St Augustine’s, Scaynes Hill - Covid-19 plans

By Jenny Walker

In these extraordinary and unprecedented times sadly our church building has had to close but the church in Scaynes Hill continues to be alive and active and ready to provide help to anyone in need. At the moment St Augustine’s is in a vacancy but our Assistant Priest, Lucy Hollingsworth, together with the rest of our ministry team and the Parish Administrator, are working hard to ensure that church life is maintained.

 Our services have moved online to our YouTube channel and are being viewed by almost the whole congregation. Steps are being taken to try to set up technology for those who are not currently online. We are gathering in a virtual setting to worship together using liturgy, music, readings, preaching and intercessions that have been recorded in people’s homes. Service sheets are included in the Church Newsletter which is circulated in advance via email so people can join in with the responses and hymns. It is a different way of being a church and is being much appreciated by the congregation especially over Holy Week and Easter. We are also able to do “virtual coffee” after church via BlueJeans and Home Groups are also operating in this way. The Church Newsletter is packed with useful information as well as interesting and fun things to do including weekly competitions to take part in during this stay at home time. Using her creative talents our Youth and Children’s Worker is producing wonderful colouring sheets which appeal to all ages and a range of resources for children and families to use.

 At this difficult time pastoral care is of vital importance and we as a church community hope that we are good at supporting each other. In the current crisis we are making every effort to reach out not only to church members but to the wider community including those who normally visit the church coffee shop. The Pastoral Care Team and other volunteers are keeping in touch particularly with those who are self-isolating and those being shielded. A friendly chat on the phone and words of encouragement are much welcomed and practical help such as shopping and picking up prescriptions is provided where needed. A group of local residents is also offering help to members of the Scaynes Hill community and we are in contact with these volunteers so that hopefully no one will fall through the net. We are thankful for all those, known and unknown to us, who are serving the needs of the community during these challenging times.

Lindfield Gin Festival: 15th June 2019

By Anna MacMahon

Last June the Parent Teachers Association of Oathall Community College organised a super successful event in support of the school. In fact, it raised £6,000 which helped to purchase equipment for the new Maths and Science block; equipment which will help to inspire and create a new generation of mathematicians and scientists.

This year, we are incredibly excited for the return of this summer event, a highlight on the Lindfield social calendar! There will be 25 Sussex gins to sample, all with their own unique local flavour. We’ll see the return of the very popular main raffle prize: a wheelbarrow full of gin! Heartfelt thanks goes out to all the wonderful community shops, small businesses and other organisations that have so kindly donated contributions to the raffle prizes and supported us with other sponsorship opportunities. This year we are raising funds for new sound and lighting equipment for the school hall. We are proud to raise funds for our school and hope you will join us on this fun evening to help us reach our goal.

The Lindfield Gin Festival will take place on Saturday 15th June 2019, starting at 7pm in King Edward Hall. A ticket costs £15 (which includes your first gin token), with gin tokens being sold for £2 on the night. Book your tickets here: www.trybooking.co.uk/IOU

New estate agency celebrates opening in Lindfield

Guy Kelsey & Toby Whittome

The team at Lindfield’s newest High Street estate agent celebrated last month at the official launch of Jackson-Stops here in the village.

Toby Whittome and Guy Kelsey ran sales and acquisition departments at Jackson-Stops in Central London before making a decision to open a Mid Sussex branch of the national agency.

Toby explained: “Having grown up just outside Scaynes Hill, I know this area extremely well! I love now being able to work so close to home and our location on Lindfield’s amazing High Street couldn’t be better for us.”

Jackson-Stops is open six days a week at 66 High Street – the former home of SWALK.

“Our door is open for a chat – something which I am pleased to say has already started to happen,” Guy commented.

Compton House Nursing Home is 'outstanding'

Residents and staff at Compton House Christian Nursing Home are over the moon after being recognised as one of the best in the country.

The home, in Compton Road, has been given an ‘Outstanding’ rating by the Care Quality Commission – putting it among the top 2% in the country.

“We are absolutely delighted,” said manager Paula Craen. “We are always striving to improve our service and the quality of life for our residents, so it’s wonderful that our work has been recognised in this way.” 

The rating followed a rigorous, unannounced inspection back in May. “Two inspectors visited and spent the whole day observing life at Compton House and talking to residents, relatives and staff, before interviewing myself and my deputy Susan Jones,” said Paula. “When they left we were hopeful, but we also knew how difficult it is to get outstanding, so we were delighted to receive the notification from CQC confirming our Outstanding rating several weeks later.”

All care homes are inspected every two years and inspectors follow a strict criteria.

Compton House has been rated overall Outstanding and to achieve that is exceptional. “You have to prove that what you do has an impact on the lives of the people living here,” Paula explained. “The inspectors spent a lot of time talking to residents and staff and observing the interaction between them. Even when they were reading reports and documents, the inspectors sat in communal areas.”

Inspectors commented that residents had an ‘exceptional quality of life’ and that ‘staff went the extra mile to ensure that people’s needs, wishes and aspirations were at the forefront of everything they did’.

Lindfield Arts Festival bursary fund open for applications

This year’s Lindfied Arts Festival will see a new and exciting bursary to be granted to a local resident who can demonstrate their passion and desire to start or continue an arts discipline. A panel of four local celebrity judges will determine who will receive the £1,000 grant towards the applicant’s chosen area of expertise. The bursary is open to anyone aged 7-100 who lives locally. If you are a dancer, painter, baker or artisan maker of any kind, the Festival would like to hear from you. No matter your age, occupation or previous experience, if you have a desire to start or continue your arts education you can apply for the bursary via the charity’s website.

Lynn Tulip, Festival organiser, said: “This is such an exciting initiative. The Festival is all about local arts, and this bursary is an opportunity for it to put something back into the community by supporting a resident’s artistic endeavours and development.”

In other news, the Festival programme is currently being formulated with a number of other innovative ideas added to the line-up. For the first time, there will be a food festival with artisan makers and street food sellers; the length of the High Street will be filled with a covered eating area and there will be a stage, which will play host to a wide range of performances.

Another major initiative will be a film project that captures the heart and culture of the village through the voices of its residents – all of this and more will be announced fully over the coming months. 

Dates for this year’s Festival are: 21st-23rd September. If you would like more information, would like to apply for the bursary, or would like to get involved visit www.lindfieldartsfestival.com or email enquiries@lindfieldartsfestival.com

Amazing care at home

Immediately after Christmas is often a time when families evaluate their elderly relatives’ needs – having spent a good number of hours in their company. David Dimelow, director of Everycare Mid Sussex, explains why this is the case: “We always get an increased number of enquiries in January and it’s simply due to the family seeing small changes in their loved ones. Comments like ‘mum doesn’t make the trifle quite like she used to’ and ‘dad seemed to struggle carving the turkey this year’ have both been mentioned to me by worried children.”

David, who used to work in the IT industry, decided to make a change in career direction after experiencing some good (and not so good) care for his own parents while he was living 200 miles away. “I was adamant that only the highest quality home care services possible would do when it came to entering the home care market myself,” he commented. “Having been a worried son on the other side of the table, I knew what level of customer care I had to be able to deliver.”

David researched the domiciliary care market widely and visited a number of franchisors to make sure they shared the same ethos. “Everycare ticked all the boxes for me, with its enviable high standards.” He started the business, serving Lindfield and the whole Mid Sussex area, four years ago. David has an office team based in Burgess Hill and employs over 45 carers visiting many of the Mid Sussex villages.

The team is able to provide a variety of assistance to its service users. This includes doing housework, preparing meals, companionship, help with showering and bathing, waking night and sleeping night services, welfare checks and prompting medication.

One principal that is strongly held to is that Everycare makes sure that service users receiving regular care know the carers involved. “We know the vulnerable folk we work with don’t like a string of different people rriving at different times,” David said.

Everycare Mid Sussex can also offer more temporary care packages. This includes cover when regular carers are away on holiday, or for rehabilitation when returning from hospital.

“Folks coming out of hospital will need to regain their confidence in all manner of normal tasks. We work with the family and NHS to define their care plan and then help them to get back on track.”

The care services at Everycare aren’t menu-based but, rather, outcome-based. David continues: “We ask ‘What does success look like?’ in order to develop a truly personal solution. When a service user is back on their feet and no longer has need for our help, we consider that to be a very positive result.”

For some families, the ability to relinquish caring duties on a temporary basis can be enormously helpful.

“We know that many carers just need a break, and often don’t enjoy their own holidays if they are worried about loved ones for whom they usually care. Our carers can be briefed to act just as you would have done, so you can relax!”

Another important facility that Everycare Mid Sussex is pleased to be able to offer is Live in Care. As it sounds, this level of service places a carer to live with them 24/7. This service is ideal for folk who have been recommended to consider a move to a Care Home but who desperately don’t want to leave their home, for whatever reason. This means the service users stay in familiar surroundings and locality, and the cost can be a lot cheaper than a weekly care home bill too.

If you are concerned about someone you love and their ability to cope, or indeed if you fancy working in the care industry, why not call Everycare Mid Sussex on 01444 244770 today. You’ll speak to Emma, Jenny or Katie in the first instance, who will then organise a free assessment meeting in the person’s home. You can also see www.everycare.co.uk/midsussex for more information about the range of services.

Important play at King Edward Hall, Lindfield

By Rex Cooper

Importance of Being Earnest at King Edward Hall

Lindfield Dramatic Club is turning to one of the best known and best-loved plays in the English language for its autumn production this year – Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest.

With a strong cast that includes new, young members alongside established performers, the club is continuing along the route that has been its forte over the past decade, but moves away from the broader comedy that has generally been on offer.

Wilde’s comedy of manners about love and marriage amongst the upper classes has been a hit with audiences and critics for more than a hundred years and LDC is returning to the play after a 19-year gap.

Director Rex Cooper said: “Pretty well every theatregoer can quote the best known funny lines from the play but it is full of humour from start to finish and audiences have to concentrate in case they miss something.

“We look forward to our regulars coming along and supporting us and, given that it is almost two decades since we last presented this classic, we can, hopefully, attract some new, younger audience members – especially as the play is now part of the UK’s National Curriculum.”

The Importance of Being Earnest can be seen at the King Edward Hall on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 26th-28th October. Tickets (£8) are available at Tufnells Home, 59 High Street, Lindfield. Tel: 01444 483483.

Lindfield Primary Academy girls crowned County Cricket Champions

Lindfield Academy's Cricket Girls

Members of Lindfield Primary Academy’s Year 5/6 girls’ cricket team were celebrating this month when they were crowned County Champions at the Sussex Final in Horsham. The girls went into the event with high hopes after weeks and weeks of practice but were faced with the daunting prospect of playing the best five schools from Sussex at the event. After a convincing win against local rivals and last year’s winners, Birchwood Grove in the first match by 37 runs, the girls continued their great form with victories over Southwater Junior (by 10 runs), North Lancing (by 42 runs), West Park (by 27 runs) and Harlands (by 32 runs) in an action packed day at Horsham Cricket Club.

The whole squad contributed throughout the tournament but special mention must go to Ruby Stedman for her batting and Asha Hinley and Bethan Steel for their fantastic bowling. James Smyth (Year 6 teacher and the team’s coach) was extremely pleased at the conclusion of the event: “After coming runners-up last year, we hoped we may go one better this time around. We are so pleased, the girls should be extremely proud of their achievement.”

Lindfield Life: meet the team...

Justin Ross, Claire Cooper, Emily Billson, David Tingley, Heather Barling, Annika Beadle

By David Tingley

One of the common misconceptions about being the person responsible for publishing this magazine is that many assume I do it alone. I don’t! It’s definitely a team game.

When my wife and I created Lindfield Life eight years ago, Emma was tasked with selling advertising space, to pay for the production costs, and I would write the majority of each issue’s content. We do still receive a good few emails to ‘David & Emma’ – which is very sweet, although Emma technically stopped working for the magazine back in early 2012 when she was offered more hours in her position with a local charity.

One crucial role we’ve utilised since the beginning is that of a proofreader. Lindfield resident (who also happens to be my mother-in-law) Heather Barling took on the task since the very early days of Lindfield Life – and her razor-sharp attention to detail is much appreciated.

In 2012 we hired journalist Claire Cooper, who I am very pleased to say is still with us today. Claire’s part-time role is Editorial Assistant, and it’s her job to write up news stories and feature articles, as well as responding to emails which are sent to the editor@lindfieldlife.co.uk - plus keeping her ear very close to the ground for all the latest Lindfield news of course!

After running Lindfield Life for nearly three years I decided, at the end of 2012, to branch out and produce another community magazine for the nearby village of Cuckfield. Even at that stage, I had begun to see the powerful effects that a local magazine could have on the community it served – and so I was keen to see if it worked elsewhere.

Fortunately it did, and I have since been building that business. In April 2015 I started another title for Hurstpierpoint – so life in the office became very busy! 

As any business owner will tell you, it’s about getting the right people in the right roles. I’m very grateful to have Lindfield resident Natasha Hannah (not available on the day of the photoshoot) as my bookkeeper for nearly five years – keeping the books straight!

Local student Annika Beadle handles all our social media posts and has done so for some time – which is really helpful. We use Twitter and Facebook as a way of sharing events and stories from within the magazine during the month, but also to allow us to be more responsive than the restraints of our usual monthly deadlines.

I also soon realised that I needed help in the office as the demands of an ever-increasing customer base became greater. Another Lindfield resident, Emily Billson, took over that role in December 2015 and she’s really made it her own. Emily’s part-time role as Office Administrator sees her covering everything from taking phone calls and booking in advertisers through to creating advertising/content schedules for each issue. Her organisational skills are legendary and keep me in check!

Our most recent addition to the team is Creative Artworker Justin Ross. Justin is a freelancer and has taken on the task of creating the first proof of the magazine. Essentially, he turns it from a stack load of Word files and pictures to the cleanly set pages you see – all in the Lindfield Life house style. 

Ian Taylor and his distribution team, supported by Niamh Hannah in Scaynes Hill, take on the door-to-door deliveries for us – and do a great job. 

By now you may well be asking: ‘What about you?’! Well, I have input specifically on adverts’ artwork and design where necessary, I also deal with making changes and sending each issue to print. I do still write – although not as much as I used to. I take some photos and also keep abreast of the emails to the editor account.

During the month we each take responsibility for our own areas, and then come together once a month for our editorial meetings at our offices in Haywards Heath.  At this meeting we decide which stories are going in and what more needs to be done in order to create our first proof.

So there you have it. That’s how we do it! It may not be rocket science, but it’s a great job and we love doing it.

Lindfield Village Day

By Stephen Gray, Chairman Village Day Committee
It is amazing what good weather can do for our major fundraising activities in the village. Based in the centre of Lindfield, the King Edward Hall acts as a hub for many different activities, groups and individuals.
     The Hall costs about £70,000 a year to run and with no grant of any kind we have to be self-sufficient. Our day-to-day hirers cover the majority of these costs but major refurbishments have to be paid for from other activities.
     The success of the last two years (raising over £8,000 in total each year) has enabled us to finish the refurbishment of our main kitchen. Undertaken over a two week period at the end of May, we are proud to have a highly professional kitchen that meets modern standards and that will last for many years to come.
     Village Day this year had a record number of stalls on the Common and such a lot of enthusiastic participation in the caribbean-themed procession.
     The Stand Up Inn won the Tug-of-War competition and retained the Brian Newcombe Trophy for another year. Given in commemoration of the man who gave so much of his time to this wonderful village event when he was alive. I know Bryan Derham would also like me to thank those brave souls who stepped into the breach to make up the missing team on the day too!
     2015 saw a record number of runners at our Bank Holiday event, with over 750 people taking part (see photos overleaf).
     We would like to thank everyone for their support and eagerly look forward to the challenges of 2016!

See all photos from the day on pages 10/11.

Cockhaise Farm Open Day - 8th June

Cockhaise Farm is running an open day on Sunday 8th June from 11am-4pm.  It is part of the national Open Farm Sunday programme and is not the first time the farm has opened its doors to the community.

The diary farm will have sheep shearing, pigs, calves, tractors, see the cows being milked, meet the vet, tractor and trailer rides and a farm walk, along with a bbq serving our Cockhaise burgers.  It is a chance for people to come and see how an organic dairy farm is run and how they are trying to build for the future as well.

The Burdett family have been at the farm since 1986 and they now farm over 650 acres at the site. The milk around 230 cows and have been selling their (organic) milk through a european cooperative since 1999. 

Dan Burdett explained how they are seeking to make changes to the farm fields in the future: "In the next five years we will grow more diverse grassland, supporting more species of plant that are able to root much further down, therefore bringing more life to our soils.  With this will come a greater ability to be able to survive the extremes of weather that we now face, with our soil being able to hold more water when it's wet and therefore be able to be more drought tolerant in the extreme dry." 

Dan and the team will explain more about this and how the farm works at the FREE event on Sunday 8th June. 

Advertise in the Lindfield Christmas Shopping Challenge

Dear Lindfield business owner,

I would like to do is put together a four page pull-out in the November edition of the magazine. The feature will highlight what a variety of Christmas presents can be bought on our doorsteps. We will be challenging the Lindfield Life readers to buy all their presents from the village! 

The feature will be comprised of two elements: 

On the centre spread I would like to feature a number of products which are available from Lindfield shops/businesses. It could be a product or voucher if that’s more applicable for your business. All businesses are invited to suggest something for the feature. Any suggestion must include a product title, 10 word description, price, and buying category (eg: Gift for… Granny, Man, Teenager, Husband, Child 2-5 yrs, etc). Clearly we will be limited by space, so we can’t’ guarantee inclusion – however if we do have too much we will endeavour to select the widest variety of products on offer. If time allows I would like to come and photograph each of the products due to be featured so that they are all in the same style. 

On the reverse is the opportunity for you to place a discounted quarter page ad which you can promote your shop/business. As well as contact details and your popular Christmas lines perhaps, you may also choose to include a discount voucher to encourage the Lindfield shopper to partake in the challenge. The special price for the quarter page ad is just £60 including VAT. There are only 8 spaces available at this price!

As I said, time is of the essence for this matter! Product suggestions and any advertisement space will need to be booked BEFORE THIS FRIDAY 4th OCTOBER. 

As a retailer in the village I do hope you can see the benefit of such an article to encourage Lindfield shoppers away from the Amazon’s of this world and ringing through your till instead. Please call me TODAY on 01444 884115 or email ads@lindfieldlife.co.uk to secure your space in the feature. 

Could you help with Lindfield Bonfire Night?

Lindfield Bonfire Society (LBS) will be holding their annual Bonfire Night celebrations for the people of Lindfield on Tuesday 5th November this year. Last year’s bonfire and fireworks display had to be cancelled due to extremely wet weather in the weeks preceeding the event. That decision was a huge disappointment for the Bonfire Society members and villagers alike. so this year they are hoping to make it bigger and better than ever. 

An estimated 12,000 people turn out for the celebrations but LBS are keen to ensure there are enough helpers to make it happen. As a result they are appealing for assistance from the village. Marshalls can do anything from helping with setup during the day, pack down, shaking collection tins and clearing the site the next morning. 

There is a Marshalls’ meeting on Thursday 17th October at 7.30pm in The King Edward Hall. The Society would be pleased to meet anyone who wishes to help or join LBS and take part in the procession on the 5th. 

LBS hire in 16 security officers and 16 Red Cross medical staff but they need over 40 volunteers to be
part of the team. Do consider going to the meeting if
you are able. 

Of course an event of this size and scale costs a lot of money to stage. Over £8,500 in fact. The cost of the fireworks, hire of the Common, road closure fees and all the other expenses involved all add up, so raising funds is critical for Lindfield Bonfire Society. Remember too that the money collected on the night is for local children’s charities and doesn’t go towards the cost of the evening. 

Sarah Tampion-Lacey, LBS membership secretary, explained: “The best way to contribute as a resident is to join the Society and complete a Standing Order form to pay your subs annually.” Adult membership is just £10 and family membership is £20 per year. 

LBS raise funds throughout the year and this year have been selling special Lindfield mugs and the Lindfield Village Calendar is bigger and better this year, and is available to purchase from Glyn Thomas Butchers, Mark Revill Estate Agents, Sarah Lacey Drycleaning and other shops to be confirmed. At £6 each they make fantastic Christmas presents and are available with envelopes.

More information can be found on membership, setting up standing orders and the calendar at the website: www.lindfieldbonfiresociety.co.uk. You can also keep up to date by joining Lindfield Bonfire Society on Facebook. 

Rev Charles Martin (Village People)

After five years at Lindfield United Reformed Church (URC) Rev Charles Martin has retired from the ministry and will move to Essex this month. 

Charles first had an association with the church ten years ago when he was appointed as Interim Moderator to the congregation in the period after Rev Norman Smith moved on and they didn’t have a minister of their own. However that was a ‘caretaker’ role and it wasn’t until Charles was 60 – and minister in Beaconsfield – that he was asked to consider taking the job at Lindfield. He agreed on the proviso that the church seek to appoint a Youth Pastor. “I was very aware of my age and knew I couldn’t accept the position without that kind of staff support,” Charles explained. 

Charles Martin was born in Lambeth and so confesses to be a ‘cockney’ at heart! But he knew he was to work for God from a very early age. “The thought really crystallised while I was at boarding school when I was 13 as I led the Christian Union with my friend (David Hayden, former Archdeacon of Norfolk). Although my mother had ‘struck a deal with God’ when she prayed earnestly for a son following the untimely death of my brother a year before I was born.”

Full story is printed on p. 12 August's magazine...

What is a Neighbourhood Plan?

As you may or may not be aware, the village has started the process of creating a ‘Neighbourhood Plan’. However, in the wake of the decision by MSDC to grant permission to Wates to build over 200 homes off Gravelye Lane to the East of the Lindfield, we ask some key questions of Faustina Bayo (from Action in Rural Sussex), Andy Spooner and Alan Gomme from the Lindfield Parish Councils. 

What is a Neighbourhood Plan?

A Neighbourhood Plan (NP) is a framework and policies for guiding the future development, regeneration and conservation of an area. It forms part of the statutory development plan for the area when it passes a referendum. It may deal with a wide range of social, economic and environmental issues (such as housing, employment, heritage and transport). Neighbourhood Plans have to be subjected to an independent examination and referendum in order to bring them
into force.

Who is putting it together?

Neighbourhood Plans can be prepared by either a parish/town council or a neighbourhood forum where there is no parish/town council. The Lindfield and Lindfield Rural Neighbourhood Plan is being put together by representatives of both Parish Councils, with enormous help from various community working groups. They are being guided by the consultants from Action in rural Sussex (AirS).

What or who is/are AirS? Are you a company profiting out of this legislation?

AirS is an independent charity supporting rural communities. Community planning has been a key service for many years. Neighbourhood plans are a community plan and we have the local expertise and knowledge to provide a service to parish councils to assist them in developing their NP. For more information about AirS, visit www.ruralsussex.org.uk

In the light of the approval of massive development off Gravelye Lane, why should we bother with this? Won’t the Neighbourhood Plan also just be ignored by Council/Government?

An approved Neighbourhood Plan’s policies are full planning policies and have the full force of law within the area covered by the plan. All applications for developments during the 20 year life of the plan will be expected to conform to them. The Wates application did not have to conform to any Neighbourhood Plan policies because the NP does not yet exist. Also, MSDC does not have an approved District Plan and could not demonstrate a five year land supply.      

Will it just look like a plea from ‘NIMBYs’?

No, because the NP will not stand up to scrutiny - or be adopted by the local authority – if it simply objects to all development and growth. It has to be in general conformity with the emerging District Plan which will inevitably include growth targets for the area. NPs are about maximizing the benefit of this development for the community and shaping it as much as possible by type, tenure, location, scale and method of delivery; not simply saying no.

When is it likely to be completed and in place?

The aim is to have the plan ready for submission to the local authority by November 2013 for a referendum in May 2014.

If I have got a comment or opinion on the future of Lindfield, where can I voice it? 

Please contact either Lindfield Parish or Lindfield Rural Parish Council by telephone or email in the usual manner (full contact details appear in the Lindfield Parish Directory & Year Book).

Lucy's Golf progress at Haywards Heath Golf Club

By Lucy Cooper

A long break due to the rubbish weather over the last few months had me pretty nervous about getting back into golf. I’ve been trying to practise up at the driving range as often as possible and, whilst I’ve been getting heaps better at hitting the ball and avoiding trees, my shots seem to be sending the balls off to the right and not going a fair distance and I was desperately in need of a lesson! 

Simon Iliffe was keen to help me tweak my techniques and sort out those issues! 

After hitting several shots to get back into it, Simon explained that the reason my shots weren’t going straight is because my hands had slipped into an incorrect position over time but he soon showed me that twisting my top (left) hand slightly so I could see two or three knuckles was all I needed to do to ensure a nice straight shot.

 He then took a short video of me hitting a few shots out into the range. Watching in slow-motion and from different angles, Simon explained why my shots weren’t going very far. 

Thanks to a brilliant new feature at the club, I’m able to log in from home and watch the videos of my lesson to refresh my memory before practising each time now - which is a great benefit. I’ll definitely be practising the ‘hip twist’ and hopefully driving that ball into the back and beyond!

Lindfield Scout Hut gets refurb

One of Lindfield’s  best loved buildings is getting a  much needed facelift after serving the community for over a century.

The scout hut in Eastern Road has been at the heart of village life for 100 years and generations of families have passed through its doors.

 Originally a World War II Canadian Army hut located at Paxhill, the hut was moved by villagers and has since been a base for the 1st Lindfield Scouts. 

Repair work is now underway  to ensure it can continue to serve the community as a scout headquarters well into the future.

The first phase of work, which cost around £8,000, has included painting the interior, installing new windows and a new wooden floor.

Read the full story on p.23 of May's magazine...

Lindfield Arts Festival hosts free music festival

The Lindfield Arts Festival has announced plans to create a fantastic free music festival as part of its programme this coming May. The musical element, organised by Hereward Kaye, Musical Director and Founder of Rok Skool in Haywards Heath, will provide a wonderful showcase for local talent. 

“We listened to the feedback we received from previous visitors which suggested that a large scale performance would be well received and could even become a regular feature each year,” said Gabrielle Hall, Director of the 2013 Festival. “We are thrilled to be working with Herry and his team at Rok Skool. Music is such an important element of the art festival and this year we want to provide a variety of performances and workshops that cater for all tastes.”

This exciting news followed confirmation that the Charity Commission has just registered the Lindfield Arts Festival as a charity. “The organising team is delighted,” said Gabrielle. “It was really important for us to secure the future for the festival which brings thousands of visitors to Lindfield each year,” she said. “We have to raise a substantial amount to pay for the festival and I hope that, with our new charity status, sponsoring the festival will be an even more attractive option for local businesses and funding bodies that we approach,” she continued.  

Full story in February's magazine. www.lindfieldartsfestival.com

Proposed new development off Gravelye Lane, Lindfield

Lindfield Preservation Society just missed the copydate for Feb's magazine for this article, written by them, about a new development in Lindfield...

Wates the developers have applied for planning permission to build 230 houses on green field land off Gravelye Lane. Combined with the high-density housing estates that Lindfield has already been compelled to accept at Newton Road and Lyoth Lane, this scheme would add 1,000 new residents to the village – a population increase of 20%. It would put 600 additional cars on our roads (figures based on West Sussex County Council census data). This kind of speculative development is grossly disproportionate to the scale of our village and the capacity of its infrastructure.

Nor is there any need for it. There are currently approved sites for more than 4,000 homes in Mid Sussex, which developers have not taken up. This should be more than enough for them to be getting on with, especially as the historical completion rate is c. 400 houses per year.

Even if there were a need, this site is entirely inappropriate for large-scale development. A housing estate of this size would do further, serious damage to a local infrastructure that is already overstretched. Local roads are already congested at peak times, schools and medical facilities are oversubscribed and water and sewage systems are under considerable strain. Bland assurances from the developers that they would work with various bodies to mitigate the impact of their proposals are as meaningless as they are vague.

Our countryside is precious. Once it is gone, it is gone for good. Before more of it is lost, there should at the very least be a convincing demonstration of an overriding local need. There is clearly no such need here.

Concerned residents can help by sending their objections to Mid Sussex District Council Planning Department before the deadline of 8 February.