Archive for September 3rd, 2010

Get creative with Cathy Brett at Crawley Library

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

Get creative with Cathy Brett at Crawley Library

Calling all young artists aged 11-14 – you have the chance to create your own book or comic characters with the help of a famous illustrator.

Cathy Brett, illustrator and author of teenage book ‘Ember Fury’, will be at Crawley Library on Wednesday September 15 at 5pm for a free workshop on illustration and creative writing and help participants design their own characters.

She will present a prize to the winning idea as well as signing copies of ‘Ember Fury’ and her second book, ‘Scarlett Dead’, a humorous teen horror, which has just been released.

Cathy has been an – illustrator or a ‘scribbler’ – as she likes to call herself, for 20 years and has been a fashion illustrator and consultant to high street shops.

Booking is essential, so book your place today. Visit or call the Library on 01293 651751

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County Council prepares for winter

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

County Council prepares for winter


The long, cold, dark winter evenings may not be drawing in just yet, but West Sussex County Council is already starting to make preparations to cope with a possible repeat of last winter’s severe conditions.

Thousands of tonnes of salt are being stockpiled at depots across the county ready to be used by the County Council’s fleet of 25 gritters.

The County Council has also strengthened its arrangements with Parish, District and Borough councils following a ‘snow summit’ held earlier this year to identify what lessons could be learned from last winter.

Lionel Barnard, Deputy Leader of West Sussex County Council with responsibility for Highways and Transport, said: “Last winter we saw the worst weather conditions for 30 years. The prolonged conditions and a national shortage of salt put councils under pressure.

“The snow summit was a useful opportunity to look at how public and voluntary services coped with the severe weather conditions and how we all might work better together in the future.

“We now have a stockpile of 18,000 tonnes of salt. This is twice as much as we normally use. The County Council will also be extending the distribution of bulk bags of salt and grit to key locations, a new scheme that was piloted last winter with District and Borough councils. The bags each weigh one and a half tonnes and can be targeted at areas in need such as busy shopping precincts, bus stops or railway stations.

“This new initiative was a very effective way of quickly targeting our resources to areas which needed help,” said Lionel.

“We are also working closely with Parish Councils to ensure plans are in place to support local communities, and that where possible we encourage people to help themselves by offering support and advice.”

The County Council will be issuing further advice in the coming months and will have detailed information on its website www.westsussex.gov.uk

The County Council will also be testing its fleet of gritters and snowploughs in its annual ‘Operation Snowflake’ later this year. The pre-winter exercise briefs gritter drivers on routes and tests callout procedures.

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Celebrate Black History Month in Crawley

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

Celebrate Black History Month in Crawley

Celebrate Black History Month this October in Crawley and find out more about the life and work of Mary Seacole.

The half-day introductory course has been organised by the West Sussex Adult and Community Learning Service and takes place on Saturday October 2, at Ifield Community College.

It’s to mark Black History Month – which takes place every October to promote knowledge and celebrate Black History.

Mary Seacole was born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1805. She travelled to the Crimean War, which began in 1854, and ran a daily clinic to help injured soldiers, as well as helping on the battlefield.

Following the war she returned to Britain and was awarded medals by Britain, Turkey and France for her bravery. But she returned with no money, and had to be helped by her friends.

Mary wrote a book about her life, which was a best-seller at the time. She died in 1881 aged 76 and is buried in London.

West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Education and Schools Peter Griffiths said: “Mary Seacole had a fascinating life and is a very important figure in Black History. This half-day course will give an overview of her life and her nursing work to celebrate Black History Month.”

The course costs £19.50 per person. For further information on this course, or any others run by the West Sussex Adult and Community Learning Service, please contact 0845 6 01 01 61, or visit the website at www.westsussex.gov.uk/adulteducation.

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Crawley Walking Festival 2010

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

Crawley Walking Festival 2010

The fifth Crawley Walking Festival explores many of the open spaces in the town and some of the beautiful countryside nearby.

Walkers will pass through the varied Wealden landscapes, with ancient woodland, heathland, historic parks and buildings.

The Crawley Walking Festival is organised by Gatwick Greenspace Partnership and Crawley Borough Council.

The walks range from two to nine miles in length, and take place between September 4 and 19. Some of the walks involve a pub lunch, so booking is essential for these by calling 01293 550730 or emailing barrywildish@sussexwt.org.uk

The full list of walks are below and can also be found at www.sussexwt.org.uk/community/index.htm

Walks:

Saturday September 4, 9.30am – Old Crawley (six miles). Ancient woodland, meadows and a water mill, without leaving Crawley. Meet at Goffs Park car park, by the level crossing on Horsham Road. Lunch at the Goffs Manor pub afterwards.

Sunday September 5, 10am – Gatwick Woods (four miles). A walk around this lovely site and then a stop for a bite to eat. Meet at the Parsons Pig pub, Balcombe Road.

Tuesday September 7, 9.30am – Buchan Park circular (two and a half miles).

Meet at the visitor centre, Buchan Park, for our regular level two walk, which takes about one hour.

Wednesday September 8, 2pm – Pound the parks (three and a half miles). A circuit taking in Grattons, Worth and Crabbet parks. Meet at Grattons car park, St Mary’s Drive, by the railway bridge.

Thursday September 9, 10am – Worth Abbey (nine miles). From Tilgate Forest Golf Centre car park, cross Worth Forest to reach the Abbey grounds. Bring a packed lunch.

Friday September 10, 10am – Slaugham stroll (five miles). Meet at Slaugham Church in the centre of village.

Saturday September 11, 10am – Willoughby Wander (four miles). Meet at Crawley Rugby Club, Ifield Avenue. A lovely circuit through some beautiful meadows.

The following two walks can be combined for a great day’s walking, with a pub lunch.

Saturday September 11, 2pm – Ifield circular (four miles). Meet at the car park behind The Plough pub, Ifield. A walk through the rural landscape west of Crawley.

Sunday September 12, 10am – Beyond Bewbush (eight miles). Meet at Buchan Country Park. Through farmland and woods for a pub lunch at Lambs Green and back.

Tuesday September 14, 9.30am – Tilgate (two and a half miles). Meet at the car park on Gainsborough Road, off Titmus Drive, for our regular level two walk.

Wednesday September 15, 9am – Worth Way (seven miles). Meet at bus stop D, opposite Crawley Station, to catch the 84 bus which leaves at 9.15am. Walk back to Crawley from East Grinstead, stopping for a pub lunch along the way.

Friday September 17, 10am – North of Gatwick (four miles). Park on Povey Cross Road, Horley, heading away from Longbridge Roundabout and meet at the crossroads by the van hire centre. A surprisingly rural walk taking in a section of the River Mole.

Saturday September 19, 2pm – Tilgate trail (five miles). Meet at K2 Crawley leisure centre. Explore the outer bounds of Tilgate Park and Tilgate Forest.

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Lord Lieutenant of West Sussex Makes Last Call for 2011 Queen’s Volunteer Award Nominations

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

Lord Lieutenant of West Sussex Makes Last Call for 2011 Queen’s Volunteer Award Nominations

The Lord-Lieutenant of West Sussex, Mrs Susan Pyper, today made a final call for people across the county to nominate outstanding volunteer groups in their area for the 2011 Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, before this year’s 30th September deadline.

This prestigious UK National Honour, which has an equivalent status to the MBE, recognises the exceptional contributions made to local communities by groups voluntarily devoting their time for the benefit of others. In June this year, 103 outstanding groups received the 2010 Award from the 341 nominations made from across the UK. These groups were nominated by friends, family or members of the public.

Further information can be gained and forms can be downloaded by visiting www.direct.gov.uk/thequeensawardforvoluntaryservice or by calling 020 7781 2397 to request a hard copy. Nominations for the 2011 Award should be received by 30th September 2010 therefore those who know of the great work or indeed have benefited from a voluntary group’s hard work should nominate now. Successful groups will be announced on 2nd June 2011.

Mrs Pyper said, “Volunteering groups in West Sussex make a huge contribution to people’s lives, often without praise for the incredible job they do. A prestigious National Honour such as The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service can prove invaluable in so many ways to their ongoing success.

“The importance of volunteer groups is all the more apparent in the current climate, and I urge people across West Sussex to help recognise those doing outstanding work in their local communities. If you know a group that fits the bill, get a form and nominate!”

Eleven groups from West Sussex have now won the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, over the eight years since it was created by Her Majesty to mark the occasion of her Golden Jubilee in 2002.

This year’s winners from across the UK can be found by visiting the website of by clicking the List of 2010 Winners, while case studies can be found in the Case Studies Section.

For details of all The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service winners or to download a nomination form in pdf, visit www.direct.gov.uk/thequeensawardforvoluntaryservice.

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Meet the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games hopefuls from West Sussex

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

Meet the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games hopefuls from West Sussex

You might not recognise all their names now, but in less than 700 days they could be some of the most high profile in the world, and all have one thing in common – West Sussex.

The county’s most talented sportsmen and women hoping to compete in the London 2012 Games are listed on the West Sussex-Ahead of the Game website.

They describe the dedication needed to get to the top of their sport and their hopes for the London 2012 Games at www.westsussex-aheadofthegame.com

Some of our 2012 hopefuls have competed at previous Games, including Paralympic swimmer Sascha Kindred, who used to live in Crawley, and World Champion swimmer Gemma Spofforth, whose family home is in Slindon; others are training to compete at their first Games in London, including Shoreham-by-Sea born sailor Megan Pascoe and handball player Mark Hawkins.

Mark, who grew up in Horsham, said: “Being West Sussex born and bred I hope the county benefits from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.  It’s going to be a great chance to show off the sporting talent we have in West Sussex, as there are many great athletes from the county.”

As well as featuring our 2012 hopefuls, West Sussex-Ahead of the Game is helping to celebrate the county’s Olympians and Paralympians of the past. The Roll of Honour features people from the Summer Games of 1912 in Stockholm, to 2008 in Beijing.

The best known include Steyning’s Sally Gunnell OBE, Daley Thompson CBE, who went to school in Bolney and was a member of Haywards Heath Harriers, and Duncan Goodhew MBE, who grew up in Yapton.

Also featured are the achievements of many more such as Horsham born John Sheffield at the 1936 Berlin Games, and Denise St Aubyn Hubbard, who lives near Chichester, at the London Games in 1948.

West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Economy Deborah Urquhart, said: “This project has captured the imagination of many people.  We asked for help in collating the information, and many got in contact to tell us stories of people they knew with a strong West Sussex connection, who’ve either competed in the Games or have the potential to do so.

“I’d like to thank everyone who has helped make this important project possible. We will be doing whatever we can to support our 2012 hopefuls in the next two years.”

West Sussex–Ahead of the Game is a countywide initiative to help West Sussex make the most of the 2012 Games.

To find out more about West Sussex–Ahead of the Game, visit www.westsussex-aheadofthegame.com

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Tilgate Park gets high praise from Green Flag judges

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

Tilgate Park gets high praise from Green Flag judges


Tilgate Park received its ninth Green Flag Award in nine years in July – and now the judges have given it another seal of approval.

The judges who toured the beautiful park earlier this year have sent the council a feedback report, which highlights strengths and weaknesses.

The judges said: “Tilgate Park represents the very best of what can be achieved from a well managed and maintained public open space.”

Many aspects of the park were singled out for praise, including the new playground, the lack of dog fouling, a park free of litter, graffiti and vandalism, the re-use of leaves and manure on-site, the input from a wide range of community groups and the strong management of the park.

Tilgate Park, set in 400 acres, scooped its first Green Flag in 2002.

Winners are judged to be welcoming, safe and well maintained and involve the local community.

Tilgate Park boasts a nature centre, golf course, lakes, lawns and gardens, woodland walks and bridleways. The park is open all year round. Tilgate Nature Centre is open from 10am-6pm until October 30 and 10am-4pm afterwards.

The Walled Garden is open everyday from 10am-5pm (until 5.30pm on Sundays and bank holidays). The Walled Garden Café opens from 10am-4.30pm everyday (and until 5pm on weekends and bank holidays) until October 30 and from 10.30am-3pm (and until 3.30pm on weekends and bank holidays) afterwards.

The judges added: “Tilgate is an outstanding park which clearly – and easily – scored sufficient points to retain its Green Flag status. To achieve such an excellent standard is of great credit to all those who work there. Their commitment and feeling of ownership to the park is palpable to anyone who visits.

“The judges are acutely aware that such high levels are neither easy to achieve, or cheap to maintain, but Tilgate Park is remarkable in both these respects and worthy of the highest praise.

“Crawley is lucky to have such a jewel in its crown – but also has a responsibility preserve it.”

Councillor Lenny Walker, Cabinet member for Leisure and Cultural Services,

said: “The judges’ feedback is superb. We know that Tilgate Park is fantastic but it’s great to hear professionals giving it the seal of approval.

“We scored extremely highly but there are still improvements we can make and we’ll take these on board as part of the long-term improvements to the park.”

In July Tilgate Park, along with Goffs Park and Memorial Gardens, all achieved Green Flag status. Goffs Park and Memorial Gardens have both had Green Flags for three consecutive years.

The Green Flag Award is sponsored by the Department for Communities and Local Government, English Heritage and Natural England.

For more details on Crawley’s parks visit www.crawley.gov.uk/parks. For more details on Green Flag Awards visit www.greenflagaward.org.uk

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Farmers’ market returns

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

Farmers’ market returns


Crawley Farmers’ Market returns next Sunday (September 12) from 10am-4pm.

Shoppers will be able to sample delights from more than 20 stalls in Queens Square with meats, vegetables, pastries, breads, cheeses and much more to choose from.

The market will be packed with local produce from Sussex, Surrey, Kent and Hampshire and is run by a locally-based stallholder.

The market will return to Queens Square on the second Sunday of each month.

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Find out how art steered young offenders away from crime

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

Find out how art steered young offenders away from crime

TEN former young offenders from West Sussex will showcase on Friday September 3 the work they created during an intensive six-week multi media course designed to stop them returning to crime.

They are holding an exhibition of their work at Horsham Youth Centre, Hurst Road, Horsham, RH12 2DN, between 7pm-9pm.

The course, which was run by West Sussex Youth Offending Service (YOS), was designed to improve numeracy and literacy as well as build on skills that will enable the young offenders to move into college or find employment.

The course gave the young people the chance to acquire a formal arts qualification by getting involved in:

• Computer game design.

• Photography.

• Graphic Design.

• Music Production.

They also had to run workshops that enabled them to share their newly acquired art skills with other young people.

Luke O’Keefe, YOS Sports and Activities Co-ordinator, said: “The work produced by young people demonstrates notable talent. It provides evidence that given the opportunity these young people can achieve great things.”

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By-Election Date Announced

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

By-Election Date Announced

A date has been set for a West Sussex County Council by-election.

Voters in the Maidenbower electoral division of Crawley will go to the polls on Thursday, October 7th to elect a new County Councillor.

The by-election has been caused by the resignation of former Council Leader Henry Smith, who was elected as Member of Parliament for Crawley in May this year.

Nominations for the vacancy will close at noon on Friday, September 10 and a list of candidates will be published on Tuesday, September 14th.

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