Village Tweet - March 2022 by Village Tweet

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ILLAGE

Issue No. 136

@VillageTweet

www.villagetweet.co.uk

March 2022

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

elcome to March’s Village Tweet. After what seemed a somewhat bleak winter things are beginning to pick up… A little later that usual is Shrove Tuesday on the 1st, followed by St Patrick’s Day on the 17th (try our Beef casserole with Guinness recipe on page 9 or, for younger readers, a St Patrick’s Day Spot the Difference on page 35) followed of course by Mother’s Day on the 27th (see page 5 for some suggestions on how to make your mother’s day extra special). We have three packed What’s On pages. Yep, it’s all happening and remember… you read about it in Village Tweet first! Grahame Cover: it’s Mother’s Day on 27th March – give mum a great big bear hug!

Contents COPY DATE FOR APRIL ISSUE: 5th MARCH Published by A272 Design, PO Box 371, Billingshurst, West Sussex RH14 4AS

Editorial and Advertising: Grahame Pearson: 07762 767084 editor@villagetweet.co.uk www.villagetweet.co.uk Distributed by

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Make Your Mother’s Day: Mother’s Day, 27th March . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6, 9 Recipe: Beef in Guinness, perfect dish for St Patrick’s Day, 17th March . . . . . . . .9 Loxwood Village Fete & Fun Dog Show: Sponsor opportunities announced . . . .10 West Sussex Community Minibus: March trips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Sussex Green Living: A Round-up of 2021 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Station Road Gardens: A poem by Ted Gooda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 A Good Read: March’s selection includes local author Dirk Sawyer . . . . . . . . . . .16 So You Want to Change Career…: Lockdown – a catalyst of change . . . . . . . . .18 Kids Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 What the Doctor Ordered: Dr Marten’s footwear is as cool as ever! . . . . . . . . . . .21 Yvonne Fleece: Skirmishes with squirrels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 John Nash: A simple stroll . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Billingshurst Lions Club: Looking back at the club’s Charter Presentation . . . . . .29 The Spaniel Diaries: The continuing adventures of Billy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Garden View: Swiss chard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Royal British Legion, Billingshurst: War graves at St Mary’s cemetary . . . . . . . . .33 Spot the Difference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35, 37 Under pressure: Looks after your tyres and they will look after you . . . . . . . . . . .38 What’s On near you . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40-42 Advertisers Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43

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Religion / Little Tweeters! / Aircraft noise

Spring Cleaning Challenge

ow is it that as the days lengthen with light and the sunshine warms our faces, we look around our homes and feel the need to spring clean? We have a new resolve to freshen, organise, and finally deal with troublesome cupboards that seem hard to conquer! This spring enthusiasm and energy drives us forward to tackle what has built up over the hibernation months. Easter is on the horizon and many across the World use the weeks beforehand as a form of ‘Spring cleaning’ of their hearts, minds, and souls. The season of preparation before Easter celebration is called Lent. The choice to use this space as a time of reflection has blessed many with a sense of new direction and refreshment when Easter finally arrives. Spring cleaning of the heart or home is a form of perseverance that can feel daunting and off-putting. Somehow the effort and focus bring reward, and we are glad we chose this! How about adding alongside ‘Spring Cleaning’, a choice to reflect on relationships, priorities, and your role in community. A chance to ask big questions that matter to you and time to open your heart to faith. Somehow the skills needed to clean, mend, and renovate our home worlds can seem much easier that

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tackling the needs of our hearts. Where could we start on such a challenge? One way is asking ourselves some key questions. It might be that simply setting a few simple questions to reflect on during the month before Easter could be enough to bring spring freshness. Here are a few to start you thinking: How do I care for others? How do I care for myself? How can I put things right where it has gone wrong? How can I show people I appreciate them? What is God like? How relevant is the Bible? If you would like the support of others during Lent, our village has many who meet together to celebrate the wonder and reality of faith in God. We have the Billingshurst Family Church, St Gabriels Roman Catholic, United Reform Church, and our own St Mary’s Church. How about contacting and visiting? As we look around our shops the Easter eggs sparkle and the bright cards catch our eye. Every time you see an Easter egg on the shelf remember the opportunity of Lent. If you choose this challenge of reflection before Easter, you are giving yourself a gift that will be worth the challenge.

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Mother’s Day / Legal services

Make your Mother’s Day

our life changes forever the day you bring home your little bundle of joy. Whether you give birth naturally, adopt or foster, this little person now depends on you for everything. From now on they come first, you come second, and a poor second at that. Being a mother is fabulous, and funny, and frightening. It’s the best and worst of jobs. There are cuddles and giggles, sports days and parents’ evenings, Nativities, and music recitals… there are also blazing rows with slammed doors, sleepless nights and more vomit than you ever realised one small human could produce. Mums are multi-tasking maestros. Carer, teacher, agony aunt, tour guide, drill sergeant, PA, and chauffeur. Even when children leave home it doesn’t stop. I still rely on my mother for advice, help with childcare, and a shoulder to cry on when things go pear-shaped. It’s only now, with children of my own, that I realise what my own mother went through – why she made me do my homework, go to bed early, stop beating my sister up, eat my broccoli, save my

pocket money, don’t talk to strangers, and say please and thank you. Mother’s Day might have become a cliché, but it does give us the perfect opportunity to say thank you to our mums for everything they have done and still do for us. Anna Jarvis, who founded Mothers’ Day in the US said she came to regret campaigning to get the day recognised, because it became commercialised. She hated that people sent cards with a pre-printed message rather than writing a letter. So, although it’s a nice gesture to buy a card and give flowers and chocolates, it’s even nicer to do something special to show you care – maybe valet her car or treat her to a pamper session, or just visit and spend the afternoon chatting. Time is the most precious gift of all. And go beyond the message in the card. Write a few personal lines of your own to tell your mother what she means to you. Make sure she knows that she’s loved and appreciated all year round. Faye Carter

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Coffee break / Legal services / Art *

Village Tweet Quick Crossword

Solution on page 9

Learn to Draw & Paint Daytime Adult Classes Offering daytime, adult Art Courses in Horsham in a warm, friendly and nurturing environment. Many students come to learn but also to meet new people and have a bit of 'me' time. We cater for total beginners, as well as improvers looking to take their art to the next level. Mediums taught include pencil, charcoal, acrylics, gouache, watercolours, ink and wash and many more. Held at the beautiful Holbrook Tythe Barn, Horsham

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Beef in Guinness

St Patrick’s Day is on 17th March. Celebrate with this delicious casserole

METHOD

1. Heat the oven to 150°C/fan 130°C/gas 2. 2. Heat a little of the oil in a large oven-proof pan. 3. Lightly flour the pieces of braising steak and fry in small batches until well browned. Remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on a plate. 4. Add the onions to the pan and fry on a fairly high heat until they soften and tinge brown at the edges. 5. Pour the Guinness into the pan, letting it bubble up, then return the meat to the pan along with the thyme. Cover the pan and transfer to the oven for 2-2 1/2 hours or until tender. The sauce will sweeten and thicken during the cooking time. 6. Make the dumplings towards the end of the cooking time by mixing the grated butter or suet, flour, onion, and thyme together and season well. Gradually add water to the dry ingredients until you have a soft dough. Divide into 12 balls. Place the dumplings on top of the casserole and return it to the oven, uncovered, for 25 minutes. 7. Serve with shredded cabbage or spring greens.

Preparation time: 40 minutes. Cooking time: 3 hours. Serves: 6+

INGREDIENTS

For the stew 2 tbsp oil 1kg braising steak, cut into large pieces 2 tbsp plain flour, well-seasoned 3 onions, sliced 500ml Guinness 2 sprigs thyme For the dumplings 75g butter, frozen and grated, or 75g suet 150g self-raising flour 1 small onion, grated 2 sprigs of thyme, leaves stripped and chopped Water for mixing

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Village Tweet Quick Crossword Solution Puzzle on page 6 Across: 1, CATASTROPHE. 9, ENCOURAGEMENT. 10, SPEEDING. 12, HAIR. 14, REINS. 15, FANCY. 19, EDGE. 20, MEGABYTE. 22, PRESUMPTIVELY. 24, INTELLIGENT. Down: 2, ARC. 3, ABUNDANT. 4, TRAINS. 5, OVEN. 6, HIERARCHY. 7, SENSE. 8, STORY. 11, EVERGREEN. 13, DAMAGING. 16, TEMPT. 17, PENPAL. 18, KENYA. 21, CUBE. 23, EON.

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Out & about / Charity / Health & wellbeing

Loxwood Village Fete & Fun Dog Show 2022

ur annual Village Fete & Fun Dog Show will take place on Saturday 4th June at North Hall, Loxwood, RH14 0SF starting at 11am and finishing at 4pm. Our fete that has raised an amazing amount of money for many local good causes. Last year saw £7000 raised. All the usual fun attractions will be in place such as the much anticipated Dog Show, Slinfold Concert Band, enticing craft stalls, side shows, bar, barbecue and ice creams. Children are well catered for with races, the China Smash stall, bouncy castle, face painting, Kick a Goal and archery. The Grand Draw and Tombola are not to be missed offering fantastic prizes. Loxwood Village Fete and Dog Show are offering varying Sponsorship opportunities this year. A programme is also being designed for the Fete offering various advertising options. The print run of 2000 will be delivered to every household in Loxwood, Ifold, Alfold and Plaistow. The rates are: Full Page £70; Half Page £40; Quarter Page £25 (deadline mid-March). The committee is also looking for prizes to be donated in the Grand Draw. If you would like to become involved with sponsorship, advertising or donating of prizes, please contact: Graham Moore, tel: (01403) 751722 or e-mail ginamoore@btopenworld.com. Graham Moore

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Community / Health and wellbeing

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West Sussex Community Minibus Association (Billingshurst) The Billingshurst Community Minibus schedule for March and into April is given below. We’d be delighted to see some new faces, and welcome back regular passengers. Check our website at www.westsussexminibus.org.uk/billingshurst for more information about us. We offer a friendly door to door service for anyone in the ‘RH14 9xx’ area!

March (and early April) 2022 Schedule Tuesday 1st March Thursday 3rd March Tuesday 8th March Wednesday 9th March Thursday 10th March Tuesday 15th March Thursday 17th March Tuesday 22nd March Wednesday 23rd March Thursday 24th March Tuesday 29th March Wednesday 30th March Thursday 31st March Tuesday 5th April Wednesday 6th April

9.00am 10.00am 9.30am 9.00am 10.00am 10.30am 9.30am 10.00am 9.00am 10.00am

1.30pm Camelia Botnar for afternoon tea Horsham & Sainsbury’s 1.15pm Hilliers Horsham Chichester Market Day 1.15pm Tesco Broadbridge Heath Worthing & Haskins for lunch Horsham & Sainsbury’s Tangmere Aviation Museum Holmbush – M&S and Tesco 1.15pm Tesco Broadbridge Heath Bognor Regis Chichester Market Day Horsham & Sainsbury’s 1.15pm Camelia Botnar for afternoon tea Midhurst & ‘Greyhound’ for lunch

To book, telephone Geraldine Pike: (01403) 786147 If you’re interested in finding out more about our service, either as a passenger or a volunteer, please contact Steve O’Dowd, email: billingshurst.minibus@btinternet. com or tel: (01403) 784428. Thank you. Registered Charity No. 1173818

Charity / Funerals / Health & wellbeing

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Looking back on 2021

ooking back over 2021, it seems Sussex Green Living has established itself as a valuable part of Horsham life, thanks to a dedicated band of volunteers and we are really proud of what has been achieved. Once a month we ran (and still do) our Sussex Green Ideas Zoom events with talks and a chance to share events, local news and eco ideas. In 2021 we ran 12, the meetings are on the 3rd Wednesday each month. The project we had been working on throughout last winter was launched on 15th May in Horsham Market, our ‘Inspiration Eco Station’ 1974 retrofitted milk float. Days later it went out as part of our first ‘Bright New Future Roadshow’ at Stedham Primary School, where the children enjoyed a carousel of outdoor activities on the common and woodland next to the school, concluding with the entire school performing the song, Be the Change. Many other schools enjoyed the roadshow as did 8 school eco councils at an event in Brighton in partnership with Rampion Visitors Centre and Sussex Wildlife Trust. The Inspiration Eco Station attended 19 further events in Horsham District. Our Youth Eco Forum (aged 12-18) publishing 4 online e-zines, hosting fortnightly zooms (they still do)

and ran their outdoor education day called ‘Beyond BeLeaf’ day for young people from London, Tanbridge House and Christ’s Hospital schools. In 2021 we worked with a total of 24 schools and over 1500 pupils aged 5-18. On 25th September we launched our once a month Sussex Green Hub which offers a welcoming space at the United Reformed Church in Horsham just off West Street near Wilko. This collaborative community event includes our Horsham Repair Café, bottle refills, recycling, carbon clinic, Transition Horsham, Eco Churches, Horsham Community Fridge and a café run by the URC. Last, but definitely not least, tonnes of single-use plastic continue to be recycled by volunteers in 17 villages and Horsham town, preventing them from going to landfill or incinerator. Instead, the materials are recycled raising hundreds of pounds through TerraCycle and inkjet cartridge recycling. The money is split equally between the Air Ambulance, William Penn School and Sussex Green Living. Learn more and join us: www.sussexgreenliving.co.uk. Carrie Cort, Founder, Sussex Green Living Photo: Recycling volunteers – aka SGL Wombles – at the Sussex Green Hub, United Reformed Church, Horsham

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Poetry / About the house

Station Road Gardens Ted Gooda fondly remembers the cricket pitch before it moved to Jubilee Fields

Station Road Gardens By Ted Gooda I take the familiar route. I’m surprised each time the dogs aren’t interested in bird hedge on a noisy morning of village tweets. But today, something else is on the air: palimpsest traces crossing boundary rope.

There, behind the community notice board is where we drank rum and danced to steel drums. Listen. Maybe their calypso rhythms echo faintly still. And here, where the old pavilion stood proud nestles different, newer, play-train wood.

Preoccupied with treats, poo bags, I need eyes in the back of my head. ‘Good recall,’ observes a fellow walker. He means the dogs, but still, eyes in the mind recall ghostly shapes, other times my footsteps have scored this landscape.

Past the three horse chestnut trees, an empty square, ring-fenced. I clutch the air where the receiver hung, recall the sweet stink of tobacco-wee once trapped behind red-framed panes, think of all the ten-pees spent telling Mum the train was running late.

Funny, there was no gate once, no fence at all, so a four might trickle off the ground and over pavement edges, or a six connect with parked car. Beyond, pitchblend: that gentle mound was flat, about mid-wicket bowling from the Weald School end.

There’s a bench in the place where we used to lie on the grass and read the Sunday papers in sunshine, long before summer follies or Picnics in the Park. Or did we only do that once? It’s hard to say. I’d forgotten, though I come here every day. Photo: Grahame Pearson

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Books / About the house

A Good Read March’s selection from Tash Donovan and Grahame Pearson Homeland Elegies – Ayad Akhtar Homeland Elegies is a novel which could be (and partly is) an autobiographical series of essays. Mr Akhtar is a cardiologist, non-practising Muslim, and supporter of Donald Trump. He and his wife were Pakistani migrants, professional educated people, who moved to the US, enticed by the 'American Dream.’ Life is good and Ayad enjoys a privileged middle class US childhood. Then 9/11 happens and Ayad notices how attitudes towards his family change. The very first chapter explores the rise of Donald Trump. If you have ever wondered what people see in Trump; how they are seduced by his message and how he came to power in spite of being dismissed as a showman, then Akhtar examines this using his relationship with his father as a way to explore this momentous change in the nation. Akhtar goes on to explore themes on American life, 9/11, partition, Muslim identity, family dynamics, and Salman Rushdie. It’s not a light read but it is intelligently written, and the essay style of writing means that it can be read in bite-size sections. At its heart, Homeland Elegies is the story of a father, a son, and the country they both call home. It seamlessly blends fact and fiction to tell a story of belonging and dispossession in a post 9/11 world. Ghosts and Eagles: A Question of Time – D J Sawyer Dirk Sawyer lives in Billingshurst. Ghosts and Eagles is his first novel, released in 2021. In November 2004 AD, sixteen-year-old London schoolboy, Lucius Mabutt, is on his regular visit to spend the school half-term break at Great Aunt Livia’s guesthouse, the ‘Cosy Kettle,’ close by Hadrian’s Wall. He pays his time-honoured visit to

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nearby Housesteads Roman fort in search of inspiration for his homework assignment. Lucius is tasked by his GCSE History teacher with discovering Roman Britain through ‘Writing in Role’. Housesteads Roman fort offers a perfect source for an inspired piece of writing, taking the role of a Roman soldier on front duty in northern Britain. He has an unexpected brush with that past when he takes a break in the soldiers’ latrine at the fort. Lucius is confused and intrigued by the strange sights he witnesses. This feels like one of Mr MacRonald’s History lessons back at school, the enigmatic teacher who brings the past to life in the strangest of ways. On his return to his Great Aunt’s guesthouse the following year, and another visit to Housesteads fort and its latrine, Lucius is plunged back this time, into the turbulent and violent world of AD 369, the year of the Great Barbarian Conspiracy which overwhelmed Hadrian’s Wall. This second visit is far from brief. Lucius’ fight to escape death and return to his own world takes an unexpected twist when he is thrown together with Julia, fourteen-year-old L daughter of the garrison LOCA R commander of O H T Housesteads. Together with AU a few survivors of the attack, they battle to escape the clutches of the barbarians who have swept across Hadrian’s Wall to pillage and kill. Lucius will face the dilemma of either saving himself, or Julia, and only one of them will escape… for now. (The story of Lucius and Julia continues in book 2.) Ghosts and Eagles: A Question of Time is a Young Adult, 12-18+ historical fantasy. It is also perfectly suited to adults. It is available from Amazon on Kindle Unlimited and in paperback at £4.99. It is also available from Waterstones at £5.49.

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Changing career / About the house

So, You Want to Change Career…

s we emerge blinking into the (almost) post-pandemic world of work, many of us are finding that we’ve changed as people, which is not surprising, and our job no longer seems like such a good fit for us. Changing career is a decision which can’t be made lightly, and the prospect can be daunting, but sometimes it can be best way forward. The first thing you need to ask is “What’s my why?” Why do I want to change? Do you want more money? Or maybe you’d like more flexible hours and less stress. You might dream of running your own business or turning your hobby into your career. The next thing to ask is “When?” When is the right time to change? It’s probably the right time to consider a career change (or at least a job change) if your workplace is toxic and grinding you down. Toxic workplaces impact on your mental and physical health and are rarely worth the pay cheque long term. It’s also time to reevaluate if you’re only in it for the money. A career change might give you the chance to find more personal and professional satisfaction but still pay all the bills. If you get a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach every Sunday evening, it could be a good time to consider a change. Likewise, if you’re bored all the time and feel like you’re sleepwalking towards retirement, it’s a good sign that you might benefit from a change. Various surveys have been carried out on career-changers. And overwhelmingly the responses are mostly positive. Respondents reported feeling happier, more fulfilled, and less stressed. Around 80% of people who have changed careers say that they wish they had

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done it sooner. Very few of them regretted their decision. Of those that did have regrets the main one was financial insecurity. Changing careers can incur costs such as having to pay for further education or an initial drop in salary. Even those who were mostly happy with their decision cautioned that it can take time to find the right position in a new career. Those who had started their own business explained that the emotional and financial stakes are higher day-to-day, which can lead to its own stress. If you still feel you’d like to change career the next question is “What?” What would you like to do? Research is key. The more research you do, the better position you’ll be in to make the right decision. Set a time limit on your research so you don’t get stuck in ‘analysis paralysis.’ Then start at the end point e.g. “I want to become a hairdresser / plumber / chartered accountant” and work backwards, breaking down what you have to do to achieve each step. Then aim to take a small action towards your big goal every day. For example, contacting someone who already works in the industry; contacting a careers adviser; signing up for a course. For many people, their biggest obstacle is inertia. They want to change but they’re scared or overwhelmed or worried about what others might think. So, take the time to go through the above process step-by-step to help to clarify things in your mind. When you feel confident, other people are more likely to be supportive. Good luck. Tracey Anderson

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Little Tweeters!

Dr Martens / About the house

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What the Doctor Ordered The rise and fall and rise of the Dr Marten boot

hen you read the words Dr Martens, what do you think of? Skinheads? Clowns? Workmen? Or high fashion? Because in spite of being associated with all the groups above, Dr Martens have remained one of the most consistently cool items of clothing in the past 50 years. They really were invented by a doctor too – Dr Klaus Maertens, a German army doctor. He injured his foot while skiing and found standard issue WW2 army boots very uncomfortable and not at all conducive to recovery. So, he designed his own shoe, which replaced the leather soul with one which had air-cushioning. The sole is made from an inorganic rubber that’s oil and fat resistant. Originally the boots were sold as orthopaedic devices and bizarrely the majority of its customers for the first fifteen years were housewives, mainly over 40 years old. But then an advert for the boots with the air-cushioned sole caught the eye of the Griggs family, who ran a shoe company in Britain, specialising in sturdy work boots, and they bought the patent. They made a few tweaks to the design, including reshaping the heel, and they also anglicised the name. The classic yellow-stitched Dr Martens AirWair boot was launched on 1st April, 1960. The date gave rise to the name 1460. This footwear was no April Fool joke though – the boots quickly became popular with factory workers, postmen and police officers. But these were not the kind of people known

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for inspiring fashion choices so how did Dr Martens become so cool? It started with youth sub-cultures, like Mods and Skinheads, who adopted the boots as symbols of working-class pride. There was some irony in the fact that when these groups clashed with police BOTH sides were wearing Dr Martens! Pete Townsend of The Who is generally credited with giving Dr Martens international exposure when he chose to wear them on stage at concerts. From about 1966 they began to gain fashion status, generally by groups who associated themselves with antiestablishment values. Punks, Goths, New Wave and Grunge groups all embraced the Dr Marten, and they gradually became more mainstream with Britpop. But by the new Millennium sales were dropping. The Dr Marten 1460 was seen as old. Eventually the company moved production to China. In 2004 a new line of footwear was introduced, deliberately designed to appeal to younger buyers. They were softer, easier to break in and had a translucent heel. This paid off and sales began to climb again. In 2012 Dr Martens had its best year for sales ever. Shortly after they were sold to the investment firm Permira, and have continued to rise in popularity ever since, becoming a mainstream wardrobe staple. I wonder what the original Dr Maertens would make of all that! Sarah Davey

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

Doing our bit to help wildlife in the parish of Billingshurst This year the Parish Council is continuing with a reduced mowing policy on some strips of the land it manages. Nature networks in towns and villages are vital for the return of wildflowers, longer grasses, bees, butterflies and other insects – needed to support biodiversity as well as reduce pollution and flood risk. Look out for the ‘rewilded’ areas on Clevelands Gardens, Stane Street, Jubilee Fields, Manor Fields Allotments, Lower Station Road Recreation Ground and Adversane Village Green.

Billingshurst Community Transport Do you have some spare time? Are you able to drive? Do you live in the parishes of Billingshurst, Shipley, Loxwood, Ifold or Plaistow? If so, the Billingshurst Community Transport Scheme urgently needs more volunteer drivers. To find out more about the scheme and see whether you can help, please contact Graeme at the Community Transport office on (01403) 787696.

Updates from the Neighbourhood Wardens Monthly reports are produced by the Billingshurst Neighbourhood Wardens Barry & Julie. These can be found along with other info about the Wardens, what

they can and can’t do and their contact information by visiting the Council’s website www.billingshurst.gov.uk and clicking on the ‘Community’ tab along the top of the homepage.

Billingshurst in Bloom Entries Look out for details of how to enter our local Billingshurst in Bloom competition in the next few months. Full details and entry forms will be advertised in upcoming editions of Village Tweet. In previous years, the judges commented that whilst travelling around to judge entries, they noted a number of gardens which looked amazing but had not entered. Even if you don’t fancy entering yourself, if you have a neighbour whose front garden looks fabulous, do please encourage them to enter in 2022.

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

Billingshurst Parish Council

@BillingshurstPC

Annual Parish Meeting of Electors For obvious reasons this meeting was not held in 2020 and 2021 so we are pleased to confirm that this year’s meeting will be held on Wednesday 13th April 7.00pm at the Billingshurst Centre. There will be no guest speaker this year but after the usual report from the Council, the meeting is yours so come along and ask any question relating to the Parish. Don’t forget that this is YOUR Meeting, not a Council meeting!

Billingshurst Women’s Institute (WI) The Billingshurst WI benefited from a talk by Aaron Barton of the Billingshurst Surgery and it was helpful for all to hear about the Surgery’s challenges and resolutions, especially with the increased village population. In March, the WI are planning a members only meeting but the remaining programme of events for 2022 can be found on the Parish Council’s website under the Community tab and then click Organisations and Groups. Visitors are welcome to attend the meetings which are held at the Billingshurst Centre on the 2nd Thursday of each month between 2.30pm-4.30pm. For further information about the Billingshurst WI, please telephone (01403) 780810 or email billingshurstwi@wsfwi. co.uk.

The Cinnamon Trust The Cinnamon Trust is a national charity for elderly and terminally ill people and their pets. They help by taking out dogs who may be missing their daily walk. More information is available by visiting their website www.cinnamon.org.uk, emailing volunteer@cinnamon.org.uk or by telephoning (01736) 757900.

Street Parties for HM Queen’s Platinum Jubilee 2022 Are you considering holding a street party to celebrate HM Queen’s Platinum Jubilee? If so, it will be necessary to officially close the road and to do this residents have to apply for a Temporary Road Closure Order. Horsham District Council (HDC) has a lot of information on its website to help residents with their applications. Visit the HDC website www.horsham.gov.uk/ community/plananevent. There is no charge or insurance requirement if the road closure is for a street party.

Billingshurst Centre – Hall Hire Did you know that there are a number of rooms (including the main hall) available at the Billingshurst Centre for hire at competitive prices? Ring (01403) 787690 or email reception@billingshurst.gov.uk to check availability at this excellent local venue.

Council Tax News Along with the District and Council Councils and the Police & Crime Commissioner, the Parish Council will be asking more from you in Council Tax from April. Due to the rising costs of staffing, utilities and all other goods and services which the Council procures to maintain services, the overall amount that the Council will spend will be £554,115, an increase of £42,030 or 8.2%. This also includes the planned adoption of new Public Open Space. However, due to the increase in number of properties over which the total cost is spread, this equates to a rise of 6.57% per annum for an average Band D property or 11 pence extra per week.

Platinum Jubilee A small group has been meeting regularly to plan a program of events for the big weekend in June, when we celebrate Her Majesty’s momentous milestone. These centre pages in the May edition will feature all the details so keep a look out.

We can help Don’t forget, if your community group or organisation has any events, meetings or fetes coming up over the course of 2022, and you would like help with advertising, please email liz@billingshurst.gov.uk or sarah@billingshurst.gov.uk and we will do what we can to help promote it.

Upcoming Council meetings All meetings are held at the Billingshurst Community & Conference Centre (normally commencing at 7.30pm), and agendas are always posted on the Parish Council’s website www.billingshurst.gov.uk. Meetings are also live streamed on the Council’s Facebook page (when technology permits). Upcoming Meetings (March) 2nd: Full Council & Trustees 3rd: Planning & Environment Committee 16th: Working Practices Committee 30th: Billingshurst Centre and F&GP Committees

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Little Tweeters! / About the house

Skirmishes with squirrels

Once upon a time on a small farm near Billingshurst…

eremy Oakhatch looked at Clementine and chattered excitedly. He’d had an idea about getting food and not being chased by the dogs. Nanny had helped by putting out some squirrel sort of food in a dish hanging in the tree. For one thing it wasn’t regular and two it got yucky when it rained and got all mushy and thirdly it wasn’t their favourite food. But now… “Why don’t we get our own food from the feed containers in the hay shed?” he announced. “But how do we get them open?” questioned Clementine but Jeremy just smiled, showing his bared teeth. That very night they set to, gnawing the black plastic container that held chicken corn. They didn’t quite get it off but certainly alerted Nanny to their enterprising nature. She put a large lump of wood on the lid to weigh it down. Not to be outdone the squirrels pushed the log off and chewed a very large hole in the lid; they were well fed that night. Nanny was astonished at their determination so invested in two metal bins. She put the squirrel food in one and the poultry corn in the other. She even wrote what was in each in black marker (not for the squirrels’ benefit, you understand). BUT… as she awkwardly stepped off the hay shed proper onto the covered space’s floor, she tripped and down she went, squirrel container underneath and, fortunately for her, taking the brunt of the fall. When she stopped squealing from pain she staggered to her feet. She scrabbled all the food up, straightened the squashed container as best she could, and tied the lid down with bungee cords. To prevent further ‘accidents’ she left the container where she fed the squirrels. She had also invested in a squirrel feeder. It had a glass viewer front and a lifting lid which the squirrels could lift to get their food. She secured it to the post,

filled it with food and waited. They couldn’t work it out at first and as their efforts were frustrated they chewed the wood of the feeder instead. To help them Nanny left the lid a bit propped so they worked it out. But… Food didn’t appear regularly so the squirrels worked on chewing the bungee cords on the container. Having got the gist of it, the second night they got them off entirely. Another project accomplished with a full tummy. Nanny put the squirrel bin up with the bird seed in another place. The next morning Nanny awoke to find they’d really done a number on the squirrel feeder. They’d chewed one side enough to be able to take the window out and fling it on the ground. Without the window the squirrel food wouldn’t stay in so Nanny put it into a dog biscuit tin which they promptly flung on the ground. Some old ginger biscuits they ignored totally after first taste. Nanny asked Grandad to repair the squirrel feeder. It wasn’t as flash as it had been but it looked very, well, functional. Grandad had sanded all the chew marks, so it looked very smart. Also, Nanny decided to feed them regularly in the afternoon so they had a good feed in the morning. Squirrels being very shy it proved impossible for Nanny to take a picture of them so you will have to make do with just the feeder, but so far everyone is quite happy… except the squirrels still want to push the lid off the metal bin of poultry corn. Just to show they can. Hopefully things will settle down for Jeremy and Clementine and Nanny. Anyway, the squirrels will have other things to think about now that spring is beginning on that little farm near Billingshurst. Yvonne Fleece

Feeder: fragile and frustrating

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Community

A simple stroll 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. Dear reader (our lovely editor Grahame reckons that I have got one… somewhere!) It has been a tradition for many years in our family that every New Year’s Day we all go for a walk to help remove the excesses of the Christmas splurge! Usually this involves a lovely wander through the fields and woods that our village sits among. Most times the walk goes without any problems. We do occasionally get lost; and sometimes find ourselves outside a pub. Funny that! There was a joyful walk a few years back where we enjoyed the spectacle of my sister-in-law trying to cross a particularly swollen stream by stepping onto a mound of debris that had collected in the centre of the stream. I know… I know… I should have warned her… but I didn’t. The result as she sank thigh-high into the cold water was quite a delight to see. After a few minutes, once we had stopped laughing, we hauled her out and she squelched back home again through the woods and fields. We never did make the pub, but it’s a lovely memory as you can imagine. Anyway, back to this year. We decided to follow one of the routes that start just beyond the beautiful church of St John the Baptist at Kirdford. On paper it looked ideal. Three point six miles of pure countryside walking. Other than a short distance prior to reaching the footpath and a short walk through the village afterwards, all of the route was over farms and woodlands. This year there was just three of us: my wife, her sister (yes, the same sister) and myself. Now as you are aware we had a rather wet autumn, so it was no surprise to find the trail was muddy and heavily puddled for much of the way, but the scenery and the pleasant New Year’s Day weather more than compensated for this setback. We followed the well illustrated map, and footpath signs along the way guided us with confidence through well-walked paths. I soon realised just how many horses now resided in the countryside around us. For the first mile or so fields and paddocks abounded with the beautiful beasts, along with a truly lovely great hairy pig who peered inquiringly at us as we squelched by her home alongside a wood that bordered the closefenced pathway. This opened at its end onto a track that led downwards, over a stream, and then rose through a wood that I would guess in summertime

would be an absolute delight to wander through. As it was… we slithered over mud and puddles and thanked the good Lord for the existence of wellies. By now we were feeling the results of over indulgence as well as advanced years, but we plodded on. Besides, we were around half-way so it was pointless retracing our skidding boot marks, we might just as well carry on, and we did. A wide track opened up after we left the wood, and rising ground gave firmer walking for a while. A couple of turns later the ground once more fell away and we passed a series of small lakes before crossing a stream and once more climbed upwards alongside a wooded slope. It was at this point we began to feel… how can I put it?… knackered! Over a couple of stiles later and with the guidance of a couple of helpful passing walkers, we headed for the distant roofs of Kirdford. I must say at this point that these last few stiles all had the addition of a sliding gate beside them that allowed access for walkers’ dogs. The temptation to crawl though this aperture rather than try to swing tired legs over the top of the stile was only offset by the mud that we would have to crawl through to get to the other side. One more stile, a large open entrance to the next field, over another stile, and we would be home. We negotiated the stile and then approached the gateway. I went first. Literally. It was a sea of mud from animal and tractor traffic and I slipped. I’m sure you know the feeling. The foot goes and gravity takes over… you know you are heading for the ground, and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it. You feel almost as if it’s in slow motion, and you resign yourself to your fate. My only consolation was that it was soft. Very soft. And deep. I rose from the glutinous mire to be faced by hysterical laughter – especially from sister-in-law. I guess it was revenge served cold time. Her one regret was she didn’t have her phone to take a photo. Several minutes were spent scraping the worst of the Wealden clay from my clothes and I found a fresh puddle to rinse off most of the stuff that decorated my face and neck. From then on it was one more field to squelch over and then desperately hope that there were no spectators looking out of the windows as I plodded through the garden of Jodie Kidd’s lovely Half Moon pub back to the car. We didn’t think it prudent to go in for a drink. So there you have it. A traditional New Year’s Day walk. What could be nicer. You tell me! John Nash

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About the house

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Charity / About the house

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Lions Charter Anniversary Celebration

n March, Billingshurst & District Lions Club is celebrating the 48th anniversary of receiving its Charter to be a fully fledged Lions Club, becoming part of the worldwide Lions Club International (LCI). The route to forming a Club usually begins with an established Club seeing potential to expand into an area they cannot cover themselves. Billingshurst Lions Club was instigated when Stan Stevens, who joined the Lions in Crawley, moved to Billingshurst in 1973 from East Grinstead, where he had helped establish their Lions Club. The process begins with the formation of a Branch, requiring a minimum of five people, with two from an adjacent ‘parent’ club providing guidance; in this case, Horsham Lions. A minimum of 20 potential members are required before the Branch can apply for a Charter. Being a village at that time, Billingshurst seemed too small to attract this number, but resolved by embracing local villages and hence styled Billingshurst & District Lions Club. With 20 prospective members, the Branch applied for a Charter in 1974 to LCI headquarters in Oak Brook, Illinois, USA. This was duly granted, with a Certificate presented at a celebratory dinner. Since then

Billingshurst Lions has been a force for good within the local community. Richard Melcio, current President, says, “Looking back, we have been very fortunate in our membership over the years, for ensuring a firm foundation for the thriving club we have today.” On a sad note, the Club’s last active founder member, Don Cray, died in January. Don was President in 2000 and will be best remembered for his valuable contribution to Community Service, where, as a long standing resident, he was a fount of knowledge on local matters with his power of recall, even after his physical health deteriorated. Don was a very quiet man, well respected and a true gentleman. Follow Billingshurst Lions on Facebook and on their website www.billingshurstlions.org. Harvey Holmes – Press Officer, Billingshurst & District Lions Club Photo: Stan Stevens, Founder President (right), receiving the Charter Certificate in 1974. Can anyone recognise the other Founder Members featured in the photograph? Please e-mail Harvey on harveyholmes596@btinternet.com

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About the house / Pets

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Pets / Vets

The Spaniel Diaries

o here we are in March, the days are finally Getting longer! Spring is most definitely in the air and mum is in such a better mood, although that wasn’t the case when I dug up her daffodils, oops! Couldn’t even blame it on Mav because I got caught red handed! We have been busy fixing the mess the big grass muncher has made of his field this winter, mum moans about the mess we make, but at least we don’t leave great big foot-shaped holes everywhere like that great galumph does. The grass muncher will be in a foul mood when he realises his munching area has got smaller – mum doesn’t want him getting sick with sore feet because he’s eaten too much, I feel sympathy for him there because mum has me on a permanent diet too… she should go on one herself! We went swimming too, this is the one thing that I absolutely beat Mav hands down at… I am a water baby, gliding gracefully through the water, Mav resembles a drowning antelope! He had to wear a float jacket and looked more like an idiot than ever, it was hilarious leaping in the pool and grabbing the dummy before he could get to it first, and what’s even funnier is that he

gave himself swimmer’s tail and couldn’t wag it for a week. Oh, how I laughed! He’s totally back to his normal annoying self now, even thinks he can steal my spot on the sofa, the cheeky mutt! Mum is back on with the training. Mav as usual is the goody two shoes and has been learning extra long fetches, mum doesn’t bother asking me these days as I either get halfway out and sit down, or if raining I simply leg it back to the car! She’s soon gonna get the message, although she’s been mentioning training holiday – I can’t seem to see what those two words are doing in the same sentence, but I’m not liking the sound of that. Mum’s planning something so I shall have to be on the ball! We have been having some fantastic walks recently with some simply beautiful sunrise and sunsets, the only problem with this is mum insisted on trying to keep taking my photo, I may be astonishingly handsome but I am also quite shy, Mav just sits there posing like an idiot so mum should just take pictures of him! Have a wonderful month and enjoy the spring. Until next time! Jeannette Douglas

Brrrrrrh! Roll on spring!

How to prevent a dental procedure! The best way to avoid a costly dental procedure is to brush your dog’s teeth daily! Choose a time when your dog is comfortable and relaxed, take it slowly a step at a time, keep the sessions short, and only move on to the next step when your dog is happy. Step 1. Stroke your dog’s cheek gently back and forth to get them used to your hand being by their mouth. Step 2. Introduce the dog toothpaste on a soft toothbrush allowing your dog to lick it off (avoid human toothpaste as it contains chemicals that are toxic to dogs). Step 3. Start by running the soft toothbrush along the inside of their mouth following the gumline. Step 4. Gently brushing their side front teeth. Step 5. Gently brush their back teeth. Step 6. Gently brush the teeth under their nose. If brushing their teeth is not possible, special dental chews and diets can certainly help. Should your dog’s teeth look like they have a large build-up of plaque and tartar do get in contact with your vet as they may need a dental procedure. Sophie Hall B.V.Sc., M.R.C.V.S.

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Garden Tweet! / Fencing

Swiss chard

arch means the start of the outdoor sowing season in the UK, as the days begin to lengthen and become warmer. I discovered Swiss chard several years ago when I was looking for something more interesting than spinach. It’s rarely found in the supermarkets for some reason and is quite delicious. It’s also easy to grow and doesn’t require much maintenance. Beta vulgaris subsp. cicla var. flavescens is sometimes called Rainbow Chard because of its ornamental stems. The fact it’s so decorative, with its large fleshy dark green leaves and bright stalks in shades of red, purple, gold and white make it a good choice for a small garden. It looks attractive in containers or borders. To grow it, choose a sunny (but not sunbaked) spot, prepare the soil well (or use compost in a large container), make shallow drills about 40cm apart and sow the chard seeds thinly, approximately 1.5cm deep. Cover the seeds with soil and water well. You can start sowing in March, then every few weeks you can repeat sow, until September for a continuous crop that will even see you through the winter if you give it a little protection. I move my pots to the greenhouse. As the seedlings begin to grow, thin out the

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Garden View

plants so that they’re 2530cm apart. Water well after thinning. Chard is an easy vegetable to look after but keep an eye open for slugs and snails. Birds also seem to like the little seedlings (at least in my garden) so you might need to protect them. Young chard leaves can be eaten fresh so use the early thinned leaves for salads. The adult chard leaves are ready to harvest about 10-12 weeks after sowing, though later in the year it will take a little longer. It’s a wonderful cutand-come-again plant. Cut individual leaves as you need them, and the plant will keep producing new growth. So, which Swiss chard varieties to try? My favourite variety is ‘Bright Lights’ which has rainbow-coloured stems. It’s particularly good for autumn crops. ‘Fantasy’ has pretty red stems and is good if your garden tends to be damp as it’s resistant to mildew. As its name suggests ‘Bright Yellow’ has yellow stalks and is very striking. All three of these varieties can be overwintered with a little protection and provide you with an early crop the following spring. Happy Gardening! Rachel Leverton

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Charity / Garden Tweet!

“Their Name Liveth For Evermore” The War Graves at St Mary’s church, Billingshurst

n the United Kingdom there are an estimated 100,000 war memorials, remembering those affected by the consequences of conflict. When war memorials were first erected in 1920, they soon became the focus of Remembrance Services across the country. Inscribed on the war memorial at Billingshurst are surnames from the Great War and Second World War of those who made the greatest sacrifice from our local community. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission was established by Royal Charter in 1917 and maintains the graves and memorials of the 1.7 million Commonwealth Service men and women who died during both world wars at 23,000 locations in 153 countries. In addition to the names on the war memorial their records show six names of those interned in the St Mary’s Church graveyard. Three of the graves are from the Great War: Alfred Henry Lines, Royal Defence Corps; Frank Pierce, The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment) and William Frank Thomas, Royal Horse Artillery. And three are from the Second World War: John

Barclay Montgomerie, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve; Frederic William John Allfrey, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and Charles George Hunt, Royal Army Medical Corps. A more recent addition is a memorial stone in the Garden of Remembrance at St Mary’s for Flight Lieutenant Kevin John Poysden, which is looked after by his family. He was lost, aged 29, during exercise ‘Elder Forest’, 30 miles east of Leuchars on 20th April 1988. As champions of Remembrance, the Royal British Legion has been working with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to keep alive the memory of those who died. “We Will Remember Them”. For further information about the work of the Royal British Legion, Billingshurst Branch, please contact Rob Nicholl, Branch Chair, e-mail: billingshurst.chairman@rbl.community Graeme McAlpine, Press Officer Photo: the grave of 13875 Lance Corporal Frank Pierce, The Queens (Royal West Surrey Regiment) who died 3rd October 1917, aged 35

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St Patrick’s Day Spot the Difference

It’s St Patrick’s Day on 17th March. Can you spot the 12 differences with this leprechaun?

Solution on page 37

West Chiltington Floral Club (Affiliated to NAFAS)

Tuesday 15th March, 7pm for 7:30pm. We look forward to welcoming Melanie Smith with her demonstration We’re off to The Dolomites. We also extend a very warm welcome to visitors who would be able to join us free at the March meeting (normal fee £5). Unless otherwise stated, meetings are held at West Chiltington Village Hall, Mill Road, West Chiltington RH20 2PZ, 7pm for 7.30pm. Visitors are most welcome. For more information, please contact Brenda Bull on (01798) 813712

RUDGWICK FENCING All types of fencing work undertaken

FOR A FREE ON-SITE VISIT, ESTIMATE AND ADVICE Phone Adrian Bargman

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BILLINGSHURST MOT

& SERVICE CENTRE Tel: 01403 783 555

Motoring

MOTMOT Servicing Servicing Repairs Repairs

Diagnostics DiagnosticsTyres Brakes Tyres Brakes

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Motoring

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Puzzle on page 35

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Under Pressure Why tyre pressures are important

s I pulled into the garage to check my tyre pressures like I do most Fridays after collecting my son from school, he asked, “Why do you have to check pressures anyway?” I knew it was for safety reasons though I was a bit hazy on the details, and frankly I do it because it’s a habit I inherited from my own mother. So, let’s take a look at tyre pressures. Here’s an interesting fact: 40% of car accidents related to faults (as opposed to driver error) are related to under-inflated tyres. (Though I reckon you could class that as driver error too because they omitted to check the pressure.) Under-inflated tyres are the most common reason for a blowout, where a tyre disintegrates while in motion. Blowouts are super scary and extremely dangerous – especially on a so-called ‘smart’ motorway with no hard shoulder. Correctly inflated tyres last longer than those that are under-inflated. Tyres can lose 1-2 PSI (pounds per square inch) per month if unchecked, and driving on tyres underinflated by just 5 PSI can reduce the life of the tyre by 25%. If you are concerned about the environment, or

Motoring

your finances, check your pressures. Under-inflated tyres can increase your fuel consumption by around 5%. Tyres inflated to the correct pressure improve vehicle grip, handling, and steering. Under-inflated tyres increase stopping distances by up to eight metres, and even more if the road is wet or icy. The car might also feel sluggish and hard to control. If your car doesn’t have power steering you will also find the steering even heavier with under-inflated tyres. So, under-inflated tyres are bad but don’t be tempted to over inflate them ‘for luck’ or to save you having to check them for a while. Over-inflated tyres are more likely to overheat on long journeys, again increasing the risk of a tyre blowout. They also make handling more difficult, especially on corners. The correct tyre pressures for your car can be found in the handbook or printed on the inside of the fuel tank flap, or the driver’s door aperture. They should be checked with the tyres cold, never after a long or fast drive. Toni Carlton

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Out and about / Motoring CHRIST’S HOSPITAL CHORAL SOCIETY

A concert to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee

HAPPY & GLORIOUS! Choral music from the Coronation & Royal occasions Handel’s

Coronation Anthems Including “Zadok the Priest” & music played at the 1953 Coronation by Parry, Stanford,VaughanWilliams & more

Plus “Jerusalem” etc, with audience participation! (See website for full programme)

Conductor Ruaraidh Sutherland Organist Peter Dutton

April 30th 2022

7.30 p.m.

St Mary’s Church The Causeway, Horsham TICKETS FROM C.H.BOX OFFICE 01403 247434 , ON THE DOOR OR VIA WEBSITE

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CAR AND MOTORCYCLE MOT TEST STATION Computer Diagnostics Tuning Welding MOT Repairs Mechanical Repairs Exhausts Tyres Servicing *5% donation goes to The Mary How Trust

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What’s On near you

What’s On – March Every Mon

Billingshurst Men’s Shed. Unitarian Hall, Billingshurst. 10am to noon. Part of the Men’s Shed movement, we are a group of men AND women who meet to talk, drink tea & coffee, make and repair things and plan the creation of our permanent home in the village. Contact us on (01403) 786284 or e-mail: davidandmar.ambrose1@btinternet.com Every Mon Knit & Natter. Billingshurst Library. 10.30am-midday. Open to anyone that likes to knit, crochet, sew and chat! Meet new friends, swap tips and ideas. No need to book. All ages and abilities welcome. Further info: drop in or call Bev at Billingshurst Library on (01403) 783145 Every Mon Horsham Matters Hub on the Move Foodbank. Billingshurst Library car park, 10-11.30am Every Mon Table Tennis. St Mary’s Room, East St, Billingshurst. 2-4pm. A sociable group for all ages. Includes tea & biscuits normally. Suggested donation to church funds £2 per session. Tony, tel: (01403) 783496 Every Mon BOOSTfit Horsham. The Forest School, Comptons Lane, RH13 5NT. Judgement & pressure free fitness for all. Clare Lawton, tel: 07983 976 601 or e-mail: clareboostfit@outlook.com. www.boostfit.com Every Mon Chair Yoga. Kelsey Hall, Ifold. 2.15-3pm. For those who want to feel the benefits of yoga, but from a chair! All welcome. £5. Kim, tel: 07780 439155 or e-mail whiterosechairyoga@outlook.com Every Mon Seniors’ Coffee Morning. St Mary’s Room, Billingshurst. 10.30am to 12 noon. £3 a head. Transport available. Tel: (01403) 786706 Alternate Rotary Club. Blacksmiths Arms, Adversane. 12.30pm. Supper (£13) & talk. Visitors welcome. Social activities Mondays* & occasional business meetings. *Stuart Pullen, Attendance Secretary, tel: (01798) 873791 or 07967 159034 Every Mon Clubbercise with Hayley. Wisborough Green. 7.45-8.30pm. Aerobic exercise class for all fitness levels16 and over. Darkened room with flashing disco lights and music (90s to now). Pre-bookings only: bookwhen.com/clubbercisehayleym. Latest updates: facebook.com/clubbercisewithhayley 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 Mon Horsham Bridge Club. Face-to-Face. 22a East Street, Horsham, RH12 1HL. 1.30pm. Graham & Weds Walker, tel: (01403) 734156. www.horshambridge.co.uk Every Tues Billingshurst Short Mat Bowls. Billingshurst Community & Conference Centre. 2-4pm. £4 per session. Come and try a game. It’s great fun with friendly people in a small club. Further details please contact Alan Barnes, tel: (01403) 783721 Every Tues Billingshurst Choral Society Practice. Billingshurst Community & Conference Centre. 7.30-9.45pm. New members welcome. Tel: Keith Paul on 07989 412997 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 Slinfold Concert Band rehearsal. Slinfold Village Hall from 7.30-9.30pm. Brass, woodwind and percussion players all welcome. www.slinfoldconcertband.org 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 Neighbourhood Warden drop-in sessions. Billingshurst Community & Conference Centre. 12-2pm Every Tues BOOSTfit Billingshurst. Billingshurst Leisure Centre, RH14 9RY. Judgement & pressure free fitness for all. Clare Lawton, tel: 07983 976 601 or e-mail: clareboostfit@outlook.com. www.boostfit.com 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 Horsham Bridge Club. Online BBO. 7pm. Graham Walker, tel: (01403) 734156. & Thurs www.horshambridge.co.uk Every Tues Pétanque Club. Shipley Football Ground, 10.15 for 10.30am start (*spring/summer/autumn, Friday, 6.30pm) & Fri* Coffee after. Equipment provided. All ages and abilities. 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. Improvers 6-7.15pm, intermediates 7.15-9.30pm. Details from Maureen, tel: 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 Weds Horsham Bridge Club. Online BBO. 2pm. Graham Walker, tel: (01403) 734156. www.horshambridge.co.uk Every 2nd BilliUke: Billingshurst’s Own Ukulele Jam! Billingshurst Centre, 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 Clubbercise with Hayley. St Gabriel’s Church Hall, Billingshurst. 7.45-8.30pm. Aerobic exercise class for all fitness levels16 and over. Darkened room with flashing disco lights and music (90s to now). Pre-bookings only: bookwhen.com/clubbercisehayleym. Latest updates: facebook.com/clubbercisewithhayley

What’s On near you

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Every Thurs Wildlife walkabouts. RSPB Pulborough Brooks Nature Reserve, Wiggonholt, RH20 2EL. 10am-12 noon. £8 per person (£2.50 for RSPB members). (01798) 875851. www.rspb.org.uk/pulboroughbrooks Every Thurs HDC Health Walk. Billingshurst (2). Meet 11am, Library car park, Billingshurst (TQ086260). Parking free with annnual permit or 75p per hour. 2¼ miles, flat, easy. 1 hour. Chris (01403) 782745. All HDC walks are guided, free and sociable. Led by trained volunteers; no need to book, just turn-up Every Thurs Crafts and Natter group. The Chapel, Spy Lane, Loxwood, RH14 0SQ. 11am-3pm Every Thurs Drop in Baby Zone! St Mary’s Room, East Street, Billingshurst. 10.30-11.30am Thurs & Fri plus 1.30& Fri 2.30pm Thurs. Meet other parents and their babies. Every week except between Xmas & New Year. Emma: babies@stmarysbillingshurst.org. Free spaces, book at babyzone.stmarysbillingshurst.org Every Fri Blue Idol Open Day. Oldhouse Lane, Coolham, RH13 8QP. 10am-1pm. Visit this historic building and discover local history. www.blueidol.org. Tel: (01403) 740039 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 Alternate The Mother’s Fire. Nature connection group for mothers and children of all ages. 10am-12noon at a Fridays*, beautiful, secure farm in Billingshurst. *Contact hello@acornsandembers.co.uk or visit Feb-Dec www.acornsandembers.co.uk for a full list of dates, more info and to book 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 Sat Dempsey School of Irish Dancing for children aged 5+. Billingshurst Community Centre. 9 & 10am. Nicola, e-mail: dempseyirishdance@gmail.com Every Sat Amities Boules Club. Foresters Arms, Kirdford. New members always welcome. Sats: 10.45 for & Weds 11am start, finish 1.30pm. Weds (summer only, weather permitting): 2pm. David, tel: (01483) 278346 Every Sun The Emmanuel Fellowship meet every Sunday at ‘The Chapel’, Spy Lane, Loxwood, RH14 0SQ. 10.30am for about an hour with refreshments afterwards. www.emmanuelfellowship.co.uk 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 1 Mar The Arts Society West Sussex lecture by David Philips: ‘The Magic of Patterns’. Fittleworth Village Hall. Doors open 1.40, lecture 2pm followed by tea and coffee. William Morris patterns can be gorgeous or ‘mere ornament’ compared with paintings. We will discover what a mistaken view this is. Visitors (£5) most welcome. Tel: (01903) 411086 or email: jackiebuckler@sky.com. www.theartssocietywestsussex.org 1 Mar Trefoil Guild Meeting. Meetings are temporarily suspended due to COVID but we hope to restart them again in 2022. Julia, tel: (01403) 784363 1 Mar Laughter Yoga Club. Unitarian Hall (side door), Billingshurst, RH14 9TB. (Park Lakers Mead.) 1.35 for 1.45pm start till 2.45pm. £6. Boosts seratonine and nervous systems & improves wellbeing! Non-profitmaking club. All welcome. Contact Linda, tel: 07806.327917, email: lstevenson201854@gmail.com 1-12 Mar Exhibition: Brian Broad Retrospective Cranleigh Arts Centre. 10am-4pm. This retrospective exhibition explores the life’s work of Brian Broad. Brian has never previously sold his work so this is a unique opportunity to buy an expression of his life. www.cranleighartscentre.org 1-31 Mar Snowdrop Virtual Challenge. Walk, run, cycle. www.thesussexsnowdroptrust.com. See page 10 2 Mar The Arts Society – South Downs lecture by Lucrezia Walker: ‘John Peter Russell’. Fittleworth Village Hall. 10.45am. Visitors welcome, £6, contact Jane Allison, tel: (01798) 813314 or e-mail: jane@theallisonfamily.co.uk. www.theartssocietysouthdowns.org.uk 2 Mar Billingshurst Wednesday Group Talk by Paul Gallvin, Head Gardener for the N.T. property, Woolbeding. St Mary’s Room, Billingshurst, 10am. Paul will take us on a photographic tour of the garden through the seasons. Hazel Barnes, tel: (01403) 780660 or email: buzzhazel@gmail.com 2 Mar Parish Council Full Council & Trustees meeting. Billingshurst Centre. 7.30pm 3 Mar Billingshurst Horticultural Society Talk: ‘Architectural Plants by Guy Watts. St Gabriel’s Parish Hall, East Street, 8pm. Admission free to members. Visitors welcome £2 (inc refreshments). Beryl Barraclough, tel: (01403) 784599 3 Mar Parish Council Planning & Environmental Committee meeting. Billingshurst Centre. 7.30pm 3 Mar Wisborough Green WI Evening. Wisborough Green Village Hall. 7.45pm. Every first Thursday. Visitors welcome for taster session. Please contact WisboroughGreenWI@mail.com for our latest calendar of activities, and membership details 3 Mar Reading Friends. Billingshurst Library. Temporarily suspended due to coronavirus 4 Mar Night Navigation course. Near Midhurst. A fun, practical and challenging navigation course which addresses the essential and often neglected skills of navigating at night or in poor visibility. Tel: (01403) 788994. To book: www.patadventures.com 4 Mar World Day of Prayer Service. Trinity United Reformed Church. 10.30am, followed by refreshments 4 Mar Charity Lent Lunch in aid of BEAT First Responders. Trinity United Reformed Church. 12.30pm 4 Mar Music: Dominic Alldis. Cranleigh Arts Centre. 7.30pm. An evening of Jazz cabaret with cheese & wine. Classic songs by Cole Porter, Jerome Kern, Rogers & Hart, Michel Legrand and Noel Coward. Tel: (01483) 278000 (Tues-Sat 10am-4pm) or visit www.cranleighartscentre.org 4-12 Mar Ewhurst Players present Best of the West. Ewhurst Village Hall. Tel: (01483) 272378. See page 39 6 Mar Indoor Antiques Market & Collectors Sale. Ansell’s Yard, Kirdford Road, Wisborough Green, RH14 0DD. 10am-2pm. No entrance fee. Tables available £5 (must be pre-booked), also storage units to let, £25 pw. Telephone (01403) 700633 or 07798 941940 9 Mar Billingshurst Wednesday Group Talk by Ian Dowding, Consultant Chef, writer and inventor of the Banoffi Pie. St Mary’s Room, Billingshurst, 10am. Ian will talk about his career in the food industry. Hazel Barnes, tel: (01403) 780660 or email: buzzhazel@gmail.com 9 Mar Billingshurst Carers Group (for carers of people with dementia or long-term condition). Longfield Manor, West Street, RH14 9LX. 2.30-4pm. (Every 2nd Weds.) info@carerssupport.org.uk or www.carerssupport.org.uk 9 Mar Messy Church! Temporarily suspended due to coronavirus

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What’s On near you

10 Mar

Billingshurst Local History Society Talk: Michelle King on Traditional Sussex Food. Billingshurst Community and Conference Centre, 7.30pm. Raising funds for Charcot Marie Tooth UK www.cmt.org.uk. Membership £20 per annum. Visitors £5 per meeting. Ms G Knight, tel: (01403) 451401, email: g.j.s.knight@btinternet.com 10 Mar Billingshurst WI Social afternoon – time for a chat (members only). Community Centre, Roman Way at 2.30pm. Room not available until 2.15pm. Refreshments. WI members enjoy interesting speakers, hobby groups and various outings. Secretary: (01403) 780810 11 Mar Loxwood Movie Night: ‘The Father’. North Hall, RH14 0SF. 7 for 7.30 start. £5 on the door. Bar 11 Mar Charity Lent Lunch in aid of CAFOD. Trinity United Reformed Church, hosted by St Gabriel’s. 1pm 11 Mar Billingshurst and District Wine and Beer Circle meeting. Circle meets 2nd Friday (except August) at St Gabriel’s Hall, East Street, 8pm. New members welcome. Contact Chris 07790 762052 or Linda 07806 327917. Email: edwinstevenson51@gmail.com. www.billingshurstwineandbeercircle.com 12 Mar Billingshurst Dementia Café. United Reformed Church Hall, Second Saturday of every month, from 10am-12pm. Please join us for tea, coffee and cake. All are welcome 12 Mar Music: The Elton John Show. Cranleigh Arts Centre. 7.30pm. The UK’s newest and most exciting Elton John tribute show to hit the stage. Tel: (01483) 278000 (Tues-Sat 10am-4pm) or visit www.cranleighartscentre.org 13 Mar Introduction to Beekeeping webinar course. www.wgbka.org.uk. See February’s Village Tweet, p17 15 Mar St Mary’s Guild Members’ Meeting. St Mary’s Room, East Street, Billingshurst. 10.30am. We are a friendly women’s group and we welcome visitors. Beryl Peacock (01403) 782835 15 Mar Loxwood Jazz Club. Village Hall. With candle-lit tables and a licensed bar, it has a very intimate atmosphere with international standard jazz. Tickets £15 from Peter Winney, tel: (01403) 752377 16 Mar The Arts Society – South Downs Special Interest Day. Nigel Bates: ‘It’s Not Just Tchaikovsky’. Two morning talks followed by lunch. Fittleworth Village Hall. Members £30, non-members £35 to include two lectures, refreshments and a sandwich lunch. More details and booking at: www.theartssocietysouthdowns.org.uk 16 Mar Billingshurst Wednesday Group Talk: ‘St Catherine’s Hospice’. St Mary’s Room, Billingshurst, 10am. Our speaker will tell us about plans for expansion and the wonderful work carried out by St Catherine’s Hospice. Hazel Barnes, tel: (01403) 780660 or email: buzzhazel@gmail.com 16 Mar Parish Council Working Practices Committee meeting. Billingshurst Centre. 7.30pm 17 Mar Barns Green & Itchingfield Women’s Institute Meeting. Barns Green Village Hall. 2.30pm. New members welcome. Meetings 3rd Thurs of the month. For more information contact Annette Relph (01403) 732580 18 Mar Macmillan Film night. ‘Belfast’. Billingshurst Conference & Community Centre. 7pm for 7.30pm start. Refreshments, raffle and Macmillan stall. Tickets £6.50 from www.touringcinema.com or Austens Home Hardware, 48-52 High Street or Terri Ashpool, tel: (01403) 588996 or on the door 18 Mar Charity Lent Lunch. Trinity United Reformed Church, hosted by St Mary’s. 1pm 20 Mar Tea Room Walk. Amberley. A relaxed guided walk through stunning South Downs countryside finishing with a cream tea by the river. Tel: (01403) 788994. To book: www.patadventures.com 21 Mar Macmillan Film night. ‘Belfast’. Pulborough Village Hall. 7pm for 7.30pm start. Refreshments, raffle and Macmillan stall. Tickets £6.50 from www.touringcinema.com or Pulborough Village Hall or Terri Ashpool, tel: (01403) 588996 or on the door (subject to availability) Billingshurst Lions Club Meeting. Sports Pavilion, Jubilee Fields, Billingshurst. 7.30pm. For information 21 Mar about the Club contact Viv Diggens on (01403) 752968 or call in at the Lions Bookshop, Jengers Mead 23 Mar Billingshurst Wednesday Group Talk by Michael Vickers, BBC photographer. St Mary’s Room, Billingshurst, 10am. Michael returns to show us more of his amazing wildlife photographs. Hazel Barnes, tel: (01403) 780660 or email: buzzhazel@gmail.com 24 Mar Sing for Pleasure. Billingshurst Community Centre. 3.00-4.30pm. We are a friendly, informal group who enjoy a sing-along. If you are a lady or gentleman in the more mature age group, even if you think you can’t sing, we’d love you to join us for an enjoyable afternoon. £3, includes tea and biscuits 25 Mar Charity Lent Lunch. Trinity United Reformed Church, hosted by Billingshurst Family Church. 1pm 26 Mar Pulborough Village Market. Pulborough Village Hall, Swan View, RH20 2BF. 9am-12 noon. Fresh produce, bread, delicatessen, local honey, organic condiments, plants, local crafts and much more. Café serving a full English breakfast, tea/coffee and cakes. Free entry. Please like us on Facebook. Market Coordinator Terri Ashpool, tel: (01403) 588996, e-mail: terriashpool@uwclub.net 26 Mar Sussex Green Hub Spring into Spring event. United Reformed Church, Horsham, RH12 1PT (near Wilko). 10am-4pm. Repairs (booking required), Horsham Community Fridge (free food), refills, refreshments, recycling, renewable energy, knife and scissor sharpening, carbon clinic, plant-based food talks, Easter/Mother’s Day upcycling crafts and planting free vegetables, salad and herbs. www.sussexgreenliving.co.uk/events-calendar 26 Mar Vivace Chorus presents The Best of Broadway, an evening packed with your favourite show tunes! GLive, Guildford. 7.30pm. See www.vivacechorus.org for full details 28 Mar-2 Apr The Rise and Fall of Little Voice. The Capitol, Horsham. thecapitolhorsham.com. See page 8 30 Mar Billingshurst Wednesday Group Talk: ‘The Lost Wey to the Sea’. St Mary’s Room, Billingshurst, 10am. A presentation by the Wey & Arun Canal Trust. Hazel Barnes, tel: (01403) 780660 or email: buzzhazel@gmail.com 30 Mar Parish Council Billingshurst Centre & F&GP Committees meetings. Billingshurst Centre. 7 & 7.30pm

If your event has been suspended due to coronavirus please don’t forget to inform Village Tweet as soon as normal service is resumed! 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

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Articles inside

What’s On near you

Under pressure: Looks after your tyres and they will look after you

Spot the Difference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35

Loxwood Village Fete & Fun Dog Show: Sponsor opportunities announced

West Sussex Community Minibus: March trips

Sussex Green Living: A Round-up of 2021

Make Your Mother’s Day: Mother’s Day, 27th March

The Spaniel Diaries: The continuing adventures of Billy

Garden View: Swiss chard

So You Want to Change Career…: Lockdown – a catalyst of change

Yvonne Fleece: Skirmishes with squirrels