and Chingford Pond
Sowing - If you have a greenhouse you can start sowing leeks and onions.
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26 Charity Profile
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Amber Foundation Providing space & support to transform young lives. By Lynn Smith The Amber Foundation provides accommodation, training and new life experiences for homeless and unemployed young people, offering support and enabling them to move forward to positive and independent futures. Bartholomew (Barty) Smith OBE founded Amber twenty three years ago, as a result of his involvement with the ‘Youth Opportunities Programme’ – a training programme that ran in the 1970s and 80s. He realised that a number of the young people with whom he worked had troubled backgrounds, low aspirations and low self-esteem, and were struggling to survive. Barty Smith’s desire to help these youngsters by giving them the chance to transform their lives gave rise to the Amber Foundation. He is now Chair of the Foundation’s Trustees. Amber’s CEO Paul Rosam reiterates the Founder’s aims when he says, “We’re here to offer a fresh start to people who have encountered difficulties in their lives at an early age.” Paul came to Amber Foundation sixteen years ago, from the St Loyes Foundation
– a disability charity set up to support WW1 veterans. Before St Loyes, Paul worked with HFT, a national charity providing services for people with learning disabilities. Before that – having graduated with a Politics & Social Sciences degree – Paul’s first job was with Together UK, a London based mental health charity. The latter he describes as a “tough job … it was at the time when large mental hospitals were closing, under the Community Care Act, and lots of institutionalised people were struggling to adapt outside of these hospitals.” “At Amber,” Paul explains, “we’re working with a broad range of people.” The Foundation often takes people who have already been through other services and programmes. “So some of the most complex and disadvantaged young people around.” Amber has three residential centres – in Devon, Wiltshire and Farm Place, Surrey. Just 200 metres from the border with Sussex, Farm Place has strong links with the county – around thirty percent (around twenty young people) of its referrals per year come from Sussex, and Mid Sussex MP, the Right Hon Sir Nicholas Soames is a long-standing trustee. The centres support approximately 200 individuals each year – young people aged between 18-30 – and the average length of stay is six months. This last fact contributes to Amber’s success rate, the Foundation can offer individuals sufficient time to make changes, something that a lot of Government run programmes are unable to offer. Young People may come to Amber foundation through a broad range of routes via social services, probation service, homeless shelters, their families may refer them or they may self-refer. So what can a young person expect to find when they arrive at Amber? “The programme recreates a working week,” Paul says, “the sort of day you or I might have. The day starts at 7.30am and there are chores and responsibilities.” Individuals work in small teams, each with a team leader, and focus on four key areas – independent living, employment, health and wellbeing, and fun and participation. Through a weekly timetable Amber Foundation staff deliver training and activities that
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Charity Profile
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include: life skills, team work, core educational skills, community engagement and movingon support. However, “progress is not binary”, Paul says and an individual may need more than one chance, returning to Amber after a period away. But he goes on to say that the biggest reward is “Seeing someone transform themselves, having provided an environment where change is more likely.” That Amber Foundation is successful is in no doubt, in 2017/18 the Foundation produced its first “Impact Report,” which Paul describes as “very, very useful.” This is possibly an understatement, as he is clearly delighted and excited by the evidence in the report reflecting “the very positive year Amber has had in making a difference to the lives of those we work with.” The report is a very interesting read with case studies and revealing figures. For instance that the greater percentage of the people helped by Amber are male (76 percent), and that the biggest age group (46 percent) is 17-21 years. Most residents joined Amber after a period of sofa surfing (26 per cent) or following a breakdown in family life (24 percent). But it is the Measuring Impact section that drives home the considerable benefits resulting from Amber’s activities. Here are given details of a Ministry of Justice Data Lab evaluation –the Data Lab being a department within the Ministry of Justice that evaluates the impact that organisations such as Amber have on reducing reoffending. Published in July 2018 the report significantly endorses the positive effect on reoffending rates for young people on the Amber programme. In response to this research Amber independently commissioned a Social Return on Investment (SROI) study, to measure the Exchequer savings and social benefits of those completing Amber’s programme – the conclusion being that for every £1 invested, Amber generates £12.24 in social value over three years. So, how does Amber fund its essential programme? Paul says that Amber enjoys a good relationship with statutory services – Surrey County Council funds four bed spaces at Farm Place – and good local support, but that they need to raise £1.2million of their income from fundraising.
As do most charitable bodies, Amber has a number of “challenge-type” activities, such as marathons, Prudential Surrey bike ride, and they have “very good corporate take up” - not only in the form of cash donations but in offering opportunities for young people to experience workplace taster days, CV writing days and mock interviews.
28 Charity Profile Amber also has a "One Day” Campaign, where people can support Amber by funding running costs for one specific day. Launched in 2018, this is a major gift campaign (£5,000+) and people may choose a significant date to sponsor. Paul says that the campaign has, “had really good success with twenty plus days taken up and £100,000 raised so far.” Amber also enjoys support from a group of “highly valuable” volunteers – including volunteer yoga, rugby and cookery teachers - the key attributes for a volunteer Paul says are an open mind and a wish to see young people develop.
SUSSEX LOCAL Surely society as a whole benefits when the next generation is settled, responsible active citizens, with a home and a job. To contact the Amber Foundation you can email info@amberweb.org or call 01769 581011. The helpline number is 0800 652 1081. You can also visit www.amberweb.org To find out more about the One Day Campaign, please contact Stephen Ballantyne, Head of Fundraising by calling 01761 221 557 or by emailing stephen.ballantyne@amberweb.org or
Which all sounds like good news, but Paul says, “More young people are coming through with severe mental health difficulties.” As statutory services, such as the NHS, are reduced, it’s harder to access them and so more and more people arrive at the doors of agencies such as Amber. Paul feels that Amber is successful but that more money is needed from grant -making funds and Foundations. Paul acknowledges that there are many, many causes people can support and that supporting homeless and unemployed young people may not be everyone’s first choice. “But,” he says, “everyone makes mistakes, not everyone has the same start in life and this isn’t a place that people aim to be at, but the point is that they are here, and they are the next generation.”
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The ‘S’ words
By Chris Ennis FRICS
The horror words in any written s ur v e y ar e ‘ se t t l e me n t’ an d ‘subsidence’, then closely followed by ‘dampness’. These are defects which my colleagues and I see on a daily basis. Dampness is very common and can take many forms. Defective rainwater goods, defective / absent damp proof courses, condensation and plumbing issues can affect all ages of property. Repair is most likely to be a relatively simple building function using the many new repair methods and materials currently on the market. Settlement and Subsidence are potentially more serious issues, but it is important to differentiate between the two. Settlement issues are caused by where the ground in which the foundations are formed compresses over time by virtue of the weight of the building. It frequently affects older buildings, very often where there have been major alterations to the structures such as extensions or loft conversions.
Property
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In particular we often see settlement where a new extension wall abuts the wall of the original building. Vertical fracturing at the joint may exist where the ground adjusts to the new loads imposed on it. We refer to this as ‘differential’ settlement. Subsidence is the result of changes in the very nature of the ground which robs the foundations of their support causing cracking, in the walls. This type of movement is commonly caused by deficiencies in the underground storm or foul water drains, and by volumetric changes in soils…. notably clay soils in the proximity of deciduous trees. I remember the hot summers of 1976 and the 1990’s when there were numerous insurance claims following evidence of cracking in walls. If any householder notices cracking following the last hot summer, call in a surveyor initially, and if foundation movement is confirmed, an insurance claim may be initiated under the direction of a loss adjuster and structural engineer. All but the most severe foundation inadequacies can be remedied. Repair works may include the removal of nearby trees, repair of drains, the insertion of metal reinforcement and in some instances foundation underpinning or reconstruction. 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
SUSSEX LOCAL
30 History
St Anne’s Hill Castle, Midhurst By local historian & artist David Johnston Upon the hill which rises abruptly from the bank of the river Rother, east of Midhurst, stood the castle of the barony of Midhurst, the possession of the Bohuns. Within its area was a chapel dedicated to St. Ann, which had an endowment. The site of this chapel, along with other foundations are still clearly seen, there are vestiges of a keep, the chapel, a two-part main hall and a long room that may have been a kitchen. It has long been believed that the dungeons and other subterranean chambers of the old castle of the de Bohuns still exist in St. Anne’s Hill. To add credence to this belief, it is recorded that in the hot summer of 1842 one of the surveyors employed by the Cowdray Estate traced nearly all the old foundations. What are said to be the bricked-up entrances to these subterranean chambers can still be seen at the bottom of a dried-up well. The original buildings of the old castle were wooden but immediate successors introduced stonework. Even that did not last long because the castle was gradually abandoned and demolished. The stonework was taken away for a variety of other uses. The last chunk of the structure to go was the chapel, a particularly sensitive subject for demolition. The chapel survived until late in the 14th century. Old records tell us that the Rev. W. Haydon, at a meeting of the Sussex Archaeological Society at Midhurst in 1867, said “Five bells were taken away from the old chapel on St. Anne’s Hill, which belonged to the ancient castle. They all, he said, bore the inscription ‘Santa Anna ora pro nobis.’ Three of them are still in existence: one at Easebourne, one at Cocking, and one at Stedham: a fourth it is said, was given to Midhurest – if so the material is probably part of the present peal as most likely the old bells were re-cast in 1765.” An oil painting (on tin) that is thought to represent the Ruins of The Bohun Castle which stood on St. Anne’s Hill, is mentioned in a 1922 - ‘Catalogue of Exhibits’ in the museum that once existed at Cowdray, in early years of last century. ( The architectural layout of the Chapel and Castle buildings within my painting, was inspired by the late Max Wholey’s representation of St. Anne’s Hill Castle – the foundations and archaeological discoveries with which he was involved with in 1993, may have been his guide for the drawing in the first instance). The inspiration to include a medieval fair or market within my painting of St. Anne’s Castle comes from the following facts:Three fairs of mediaeval origin were held each year in Midhurst; also, a flourishing market was once held there; (could these events have taken place, on special occasions, within the grounds of St. Anne’s Hill Castle? It’s highly possible).
The names of the trades-people who may well have sold their wares at these old Midhurst fairs, and markets can be found in ancient documents given in the Sus. Arc. Col., vol XX. In the first lay subsidy which has been preserved, 1295:“Henrey le Puffere” (a maker of cloth dresses). “Richard Webbe” (weaver). In the subsidy roll of 1327 :“Richard le Puffer.” “Richard le Tanner.” In the nonce return of 1341 we have the names of :“Richard le Puffer,” one of the taxers. “Richard de Hayllyng hath in tanned hides, in the tannery, 36s,” “William Westdene hath, in the tannery, 3 hides worth 4s. 6d” “Roger le Sadeler hath in the workshop of ..... worth 9s.” “Stephen le Oghir hath in the dyer’s workshop...” In the subsidy of 1523:“William Colbroke, corser shoemaker.” “Mathewe Fawechyn, knife or sword maker.” “Robert Colbroke, corser.” “John Colbroke, the wever.” In the second years collection of the same subsidy:“Antonye, servant of William Colbroke, corser.” The tanning trade appears to have been carried on largely in the 14th century, since we find in 1327 “Richard the Tanner,” and in 1341 two tanners are mentioned, viz., “Richard de Hayllng” and “William Westdene,” the hides being valued at 1s 6d. each. David Johnston is an author, artist and photographer. If you would like to purchase any of the images that accompany this article contact him on: david.rg.johnston@googlemail.com or you can visit www.davidjohnston.org.uk
Schools
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Petworth C of E
Easebourne School
Young Voices & Eco Curriculum
The new term
31
Every year, our four new house captains work with their houses to choose new house names, a process which always produces some interesting results, including, this year, Yellow Minions! The spring term is Charity Term when each house tries to raise £250 for their chosen charity. In fact, fundraising started before Christmas for this year’s chosen charities: Canine Partners (Green Grasshoppers), The Dogs Trust (Yellow Minions), The Seahorse Trust (Red Robins) and Macmillan (Blue Sharks).
Year five artwork ‘Hawksbill Turtle’, which was created from recycled plastic January proved to be another very busy month at Petworth C of E Primary School. There is much excitement in school regarding our participation in Young Voices 2019 at The O2 Arena, where we will have fifty children singing later this month. The children, teachers and parents are continuing to rehearse the songs and dance moves, putting the finishing touches to their performances. Personally, this puts me out of my comfort zone as I have often been described as having two left feet, but this is all part of learning, and as teachers we must remember what it is like to learn and to appreciate the challenges our children have. We are very proud to have our eco curriculum recognised as one of only six schools shortlisted in the nationwide ‘Oceans are not Rubbish’ competition for our year five artwork ‘Hawksbill Turtle’, which was created from recycled plastic. This culminated after a week-long, whole school project to explore sustainability and become more environmentally friendly. Since then, many improvements have been made in school from building compost bins to developing a wildlife friendly sensory garden (with help from Petworth Gardeners) to installing a new pond. We have very active Eco Warriors, who are always looking for different ways to improve our school. In addition to all the changes that have already been made, we are now looking forward to the installation of our new solar panels by March, which we will be using to teach the children the importance of renewable energy against fossil fuels. John Galvin, Headteacher, Petworth C of E Primary School www.petworth.w-sussex.sch.uk
Technological change is, as we all know, accelerating and this brings with it countless wonderful opportunities. However, it can also bring additional pressures for children, including exposure to a range of inappropriate material, social networking pressures, the relentless marketing of seemingly physically perfect people leading seemingly perfect lifestyles and gaming addiction. It is no wonder that there is currently such concern about children’s mental health and well-being.
This term, we are welcoming Sandrine Cranswick, local mindfulness teacher, to the school. Sandrine will work with five classes on a weekly basis throughout the term, teaching them a range of mindfulness techniques. These skills have never been more useful for children and will hopefully stand them in good stead throughout their lives. Sandrine will also be working with a group of teachers over the course of the term. This has been made possible thanks to a generous donation from Lady Cowdray and the organisation of a race night by Midhurst & Petworth Rotary. The race night will take place on Friday 22nd March, 7 o'clock at the South Downs Memorial Hall in Midhurst. All are welcome; tickets will cost £15, to include a hot supper, and will be available through the school. Johnny Culley, Headteacher, Easebourne CE Primary School www.easebourne.w-sussex.sch.uk
32 Health & Wellbeing / Business Directory
Get mind fit in 2019
By Jo Johnson, Mind Your Head If for the whole of 2019 you eat only sugary foods, smoke and don’t take any exercise, by next year your body won’t be fit for purpose. If you have a body, you also have a mind and the same principles apply. As flawed human beings our minds naturally want to keep us in thinking gear all the time. Even when we are supposed to be relaxing, ill disciplined minds will drag us into the past, create fears for the future or encourage us to compare ourselves with others. Often before we have noticed what is happening, we are feeling stressed and restless. Then, we do our favourite things to make us feel better, over eat, over work, drink too much, shop or go to withdraw all without any understanding as to what drives us into being ineffective or making life worse not better. If this happens to you, it shows you are normal but perhaps need to invest in becoming mind fit. Here are a few tips to get you started:1. Recognise without conscious effort your mind can be as vulnerable as your body to becoming unfit. 2. Choose one routine activity that you do every day and see if you can pay conscious attention using all your senses as you do it, eg boiling the kettle, having a shower. Take a moment to pause and notice five things you can see, smell or hear.
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3. Type “values list” into a search engine and choose the ones that you want to live by. Choose a small action each day that brings one of your values to life. 4. Become more aware of what your mind is up to and notice the patterns your mind bullies you into. E.g. when I have a bad day, my mind tells me I am rubbish, I then feel anxious and run off to find the biscuit tin. 5. Notice when you are listening to unhelpful thoughts and then imagine tugging out your mental iPod as if it were playing music you hate. Alternatively, write the thought on paper lots of times. 6. Keep a gratitude diary. At the end of each day, write down five things that have gone well or for which you are grateful. 6. Treat yourself with compassion. When you feel low or make a mistake, do you treat yourself like a friend and offer yourself support and understanding? Or do you tend to self bully, harsh and critical? 7. Learn more about your mind. Read “The Happiness Trap” or my own book “Shrinking the Smirch”. Watch on YouTube: “The Struggle Switch”, “Passengers On a Bus”; or visit ww.getselfhelp.co.uk Jo Johnson Consultant Clinical Psychologist runs the consultancy “Mind Your Head” in Storrington.
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