5
How to Deal with Writer’s Block
The Problem of the Calypso Ice Cream In two hours, the staff at the printing company will arrive for work. They’ll log on to their file sharing website and expect to see all 68 pages of August’s AAH Magazine in PDF format, ready for press. Currently, there are only 67 pages, as I’m yet to write this introduction piece. It’s always the last page. It was only yesterday that Toby and I gathered up as many teddies as we could find for our ‘silly shot’ in honour of this month’s article on Westie Bears. This column often causes me a headache and my wife has told me on numerous occasions that I should get it out the way earlier in the month. But normally, plenty of things are said and done over the following weeks that trigger a spontaneous rant. Recently, that’s been anything from disagreeing with Horsham town planners to a douchebag running over ducklings. However, nothing has inspired an emotional outburst this month. I have writer’s block! Normally when this happens, I visit the Daily Mail Online and read an article by one of their columnists, who as I’ve previously remarked would feature heavily in a poll of the world’s most horrible people (discounting genocidal maniacs.) However, I’ve avoided the website recently as every time I read the comments section, I feel a little sadder inside. It’s like reading the Letters page of Viz, yet without the knowing satire. Two weeks ago, I interviewed the Academy-Award nominated screenwriter Matt Charman for a Horsham Festival event at The Capitol. Someone in the audience asked Matt how he deals with writer’s block, to which he replied “I don’t really believe in it!” He then responded in depth, but I wasn’t listening as I was quietly indulging in a self-congratulatory manner on how well the interview part of the evening had gone! I wish I’d paid more attention. However, Matt definitely said something along the lines of,
pathway, my imagination ran away. I spent the next hour walking with a sharp rock in my hand, working out various means of escape in the unlikely event that this sinister character (who I imagined to be one of the Klopecks in the film, The Burbs) should attempt to silence any witnesses of his suspicious shovelling. One of these escape methods incorporated the perilous rope-swing half way up the climb from Wiston. Probably risky, with my knees...
August 2017 Ben Morris Words & Layout Toby Phillips Photography Thanks
Robina Arbuthnott for photographs in the ‘My Story So Far’ section Emily Summers for the RSPB Pulborough Brooks column Michael Burt for historic images of Cowfold Fact Not Fiction Films for images of USAF Thunderbirds
“Just keep typing and it’ll work out okay.” Albeit more eloquently. I like Matt. We were both in the same year at Forest School. His career started there, as he’d direct small productions and host them in the hall. Funnily enough, I was editor of a short-lived school magazine called Hot off the Press. It was most notable for a food section in which a class-mate with a big appetite (to put it politely) would visit local fish and chip shops and give each of them a mark out of ten for its chips. We didn’t have the budget for cod. I’m essentially doing the same thing 25 years later, whilst Matt is making his second movie with Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. I often use him as an example when young people with creative talents are advised to ditch their dreams and get a ‘proper job’. So, I’m taking Matt’s advice and to conquer my writer’s block I’m just tapping away at the keyboard; like a monkey in one of those
questionable government-funded research projects you hear about. So, what should I write about? There have been a few isolated incidents over the course of July that make mildly amusing anecdotes. I enjoyed a Calypso ice-cream with my one-year-old niece (well, she poked a Fab all over her face) but it had been so long since I last had a Calypso that I forgot about the juice that gathers at the bottom of the tube. When it dripped down my top, I said, “Oh crap!” Naturally, my niece repeated the words and upon hearing the laughter of everyone in the room, proceeded to say it all afternoon. Funny; but hardly worth building a whole article around… A couple of days ago, I headed out for a late evening walk with my dog up Chanctonbury Ring, with the honest intention of forming an idea for this column. But upon seeing a man with a spade digging a hole off the
I’m evidently not the only person who does this. A few weeks back, I picked up a young lad longboarding (that’s an extended skateboard, for those readers who remember rationing) in shorts and T-shirts along the Southwater by-pass. It was gone midnight! He was boarding from Horsham to Worthing to catch a 5am bus to visit a girlfriend in the north. He didn’t want to book a taxi as it would cost him a full day’s wages. Whilst he approached this epic and rather romantic journey with a fearless determination, I sensed that he too had a vivid imagination and wondered what sort of person drives around in a white van in the middle of the night picking up long-boarders? “So, where are you going?” he asked me, nervously. “I’m heading home. Been out for a curry with the lads,” I replied. “What’s that rattling around in the back?” he said. “It’s a dog cage. I’ve got a little spaniel but I can’t have him in the front as he leans over me.” “Oh, okay! What’s the shovel for?” he asked. “I saw some chap digging a hole up on the Downs,” I replied. “So, I took him out with a sharp rock before he could even think about attacking me!” “Can you just drop me off? Here will do!” That’s it. It’s 9am so that’ll have to do. I really should listen to my wife more...
Ben
6
To Contact the Editor please email Ben: editor@aahorsham.co.uk
CONTENTS 10
News Round-Up
Leonardslee Gardens set to re-open and details of the Loxwood Joust
21
My Story Robina Arbuthnott recalls accompanying Princess Diana around India
29
One to Watch Beth Moran flies with USAF Thunderbirds whilst filming documentary
35
Group Discussion
We meet members of Cowfold History Society at St Peter’s Church
40
Arts & Crafts When Andy West was diagnosed with MS, he started making Teddies
45
Business
Brighthelm-Stone makes everything from green men to gargoyles
51
Sport For 50 years, Horsham Sparrows has been the town’s biggest junior club
58
Music Kikuyu Soul blend modern soul with old school hip-hop on debut album
62
Community
Lower Beeding Guides still love camping after 100 years!
COVER STORY: AUGUST 2017 Our August 2017 cover features Andy and Matt Davies, brothers who have formed a musical duo, Kikuyu Soul. The photo was taken in the car park of Roosthole in St Leonard’s Forest, Horsham. Not the most punctual of chaps, Andy and Matt were almost as late arriving as the editor. Even then, Matt (pictured right) couldn’t spend long with us as he was scheduled to hold a conference call for
work! With just half an hour for interviews and photos, Toby set up this shot on the fringes of the car park. The editor was promoted to the role of photographer’s assistant, holding up a studio light on the uneven forest path. Other possible covers featured Robina Arbuthnott (My Story), Stella Bianco (Cowfold History Society) and Cowfold business Brighthelm-Stone.
AAH: THE TEAM EDITOR: BEN MORRIS editor@aahorsham.co.uk 01403 878026 / 01903 892899 LETTERS: The Editor, AAH Magazine, 2 Viney Close, Ashington, RH20 3PT ADVERTISING: KELLY MORRIS advertising@aahorsham.co.uk 01403 878026 / 01903 892899 PHOTOGRAPHY: TOBY PHILLIPS www.tobyphillipsphotography.co.uk info@tobyphillipsphotography.co.uk 07968 795625 WEBSITE: www.aahorsham.co.uk We publish AAH online every month. You can read archive editions too. ADVERTISING Eighth Page Advert: £55 + VAT Quarter Page Advert: £110 + VAT Half Page Advert: £185 + VAT Full Page Advert: £310 + VAT Every Sixth Advert is Free For details or an AAH information book email advertising@aahorsham.co.uk or call 01403 878026 ARCHIVE EDITIONS/PHOTO SALES Past editions can be purchased for a cost of £3. Contact the Editor. Images can be purchased, either as digital downloads or prints. Contact Toby for details. DOOR TO DOOR DISTRIBUTION Horsham: Max Paterson, Jacquie Paterson, Andrew Price, John Gatehouse, Kathryn Bland, Lewis Spiller, Owen Wirth, Pat Gibbs, The Cocoracchio family, George Voisey, Connor Heald, Paula Hunter, Katie Drysdale, George Williams, Sam Tasquier, Edward Hitchings, Amy Dallas, Joe Tait Southwater: Connor Brown, Jack Taylor Villages: Samuel Dauncey (Mannings Heath)
Adam Browse (Warnham) Will Sessions (Ashington), Ben Morris (Stands), Mike Hoare (Nuthurst),Connor Wykes (Partridge Green), Oak Tree Farm Care (Maplehurst & Copsale); Mark Simpkin (Washington), Liam Palmer & Sam Coles (BBH) James Hobbs (Thakeham), Callum Matthews (Storrington) PICK UP POINTS 4,000 more copies are available at businesses, clubs, organisations, and community centres across the district. Our stands can be found at... Horsham: Sakakini (Carfax), Artisan Patisserie (Market Square), Pavilions in the Park, Horsham Museum, Horsham Rail Station, Roffey Post Office, Crates (Carfax) New House Farm, Swan Walk, The Capitol Village Stands: CoCo’s (Southwater); Billingshurst Leisure Centre, Jengers Bakery in Billingshurst; Coco’s (Billingshurst) Barns Green Village Store and Sumners Ponds, Hutching’s Butchers in Partridge Green, Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre, Bluecoat Sports (Christ’s Hospital). NOTES: We welcome Samuel Dauncey, who takes on Emily Hoskins’ round in Mannings Heath. Thanks Emily and good luck for the future! We also wish Liam Palmer, who has delivered the magazine in BBH for several years, good luck as he embarks on a new career. However, the Palmer family will continue with the village round. Finally, Max Laker has passed on the Cedar Drive round in Southwater to Connor Brown. Thanks Max, and best of luck! SUPERMARKETS AAH is available to pick up for FREE at Tesco Broadbridge Heath and Sainsbury’s Horsham. TWITTER: If you have nothing better to do, you can follow Ben and Toby on Twitter @AAHMagazine and @tobyphillips1
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NEWS ROUND-UP
10: News
An American Car and Bike Show will be held in Horsham on Sunday 24 September
South African-based entrepreneur Penny Streeter OBE has acquired Leonardslee Gardens in Lower Beeding. She plans to restore and upgrade the 200-acre site and open them to the public once again. Before closing to the public in 2010, Leonardslee attracted about 50,000 visitors a year. They were first planted in 1801 and are noted for the outstanding spring displays of
rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias, magnolias and bluebells. Visitors were also attracted by a unique doll’s house exhibition and a rare colony of wallabies. Penny Streeter, owner of the Benguela Collection vineyard and hospitality group, previously bought Mannings Heath and Golf Club last year. She said: “We will restore the gardens to their former glory and
Countryfile presenter Adam Henson visits The Capitol in Horsham on Wednesday 18 October to discuss his celebrated book Like Farmer, Like Son. Adam will share stories about farming life, his TV career and the running of the picturesque Cotswold Farm Park, together with his thoughts on British agriculture. There follows a Q&A session and a post-show ‘meet and greet’ book signing. Tickets cost £19.50 from 01403 750220 or www.thecapitolhorsham.com
St Catherine’s Hospice Dragon Boat Festival returns to Tilgate Park on Sunday 10 September, from 10am – 4pm. Sponsored by Vines of Gatwick, the Dragon Boat Festival sees 35 teams of local businesses race across the lake. Back on land, try your luck
create new facilities on site, including tea rooms and dining facilities, as a major local attraction for families, wedding groups and others.” Leonardslee features a 19th-century Italianate style house, listed Grade II for architectural merit, as well as two alpine glasshouses and a rock garden built in 1890. An opening date is yet to be announced.
on traditional stalls including a giant inflatable assault course, or relax with food and drink from on-site vendors. The fun continues into the evening with live music from 4 - 8pm. www.stch.org.uk/ DragonBoatFestival
Round-Up: 11
Farlington School celebrated the 20th anniversary of The Philosopher’s Stone today with a special assembly dedicated to JK Rowling’s Harry Potter, organised by Professor Cox. Professor Farman gave a ‘Harrius Potter’ reading in Latin and pupils Megan Rimer and Sofia Corsi read out some of their favourite passages too. Librarian Madam Stonestreet organised displays of costumes and Harry Potter YouTube clips in the Mansion House Library, whilst the House Challenge Day was also Harry Potter-themed.
Heats for the Original Bands category of the Horsham Battle of the Bands will take place on 13 & 18 August at Horsham Sports Club, Cricketfield Road. Heat one features Ichiro, Soho Dukes, The Unblessed, Luna Blue, Squibs, Mannaforra and Leave The Engine Running. Heat two features Juxta, Five Rounds Rapid, Hydrocele, Perfume, Echium, Isles and Numskull. Bands will go head-to-head in two heats with three from each going through to the grand final in the
Human Nature Garden, Horsham Park over the Festival Weekend on 19 & 20 August. The weekend begins with the Covers competition on the afternoon of Saturday 19 with the Original Bands final in the evening. The event closes on the Sunday afternoon with the Acoustic Originals competition. The weekend will also have a circus theme, with workshops for children, themed food and drink vendors and professional circus performers. www.horshambotb.co.uk
The South Downs Riding for the Disabled (RDA) Group, based at Bridge House Equestrian Centre, Slinfold, celebrated its 40th anniversary with a special event on 24 June. Riders and volunteers, both past and present, together with guests including Horsham MP Jeremy Quin, were treated to an afternoon of entertaining equine displays by the likes of Olivants Equine Displays and the Sussex Yeomanry display team. Fundraising efforts were boosted by a surprise donation of £326 from The White Lion Gun Club. http://www.rda.org.uk/
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12: News
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THE GOOD BEER GUIDE
Over 450 amateur musicians and singers took part in the 8th annual Horsham Performers Platform (HPP) at St John’s Church, Broadbridge Heath and St Mary’s Church, Horsham. The festival, founded by musicians Kay Tucker, Rosemary Hensor and Rachel Ellis, has gained a strong reputation for its friendly environment. This year, the event ran over eight days,
culminating in a concert attended by Horsham MP Jeremy Quin. Professional adjudicators Lesley Shrigley Jones (strings), Ben Costello (voice), Ruth Gerald (piano), Richard Haslam (choirs, ensembles, concertos and recitals) and Paul Harris (woodwind and brass) selected outstanding performers for further hearings. horsham-performers-platform.co.uk
A construction team is laying the foundations for a new Spa at South Lodge Hotel. The facility includes pools, a thermal suite, treatment rooms, gym and fitness
studios. Interior designers are creating calming spaces whilst a restaurant is being developed to complement the spa, scheduled to open in summer 2018.
Geoff Black is walking the South Downs Way from Winchester to Eastbourne this September to raise money for The UK Sepsis Trust. As well as raising funds, Geoff hopes his five-day walk will raise awareness of Sepsis, which claimed the life of his mother-inlaw in 2015. To donate visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ GeoffBlack or text ‘SDWY98 £10’ to 70070.
Wisborough Green Fete & Horticultural Show will be held on the village green on Bank Holiday Monday 28 August, from 1pm. Enter your pooch in the fun dog show (judged by professional show judge and dog breeder Sue Garner), hunt out vegetables in the horticultural show tent, or try games and activities including wellie wanging and ferret racing.
Visit our traditional country pub and enjoy the finest ales, wines and spirits by our Inglenook fireplace or our beautiful garden. Our extensive menu offers home-made food prepared with locally-sourced ingredients. Pop in and enjoy some well deserved refreshment at the end of one of the many beautiful walks in the area.
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NEWS ROUND-UP
14: News
Opera Holloway returns to Shipley Arts Festival with Così Fan Tutte at Sullington Tithe Barn, Storrington, RH20 4AE, on Sunday 10 September, from 5pm. Set during World War Two, sisters Fiordiligi and Dorabella are forced to watch their boyfriends go off to war. Through trickery and
Cancer Research UK’s Relay for Life event is held on Saturday 26 August
comical disguises, their sweethearts seek to find out how faithful the two girls really are. Features sublime music by Mozart and a talented cast performing with string quartet and piano accompaniment. Tickets £20 from The Capitol on 01403 750220 or www.thecapitolhorsham.com
Horsham Museum and Art Gallery is currently hosting an exhibition of pottery pets by Victoria Lovell. Victoria’s animals have their own personality, thanks to her technique of not using a mold, as she uses a combination of stains, glaze and oxides to recreate the features. Animal Magic: pottery pets by Victoria Lovell runs until 2 September 2017. www.horshammuseum.org
The New Horizons Autumn Gift Fair will be held at Knepp Castle, West Grinstead, RH13 8LJ on Thursday 21 September, from 9.30am - 3.30pm. The event is held in aid of the New Horizons Appeal for St Catherine’s Hospice. Browse up to 80 stalls selling gifts, fashion, accessories, food and more, with teas/coffees and home-made lunches. Entry £5. An Evening Preview is held on Wednesday 20 September with tickets £15 from suzanneconnor@stch.org.uk
For the first time, Mannings Heath Golf Club and Wine Estate has hosted a PGA EuroPro tournament for young professionals. The Nokia PGA EuroPro Tournament was scheduled for 2 – 4 August. It marks the 10th stage of the PGA EuroPro developmental tour, which has 16 tournaments between April and October. www.manningsheath.com
The Association of Sussex Artists (ASA) is holding its 105th annual exhibition in the Drill Hall, Denne Road, Horsham from 18 – 26 August, 10am – 5pm daily (3pm final day). Brock Taylor is sponsoring two main Fine Art Awards of £400, three Highly Commended Awards of £50 and a People’s Choice Award of £50. Admission to the event is free. www.associationofsussexartists.co.uk
Round-Up: 15
Atlantis Swimming Club has enjoyed a string of successful summer competitions. At the South East Regional Championships at K2, Amber Ranson claimed six medals, including a dominant time of 32.52 seconds in the 50m backstroke final. Jacob Davis claimed three medals in the breaststroke and now looks forward to the National Swimming Championships. Olivia Round Pitman, Issy Hayes, Ryan Gant, Millie Weeden, Emma
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Harrison and Becs Barber also represented the club with distinction. Meanwhile, at the London Aquatic Centre, Zoe Cawsey swam a breathtaking 50m backstroke in a time of 30.67, giving her a new Sussex County record. Lily Davis won a silver in the 50m breaststroke in Plymouth, whilst a Portsmouth competition saw fine performances from Freya Fulcher, Toby Van Der Hut and Amelia Wright. www.atlantishorsham.co.uk
Eco-Beast Sculptures took over a marquee in Horsham Park at Funday Sunday on 9 July. Children have been busy making Eco-Beast sculptures out of waste resources, with the best sculptures forming a public exhibition. The competition was developed by Carrie Cort from Sussex Green Living, Paul Bellringer, founder of Horsham Festival and Rachel Carruthers from the WSCC Waste Prevention Team. Winning entries came from Upper Beeding School (Under 5’s), Warninglid Primary School (5-7), Georgian Gardens School (8-11) and William Penn Primary School (11-14). www.sussexgreenliving.co.uk
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Round-Up: 17
NEWS ROUND-UP
The Loxwood Joust returns on the 5, 6, 12 and 13 August. The Loxwood Joust is delighted to support Chestnut Tree House, providing entertainment in the Children’s Kingdom including Pelt the Peasant (or parent) with wet sponges. Billed as the UK’s premiere Mediaeval day out, highlights include
a jousting tournament, music by acclaimed group Mediaeval Baebes, a Living History Village and Mediaeval Market Place, whilst a company of actors, wandering minstrels, court jester and dance troupes entertain throughout the day. www.loxwoodjoust.co.uk
A record number of runners have registered for this year’s 35th annual Barns Green Half Marathon and 10km races. Over 1,100 runners have registered so far, a 50% increase on last year. The event will take place on Sunday 24 September. This year will be a special race for Horsham Joggers legend John Booker, who has competed every year and will wear vest number 35. www.barnsgreenhalf.org.uk
The Horsham Memory Walk will be held on Friday 22 September in Horsham Park, from 12 - 2pm. The walk is organised by Horsham Rusty Brains, a group of people living well with dementia, who meet monthly at Brighton Road Baptist Church. Walkers can meet at the Conservatory Café in the Park. For more information call 01403 213017.
A Baby and Toddler Nearly New Sale is held at North Heath Hall, Horsham, on Sunday 17 September and Sunday 12 November, from 2:30 – 4pm. It offers a great chance to buy items at a fraction of the usual cost. Entry £1 adults (children free) or book a table for £12.50 www.facebook.com/ northheathnearlynewsales
Ashington Festival will be held on Saturday 19 August, from 1:30 – 11pm. The carnival procession starts at 1.30pm with Carnival Princess Isabelle Wieland heading the parade. Music comes from Paul Jackson as Freddie Mercury and Speedboatz, before a fantastic firework display at 10pm. Arena highlights include the Stallions of Substance, the Essex Dog Display Team, Tom Foolery, the Medina Marching Band and a fun dog show. Other attractions include Harris Brothers funfair, car boot sale, flower show, car show, craft, charity and animal stalls and sideshows. www.ashingtonfestival.co.uk
Modern parents may find interesting tips in a new book by local authors David Boyle and Judith Hodge. Techno Tantrums: 10 Strategies for Coping with your Child's Time Online, is described as a guide written by parents for parents. At least one study puts the issue of time spent online – on games or social media – as one of the biggest issues parents face today. Techno Tantrums, published by The Real Press, is available as an ebook, on Kindle and as a paperback from www.therealpress.co.uk
Destination diner Billy’s on the Road has long been a supporter of the Dame Vera Lynn Children's Charity – and now they are donating part of the income from one of their best-selling desserts. The popular Billingshurst diner is donating 25p for every sale of their Meringue of Hope & Glory puddings – inspired by the famous Dame Vera song. The dessert is based on an Eton Mess with meringue topped with fresh fruit.
NEWS ROUND-UP
18: News
To submit News/Events for consideration, email Ben: editor@aahorsham.co.uk
A former police inspector and a primary school teacher from Horsham have joined forces to launch a new business, The Detective Project Mid Downs. The business offers children and adults the opportunity to try their hand at crime scene investigations through a range of exciting and fun
detective-themed events. Friends Cath Reed and Mary Wood employ their policing and teaching skills to deliver detective parties, school and educational workshops and corporate team-building days. www.thedetectiveproject.co.uk
Horsham Museum and Art Gallery is now hosting an art exhibition, Flutterby Butterfly: prints by Julia White. The exhibition features a bewitching array of botanical etchings and digital studies of bugs, butterflies and mini-beasts. Julia uses vegetable-based inks when possible and uses nature to create her work. Flutterby Butterfly opens on 22 July and runs until 16 September. www.horshammuseum.org
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Round-Up: 19
A new UK production of Dirty Dancing, The Classic Story on Stage is showing at The Hawth, Crawley, on 14 - 19 August. Based on the iconic 1987 movie starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, this acclaimed touring production features the much-loved characters and original dialogue from the film, as well as songs including Hungry Eyes and (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life. Tickets cost from £37.50 from the Box Office on 01293 553636 or www.hawth.co.uk.
The Women’s Institute hosts a coffee morning at Mannings Heath Village Hall on Thursday 17 August, from 10:30am – 12pm. Meet local WI members and chat to stall holders offering a range of crafts, fashion, cosmetics and home produce. Entry £2 with tea, coffee and biscuits provided.
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My Story: 21
MY STORY SO FAR...
Robina ARBUTHNOTT Robina Arbuthnott has a story equally as interesting as husband Robert, featured in July’s AAH. Robina recalls riding the Shah’s stallions in Iran, trekking the Himalayas and accompanying Princess Diana in India...
I was born during the evacuation of Dunkirk in 1940. My mother was advised to head north before Hitler invaded, but she only reached Sutton in Surrey, where I was born. I never knew my father well. My parents married quickly and probably wouldn't have done so had war not broken out. He spent five years as a prisoner of war in Germany, whilst mum did voluntary nursing in the burns unit at East Grinstead Hospital. They were different people when they were reunited and divorced. During the war, I lived along Hammerpond Road with my mother and grandmother. We kept chickens, goats and I had a pony. We grew vegetables with the help of two Canadian soldiers billeted at Cisswood and distributed them around Horsham to those in need. Three young male cousins lived opposite and
we would play in the forest. We had our own language, which we can still speak! For seven years from 1946, we lived in the Bothy, a cottage by the back gate of South Lodge, which was built by my great-great uncle and lived in by my cousins, Eva and Edith Godman. The big rhododendron on the front lawn was my treehouse and I loved to play in the gardens. I have lovely memories of children’s parties there and singing carols around the huge Christmas tree with all the estate people, and riding my pony with Eva or Edith riding side-saddle with me. I was only seven when I was sent as a weekly boarder to Heron's Ghyll, just off Comptons Lane. It was hard for me as home was only two miles away and I didn’t understand why I couldn’t be there. I would cry myself to sleep most nights.
The school came to a sticky end when the headmaster ran off with the French mademoiselle, so I went to Parkfield in Horsham and later Sherborne Girls in Dorset. There, amongst other things, I was selected for the west of England junior hockey team and toured Germany. I also played tennis, reaching the final of the Aberdare Cup at Wimbledon. After leaving with A-levels, my uncle and aunt invited me to stay with them in Brazil where they were posted. He was suddenly relocated to Iran and I spent the most blissful nine months there, going straight from boarding school to the Court of the Shah of Iran. The Shah was between wives, so the social life was hectic. I've never eaten so much caviar! As my uncle was the ambassador, I was invited to many parties and had a wonderful time. One of my uncle’s friends was Assadollah
Alam, head of the opposition party and later Prime Minister of Iran. I would go riding with him and his sister on the Shah’s stallions, galloping across the plains without a hat and wearing flat shoes! Iran was a wonderful country. The beauty of Isfahan with its grand square and mosques; the joy of Shiraz - the city of poetry and roses; the grandeur of Persepolis where we spent the night under a full moon are special memories. I walked from Qazvin through the Valley of the Assassins to the Caspian Sea with five members of the Embassy staff, following the footsteps of explorer Freya Stark. By the time I returned, my mother was living in Plummers Plain. She was so shocked by how spoilt I was that she sent me to Crawley College to do a secretarial course to bring me back down to earth. She was quite right!
22: My Story
Read more incredible stories on the My Life So Far section at http://www.aahorsham.co.uk/
I moved to London, sharing a flat with three other girls. I found work in the publicity department of the Rank Organisation. For one of the publicity stunts for Spartacus, Kirk Douglas was given a lion cub to be photographed with. It was supposed to be gentle, but it bit!
Above right: Robina riding the Cyrus the Great, a present to the Shah by the President of Turkey.
Robina grew up on Hammerpond Road with her mother and grandmother, and enjoyed riding from an early age
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After a year, my uncle invited me back to Iran as the Queen was visiting. It was an amazing occasion. From there, I went to stay with friends in Pakistan, where I met my husband, Robert. Initially, I didn’t like him, but that soon changed. I visited India for a week, travelling around the ‘golden triangle’ of Delhi, Jaipur and Agra with my hostess. In Jaipur, we went for tea at the Rambagh Palace Hotel, the former home of the Maharaja. On the steps of the palace, an old Sikh was reading fortunes. My hostess insisted I should have mine told. He looked at me and wrote down four things on a sheet of paper. They were R.A, 25, Green and 3. He said: “You’re going to marry somebody with the initials R.A who is 25 and there will be something green about him. Then you’ll have three children.” When I next met Robert, I discovered he didn’t have a middle name, was 25 and had green eyes. We got engaged soon after. I am a great believer in karma. We went on to have three children. I did fall pregnant for a fourth time and we thought that the fortune teller was wrong. But unfortunately, I lost the baby. Returning from Pakistan as Robert’s leave was still a year away, I went to Grenoble University to study French and became a Ground Hostess at Gatwick for British European Airways. That ended when l married Robert at St Mary's in Horsham. My cousins hosted our wedding reception at South Lodge.
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After our honeymoon in France, we returned to Karachi by sea. We were soon posted north to Lahore. Despite spending the first month in bed with hepatitis, I have great memories of the place. Whilst pregnant with Alison, our first child, we crossed into India and drove to Kashmir to escape the searing heat. I tried to stay cool by sitting in a cold bath tub all night at our guesthouse in Amritsar which made me quite ill. We drove up the dangerous Banihal Pass and I remember looking down at a tiny
river several thousand feet below, which made me feel even worse. When we reached the top, looking down into Kashmir was one of the most beautiful sights I’ve ever seen. Because of my connection to the Girl Guides through South Lodge, where Lady Baden-Powell had been a frequent guest, I became involved with the Pakistan Guide movement. I helped organise their first national Girl Guide Camp. I was awarded the Star of Pakistan, which was going to be presented by Ayub Khan, then President. I remember the amusement caused when my fellow guiders wrapped me in a Girl Guide sari to try to hide the fact that I was heavily pregnant.
‘I had an ectopic pregnancy in Nepal, which was undiagnosed for five days. I was lucky to survive’ Robert was posted to London, where our second daughter, Catherine, was born. Our next posting was to Nepal. We lived on top of a hill looking out across the temples of Patan, the second oldest city, and northwards to Himalayan peaks. When the King died, thousands of people poured out of Patan and past our front gate on the way to the Hindu temple at Pashupatinath. I wrapped a shawl around my head and joined them for the cremation on the river bank. You could have heard a pin drop despite the huge number of people. I can still recall the scent from the sandalwood funeral pyre. Nepal was wonderful, but there weren’t many facilities, particularly for children, so we explored the valley and the foothills on weekend picnics with the dog. The flora and fauna were stunning and the views of the mountains awe-inspiring. Some of the passes we climbed were higher than Mont Blanc. I had an ectopic pregnancy in Nepal, which went undiagnosed for five days. I was very fortunate to survive. It happened over the main
Hindu festival period when everyone was on holiday, but I was saved by a Canadian surgeon working at a missionary hospital and two Nepalese anaesthetists who gave up their holiday to help me. After five years, we were back in England and Robert commuted to London from Woking, where we lived. I joined the committee of the British Council Wives Association. The British Council had many overseas scholars in the UK and several of the married ones brought their wives with them, who were very lost and lonely, particularly those in London. In 1973, we moved to Malaysia, where Robert had been born. I joined the committee of the Malaysian Cheshire Homes and we managed to raise enough money to build a special swimming pool for them. We lived in Kuala Lumpur but managed to escape the heat some weekends to Port Dickson on the west coast, where the children could swim and snorkel, or we’d sail up the coast to Pankor Island where the coral was beautiful. The children even helped carry young turtles from a hatchery to the sea! All three children went to the Army School in Kuala Lumpur, but over the years attended at least eight primary schools before reaching secondary level, which was hard on them. They would make friends and suddenly have to move away. But they derived much pleasure from seeing new places and meeting different people. Our home was now in Haslemere and we would let it out when we were posted overseas. Whilst we were in Malaysia, our tenants, who were model rent-payers, were caught robbing a bank! They had already robbed six banks, stealing a large amount of cash. Our cleaner told us she had once opened a cupboard and discovered two shotguns. She’d jokingly remarked ‘You could rob a bank with those!’ It was here I started, along with two partners, Home from Home in England, an agency dealing with holiday lets, both self-catering and en famille. Robert’s next post was to Cologne, West Germany. It was a big city and I didn’t speak much German. One of our daughters was on a gap year so she joined me in signing up at a language school, which helped us both! One of Robert’s offices was in Berlin at a time when the Wall was up. When we travelled there on the British military train through communist East Germany, they would search under the train with
Robina spent five years living in Nepal with Robert, her three children and family dog
Robina Arbuthnott: 23
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Robina Arbuthnott: 25 sniffer dogs to see if anyone was trying to escape into the west. We crossed over into East Berlin from time to time through Check Point Charlie but were always relieved to return home safely. India was perhaps our biggest adventure. It appealed to every sense, with its smells, its colours, its people and its sights. Yet there was also extreme poverty, which was difficult to come to terms with. I joined the DCWA (Delhi Commonwealth Women's Association) which ran a hospital and mobile clinic in deprived areas, as well as a school, which offered me a glimpse as to what real poverty was. I found the women who lived in the slums incredible. They usually lived in tiny shacks made from cardboard and corrugated iron. Yet they turned out kids going to school who looked neat and clean even to the freshly-rolled ribbons in the girls’ hair. Most of the men were not of this calibre. With some of them, any money they had would be spent on drink, cigarettes and sadly drugs. My richer Indian friends and I had a joke that if you took the women away from India, it would collapse in 24 hours.
Robina as an air hostess for British European Airways and receiving the Star of Pakistan
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After distributing second hand clothing in slums, I saw how important woollens were for the poor. Delhi in the summer is very hot, but in winter it gets cold and poor children with only thin clothing picked up diseases very quickly. I sent a letter to the WI monthly magazine with a photo of a small boy looking very cold and a pattern for a very simple jumper. I hoped I might get a few hundred knitted. However, over three years, WI members from the UK knitted 39,000 ‘jhuggi jumpers’ for the DCWA to distribute. British Airways agreed to transport them free of charge. However, the first consignment was impounded by Customs as being new and large fees were demanded. I went to see the head of the airport authority and told him they were not for sale but for poor children. In return, he lectured me about how people in the slums were useless and should try working for a living. For the first time in many years, I burst into tears at the hopelessness of the situation. The officer was so horrified that within minutes we had all the necessary permits and the jumpers were cleared! The DCWA organised distributions in the slum areas. We had to put the jumpers over the heads of each child otherwise they might have been taken away from them. We also linked up with Rotary International, who handed them out to children receiving polio vaccinations. This increased the number of mothers willing to have their children inoculated.
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26: My Story When Prince Charles and Princess Diana visited India, some of our slum children in their new jumpers were photographed with Princess Diana and I hope that anyone who had knitted so hard for this project would have recognised the pattern and felt it all worthwhile. My mother played a big part in preparing the jumpers for their journey, packing them in large silage bags and after she died the Lower Beeding WI took over which was marvellous of them. I accompanied Princess Diana on some of her visits in New Delhi and she was brilliant. Wherever she went, her interest and warmth could be felt and children flocked to her. She spoke to many social workers who were not held in high esteem by the elite and she would often stay much longer than scheduled so she could speak to every single person.They left feeling a million dollars. We travelled a lot around India, as it’s a fascinating country. I have memories of standing on the tip of India, where the Indian Ocean meets the Bay of Bengal and the
Arabian Sea, and thinking of the huge country behind me, ending in the foothills of the Himalayas; the diversity of its people, culture, language and religion entranced me. We retired to Shropshire in 1993, to a beautiful old rectory with a plantsman’s garden that we opened for the National Gardens Scheme. I also sat on the Red Cross Fundraising committee and made many friends. After seven years we moved to Maplehurst, where my aunt lived, as she was alone and needed looking after. When she died, we downsized to Mannings Heath, which we love. Whilst living in Sussex, I've served on the Board of Heathfield Care Home in Horsham and successfully campaigned to protect Leith Hill Place – a National Trust property – from being sold. It had been my great great-grandfather Josiah Wedgwood III’s home and my great-great uncle, Charles Darwin, often visited. Ralph Vaughan Williams, a cousin, donated the house to the National Trust and I didn’t think it was right that they should try to sell it.
Robina accompanied Princess Diana when she visited India with Prince Charles My latest interest is researching Frederick DuCane Godman of South Lodge, who was an amazing natural scientist and a collector of iznik pottery. Robert and I still love to travel and our children have inherited the travel bug. Our son worked in Japan and Singapore and our elder daughter has lived in many countries, including Kenya and Nigeria. Happily, they are all back in the UK at present though our
grandchildren seem to be catching the travel bug too! INTERVIEW: BEN MORRIS PICTURES: TOBY PHILLIPS/ROBINA ARBUTHNOTT
If you have an interesting story to tell and would like to be featured in our My Story section, we’d love to hear from you! Email Ben at editor@aahorsham.co.uk
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One to Watch: 29
MAKING HER MACH lawn
Horsham’s Beth Moran Flies with The Thunderbirds Actors Hugh Jackman and Gerald Butler are amongst the celebrities to have experienced the thrill of flying with the USAF Thunderbirds. Whilst ‘star power’ might win you a ride in an F-16 Fighting Falcon in the demonstration squadron of the United States Air Force, such an opportunity is an impossible dream for most of us. Yet Beth Moran was recently presented with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity whilst working for a Horsham-based film company. Beth was pushed to her physical limits during the flight, which was filmed by Fact Not Fiction Films for an upcoming documentary. Director Tristan Loraine said: “Because of my background in aviation, Fact Not Fiction
Films tends to specialise in aviation films. We know that the local aviation industry has been badly affected by the Shoreham air disaster and felt we needed to produce something positive to lift spirits. Our idea was a documentary about a young person learning to fly. “We had the ideal candidate in Beth, who was already working for us as a production manager. “We spoke to Brighton City Airport and Sussex Flying Club at Shoreham and they were keen to be involved as they have seen the negative effects of a tragic incident that had nothing to do with them. What happened at Shoreham was absolutely terrible and will never be forgotten. But our focus is on presenting aviation in a positive light and to show that - at a time when young
3
people are mesmerised by technology – they can achieve something more worthwhile.” Beth, 21, was enrolled on a pilot’s course, learning to fly a Piper Warrior with James Crabbe at Sussex Flying Club. After spending about 60 hours flying over eight months, she qualified as a pilot last December. Beth said: “Learning to fly is demanding. I had to take nine written exams on topics including air law, meteorology and navigation. “I knew little about planes so to learn the practical and theory of flying in just a few months was challenging!” As well as Beth’s lessons, the crew interviewed Air Ambulance paramedics, as the documentary took on a wider spectrum of aviation.
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30: One to Watch A
Read our feature on Fact Not Fiction Films on the Business Section at www.aahorsham.co.uk
Dale Jannels Director, AToM Ltd TEL: 01403 272625
www.atomltd.co.uk There have been a number of comments made in the national press recently regarding the market being in a lull and how mortgages are becoming harder to obtain. I do think sometimes that people talk the market down, rather than reporting the actual situation.
Beth was thrilled to receive a signed picture from The Thunderbirds
As both a specialist mortgage provider, as well as whole of market (including the high street lenders), AToM has actually seen an increase in business recently rather than a drop in activity. From talking to our peers, we are aware that they are experiencing this growth too! We have also seen a number of new lenders enter the market and there are others due to launch soon. This would not be happening if any lender thought the market was in decline! One lender, Masthaven ‘AToM has actually Bank, launched recently in seen an increase in to the residential sector looking specifically to fill business recently’ gaps in the specialist market. These include allowing gifted deposits and equity, contractors, self employed straight forward or complex, customers borrowing in to retirement and those who fail credit scores, to name just a few. With rates starting from under 3%, this is a lender who is looking to lend and they should be applauded for such innovation and great launch products. Other recent 'game changers' include Kensington Mortgages who cater for those with historic blips and with only a 10% deposit. Precise Mortgages and Kent Reliance, who are both positively active in the Buy to Let sector, especially with regards to Houses of Multiple Occupation, Ltd Company BTLs and with new underwriting regimes on the horizon for Portfolio Landlords (those with more than 4 properties) and these are ones to watch. Tipton Building Society and Dudley Building Society for allowing lending in to retirement and above average income multiples. And there are so many others who I don't have space to mention! So, the bottom line is simple. Just because the high street says no, or your mate down the pub says 'you'll never get a mortgage' because of your situation, find an experienced mortgage specialist who may be able to open up a door to a wide range of opportunities available to you.
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Beth also went up in a helicopter over Niagara Falls whilst at a film conference in Canada and later this year, Tristan hopes to shoot scenes in a glider. But the ultimate thrill was with The Thunderbirds. Beth talks us through a day she’ll never forget...
Contacting the Thunderbirds Tristan initially contacted the Red Arrows about a flight, and they said we could have a look around, but nothing else. He was sending off emails everywhere and one reached the USAF Thunderbirds. They had seen clips of our documentary on YouTube and understood the message we are trying to convey, so they agreed to offer me a flight! The Thunderbirds were in the UK for the first time in 10 years, for a military airshow at RAF Fairford. I had to provide my measurements, including my shoe size in American dimensions and fill in forms to show that I was fit enough to fly. They hoped they would be able to fit me in. They called me to confirm the flight just one day before I went up.
Extensive Safety Briefing I arrived at 6:30am after a long drive, with my parents and Tristan there with me. At the hanger, I was briefed by a flight surgeon who told me what to expect in terms of g-forces. Then, I was fitted into my flight suit, helmet and oxygen mask and shown how to turn the oxygen supply on. I had to learn what to do in various scenarios, including ejecting in an emergency and how to untangle the parachute. It was very intense and the safety briefing alone lasted three hours.
Vertical Climb The Thunderbirds have eight Fighter Falcons in the squadron and I went up in a formation of six jets. Before I climbed into the cockpit, the ground crew lined up to salute me. All of the pilots shook my hand and they even displayed my name on the canopy. Unfortunately, I didn’t think about giving myself a cool nickname! As the planes were taxiing on the runway, I would see people clapping and cheering. I was extrememly lucky, as I was
‘My heart was racing the whole time, but I was just so excited and didn’t want it to end’
flying in a show formation as The Thunderbirds were preparing for their next display. After taking-off, we went straight into a 6-g vertical climb. My pilot, Lt Col Kevin Walsh, would say ‘Here comes the G’s!’ to warn me! I could look out of the cockpit and see the other jets flying just a few feet away, which was the most incredible experience. We then headed towards north Wales, with Lt Col Walsh requested the air space between 6,000 to 18,000ft.
Performing the Corkscrew We had already pulled 7-g and I had struggled with that. Then the pilot asked if I would like to do 9-g. I wasn’t feeling great at that moment, but he said I would regret it if I didn’t and told me the documentary depended on it. So, I shouted, ‘Bring it on!’ After some aileron rolls, we performed a corkscrew, where we hit 9.2g. That was the craziest sensation! It felt like a herd of elephants was sitting on my head. Your vision starts to cloud over and you reach the point where you think you’ll pass out. It almost happened to me, so Lt Col Walsh said: ‘Let's keep the lights on back there!’ and levelled out. I’m so grateful that he encouraged me to reach 9-g because I’ll never forget that moment. My heart was racing the whole time, but I was just so excited and didn’t want it to end. I was aware that this was never going to happen again, so I wanted to make the most of it.
Taking Control I was handed the controls, albeit briefly. I performed a slight turn and Lt Col Walsh said that he could tell I was a pilot from the way I operated the stick. The flight lasted about an hour, far longer than I expected, and it was a priceless experience that I will never
Beth is the youngest woman to fly with The Thunderbirds
Beth Moran: 31
32: One to Watch
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Beth flew from RAF Fairford with Lt Col Kevin Walsh
ALL ABOUT HORSHAM MAGAZINE
WRITTEN BY LOCAL PEOPLE AAH is an independent magazine, owned and produced by Ben Morris, a life-long resident of the Horsham District. Since the magazine was first published in May 2011, AAH has been renowned for its colourful features and superb images by Toby Phillips Photography. We believe that our editorial content is unrivalled in the Horsham District, with innovative ideas such as our ‘My Story So Far’ and ‘News Round-Up’ features.
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forget. When I stepped out of the Fighter Falcon, the squadron were applauding me. They presented me with a signed picture of The Thunderbirds. I felt like a celebrity, esepecially as the last person to fly with them was Gerard Butler! Throughout the whole day, the entire team fromt he ground crew to the pilots were professional and slick and I’ll be writing a letter to say, ‘thank you’.
Random Tweets The Thunderbirds have since confirmed that I am the youngest female ever to fly with them. One week on, I'm a little sad even to talk about it as I just want to be up there again! The response to the film clips we’ve posted online has been incredible. Already, half a million people have seen the footage and the BBC described one of my pictures as ‘the ultimate selfie’. I’ve been interviewed by the BBC and Channel 5 and it’s given me great memories for the rest of my life. We’ve also had random messages on Twitter, mostly from America, about the footage. One woman loved that my red nail
varnish matched the helmet and said: ‘Women around the world salute you!’ We have edited about half the Learn to Fly documentary, but there is a lot of footage still to go through. We also hope to feature other flying experiences such as gliding to create a full picture of aviation. I hope that the documentary will have an impact on young people. Obviously, not everyone is going to fly with The Thunderbirds, but it shows what can happen if you pursue your dreams. INTERVIEW: BEN MORRIS PICTURES: FACT NOT FICTION FILMS
For more details about the films and documentaries of Fact Not Fiction Films visit www.factnotfictionfilms.com The Thunderbirds are not scheduled to appear in the UK in 2017 or 2018 but for more information visit http://afthunderbirds.com/site/
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Group Discussion: 35
A LIVING VILLAGE
Group Discussion: The Cowfold History Society The Cowfold History Society helps to preserve the memory of the small yet fascinating village for future generations. We meet Sue Crofts (Membership Secretary) Stella Bianco (Hon Treasurer), Chairman Michael Burt and Committee members Jan Case and Jim Parsons. Jan: The Cowfold Village History Society was formed in 2009 to bring together people interested in local history. The committee is quite small, but the membership stands at around 60.
instrumental in encouraging other village groups to take an interest in our history. We mooted the idea for Cowfold Remembers, which organised World War One commemoration events over a four-year period. This included children at St Peter’s School joining the Cowfold Horticultural Society to plant poppy seeds in memory of soldiers named on the War Memorial. It is important to bring
history alive for children. Sue: There are still people in the area who don’t know a great deal about Cowfold. I recently took a group from U3A in Horsham around the village and they had no idea that we have such a beautiful church. Jan: St Peter’s Church has an incredible history dating back to the 13th century. The three lancet
Mike: On the face of it, Cowfold is an ordinary Sussex village that doesn't have a significant place in history. Nevertheless, it has a long stream of antiquity which is very interesting. We are fortunate as a history society that we have lots of information available to us.
Stella: We organise talks every quarter in the Village Hall, with invited speakers talking to our members. Some of the most interesting talks are not always about Cowfold. Members enjoyed talks about the Adur Valley and on weather forecasts by someone from the Met Office. Mike: The Society is also involved in local projects and has been
windows in the chancel are among the oldest stained-glass windows in the country. Cowfold has great history, yet it's very much a living village that is still evolving. There have been major changes over recent years; new houses have been built, the Co-Operative has moved, The Coach House has closed and we lost the Post Office too. Yet there remains a strong community spirit.
J. Farren & Son’s garage in Cowfold
Sue: The 1911 Census provides us with general information about local households and we also have parish records that tell us about the people who lived and died in the village, going all the way back to the 16th century.
36: Group Discussion
Read our feature on Horsham Cycling Club on the ‘Group Discussions’ page at www.aahorsham.co.uk
Cowfold School in about 1908
Jan: The Godman family are among the most important figures in Cowfold’s history. They were major beneficiaries, providing the village hall and several of the stained-glass windows at St Peter’s. Charles Godman lived at Woldringfold on the village outskirts, whilst his older brother Frederick DuCane Godman lived at South Lodge. Charles wrote a book featuring many black and white photos that offer an insight into village life. The Godman book was presented to St Peter’s in the 1930s. One photo shows the old Red Lion pub, an image that was also used on what is thought to be the first postcard produced in this country. Mike: There was once a clear hierarchy in Cowfold. At the top were people like the Burrells at Knepp Castle and the Godman family, then came the farmers and finally the labourers. It might not appeal today, but this class structure worked, as everyone knew their place and helped each other.
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Sue: There remain stories and pieces of information about Cowfold that we’d like to see or hear. A book that we know exists includes a history of the village going back centuries. Unfortunately, it has disappeared. It was probably removed for safekeeping, but we don’t know where it went. It’s been missing for 100 years, but we hope it’ll turn up one day! Mike: In 2015, I wrote a book called Cowfold: The History of a Sussex Village with the help of Society members and local people. The book owes a huge debt to the research of David Pavitt, who died in 2011 after conducting a huge amount of research into the early history of Cowfold. David wrote in gentlemen's English, so I translated his words for a modern readership and continued from where he left it in the 1920’s. The book also uses information from a sociology study of Cowfold conducted by Rosemary Coleman in the 1960s. Jan: We have carried out interviews with local people for Oral History, a society project that records memories of village
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‘The monks are supportive of church fundraisers, donating apple wine, honey and knitted garments’
Cowfold History Society: 37 life for posterity. It may be that these stories form the basis of a second book. The interviews also tell us that traffic has long been an issue. We now have about 26,000 cars passing through every day. Yet, long ago, monks at Parkminster wrote to the Home Secretary about the “appalling” noise from steam engines in the village. Stella: The interviews also tell us that the old South Downs Rail Link had a big impact on the village before it was axed. Livestock would arrive at West Grinstead Station and there was a chap who operated a horse and cart between the station and the village, like a taxi service! Sue: The Census suggests that people in the village regularly lived until they were 100-years-old. There was poverty, but overall the residents were in good health. It helped that the area offered good agricultural employment, with a dairy farm and local produce. Fowler’s was also a major employer for generations. They were first and foremost a construction company, but were
also a wheelwright, coffin makers, funeral directors, carpenters and they ran a sawmill in the village. Stella: We’ve recently received photos from Horsham Museum that relate to Fowler’s. We are using our knowledge and our local network to help identify what is pictured. We have a contact who has great knowledge of veteran cars and can identify vehicles that might help us age a photograph. Jan: As well as offering employment, Fowler’s helped rebuild St Hugh’s Charterhouse at Parkminster when it suffered bomb damage. As a society, we have a lot of information about the monastery, but women still aren't allowed to visit. The monks walk through the village once a week. As they are a silent order, the walk gives them a chance to talk in pairs. Sue: The monks are supportive of church fundraisers. They donate apple wine, honey and knitted garments. It is very important for us as a community to respect their privacy, as they have chosen to live their life a certain way.
Michael Burt with his book on Cowfold history
An image of May Day 1911 outside Sprinks’s Stores in the heart of the village
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38: Group Discussion However, people are interested in Parkminster and our talks on St Hugh's are always popular.
Stella: As well as hosting talks and projects, we have organised village history days which have proved very popular. They provide an opportunity for people to come along and share their memories of Cowfold. It helps keep the village alive and in some cases people have met old friends and made new friends they didn’t know they shared a history with. Jan: A lot of pictures turn up at these history days. Some people brought along collections of photos and postcards that we hadn’t seen before. What is fascinating about pictures from the early 20th century is that, whilst there have been dramatic changes, you can still see that they are of Cowfold. Some parts of the village have hardly been altered, particularly around the church and almshouses. Sue: We still have two insurance fire marks on buildings in the village, which came about after the Great Fire of London. There is one on St Peter's Cottage and one on the Olde Sweet Shoppe. Mike: One issue we face as a society concerns membership. As
Sue Crofts in the garden of St Peter’s Church, near the historic cottages
Stella Bianco is the society’s Hon. Treasurer
Mike: Another important landmark of the village, historically, has been The Red Lion, which became the Coach and Horses and then The Coach House before it closed. It used to be the centre of the village, not just because people met there to drink, but because meetings and elections were held there too.
Jim Parsons at St Peter’s Church
with most history groups, trying to attract younger people is a challenge. That is mainly because they have other things to do in terms of career and families. We try to engage younger people through St Peter's School and hope it’ll encourage them to take a long-term interest. Our other target is to maximise the use of the website and make it more interactive. We have had over 700 hits, so there are people using it both here and overseas; but we’d like to do more with it. Sue: The website launched in April and we want it to become a communication channel for everything happening historically in Cowfold. It's not much good if a
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history society has information that it can’t share. Whilst people might not be able to find what they are looking for on the website, they can at least contact us and we will help if we can. We have had people contacting us from all over the world. Stella: I recently helped an American woman whose family lived on Clarke's Farm long ago, in the only thatched house in the village. She was visiting and wanted to see it. Fortunately, when we went to the house, the current owners were happy to show her round! Mike: We are also talking to Jeremy Knight at Horsham
Museum about encouraging various history groups in the area to work more closely together. Ideally, we’d like to establish a forum for local history societies as we all have great information we could share. INTERVIEWS: BEN MORRIS PHOTOS: TOBY PHILLIPS / COWFOLD HISTORY SOCIETY
For more details about the Society and how to join, visit www.cowfoldhistorysociety.org.uk For a copy of the Cowfold book email Michael Burt at michael.burt1911@btinternet.com
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40: Arts & Crafts
18/10/2016
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ALL ABOUT HORSHAM MAGAZINE
1
BEAR NECESSITY
Andy West only started making Teddy bears to help with hand movement when he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. More than 20 years later, his bears are in demand all over the world. Why did you start making Teddy bears? I worked for SCOPE and was travelling home when I found myself struggling to walk up the stairs at Three Bridges station. I put it down to stress or tiredness, but the next morning I was
suffering with paralysis and couldn't speak. I was diagnosed with MS and fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition. My hands would get stuck in a claw-like position, so my physiotherapist suggested that I take up sewing to help my fine motor skills. She told me I should make a bear.
What were your initial thoughts about that? I thought it was a girly thing to do. However, I went away and made a big Teddy for my daughter. It looked more like a
monster than a bear but she still loves it to this day. My wife took me to a Teddy festival in Hove and I was amazed by how many different varieties there were. I met someone who was formerly a police officer in Balham, where I used to manage a care centre. She had turned her hand to making miniature bears and gave me a pattern so I could attempt my second bear. Did it have a positive effect on your condition? The rhythm of sewing requires
good co-ordination and your hands are constantly in motion, so it has made a big difference. Even now, if I have a day when I’ve been unable to sew, my hands become stiff.
How long was it before your bears were a good standard? It wasn’t long before friends and family were asking for one. I had been making bears as a hobby for almost 10 years when, with the encouragement of my family, I officially launched Westie Bears as a business in 2004. Just a
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Westie Bears: 41 ‘I've made pole dancing bears and Scottish bears wearing nothing underneath their kilt!’
couple of years later, I won a category of the British Bear Artist Awards, the Oscars of the Teddy bear world. That was for ASBO Andy, a drunken bear lying in the gutter. Do you only make Teddy bears? I make the odd monkey as I had a toy monkey when I was little. I've also made pigs, rabbits and elephants but other people specialise in making miniature farmyard animals. Most of my bears are miniature as I find small bears a challenge. What makes your bears different? Every one of my bears has a bee on them. I’ve also introduced some quirky ideas and if you’re looking for something a bit off the wall, then I'm your man. I've made pole dancing bears, Scottish bears wearing nothing underneath their kilt, and punk bears with Mohican hair styles and leather jackets. I was probably the first punk in Horsham. I had blue Mohican hair and used to hang around the Carfax bandstand. I followed Poly Styrene and X-Ray Spex and I'm sure people would be surprised to know I now make Teddy bears. Do many former punks buy them? The people who buy punk bears are usually middle-class ladies looking for something a bit naughty. The quirky side of the market is growing. I made a policeman and robber combination, complete with stripy jumper and face mask. I believe there is one on the reception desk at Scotland Yard. I’m also working on a range of fairythemed bears called Bearies! Where do you sell your bears? I attend specialist shows and fairs, but recently I've not needed to go to many as I have lots of commissions. I
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42: Arts & Crafts
Read our feature on Parkminster Products on the Business section at www.aahorsham.co.uk
write a column for Teddy Bear Times magazine and that leads readers to my website, which attracts customers from all over the world. I also have a cabinet at Hamleys in London. I was at a toy fair in Kensington and a woman asked me if I sold to shops. I said: “Do you have a shop then?” and she was representing Hamleys! They often ask for bears of a certain style; my last batch had a Union Jack theme. Can people suggest their own ideas? Perhaps my most unusual commission was from a woman who wanted a bear that could carry the ashes of her husband. In the end we compromised and I made a box containing the ashes that the bear could sit on. How long does a bear take to make? Each bear takes between 14 and 20 hours. That includes designing the pattern, cutting the material from good quality imported mohair or cashmere, which is also hand-dyed, forming the joints, making the clothes and accessories, and of course stuffing the bear. I usually include steel shot within the polyester to add weight. Obviously, I tell customers that the weight is because the bear has eaten too much honey. Depending on the
‘One customer is a long-distance lorry driver and every time he buys a Westie Bear he gets a tattoo of it’ Westie Bears are sold in Hamley’s toy shop in London
time it takes to make the bear, prices range from about £25 to over £200. Do your bears ever go wrong? I normally make the head first, as that will tell me the style of the bear. Recently, I was making what was meant to be a traditional bear, but the head shape told me that it needed to have dreadlocks! So that's what I did and I had to make two bears! Where does the greatest demand come from? America used to be the biggest market, but now I receive many orders from Eastern Europe. One customer based in California once told me he would show the bears to some of his contacts in
Hollywood. I didn't think anything of it until I started receiving calls. Anyone we have heard of? I have made bears for Vin Diesel. I believe he collects Victorian dolls houses and buys bears for them. I’ve also made bears that now live at Kensington Palace.
childhood memories and Teddy bears just bring a touch of happiness. You’d be surprised at the people who collect them. One customer is a long-distance lorry driver and every time he buys a Westie Bear he gets a tattoo of it somewhere on his body.
They’re not for children then? People of all ages collect Teddy bears. My oldest customer is 103 and yet you meet young children who do treat them properly. However, I wouldn’t recommend Westie Bears for youngsters as they carry small parts.
Do some people treat them like real people? I do receive emails from owners, telling me what their bears have been up to. I am in the process of organising a Westie Bear camp, so people can send their bears to a camp in my garden and they will send a postcard!
Why are Teddy bears still so popular? The appeal comes from
WORDS: BEN MORRIS PICTURES: TOBY PHILLIPS
Westie Bears are on display at an exhibition on Teddy bears called Making Summer Bearable, now running at Horsham Museum. For more details visit www.westiebear.co.uk (Currently under construction)
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Business: 45
Carving Out a Successful Business
Nick Hazle and Gary Fyles at Brighthelm-Stone in Cowfold
Brighthelm-Stone
There’s a tiny shed outside the warehouse of BrighthelmStone in Cowfold. It has no creature comforts and the structure is barely holding together. Yet the shed has sentimental importance to Gary Fyles, as it’s where he started his business in the back garden of his Henfield home in 1994. He named his enterprise after the ancient settlement of Brighthelmstone, documented in the Domesday Book, as Gary had worked at Brighton Museum as a young man and fallen in love with the city. “I’d always been in the antique trade, but it was getting harder to make any money,” recalls Gary. “Antiques was the only trade that I knew, so I decided to try and make something that I
could sell both to the trade and to the public. “I started making plaques inspired by classical Greek and Roman figures. After a while, I noticed there was a market for pagan mythology, so I made green man plaques too. “But when you’re running a business from a shed, there’s only so much you could do! So, all the pieces were small as I had so little room. “Back then, I did everything on my own. I was mixing the plaster by hand, making the casts and then selling everything at the market next to the Old Town Hall in Horsham. “All these years later, I still love markets as I like to haggle. Some traders, particularly in Horsham, don't like haggling. But, in my opinion, the buying public should try and haggle
down prices for everything. People love to barter!”
Embracing the Internet Gary couldn’t face a second winter working in a freezing cold shed, so after 18 months Brighthelm-Stone moved into a mushroom-cultivation style shed in Henfield. Then, in 2005, Gary made the decision to take on a much larger premises just off the A281 near Cowfold. He also took on a teenage apprentice, Nick Hazle, who was dating his daughter at the time. Whilst that relationship survives only in the work place banter between the pair, Nick became an important member of the team, developing the company’s
online presence alongside Gary’s wife, Helen. Nick said: “We worked hard on the internet side of the business, and it’s been very successful, despite Gary’s reservations. He’s a bit ‘old school’ and didn’t think it would be worth the time and effort. Now, he’s the first to admit that he was wrong. “As well as our website, we sell through Amazon and eBay, with the latter working particularly well for us. You wouldn’t think that we could send sculptures in the post, but they’re fine as long as they are packaged well, which they are. “Gary still tends to focus on markets and trade fairs The antiques fairs at the South of England Showground in Ardingly is a great event for us. There are thousands of traders in white vans, selling all manner
46: Business
Read our feature on ceramics artist Iveta Goodard on the ‘Art’ section at www.aahorsham.co.uk
‘Busts of Caesar, Josephine and Madonna and Child are still amongst our best sellers’
Rams roll off the Brighthelm-Stone production line
of things. We usually take half a dozen van loads of stoneware and sell most of it. “As we have a wide range, we can select what to take to different markets. There are events, such as the English Festival in Horsham and Green Man Festival, where the pagan plaques sell well, whilst for some events the van is filled with Roman busts. “We also sell directly to salvage yards and independent shops. We rarely work with big garden centres as they’re unreasonable with their terms. We’d rather work with an independent trader who knows their business.”
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Gradually, the range of stoneware produced at Brighthelm-Stone
has expanded as the premises and the number of employees has grown. Whilst the classic busts of figures from Apollo to Zeus still remain, they also make gothic mirrors, gargoyles and gremlins, ammonite ornaments, Aztec sun calendar plaques, and a huge variety of ridge tiles for roofs. Gary said: “I travel a lot and am inspired by cloister or monument sculpture from Europe. Catholic countries produced beautifully detailed statues of religious figures. Because they were so expensive and only affordable for the rich, people started making good imitations of these bronze busts made from plaster, which made them cheaper. “A lot of these sculptures can be picked up at markets and fairs in
Pieces range from gargoyles to Caesar!
Brighthelm-Stone: 47
France or Belgium and our designs are often inspired by these classic pieces. “Tastes of the buying public haven’t changed that much. Busts of Caesar, Josephine and Madonna and Child are still amongst our best sellers. “We’re also renowned for our roof finials. There are still a lot of people who like a griffin or a dragon perched on the edge of their roof!”
Creature Characters Whilst demand for religious, historical and mythological characters remains, one market that has grown in popularity is animal stoneware. Popular pieces offered by BrighthelmStone include a whippet lying down, a wolf head bust, a badger ‘Baron Bonaparte’ and a ‘Lady Kitty’ ornament. Gary said: “I’ve always told people that ‘We don’t do animals’ but now we seem to have an awful lot of them! “People seem to like ladies and gentlemen figures with animal heads. It’s an idea that has been used in paintings and it’s increasingly popular in stoneware. “I have a sculptor who has created a few of these animal characters, including Madame Henrietta the chicken and Lord Russell, the Jack Russell. “We work very closely with our sculptors and they do a good job of coming back with exactly what we’re looking for. But you do have to be careful, as lots of people are working in clay sculpture and not all of them are particularly skilled! It is very important that the original piece has the right detail and defined characteristics. “You can easily end up paying an artist to commission a piece for good money and find that it’s not terrible and pretty much worthless! So, we’re always open to ideas from skilled sculptors.
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48: Business “Even with a good sculpture, not all of the ideas that we have will work. For every 10 ideas we decide to run with, perhaps three will become good sellers and the other seven won’t. “But you can’t always predict what will be popular with the buying public.�
Final Flourish Whilst Brighthelm-Stone employs the services of different sculptors, each with their own skills, the molds are all made at the company’s Cowfold base. Fibreglass molds help follow the shape and detail of the original piece with accuracy. Then, it’s just a matter of choosing the best finish. Nick said: “A lot of stoneware businesses use a standard grey cement for stoneware and then add colour, which looks okay but it is a cheap way of doing it. “We use a rendering cement,
Gary Fyles and the shed where his business was born
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WORDS: BEN MORRIS PICTURES: TOBY PHILLIPS
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Sport: 51
Success for Sparrows Horsham’s Biggest Junior Football Club Reaches 50
Wildcats Girls’ Football Club sessions are run by Horsham Sparrows in the Park
Horsham Sparrows is celebrating its 50th year in 2017. Founded shortly after England’s World Cup win in ‘66, the club has nurtured generations of young players in the town. Today, Sparrows is the only club in Horsham recognised with FA Standard Charter Community status, thanks to its development of girls’ and disability football. We met Secretary Simon King (a former Sparrows player and manager whose father George was Club President for many years), Life President Ian Morris, (former Sparrows manager) and Dave Owen (Chairman of the Horsham and District Youth Football League and Life Vice President of Sparrows.) Photos come from a Wildcats session in Horsham Park.
How it all began When Bobby Moore lifted the Jules Rimet trophy in 1966, it inspired children to grab a ball and head to the park with jumpers for goalposts. At the time, matches between schools were often played on a Saturday morning and if you weren’t selected, there was no competitive alternative. That was until Laurie Taylor set up a team so that his son and his friends could play football. Ian said: “Laurie called the team Horsham Sparrows, because all the boys flocked together and had little knobbly knees!”
The League Forms Hot on their heels, Roffey Robins, Horsham Tigers and Chesworth rounded up enough players for a team and in 1969, a mini-league was born.
Before long, teams sprung up in Broadbridge Heath, Billingshurst and Southwater as the league grew, launching generations of friendly rivalries and playground bragging rights! Dave said: “At the time, these teams attracted boys who weren’t picked for their school team. If Forest Boys wanted you to play on a Saturday, you couldn’t turn them down and play for Sparrows instead. Schools took priority. “Gradually, school games started to be scheduled during the week and as a result the local leagues became more competitive. “Now, school football matches are rarely held on Saturdays. Instead it is now professional academies that take the very best players at junior level.”
Getting Game Time Whilst winning is important to Sparrows’ teams, the club tries to follow FA guidance and give
every player at least half a game. Simon said: “We know that doesn't always happen and it can be difficult to manage a team when you’re chasing a result. But the girls and boys are there to play football and need a fair amount of time on the pitch. “On rare occasions, the club has had to talk to a manager because substitutions haven’t played. Of course, winning is fantastic, but not at all costs. I have to say, the vast majority of our coaches appreciate that and balance their team very well.”
Developing Talent Initially, the Horsham Mini Minor Football League (later changed to Horsham District Boys’ League and now Horsham & District Youth Football League) would jump up in two-year age bands. It was common to have a league for first teams and a separate league for the reserves, which
52: Sport typically nurtured the younger players. As the Horsham area grew in size and population, there was enough demand for a league in every individual year group. Dave said: “Sparrows in now represented in every age group, from the Under 8’s right through to under 16's, with two Under 12 teams. The Under 8’s play fivea-side, then it progresses to seven-aside for the Under 9’s, nine-a-side at Under 11’s and full 11-a-side football from Under 13’s. “We play most games at Horsham Park or Greenway, as we brought the school’s Saturday teams under the Sparrows umbrella several years ago.”
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Children can join Sparrows from the age of four at the Little Kickers training sessions for 4 to 6-year-olds in Horsham Park on Thursday evenings. The Little Kickers is for girls and boys of all abilities. The training sessions focus on fun, although the children do learn basic passing and dribbling skills. Parents can bring their children for a free session to see if they like it and after that, it’s £60 for the whole year. Children then have their first taste of competitive matches at Under 8’s. As many of the children are only six or seven and lack the experience of the older children, the Under 8’s league has a two-game format, giving everyone a chance to play. Simon said: “The first game tends to include older children in their second year at Under 8’s, whilst the second game gives others an opportunity. “The format works well, particularly if you’re up against a like-minded manager who understands the importance of encouraging the younger players.”
Here Come the Girls Horsham Sparrows has set the standard locally when it comes to supporting girls’ football. Twenty years ago, girls were not allowed to continue into Under 11’s football. Now, they have far better opportunities. Dave said: “It really wasn’t long ago that the FA was very restrictive and clubs had to say to its girls: ‘Thanks for your loyalty, but we have to say goodbye.’ “There was a big debate and a girl called Niamh McKevitt played a major role in forcing the grey jackets at the FA
Horsham Sparrows: 53 ‘One reason why our girls’ teams were successful is the support of Faye White of England and Arsenal’ to amend its outdated rules. “Sparrows had an increasing number of girls who wanted to continue to Under 11’s football. One girl’s parents approached us in 2003 as their daughter wanted to continue playing. So, they decided to set up a girls’ team. “They considered calling them Sparrowettes, but the Sussex FA said they could remain Horsham Sparrows and play in a girls’ league. They were entered into a Sussex league, as other girls’ teams were few and far between. However, the number of girl
players has increased dramatically and we could soon become a 50-50 club.”
Inspired by Faye Today, the Sussex County Women and Girls Football League has a division for every year from Under 10’s Development through to Under 16’s. Sparrows has been one of its most successful clubs with a team at every age level except Under 13’s, as well as a Senior team in Women's Division One. Ian said: “One reason why our girls’ teams were successful is the support of Faye White. Faye is a local girl who played for Arsenal and England. “She was good friends with the Skinner family, who founded our first girls’ team, and Faye would support them at games and events. The girls looked up to her as she was a superstar. “She even invited the girls to the Women’s FA Cup Final and let them touch the trophy during the parade!”
Bronwen Thomas of Brighton and Wales helps with coaching
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Horsham Sparrows: 55 ‘Gary Charman was a prolific Sparrows striker who went on to play 550 matches for Horsham’ Welcoming Wildcats The Wildcats is another way that Sparrows support girls’ football. Wildcats is an FA-initiative set up to encourage more girls to play. Sparrows run the 16-week course in the Horsham District on the FA’s behalf and have already surpassed the target of attracting 32 girls. Simon said: “It’s a nice alternative to Little Kickers as boys can be boisterous, so this is a better, safer environment for girls who
are new to the game. We now have these girls being introduced to football and they could be future Sparrows players too.”
Sparrows Stars Sparrows continue to produce talented players in both boys’ and girls’ leagues. Several have gone on to play for Horsham FC, most notably Gary Charman, a prolific Sparrows striker who went on to play 550 matches for his home-town club.
Several girls may also reach a high standard. Goalkeeper Hannah Gardner has been picked for England youth squads, whilst Bronwen Thomas plays for Brighton and Hove Albion. She was named Women’s Young Player of the Year 2016 by the FA of Wales, receiving her award alongside fellow winners including Sophie Ingle and a promising lad called Gareth Bale. Dave said: “Bronwen is following in the footsteps of Faye White, in terms of talent and her support for grassroots football.
“Like Faye used to support her team, Bronwen supports young Sparrows teams and is one of several girls that helps coach at Wildcats sessions.”
Sparrows Day Sparrows Day is an end-of-season event for all its players. It used to be held at Horsham's Queen Street ground, where teams would play the next age group before awards were handed out. But with 18 Sparrows teams, that cannot be done on one pitch.
56: Sport Ian said: “As 2017 marked our 50th year, each team invited a rival team to play against, so we had matches across two pitches at Tanbridge School. “The awards were given out in the sports hall. We try to restrict the awards to players’ player, manager's player, and club man or club girl. This has become a popular award as it recognises somebody who always trains and has the right attitude.”
Community Status Sparrows is the only club in Horsham to have gained FA Standard Charter Community Status. To fulfill the criteria, all volunteers must be CRB checked and managers need to pass the FA Level 1 Coaching Course. The club also needs to make a commitment to mini soccer (Under 10’s) and promote equal opportunities. This has been achieved in partnership with Brighton & Hove Albion’s official charity, Albion in the Community,
which holds free football sessions for people with disabilities. Ian said: “We have a wide range of players, including amputees and people who are partially sighted. Albion provide qualified coaches, whilst we promote the sessions at the Holbrook Club. “We hope in future there might be enough players to establish a league. Sessions only started last year and we didn't know how many people would turn up. As it happened, 16 people were there to play and it was quite emotional. “In some cases, this initiative has had a profound and positive impact on lives.”
Simon King coaching the Wildcats in Horsham Park
WORDS: BEN MORRIS PICTURES: TOBY PHILLIPS
For details about Sparrows visit http://www.horshamsparrows.co.uk You can sign up to Wildcats sessions on the Sussex FA website at www.sussexfa.com
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58: Music
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S So, who’s this then? This is Kikuyu Soul, a musical duo comprising brothers Andy and Matt Davies from Mannings Heath. Kikuyu? Kikuyu is the name of the largest ethnic tribe in Kenya. The brothers are proud of their Kenyan heritage from their mother’s side of the family. What type of music do they play? It’s a blend of hip-hop, soul and R ‘n’ B. Andy and Matt have developed musical passions from very different angles. Andy studied
sound engineering at university before nurturing his drum and bass skills whilst performing across Europe (as MC Degs) for a decade. Matt maintained a love of music whilst studying for his Master’s degree in Chemistry. You know, that old hip-hop cliché! Have they been performing together for long? Strangely not. Whilst Andy and Matt are multi-instrumentalists and share similar tastes in music, they only recently joined forces for Kikuyu Soul. Andy said: “We played a couple of acoustic sets
Kikuyu Soul: 59
when we were young, but have mostly done our own thing. We talked about doing something together but Matt was busy with his degree, whilst I was involved in various projects. Finally, we reached a point where we both had time and the idea came to fruition. It just wasn’t until we were in our mid-20s that the opportunity came about.” Can you describe the sound of Kikuyu Soul? The brothers are fans of ‘Old School’ hip-hop and such influences can be heard in much
of their output. Having been introduced to hip-hop through 2Pac album, they discovered albums by seminal bands including A Tribe Called Quest and Big Daddy Kane. Matt said: “We love those ‘old school’ beats and wanted to build our music around that style. At the same time, Andy has a good singing voice, so some of our music has soulful influences. It’s all part of the same culture, yet there are many different sounds, from boom bap beats to modern R ‘n’ B.
Sounds like they’re a difficult group to define by genre? That’s true, as different songs demonstrate many influences with singing, rap and even instrumentals. One song, Mothership, features classic rap beats over a soothing jazz piano that wouldn’t be out of place on a Nina Simone record. Style Is (Part One) starts with a minute of atmospheric keyboards before a hip-hop beat kicks in, whilst the Thessalonians fuses hypnotically dark piano with thoughtful lyrical content.
A bit of everything then? There’s certainly variety. Andy said: “We have songs that are inspired by current acts like The Weeknd, whilst others could be from the early 1990’s. It really is a mish-mash of the music we like. It may be that our album sounds too much like a playlist. You could listen to two tracks and think they were by different artists.” Do both the brothers sing? Andy takes on most singing duties, whilst Matt focuses more on the production. They play all the instruments, having both
60: Music learnt the piano as children, and have even fused a few samples into certain tracks. They have also collaborated with Xstatic, one of the best female rappers in Kenya, on one track.
on our own experiences and things that we have an opinion on. Some lyrics are quite playful, whilst the songs with a darker mood offer an opportunity to write something sensitive.”
Do they argue much? Seemingly, the sibling rivalry that affected bands like Oasis and The Jackson 5 has not reared its head. It helps that they are not living in each other’s pockets as Andy lives Mannings Heath whilst Matt lives and works in London. Matt said: “If Andy has an idea, he will lay it down and send it to me on email. I will add my ideas and give feedback. The ideas tend to develop organically and we can be hyper-critical without there being animosity. It helps the creative process.”
Have they recorded anything? Having initially intended to produce a handful of songs for a possible EP, Andy and Matt had enough for an LP. So, Kikuyu Soul have released a full album, Asprilla.
Who writes the lyrics? Writing duties are shared, with Kikuyu Soul trying to be honest and topical with lyrics. Andy said: “Much of the content is quite personal. We make everything relevant to who we are as people. We don’t pretend that we’re anything we’re not and just focus
As in the Italian motorbike manufacturer? No, that’s Aprilia. Asprilla as in the legendary Newcastle United and Colombia striker, Faustino Asprilla. Matt and Andy are fans! Has Asprilla been professionally produced? Without a record deal, Kikuyu Soul have produced Asprilla with their own home equipment. That includes playing the instruments and mixing. However, thanks to Andy’s sound engineering experience, the music has a high level of quality.
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What has the feedback to the record been like? The social media response has been positive and lots of friends, particularly in Horsham where the brothers are well known, have helped spread the word. Andy said: “When you don't have record label support, you have to be out there promoting your tracks on different platforms to try and push things forward. It’s not easy and we went into this a bit in the dark. But the music is out there and people can choose how much they want to pay for it. They can download it for free or pay £500 if they’re feeling generous! We hope people like it, but if they don't, we’re probably still going to carry on!”
Presumably, they’re hopeful of some success? Andy still has commitments as MC Degs, and will soon be heading off to perform in Belgium and Holland. However, he would like Kikuyu Soul to be a success. He said: “Given the choice, this is what I would like to do.”
WORDS: BEN MORRIS PICTURES: TOBY PHILLIPS
You can listen to Kikuyu Soul What are their expectations? on many platforms including Matt said: “We have no plan and www.kikuyusoul.com that's why it's been so much fun. kikuyusoul.bandcamp.com We’re just making music that we www.soundcloud.com/kikuyu-soul like and whilst we hope others do www.facebook.com/kikuyusoul 9 99 99 9 99it.” too, we’re pleased with 9 www.instagram.com/kikuyusoul
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62: Community
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09:46
Page 1
ALL ABOUT HORSHAM MAGAZINE
1
100 YEARS OF FRIENDSHIP AT
The Guides still love camping and outdoor cooking
LOWER BEEDING GUIDES 1st Lower Beeding Guides, one of the oldest units in the country, is celebrating its centenary in 2017. The group was formed by Edith Godman who lived at South Lodge and was a friend of Lady Baden-Powell, who started the Guide movement. For many years, Brownies and Guides met at South Lodge, now a five-star hotel. The Guides now meet at the Village Hall, but still has strong links to its interesting past and maintains a love of the outdoors. We meet Leaders Mandy Wicking and Allyson West, Young Leaders Charlotte Harradine and Amelia Harper, and Margaret Dancy, who joined 1st Lower Beeding when Britain was still at war… Mandy: It was 100 years ago that Lady Baden-Powell, the founder of the Girl Guides, visited South Lodge to have tea with the Godman family. She was a friend of Dame Alice Godman and mooted the idea of forming a Guides unit in Lower Beeding. Dame Alice became County Commissioner for Sussex whilst her daughter, Edith, started the Guides and Brownies units in the village.
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Margaret: I first joined the Brownies when I was seven, in 1944. At the time, we met at South Lodge and the younger
Miss Godman, Edith, was Brown Owl and Miss Eva, the elder sister, was Captain. Nowadays, the Leaders are referred to by name. But we were always to address them as Brown Owl and Captain. We began meetings with inspection. We didn’t have our own uniforms. Instead, we each paid five shillings to hire them, but we did have a brass badge that had to be cleaned front and back. We mostly played simple games as it was post-war. Now, there’s a wonderful array of activities and arts and crafts. We would chant ‘Twit Twit Twoo’ and dance around the rhododendrons. I do remember learning the semaphore alphabet and Morse code and when I moved up to the Guides I learnt elementary first-aid. Mandy: I joined Lower Beeding Guides in July 1972, just before my 10th birthday. My sister, Julie, was also a Guide and we all met at South Lodge. Edith Godman would send us each an official invitation to the Christmas party. Proper party dresses were to be worn and I remember seeing sandwiches laid out on the long table. We would sing and play games like ‘hunt the thimble’. At the time, we didn't know how lucky we were to have South Lodge available to us. Margaret: The Guides had the
2
10:11
Lower Beeding Guides: 63
run of the place. The Godman sisters were very knowledgeable about flora and would tell us about different plants. I remember making the flags of St Patrick, St Andrew and St George from leaves and petals from the huge rhododendron on the lawn. We were also taught how to swim in the lakes of South Lodge. Captain would jump in to part the weeds and we would all jump in after her. She would pull you by your costume and tell you to kick your legs! Of course, being young, we thought it was very amusing to see Miss Godman in a bathing costume! Allyson: I joined the Guides when I was 10, 32 years ago. I was a Partridge Green Brownie and when my family moved to Mannings Heath, I joined the Lower Beeding Guides. In the winter, we met at a stable block in South Lodge and in summer we could use the whole grounds. We had our Christmas parties at South Lodge and the Christmas tree had real candles in it.
Margaret: Lady Baden-Powell was a friend of theirs and it was a privilege to see her when she visited. I remember one occasion, on Dame Alice’s birthday, we lined up on the lawn to chant three ‘Twit Twit Twoos!’ The Godmans would often travel to exotic places. I remember seeing slides of their trip to South Africa. Us village children hadn’t been abroad, so seeing pictures of places like Table Mountain was incredible. Allyson: Sophie Axford, who was the cousin of the Godman sisters, took over after Edith died. By the time I joined, the Guides was run by Catherine Green, the vicar’s wife. When she needed help, my mum Mary Long stepped in and she eventually took over as Leader. Mandy: I became a Young Leader when I was 16 and have now been with the unit for 37 years. I served as Assistant to Mary, Alysson’s mum, when she was Guide Leader. Then eventually we swapped roles and I became Leader. We’ve always been a very close-knit
64: Community group and we’ve only had five Guiders in 100 years, which must be a record. Alysson: We are very much like a family here. I have known Mandy and Julie since we were children and now my daughters, Hannah and Grace, regularly help. They were Guides and Young Leaders and have since been to university. There are a few daughters of former Guides here as we seem to be a unit that people like to come back to.
Margaret Dancy joined Lower Beeding Guides in 1944
Mandy: Just after I joined, I went on the camp at Ben’s Acre on Hammerpond Road. I’ve camped with the Guides every year since then. We host the WS (West Sussex) Camp at Ardingly and every four years we have the chance to join an International Camp. We welcomed a group from Canada to our camp one year and they invited us back in 1986. They took us through the Rocky Mountains and we had an amazing time. I’m still in touch with some of the people I met on that trip.
Charlotte: I joined the Guides in 2009, when I turned 10. My sister had come here and enjoyed it, so I thought I would give it a try. I’m 17 now and the Guides section goes up to the age of 16, so I am now in the Senior section training to be a Young Leader. That involves taking charge of the younger Guides, helping the Leaders and getting involved in planning and holding activities. I’ve enjoyed the camping experiences here, especially the big WS Camp. The Scouts, Guides and Explorers all come together with some International groups and there are lots of activities that you wouldn't normally do. You can try archery, abseiling and even unusual things like paragliding. There is a different theme every year and in 2017 it was Harry Potter. Allyson: We’ve always had a strong camping ethos. We used to go camping in the New Forest. Mandy's dad would drive all the camping equipment up in his horsebox. We still use the same tents that are about 40 years old now. We recently had them fitted
The unit has a strong camping ethos
Lower Beeding Guides: 65
with new waterproof lining! We often camp at a site in Monks Gate and sometimes go to Blackland Farm in East Grinstead. It’s very traditional, as we make washing-up stands from wood, light our own camp fire and the girls cook. It’s back to basics Guiding. Margaret: Now, I come along and see the Guides enjoying toasted marshmallows. We certainly didn’t have anything as nice as that. We used to find some dry leaves and twigs and light a fire. We’d sometimes have dampers, which are like a small, plain dumpling. It tasted good, although not as good as marshmallow! Mandy: We’re very lucky to have this lovely site at the village hall, as we have plenty of indoor and outdoor space. We’ve always been a very active group with lots of camps and events like the canoe regatta at Southwater Country Park. For a village unit, we’re still in good health as we have 18 girls with a few more coming up from the Brownies soon. Amelia: I joined as I live nearby and was previously a Rainbow and a Brownie. I’ve had a great time, as we are a very close group. Now, I'm training to be a Young Leader. Even if I do go to university in a couple of years, I hope that I’ll be able to come back and help, because I have really enjoyed my time here. Mandy: I never had a daughter. I had three sons and helped with the Beavers, Cubs and Scouts over the years. But Guiding has always been more my scene. I have loved my years in Guiding, having fulfilled several
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66: Community
Read our feature on Horsham Sea Cadets on the Group Discussions page at www.aahorsham.co.uk
Mandy Wicking helps put up the well-used tent
‘Every time I go into Horsham, I bump into somebody who was a Lower Beeding Girl Guide’
COLUMN RSPB Pulborough Brooks Image: Richard Allen/RSPB
Mandy Wicking
Hobby Takes Bite During Flight
roles, including being District Commissioner, and it’s been a big part of my life. I took my Queen’s Guide Award when I was 16. Molly Andrews was County President at the time and she wrote me a letter congratulating me and said: ‘I hope that you will one day give something back to Guiding.’ I think that I kept my promise! Margaret: Fundamentally, the Guides hasn’t changed much. It is still about getting people together. I would certainly like to be a Guide today as they have a lot of fun. I still go to occasional
events where I hear about their fundraising and they are a lovely group of girls. They give so much to the village. Mandy: We are organising a tea party on 15 October and hope to invite as many past 1st Lower Beeding Guides as possible. Every time I go into Horsham, I bump into somebody who was a Guide, so there are plenty around. We also plan to have a Thanksgiving service at Holy Trinity Church in Lower Beeding on 24 September to celebrate 100 years, so if
you’d like to contact us, we’d love to hear from you! INTERVIEWS: BEN MORRIS PICTURES: TOBY PHILLIPS
For information about joining the Lower Beeding Rainbow, Brownie, Guide or Senior Sections, visit the Parkminster Division section of the Girl Guiding website at www.girlguidingsussex central.btck.co.uk
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Last month I told the story of the dragonfly, a creature that seems far too fierce to be anything but a predator. However, as with most wildlife there is always something bigger, faster and even more fearsome that lies in wait to turn that predator into prey. The dragonflies will be on the lookout for a small falcon about the size of a kestrel with long, pointed wings. The hobby dashes and darts through the sky, performing fantastic aerial maneuvers to capture dragonflies, swallows and martins mid-flight. By far the most impressive skill of the hobby is its ability to eat its prey on the wing. Using deadly speed to catch prey items with their talons, they will transfer the food to their beaks while keeping up a steady flight. It’s quite a sight to behold through your binoculars, if you’re quick enough to keep up! Look out for a bird with the characteristic slate-grey head and white cheeks of a peregrine but whose wings are swept back, reminiscent of a swift in shape. An even closer look through a telescope will reveal the russet “trousers” that sets this striking bird apart from its relatives. Hobbies are a migratory species, arriving around April to breed and staying with us until October when they’ll head south to Africa, so you have plenty of time to try your hand at “hobby-spotting”. You’ll need a warm, sunny day for your best chance—and we’ve certainly had plenty of those recently!
Emily Summers RSPB Pulborough