A Talk on ancient trees

The Woodland, Flora & Fauna Group, a volunteer group dedicated to protecting local countryside and wildlife, has organised a public talk by Edward Parker, the Project Manager of the Woodland Trust’s Ancient Tree Hunt.

It will take place on Thursday, 25th August at 7.30 pm in the Main Hall at Hurstpierpoint Village Centre, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint.

The illustrated talk entitled ‘Ancient Trees’ examines the most spectacular ancient trees of the world including the magnificent range of specimens found in this country, and examines what makes them grow to such ages. It includes giant oaks in England of more than 12 metres in girth and over a thousand years old and Welsh yew trees which could be nearly as old as the Great Pyramids of Egypt.

With a growing awareness of trees having such an important role in our life on earth Edward highlights the work of the Ancient Tree Hunt and his effort to record 100,000 ancient, veteran and notable trees before the end of 2011.

Please come along to listen and marvel at the survival of such ancient natural monuments of ages past. Entry is free and all are welcome. There is a car park opposite the building.

Brighton College and Handcross Park School – an historic merger

Two of Sussex’s most famous independent schools – Brighton College and Handcross Park School – have today announced that they are to merge.

Brighton College is the oldest public school in Sussex, founded in 1845, and regularly achieves some of the best A-level and GCSE results in England. Earlier this term, Brighton College received an ‘outstanding’ rating in every single aspect of its inspection. Handcross Park also dates back to the 19th Century. Founded in 1887, it celebrates its 125th anniversary next year. Located on a beautiful 50 acre site near the village of Handcross, it has a long tradition of nurturing confidence and intellectual curiosity in children, in a warm, happy and supportive environment. In recent years, many Handcross Park pupils have gone on to study at Brighton College.

Brighton College, has for some time, been seeking a partnership with a Sussex prep school to meet demand at the college for boarding in Year 7 and Year 8. Brighton’s own prep school does not offer boarding. According to Brighton College’s Chairman of Governors, Lord Skidelsky: “Handcross Park is ideally located, close as it is to the A23 and to Gatwick Airport. Handcross Park already has good boarding accommodation which we intend to improve and expand as part of a major programme of investment in the site”. “Above all, we believe that Brighton College and Handcross Park share a very similar ethos: a focus on the individual, a belief that children enjoy a challenge and a commitment to creating a community that is happy, purposeful and respectful of difference in others”.

For its part, Handcross Park will become a part of the Brighton College family of schools, drawing on the educational expertise of Sussex’s leading school and benefiting from the associated economies of scale. Handcross Park parents will also benefit from reduced fees, bringing the school in line with Brighton College Prep School. Handcross Park’s Chairman of Governors, Mrs Emily Hutchings expressed her delight at the move – “this merger will give us the strengths and means to take Handcross Park to the next level and achieve our goal of becoming one of the leading co-educational prep schools in Sussex”.

Further comment is available from:

Richard Cairns, Head Master of Brighton College, on 01273 704339 or mobile 07788 710769, or by e-mail to headmaster@brightoncollege.net

Graeme Owton, Headmaster of Handcross Park, on 01444 400526, or mobile 07715 105779, or by e-mail to owtongr@Handxpark.com

The French Group: 40 fine French years

by Nicola Hobbs

Tim French has come a long way since starting out with a small work-from-home business. Now with an MBE to his name and his company, The French Group, celebrating 40 years in business on 7th July, he has every reason to look back on his achievements with a smile.

Tim set up French Joinery in 1971 in Haywards Heath before locating to new premises in Newick 22 years ago. The national shopfitting, joinery and design company prides itself on the quality of its workmanship, creating and installing unique, first class joinery for shops, hotels and restaurants.

Tim is keen to continue evolving the company to keep up with changes in the commercial market’s needs. From the traditional wooden joinery originally crafted 40 years ago, French Joinery now uses a range of different materials to meet clients’ individual requirements. “Joinery and shopfitting are like fashion – they evolve. We are using materials that clients wouldn’t have asked for 40 years ago, developing our skills to meet demand. From polished concrete and zinc, to crystal and chillies in plastic boxes, we have an ‘anything goes’ approach in order to create joinery and shopfittings that will be remembered,” says Tim.

The quality of The French Group’s work was rewarded when last year they won a National Association of Shopfitters Award for their work as main contractor on Galvin La Chapelle, top restaurant in St Boltoph’s Hall, Spital Square, London (pictured above).

The French Group created an oasis for fine dining, highlighting the beauty of the surroundings by linking the history of the listed building with the contemporary glazed link, complex bar front and outstanding chandelier. Tim is so highly renowned in the industry that on 7th July, the day of the company’s 40th anniversary, he is presenting the internationally acclaimed Restaurant & Bar Design Awards at a prestigious ceremony in Canary Wharf.

The French Group’s bespoke joinery, custom made furniture and specialist shopfitting has also attracted brands such as Zizzi, Pizza Express, Carluccio’s, ASK and Nando’s. The Managing Director of Nando’s was so impressed with the quality of The French Group’s work that they instructed them to produce the joinery for their first restaurant in the US to be shipped out to Washington D.C. As well as doing restaurant fit-outs for large international companies, Tim also likes to concentrate on local business and has fitted out Nizam and Orange Square on The Broadway, Haywards Heath, with his first shopfitting being Mill Down Toy Shop (now Idlewild) in Haywards Heath.

Tim attributes the high quality of The French Group’s work to his team of over 40 staff, many of whom have been with him for over 20 years. He has always been passionate about encouraging young talent and, after serving his National Service as a physical training instructor in the army, Tim coached athletics at youth clubs and was one of the founders of the Haywards Heath Harriers. Tim is still keen to nurture talent and The French Group have trained more than 25 apprentices over the years. “I take great pride in being able to train people and provide jobs for them. Their passion, evidenced by our staff longevity, reflects in the high standards of work we produce for our clients,” says Tim.

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the company, Tim is treating his staff to listen to the sizzling soul classics of The Stars From The Commitments with VIP hospitality at the It’s Magic open air concert in Victoria Park, Haywards Heath. Tim is also planning a surprise celebration for later in the year which is expected to rival the event he threw when The French Group turned 25!

“For our 25th anniversary we transformed the workshop into a restaurant and had a black tie dinner to show off the talents of our staff,” says Tim. His team created beautiful wooden joinery to deck the walls, floor and ceiling of the workshop, transforming a machine-filled work space to a building with the interior of a top restaurant. Guests received cocktails in the main office, assuming they would be whisked off to dine in the City, but instead were taken down to the renovated workshop, pampered with a three-course meal and treated to opera performances by singers from Glyndebourne.

Tim is keen to maintain his positive work ethic and high standard of workmanship and has passed on the position of Managing Director to his son, Simon, while Tim will now act as Chairman of the company. Tim’s eldest son, Andrew, is the Design Director of Creed Design Associates in Leicester, a progressive and innovative design consultancy which is part of The French Group. Works Director, Keith Chatfield, joined Tim at French Joinery in 1972.

But things have not always been easy for The French Group. In 1987, a fire destroyed their factory and a few years ago Creed Design Associates’ premises were struck by lightning. “At the time we just got on and rebuilt everything but now figures show that only one in ten companies survive after being destroyed by fire. That shows how much our work is valued so clients keep coming back to us,” says Tim.

With French Group’s team of talented joiners and shopfitters, the interior design services offered by Creed Design Associates and the solar energy systems provided by Solar Resources, the third company in The French Group, Tim has all the resources available to take an empty building from conception to completion. “I feel great fulfilment in seeing a building being transformed from a shell to a functioning shop or restaurant,” says Tim. “We redesigned The French Group’s logo about 10 years ago to incorporate two Fs. These stand for ‘fast’ and ‘flexible’ which are key qualities needed in principal contractors and shopfitters such as us,” says Tim.

The French Group continues to support ‘It’s Magic’, the not-for-profit events company designed to uplift communities, responsible for May’s ‘Music and Dance on Broadway’ and the Katherine Jenkins concert this month. Tim is also passionate about the Purple Pinky campaign and organised Haywards Heath’s Focus on the Crocus plantings, both of which aim to eradicate Polio. ■

The French Group
16 High Street
Newick, East Sussex BN8 4LQ
Tel. 01825 723688
www.thefrenchgroup.co.uk

Sussex Beauty Training School

The Sussex Beauty Training School in Burgess Hill recently hosted their annual Student of the Year Celebration event. The school has offered CIBTAC - internationally recognised Beauty Therapy Diploma training over the past 4 years. Nine Students successfully completed their studies at various times throughout the academic year. Fast track courses in Level 3 Beauty Therapy, Make Up and Body Massage were achieved with Honours and Credit.

Local Beauty distributors’ Beauty Concepts International who supply LCN Nailcare and Biodroga Skincare to Spas and Salons throughout the UK, supported the Event, with their Managing Director, Nic Coomber, presenting the Award for Student of the Year. He applauded all achievers and stated that ‘The quality and standard of effort and achievement is extremely high due to the one to one intensive training the School can provide. All students are extremely passionate about their new qualifications and have vision and ambition for the future within the beauty and complementary therapy industry – an asset to any employer.’

Principal, Anita Hayman stated that by building a strong relationship with local businesses, all qualified therapists have been offered employment at various Salons and Spas throughout Sussex

The School are now enrolling for their Level 2 and Level 3 Beauty Therapy and Massage courses commencing September 2011. Enrichment training programmes for Therapists, Salons and Spas in Spray Tanning, Eyelash Perming, Body Wraps and Stone Therapy are also available throughout 2011/12. The School can be contacted on 01444 233060.

www.sussexbeautytraining.co.uk

Students with graduation certificates

Have you ever thought of playing Bowls?

Have you ever thought of playing Bowls? If so, come & try it at any time to suit you. Everyone welcome.
Help & equipment provided.

Hurstpierpoint Bowling Club, South Avenue Hurst.
Contact 01273-842770.

Art in Burgess Hill

Maggie Clews and Dianne Neale receiving their prize of a bottle of Ridgeview sparkling wine from Mike Wallace, Co-ordinator of Burgess Hill Open Studios. Maggie, from Steyning, and Dianne, from Findon, visited all the locations and correctly identified all the work of art with poppies

Maggie and Dianne were one of many visitors who came to Burgess Hill Open Studios in its 9th enjoyable and successful year. For many venues, the number of visitors was the highest ever – in spite of (or because of?) the wet weather on 2 of the days.

Open Studios will be back in 2012. Anyone interested in taking part, or just finding out what is involved, should contact Sarah or Mike Wallace on 01444 236501, or visit the web site at www.art-in-burgess-hill.co.uk where there is a link to Mike Wallace.

Mewes Veterinary Clinic – Saturday 2nd July

The Mewes Veterinary Clinic in Haywards Heath is having a Charity Open Day to raise money for The Kit Wilson Trust on Saturday, 2nd July 2011 between 2 - 4pm and all are welcome.

This year is The Mewes’ 15th birthday and they will be flinging open their doors to mark the occasion. Come along and meet their friendly staff, take a peek behind the scenes of the recently refurbished clinic and find out what happens during a day at the vets! Julia Mewes and her nursing staff will be on hand to answer questions and give talks and demonstrations.

There will be refreshments available, charity tombola, balloons and pet colouring sheets for the children, goodies to buy from The Kit Wilson Trust and much more.

Got a question about pet food or wonder what you should be feeding your pet? A representative from Royal Canin has the answers, as well as offering an amazing 25% off RCW pet food ordered at the event.

Win a 3-month supply of RCW food for your pet!

Is your pet picture perfect? Bring a photo of your pet along to the event and enter the charity prize draw to win a 3-month supply of RCW food. There is a 50p donation to The Kit Wilson Trust for each photo and you can enter as many as you like... it's all for charity!

So don’t miss out on the fun, see you there!

• Charity Event to raise money for The Kit Wilson Trust
• See behind the scenes of the recently refurbished veterinary clinic
• Talks and demonstrations given by Veterinary Surgeon, Julia Mewes, and her nursing staff
• Refreshments
• Charity Tombola
• Kit Wilson stand
• Royal Canin stand giving advice and 25% off food ordered on the day
• “Picture Perfect Pet” prize draw to win a 3-month supply of RCW pet food
• Balloons and pet colouring sheets for children
• All proceeds go to The Kit Wilson Trust

The Mewes Veterinary Clinic
4 Haywards Road
Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 4HT
Tel. 01444 456886
www.themewesvets.co.uk

Bluebell Railway: Victorian Picnic 2nd and 3rd July

On the weekend of the Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd July, The Bluebell Railway will be staging it's Victorian Picnic Event. Here, one can make a return train journey from Horsted Keynes Station in a beautifully restored Victorian Carriage, including one on this train for the first time, recently converted to allow wheelchair access.

Included in the price is a Picnic Hamper containing a finger buffet, wine and soft drinks. Some items in the picnic hamper are suitable for vegetarians, however, if a whole hamper of vegetarian food is required, it must be advised by 15th June 2011.

Upon returning to Horsted Keynes, The Horsted Hippodrome, where seating is provided, is the location for the new production at this venue, The Bluebell Follies Victorian Music Hall.

Entertainers appearing this year, are singer/comedian, Mickey Driver who devises and produces the show, comedian Peter John who has to be seen to be believed, violinist Victoria Yellop, much in demand playing in our Royal Palaces and legendary singer Julia Sutton, recently seen in 'Sister Act' at the London Palladium. All artists are accompanied by their musical director David Carter.

The train departs at 6.00pm from Horsted Keynes Station. Accommodation available is either an exclusive compartment for six people, in First Class at a cost of £150 or a compartment for six in Third Class costing £100. Individual tickets can be purchased, to share a compartment, for the cost of £17.

For that extra special journey, why not try The Great Northern Railway Directors Saloon in armchair or boardroom style seating, costing £25 per person. Maximum persons in this coach are 18.

To book please contact Customer Services on 01825 720 800

Pictures Clockwise, from top left:
West End Leading Lady Julia Sutton, Violinist Extraordinaire Victoria Yellop, All Round Entertainer and Producer Mickey Driver, Funny Man Peter John

The Mewes Veterinary Clinic – Continuous care for your pets

by Ruth Lawrence

“We’re all a bit doolally about animals,” said Julia Mewes, owner of The Mewes Veterinary Clinic in Haywards Heath, as she cuddled a tiny, wriggling terrier puppy in her waiting room.

The intention of her clinic is to treat pets as friends and, in the same manner as a doctor’s surgery, each animal is able to develop a relationship with its own particular vet. Unlike some practices, Julia operates a 15-minute appointment system and never double books.

After 15 years in the town, The Mewes has had a major refurbishment, with air conditioning and temperature control, putting the animals’ comfort and hygiene first. From the high quality non-slip flooring to the new diagnostic ultrasound scanner and redesigned lab, the improved facilities have impressed clients and pets alike. “Pets sometimes pull their owners in here,” admitted Julia as she explained how the ‘one-pet-one-vet’ system means that “people don’t feel as though they’re on a conveyor belt.”

Julia’s goal was always to provide a different kind of clinic, where “the personal touch and empathy take precedence.” Herself, two other vets and five nurses practise preventative medicine by offering advice and treatment and are happy to undertake home visits if necessary, particularly for housebound clients.

The Mewes is a Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons accredited practice, which means that it adheres to high standards and criteria. Talking to Julia, her enthusiasm is radiant. She says: “I love doing what I do; it’s a privilege,” and touchingly adds “I’ve known individual animals throughout their entire lives.”

On my visit, two beautiful silver tabby brothers were recovering after an operation and as the nurses fussed and cuddled them, I began to understand why animals actually enjoy coming to this vet instead of bolting for the nearest door!

Julia has impressive people skills too: she presents on Mid-Downs Hospital Radio at the Princess Royal, produces a newsletter for the practice and takes a personal interest in the animals and their owners. She appreciates that clients have busy lives and makes sure that appointments are spaced far enough apart to ensure that people are not kept waiting, giving them plenty of time to discuss their pets’ particular issues.

The clinic is having an Open Day on 2nd July from 2-4pm to raise funds for the Kit Wilson Trust and showcase the new facilities. Come and meet the team and see for yourself how well animals are catered for. There’s 25% off Royal Canin pet food ordered on the day and a fantastic photo competition to win 3 month’s supply of pet food.

The Mewes is about relationships: vet, client and pet working together to ensure health and wellbeing for each animal. Whether happiness is expressed with a wagging tail or a contented purr, animals actually like this place and to any concerned pet owner, that is what matters. ■

The Mewes Veterinary Clinic
4 Haywards Road
Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 4HT
Tel. 01444 456886 | www.themewesvets.co.uk

Bluebell Railway: Victorian Picnic 2nd and 3rd July

Enjoy an evening of song and dance as well as a train ride from Horsted Keynes Station to Sheffield Park with a light buffet hamper, wine and soft drinks.

The train departs at 6.30pm from Horsted Keynes station

Following the train service, we make our way to “The Horsted Hippodrome” in the Grand Marquee where we enjoy an hour and a half of Victorian music and humour in the Company of Her Majesty, Queen Victoria herself!

For all bookings and enquiries please call 01825 720800 or visit www.bluebell-railway.com

Quiz Night for St Peter & St James Hospice

Tina lands the Carpetright Derby

Tina Fletcher won the Carpetright Derby at Hickstead, becoming the first female winner of the class since 1973. She rode the 16-year-old gelding Promised Land to score the only clear round and take home the £40,000 first prize.

Having finished second in 2010, Tina and Promised Land started as one of the favourites for this year’s class. A number of riders had already notched up four-fault rounds – including last year’s winner Guy Williams (this time on board Richi Rich III), 27-year-old Ronnie Healy (Carlow Cruiser) and Irish rider David O’Brien (Mo Chroi).

A jump-off was looking likely until third-last to go Tina came into the International Arena and jumped a perfectly judged clear to go top. Penultimate drawn Michael Whitaker then joined the list of four-faulters, but when the final rider, Germany’s Andre Thieme, retired after the Carpetright Balustrade (fence 14) it left Tina’s round as the only clear.

“I grew up watching Hickstead on TV, and it was always the biggest event of the year for me – all my life I have wanted to win it,” said Tina.

“Promised Land is an unbelievably brave horse, but at home he lives out in the field and I hardly ride him,” she added.

The other big class of the day was the Equimax Under 25 British Masters, which went to Daniel Moseley. Like Tina Fletcher, he went one better this year, having finished second in 2010.

In the showring the Tattersalls and Retraining of Racehorses Show Horse championship went to Lizzie Richmond and Treat Em Mean; while the Supreme Hunter championship was won by Lucinda Freedman and Mr Mick.

Samantha Lamb Photography

Samantha Lamb Photography

HEIGHTS health & fitness: FAMILY FIT challenge

Is your family getting enough good exercise?

Most British adults and children are falling well short of their weekly fitness targets so we want to put one household in Mid-Sussex to the test! For 10 weeks we will offer free access to our club and our trained professionals to encourage a family who would like to make activity a bigger part of their lives, and lose some weight, with a variety of physical activities, to achieve what we all need to stay fit and healthy.

Our Fit Family challenge is open to families across generations regardless of their current health and fitness status (children need to be 13+), who would like to lose some weight, to join our campaign promoting healthy living.

Heights will work with the family over a period of ten weeks offering nutritional and weight management advice and set out a fitness program at the right level for each member of the family, with the exercises being challenging but achievable using the gym, studio equipment, walking group and bootcamp, to provide an enjoyable and fun experience for all the family.

Manager, Sue Upton said “we want to make a real difference to how people live their lives - it is a fact that it takes 6 weeks to form a habit - our goal is to go that bit further and make the habit stick. We want them to see and feel the benefits of being active and hope the campaign will provide the family with a life changing experience We also aim to raise money for local charities by giving the public the opportunity to sponsor the family through our website and social media links”.

For full details on how to enter visit the website www.heightshealthclub.co.uk where you can download an entry form, or you can visit our stand on June 26th at Burgess Hill Gets Active.

All entries must be received on or before the 31st July and the selected family will be informed during August.

About Heights health club:
Heights health & fitness are an established independent gym in Burgess Hill town centre. Our experienced team understand how to motivate people to achieve the fitness levels they want. Whether it’s to lose weight, tone up or get fit, our coaches will help set up an exercise routine, offer advice on nutrition and weight management that will help our members reach their goals.

www.heightshealthclub.co.uk

GLORIOUS comedy at Chequer Mead, East Grinstead

Associated Actors present The Green Room Theatre Company in Peter Quilter's hilarious comedy "Glorious".

The true story of Florence Foster Jenkins, the eccentric American soprano dubbed "the Diva of Din" and "Disaster on the high C's".

In spite of her imperfect pitch singing opera, she became a hugely popular cult in the 1940's in New York. She sold out at Carnegie Hall (over 3000) in her final concert. Maureen Lipman played this role successfully in the West End, and it is now played by actress Hal Dyer, wife and widow of local actor Michael Robbins.

Chequer Mead Theatre
East Grinstead
Friday 2 - Saturday 3 September, 2.30pm/7.30pm
Tickets £10
Tel. 01342 302000 or email info@chequermead.org.uk

Hickstead: Shane Breen speeds to victory

Ireland’s Shane Breen was the final rider to go in today’s Bunn Leisure Speed Derby, and he put in a faultless round to take home the top prize of £6,500.

It was the second time Shane has won the class, having finished top in 2008 on board Royal Concorde. This time, riding the 11-year-old chestnut mare Magic Fox, Shane finished on a time of 96.27secs – 3secs faster than Harriet Nuttall in second place.

“I didn't want to push the mare too hard, but I'm delighted with her,” said Shane, who is based at Hickstead.

Somerset-based Harriet Nuttall, 21, credited her hunting background for helping her to navigate her way round the solid Bunn Leisure Speed Derby fences. Harriet described the result as one of ‘her biggest achievements to date’.

Harriet rode her father Rupert’s Highland Cruiser II, a 10-year-old bay gelding. Rupert Nuttall is the Master of the Blackmore and Sparkford Vale Hunt, and won racing’s Whitbread Gold Cup in 1997 as an amateur jockey.

Earlier in the day, Peter Charles picked up another major win in the International arena, taking top spot in The Falcon Equine Feeds Derby Trophy. He was on Murka’s Nevada, a 10-year-old stallion whom he says is developing into a ‘seriously good horse’ and could be one of three of his current horses who are medal prospects for the 2012 Olympic Games.

Jolly boys’ outing for care home residents

Richard Walker, left, and Douglas Wilkins, right,
enjoying their day out with one of the Bluebell Railway staff.

Two care home residents from Balcombe were transported back in time for their very own jolly boys’ outing last week.

Russettings Care Home residents Douglas Wilkins and Richard Walker enjoyed a day out in the glorious Sussex country when they took a trip on the Bluebell Railway.

Douglas, aged 87, and Richard, 88, were able to reminisce about days gone by on the steam train journey.

The pair both enjoyed travelling in their younger days, with parts of their careers taking them all over the world.

Douglas worked in signals during the Second World War a Morse code operator sending messages back to Bletchley Park.

After the war, he worked for various film companies including RCA and Warwick Films as a sound and dubbing mixer and was considered one of the best in the business. His career led him to meet and work with some of Hollywood’s greats, including John Wayne, Orson Wells and Irving Allen.

He later worked for ITN and was involved in iconic news coverage including the Munich games massacre of 1972, the Iranian embassy siege and Bloody Sunday.

Richard, whose parents died in an influenza epidemic when he was very young, grew up in an orphanage and joined the Royal Artillery Corps when he was 16. He travelled extensively during his time in the army and enjoyed army life until he left aged 22.

His life then changed completely when he met his future wife, Joan, who sadly passed away last year.

The outing was organised for the pair by staff at Russettings who decided both men needed a bit of treat.

Care home manager Rachael Bekhaert said: “We do lots of activities at Russettings for all our residents, but our ladies always seem to have something extra going on, such as knitting and crafts.

“While our men are happy to join in with the ladies, we thought it would be a nice touch if we arranged a ‘men only’ event.

“Because both of them enjoyed travelling before they came to Russettings, we thought the train trip would be quite fitting.

“The pair really enjoyed themselves and said the whole day had been like living in a time warp, with all the old stations and trains. They even tucked into a good old-fashioned cream tea on the journey. They couldn’t have enjoyed themselves more.”

Rachael added that more day trips from the home were planned for residents over the summer.

P&S Gallagher: Let the memories live on

by Nicola Hobbs

Bright airy rooms, cosy leather chairs, elegant lighting and beautiful paintings aren’t the first things that spring to mind when someone has passed away. P&S Gallagher Funeral Directors have transformed their Burgess Hill premises into a professional yet informal haven, designed to welcome and comfort you at the most traumatic of times.

Pat and Sandy Gallagher have been running their successful Funeral Directors in Haywards Heath for 19 years and, after expanding to their Burgess Hill office 12 months ago, they have become a necessary part of life – and death – across Mid Sussex. “Our aim is for people to leave the funeral feeling better than when they arrived. We understand that funerals come with a lot of sadness, but we hope that we can bring people together to reminisce about the past and make the day a memorable occasion, which will add to their lives,” says Pat.

He has many years’ experience in the industry, starting his career as an undertaker back in 1963. Pat has been Chairman of the Independent Funeral Directors College and also President of the Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors. In 1992, Pat and Sandy set up P & S Gallagher and they are now the only family owned funeral directors left in Burgess Hill. Matthew, Pat and Sandy’s son, is a Director and plans to continue to evolve the business to ensure that the high quality, personal service is maintained.

“Many local funeral directors have been taken over by large corporate organisations but we strongly believe that being family run means clients have total freedom of choice to make the day personal to them,” says Pat.

Matthew has always been involved in his parents’ business, but now it has expanded the family feel that it is the right time for him to be part of it on a day-to-day basis and to introduce his own ideas.

“Our family has become well known in the community and it is important people can turn to a friendly face when they have to cope with the challenge of organising a funeral,” says Matthew. “People trust us to provide a service that represents how special the person they’ve just lost is to them.”

Pat and his family are passionate about changing people’s perceptions of funerals. Rather than death being treated as taboo, they offer a pre-plan and pre-pay service which allows clients to make their wishes for their funeral arrangements known.

The infinite choice of funeral options available helps comfort people in knowing that those they care about will receive the send-off they deserve. From the traditional wooden casket to more adventurous choices such as guitar, handbag or wine bottle shaped coffins, environmentally friendly urns, motorcycle hearses, ‘heaven’s above’ fireworks and even glass paperweights infused with cremated remains, the imaginative ways to remember the recently departed are never-ending.

Pat, Sandy and Matthew maintain the essential traditions of funerals whilst introducing innovative and fresh opportunities to celebrate one’s life and remember those we care for in a personal, respectful and special way. ■

P&S Gallagher Funeral Directors
Weald House, 111 Lower Church Road
Burgess Hill, West Sussex RH15 9AA
Tel. 01444 239869
www.pandsgallagher.co.uk

Guy Williams dominates on day two of the Derby meeting

Reigning Derby champion Guy Williams was on top form on the second day of Hickstead’s four-day international show. The British number one finished first in the Hickstead Master’s Challenge, and second in the Bunn Leisure Derby Trial, to take home a paycheque of £5,500.

The 39-year-old rider from Kent won the afternoon’s feature class on board the Chestnut gelding Titus, finishing clear in a time of 47.18 sec. Shane Breen (Magic Fox) and Nick Charles (Murka’s Midnightlady) were both very close on Guy’s heels – finishing on the exact same time of 47.83 to finish second equal.

Guy is feeling confident ahead of the Carpetright Derby, and is pleased with how Skip Two Ramiro – whom he rode in the Bunn Leisure Derby Trial ­– and his other horses are all going.

“Titus has won every single class he has been entered into, winning six classes in the past two weeks,” said Guy.

Just 0.22 of a second kept Guy Williams off top spot in the Bunn Leisure Derby trial, with the spoils going to Peter Charles (Murka’s Vindicat W).

Despite winning the Derby Trial, Peter will not be riding the nine-year-old gelding in Sunday’s Carpetright Derby.

“I’d love to jump him in the Derby, and I think he will be a winner of the class in the future, but I’m going to give him one more year's preparation,” he said.

Steven Whitaker wins on opening day of the British Jumping Derby Meeting

Steven Whitaker took the first major class of the meeting when he won The Stoner Jewellers Vase on day one.

Going clear on board his 13-year-old stallion Royal Rose II, he finished almost three seconds faster than Gerard Clarke (IRL) in second.

Steven had never won a class before in the International Arena at Hickstead, although he’s been enjoying a particularly successful run – winning 15 international classes in the past 12 weeks.

“I had a point to prove, after last year in the Derby when the commentator described me as a ‘failed rider’,” said Steven.

Steven is part of the famous Whitaker showjumping dynasty ­– he is brother to top riders Michael and John, and father to Ellen. Steven has always ridden and competed, but in recent years has focused on training his daughter.

“Ellen has been asking when she can get the ride back [on Royal Rose II], and then if I’ll tell her how to ride him,” he added.

Jane Annett from Kent was delighted with her win in the afternoon’s main class, the Bunn Leisure Derby Tankard with Zidane V.

She said: “I thought the ground was superb and held up very well in the international arena, and Zidane V loved the going.”

Zidane V, a 10-year-old gelding, was originally a dressage horse but he proved far too naughty for it and went to Jane as a showjumper.

Fashion Day at Feathers Boutique, Hurstpierpoint

Fashion Day
Thursday 30th June
10 am-4 pm

Flattering summer dresses, fabulous tops and incredible jersey separates make up our Summer JOSEPH RIBKOFF Collection. Their team will host fashion shows throughout the day, offering personal style advice, while you enjoy drinks and canapes.

Free Prize Draw to win a JOSEPH RIBKOFF outfit. Free gift with every JOSEPH RIBKOFF purchase.

Feathers
155 High Street
Hurstpierpoint
West Sussex BN6 9PU
Tel. 01273 834686

Pen blocking crisis at Cats Protection

A crisis is developing at Cats Protection’s flagship adoption centre near Haywards Heath where unwanted feline pensioners are blocking the pens needed for the constant intake of younger cats.

The number of senior citizens that have been with the charity for four months or longer currently stands at 46 – a figure which has more than doubled since the beginning of the year and represents a quarter of all the cats currently in care.

As the manager of the National Cat Adoption Centre in Chelwood Gate Danielle Hart explains, older cats tend not to be as popular with potential owners as younger cats and are often overlooked.

“While 10 years ago the household moggy could have been expected to live to around 13, today’s life expectancy is much higher and we have seen many cats surviving to their late-teens and early-20s in remarkably good health,” said Danielle. “Although this is good news for them, unfortunately, it places us under massive strain because older cats can block up pen spaces for many months. It’s such a shame because older cats have much more settled natures - their wandering days are behind them so they can offer extremely valuable companionship.”

Older cats currently at the centre who are in desperate need of new homes are Smokey Joe, a 12-year-old black male who has been with the charity since September after he was unsettled by the arrival of his owner’s new baby, and 15-year-old grey-and-white female Silver who was put up for adoption when her owner moved house.

“Nobody wants these poor cats to stay here longer than they have to but sadly older cats often have nowhere else to go,” said Danielle. “Although we do our very best to care for them, life in a cat pen is no substitute for a permanent home so I would urge people to consider adopting one of our golden oldies.”

To find out more about adopting a cat, please visit www.cats.org.uk or call 01825 741330.

Racing and Music Night featuring Take That 2 – Saturday 16th July

The famous Racing and Music Night series continues at Lingfield Park on Saturday 16th July. This next event follows on from the successful first night on Saturday 25th June which saw over 4,000 fans rocking Lingfield Park to the songs of the Bon Jovi Experience.

Take That 2 will perform after racing on 16th July and are an experienced and thoroughly professional tribute act featuring all five members of the group. All of the artists have studied every detail of their character in depth, so when you see them you really feel like you are watching the genuine thing. They were even asked to perform at the 02 Arena "after party" the same night as the actual Take That were there! Members of Take That 2 were also selected to star in the theatre show 'Back for Good' which toured in every major UK theatre in 2009 and 2010.

Gates will open at 4.25pm with the first race due off at 6.25pm. A full card of 6 exciting races will take you through the evening until the final race at 8.55pm. Shortly afterwards, the music will start. We’ll round off your evening in style with a fantastic fireworks finale.

Tickets are available now priced £17 (if purchased before 5pm on Wed 13th July or £20 afterwards). Accompanied under 18’s are admitted free of charge. There are also discounts for groups of 10 or more in advance and concessions for students and over 60’s on the day, upon proof of status.
Paul Shrimpton, Managing Director commented “the popularity and interest surrounding Take That at the moment means that this will be a very popular night. The music cuts across all ages and if you’re yet to experience a Racing and Music Night here at Lingfield Park, this would be a great introduction. They offer a value for money Saturday night out for all the family.”

Our younger visitors will enjoy the bouncy castles and resident face painters as well as music from a local band to welcome all guests on their arrival. There are also lots of opportunities around the course to get something to eat and drink from traditional fish and chips to locally produced sausages cooked on the Griddle or healthy salad boxes.

If you’ve got something to celebrate our private and shared hospitality suites can really make your evening special. Prices start from just £65 per person + VAT. You can find out more details by calling 01342 834 800.

The fun continues, in what is set to be an enjoyable summer of evening racing at Lingfield Park.

Saturday 23rd July – Almond Resorts and Barbados Ladies Night. Live music from Simon Webbe of Blue and the chance to win a holiday to Barbados.
Saturday 30th July – Racing and Music Night is ‘Rat Pack Night’ with Atila.
Saturday 6th August – Racing and Music Night with Jamie Archer and support from the winner of our “Search for a band” Competition – Naked Bass.
Saturday 13th August – Racing and Music Night with a live show from Maybe Gaga. In association with Fizztival.

For further information, please contact 01342 834 800 or visit www.lingfieldpark.co.uk

Join us, you’re welcome!

Supported by Heart FM Surrey and Sussex and Formula 13 Events.

Sussex Chorus Gala Concert

Gala Concert 90th Season Celebration featuring Dame Felicity Lott
Sunday 3 July 2011
7.30pm
Brighton Dome Concert Hall

Mendelssohn Hymn of Praise
Opera Arias and Choruses
& pre concert talk by Janet Cannetty Clarke

Sopranos: Dame Felicity Lott and Marijke Groenendaal
Contralto: Carol Rowlands
Tenor : Adrian Thompson
Baritone: John Hancorn

Youth Choir
Sussex Classical Players

Conductor: Neil Jenkins

Tickets £15, Children £5 from
Sussex Chorus Ticket Manager 01273 273333 or 07989 309909
Brighton Dome Box Office 01273 709709
www.WeGotTickets.com
www.brightondome.org

Registered charity No: 271678
St Peter & St James Hospice is our chosen charity for this year.

The Music of Queen at Borde Hill Garden

The sounds of Queen will rock Borde Hill Garden near Haywards Heath this summer at a spectacular concert in the estate grounds.

The Music of Queen – A Rock & Symphonic Spectacular celebrates the music of one of the truly iconic British bands and is set to be performed in a new, innovative and outstanding way on Saturday 13 August with kids under 15 going in for free!

With over 300 million albums sold worldwide, over four decades of music and 18 number one albums to their names, Queen are recognized as one of the most influential rock bands of all times.

Following in the footsteps of the highly successful Jools Holland and 80’s concerts in 2009 & 2010, the show features a full rock band and stars from the West End smash hit musical ‘We Will Rock You’, combined with the 50-piece English National Orchestra, performing epic arrangements of these classic songs as never before.

"Stunning" and "awesome" are just two of the words which have been used to describe this concert experience and composer Richard Sidwell has done an incredible job in expanding original Queen arrangements into a completely new symphonic score.

Keith Louch, Director of IML Concerts, said “We are delighted to have secured this performance for Borde Hill and expect another great response from the local crowds. There is no doubt that, with the success of ‘We Will Rock You’ in London, the music of Queen is still as popular today as 20 years ago. I urge everyone to experience this extraordinary show, it is truly spectacular.”

With over sixty performers on stage this has to be one of the biggest rock shows on earth, featuring all of Queen's classic hits including: A Kind of Magic, Bohemian Rhapsody, Radio Ga Ga, We Are The Champions, Somebody To Love, Who Wants To Live Forever, Killer Queen, Don't Stop Me Now, Fat Bottomed Girls, I Want It All, and many more.

Gates open at 5.00pm with the programme commencing from 6.30pm. There will be a spectacular firework finale at approx 10pm

Tickets: Adult £35 / Kids under 15 years - free

This concert is picnic-style with no seating or cover provided so bring your own seating, rugs, cushions and your picnics. There will be a bar and catering outlets on site.

To view footage of the show visit the IML Concerts website www.imlconcerts.co.uk and see the atmosphere that thousands have witnessed since its’ inception in 2008.

To book tickets call IML Concerts 01603 660444 or on-line www.imlconcerts.co.uk

Tickets also available from Borde Hill Gardens on 01444 450326 or visit the property during normal opening hours.

Garden Party at Villa Adastra, Hassocks

Friends of Villa Adastra will be holding their annual Garden Party at

Villa Adastra
Keymer Road, Hassocks
on Saturday 23rd July, from 2.30pm

Entrance fee of £2.00 to include tea and cakes. There will be a variety of stalls, competitions and entertainment during the afternoon suitable for all ages. Do come along and help to make this a bumper occasion.

For details contact Jean Taplin 01273 845276.

Tea at Sliders Lane

Here at Sliders Lane we wanted a decent cup of tea that not only tasted great but looked great on the shelf, which could be given as a gift or keep for everyday drinking, Rosy Lee Tea is the perfect cuppa.

The Rosy Lee Story

The idea for Rosy Lee Tea started when founder Lorraine Rogers had friends visiting London. They wanted to take that quintessentially English experience – a cup of tea, home as a gift.

Spoilt for choice you would think! But no…. the tea available was old fashioned and traditional or a tacky tourist item, neither of which captured their experience of London today. And so Rosy Lee Tea London was born.

A cup of Rosy Lee – Is Cockney rhyming slang for the classic and much loved British cup of tea.

The Pearly King imagery, striking red colour and attention to detail creates a product that captures the unique history of London with a contemporary cool feel.

Check out www.sliderslane.com to get your very own bit of modern Britain!

Burnt for their beliefs: The story of Anne Tree

introduced by Simon Kerr

As I walk across the large paved part of the Market Square area in East Grinstead’s historic High Street, quite often a shiver goes down my back. Why this should happen, when the most threatening thing in sight is someone sitting at the outdoor café sipping a cappuccino, is not the mystery that it might at first seem.

Perhaps the echoes of a turbulent past remain trapped here; if so it’s hardly surprising that they still affect those passing by. However it’s a story that I find quite hard to tell visitors whenever I have led walks around the town over the years. An event here in 1556 brought home to this sleepy Sussex market town a harsh lesson enforced on those citizens who defied the power of the church and state.

Following Henry VIII’s break with Rome in 1534, and the foundation of a Protestant nation state, the majority of churches and congregations embraced the new faith. It was never a complete conversion, and shortly after Henry’s death the ascendancy to the throne by Queen Mary saw the return of a Catholic monarch. It’s not for nothing that she is often known as Bloody Mary, as she turned the clock back replacing 20 years of Protestantism with an enforced return to the Church of Rome. Those resisting recanting their faith were persecuted throughout the land, with nearly 300 people burned at the stake for heresy.

Here on 18th July 1556, a Saturday which was a market day in those years, the crowds watched as Anne Tree, Thomas Dungate and John Foreman were tied to the stake and burned to death. Refusing to renounce their Protestant faith to the bitter end they were prosecuted and sentenced.
Here’s how it might have happened….


Anne Tree gently tied the rough string around another bunch of English herbs – parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. In her large wicker basket were apples stored from the autumn, and cherries of such deep purple they looked like the eyes of the deer roaming across the forest.

Her cottage near East Grinstead, at the bottom of a steep hollow, was small but filled with treasure, her treasure.
 

Even though her timber framed and crocked old home was crammed with pots and baskets, outside in her garden nature flourished in a spectacular display of colour and texture. Every single one of the plants, trees and flowers in large clumps had their own special medical properties, and she nurtured them with a mother’s care.

Dense shaggy bushes of Camomile, with their bright white smiling flowers could be crushed and used as an antispasmodic, disinfectant and anti-inflammatory treatment, Lavender was used for headaches, insomnia, melancholia and bronchial-asthma.

Lady’s Mantle, one of her most popular remedies could be infused with warm goat’s milk and soothed women’s menstrual troubles, and gave great ease and comfort to the pains of childbirth.

Wild Fennel was used to improve eyesight, Pumpkin flesh and seeds contained many healing minerals, and summer and winter Jasmine accelerated the metabolism, improving blood circulation and was commonly know for its aphrodisiac effects: Many an old gentleman would knock on Anne’s door in the still of the night, hunching silently by the entrance, waiting for Anne to bring the magic potion that would restore virility and stamina, so his younger and eager wife could be satisfied and fulfilled in the bedroom department.

She always gave them a knowing little smile and a nod as they slipped silver coins into her hand, and then scuttled off into the night.

Around the old and gracious cherry trees wild strawberries grew in abundance, their sharp red juice administered three times a day brought much relief to rheumatism, gout and had magnificent detoxifying properties: Even the batch of unruly stinging nettles at the bottom of the garden had a purpose, the leaves could be placed on the bare skin just above any vital organ. It was an uncomfortable process but as the stings produced large red rashes and white bumps it also stimulated blood flow to the organ, greatly improving its function and efficiency.

She had never married, enjoying her own company to that of the roughness and crudity of the local men. Her wonky old black cat, with one eye missing because the dirty children that hung around the hollow after dark threw stones at it, hissed through their teeth ‘witch, witch, here comes the old witch...’

She said that she did not attend the Catholic services at the church as she did not understand Latin. That and the freezing cold seats played havoc with her hips and knees. She made a tidy living from supplying herbs, fruit and potions to the workers at the big alehouse on the corner of the High Street. They always gave her a warm welcome and a cup of brandy tea on cold days, for more often than not she had some magic tonic in her basket.
 

‘God ‘elp me Anne, it’s me guts. Rumbling like a storm all night. Been sitting on the pan pushing like it’s me last breath, nothing’s come out but half me tubes.’

The people in the kitchen of the house all looked at each other, wincing as they imagined such a sight, and poor old John’s bright red face with his cheeks all puffed up and eyes bulging.

‘Feels like me insides are trying to get out,’ he said wheezing.

‘We’ll ‘ave you sorted in no time Johnny boy,’ she said, reaching into her formidable basket of hidden depths. The onlookers craned their necks as if to see from where the magic came. She pulled out some blackened seedpods and, with time-learned skill, crushed them quickly into a thick paste and added some honey.

‘Get that down ya, and get yourself off to the men’s room, sharpish,’ she smiled. The pods were pure senna seeds...

‘That lot could clear the drains of this whole land,’ she laughed with a sympathetic grin.

Johnny trudged off clutching his backside as if to hold in what was left of his guts and, as he disappeared around the door, a large gurgle and a soft squeaky sound followed him, almost like someone shutting a small door.

‘Ooh my Lord, what the....’

The kitchen staff and Anne roared with laughter as the noises omitted from the small brick lav echoed around the building.

Johnny played up his condition – blowing loud raspberries with his tongue off the back of his hand.
‘Sweet Jesus, she’s coming through.’

He picked up a small piece of rock and dropped it into the bucket, careful to avoid a splashback... pladoumph....

‘Oh my word, it’s a girl... she’s beautiful.’

He heard the others roar again, and started to chuckle to himself.

‘Poor old bastard,’ said Thomas Dungate, the kitchen cleaner. ‘He’s on that sea-food diet.’

The staff chuckled like giggly children.

‘He sees food and bloody well eats it.’

By now Anne’s sides were hurting, tears were streaming down her face, and the whole place was filled with laughter. Johnny emerged from the bucket room, panting.

‘Bless the Lord, Anne; you are indeed an angel, that’s the best part of me gone.’

‘You’ve lost some weight there John,’ said Thomas. ‘You’ll be wearing last year’s trousers at this rate...’

Suddenly there was an ear-bursting thwack. The manager of the olde inn had smashed a thick cane across one of the dense wooden tables.

‘What be this ... What be this witchcraft going on? Taking the Lord’s name in vain ... You’ll pay for this blasphemous treachery.’

The younger members of staff scurried off into the darkness. Anne, Thomas and Johnny stood trembling in front of the man in black. He beckoned in five burly soldiers who trussed up the three bemused friends, the tears of laughter still stinging Anne’s eyes. They were dragged to the dark cellar and chained to the walls like animals. Johnny let off a massive blast of wind, his gut rumbling in fear and confusion.

There was a trial, which lasted two minutes. With his eyes wide and rolling around their sockets, the preacher screamed from the pulpit, pointing to the condemned ‘... and God shall burn those souls who torment His name, and cast the dark shadow of witchcraft to this land.’ The small crowd jeered and hissed at the terrified friends. Anne opened her mouth to speak...

‘We did not intend to...’

A loutish guard slapped her hard across the face.

‘Silence woman,’ the preacher bellowed, ‘you have no say in this matter.’ His face contorted with rage and hate. Johnny’s wind let rip once more.

‘Remove these animals. Let them feel God’s wrath in all its glory… Amen.’

The shaking crowd nodded their heads, obedient and almost silent; they mooched off ... ‘Amen’.

The eighteenth of July was market day. Crowds gathered and sniffed, prodded and rummaged amongst the large selection of goods filling the makeshift tables and stools in the bright sun. The warm air smelt of chestnuts, stewed cooking apples and horse dung, which littered around the streets in big steaming piles.

‘Be a good day for a burn’en,’ said one of the local girls who worked at the alehouse, munching on a bag of cherries and spitting the pips at the foot of the mass of rolled-up twigs, branches and oak logs piled high. Three tall stakes towered into the sky with chains reflecting on the silver armour of the soldiers who stood nearby. Their stern faces and stance adding to the spectacle and theatre of it all. The olde inn manager lurked in the shadows. After the burning business would be booming and in preparation he had named a local ale ‘Martyrs’ choice’.

‘Bound to sell well,’ he smirked, ‘people’s throats being dry an’ that...’

The preacher appeared from the baying crowd, his nostrils bellowing with pride and importance. Small blond boys clung to his robe, looking up in awe, and several young girls fainted, to be carted off and splashed with water. He stood on the steps outside the large oak-framed buildings, looking around the silent crowd. The church bell rang ten times, each ring seemingly getting louder as the tension grew to almost beyond hysteria.

‘Bring forth the heretics’ he screamed.

The crowd cheered as Anne and the others were dragged from the dark cellars. All their hair has been shaved and, wearing just white hessian robes, they staggered to the stakes. Anne looked around.  Although most of the crowd’s faces were a seething mass of hate, with the preacher standing with his arms outstretched towards the bell tower, she could see people she knew, their eyes darted away from hers as if in shame and disbelief. As the cold steel chains were fastened, Johnny let rip. As he did so his face swelled up and he slumped against Thomas, drool running down his cheek. His heart had given way and only the harsh chains held him up. The crowd let out a loud booing sound and started throwing apples and cherries at his blueing face ... his eyes still open.

As the smoke started to rise and the heat began to grow, Anne lost sight of the crowd. She could see the preacher whooping up the spectators, reading aloud pieces from the Bible, all in Latin. A gang of small urchins stood as near as possible to the flames, gawping up at her with snotty noses running, poking the growing furnace with long sticks and giggling.

‘It’s just a game to them’ she thought. ‘Such innocent hearts and minds, wide open the filth and depravity of evil and corrupt men.’

When the smoke cleared as the flames grew hotter she saw two small girls, holding hands. They were twins in matching cloths, with identical long auburn hair and pale white skin. They were both just staring at Anne, quite expressionless. She tried to ignore the rising agony as the flames got closer and smiled at them; her bottom lip began to bleed as her teeth almost cut it in half. Both the girls smiled back, and waved with their tiny hands. Suddenly a smartly dressed woman dragged the girls away, scolding them openly and pointing at Anne, shaking her head and glaring in disgust. They were then tugged off into the ugly crowd. Anne took a deep breath, held it, and then took another. Starving her brain of oxygen as she breathed out deeply several more times, the tips of her fingers were melting, her toes were just burnt charcoal stubs and her eyes felt they were going to burst: even the tears running down her face evaporated as the unforgiving heat and flames licked and clawed at her now naked flesh. She slipped into a coma, only vaguely hearing the screams of Thomas as his robe flashed into an orange ball of flame.

In the bar the only talking point was the disappointment of the burnings...

‘Nice sunny day an’ all, they should have been wriggling for hours. It’s much better when it rains.’ 

Laughed the manager, wiping the bar. ‘So, who’s for another Martyr’s then?

He looked around, and saw a child playing with a grubby doll. She had made a small noose and was dangling the doll by its neck, and making crackling noises.

Just then, the Preacher came through the door, looking very proud of himself and aloof…

Ahhhh preacher ... the usual is it?’


[From: The Dorset Arms: A Ghostly Story... by Bonx Trigwell, 2010]

Anne Tree, Thomas Dungate and John Foreman were commemorated a year after the death of Queen Mary, when the persecutions were past and the country returned to the Church of England.

‘When John Foreman and mother Tree
At Greenstede cruelly were slain
When Thomas Dungate to make up three
With them did pass from woe and pain
When those with other were put to death
We wished for our Elizabeth’

The Elizabeth mentioned would have been a reference to Queen Elizabeth who succeeded to the throne on Mary’s death in 1558.

Today three simple sandstone slabs set by the main entrance to St Swithun’s church commemorate the events of 1556 with the simple inscription: fideles usque ad mortem (faithful even unto death).

More recently a belief has taken root that the stones mark the graves of witches, perhaps due to a confusion of the burning of witches with that of religious martyrs. Witches would certainly never be interred in hallowed ground, neither were those deemed heretics at the time. So when your friendly cabbie drops you off at the church entrance at night, and warns you about the ghosts of the witches, you might just put him right!

NB: Thanks to the forensic skills of East Grinstead historian and author Michael J. Leppard, we now know far more about the fate of the martyrs. In his excellent monograph The East Grinstead Martyrs, written for the East Grinstead Society and available from the Town Museum, Mr Leppard reveals the key figures involved and their motives.

Hassocks Bike n' Fun Day 26th June

Michelle Binks who organised last year's Bike 'n Fun Day has organised another one for Sunday morning 26th June at Downlands School.  She is still in urgent need of Marshals. She has not got enough to safely run the event.  If you can offer help on Sunday morning please contact Michelle on

michelle.binks@virgin.net
01273 844376
07505123149

New Horizons Appeal Autumn Gift Fair

It’s Bigger and Better for 2011!

A larger marquee to ease shopping, a new look restaurant area solely for dining and extra loos, but the wonderful parkland setting remains the same thanks to the generosity of Sir Charles and Lady Burrell.

September timing for the New Horizons Appeal Autumn Gift Fair in aid of St Catherine’s Hospice at Knepp Castle, Shipley, West Sussex, with a Preview Night, Wednesday 21 September, 6.30-9pm (drinks and canapés) and Fair Day, Thursday 22 September, 9.30am-4pm.

Over 80 stalls await, offering everything from local produce and home made cakes to gifts for her, him and baby, from housewares and linens to leather bags, designer clothing and the latest swimwear. Knepp offers the perfect setting for such a delightful event, with ginger piglets and roaming wild deer this is the making of a perfect day out with friends - shop and lunch in pleasurable surroundings.
“The annual St Catherine’s Hospice Autumn Gift Fair is a great gathering with lots of people getting together to start their Christmas shopping nice and early.
It’s a wonderful opportunity to see friends whilst also raising money for such an important local cause”, commented Horshams MP, Francis Maude.
The Preview Night, Wednesday 21 September, 6.30pm-9pm, both a sociable and productive affair. Advance ticket can be purchased from ticket hotline- 01293 447367 at £15 per person.

Fair Day, Thursday 22 September, 9.30am-4pm, is a great days shopping and a must for lunch. Admission is £5 which includes a coffee and trendy cupcake. Free parking and disabled facilities available.

The Fair is organised by the volunteer ladies of the New Horizons Appeal in aid of St Catherine’s Hospice, and the venue given free by Sir Charles & Lady Burrell so guaranteeing that all money raised goes direct to helping the hospice that helps those terminally ill in Sussex and East Surrey.

For further information contact Paula Daly on 01293 447367/ pauladaly@stch.org.uk or visit www.stch.org.uk.

Free Open Day at National Epilepsy Centre

The National Centre for Young People with Epilepsy is holding an open day for parents that want to learn more about its school, further education college and medical facilities.

The open day is free of charge and takes place at the charity’s 60-acre rural headquarters in Lingfield, Surrey, on Wednesday, 13 July. The event will give parents the opportunity to find out about St Piers School and Further Education College and also the world-class Neville Childhood Epilepsy Centre which offers a range of diagnostic, assessment and rehabilitation services.

The school and college specialise in teaching students with epilepsy but staff have considerable experience teaching individuals with other neurological conditions and also autism.

Anyone wishing to attend the open day should email openday@ncype.org.uk or call Mandy Richmond on 01342 831 348. To find out more about the NCYPE, please visit its website at www.ncype.org.uk.

Bell Ringing in Keymer

by Juliet Holroyd

As a fitting tribute to Stephen Buckley, the Keymer bell ringers would like to share a little of their enthusiasm for the ancient art of bell ringing.

It is just a year since the church of St Cosmas and St Damian, Keymer, lost a very faithful bellringer and Tower Captain in Stephen Buckley, whose sudden illness and death last June came a shock to many, and in particular to his fellow bellringers.

Stephen Buckley, photo by Helene Carterf

Sketch of St Cosmas & St Damian, Keymer, by Stephen Buckley

Stephen’s love of bellringing and old churches, allied to his talent for drawing, found expression in his sketching the architecture of these historic, often ancient buildings, which so interested him. Like many ringers he found that, once bitten by the ringing ‘bug’, everything connected with his hobby, including the churches, towers, belfries and the bells themselves started to exert their own particular magnetism.

We consider ourselves privileged to be continuing a skill that has been handed down through the generations, virtually unchanged, for hundreds of years. Learning to ring a bell with others takes about six months to a year and can be mastered by just about any able-bodied person willing to apply himself with patience and regularity. By the time the novice has learnt to handle the rope and control the bell, he (or she!) is usually well and truly hooked! There is a real sense of exhilaration and achievement, with a peculiarly rewarding satisfaction to be gained from being an essential part of the mutual shared concentration necessary to bring musical order from the apparent chaos of wildly tumbling bells, as they resound high overhead above the flying ropes and darting coloured sallies.

For those who have a feeling for the romance of heritage, bellringing is a particularly satisfying hobby. It probably stands almost alone today as an activity which has been uninterruptedly pursued in a similar manner and for the same purpose since around the 15th century. In some cases the very same bells are rung in the same church belfries from the selfsame ringing rooms used by our ancestors.

‘Change ringing’ is a quintessentially English activity in its origins, having developed only in English churches, where it reached its present form in the 18th century. This ‘full circle’ way of ringing a bell remains peculiar to Britain and to some parts of what was the British Empire. It differs from the random sound that emanates, for instance, from continental churches in that bells are hung in such a way that the ringer is able to hold them poised, upside down, on the balance. This control of the bell facilitates the timing of the sound, allowing it to tip over and strike, with total precision, in a prearranged sequence with all the other bells. The resulting permutations of sound, which alter at each swing of the bell, are known as ‘methods’, in which every ringer follows his appointed path. The interweaving of sound can be likened to the steps of a country dance, as each dancer moves in an orderly pattern through the measure.

Bellringing, though primarily a service to the church (though there is no obligation to attend the service!) is, for many people, a truly absorbing hobby. Apart from the ringing in one’s own local church week by week, there is plenty of opportunity to visit other ‘towers’ and try one’s hand on different bells.

In rural areas the parish church is frequently the oldest building in a village, enshrining so much of its history. As a bellringer there is a sense of privilege mingled with anticipation as one approaches these old ringing chambers, frequently accessed through locked doors and dark, uneven spiral staircases built within the thick stone walls of the tower. It feels like entering a time warp as the low, narrow door opens abruptly into the unexpected atmosphere of a ringing room. Sometimes they are cramped and windowless with walls of plain rugged stone, sometimes reminiscent of a timbered ship’s cabin and sometimes they’re wood-panelled and carpeted, with spacious, leaded windows revealing distant views over the surrounding area. Entering one of these hidden rooms and absorbing its individual character never fails to surprise and fascinate. Walls are hung with impressive gilt-edged peal boards, recording past ringing feats of long dead ringers from yesteryear whose be-whiskered faces gaze out inscrutably from yellowing 19th century photographs.

Alongside the evidence of history, there is the present day reality of a living tower in the form of noticeboards, method diagrams and books about ringing. But most tempting to the ringer are the slack, looped bell ropes, awaiting the firm pull which will set the sallies dancing and swing the bells once more into vibrant life.

Stephen, like us, was one who felt a great sense of satisfaction in perpetuating an unbroken tradition stretching far back in time. Hopefully we are also carrying that same tradition on into the future, as the church bells continue to sound forth their joyful praise. ■


Bell Ringing at St Cosmas & St Damian,
1 The Crescent, Keymer, Hassocks, West Sussex


Practice at 20.00 on Wednesdays.
Ringing at 09.00 on Sunday.


If you would like to find out more about bell ringing, or learn to ring, please contact Diana Webley Ward on 01273 842360.

In Pastures Pink

by Sophy Chetwood

A local, family music festival, inspired by a daughter’s love for her mum, returns to Danehill on Saturday 9th July.

Two years ago, nine year-old Millie Rushton saw the suffering and courage of her mother who had breast cancer, and decided to do something to help. She set up a string quartet and announced she wanted to organise a concert in aid of Breast Cancer Research. From this acorn of an idea, a group of friends launched In Pastures Pink, a musical extravaganza which won the hearts and support of hundreds of music lovers throughout Sussex. Millie played violin on stage (pictured right), as did other bands. People lazed in the sun eating strawberries and cream and danced to the sounds of the ‘60s, 70’s and ‘80s as the sun went down behind the hills. The event raised £10,000.

This year, In Pastures Pink is back with an even better and more exciting line-up than before. Set once again just outside the village of Danehill surrounded by ancient woodland, fields and spectacular views, In Pastures Pink will be a music festival and country fayre rolled into one. There will be something for everyone – amazing bands, a children’s activity area, a stand-up comic, lots of delicious local food and wine and much more. “And lots of pink, of course,” says organiser Isobel Wilkinson. “A pink drinks tent, a pink beauty tent and pink flowers everywhere. People can wear pink too, if they want.”

Two years ago the weather was warm and sultry and the atmosphere exuberant. “I remember listening to the music, sipping a glass of wine, with the Downs behind me and the sun slowly sinking, thinking ‘it doesn’t get much better than this’,” comments Jan Corr, a local lecturer. “Yes, there were many people there whose lives had been touched by cancer, but on that day they were there to party, to let their hair down and to raise hundreds of pounds for charity.”

This year the much heralded band Gypsy and the Wolf will be playing at the festival, along with Superlungs (a local young band), Indiana and the Romeos (a new and innovative pub band) plus the foot-tapping Acoustic Real Strings.

Stand-up comedy will be provided by Tim FitzHigham. Wandering amongst the crowd will be poet Simon Welch, given 5 stars by BBC’s Sophie Bignall as “the next Roald Dahl.” Millie’s mother, Uckfield FM’s Jacqui Rushton (pictured left), will be the event’s presenter. Millie will be playing again too.

There will be masses of food throughout the afternoon and evening, with a sizzling BBQ, hog roast, hot dogs, goulash, lots of locally grown produce, ready-made hampers and award-winning wine and pink fizz from the Bluebell Estate. “We want everyone to relax and to take advantage of the wonderful food and drink, not to bring their own, especially as all the proceeds go to charity,” remarks Catherine Philpot, one of the fair organisers and landlady of The Coach & Horses at Danehill.

This year the festival is supporting St Peter & St James Hospice, Breast Cancer Research and also the Teenage Cancer Trust, a charity the young festival goers are keen to promote. “Being diagnosed with cancer was one of the scariest moments of my life but In Pastures Pink, with its buzz and vitality, gave me real hope for the future,” said Stephen Duff, local festival-goer. ■

In Pastures Pink Saturday 9th July
Mount Noddy, Danehill, East Sussex

From 4.30pm: Children’s music, recitals,
storytelling and afternoon tea
From 7pm: Music and dancing begins with a ceilidh hoedown, followed by the bands.
Tickets: £20 (adults), £15 (14-25 years), children under 13 years are free.

SPECIAL OFFER for Sussex Living magazine readers: £15 (adults), £10 (14-25 years)
For tickets and further information visit www.inpasturespink.co.uk,
email event@inpasturespink.co.uk or call Lesley on 07545 531957.

East Grinstead: Mid Summer Market

East Grinstead's Midsummer Market returns on Saturday July 23rd.

A large part of London Road, the town's major shopping street, is closed to traffic and the shops and cafes spill out onto the street creating a carnival like atmosphere for the day.

Small fairground rides and stalls are scattered around and the arrival of the famous French Market is guaranteed to pull in the crowds with their excellent selection of French produce and giftware.

Plenty of craft and gift stalls, as well as those run by local charities, can be found in the street and Queens Walk with activities throughout the day. This is the fourth year that the Midsummer Market has come to town, each time attracting record-breaking crowds.

Stall space available, prices and details from the Tourist Desk tourism@eastgrinstead.gov.uk or call 01342 410121

Cat of the Month

Smokey Joe is nearly 13yrs old. He is looking for a calm , relaxed home, and would like to be the only cat. Older children would suit him perfectly. He is a very gentle and friendly big boy, with a beautiful soft coat.

He has sadly been at the NCAC since Sept 2010 and we really do not know why, he is so handsome and so affectionate and is really getting fed up now at being overlooked for a younger version. He is healthy, on no medication, and just sits patiently waiting for his new home.

If you feel you could offer Smokey Joe a home, or would like to know more about him please call on 01825 741330 or email cattery.reception@cats.org.uk. Or come and visit him at

National Cat Adoption Centre
Chelwood Gate , Haywards Heath, RH17 7TT

You can also meet all his friends,all looking for a new home too and don’t forget our Summer Fun Day 17th July 2011.

Breeze up to the Downs from Brighton!

If you would love a carefree day on the Downs with the children but hate the idea of queues of traffic, parking hassles - or even just adding to car congestion in the countryside - then we have the answer!

Hop on a train to Brighton and right opposite Brighton Station you can catch the open top 77 bus to Devil’s Dyke. You can take up to two children free on the bus - and you can get 2 adult return tickets for the price of 1 if you show your rail ticket to the bus driver. If just one adult then there’s 33% off the normal £5 return fare.

Devil’s Dyke is full of possibilities for a day out, from a picnic and kite flying to mountain biking and all the other activities offered by the orb360 shop near the Devil’s Dyke pub: there’s 10% off at the orb shop if you show your bus ticket. If you wander along the South Downs Way down to Saddlescombe (about 30 mins ramble with stunning views of the Dyke) your bus ticket will also get you 10% off at Saddlescombe Tea Rooms (closed Wednesdays).

Kids will love the open top bus journey to the Dyke and you’ll be free to enjoy the stunning views with them without the stress of driving. There’s even a Visit Brighton podcast you can download, telling you all about what you can see from the top of the bus as you breeze along its scenic route. Or you can pick up a Route Guide leaflet on board the bus, describing the highlights in print. Things you’d never see from a car!

The 77 open top bus to Devil’s Dyke runs every day in July and August (weekends with a normal double decker at other times). It leaves from opposite Brighton Station roughly every half hour: you can also pick it up on the seafront just west of Brighton Pier. The journey takes around 30 minutes each way.

For more details and to get the info leaflets for the 77 (and the weekend-only 78 to Stanmer Park and 79 to Ditchling Beacon) visit www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/breezebuses or call 01273 292480.

Hassocks and the National Park

Monday 27 June: Hassocks and the National Park

Members of the public are invited to the Annual Meeting of the Hassocks Community Partnership in the Pauline Thaw Centre, Dale Ave, Hassocks on Monday 27th of June 2011 at 7.30 p.m. Refreshments including wine will be served.

Our guest speaker will be Mr Phil Belden, Head of Operations at the South Downs National Park and he will talk about "Hassocks and the National Park". There will also be a brief presentation of the projects that the Hassocks Community Partnership is currently involved in, such as the Cycle Hire, the Village Market and the Star Cinema.

Hassocks Community Partnership was set up to promote the welfare of the community in Hassocks. It acts as the umbrella organisation for a number of community projects. Its Management Committee is made up of individual members and representatives of local organisations.

Don’t miss this opportunity to get your ideas for the community heard and also listen to our guest speaker talk about Hassocks and the National Park.

Avensys: It's a 3D world!

by Ruth Lawrence

I tend to view new technology with enthusiasm and scepticism in equal measure. So when I agreed to road test Avensys’ flagship 3D television system, I wasn’t prepared to like it quite so much.

The large box had arrived. Half an hour later I was the proud owner – if only for a week – of a 42 inch Panasonic plasma HD TV in place of my usual clunky analogue portable that sits in a corner behind the fireplace.

Ian Down of Avensys Ltd set the super slim equipment up for me, handed me a pair of 3D glasses and slipped a disc into the 3D Blu-ray player. A few moments later I was racing down the Grand Canyon in a white water raft, dodging rocks from the comfort of my sofa. The 3D effect is stunning: it’s difficult not to duck to avoid objects hurtling from the frame towards you, hard not to shout “WOW” every time you spin through a landscape at speed. It really does feel like being inside the picture. The only problem I can foresee is the damage to the travel industry – now that you can traverse the world at this level of reality, you could go on holiday every evening while collapsed in your own armchair!

This technology could be life-changing to someone bed-bound or ill. Imagine thinking you were unable to see the world again and being handed one of these machines; it would be akin to bringing the planet into your living room with all the difficulties edited out.

Even the 2D experience is unbelievably crisp and lifelike. Apparently it’s to do with enhancements to the panel and filter which creates images of smooth, naturalistic graduation and rich, deep blacks, even when viewed in a bright room. This increased contrast mimics real life and explains why photos often disappoint because lighter areas appear darker and dark areas lighter than their true life counterparts.

The TV becomes so much more when you begin to really use the VIERA connect potential – interactive services, internet shopping, video, music and games. You can insert an SD card from your camera into the back of the TV and see your images on a cinematic scale. You can record programmes and films onto an external USB hard disk drive and the live TV function allows you to rewind a live TV programme to watch the scenes you want to see if you’ve missed them earlier.

If you’ve been put off by incomprehensible payment options for satellite TV, this model includes a tuner for Freesat HD and Freeview HD, allowing you to watch sport, drama and documentaries in full HD, subscription free.

The technology to make the 3D image is the stuff of science fiction: liquid crystal shutters open and close alternately for the left and right eye on the 3D glasses to synchronise with the images on the TV screen. It’s certainly progressed from the red and green cellophane viewers of yesteryear. You plug the glasses into the TV to charge them, then use them sitting within a 70 degree arc in front of the screen. Although possibly not the coolest eyewear for a first date snuggled up on the sofa, you soon forget you’re wearing them and enjoy the experience.

The 3D Blu-ray player makes it possible to convert DVDs and Blu-ray discs into 3D so you can watch your cherished collection come to life. Movie files recorded with HD camcorders can also be converted and it is this level of technology that makes the 3D equipment so exciting. The player is a discreet black box with no external buttons; you simply wave your hand over it and it obediently opens.

You can turn the screen into a visual telephone with Skype, having conversations in real time and there’s even an auto answering video message function. If you’re frustrated by the fuss of conventional DVD player menus, this feels so easy to use. I simply pushed in the disc, waved my hand and that was pretty much it – the player seems virtually idiot-proof.

Avensys have a seriously vast showroom at Copthorne near Gatwick. With two dedicated demo rooms they can show you all the latest TVs, Blu-ray players and audio equipment. Ian told me that most of their custom is via satisfied word of mouth. They employ a ‘no sales talk and no pressure’ philosophy and invite people in to sample the new technology. You can even bring in your own beloved speakers to test with a new system and ask as many questions as you want. The brand list is a roll call of quality: Panasonic, Sony, Samsung, Pioneer, Canton, Sonos and more – it’s all gathered in one place for you to compare.

I freely admit that I am hardcore retro: I use a 1950s turntable and vinyl, I have a converted bakelite TV and own cassette players at different stages of decay lying around the house. This new technology represents the very opposite of what I am used to. If a piece of equipment with no fat chrome dials and buttons can reduce me to slack jawed genuine astonishment, then it must be getting something seriously right. Having put aside my scepticism, I was rewarded with quality and technology that amazed me. Try it for yourself and watch the world come to life. ■

Avensys Limited
Units 17-21 Borers Yard
Borers Arms Road
Copthorne, West Sussex RH10 3LH
Tel. 01342 713033
email sales@avensys.co.uk
www.avensys.co.uk