Village Tweet - April 2021 by Village Tweet

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ILLAGE

Issue No. 125

@VillageTweet

www.villagetweet.co.uk

April 2021

CONNECTING THE COMMUNITY AND LOCAL BUSINESS Billingshurst • Barns Green • Five Oaks • Ifold • Kirdford • Loxwood • Plaistow • Slinfold • Wisborough Green

Editorial and advertising enquiries: 07762 767084, editor@villagetweet.co.uk

pril will be a month of significant change. While schools and universities reopened for all students last month, April is when life will begin to feel much more ‘normal’ with non-essential shops, pubs, restaurants, cafés, gyms, leisure centres, libraries, hairdressers, theme parks and community centres all re-opening. From the end of March outdoor sport will be permitted and the Rule of Six will return to allow limited meetings. With such a large number of changes let’s hope we don’t get any vaccine-resistant strains of the virus. Importantly, we still need to be careful: Hands, Space, Face! Grahame Cover: Wishing all our readers a Very Happy Easter!

Contents COPY DATE FOR MAY ISSUE: 9th APRIL Published by A272 Design, PO Box 371, Billingshurst, West Sussex RH14 4AS

Editorial and Advertising: Grahame Pearson 07762 767084 editor@villagetweet.co.uk Website Design: Stephen Pearson

www.villagetweet.co.uk Printed by: The Lavenham Press, Suffolk Disclaimer: All adverts and editorial are printed in good faith. However, A272 Design cannot take any responsibility for the content of the adverts, the services provided by the advertisers or any statements given in the editorial. © No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored without the express permission of the publisher.

The paper used for Village Tweet has been responsibly sourced

Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5, 7 Billingshurst Wardens: All you need to know . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 St Catherine’s Hospice: Dr Geoff Wells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Horsham District Council: Climate Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Recipe: Spanish Baked Eggs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Billingshurst Community Partnership: Art Club Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Lay a Little Egg for Me: Are eggs good for us? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Freeman Brothers: Are you in a good place to die? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Brain Health: Train your brain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Be Social, Be Safe: Take care online . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Activate! Keeping Kids Fit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 A Good Read: Book Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Yvonne Fleece: New Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 I was a Housekeeping Dunce: How to avoid being one! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Billingshurst Fire Station: Supporting the Air Ambulance Service . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 St Catherine’s Hospice: Raising vital funds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 John Nash: Roadworks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Spot the Difference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33, 34 Renegades: Ingredients for success! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 The Spaniel Diaries: The continuing adventures of Billy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Kids Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 Garden View: Hoe! Hoe! Hoe! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Billingshurst Lions Club: Help in the community – COVID-19 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 What’s On near you . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44, 45 Wey & Arun Canal Trust: Zoom presentations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45 Weald School: Erasmus Project . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

+2: 72 5(62/9( <285 )$0,/< ',6387( :K\ \RX VKRXOG JR WR PHGLDWLRQ /ƚ ŝƐ ŵŽƐƚ peoples’ ĞǆƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ƚŚĂƚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƉƌŽďůĞŵƐ ĂƌĞ ŵŽƐƚ ĞĂƐŝůǇ ƐŽůǀĞĚ ďǇ ƚĂůŬŝŶŐ ĂďŽƵƚ ƚŚĞŵ͘ Ƶƚ ƐŽŵĞƚŝŵĞƐ ƚŚĞǇ ŶĞĞĚ ŚĞůƉ͘ tŚĞŶ ƌĞůĂƚŝŽŶƐŚŝƉƐ ĐŽŵĞ ƚŽ ĂŶ ĞŶĚ͕ ĞŵŽƚŝŽŶƐ ĐĂŶ ƌƵŶ ŚŝŐŚ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞƌĞ ŝƐ Ă ƌĞůƵĐƚĂŶĐĞ ƚŽ ƚĂůŬ ĨĂĐĞ ƚŽ ĨĂĐĞ͘ DĞĚŝĂƚŝŽŶ ĐĂŶ ĞŶƐƵƌĞ ƚŚĂƚ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝĐĂƚŝŽŶ ǇŽƵ ŶĞĞĚ ƚŽ ŚĂǀĞ ǁŝƚŚ ǇŽƵƌ ƉĂƌƚŶĞƌ ŝƐ ŝŶ Ă ƐĂĨĞ ĂŶĚ ƐƚƌƵĐƚƵƌĞĚ ĞŶǀŝƌŽŶŵĞŶƚ͘ DĞĚŝĂƚŽƌƐ ĂƌĞ ƚƌĂŝŶĞĚ ƚŽ ŚĞůƉ ƌĞƐŽůǀĞ ĚŝƐƉƵƚĞƐ͘ ŵĞĚŝĂƚŽƌ ǁŝůů ŵĞĞƚ ǁŝƚŚ ǇŽƵ ĂŶĚ ǇŽƵƌ ƉĂƌƚŶĞƌ͘ dŚĞǇ ǁŝůů ŝĚĞŶƚŝĨǇ ƚŚŽƐĞ ŝƐƐƵĞƐ ŽŶ ǁŚŝĐŚ ǇŽƵ ĚŽ ŶŽƚ ĂŐƌĞĞ ĂŶĚ ŚĞůƉ ǇŽƵ ƚŽ ƚƌǇ ƚŽ ĨŝŶĚ Ă ĐŽŵƉƌŽŵŝƐĞ ƚŚĂƚ ŝƐ ďĞƐƚ ĨŽƌ ǇŽƵ ĂŶĚ ǇŽƵƌ ĨĂŵŝůǇ͘ /Ĩ ǇŽƵ ĂƌĞ Ă ƉĂƌĞŶƚ͕ ŝƚ ŝƐ ĨĂƌ ďĞƚƚĞƌ ĨŽƌ ǇŽƵƌ ĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶ͕ ĨŽƌ ǇŽƵ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ŽƚŚĞƌ ƉĂƌĞŶƚ ƚŽ ĨŝŶĚ Ă ǁĂǇ ĨŽƌǁĂƌĚƐ ĂŵŝĐĂďůǇ͘

dŚĞƌĞ ĂƌĞ Ă ďĞŶĞĨŝƚƐ ƚŽ ŝŶĐůƵĚŝŶŐ͗ 

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/ƚ ŝƐ ĂŵŝĐĂďůĞ͖ zŽƵ ĐĂŶ ŵŽǀĞ ŽŶ ŵŽƌĞ ƋƵŝĐŬůǇ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ŶĞǆƚ ƐƚĂŐĞ ŽĨ ǇŽƵƌ ůŝĨĞ͘

dŚĞƌĞ ĂƌĞ ŵĂŶǇ ŵĞĚŝĂƚŽƌƐ ďĂƐĞĚ ŝŶ ^ƵƐƐĞǆ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ƐƵƌƌŽƵŶĚŝŶŐ ĐŽƵŶƚŝĞƐ͘ /Ŷ ŽƌĚĞƌ ƚŽ ŵĂǆŝŵŝƐĞ ƚŚĞ ƉŽƚĞŶƚŝĂů ďĞŶĞĨŝƚƐ ŽĨ ŵĞĚŝĂƚŝŽŶ ŝƚ ŝƐ ŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶƚ ƚŽ ĨŝŶĚ ƚŚĞ ƌŝŐŚƚ ŵĞĚŝĂƚŽƌ ĨŽƌ ǇŽƵ͘ KŶĐĞ / ŚĂǀĞ ŵĞƚ ǁŝƚŚ ǇŽƵ͕ / ǁŝůů ǁŽƌŬ ǁŝƚŚ ǇŽƵ ƚŽ ŝĚĞŶƚŝĨǇ ƚŚĞ ŵĞĚŝĂƚŽƌ ǁŚŽ ŝƐ ůŝŬĞůǇ ƚŽ ďĞ ƚŚĞ ďĞƐƚ Ĩŝƚ ĨŽƌ ǇŽƵ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞƌĞĨŽƌĞ ďĞƐƚ ƉůĂĐĞĚ ƚŽ ĂĐŚŝĞǀĞ Ă ƉŽƐŝƚŝǀĞ ŽƵƚĐŽŵĞ ĨŽƌ ǇŽƵ ĂŶĚ ǇŽƵƌ ĨĂŵŝůǇ͘

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/ ŽĨĨĞƌ Ă ĨƌĞĞ ŝŶŝƚŝĂů ϯϬ ŵŝŶƵƚĞ ŝŶƚĞƌǀŝĞǁ ǁŝƚŚ Ăůů ŶĞǁ ĐůŝĞŶƚƐ ƚŽ ĐŽŶƐŝĚĞƌ ƚŚĞŝƌ ŽƉƚŝŽŶƐ ĂŶĚ ŝĚĞŶƚŝĨǇ ƚŚĞ ďĞƐƚ ǁĂǇ ĨŽƌǁĂƌĚƐ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞŵ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ĨĂŵŝůǇ͘

ŶƵŵďĞƌ ŽĨ ŵĞĚŝĂƚŝŽŶ

zŽƵ ĐĂŶ ŵĂŬĞ ĂƌƌĂŶŐĞŵĞŶƚƐ ŽǀĞƌ ƉĂƌĞŶƚŝŶŐ͕ ƉƌŽƉĞƌƚǇ ĂŶĚ ŵŽŶĞǇ͖ /ƚ ŝƐ ůĞƐƐ ƐƚƌĞƐƐĨƵů ĂŶĚ ĨĂƌ ƋƵŝĐŬĞƌ ƚŚĂŶ ĨŽƌŵĂů ĐŽƵƌƚ ůŝƚŝŐĂƚŝŽŶ͖

“He is confident and assured, ďŽƚŚ in meetings and at court.” ŚĂŵďĞƌƐ Θ WĂƌƚŶĞƌƐ ĚŝƌĞĐƚŽƌǇ ŽĨ ůĞĂĚŝŶŐ ůĂǁǇĞƌƐ

Ăůů ϬϭϰϬϯ ϮϭϬϮϬϬ ŵĂŝů ĐŚĂƌůĞƐ͘ƚĞŶŶĂŶƚΛĐŽŽůĞďĞǀŝƐůůƉ͘ĐŽŵ ǁǁǁ͘ĐŽŽůĞďĞǀŝƐůĂǁ͘ĐŽŵ

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Village Tweet Quick Crossword

Solution on page 7

Editorial and advertising enquiries: 07762 767084, editor@villagetweet.co.uk

Community / Insurance

Your Billingshurst Parish Neighbourhood Wardens What we can do to assist the community: l Provide a reassuring, uniformed patrolling presence. l Provide an efficient eyes and ears service aimed at reducing fear of crime and improving the quality of life. l Deal with environmental crime issues, notably dog fouling and littering, and help to preserve the environment. l Reduce incidents of criminal damage and anti-social behaviour by taking enforcement action where necessary, including issuing Fixed Penalty Notices, or referring to the police. l Support the community by encouraging the establishment of activities for young people. l Support vulnerable members of the community by preventing isolation. l Offer advice on crime prevention and fire safety in the home. l Work in partnership with other agencies to help benefit the community. l Act as professional witnesses.

What we don’t do: l We are not a replacement for the police. l We are not an emergency service or response team. Crime and anti-social behaviour should be reported to the police directly. l As we do not work 24/7 there will be times when neither warden is on duty. l When dealing with the elderly and vulnerable, we are not there to provide a care service but we are able to signpost to the relevant agencies. l We are not parking wardens and cannot issue parking tickets.

If you wish to speak to us in confidence, please give us a call (numbers below photos), Tweet us @HorshamWardens or email BillingshurstWardens@horsham.gov.uk

Religion / Private hire / Graphic design

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Unforgettable

f you were asked to stop for a moment and call to mind one of those wonderful, unforgettable life moments where would your mind take you? Perhaps reaching the summit of a mountain after months of training, or indeed an equally arduous Everest summit such as walking unaided down a hospital corridor from your bed. How about the joy of a wedding proposal, or the first cuddle of a new-born child? At this time of year, the Bible’s Easter narrative fills many hearts across the World with the unforgettable experiences the first followers had meeting the risen Jesus. The one who they had felt was lost to a cruel and unfair death. Shaken and deeply crushed, the reality of his risen presence and defeat of death took some time to take hold of. These were life-changing times. The honesty of the Bible shares with us the journey of individuals from blindness to realisation that Jesus was indeed beside them in a death-defeating way. Some had disbelief to contend with and others just knew his presence instantly. The timeless reality of a God who knows suffering and sacrifice shines out from the pages of the Bible. A God who offers life beyond death and love that

accompanies us every one of the days we have. This hope of forever love is an open invitation. Each of us is invited to experience the fullness of life God has planned for us. When people share their journey of faith many are honest about the struggles they go through to hold on to a personal faith. Some have an unforgettable sudden encounter with heavenly love while others a gentle growth where they know that anchor of belief holding them. Easter has long been a time of celebration honoured around family tables and through gifts as well as in places of worship. In these pandemic times our lives and freedoms have changed much. We hold onto the changelessness of God, knowing his gift of love remains the same. “He is the same, yesterday, today and forever.” Hebrews 13, verse 8. This Easter may you have some wonderful times and please join us in celebration. Our website will show details of how you can do that. www.stmarysbillingshurst.org

Village Tweet Quick Crossword Solution Puzzle on page 5 Across: 1, SPRY. 4, SCRAG END. 8, GOBBLE. 9, CHOPPY. 10, SEMI. 11, YACHTING. 13, SOPHIA. 15, ERNEST. 17, SKYLIGHT. 20, TUBA. 21, DRIVEL. 23, NURSED. 24, AFFLICTS. 25, LUDO. Down: 2, PHONE BOOK. 3, YOBBISH. 4, SEEDY. 5, RECYCLE. 6, GHOST. 7, NAP. 12, NOSEBLEED. 14, ANGELIC. 16, NATURAL. 18, LEVEL. 19, TONGS. 22, RAF.

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Charity

“Our care is informed, compassionate and individualised”

r Geoff Wells has been on placement at St Catherine’s Hospice since October 2020. Here he shares his experiences of working in the local hospice throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. “As a palliative medicine trainee, I’ve had the benefit of working in several hospices prior to joining St Catherine’s. I was excited to continue my training at St Catherine’s as it’s held in high regard among trainees who have trained here before me. “I started at the hospice during the coronavirus pandemic, and therefore things have been a little different on the wards as we adapt to the ever-changing situation. “Prior to joining St Catherine’s, I’d been completing a medical doctorate. I had already been seconded to work at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in the first wave of coronavirus in March/April 2020. This was a very unsettled time. Many junior doctors didn’t know where they may be working from one week to the next. Starting at St Catherine’s meant I regained some continuity and consistency at work. I didn’t have to worry that I may be sent off to a random ward at a moment’s notice. This also meant I could concentrate my efforts on my palliative care work, as well as an important palliative care exam that was due in November. “St Catherine’s has easily met my expectations” “There are wonderful nursing, administration and therapies teams who work well together alongside the medical team. We have a very supportive consultant body and we’ve been lucky to have very enthusiastic and hardworking junior doctors who rotate every four months. “At St Catherine’s there’s a broad and varied skill mix which is a bonus for patients” “At the hospice we often find as doctors that we’re not always the most appropriate professionals to offer patients what they need. Instead it may be our nursing colleagues, therapies team or chaplaincy team who are much better placed to address specific individual needs. “Returning to training after three years out in academia was a little daunting” “However, I’ve found the staff and my senior colleagues at St Catherine’s to be incredibly supportive. In particular I’ve noted that colleagues took the time to listen and get used to my way of working and thinking. They’re understanding that I won’t be as quick to step into the role of senior registrar straight away. Giving me space to get back into the swing of things and work out how St Catherine’s functions has been valuable for me as I look towards providing support to junior trainees now and in the future. I’m a strong believer that if your team are happy and feel respected, then this will permeate

through to the care given to patients in a positive and meaningful way. “I feel privileged to be caring for individuals at one of the most vulnerable times in their life” “I enjoy working alongside patients and relatives, and I feel privileged to be caring for individuals at one of the most vulnerable times in their life. That isn’t to say it isn’t challenging. All too often I find myself working with team members as we negotiate uncertainty in a patient’s illness, trying our best to help them make the right decision. Occasionally what a patient wants and what their family want aren’t the same thing. Working as a team we have to work through these challenges, providing facts, and keeping everybody as informed as possible to help them make difficult decisions. “Like many hospices, St Catherine’s offers patients time and space to work out what’s important to them, however long they have to live” “As much as we should be able to spend time with patients in any setting, this simply isn’t possible in a hospital setting where you may have 30 or 40 patients to look after. There aren’t enough hours in the day to be able to spend longer with patients there. “Many people think hospices are where you go to die but the majority of our patients access our ward as an acute symptom control service” “It’s important healthcare students undertake placements in a hospice because it will dispel any misconceptions they may have around the role and value of a hospice, and take away the fear and misinformation that still exists. Many people still think hospices are where you go to die. In fact the majority of our patients access our ward as an acute symptom control service. “People will never know what the future holds” “Illness has a habit of striking when we least expect it. The hospice should be seen as a safe place rather than a sad place, it offers hope and support for people most in need. The large number of thank you letters we’re lucky enough to receive demonstrate just how grateful people are for the services the hospice offers, and how positively different the hospice is to what they anticipated or assumed. “Sadly, hospices only receive 30% funding from the government via the NHS, which means 70% must be found through charitable means. Without this funding hospices would no longer survive. To all of you reading who support us, thank you. You help to keep us going.” To make a donation to help St Catherine’s please visit: www.stch.org.uk/donate or call (01293) 447361 or for fundraising ideas please visit www.stch.org.uk/diy Laura Mitchell, St Catherine’s Hospice Photo: Dr Geoff Wells on the wards at St Catherine’s Hospice

Community / Property management

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Horsham District Community Climate Fund – applications now invited for the next

n July 2020 Horsham District Council launched a Horsham District Community Climate Fund. This fund was set up to enable voluntary and community groups to work on projects to help reduce carbon levels locally, reduce the use of resources such as energy and water, and to encourage the minimisation of waste. After a successful first round of applications, several groups were awarded funding including Greening Steyning for the Greening Steyning 2030 Project, Horsham’s Springboard who purchased Smart radiator valves to improve the energy efficiency of their building; St Mark’s Church, Holbrook, Sustainable Henfield who are introducing Zerowaste bins around Henfield, and Transition Horsham Community Allotment. The next round of applications is open from 5th April to 14th May 2021 and is your chance to stand out from the crowd and get involved in this vital climate change work. Fund applications can be related to any of the

following themes: • Energy – such as reducing consumption and increasing the use of renewable energy • Water – such as reducing consumption and reducing the threats from flooding • Waste minimisation – including reusing and recycling resources, for example using composting bins • Biodiversity – increasing wildlife, such as the creation of pocket parks and community orchards • Sustainable transport • such as encouraging cycling and walking. Find out more and apply for funding at www.horsham.gov.uk/climate-and-environment/ community-climate-fund or email your enquiries to community.development@horsham.gov.uk. Sarah Hogben, Horsham District Council

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Food and drink / Accountancy / Art

Spanish Baked Eggs An Easter breakfast with a continental twist

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Use a frying pan with an ovenproof handle. Heat the olive oil, then add the onion and chopped chorizo. Soften for 5 minutes. Add the peppers and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until they soften too. Stir in the crushed garlic and sweet smoked paprika, cook for another 1 minute. Pour in the tomatoes and add the capers, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes reduce and thicken a little. 2. Make two or four wells in the thick sauce and gently crack an egg into each. 3. Place the pan into the preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. 4. Near the end of the cooking time, toast the bread. 5. Remove the eggs from the oven, scatter with the parsley and serve with the toasted bread, drizzled with a little olive oil.

Preparation time: 15 minutes. Cooking time 25 minutes. Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely sliced 120g Chorizo, sliced 1 yellow pepper, finely sliced 1 orange or red pepper, finely sliced 2 cloves garlic, crushed ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika 400g can chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp capers (optional) 2 large eggs (4 if you’re really hungry!) 2 tbsp fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley 2 thick slices of bread

Art Club Competition The theme for March’s competition was A view from my Window. We received just one entry: eight-year-old Patrick Barry, who wins the March prize. Sadly, we have not had as many entries as we had hoped for to the Art Club. Therefore, we have decided to call it a day. Thank you to all of those who have participated and did send in artwork, we loved seeing it! Keep drawing, painting and using your creative skills to make art. Use art to escape from those things that you find challenging or difficult, and use art as a way of expressing your imagination, thoughts and feelings! And always remember that a world without art would be very dull! All the best from a fellow artist! Denise Campbell, Chair, Billingshurst Community Partnership Ltd

Health and wellbeing / Accountancy

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Lay a Little Egg for Me Are eggs good for us?

aster is all about rebirth which is the reason that eggs feature large. They are pretty amazing things, from the way they’re constructed to the way they taste, and this is doubly true when they are constructed from chocolate! But joking aside, an egg is something that has all the ingredients to grow a chick, so it's nutrient dense. If there was such a thing as a perfect food, the egg would be a candidate. Eggs are readily available, easy to cook, affordable, versatile, and packed with protein. They also have the effect of helping our bodies absorb nutrients from other foods better, so eating an egg with a salad, for instance, increases the vitamin E we absorb from the meal. Eggs have a controversial past because they contain cholesterol. The yolk contains around 185 milligrams of it, which is more than half of the 300mg which until recently was the recommended maximum. Cholesterol is a yellowish fat produced in our liver and intestines and found in every cell in our body. It’s actually a crucial building block in cell membranes, and the body needs it to make vitamin D, testosterone, and oestrogen. Humans produce all the cholesterol we need on our own, but it’s also found in animal produce such as beef, prawns, eggs, cheese, and butter. It’s transported around our body by lipoprotein molecules in the blood. Every person has a different combination of lipoproteins, which play a role in determining our risk of developing heart disease. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol – is often referred to as ‘bad’ cholesterol. It’s responsible for clogging up blood vessels and increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. LDL cholesterol is found in some animal products, but the majority of LDL cholesterol in our diets is made artificially and found

in foods like margarines, snacks, and some deepfried and baked foods, such as pastries, doughnuts, and cakes. Meanwhile, along with prawns, eggs are the only high cholesterol food which is correspondingly low in saturated fat. Studies have repeatedly found that saturated fat increases blood cholesterol, and that there is no link between egg consumption and cardiovascular disease. Some cholesterol may actually be good for us. Highdensity lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (also known as ‘good’ cholesterol) travels to the liver, where it’s broken down and removed from the body. HDL is thought to have a protective effect against cardiovascular disease by preventing cholesterol from building up in the blood. Cholesterol circulating in the blood contributes to heart disease but having a higher ratio of HDL cholesterol to LDL cholesterol reduces the risk. Healthy humans regulate their own cholesterol, so if they consume dietary cholesterol, they make less cholesterol themselves. But some people struggle to regulate, and they might be wise to limit their egg intake… as well as their intake of other foods high in LDL. But it’s not all about cholesterol. Eggs have some great health benefits. They contain choline, which may help protect us against Alzheimer’s disease. Egg yolks are also one of the best sources of lutein, a pigment that has been linked to a lower risk of developing the eye disease macular degeneration. Lutein acts like a blue light filter, protecting the delicate retinal tissue. So do indulge in an egg for Easter, maybe don’t eat lots of them every day though… especially the chocolate ones! Louise Addison

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Funerals

Are you in a good place to die? Dying Matters Awareness Week: 10th-16th May

ying Matters Awareness Week takes place this year throughout week commencing 10th May. With social distancing restrictions looking likely to remain in place at least to some extent, Freeman Brothers Funeral Directors is planning some events to take place online. The events, as ever, will be free of charge to attend and are aimed at getting people discussing funerals comfortably. The national campaign’s theme this year is ‘Are you in a good place to die?’, encouraging us all to consider whether our affairs and plans are suited to a ‘good death’, and being prepared for the end of life. Two events are being organised to support the local community with this. The first, taking place at 11am on Tuesday 11th May, is Freeman Brothers Introduces the Funeral Industry, a panel event incorporating a variety of industry experts, facilitated by Freeman Brothers. ‘Due to our network of connections within the funeral industry, we have access to some fantastic suppliers,’ Community Co-Ordinator, Becky Hughes, says. ‘I’m really pleased that they’ve agreed to join us, as they are all enthusiastic and have interesting stories to share.’ Confirmed guests include Clare Shaw, author of a children’s bereavement book, ‘Love Will Never Die’, and Anthony Hill, owner of Somerset Willow, which makes bespoke willow products, including coffins.

The second event, Meet Freeman Brothers, is happening at 11am on Thursday 13th May. ‘This is a chance to ask us absolutely anything about the company and our services,’ Becky tells us. ‘I’ll be directing your questions to Abi Pattenden, Manager of Freeman Brothers, and former-President of the National Association of Funeral Directors. She’s worked in the funeral industry for over 13 years, and is looking forward to sharing her knowledge.’ Whether you’d like to know all about cremation regulations, or what kind of information a florist would like to know prior to providing funeral flowers, the guests will happily take your questions. You can either submit these in advance, or add them via the meeting’s question box live on the day. To register for the event, email community@ freemanbrothers.co.uk or call the office on 01403 785133. ‘Although it’s sad that we can’t hold events in person again this year, it’s fantastic to have the option of joining together online to provide people with the information they need to make decisions in advance,’ Becky finishes. ‘Above all, we’d like to help people appreciate that talking about death doesn’t make it happen, and that these conversations are worth having.’ Becky Hughes Community Co-Ordinator, Freeman Brothers

FREEMAN BROTHERS FUNERAL DIRECTORS Dying Matters Awareness Week Online Events ven nts n t Freeman Brothers Introduces the Funeral Industry try Tuesday 11th May at 11am

Meet Freeman Brothers Thursday 13th May at 11am Join us from the comfort of your own home with a cuppa and learn from the experts.

To register email: community@freemanbrothers.co.uk Branches in:

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Billingshurst

Crawley

Horsham

Hurstpierpoint

www.freemanbrothers.co.uk 12

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Health and wellbeing

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Health and wellbeing

Upskill for Brain Health Learning new things has all kinds of fringe benefits

ots of us began 2021 with the ambition to learn a new skill: beginner’s computer programming, conversational Italian, or how to paint with watercolours maybe. We learn new skills for many reasons. Perhaps we need to improve our computer literacy to gain a promotion, or Italian so we can speak to our new in-laws, or we've always fancied learning to paint. Learning is fun but its benefits go way beyond the actual skill learned, and the skill is irrelevant, whether its crochet or advanced mathematics, the extra benefits are the same. Positive brain changes – The white matter in our brain is comprised of nerve fibres covered in a fatty sheath called myelin. It is involved in learning and co-ordination of communication between different brain regions. The more we practise a new skill the more our white matter increases in density, which helps us when we learn other new skills. Increased learning speed – When brain neurons are stimulated, more neural pathways are formed and the faster our brains process new information. It’s as if ‘learning’ is a muscle which strengthens as its exercised. Interconnections – When we learn a new skill our brains draw on information and skills we already possess, and we build on that existing knowledge. But a wide knowledge base also makes it easier for us to learn more new skills. Increased interestingness! – (Yes, it’s a real word!) Well-rounded individuals tend to find it easier to relate to others because a wider knowledge base makes it easier

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to find things in common and thus make friends. Beat boredom – Repetition can quickly become monotonous. Following the same routine every night, ‘supper, bath, TV, bed’ makes it easy to become bored. Learning new things breaks the cycle of monotony and gives our brain something to do. Increased adaptability – Learning new things physically alters our brains in such a way that our outlook and perceptions change. These alterations make it easier for us to adapt to sudden life changes – like a global pandemic for instance! Adapting to change is a skill, and the more varied our life experiences are, the easier it is to draw on them and adjust Prevent cognitive decline – Learning origami doesn’t mean we won’t get dementia. There are many types of dementia and the causes are nuanced. But there are many studies which suggest that people who learn new skills are less likely to experience cognitive decline including dementia. Mental decline is linked to demyelination of our brain. People who actively learn new skills are not giving their brains a chance to demyelinate, and their neural pathways are primed to create workarounds if some area of the brain does begin to fail. The key seems to be to learn things outside of our comfort zone, so if you are a knitter, don’t choose to learn crochet, which is similar, choose Russian, or salsa dancing, or the ukulele instead, subjects which push you out of your comfort zone, but (importantly) which you actually want to learn and will enjoy. Keep exercising that brain! Kate McCarthy

It costs less than you might think to advertise in Village Tweet. For our Rate Card visit www.villagetweet.co.uk and click on the ‘Advertise’ tab or call 07762 767084 today!

Health and wellbeing / Funerals

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Be Social, Be Safe How safe are your online interactions?

t’s easy to share our lives with the world today. It only takes a few clicks to share those special moments with family and friends. Social media has been a lifeline for many during the pandemic. But the Information we share may end up being available to a far wider group than our immediate social circle, and with hundreds of millions of users online, unfortunately some of these people may have sinister agendas. By sharing information about our lives, we offer potential criminals the opportunity to gather useful information about us. Even information which seems harmless may be a useful to criminals looking to perpetrate a scam. Remember these five tips: Friendships – When accepting friend requests

be cautious. Do you know whether their profile is real, or could it be fake? Manage your privacy settings – Only share information with people in your network. Check the settings regularly in case there are any changes. Never divulge personal information – Be suspicious of anyone who asks you for your information that may be used to identify you, such as a social security number. Change your passwords frequently – Choose a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols. It’s best to use different passwords for each account. Close old accounts – Don’t risk leaving personal data in an old account. Close accounts that you don’t use and delete as much personal information from them as possible. Kate McCarthy

Judith Dandy Independent Funeral Director Dandelion Farewells warmly invites you to contact us if you have any questions about the funeral you need to arrange. We are committed to enabling families to plan a funeral that is personal, meaningful and affordable. We will support you to create a farewell that is appropriate and unique, thereby taking away much of the strain of planning such a signi昀cant event. We will be with you every step of the way. Church View, Billingshurst Road Wisborough Green, West Sussex RH14 0DY

e: judith@dandelionfarewells.com t: 01403 701001 m: 07769 336022

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Editorial and advertising enquiries: 07762 767084, editor@villagetweet.co.uk

Health and wellbeing

Activate! Keeping Kids Fit

he National Child Measurement Programme for England (NCMP) includes nearly all children in reception year (aged 4-5) and year 6 (aged 10-11). According to their statistics 10% of reception age children are obese (not just overweight) and this figure rises to around 20% by year 6. We’ve spent a year with children not being in school regularly, and for the most part not being allowed out to play so experts expect this figure to rise. The scientific advice is that children should engage in 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Encouraging them to become more active now will help them maintain a healthy weight, improve their general fitness and wellbeing and reduce the risks of serious health problems in the future. So, what can we do when activities are still restricted? Be the example – Children will model the behaviour of their parents. If they see you are active, they are more likely to be active. If they

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see you watching television, eating jammy dodgers, so will they. Exercise with them – Go cycling or walking together or put on an exercise DVD and do it together as a family. Give them chores – Doing a bit of vigorous vacuuming or walking up and down stairs a few times putting laundry away will get the cardiovascular system working. Play with your children – Play tag or run-around games. Try an egg and spoon race, or Twister…anything to get them (and you!) moving. Be the parent – We need to encourage healthy behaviours and limit unhealthy ones – sometimes this means making unpopular decisions like limiting your children’s screen time outside of school (or home-school) hours. Make these tough decisions for your children but explain why. They may not recognise the benefits immediately, but the idea will percolate and feed into decisions they make for themselves in the future. Hannah Merry Wade

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Books / Health and wellbeing

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A Good Read April’s selection from book reviewer Willow Coby Bridgerton: The Duke and I – Julia Quinn Ah, the Regency era. The world of Jane Austen, elegant women dressed in the sumptuous fashions of the day, and dashing young men, all navigating a world of parties and courtship. Julia Quinn drops us into this intriguing world in her bestselling novel Bridgerton: The Duke & I, the first in the series. Most people will know it through its highly successful adaptation on Netflix, but the original source material is well worth reading. We are introduced to the Bridgerton family with their eight children (all named alphabetically). Mrs Bridgerton is eager to find a husband for her eldest daughter, Daphne, and it would appear that all of British high society – known as the ton – is lapping up the latest gossip. At one of many balls she attends, Daphne meets the rather irascible Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings. The two form an unlikely friendship and, since neither of them is interested in marriage, they agree to a fake courtship, in the hope of avoiding advances from

prospective husbands and wives. But can it really work? And are they really so averse to marriage? One of the charms of this novel is that you are reminded that no matter what era we are born into, we are all basically navigating the same pitfalls in life. Enjoy the ride! The Big Ugly Monster and the Little Stone Rabbit – Chris Wormell Sometimes we all feel lonely. Sometimes all we want is a friend. The Big Ugly Monster is no different. This wonderful picture book tells the story of a monster who is so ugly that no one will go near him. Lakes, rivers, and puddles hiss and dry up when he steps in them. Animals and birds run away from him. Flowers drop their petals and trees lose their leaves. But one day he decides to make his own friend out of stone, and he carves a little stone rabbit. We learn that he is only ugly on the outside and that he is a faithful, loving friend. A moving story that will stay with you long after the final page.

At Phoenix Care we are dedicated to providing person-centred and exemplary health, domestic, social and personal homecare to those in Billingshurst, Horsham, Pulborough, Storrington and the surrounding areas. If you would like to find out more about the services we offer, please contact us using the details below or visit our website. sarah.marshall@phoenixcaresussex.co.uk

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Little Tweeters! / About the house

New Life

Once upon a time on a small farm near Billingshurst…

t the beginning of March, everything was still the diagonal bracings. Annoyingly, a drill was in lockdown but the couple of sunny days in required to drill some holes. The following weekend the first week inspired Nanny to complete her the green metal mesh net covering was attached. project, apart from buying the picnic bench. Meanwhile, in family discussions, the idea of Everyone was very pleased and certainly the kids getting ‘fluffy’ chickens was mooted. As Anne liked were looking forward to having their friends around chickens she said, “Yes, let’s get some.” Now the in April. question arose – for whom But life continues and the was the new enclosure and chicken enclosure was getting chicken house going to be? If very barren indeed. Despite for the new chickens, how was their daily forays into garden, the old enclosure going to be the five chickens continued to refurbished? The big chicken lay eggs regularly. As each of house was very adequate for them laid a different colour egg, five chickens, but the run’s Anne could tell which was ground was seriously rumpity. laying. Anne really loved her Not only did it have no grass, chickens, and she and Nanny but the fences left much to be decided that they needed a desired in terms of aesthetics. break from their pen (“and the Safety had been assured by garden,” pleaded Nanny) and electric fence established thus a plan for a new project around it (much to both was hatched. Magnus’ and Brody’ s electric Anne thought a new area experience!) could be set aside for another So, the fences needed to be enclosure. After some fixed. Another project for Nanny, Izzie and James and discussion taking into account the boys. New galvanised accessibility and safety from foxes the small sheep paddock Teamwork! Gary, Izzie and Anne attach the poles were erected, but dried was chosen, and a framed netting to the framework blackberry bushes had been enclosure was purchased. It caught in the netting. All that arrived a week later and on the weekend Anne and had to be removed, and the old fence posts Gary began the task of putting it together. removed – how Nanny hated fence staples! Soon Like many flatpack articles, the task was not it was looking much better. But other things were always straightforward. The poles were like awning happening too… poles with spring-loaded buttons at their ends to Daffodils were out as well as forsythia and some engage into holes drilled into the adjoining pole. Of bird cherry tree. Gumboots were no longer needed every day. Robins were pairing up and the new course, some didn’t quite line-up as well as they enclosure and new fluffy chickens were coming might have done. They worked on it most of Saturday afternoon soon! After such a hard lockdown and grey winter, and, come sunset, had erected the bare frame of the little farm near Billingshurst was bursting with the walls with just the roof poles to fit. Sunday found new life. them again toiling to fit the roof poles, the door and Yvonne Fleece

K.J. Lammas Plumbing & Heating Ltd

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About the house

M.W. Wingate

Painting & Decorating Interior & Exterior Specialist in all Wall Coverings

SHERLOCK INSTALLATIONS DESIGN | SUPPLY | INSTALL

Specialising in kitchens, bathrooms, wetrooms, tiling, plastering, carpentry, electrical, decorating and general home improvements. Our team of skilled local tradesmen take great pride in completing all of our projects to the highest standard with a keen eye for detail.

City & Guilds qualified Over 30 years experience Fully insured

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P&W Jordan Upholstery Over 20 years experience with traditional and modern furniture We provide all upholstery services including: Loose covers • Fitted covers Full upholstery • Headboards Cushions • Window seats

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About the house

I was a Housekeeping Dunce Here’s what I did about it…

s a busy working young mum, I have been ashamed to admit that I fall behind with my housework. In the past our home has resembled a particularly squalid student flat rather than the pristine minimalist apartment I envisaged when my boyfriend Jamie and I first moved in together. A baby did not improve either of our housekeeping skills. I grew up in a chaotic home and Jamie grew up in care. It was clear that neither of us ever learned how to ‘keep house’ from our parents! So last January as our friends made weight loss and fitness resolutions, we vowed to get on top of our housekeeping once and for all. We decided to commit to cleaning for 15-20 minutes every evening from Sunday to Thursday, no matter how tired we were, then we’d be free to welcome the weekend come Friday. That was the theory anyway. We split the tasks into two categories: daily and weekly. We hoped the daily tasks would become habits while the weekly ones would allow us to go a little deeper. This was the theory. Daily tasks: • A quick tidy up, returning stray items to their proper home. • Wash dishes after each meal. We hand wash as we don’t have a dishwasher, but you could substitute ‘load dishwasher’ for this task. • Wipe down kitchen counters. • Wipe the table after each meal. • Swiff or sweep the kitchen floor and hall. • Wipe bathroom counters.

• Squeegee the shower doors, walls, and floors after every shower. Weekly tasks: • Laundry – complete the cycle of washing, drying, folding and putting away. • Tackle clutter hot spots (our hall table and my bedside table drive me crazy). • Vacuum carpets and rugs. • Mop hard floors. • Clean bathroom sinks, showers, toilets, etc. • Dust. • Wipe glass and mirrors throughout the house. • Clean out the fridge. • Deep clean kitchen appliances. Did it work? Well, yes it did, amazingly even through lockdown. But we made a couple of changes: • We found we needed • to allocate the daily tasks their own 5-10-minute slot. We set a timer for this! When the timer went off, we stopped and started again the next night. • When tidying up, if something didn’t have an obvious home, we had to decide then and there where it was going to live. If there was no room in the allocated area, then it or something else from that area had to go. We decluttered a lot doing this, without even realising we were decluttering. The best thing was learning to work as a team and play to our strengths. We shared tasks to begin with but in the end we accepted that I am better at tackling clutter and cleaning the fridge and Jamie is a dab hand at bathrooms so those became ‘our’ tasks and the rest we split. Callie Connor

J. WILSON Painting & Decorating Interior & Exterior 30 years experience in all aspects of decorating Friendly professional service • Fully insured Please call Jef for free estimate

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About the house

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About the house

Sussex Painters and Decorators DEDICATED TO QUALITY

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Call or email for more info: 01403 700392 info@deepcleandevils.com www.deepcleandevils.com 23

Billingshurst Parish Council Billingshurst Community & Conference Centre Roman Way, Billingshurst, RH14 9QW

Assistance with transport for COVID-19 vaccinations Billingshurst Community Transport (BCT) which has been offering local people a very valuable and welcome service for a number of years, is available to assist in taking residents to their COVID-19 vaccinations. Trips can also be arranged from Loxwood to Pulborough and all volunteers and their vehicles are vetted. BCT also regularly takes residents to appointments in other areas such as East Surrey and Worthing hospitals. At the current time, trips to and from vaccination centres are either heavily subsidised or in some cases they are free of charge. The Scheme is there to help all residents so do get in touch if you are in need of assistance. Graeme and his team will be happy to help. Please call 07999 981547. organised by the British Hedgehog Sign up to our new E-Newsletter In response to requests from residents who wanted the Council to expand on the different ways it engages with residents, you can now sign up to receive e-mails directly from the Council. This is entirely voluntary and is fully GDPR compliant. The Parish Council communicates with its residents more now than it ever has in the past, but we are always looking to spread the word even further. If either you or anyone you know locally would be interested in signing up, please do visit our website www.billingshurst.gov.uk, look at the NEWSFEED section, click the heading about E-Newsletter and complete the required information.

Hedgehog Awareness Week Hedgehog Awareness Week is due to run from 2nd-8th May this year and is

Preservation Society (BHPS). It aims to highlight the problems hedgehogs face and how you can help them. This year, the charity is asking people to create their very own ‘Hedgehog Haven’. Gardens are a stronghold for hedgehogs and their lives can be made much easier with very little effort. Every year many hedgehogs are seriously injured or killed by cutting machines in the garden. Please check grass and hedges thoroughly before using mowers, strimmers or hedge cutters. If you would like to support the work of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society you can contact them on (01584) 890801 or visit their website www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk.

Environmental measures Occasionally, enquiries are received from residents asking what the Council is doing to

www.billingshurst.gov.uk Email: council@billingshurst.gov.uk 01403 782555 / twitter@BillingshurstPC

Billingshurst Parish Council

@BillingshurstPC

Virtual Council meetings

Although we have been streaming our meetings onto Facebook for some months (when technology allows!) we are aware that some residents don’t have, or don’t want, a Facebook account. We are pleased to confirm that you need fear no longer, for we are now broadcasting via YouTube, again, when technology allows. Just enter Billingshurst Parish Council into the YouTube search engine on the dates listed above. Happy watching!

Back in February, we became aware of a fantastic local family who, inspired by Captain Sir Tom Moore, wanted to do something ‘100 times’. They decided to raise money for the Billingshurst Primary School Key Stage 1 library upgrade project. The school had been unable to hold their annual Spring Fair and Summer Fun Day last year due to COVID-19, hence missing out on a number of fundraising opportunities.

Upcoming Meetings (April) 1st: Planning & Environment Committee (7.30pm) 21st: Property Committee (7.30pm) 28th: Billingshurst Centre and F&GP Committee (7pm)

Billingshurst Primary School Fundraiser

The Smith family (pictured above) wanted to help and decided to walk 100 laps around their local block to raise funds on what happened to be one of the chilliest weekends of the winter! As news of their endeavours spread across Billingshurst, they received messages, good luck cards, chocolates, cakes and lots of donations enabling them to raise in excess of £1,800 for Billingshurst Primary School, a staggering sum. The family say they have been overwhelmed with the support they have received and if you would like to make a contribution to the School Library Fundraising project, visit the Just Giving page noted below: www.justgiving.com/campaign/bpslibrary. The Council sends its warmest congratulations to the Smith family on their incredible achievement.

B L Pl illin oc a g a up n R sh l El on efe urs ect r t io D Thu end Ne ns on rs um ig a to ’t da a hbo nd t vo for y 6t re c urh he te ge h M om oo ! t ay in d . g

help mitigate climate change or be more environmentally aware. A list of some of the actions the Council has taken over the last couple of years is listed below: 1. Our draft Neighbourhood Plan, is full of policies to encourage developers to include sustainable measures and features throughout their schemes. 2. Last autumn, we used our CIL money to pay WSCC to plant 27 new trees new on highway land, at locations suggested by residents. We may look to do more. 3. Last summer, we installed a living roof on top of our flat-roofed bus shelter in the High Street. 4. All hand-picked litter (not from litter bins) is separated and goes into a recycling bin for collection. 5. We have a large trade bin for recycling bin here at the Billingshurst Centre. 6. Also at the Centre, we have fitted motion sensors in our toilets and kitchen so lights are not left on all day when no one is using them. 7. The Council has resolved to leave some grassed areas (still TBC) under its control uncut this season to encourage biodiversity. Signage will also be provided to inform residents why. 8. We have commissioned several bird, bat and owl boxes from the local Men’s Shed. These are due to be installed at Council sites soon. 9. We did have a crisp-packet collection point here at the Centre, but this proved too successful and we struggled to ship them all to the depot in the north east. We are now supporting a collection point for these and other not-so-easy to recyclables to the rear of the Unitarian Chapel in High Street. 10. We have drastically cut down the paper output in the office and do most things via e-mail where possible.

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Fire station / About the house

Fire fighters raise money for Air Ambulance Service

n January, some of the crew ran 31 miles in 31 days! After some final donations during February, we are pleased to announce that we raised over £1200 for our chosen charity, The Air Ambulance Service. The Air Ambulance is operated purely through donations; it is not government funded. We work very closely with the doctors who arrive off the Air Ambulance and see hands-on the amazing life changing work they do when arriving at any incident. They take complete control of everything, and really do make a difference. It’s really important that this service continues, so we are glad so many people took on this challenge to raise money for them. Great work everyone. Now that the vaccination has started to roll out across the county, and cases dropping because of the third lockdown, we are hopeful that life will get back to normal on station. We will try and get at least one charity event in the calendar this

year for you all to attend. It will likely be a charity car wash in September. Watch this space. The last few months have been a bit up and down for calls on station. We started the year very busy, averaging at least a call a day! Towards the end of Feb it slowed down, and March started to pick up again, and that’s how it goes. You just never know when the next call is. Thanks again to all the crew who are on call during the day, evenings and weekends. We are very much looking forward to some of the restrictions being lifted during this month, so keep up the good work everyone, stay safe, we are nearly at the end of it and can get back to normal life very soon. Twitter: @Station49Fire Facebook: Billingshurst Fire Station Dan Game, Billingshurst Fire Station Photo: these members of the crew ran 31 miles in 31 days to help raise over £1200 for The Air Ambulance Service

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Charity / About the house

Help your local hospice raise vital funds

s spring creeps closer, it’s the perfect time to take on a new challenge – and what better cause than St Catherine’s Hospice – your local hospice. Whether you’re a star baker, have a creative talent, want to test your knowledge with a virtual quiz, or have an upcoming celebration where you could ask family and friends to donate instead of sending you a gift, your support will make a difference to terminally ill people in your community when it matters most. Two people who are already doing their own fundraising to support St Catherine’s are Laura Sykes and Wendy Buckingham. Laura is nearing the end of a fundraising challenge to swim 21 miles, the distance from Dover and Calais, in 21 days. She said, “I’m a swimmer. I always have been, always will be! The water is my ‘happy’ place. When I’m in the water troubles seem to melt away. Over the last year I’ve begun to explore open water swimming in lakes and in the sea. With lockdown restrictions in place for a third time, to continue swimming I had to be creative, so I bought a heated garden pool in January. I’ve been swimming the distance from Dover to Calais attached to a tether, an elastic cord attached to the pool ladder. I thought it would be fun to do something special involving two things very close and personal to my heart – swimming and St Catherine’s but I didn’t expect the sub-zero, snowy conditions at the start of my challenge!” Wendy is busy fundraising ahead of a sponsored head shave in March to mark five years since her husband Ken passed away under St Catherine’s care. In only two days, Wendy smashed her fundraising target, and donations continue to roll in. Wendy said, “I'm braving the shave on Saturday 20th March in memory of my lovely husband, Ken, who received end-of-life care at St Catherine’s. I wanted to mark five years since Ken passed away, and remember how lucky we were to have such a wonderful human being in our lives. I also want to give

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back to the hospice who treated me, my daughters and Ken’s family with so much respect and kindness. Originally, I was hoping to raise £250 to split between the hospice and Jigsaw South East. Both charities helped us through such a heart breaking time. I’ve already surpassed my target and my donation total is already over £500 – I’m thrilled.” Tom Abbott, Head of Fundraising at St Catherine’s said, “We’re so grateful to people like Laura and Wendy for choosing to support our hospice and raise funds especially during lockdown. We’re only able to provide care and support to local people and their families because of wonderful people who raise money in so many amazing ways. “Coronavirus has been difficult, and we know that the continuing lockdown is tough even though the end is now in sight. We’re so humbled that people are still thinking of St Catherine’s, and all the families we care for. “The support of people like you in our community has never been more vital. The pandemic has hit our hospice hard and last year, we had a drop of around £1.5 million in income. The easing of lockdown restrictions over the coming months will help but we are still reliant on your support and fundraising efforts to make sure we can be there for people who need us through the remainder of the pandemic and for years to come. “There are lots of different ways that you can support St Catherine’s, and I hope you’ll feel inspired by Laura and Wendy to take on your own fundraising. On behalf of everyone at the hospice, thank you. Your efforts make an incredible difference.” For some inspiration of ways you can support St Catherine’s please visit: www.stch.org.uk/diy or to make a donation to help your local hospice please visit: www.stch.org.uk/donate or call (01293) 447361. Laura Mitchell, St Catherine’s Hospice Photos: Laura Sykes swimming in her garden and Wendy, with her late husband Ken and their daughters

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Community / About the house

Roadworks

John Nash is a retired, well sort of retired, fruit farm manager in Kirdford who enjoys scribbling about life on the farm from the now to days gone by.

I know I have spoken on this subject before. I can’t remember when, and I’m too lazy to look, but I feel I should bring the topic up once more. It came to mind the other day. I was walking up our country road, my mind away with the fairies, as usual, when it happened. I found one of those things that are afflicting our roads this year to a horrendous extent. Pot holes! Now, I’m quite tall, so it only took a short ladder to get me out, but even so, it was an experience that I feel we are going to face with ever greater frequency. All right, I exaggerate, but you know what I’m talking about! Driving our lanes can no longer be enjoyed. Your eyes cannot leave the road for a second without the danger of your front wheel disappearing into the depths of Hades’ kingdom. I’m not having a go at the Council here though. I know how much they must have struggled over the past twelve months. The trials of lockdown and the huge amount of money and effort that has been directed to the health and protection of us all has put an enormous strain on all public services. They have done their best too. The protective white paint that circles many of the craters gives untold security to the driver, and I did find a couple of particularly deep mine shafts that had the added safeguard of a carefully crafted circle of red paint! So, you drive with both eyes glued to the tarmac. Weaving across the road as much as oncoming traffic allows, trying to gauge how deep the hole may be when it’s full to the brim with rainwater. Thank goodness we are told not to travel unless absolutely necessary!

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Most of us locals have a great advantage over the casual driver though. We know where these tyrebreakers are. We’ve watched them grow. We’ve seen those little depressions develop into craters that sit with open mouths waiting to break another poor stranger’s suspension. We meander over the road like late returners from the pub as we straddle the centre line of the road and then dive for the grassy edge as yet another row of black chasms pass beneath the car. It’s terrible I know. But… think of the pedestrian. Here, there is a whole new gamut of problems. If you’re not decked out in your wellies then it pays dividends to avoid stepping in anything that resembles a watery depression. The resulting chill as your socks absorb half a gallon of cold liquid is nicely balanced by the heat generated by the language coming from your upper regions. This can often be rounded off by some careless driver delivering the coup de grâce by driving through a particularly big puddle just as he passes you by. Never mind. Spring will soon be here. As the weather improves, and the permission for us all to venture about more comes through, we can look forward to a change in the roads and lanes around us… Traffic lights, queues, dust, sweat, men with stop signs, frustration. Well, they’ve got to be patched up at some point! So, there it is my friends. Drive carefully. If you can, carry a lookout in the seat beside you, and, if you do hit one of these things I find swearing, jumping about waving your arms in despair, and weeping at the damage done to your car.… a sheer waste of time. Happy motoring. John Nash

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About the house

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Kids of all ages / All about the house

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Easter Spot the Difference

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Little Tweeters! / Pets

Renegades have the ingredients for success!

ockdown 3 has been widely acknowledged as the toughest of them all and it’s been no exception for the young members of the Renegades, but spring has definitely sprung and the lure of the return of outdoor activities has got everyone ridiculously excited! “We have had so many generous grants and donations for the children that we will be back in April with a very safe bang!” laughs Group Leader Gareth Miller. “The Sussex Community Foundation and the National Lottery have fantastically supported us with a second tranche of grants that will make such a difference to the children. “We have been able to buy a number of COVID-safe event tents and outdoor heaters which will ensure that, whatever the good old British weather throws at us, we can still run activities like carpentry, art and cookery. We have also been able to buy easels and essential parts for the recreation of the go-kart we were given.” But cookery is one of the many activities that we have been to keep going over lockdown. Thanks to EE for a donated 4G router to help us beat the vagaries of rural broadband and to the ongoing ingredients donation by Penfolds Estate Agents, lessons have included making tortillas from scratch, Italian crumble, Thai curry

Spot the Difference - Solution

Puzzle on page 33

and pesto. “You can imagine how teaching the kids to cook with chillis went down to begin with (ouch!) but I loved the way they took to experimenting with different ingredients… substituting dill instead of basil in pesto made a really interesting change,” says Gareth. The Renegades have also been able to safely pick up whatever equipment they needed to be able to do activities at home, such as the art easels and carpentry equipment but we are now on countdown to getting back to archery (“We are going to rig up moving targets so it will be hilarious,” promises Gareth), night hikes and safe camps. “We are going to make the summer the biggest and best we can because of what the children have gone through this last year, and we are now opening up to new membership to try and get more children out and involved. Everyone is welcome: siblings, friendship groups and individuals… the more the madder and the better.” The Renegades is a youth group for all local children (in roughly The Weald catchment area) aged 10-16. It costs £10 a month and can be joined by calling Gareth Miller on 07801 862550. Vanda Rumney Photo: Will making Thai curry

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Pets / Vets

The Spaniel Diaries

elcome to spring! I am so excited, the weather is getting better, and no mud means no bath time! Mum is very happy as she can get outside more and has started doing the garden, getting it back nice and tidy after the winter, Mav the utter idiot decided to grab a plant pot, soil and all, and proceed to gallop of indoors and spread it around the house much to Mum’s horror! I thought it was really funny – I did the same at his age so I have taught him well! I prefer to hunt out the mice in the woodpile – so much fun! After months of the horses laughing at the fact us K9s are on a diet we have had the last laugh – the big grass munching machines have had their field cut in half so they can’t eat so much of the spring grass that is on its way through. I absolutely love winding them up by rolling around in the lovely fresh grass on what is our side of the fence; the look on their faces as they get hay rationed out on their bald playpen is priceless! They are grumbling about extra work too as they will get ridden more – hopefully when mum is riding them she’ll forget about training us! Mum has been extra vigilant lately after reports of bad people wanting to steal us doggies as we’re worth lots of pennies. Well, actually, I’m priceless (I’ll sell Mav for a couple of Bonios though!) We are never left on our own in the garden and Dad has installed extra security around the house. I do worry when I see other doggies tied up outside shops though and I

would never take a treat off a stranger, Mum is also careful where she walks us and makes us stay very close to her, which I’m not impressed with as I like to hunt as much as I can! Mav the goody-four-shoes though, is happy to bumble along at her side; I bet the little sneak thinks he’s getting something out of it! It is a scary time and I hope the police catch these bad people. Mum and Dad did something really weird last week… they did a thing called ‘decorating’. Oh my, what a palaver! All the furniture had to be moved. We were banished to the utility room all day. The welfare people will be informed as I couldn’t have my favourite sofa to sleep on, and they made a right mess slapping paint all over the walls. Honestly, me and Mav could have done it faster, just dipped our tails in paint and wagged like mad! I am very glad to see my beautiful portrait is once again pride of place, apparently Mum is having one done for Mav too. She’d kept an ad from the December issue of Village Tweet and said the pictures of doggies on the website’s gallery looked really good (www.laurakershaw.co.uk), Mav is such an idiot, it will most certainly go to his head, he’ll behave even more like a trashy rock star than he already does, whereas I am a gentleman of regal blood, he’s more like a hooligan! I hope you have a very happy Easter – I certainly will as we get left over roast lamb and Mum is happy because she get’s chocolate, so all is well in the world, until next time, stay safe! Jeannette Douglas

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Garden Tweet! / Pest control

Hoe! Hoe! Hoe!

ollowing on from last month’s list of essential garden tools for beginners I thought I’d explain about the humble hoe. When I first started gardening, I didn’t really understand how to use one. There are a couple of varieties of hoe and they are used in different ways; they really are your friend at this time of year. The hoe is actually one of the most ancient garden tools and came before the plough. It’s mentioned in Egyptian art, the Code of Hammurabi and in the Bible. The reason spring is a great time to put your hoe to good use is because right now is when the annual weeds (the ones that self-seed freely and pop up all over the place every year) have started to germinate. When hoeing, aim to sever the top growth from the roots, just below the soil surface, then leave it in the sun to dry out and die. Hoeing is best done when the soil is dry as this creates a ‘dust mulch’ which inhibits the germination of new weeds. I prefer a hoe with a long handle because it’s better for preventing back pain. I also have a short-handled hoe known as an ‘onion hoe’ for closely planted areas. A shorted handle gives

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Garden View

more control, so you don’t damage your prized plants, but for your back’s sake do not use it for too long at a time. It’s important to note that hoeing only kills the annual weeds, not the deep-rooted perennial weeds, those need to be dug up by hand. There is also a tool called a Dutch hoe. This is used by sweeping it smoothly over the soil so that the surface is just ‘brushed’. If used correctly it slices the tops from the weeds. It’s actually simple to use but you do need to practise your technique. Slice the tops of weeds by bringing the hoe towards you, altering the angle to accommodate slopes. When you turn over a Dutch hoe you can use it to make a shallow trench called a seed drill to sow larger seeds, like peas, into. Larger seeds are better because they need to be covered well. Your hoes need to be kept sharp and well maintained for maximum effectiveness. I use a metal file to both clean and sharpen, but you can buy sharpening stones reasonably cheaply and they are easy to use. Happy gardening! Rachel Leverton

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Community / Garden Tweet! / Fencing

Help in the Community – COVID-19 Support

illingshurst & District Lions Club have been able to offer help and support in various ways, especially to families, in these difficult times during the Coronavirus pandemic, despite changing Government restrictions. One important way was by eventually finding a way to safely reopen the Jengers Mead Bookshop between lockdowns; by rearranging the shop layout, wearing protective masks by staff and visitors, social distancing and a hand sanitising procedure, including providing gloves. These measures allowed customers to pick up and replace books, DVDs and Jigsaws on the shelves, reducing risk of contamination. Although not easy, sanitised hands under gloves ensured double protection in the event of split gloves. With mandatory quarantine procedures, the bookshop could only open three days a week, as the many donations, kindly received, needed 72 hours quarantining before handling to put on display. Sincere thanks to everyone for their continued support which allowed the Club to raise much needed additional funds with so many usual events either cancelled or deferred. Billingshurst & District Lions also provided financial help where needed, including: • A substantial amount to Billingshurst Community Transport for help with the cost of collecting and delivering prescriptions and taking people to Doctors

JMB GARDENING SERVICES Julian Bargman

appointments. • Additional financial support for BCT taking people for vaccinations. • Purchasing items for more Hampers than usual over the Christmas period. • Support to provide a meal once a week to families in need. • Liaising with the Coronavirus Support Group offering financial assistance for food boxes. • We can offer items and financial support for refurbishing laptops and tablets for local schools. Past President, Joan Bobker, Chair of the Community Service Committee and Welfare Officer, says, “With many of our members in the vulnerable age group and unable to offer practical help during lockdown, we fortunately had residual funds available, thanks to your previous generosity, enabling us to offer financial help at this difficult time.” Footnote – Possible Bookshop Re-opening Date. With the Road Map for gradual ending of lockdown, announced at the time of writing, if all goes well, the Bookshop could possibly reopen on Thursday, 15th April. Up-to-date information will be posted on Facebook and the Website, www.e-clubhouse.org/sites/billingshurst Harvey Holmes, Billingshurst & District Lions Club Photo: Past President, Joan Bobker, Chair of Community Service and the Club’s Welfare Officer

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What’s On near you

What’s On – April Every Mon

Table Tennis. St Mary’s Room, East St, Billingshurst, 2-4pm. An informal sociable group for all ages. Newcomers welcome, tea & biscuits included, £1 (goes to church funds). Tony, tel: (01403) 783496 Every 2nd Rotary Club. Blacksmiths Arms, Adversane. 7.30pm. Supper (£13) & talk. Visitors welcome. Social activities & 4th Mon & occasional business meetings. Stuart Pullen, Attendance Secretary, tel: (01798) 873791 or 07967 159034 Every Mon, Shipley Men’s Shed. Shipley football ground off Dragon’s Lane. Part of the international Men’s Shed Tues & Weds organisation. For men interested in woodwork or wish to spend time with like-minded, local chaps. www.HorshamShipleyCommunityProject.org. Tel: Philip, 07786 070939 or email: info@HorshamShipleyCommunityProject.org Every Mon Wisborough Green Short Mat Bowls Club. Village Hall. Mons 2.30-4.30pm, Weds 1.30-3.30pm. & Weds New members & visitors welcome. £2.50 (includes Tea/Coffee & biscuits). Trial session free for newcomers. Further information: www.wisboroughgreen.org or contact Keith Carter on 01403 700502 Every Tues Stitch & Knit. Six Bells, Billingshurst. 7-9.30pm. Welcoming & helpful, just bring your project & make new friends. No fees. Sarah, tel: 07817 699865 (leave message) Every Tues Billingshurst Short Mat Bowls. Suspended until further notice due to coronavirus Every Tues Billingshurst Choral Society rehearsal. Billingshurst Primary School, 7.30-9.45pm during term time. New members always welcome. For details see www.billingshurstchoralsociety.org Every Tues Slinfold Concert Band rehearsal. Slinfold Village Hall from 7.30-9.30pm. Brass, woodwind and percussion players all welcome. www.slinfoldconcertband.org Every Tues Billingshurst Youth Club. Women’s Hall, High St, Billingshurst, 7.30-9pm, term-time. 11-16 years. Varied activities such as indoor obstacle course, miniature football tournaments and crafts. £1 per session. Contact Ben Sheldon, Community Youth Worker, tel: 07763 302456, e-mail: ben.sheldon@horsham-matters.org.uk Every Tues Walking Football. 10-11.30am. Shipley football ground off Dragon’s Lane (Holbrook Club in mid-Winter). Followed by refreshments. Men & women welcome. www.HorshamShipleyCommunityProject.org. Tel: Philip, 07786 070939 or email: info@HorshamShipleyCommunityProject.org Every Tues Drop in Baby Zone! St Mary’s Room, East Street, Billingshurst. 1.30-3pm. Meet other parents and their babies. Every week except between Xmas & New Year. Emma: babies@stmarysbillingshurst.org Every Tues Neighbourhood Warden drop-in sessions. Billingshurst Community & Conference Centre. 12-2pm Every Tues Preschool Ballet and street dance classes. Jubilee Fields, Billingshurst. VMA Dance run fun, friendly & Thurs classes for preschool children. Free trial then £4pw pre-booked. 07879 773705 www.vmadance.co.uk Every Tues Pétanque Club. Meets at Shipley Football Ground, 10.15am for 10.30 start (*in the Spring/Summer/ & Fri* Autumn months meet Friday, 6.30pm). Coffee after. All equipment provided. All ages and abilities welcome. www.HorshamShipleyCommunityProject.org. Tel: Russell, 07803 259190 or email: info@HorshamShipleyCommunityProject.org Every Weds Horsham Accordion Band. Practises in Slinfold Chapel from 7.30-9.30pm. Varied repertoire. Band Leader Mags Fisher tel: (01403) 790717 or email: magsfisher@btinternet.com Every Weds The Millennium Bridge Club. Storrington Village Hall, 1.30-4.30pm. All abilities. Please contact: Barbara: (01903) 741365 or daisy.campling@btinternet.com Every Weds Line dancing. St Gabriel’s Church Hall 7-10 pm. All levels welcome, beginners from 7pm. Details from Maureen 07774 828282 Every Weds Billingshurst Bell Ringing practice. St Mary’s Church, Billingshurst. 7.30-9.15pm. New learners and visitors welcome, just turn up. For information email Kathy at kathyfitzp@hotmail.co.uk Every Weds The Leconfield Singers. United Reformed Church, Petworth. 8-10pm. Mixed voice non-audition community choir. Newcomers welcome. More details and term times see www.leconfieldsingers.co.uk Every Weds Billingshurst Rock Choir. Primary School. 7.30-9pm, term times. No experience required. A friendly choir singing upbeat pop, rock and Motown. Book a FREE taster session at www.rockchoir.com Every 2nd BilliUke: Billingshurst’s Own Ukulele Jam! The Six Bells, from 7.30pm. If you already have a & 4th Weds ukulele, or are thinking about getting one, please come along and join us. It’s a fun couple of hours and you also get to make new friends from the village and beyond. www.billiuke.com Every Thurs Stitch & Knit. 10am-12.30pm. We rove round local cafés & car share, lifts may be possible. Welcoming & helpful, just bring your project. No fees. Sarah, tel: 07817 699865 (leave message) Every Thurs HDC Health Walk. Billingshurst (2). All HDC walks cancelled due to coronavirus Every Thurs Wildlife walkabouts. RSPB Pulborough Brooks Nature Reserve, Wiggonholt, RH20 2EL. 10am-12 noon. Our regular gentle ramble is an ideal introduction to some of our very special wildlife. £8 per person (£2.50 for RSPB members). (01798) 875851. www.rspb.org.uk/pulboroughbrooks Every Fri VMA Dance classes for children 2-18yrs. Jubilee Fields, Billingshurst. Classes in Ballet, Street Dance & Contemporary. Free Trial available then £5pw pre-booked. 07879 773705 www.vmadance.co.uk Every Fri Nationwide Building Society. Billingshurst Community Centre. Cancelled due to coronavirus Every Sat Indoor table top sale and market. Ansell’s Yard, Kirdford Road, Wisborough Green, RH14 0DD. 10am-2pm. No entrance fee. Tables £5 (must be pre-booked). Tel: (01403) 700633 or 07798 941940 Every Sun The Emmanuel Fellowship meeting. Suspended until further notice due to coronavirus SPACE IS TIGHT IN THE WHAT’S ON PAGES. IF ANYONE HAS TRIED TO TAKE PART IN ANY OF THE REGULAR ENTRIES (ABOVE) AND FOUND THEM TO BE NO LONGER AVAILABLE PLEASE LET VILLAGE TWEET KNOW 31 Mar

1 Apr 1 Apr

The Arts Society – South Downs Pandemic Online Zoom Talk by Simon Seligman: ‘21st Century Renaissance: Chatsworth and the Devonshire Collection in the Modern Age’. 10.30a.m. NB THIS END of MARCH LECTURE IS IN LIEU OF EARLY APRIL DUE TO THE FALL OF EASTER. Tickets £5 per viewer – non-members welcome. If you are interested in a trial lecture please contact Jane Allison on (01798) 813314 or e-mail: jane@theallisonfamily.co.uk. We look forward to returning to Fittleworth Hall as soon as it is safe to do so. www.theartssocietysouthdowns.org.uk Reading Friends. Temporarily suspended due to coronavirus Billingshurst Horticultural Society Talk. Cancelled due to coronavirus

What’s On near you / Aircraft noise / WACT 1 Apr 4 Apr 7 Apr 9 Apr 8 Apr 10 Apr 17 Apr 20 Apr 20 Apr 21 Apr 21 Apr

22 Apr 24 Apr

28 Apr 28 Apr

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Parish Council Planning & Environmental Committee online meeting. YouTube: ‘Billingshurst Parish Council’. 7.30pm Indoor Antiques Market & Collectors Sale, Ansell’s Yd. Suspended until further notice due to coronavirus Billingshurst Wednesday Group. We look forward to meeting again when coronavirus regulations permit Billingshurst and District Wine and Beer Circle meeting. Cancelled due to coronavirus Billingshurst WI Meeting. Temporarily suspended due to coronavirus Billingshurst United Reformed Church Dementia Café. Temporarily suspended due to coronavirus Macmillan Table Top Sale. 26 Coombe Hill, Billingshurst. 10am-12 noon. Home-made cakes, jam, honey, marmalade, books, Jill’s Crafts St Mary’s Guild Members’ Meeting. Temporarily suspended due to coronavirus Loxwood Jazz & Blues Club. Cancelled due to coronavirus Parish Council Property Committee online meeting. YouTube: ‘Billingshurst Parish Council’. 7.30pm The Arts Society – South Downs Pandemic Online Zoom Talk by Jane Choy-Thurlow: ‘Virtual tour of Mauritshuis, The Hague, The Netherlands’. 10.15a.m. Tickets £5 per viewer – non-members welcome. If you are interested in a trial lecture please contact Jane Allison on (01798) 813314 or e-mail: jane@theallisonfamily.co.uk. We look forward to returning to Fittleworth Hall as soon as it is safe to do so. www.theartssocietysouthdowns.org.uk Sing for Pleasure. Cancelled due to coronavirus Pulborough Village Market. Pulborough Village Hall, Swan View, RH20 2BF. 9am-12.30pm. Fresh produce, bread, delicatessen, local honey, organic condiments, plants, local crafts, fairtrade goods and much more. NO CAFÉ. Free entry. Please like us on Facebook. Market Coordinator Terri Ashpool, tel: (01403) 588996, e-mail: terriashpool@uwclub.net Parish Council Billingshurst Centre & F&GP Committees online meetings. YouTube: ‘Billingshurst Parish Council’. 7pm Quiet Garden Afternoon at The Blue Idol. Temporarily suspended due to coronavirus. See website for details: www.blueidol.org

We have been notified of some events being cancelled due to coronavirus – these have been marked in red. For other events, where a phone number or e-mail is given you are advised to check. With Press lead times and government guidelines changing almost daily the onus is for the organisers to contact Village Tweet if your event is cancelled; we cannot make that decision for you! Village Tweet will publish details of local events in this free What’s On section. Please email brief details to editor@villagetweet.co.uk together with contact or website details

Talks team go online to entertain during lockdown While most of the Wey & Arun Canal Trust volunteers have been on a break during lockdown, one group is seeing demand for their services increase. The talks team have been giving online presentations throughout the pandemic as groups and clubs have turned to virtual meetings instead of face-toface gatherings. Zoom technology means they can broadcast their presentations across the UK and the team have been entertaining clubs and groups as well as other Canal Trusts as a result. Talks include the history of the canal and its restoration, as well as the vision for its future, and can include a Q&A session. To request a speaker for a club or group go to the Trust’s website: www.weyandarun.co.uk.

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Little Tweeters! / Advertisers Index

The Weald School Erasmus+ Programme – Project iTeach

he Weald School in Billingshurst is delighted to join a new Erasmus+ programme called Project iTeach. The last year has been a real challenge for schools to deliver learning online. The Weald was really fortunate to have been integrating technology for a number of years so that we were able to adapt to the challenges that were faced with closing schools but not stopping learning. iTeach is a fantastic opportunity to be part of an international project where schools and students will collaborate with each other and share lessons and technology uses and also work on breaking the digital skills and access to technology that students have faced. The five countries participating in the programme are Spain, Netherlands, England, Portugal and Italy. Each country will first deliver training sessions for staff to see the different technologies in use and get an opportunity to then see it in action during the live lesson days. Weald students will be part of a joint European class and as well as learning they will be able to forge new friendships with students from these other countries, in a time when international

travel isn’t possible. iTeach will have students from all five countries working together on the same lesson simultaneously. These will be delivered by each country in turn. The students and teachers will evaluate each of the different methods and technologies used throughout the project and look at ways that we can take best practices forward. The project will start in April with Spain delivering their lessons and then will continue through the next academic year. The project will result in better quality lessons, increased motivation to use eplatforms and awareness of a need in digital education investments. This is an amazing opportunity for The Weald to continue having international links with schools in Europe. Mr Andy Cooper, International Links, Teacher, and e-Learning Coordinator

ADVERTISERS INDEX April 2021 A-Team Mechanics............................43 A/c’s Direct, Accounting.....................11 AC Decor...........................................28 Alba Plumbing...................................27 AllWrightBikes ...................................43 Apex Aerials ......................................31 Best Choice Roofing .........................30 Billingshurst Parish Council ........24, 25 Billingshurst Service, Repair & MOT Centre ..................................42 Bobtails Montessori Nursery ...........IBC Bygone Gardening ............................39 CAGNE .............................................45 Cherry Trees, handmade curtains.....20 Chiro Practical...................................13 CJ Sewage Treatment ......................32 Coole Bevis Solicitors .........................3 Courtney Surfacing ...........................23 Dandelion Farewells, funerals...........15 Deep Clean Devils ............................23 Dirt Bags Grooming ..........................34 DM Handyman ..................................26 DW Gardens .....................................37 Evans Electrical.................................21 Flackwoods Solicitors..........................5 Flow-serve Plumbing, Drainage, Heating..........................................33

Freeman Brothers, funerals ..............12 GB Glazing Ltd..................................23 GJ Coles, builder ..............................28 Goring Road Carpet Centre..............31 Hamilton Cole TV & Satellite Equipment .....................................31 Holly Stone Hypnotherapy ................17 Horsham District Council ..................40 J&B Gutters.......................................29 J Wilson, decorating..........................20 JMB Gardening Services ..................38 JC Plumbing......................................29 Jonathan Carter Tree Surgery ..........38 Just Care...........................................13 Keywood Tree Care ..........................39 KJ Lammas Plumbing & Heating ......18 Lee’s Locks .......................................32 LMC Auto Services........................OBC Louise Sloan Opticians .....................13 Mac’s Private Hire...............................7 Meadow Hall Veterinary Practice ......35 Meadows Wellbeing ..........................16 Mike Lord Building ............................21 Miss Mop Domestic Cleaning ...........21 MW Wingate Painting & Decorating .19 MPS Home Improvements Ltd..........29 N Francis Electrical Ltd.....................27

NFP Forestry.....................................39 NFU Mutual Insurance ........................4 Omni Davis Insurance.........................6 Oven Cleaning Direct........................33 Oven Rescue ....................................29 P&W Jordan Upholstery....................19 Peacocks Builders.............................27 Pest Man...........................................37 Petworth MOT Centre .......................42 Phoenix Care ....................................17 PJM Building & Property Maintenance..................................32 Rebecca Beauty Therapist................15 Re-Nu Kitchens.................................19 Rudgwick Fencing.............................38 Scriven Arboriculture.........................41 Sherlock Installations ........................19 St Mary’s church .................................7 Sussex Carpet Brokers .....................22 Sussex Painters and Decorators ......23 Sussex Towing Brackets ...................43 The Farm Studio, graphic design........7 Titchmarsh Services, tree surgery ....41 Tulip Accounting................................10 Village Homecare..............................13 Village Nurseries ...............................41 Wey & Arun Property Management ....9

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Village Tweet - April 2021

Articles inside

Wey & Arun Canal Trust: Zoom presentations

Garden View: Hoe! Hoe! Hoe

The Spaniel Diaries: The continuing adventures of Billy

Renegades: Ingredients for success

Billingshurst Fire Station: Supporting the Air Ambulance Service

Brain Health: Train your brain

Activate! Keeping Kids Fit

A Good Read: Book Reviews

Lay a Little Egg for Me: Are eggs good for us?

St Catherine’s Hospice: Dr Geoff Wells

Be Social, Be Safe: Take care online

Freeman Brothers: Are you in a good place to die?

Horsham District Council: Climate Fund