Lindfield Village Run 2022

The organisers of this year’s Lindfield Village Run are pleased to announce that booking will open later this month, for the fundraising event for King Edward Hall.

Participants for this year’s run, being held on Sunday 22nd May 2022 in order to move it away from the extra jubilee bank holidays over half term, will soon be able to sign up on the website:
www.kingedwardhall.org.uk/village-run

2022 will mark the return of the event since Covid. Last year a virtual run was held.

As normal, the run is a traditional cross country route around the village, and there will be two distances: 5k and 10k. The cost to take part is £7 and £15 respectively, with the runners starting at 10.30am.

One of the organisers Colette Cannon explained: “We are encouraging as many as possible to book their place in advance on the website – which should mean the process of registering on the day is easier. We will have as many volunteers on the sign-in desks as possible – thank you in advance to all those who give up their time on the day.”

See the website for details of the run routes, as it can change, even nearer the time – due to external factors like weather conditions in the weeks up to the event. Runners are reminded that some of the route is on private land, for which specific permission has been sought for 22nd May – therefore please don’t practise on these areas.

Lindfield Village Run is a community fundraising event for Lindfield’s King Edward Hall – a registered charity. Three local businesses have agreed to sponsor this year’s run, which helps to keep costs down. They are: Potential Personal Training, Jackson-Stops and Six Physio. Co-chair David Tingley said: “We are extremely grateful to these businesses for putting their hand in their pockets to help KEH, and facilitate such a fantastic community event.”

Online bookings are due to open in March:
www.kingedwardhall.org.uk/village-run

Covid-19 Mutual Aid UK supports Lindfield neighbours

View fullsize

Covid-19 Neighbour Support flyer

Flyers have been put through doors in Lindfield, Cuckfield and Haywards Heath and in the last few days. It reads:

Hello Neighbour,

Are you unable to leave your home because of Covid 19/Coronavirus? We’re here for you.

We are a group of local residents who would like to support the community that we live in and ensure that nobody is left isolated. We don’t ask for anything in return, we just believe in helping each other in a time of difficulty.

We are your local neighbours and not a professional body but are supported by the council.

How they can help…

• Arranging deliveries

• Picking up Shopping & Medication

• A friendly phone call

• Posting Mail

• Urgent supplies

• Help topping up electric or gas key

If you could like to speak to us, or want to ask for help, please call 01444 635002 or email haywardsneedhelp@gmail.com

GIVE SUPPORT: Please email haywardsvolunteers@gmail.com to join the group (or call the number above).

Lindfield book makes local bestseller

By Claire Cooper

An updated handbook about Lindfield past and present has been flying off the shelves of a Haywards Heath gift shop.

Simply titled ‘Lindfield’, the book, written and illustrated by local author Jane Reid, was one of the season’s bestsellers at Calliope gift shop in The Orchards, with the entire first batch snapped up in time for Christmas.

But there’s good news for those who missed out, as Jane recently hand delivered a new supply for 2020!

Calliope gift shop

Jane, who has since written novels,
wrote the first version of ‘Lindfield’ in
1983, after being approached by a local
book seller while drawing in the village. “I
had been working in the High Street and
Alison Stevenson, who had just opened
a bookshop, noticed me,” Jane recalled.
“She asked me if I had ever considered
writing a guide to Lindfield, as she was often asked if such a book existed. I thought I would have a try and got the book in print later that year.”

The handbook proved to be so popular that Jane has produced several updated versions as the village has evolved. The last update was in 2008.

This latest and fifth version contains additional information about the Lindfield Preservation Society and famous former resident Helena Hall and, says Jane, is the best yet!

“I retyped the whole book from start to finish on my laptop so was able to update and correct lots of small details as I went along, such as the disappearance of swans from the village pond,” said Jane. “I’m so grateful to my friend Melvyn Walmsley for proofreading and helping to compile a much improved index. I’m delighted with both the content and quality of this new edition.”

Jane’s book, described on the Calliope store website as: ‘The perfect gift for everybody who knows and loves Lindfield’, ‘packed with delightful line illustrations’ and ‘a treasure trove of historical facts’, costs £5.

Jane, who has now published three novels – The Book of the Randalls, Family Gatherings and Rain in the Winter Garden, is now busy working on her latest book The Oakenfield Chronicles.

The history of Humphrey's Bakery in Lindfield

Humphrey’s Bakery, Lindfield - Richard Humphrey outside his shop

By Richard Bryant with Janet Bishop and John Mills, Lindfield History Project Group

The August local history article in Lindfield Life explained that the Common and Pond uniquely defined Lindfield and challenged that similar features could not be identified elsewhere in the country. It would be remiss not to pay tribute to another Lindfield icon, Humphrey’s Bakery, about which a similar claim could be made. Namely, does any other community have a bakery that traded continuously from the same premises for 223 years?

At 65 High Street, Humphrey’s shop front proudly proclaims the bakery was ‘Established 1796’. Perhaps equally remarkable, it has been run by only three families since that date. Having regard to the bakery’s history, it is appropriately located in one of Lindfield’s oldest medieval buildings; Humphrey’s, Bower House and Carriers were all constructed between 1300 and 1343. Its age is evidenced by the massive arched timber framing on the building’s northern side, into which, rather quirkily, three tiny windows have been cut.

When viewed from the street it will be seen that Humphrey’s shop is the cross wing of No 63 High Street, known as Wyncote. This is also of medieval date, although its age is not apparent having been re-fronted.

The early history of the building is yet to be fully discovered. However, a receipt document dated 1453, found during redecoration in the late 1940s, states the property was then occupied by ‘Thomas atte Ree’, probably a farmer.

He was paying rent of seven marks per quarter to his Lord of the Manor, the Dean of the College of Canons, South Malling. A mark was a unit of currency with a value of about 67p.

Returning to the bakery business, John Meads (1759–1826), a baker, first appeared in Lindfield parish records in December 1791, when with his wife, Ann, their daughter, Mary Ann, was baptised at the parish church.

In 1793, he took on a William Murrell as his apprentice. John Meads appears again in the Poor Rate records as a ratepayer from 1797 at Humphrey’s, which he rented from Thomas Blaker, a cordwainer. Accordingly, the claim that the bakery business at 65 High Street was established in 1796 is fully justified.

[An excerpt from the full article printed in Lindfield Life, October 2019]

Start of season success for Lindfield Girls football team

By Ayesha Gilani

It was a stellar start to the season for Lindfield Juniors FC girls’ teams. The under-12 squad thrashed opponents Newhaven to win 7-1 at home, playing at Hickmans Lane Recreation Ground. The squad was set up last year in a bid to raise the profile of girls’ football in the community. Luke Morrell, who coaches the U12s with Jamie Baker and Ross Stretton, said: “What a difference a year makes. The girls have improved unbelievably in just 12 months and it’s been an absolute pleasure helping them develop into a really exciting team. Our opening 7-1 victory with six different goal scorers just shows how far we have come and I know both Jamie and Ross are as proud as me of all the girls. The numbers continue to increase across all the age groups but we are always looking for new girls to come along and join the club. Our girls’ teams offer a great opportunity to enjoy a team sport in a fun and safe environment, meeting new friends along the way.” The club’s new under-11 girls’ squad also made a great start to the season, winning one and losing one in their first ever competitive matches. Lindfield Juniors FC has spaces in its U10, U11 and U12 girls’ teams. For more information contact the club on: lindfieldgirlsfootball@gmail.com.

Crisp packet recycling in Lindfield, West Sussex

A Lindfield landlord is helping residents to be that bit ‘greener’ with the opening of a crisp packet recycling scheme in the village.

Crisp packet recycling at The Stand Up

Andi Frost from The Stand Up Inn had been considering what steps she could take to reduce the landfill waste from the pub when she discovered various schemes run by recycling giant Terracycle. “I think it was the crisp packets that got to me, but, since we’re in the service industry, reducing our sales isn’t the best option. Recycling is the next best thing,” she explained. “Talking to people across the bar made it apparent that everyone wants to do something, but they just don’t always know what or how. If we make it just easy enough to make a change then it gets people thinking what more they can do, and hopefully effects a mini revolution!”

Recycle Ella’s Kitchen packets too

The packets are weighed when collected and turned into points, which equate to money donated to a charity – and Andi has selected Lindfield Primary Academy PTA to be the recipient. The school is also now a registered collection point itself.

There is a green bin round the side of The Stand Up, with a clearly marked poster on the front. Any brand of crisp packets (empty) can be put in, but not popcorn, pretzel or meat snack bags or tubes.

Also accepted into the same wheelie bin are Ella’s Kitchen food pouches and packets, plus all brands of biscuit, cake bars and cracker wrappers. Don’t include any of the card packaging – as these are recycled by the council blue bin.

Andi cites a quote from Anne Marie Bonneau which she was inspired by: ‘We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.’

Biscuit wrapper reycling

All Saints Church refurbishment

Last month All Saints Church reached an important milestone in its long history when, after nearly nine months of building work, the church reopened for Sunday worship. A special week of events and activities celebrated the completion of the project which has meant that Sunday services have been held at Lindfield Primary Academy since April last year.

The project, called ASPIRE, was launched in March 2013 and was comprised of three phases. The first was the retiling of the church spire and other essential work on the windows and stonework. The second was the remodelling of internal space to create a new accessible toilet, a clergy vestry and a multi-use room. And the third, which involved closing the church, has resulted in a new limestone tiled floor with underfloor heating, replacement of pews with chairs, a new central dais for leading worship, new audio visual facilities, improved lighting and full redecoration.

Chairman of the ASPIRE Steering Group Roy Ransley explained: “A key objective of ASPIRE was to ensure that the church building was able to provide a warmer, more welcoming and more flexible environment for its users and worshippers. It was, of course, important that the special historical past of the building was honoured, and, as part of the extensive consultation, a number of statutory bodies such as Historic England, the Victorian Society and the Society for the Preservation of Ancient Buildings were involved in the necessary formal approval process to proceed with the work.”

Although All Saints is now open, some minor work is needed in the West Tower to complete the project and this will be done in conjunction with the installation of new bells which will take place in the next few months.

Canon James Clarke, vicar of Lindfield, commented: “Completion of ASPIRE is due to the support of many people in the church and the local community who have given so generously with their valued time and money to enable the project to proceed and for this we give heartfelt thanks. We now have a parish church that can be used practically on days other than Sunday, as many people saw in the ‘Come & See’ week early last month. If you didn’t manage to make it to one of the events, you are very welcome to call in on any weekday to see what has been done, and to come to one of the Sunday services.”

Photo by Sereniti Photography

Lindfield schools great cross country results

By Mark Tugwell

Lindfield and Blackthorns schools entered both a girls and boys team into the district cross-country event at Warden Park Secondary last month. The children had to run in gruelling conditions with many runners slipping on the wet mud as the rain came down. Despite this, both schools did exceptionally well. The Lindfield boys team came 3rd with five runners qualifying for the next round and the Lindfield girls finished 6th with three girls qualifying. The Blackthorns boys team finished 4th with one boy qualifying for the next round and the Blackthorns girls finished 5th with one girl qualifying.

An excellent achievement for both schools. On top of this, both the girls and boys races were won by pupils from our schools. Jacob Rodderick, from Lindfield Primary, ran amongst the front group of runners from early on in the boys’ race. At the three quarter mark, Jacob broke away from the group and stretched out an impressive lead to win the race.

B Crouch, from Blackthorns Primary, took the lead in the girl’s race within the first half of the run. She maintained a steady pace throughout, before accelerating within the last 100 meters to pull further away from the runners behind her. A fantastic run from both pupils.

Festive fun with the Denmans Lane Dash!

Denmans Lane Dash Poster 2018

The Denmans Lane Dash is back again this Boxing Day. Started by Lindfield resident Ray Gower in 2015, the race sees villagers dashing from the Stand Up along Denmans Lane and back, half pints in hand! The winner is the person finishing in the top six with the most beer left in the glass!

Ray hopes to get between 50-60 competitors this year, as the annual bit of fun gains popularity each Christmas. There will be two winners as he promises to separate ladies and gents results.

Ray explains: “As ever it is mandatory to wear fancy dress or a Christmas jumper. I will also be posting up ‘official’ rules on the Facebook page in due course.”

Ray, who had a triple bypass operation this summer, is also hoping that the 2018 event will raise money for Sussex Heart Charity.

This year Lindfield artist and previous Dash competitor Leesa Le May has drawn the promotional poster for the festive event. Participants meet at The Stand Up Inn from midday on 26th December, with the race starting at 1pm.

Finding the village jungle (BBC Gardeners World magazine)

A Lindfield couple who transformed a patch of lawn into an exotic tropical retreat have scooped second prize in a prestigious national competition.

Tim Richardson and Clare Wilson have spent 19 years creating their dream garden, tucked away in the heart of the village, which blew away the judges of this year’s BBC Gardeners World Magazine competition.

Diarmuid Gavin had described the garden as: ‘A tasteful and beautiful explosion of tropicana’, adding ‘the foliage contrast and use of colour is amazing’.

[Read the full story in the December 2018 issue of Lindfield Life]

Lindfield Dramatic Club aims to thrill

By Rex Cooper

Fans of TV detective shows will recognise the name of Brian Clemens as the man who created The Avengers and who wrote classic series including Dangerman, The Professionals, The Persuaders and Bergerac…

His plays are less well known but no less exciting, and it is his Spain-based thriller Inside Job that Lindfield Dramatic Club brings to the King Edward Hall for their autumn production this month.

Inside Job is a three-hander set in an isolated villa about a mile from Marbella, full of plots, counter plots, bluffs and double bluffs. None of the three characters is what he or she seems on the surface and Clemens cleverly and intricately weaves a web of deceit, deception and dissimulation to the end.

Director Rex Cooper explained: “For the past decade or so we have largely relied on comedy – broad, satire, farce and, last year with Oscar Wilde, trivial – to attract and entertain our audiences. This play will take the smiles off their faces and have them chewing their fingernails.”

Inside Job can be seen at the King Edward Hall, Lindfield, on Thursday 25th October, Friday 26th and Saturday 27th, starting at 8pm. Tickets, priced £10, are available from Tufnells Home, 59 High Street, Lindfield, from 1st October.

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’.

Advertising in Lindfield Life works for Norsat

It's always great to hear that our advertisers are making a good return on their investment with their advertising with us - however, its even sweeter when they are very long term customers of ours. Marie Penge, from Norsat (TV Aerials and satellite specialist), has been using the magazine for over eight years to get new customers in Lindfield and Scaynes Hill. In fact, its working so well, she's recently added Cuckfield Life magazine to her marketing plan is is now getting new customers from Cuckfield and Bolnore through our sister title. 

In her own words:

"Hi I'm Marie Penge from Norsat and we specialise in satellite TV, TV aerials and security systems.

"I've been really pleased with the responses that we've received from the magazines over the past 8 years. We will be continuing with the adverts. We measure and record the response from the magazine just to see how successful the advert is being. We record when people call through to the office and we ask them how they heard of the company. And also we receive a report on a monthly basis with regards to how many calls we've had from the phone number.

"OK, Lindfield Life magazine has been excellent for Norsat, I'm REALLY pleased with the response we've had from it for the amount that we pay and I'd recommend it to any local business."

To advertise your business with Lindfield Life magazine - get in touch today. Call 01444 884115 or visit http://www.lindfieldlife.co.uk

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.

Baggy Pantry business moves to Lindfield

By Claire Cooper

A chef who started her culinary career behind a cheese stall in London’s Borough Market is hoping that Lindfield will offer her the recipe for success!

Over the past few weeks Lois Simpson has been transforming premises in Denmans Lane, formerly home of World Coffees, into her artisan kitchen - the Baggy Pantry.

The business, which Lois has been running from her home in Ardingly, supplies home-baked cakes to independent businesses, along with unique celebration and wedding cakes to order and events catering.

Working from her smart new kitchen, tucked away behind the shoe shop, Lois has fond memories of the bustling outdoor market stall where her career began. “I was only 16, but would get up at 4.30am at weekends to travel to London to work on the stall,” she said. “It didn’t seem like a big deal at the time – I was just enjoying myself. I loved the Dickensian feel of Borough Market - especially at Christmas!”

Lois is currently settling into her new premises and hopes to open to the public on Saturday mornings in the future.

“I’m very excited to be opening a business in Lindfield,” she said. “And, of course, the icing on the cake is that it’s only a couple of miles away from my home!”

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.”

Car Boot Sale at Lindfield Primary Academy

Sunday 14th May 2017

After the success of its Vintage Table Top Sale last year, Lindfield Primary Academy PTA is holding its very first car boot sale in the Academy’s grounds on Sunday 14th May, 9.30am-1pm. It is one of many events in its very busy calendar, alongside discos and film nights for the children, and golf days and a summer ball for the grownups, just to name a few. Emily Hadden, PTA co-chair, explained: “We like to make our events as inclusive as possible, ensuring they attract attention from across the local community, and would love to welcome the people of Lindfield to join us to either take a pitch, pick up a bargain or just come along for a bacon sandwich and cup of tea. All proceeds will go towards the ‘extras’ that cannot be funded directly by the school, as well as much needed equipment that requires our additional input. A BIG ‘thank you’ to Tesco which has kindly donated towards the food and drink at this event.” 

Doors will open at 9.30am. Admission £1. Pitches will be reserved on a first come first served basis and cost just £7 (£10 for a van). Please contact lindfield.pta@gmail.com for more details or to reserve a pitch.

Brian Tester - Obituary

Brian was born on 21st February 1942, the only child of Minnie and Mervin Tester who lived on Hickmans Lane and his family’s roots were embedded in Sussex. His paternal grandfather, Edward was once the landlord of The Green Man in Horsted Keynes and his uncle Scan was a notable folk musician who played the local pubs and even The Royal Festival Hall.

Brian attended Lindfield Primary School, where he later served as a School Governor, and was accepted to continue his education at Brighton and Hove Grammar School, leaving in 1958 to join the London Quantity Surveying practice of AE Thornton-Firkin and Partners initially as a student then as trainee/junior QS. He studied part time at the Regent Street Polytechnic, completing his Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) examinations and becoming Chartered in 1965.

In 1963 he joined AL Smith & Partners, then based in offices in Victoria Street until they opened an office in Haywards Heath in 1974, and Brian became the resident partner in 1975.

Brian began his active life with the RICS as a member of the Sussex Branch Junior Organisation, serving as Chair in 1971. He became a committee member of Sussex Branch in 1977 and was Chairman in the Centenary Year (1988/1989). He was also Chair of the QS Division on more than one occasion. At national level, he was a member of the Quantity Surveyors Divisional Council from 1990. 

Outside of RICS, he was a member of the Sussex Local Joint Consultative Committee for Building from 1980. Among other affiliations he was Chair of the Consultant Quantity Surveyors Association in 1993/1994.

Brian met Sue at the Haywards Heath Golf Club where they were both having lessons and their romance blossomed when they would see each other again at the Sussex 20s Club. They married at All Saints Church, Lindfield in 1971 and moved to Croxton Lane. In 1973 their daughter Alison was born followed by a son, Jonathan, in 1976. Alison married Mark in 1997 and they have two children Hannah & Nathan and Jonathan married Sushi in 2013.

They continued to attend All Saints until 1982, when they joined the United Reformed Church and both took a very active role within the fellowship. Brian would often take part in the service, reading the lesson with his distinctive tone or even acting in dramas. As Alison and Jonathan joined The Girls’ and Boys’ Brigade, Brian took to coaching the BB Football Team and reprised his role as a referee, something he had done for the Mid Sussex Leagues. Alongside supporting Brighton & Hove Albion, Brian was an ardent follower of Sussex Cricket.

He was passionate about cricket and had been a player for Lindfield Cricket Club and was also a member of the MCC. He loved the history of the game and was an avid collector of books on the sport and would often recount the story of Fred & Maurice Tate who both played for Sussex and England.

This love of history was a major part of Brian’s life and he became something of a local historian. He enjoyed giving lectures and talks and indeed his last one was only in November 2016 on ‘Memories of Lindfield’ to the U3A History Group. He also owned at extensive postcard collection, the majority of which were of Lindfield. This culminated in the publication of the book ‘Lindfield Remembered’, which Brain co-authored with Gwyn Mansfield and Peter Duncan, and featured many of his personal collection with all proceeds going to the King Edward Hall.

Brian was a member of the team that founded the Lindfield Village Day celebrations, after they organised a fête for the 1977 Jubilee and its success led to it being an annual event and a staple of Lindfield life.

Throughout his life he was supported every step of the way by his beloved wife Sue who helped him prepare for his talks, attended postcard fairs and prepared picnics for their frequent cricket matches. His life has left a lasting legacy for those all who knew him, especially his children and grandchildren and he was even immortalised in music by his son’s band and their song Big Bri In The Sky!

A man who loved Lindfield and who Lindfield loved.

Lindfield: what an amazing place to live!

Mathew Gurr, Move Revolution

By Mathew Gurr, Move Revolution

Welcome to our first market report of 2017. Christmas and New Year have gone by in a flash, and soon we’ll be talking of Easter!

A question Estate Agents are always asked is ‘what is the market doing and is it a good time to sell?’. Now, we know Lindfield is beautiful all year round, but from a property transaction point of view, it really comes alive in spring time. From a marketing perspective, whatever style and size of home you have, the demand will certainly be there. Prices remain strong and we see that continuing for certainly the next six months at least.

A great example are two homes we have agreed sales on this year within walking distance of The Witch. Both sets of buyers are not only buying a home that exactly fits what they are looking for, but they have also fallen in love with the village, which isn’t a surprise with the fantastic array of independent shops and fabulous places to eat and enjoy amazing coffee!

We always talk about how Move Revolution is different. Following a recent very successful sale in Lindfield, we wanted to share this independent raterAgent review from one of our many happy clients: “Matthew and Mark did a superb job selling our property in Lindfield. We had 13 viewings in the first week, and an asking price offer within a fortnight! The professional photos they took of our home were simply fantastic - much better than anything else we’d seen from other agents. We just wanted our lovely home to be viewed in the best way possible. We were really pleased with our online listing. We also had a number of viewings (which they always undertook) which made full use of their 7 days a week service.”

What the review doesn’t tell you is that rather than answer questions by email on a Sunday morning that the sellers had about their move, we went to see them at 8pm that evening. We chatted through their thoughts face to face with an agreed action plan for the coming week.

We recognise that our industry really is 24/7, and that for many clients, it is far easier to talk in the evenings and at weekends than it is during the day. Our approach to estate agency really is different, the above review demonstrates this and our personal approach. If you are thinking of moving or letting out your property, please give us a call on 01444 657657. I would love the opportunity to visit you, value your home and support you with your next house move.

Move Revolution

Why is repeat advertising so important for your business?

By David Tingley, editor, Lindfield Life magazine

One-off advertisements don't really work. I mean, sometimes they do, sure. But generally they don't! That's the reason why we recently stopped selling small, one-off placements in our family of three community magazines (Cuckfield Life, Lindfield Life & Hurst Life) - because feedback suggested that it wasn't good advice for our customers. 

Here is local marketing expert, Rebecca Jabbar (Strategic Marcomms), who explains what she thinks about why it makes good sense to advertise repeatedly...

What we want our customers doing is spending money on GOOD, EFFECTIVE advertising that gives them new customers consistently, so that THEIR BUSINESS GROWS and they tell lots of other businesses about how worthwhile it was ADVERTISING in our community magazines. 

That is our aim and that's just what we strive to do. Talk to us about advertising in Lindfield Life today...