The following are the latest results contributed by HM Courts Service, for cases sentenced by West Sussex Magistrates’ Court sitting at Worthing and Chichester from September 5 to 9, 2016.

Dean Cunningham, 28, of Hunston Road, Chichester, was given an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, after admitting using violence to secure entry to a property in Westbourne on August 6, 2016, knowing he was not welcome. He was given a two-week concurrent prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, after admitting damaging two doors, two television screens, a mobile phone and a table lamp, worth £690, in Westbourne on August 6, 2016. He must pay £115 victim surcharge and £85 costs.

Nicky Tompkins, 50, of New Road, Pamber Green, was given a community order with eight-week curfew, electronically monitored, from 8pm to 6am, after admitting assaulting a police constable in Selsey on April 30, 2016; and using threatening words or behaviour with intent to cause the police officer harassment, alarm or distress. She must pay £50 compensation, £85 victim surcharge and £50 costs.

Paul Tompkins, 48, of New Road, Pamber Green, was fined £900 and must pay £50 compensation, £90 victim surcharge and £50 costs, after admitting assaulting a police constable in Selsey on April 30, 2016.

Shirley Toms, 70, of Beechwood Road, Caterham, was given a community order with Rehabilitation Activity Requirment and a restraining order after admitting assault by beating in Bognor Regis on April 19, 2016; and assault by beating in Bognor Regis on April 18, 2016. She must pay £85 victim surcharge, £85 costs.

Wayne Chambers, 27, of St Pancras, Chichester, was fined £325 and must pay £33 victim surcharge, £85 costs, after admitting drink-driving (69mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath) in Market Avenue, Chichester, on August 20, 2016. He was disqualified from driving for 18 months. He was fined £100 after admitting driving without a licence and also admitted possessing cannabis, no separate penalty.

Max Ellery, 23, of Kings Drive, Pagham, was discharged conditionally for 18 months and must pay £20 victim surcharge, £85 costs, after admitting having an offensive weapon, an extendable baton, in public in Rowan Way, Bognor Regis, on August 16, 2016; and possessing a knife in Rowan Way, Bognor Regis, on August 16, 2016. He also admitted possessing cannabis, no separate penalty.

Norbert Gorski, 28, of Bowley Lane, South Mundham, was fined £270 and must pay £30 victim surcharge, £85 costs, after admitting drink-driving (75mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath) in Queensway, Bognor Regis, on August 21, 2016. He was disqualified from driving for 18 months.

Kieron Satturley, 36, of Westfield, Bognor Regis, was fined £50 and must pay £30 victim surcharge, £85 costs, after admitting stealing a bottle of wine worth £5 from Tesco, Bognor Regis, on August 20, 2016.

April Godin, 52, of Kingsham Road, Chichester, was discharged conditionally for 18 months and must pay £15 victim surcharge, £85 costs, after admitting failing to promptly notify the Department of Work and Pensions of a change affecting Carer’s Allowance between December 23, 2013, and February 29, 2016.

Christopher Harman, 20, of Westlands, Rustington, was fined £95 and must pay £30 victim surcharge, £85 costs, after admitting drink-driving (49mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath) at McDonald’s, Oldlands Way, Bognor Regis, on August 20, 2016. He was disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Christopher Horn, 40, of Five Ashes, Mayfield, was fined £310 and must pay £31 victim surcharge, £85 costs, after admitting drug-driving (254ug/L Benzoylecgonine) on the A27 Arundel on June 27, 2016. He was disqualified from driving for 18 months.

Marc Richardson, 42, of Highlere Court, Knaphill, Woking, was given a community order and must carry out 100 hours’ unpaid work after admitting driving in Lagness Road, Runcton, on August 21, 2016, while disqualified. He must pay £85 victim surcharge, £85 costs, and was disqualified from driving for 12 months. He also admitted driving without insurance, no separate penalty.

Daniel Weyman, 29, of no fixed address, must pay £622 compensation after admitting causing £1,500 damage to a shop window in Chichester on August 22, 2016.

Jon Lee, 38, of Kathleen Gardens, Chichester, was given a 12-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, with Rehabilition Activity Requirement and must carry out 100 hours’ unpaid work after admitting stealing two power transformers worth £120 having entered a Portakabin as a trespasser. He must pay £470 compensation, £115 victim surcharge and £85 costs. He was given a seven-day concurrent prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, after admitting possessing ampthetamine in Chichester on May 20, 2016, and a second seven-day concurrent prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, after admitting possessing cannabis in Chichester on May 20, 2016.

Steven Carroll, 44, of no fixed address, was jailed for eight weeks and must pay £115 victim surcharge after admitting assault by beating in Chichester on June 25, 2016. He was jailed for four weeks, to run concurrently, after admitting damaging a mirror, clock, television stand and fence panel in Chichester on June 25, 2016.

Jordan Cable, 22, of Beatrice House, Northcliffe Road, Bognor Regis, was fined £150 and must pay £30 victim surcharge, £200 costs, after admitting using threatening words or behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress in Bognor Regis on June 5, 2016.

Wayne Roberts, 38, of Beatrice House, Northcliffe Road, Bognor Regis, was fined £90 and must pay £30 victim surcharge, £200 costs, after admitting disorderly behaviour while drunk in Bognor Regis on June 5, 2016. He also admitted breaching a conditional discharge order, no action taken.

Bevis Escott, 27, of no fixed address, was fined £40 and must pay £30 victim surcharge, after admitting being drunk and disorderly in Chichester on August 24, 2016.

Jamie Knapp, 28, of Linden Court, Linden Road, Bognor Regis, was fined £60 and must pay £85 costs after admitting drug-driving (not less than 10mg Delta-9-THC) in Richmond Road, Bognor Regis, on July 18, 2016. He was disqualified from driving for 12 months. He was also £60 after admitting drug-driving (not less than 64mg of benzoylecgonine per litre of blood) in Richmond Road, Bognor Regis, on July 18, 2016. He also admitted breaching a conditional discharge order and was dealt with for the original offence, receiving a community order with Rehabilitation Activity Requirement for possessing cannabis in Bognor Regis on December 7, 2015. He must pay £60 victim surcharge.

Paula Reddings, 39, of Pryors Green, Bognor Regis, was fined £40 and must pay £30 victim surcharge after admitting possessing diamorphine in Morrisons, Bognor Regis, on August 23, 2016.

Jemima Lammas, 48, of Norman Close, Billingshurst, was fined £110 and must pay £50 compensation, £30 victim surcharge and £150 costs, after admitting using threatening words or behaviour in Chichester on June 6, 2016. She was fined £55 after admitting assaulting a police constable in Chichester on June 6, 2016, and admitted breaching a conditional discharge order, no action taken.

John Peach, 71, of The Spinney, Pulborough, was discharged conditionally for six months and must pay £15 victim surcharge after admitting stealing £2,000 cash between June 25, 2015, and September 22, 2015.

A woman says she had a ‘run-in’ with three young men in clown masks in Chichester.

Chichester resident Harriet Porter said the incident happened at the end of Little Breach by Woodlands Lane and St Paul’s Road on Thursday.

She said: “As I was heading into town I spotted the three men. They stopped as I stopped.

“As I took a step they took a step as if copying me. I then went to take a photo of them on my phone and they ran away.”

Harriet also said that her boyfriend had to ask two other men to vacate the outside chairs of EAT cafe where he works, as the ‘clown craze’ continues.

A large number of incidents have been reported right across the UK of people dressed as clowns frightening and in some cases threatening members of the public, in a craze which has swept over from America.

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Around 300 residents turned up for a key debate last night over future of Shoreham and to raise concern about the potential for tall buildings (Thursday, October 13).

See below for coverage of the meeting.

Storrington and Sullington Parish Council voted unanimously against the planning application for a new surgery, pharmacy and 24 new homes to be built on the Glebe Field last night (October 13).

The planning meeting was held at the Village Hall in Thakeham Road, Storrington.

The meeting was to discuss the submitted planning application for the proposed demolition of the existing Glebe Surgery and erection of a new 1,400 square metre doctors’ surgery, 120 square metre new pharmacy and 59 associated car parking spaces and the erection of 24 houses and 58 associated car parking spaces.

Residents packed the hall to listen to seven representations - a mixture of both in favour of and against the planning application - before hearing from the parish council.

The parish council unanimously objected the planning application stating pollution, extra dangers at a nearby roundabout caused by extra cars on the roads and the loss of green space at the Glebe Field as the main reasons.

Chris Carey, a chartered surveyor, spoke on behalf of Spangles - a group of local residents united to preserve the Glebe Field.

He said: “I have looked at this planning application and there is no planning reason to have 24 houses to support the surgery.

“The proposal does not meet the planning policy requirement and, therefore, I register a strong apposal to this planning proposal.”

The parish council suggested that more traffic in Storrington, as a result of the new surgery and homes, would cause further problems at the roundabout at the end of Monastery Lane.

Many residents also had concerns over the possible increase in pollution caused by an increase of cars driving into Storrington.

Dr Keir Newsom, a general practitioner at the current Glebe Surgery is in favour of the proposed planning application.

He said: “Patients numbers are growing and soon we will need more space for them.

“When it comes to funding for new buildings within the NHS, any development needs to be finished by April 2019.

“If we do not do this, then any proposals we have in the future will fail to meet the guidelines.”

Residents were also concerned by the proposed location of the new surgery and suggested the location of the old Mill Stream Medical Centre as a more viable option.

Dr Newsom added: “This planning application cannot be applied to the land holding the Mill Stream Medical Centre because the plans for the new Glebe surgery are more than twice the size of that area.”

Robert Perrin, a representative from the Diocese of Chichester was also at the meeting.

Mr Perrin said: “I am here on my own accord and have not been sent by the diocese.

“The roundabout near the petrol station is a danger and if this plan goes ahead then that is one area that must be considered.”

Horsham District Council will make the final decision on this planning application.

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Poundworld Extra opened its doors in Montague Street, Worthing yesterday (October 13).

The 10,000 square foot super store, which is located at the former BHS site in Montague Street, was opened by the Mayor of Worthing, Councillor Sean McDonald, at 10am. It was welcomed by a large queue of local shoppers, all eager to check out the bargains in store.


Southern passengers have been ‘badly let down’ by the Government’s failure to properly structure and enforce rail franchise agreements, according to a damning report from backbench MPs.

The Transport Select Committee’s look at improving passenger experience focused on the problems faced by rail operator Govia Thameslink Railway for the past year.

These included ‘poor management of the franchise from the beginning’, inadequate staffing levels, rolling stock issues, mismanagement, industrial action, and the Thameslink infrastructure programme.

The report suggests that in normal circumstances GTR’s performance would be ‘grounds for termination of the contract’, but GTR has applied for its targets to be relaxed due to ‘events beyond their control’.

The committee concluded that the Government’s claim that no other operator could do a better job in the circumstances was ‘no longer credible’.

It called for data on GTR’s performance against its contractual objectives to be made publicly available.

The rail operator has been mired in a bitter dispute with the RMT union over plans to change the role of guards to on-board supervisors on Southern services, with six strikes held already and four more planned between now and Christmas.

The committee’s report said that GTR, the Government, and the RMT are ‘each to some extent culpable in the current damaging industrial dispute’ and the ‘catastrophic’ impact it had caused passengers.

Charles Horton, chief executive of GTR, said: “Clearly this a long and complex report, which we’ve only just received today and we now need time to study its detailed contents.

“At first reading, our initial view is that the report covers many of the issues and challenges already in the public domain. We recognise and fully accept that our service on parts of the GTR franchise has not been good enough and we sincerely sorry to our passengers for that.

“Clearly, we’ve not got everything right in the past two years, but we’ve committed to making things better and our passengers have already seen 400 new vehicles on our network in the past two years across the GTR franchise, extended smart card technology across our network and delivered nearly 250 of our obligations under our franchise agreement.

“While performance is still way below where we want it to be, it’s good that the constraints of the redevelopment of London Bridge have been acknowledged and, also, the fact that performance was beginning to improve before the start of the dispute with the RMT.

“GTR has submitted claims for force majeure to the DfT [Department for Transport] caused by the unprecedented industrial action and we have co-operated fully with what’s been asked of us at all times. We have been in discussions with the DfT to agree what and how they wanted to allow them to assess and evaluate our claims. It’s an extremely detailed process which the report accepts is ‘complex and painstaking’. These claims are currently being reviewed by the Department.

“We will now fully review the report in detail and consider its contents. We remain committed and determined to modernise the railway and deliver a better service for everyone.”

But Mick Cash, RMT General Secretary, said.“This report is an indictment of the failure of rail privatisation and the government’s record on Southern railways which have resulted in daily chaos and misery for passengers.

“The report rightly argues that in any normal circumstances there would be grounds for GTR to have its contract terminated and RMT is calling again for this failed franchise to be taken into public ownership as soon as possible.

“We welcome the call for the government to engage with the rail unions and will be writing to ministers today to seek an urgent meeting.”

Meanwhile Lianna Etkind, public transport campaigner at the Campaign for Better Transport, said: “Rail passengers have been let down for too long by overcrowding, poor information, and a lack of accountability; problems which have been brought into stark reality by the Southern Rail fiasco.

“The Transport Select Committee’s report is a wake-up call to the Department for Transport to get a grip on the franchising process, for GTR and beyond.

“Train companies must introduce automatic compensation for delays, and structure in genuine passenger representation.”

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Haywards Heath’s major shopping centre could be bought by Mid Sussex District Council.

Friends Provident Life currently holds the head lease for The Orchards Shopping Centre, which comprises around 40 retail units, cafes, a fitness suite, around 30 private dwelling flats on the first floor, and a 425 space car park.

But an opportunity has arisen for the council to buy back the lease as it already owns the freehold of the land where the Orchards is based, according to a report due to be discussed by MSDC’s Cabinet on Monday.

This move would provide benefits from unifying the interests of the leaseholder and freeholder into one ownership, officers said.

Owning the shopping centre could also provide the council with an extra revenue stream as it looks to become financially independent, and ‘improve the economic wellbeing of the district’.

The Cabinet will be asked to indicate its support for acquiring the centre through a bidding process, while Full Council would then be asked to agree to the proposals at its next meeting.

The centre’s major tenants are Marks & Spencer, Next, and Superdrug.

According to officers: “Merging the council’s interests will bring added value to the investment portfolio, and allow the council to attract investment funding into the centre to provide an improved retail and leisure offer and bring new shops and restaurants in to the town.”

The council has already hired professional services companies to report on the purchase and the bidding process. Friends Provident Life’s head lease runs until 31 October 2081.

What do you think? Email middy.news@jpress.co.uk

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Residents are being warned to keep sheds and garages securely locked following a number of incidents in the Horsham district.

These included sheds in Church Close, Lower Beeding, on Saturday October 8. In one incident overnight chainsaws and a hedge cutter were stolen.

In Buttercup Way, Horsham, between September 17 and the 30th tools and frozen food were stolen form an insecure shed.

Other recent crimes reported to police are:

Victory Road, Horsham - Friday October 7 - victim heard a ring on the door, came downstairs to find handbag had been stolen, Entry gained through insecure door.

Furze Lane, Rudgwick - Monday October 10 - front door forced two watches and BMW stolen from driveway.

Church Close, Lower Beeding - August 7 - garage door forced and entry gained to the utility room no search of the house but an untidy search of the garage and shed. Nothing of note stolen.

Church Close, Lower Beeding - reports of vehicles broken into and damage caused.

A high court challenge to Henfield’s neighbourhood plan has succeeded.

The plan was formally adopted by Horsham District Council in April, following a village referendum where 94.5 per cent of the 1,533 residents who voted gave it their support.

However developers looking to build 72 homes on the Sandgate Nurseries site to the west of Henfield lodged a judicial review against the plan.

HDC rejected the application back in November 2014, and the developer’s appeal is currently with the Secretary of State.

This followed similar decisions to reject 102 homes east of Manor Close and 160 homes north of West End Lane, both of which were overturned and allowed on appeal by the planning inspector.

Developers argued that the neighbourhood plan had failed to lawfully assess reasonable alternatives to the spatial strategy, in particular permitting houses on the western edge of Henfield, had failed to consider alternatives to the built up area boundary of the village, and failed to give reasons why the plan met EU objectives.

In her judgement released this week, Justice Patterson said: “Anyone reading the HNP would be of the view that significant development on the western side of Henfield would lead to unsustainable pressure on the local road system.

“Beyond assertion by local residents who had made the same point at the West End Lane appeal when it had been rejected, there was no evidence to support the view expressed for the rejection of Option C in the HNP.”

But she said that the rejection of Option C, which was for sites on the western boundary of Henfield, is ‘unsupported by anything other than guesswork’.

She added: “As I have found, the process was flawed because it did not present an accurate picture of the alternatives so that they could be considered on a comparable basis.

“The real problem here was that the parish council failed to grapple with the changing highways information in relation to sites on the west of Henfield.”

What do you think of the decision? Comment below or email the newsdesk.

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Fencing-off part of Manor Sports Ground for use by the new Bohunt academy has been approved this afternoon (Friday, October 14).

Cabinet member for environment Clive Roberts’ decision means schoolchildren will be separated from members of the public in order to avoid disruption to lessons.

No additional public consultation will take place – despite calls from campaigners to do so.

Bohunt supported fencing to manage reported problems with dogs off leads affecting lessons. But the Manor Action Group (MAG), set up by residents, opposed the idea.

A report to Mr Roberts warns legal action could be triggered on the grounds that fences could breach a covenant on the land.

The council’s legal advice submits such a challenge could be successfully fought – but there was ‘no guarantee’.

“Legal experts consider that there is a risk of considerable costs being incurred by the council in dealing with attempted challenges to the fence,” the report states.

West Sussex County Council – the local education authority – has offered to pay for the £27,593 cost of installing the fence.

It has also offered a £10,000 war chest for fighting legal action. Borough council officers, however, want ‘full indemnity’ to be obtained.

MAG, along with South Broadwater Residents’ Association, had called for consultation of affected residents before a final decision was made.

A consultation on proposed changes to existing dog control orders, which closed in September, received 56 per cent support.

This would allow dogs to be allowed off leads, if fences were installed. Under current restrictions, those using the ground should keep dogs on leads at all times.

Cabinet members agreed to explore ‘zoning’ of the ground at a meeting in February last year.

A councillor’s Facebook post has revealed more works to the high street are due to begin on Monday.

Graham Jones wrote: “Notification received this afternoon. Please note that the County Councillors of JWAAC have not been consulted even though the County Council is the Highways Authority, nor has this gone through the normal democratic consultation process. We have been excluded from the normal scrutiny process so if there is something you are not happy with please do not blame the County Councillors.”

He then went on to detail the works set to commence on October 17 and a statement which said it is a result of ‘a balance of funding available’ as the period for the Coastal Communities Fund (CCF) comes to an end.

Addressing ‘members and stakeholders’ it added the funds are ‘insufficient to deliver another major phase of public realm works’ but are ‘significant enough to make a tangible difference to the town centre public realm, and will help deliver more of the benefits and objectives set out in the original bid’.

It said, ‘in line with members’ suggestions’ the money will be used to ‘upgrade’ key elements of the town centre ‘which are currently in a poor state of repair’.

The works listed included: carriageway and footway resurfacing to priority areas, maintenance and upgrade of street furniture.

In particular it highlighted ‘new 20 year tarmac’ pavements at the east and west ends of the High Street, and the carriageway to the west between Bedford Street and the junction with Queensway will be renewed to the same good quality specification already used in High Street.

Street furniture such as bins and benches will also ‘be upgraded to match those already replaced elsewhere in High Street’ and the five bus stops will be replaced with ‘modern marine-grade stainless steel design’.

New signs, from the same material, are also outlined for ‘three town centre locations to assist visitors in wayfinding and signposting them to key attractions and facilities’. The content for each ‘will be circulated for comments before it is finalised’ it stated.

The statement added: “High quality and long-lasting materials and finishes will be used throughout to bring these areas up to the same high standard as the other CCF-funded phases of work.

“The aim is to have the majority of the town centre upgraded to this standard. It has been agreed with West Sussex County Council that their Standard Specification materials will be used for resurfacing.”

It confirmed the work will be carried out by Balfour Beatty, West Sussex County Council’s maintenance contractor, and that businesses and residents in the affected areas ‘will be informed ahead of the works, and kept informed during the work to minimise disruption’.

The statement finishes with ‘a press release will also be circulated in the near future’ which the Observer has requested.

This story will be updated accordingly.

Scrutiny of proposals which could see key children’s services in West Sussex outsourced have been blocked, sparking accusations of a ‘whitewash’.

An ‘Integrated Prevention and Earliest Help Service’ would bring together existing services in Early Childhood, Early Help, Think Family and the Young People’s Service and also incorporate the Healthy Child Programme (HCP).

The proposals have been described as ‘incredibly exciting’ and ‘ambitious’ by West Sussex County Council and could achieve efficiencies of £6million, excluding children’s social care.

As the council is currently holding a procurement exercise for the HCP, which includes health visiting, school nursing, and the family nurse partnership, Labour councillors have expressed fears that if a private company is awarded the contract, it could take over even more services included in the IP&EHS.

Proposals were discussed at the council’s Children and Young People’s Services Select Committee earlier this month, but Labour claims that crucial details were only presented to councillors by officers that same morning.

A request for further scrutiny by five Labour councillors was then blocked by Tory members.

Sue Mullins (Lab, Ifield East and Gossops Green), Labour group leader at WSCC, said: “The discussion on this subject at the select committee was needlessly and ridiculously rushed. There was no time for proper consideration of such an important proposal.

“It was claimed that the reorganisation of these services had nothing to do with saving £6m, but that is untrue - the two are inextricably linked. Why else the rush to push this through?”

Michael Jones (Lab, Southgate and Crawley Central) added: “This is a whitewash, and it speaks volumes that, when challenged, the Tories simply refuse to discuss the matter any further.

“That is not just undemocratic, it’s a dreadful way to run a council. Risking the care and education of our most vulnerable children to outsourcing is simply not the answer.

“The council should be involving staff to help design new services, not simply imposing an ideological model on them, with a high risk of redundancy and inevitably a poorer service.

“There’s no hard evidence to tell us how the £6m savings will be made. But surely there is an argument for spending more not less in this area?

“We need the council’s decision to be withdrawn immediately to give all councillors ample time to thoroughly scrutinise the entire proposal, discover where those savings are likely to be made and give due consideration for continuous provision of in-house services.”

A spokesman for WSCC explained that the call-in request had been rejected by the committee’s business planning group as it did not meet criteria set out in the authority’s constitution, and had been fully discussed by the councillors already.

The spokesman added: “We don’t currently know what the final service design will look like but the core of this redesign is about merging our existing services in order to streamline the support on offer to families and children in West Sussex.

“These changes are ambitious but we firmly believe it’s the right time and the right intervention needed for our vulnerable families.

“Outsourcing would not be considered without a full consultation with those affected and would be the subject of a full business case before any decisions are made.”

Although savings formed part of the work, just as significant was the benefits of combining the services, and the council has been and would continue to work closely with staff throughout the changes.

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It was a pleasure to meet the two new managers, Andy and Dee, at The Roundabout Hotel and, after a pleasant lunch, the ladies were ready for some local history - right on their doorsteps.

The invited Speaker for the day was none other than Lady Emma Barnard, Chatelaine of Parham House and home to her two sons and husband since 1994.

The history of Parham is impressive and from the time of the Dissolution of the Monasteries in Henry VIII’s reign, when Parham belonged to the Abbey of Westminster, it has only been home to three families.

Parham was then granted by Henry VIII to a London mercer called Robert Palmer who was intent on improving the rundown building and so invited his two year old grandson Thomas to lay the foundation stone in 1577 and, because he was the youngest member of the family, it was considered to be lucky.

There was an additional royal connection as Thomas’s mother Elizabeth was god-daughter to Queen Elizabeth 1st and it is believed that there were royal visits to Parham.

In 1601 Parham was sold to Sir Thomas Bysshopp and it remained in his family for some 320 years and then in 1922 the estate was transferred to Clive and Alicia Pearson - Lady Emma’s great grandparents - and has been in her family ever since.

Parham is one of the country’s finest Elizabethan houses, complete with Great Hall and Long Gallery and from the illustrations, which Emma showed us during her talk, its tranquility and timeless beauty have changed little over the centuries.

However the Pearsons initially found it in a dilapidated state with no water, electricity, proper drains and all original panelling heavily painted.

So they employed the architect Victor Heal to carry out major repair and conservation during the 1920s and 1930s. All repairs used traditional methods of craftsmanship and no expense was spared on achieving high standards and authenticity with a view to posterity which holds true today.

During the outbreak of war in 1939 Parham was home to 30 evacuee children from Peckham and in 1942 these children were rehoused in Storrington when Parham became the middle of The South Downs Training Area and accommodation was requisitioned for billeting Canadian officers.

In 1948 the Pearsons opened their doors to visitors and this is still enjoyed by so many people today. When Emma’s great aunt Veronica Tritton died in 1993 the charitable trust, set up to preserve the house in perpetuity, invited her to move in and hold it for the next generation.

We appreciated hearing about this beautiful, quirky, historic house and its history and inhabitants. Barbara Yarrow thanked Emma for her wonderful and intriguing insight into Parham and how marvellous it must be to continue this legacy for future generations. We were assured that there were no ghosts but did remember that the 1995 film Haunted had been filmed extensively at Parham.

Our next meeting is scheduled for Nov 3rd when Alyson Heath will talk to us about Education - we look forward to meeting her.

Contributed by Russ Fry, Fryern Ladies Probus Club

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On Friday 30th September The Forest School, Horsham, hosted its annual Coffee Morning in aid of ‘Macmillan Cancer Support’.

The boys and staff at The Forest School baked a range of fantastic cakes for this worthy cause.

The event was organised by Dyson 3 Tutor Group and raised over £240 in less than 20 minutes.

- Steyning Cricket Club also hosted a Macmillan Coffee Morning, raising money for the cancer care charity.

Carol Wagstaff, event organiser, said: “This year I decided to host a Macmillan Coffee Morning, in memory of my father, and several friends who lost their fight to cancer.

“We were fortunate to be given the support of Macmillan, which helped us.

“From the sale of coffee and cake, and a raffle, we managed to raise an amazing £1,100. With special thanks to Steyning Cricket Club for donating the venue, local businesses, and friends for the wonderful raffle prizes, and the support of friends.

“As many as a hundred people passed through the door.”

Copy and pictures contributed

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October is one of the most colourful times of the year. Many flowers are still blooming and the leaves on trees and shrubs are beginning to change to fiery colours like red, yellow and orange.

It’s a good time to plant trees, shrubs and perennials as the soil still has some warmth and will help to get them established.

Try to get evergreens planted by the end of the month. Evergreen shrubs provide structure and form to the garden throughout the year, but many produce early displays of flowers followed by autumn berries.

Berry-bearing trees and shrubs come into their own this month, creating colourful displays that can last well into winter. From elder berries to rose hips, crab apples to firethorns, the addition of berrying plants adds a new dimension to any garden.

Berrying plants also provide home grown food for hungry birds and wildlife too.

Trained against walls and fences, Firethorn is a valuable evergreen shrub, its thorny stems make it a great choice for producing secure garden boundaries.

Don’t let the spines put you off buying Pyracantha though – they provide valuable nesting sites for birds and their flowers attract bees. Explore the Cotoneaster family too, attractive ornamental shrubs with year-round appeal that make an excellent choice to carpet banks and low borders or train up to cover bare fences. Birds love these berries, quickly stripping stems bare as they stock-up for winter.

For a lot of gardeners October is a tidy-up month, getting plants and containers ready for winter but there are other jobs that need doing as well, as gardening experts will tell you...

September is generally a cooler, gustier month than August and the days are noticeably shorter. While there’s not as much to do in the ornamental garden at this time of the year, if you have a fruit or vegetable patch, you’ll be busy reaping the rewards of harvest.

It’s also time to get out and start planting spring-flowering bulbs for next year and you can collect seeds for next summer’s colour too. Make the most of the remaining warmth while you can!

RHS

Get more plants for free by saving seeds from your favourite plants. You can collect seeds from your garden and the wild, but make sure to label the seeds clearly so you know what they are next spring!

It’s important to keep the lawn clear of fallen leaves as they can harbour disease and harm the grass. Rake up the leaves and put them in the compost bin, then apply a fertiliser.

It’s important to choose an autumn mixture that boosts roots, rather than a spring one that promotes leafy growth.

October is a good month for planting large trees and shrubs - it gives their roots time to get established before winter sets in.

David Domoney, TV gardener and presenter

October’s the time for clearing up. Greenhouses, ponds, gutters and water butts may all need cleaning out, wooden garden furniture will need covering or storing for the winter and terracotta pots will need bringing inside.

Care for your lawn by raking or brushing leaves off the grass.

Try collecting them in a leaf bag, which will turn them into useful leaf mould.

You can also cut the grass for one last time this year.

Make that last cut slightly higher to protect the lawn from winter frost.

Plant bulbs for a colourful spring display. Try planting clumps of five or seven bulbs of the same variety through a border for a really effective display.

In the veg patch plant garlic cloves with their pointed ends up, and spaced 10cm apart.

Eden Project

If you Grow Your Own then October is a good time for digging over vacant areas of the vegetable plot, as the approaching cold weather may help to improve the soil structure by breaking down large clumps into crumbly particles.

Dig up outdoor tomato plants and hang them upside-down in the greenhouse to allow the fruits to ripen.

Cut back asparagus foliage if not already done last month and now is a good time to get ahead and prepare new asparagus beds for planting up in the spring.

When clearing old pea and bean plants, simply cut off the tops for the compost heap, and dig the roots into the soil.

They return valuable nitrogen to the earth, acting as a natural fertiliser.

Take cuttings of blueberries, currants and gooseberries and prepare the ground for new fruit trees, nuts, vines, canes and bushes.

National Garden Gift Vouchers can be bought and redeemed at around 1,800 outlets in the UK, with more than 90,000 garden plants and products on offer. Visit www.thevouchergarden.co.uk to see the outlets that sell and accept them. You can become a fan and buy vouchers on facebook www.facebook.com/GardenGiftVouchers or follow on twitter @GardenGiftVouch or via the blog at www.vouchergardenblog.com

Monthly jumble sales give Selsey Cancer Relief Fund a much-needed boost as it works to support people in the area.

The charity has been raising money for more than 35 years and it is still the humble jumble sale that proves the most popular with supporters.

Chairman Penny Hesp said: “The August sale made £230 and we are increasing every month due to the good-quality clothes, shoes, handbags, bric-a-brac and unwanted gifts and jewellery.

“We welcome any new members to join us at £2 per year and, of course, any goods, collected every month.”

Penny discovered some of the history of the group while out collecting jumble for the charity.

“I was delighted and surprised to meet an original member, Beryl Fraser, just about to celebrate her 96th birthday,” she explained.

“When invited back for tea and biscuits, Beryl had written from memory two sides of A4 on where, how and why this charity was formed.”

With access to the original minute book from the 1980s, Penny has put together a short piece to explain the touching and emotional beginning to the charity.

It was originally named Selsey League of Friends to the Leonard Spencer Fund for Cancer Relief.

Founder member Patricia Hammond lost a friend, 20-year-old Royal Marine Leonard Spencer, who had died from cancer.

“At that time, there was little money to spare in the NHS for all the equipment needed for relief so she decided to gather a few friends around and form this charity, raising funds to support the local hospitals in providing benefit for cancer sufferers,” said Penny.

Trustee David Fraser designed praying hands for the logo, as it was felt to be appropriate.

Within a month, a committee was formed and suggestions for fundraising began, one of the first being a table top sale in the Mill Lane Market.

Penny added: “This soon became popular and Selsey residents were very generous in giving either goods or money to support this wonderful idea.

“Following on were garden parties with hand-crafted gifts, homemade cakes, tombola, nearly-new clothes, street collections, cheese and wine evenings, jumble sales, permit street collections, even something called Hot Rod Day - no idea what that was but it still raised money for the fund.

“Non-stop throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s and now in the 21st century, the members continued to generously give their time and garage or home space for the jumble, nearly new clothes, bric-a-brac, unwanted gifts, etc., especially Pat and John Bryden, early members who still give so many hours to run the charity and keep it all together.”

The charity has donated more than £150,000, on request, to local hospitals and Selsey Medical Centre.

The latest donation was £10,000 to the Fernhurst Cancer Unit at St Richard’s Hospital, to refurbish and equip two treatment rooms.

Penny said: “Still more is needed to fund future requests. So many ways were tried, all very successful, and would you believe it the old favourite jumble sales are still the best turnout.”

She thanked Selsey Methodist Church for allowing use of its hall and all those who help promote the sales through posters and advertisements, including the Chichester Observer.

“Without a hardworking team back in the 1980s and until now, none of this would be possible, so all credit and a big ‘thank you’ to past and present trustees, committee members and helpers.”

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With fireworks season fast approaching, South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) is supporting National Burns Awareness Day on Wednesday October 19 by reminding people of the importance of administering the right first aid for burns and scalds.

A spokespersons for SECAmb said: “While most burns are usually minor, giving the right first aid quickly following a burn or a scald can significantly improve a person’s recovery time and limit the severity of any scarring.

“With a more serious burn, which may require treatment from ambulance crews and further specialist treatment at hospital, it’s especially vital that first aid treatment is provided and instruction over the phone from ambulance staff followed.

“Burns of course happen all year round and across the South East, around 200 people are admitted to the region’s specialist burns unit at Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead each year.

“A further 1,000 patients are referred to the unit for specialist burns treatment each year.

“And across A&E departments in England and Wales it is estimated that some 300 people a day are seen with a burn.

“It’s thought that more than half of all children and adults with a burn injury do not immediately receive appropriate first aid at the scene.

“People can make a real difference to someone’s recovery from a burn by remembering to ‘Cool, Call and Cover’:

*  Cool the burn with running cold tap water for 20 minutes and remove all clothing and jewellery (unless it is melted or firmly struck to the wound)

*  Call for help – you can call the NHS 111 service for initial advice on treating burns or call your local GP. In an emergency, call 999.

*  Cover the burn with cling film or a sterile, non-fluffy dressing or cloth. Make sure the patient is kept warm.”

SECAmb will also be helping raise awareness of burns via its Twitter account @SECAmbulance on October 19.

More information about treating burns and scalds is available on the NHS Choices website at www.nhs.uk/conditions/Burns-andscalds

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Collyer’s Geography department has received the prestigious Secondary Geography Quality Mark Award, recognising exceptional quality of teaching and student work.

The Quality Mark is awarded by the Geographical Association (GA) which is the leading subject association for teachers of geography.

Collyer’s Head of Geography Kate Walters said: “There was a lot of hard work involved in achieving the award; we had to produce an 80-page folder displaying the student’s work, which took a lot of time!”

With only 35 educational establishments across the globe receiving this award, including schools in China and Thailand, Collyer’s exceptional Geography results and high quality teaching has meant that they have become one of the few centres to hold such a prestigious commendation.

Deputy Principal Steve Nicholls was delighted: “We have a superb Geography department who, in addition to the award, have yet again posted some outstanding A-level results this year. Kate Walters and Noami Lask are incredibly talented teachers and their students are an absolute credit to Collyer’s. Congratulations to everyone who has helped achieve the Secondary Quality Mark Geography Award.”

Contributed by Collyer’s

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An Autumn Craft and Gift Fair is being organized for Saturday 12th November.

It will be held in Barns Green Village Hall, RH13 0PT just south of Horsham and will be open from 10.00am to 3.00pm.

This will be the third year for this busy and popular fair. Stalls are still available and can be booked at £25 each through mcbean.ian1@gmail.com

An interesting and wide variety of hand made artefacts and goodies will be on sale, together with some intriguing and unusual bric-a-brac and household items.

There will be plenty of choice for all ages and tastes with many ideas for personal and seasonal gifts.

Light refreshments will be available throughout the day and entry is free. Hoping you can come along and enjoy a relaxing browse or maybe a buying spree!

This fair is a fund raising event for projects at St Nicolas Church, Itchingfield RH13 0NX. The charming, rural church is set in a beautiful conservation area and has grade II listed status.

The wooden shingles on the spire are an unusual feature as is the adjacent mediaeval Priest’s House; a fascinating timbered building where the travelling priest and family would stay over whilst taking services.

Later it was used as an alms house. The church is open during the middle of the day, so should you wish to enjoy a calm moment in a busy world, do stop by.

If you would like more details about our conservation programme, the church, or our forthcoming fund raising events, please contact magsfisher@btinternet.com tel. 01403 790717

Contributed by St Nicolas Church Fund Raising Committee

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Motorists heading to the Gatwick Airport area could face travel difficulties because of flooding.

Following heavy rainfall this morning (Sunday, October 16), traffic travelling north on the M23 is being disrupted.

The motorway is flooded between Junction 9 for Gatwick Airport and the M25 Junction 7.

Check before you travel.

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