Plumpton & East Chiltington News January 2015 PLUMPTON & EAST CHILTINGTON NEWS ADVERTISEMENTS (Line Adverts £17 per annum) G S R O O C L U BS I P E S T I E S For changes or new entries: phone: 01273 890 722 e-mail: [email protected] R. A. Brooks & Son (Newick) 01825 722895 George Justice (Lewes) 01273 474174 The Hairdressers (Wivelsfield Green) 01444 471224 Michael Pearce BSc 01273 891791 Mark Watts Drainage 01273 812331 Baby & Toddler Group British Legion Care Club Chailey Commons Society Cricket Club Dance Classes for Children East Chiltington Angling Club Flower Club Football Club Footpath Society Golf Society Guides Happy Circle Haywards Heath Town Ladies Football Club Honeybees Preschool Horticultural Society Hospice Support Group Junior Football Neighbourhood Watch Oil Buying Group Pantomime Society Plumpton Activity Scheme Plumpton Beavers & Cubs Plumpton Bowmen Plumpton Players Plumpton Short Mat Bowls Plumpton Tennis Club PPTFA Rugby Club Scouts Southdown East Pony Club Stoolball Club Village Action Plan Wildlife & Habitat Group Women’s Institute Plumpton & East Chiltington News PUBLISHED BY: The Magazine Committee, The Rectory, Plumpton Green Editor & Admin Advertising Typesetting Jess 890225 Reg Lanaway 890070 Ann Chapman 890048 William Coleman 01444 831923 Kelvin Speirs 890785 Carol Grant 01444 243592 Dave Denny 07831 679516 Gill Wells 890561 Ian Earl 891099 Judy Lawrenson 01273 472277 Matthew Rothwell 07708 204613 Anna Mackenzie Dodds 891927 Dorothy Brook 890016 Peter Hickman Ken Beard Reg Lanaway Darryl Bailey 01444 257822 890885 890572 890070 07792 686673 Diane Marks 07929 336065 Duncan Taylor-Jones 487151 Lynn Sinden 890194 Andrew Holdsworth Jane Midgen Malcolm Beard Maria Roche Marie Leviston Mike Allen Rodney Hill Mike Nichols Jo Taylor Reg Stone Catherine Jackson Marilyn Nye Reg Stone Reg Stone Penny Acton 890 722 890 722 890001 01825 721328 890826 890002 891497 890076 890410 01444 452295 890450 890772 890219 891323 PRINTED BY: Devon Print [email protected] Inside cover Funeral Directors Furniture & Antique Restorers Hairdressing Registered Osteopath Sewage Consultant The Rector writes …. I would like to wish you all a very happy and prosperous New Year. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and Santa brought you everything for which you wished! January is always a time to look forward to things to come and a time to remember what you did last year. No wonder HMRC has chosen January as the last date in which you can submit your tax return on line for 2013-2014! Having worked in one of its predecessors, HM Customs & Excise, I know how busy it gets in the office with people asking all sorts of questions! There are two stories from the New Testament which come to mind at this time of year. Firstly, the calling of Matthew the Tax Collector as a disciple of Jesus: in this event Jesus calls Matthew to leave his former way of life and dedicate himself to serve God in a new way. Secondly, the exchange between the enemies of Jesus and Jesus himself over the payment of taxes: here Jesus confounds his questioners by reminding them that we must obey our civil authorities by paying our taxes (render unto Caesar that which belongs to Caesar) and by giving to God everything that he requires in loving service. No doubt Jesus’ society had their own accountants just as we have today and it certainly pays us to use them so that Caesar may have exactly what he demands, no more, no less. After all just like Matthew of old the modern day HMRC now admits to have over-charged more than 4 million tax payers over a long period of time. However the collection of taxes is one thing, the spending of them is another and that is the realm of our politicians! Remember May is not so far off!! Christmas Carol Extravaganza This was a great event and was enjoyed by everyone who attended the Concert. The Police Choir was on great form and Marion Jenner was excellent as the Compère. Thanks must also go to Kelvin and Karen Speirs for running the raffle and to everyone who donated a raffle prize. It was a wonderful start to our Christmas celebrations. Christmas Services Our thanks to Gill Wells for decorating All Saints for the Carol Concert and Christmas Services. I hope that everyone enjoyed all the Services and Carol Singing. Both All Saints and East Chiltington Parish Church were beautifully decorated; so many thanks once again to Gill and to Veronica Harris and her team. Carol Services around the Village M a n y thanks to Chris, Paul and Nicole for hosting our Carol Services around Plumpton. We were made very welcome and everyone enjoyed themselves. Parents and Toddlers Service Every Wednesday at 2pm in All Saints Church Annex there will be a special Parents and Toddlers Service. It will last about half an hour with refreshments afterwards. Everyone is welcome and you can bring your own instruments as well!! Sunday School Plumpton & East Chiltington Sunday School will meet on Sunday, 18th January at 10.30am in All Saints Church Annex. All are most welcome. Parochial Church Council There will be a meeting of the PCC on Monday, 5th January at 7.30pm in All Saints Church. The meeting begins with worship, followed by the meeting. Churchyards in 2015 During 2015 the P.C.C. has asked James Otway to oversee the upkeep of the Churchyards at East Chiltington. If you have any comments or have been very kindly mowing and strimming the Churchyards please contact James. From Easter 2015 both St Michael’s and All Saints will be mowed by a new contractor. However we will be asking you for contributions towards the cost of mowing these two churchyards. Church Choir The Choir meets every Thursday at 7.30pm in All Saints, Plumpton Green. We look forward to meeting new members and further information can be had from The Rector on 890570. The choir will be preparing for our Plough Sunday and other January Services. Please do come and join us. Pop-in-Parlour The Pop-in-Parlour will open all through the month of January. Please come and drop into All Saints Church Annex from 11am onwards for tea/coffee, lite-bites, home-made soup and friendship. Come and meet up with friends and make new ones. Pilgrimage to the Holy Land: 3-12 February 2015 Only one month to go, so if you would like to join us on this exciting adventure to the Holy Land, please let either the Rector or the Churchwardens know a.s.a.p. if you would to have a copy of the new tour programme and booking form. We have a new departure date and place: Gatwick Airport which allows us two additional days for visits to historic places and a reduction in price by £80. There are one or two places left. Everyone is very welcome. From the Registers INTERMENT OF ASHES Sheila Jean MILNE 9th December 1 www. plumptonmag.com www.plumptonpc.co.uk December, 2014 Report Level Crossing. Network Rail has advised that the level crossing will be closed between 16 and 19 January to enable engineers to change the track in preparation for replacement of the crossing gates. However, no indication was given that a planning application is imminent. Residents should, however, note the dates of closure to minimise the likely inconvenience that will occur. Speeding. A member of the public stated that the number of motorists who exceed the speed limit when driving through Plumpton Green appears to be on the increase. It was pointed out that our local PCSO had appealed several times for volunteers to man regular speed checks in the village with no success. Four volunteers were recruited from those present at the meeting and the Parish Council will endeavour to contact volunteers who had operated the checks for VAP and liaise with the PCSO to start up checks again. If anyone else would like to help contact PCSO Steve Knowles and his details are to be found on the Police Report page. In the meantime Council agreed to fund the installation of signs reducing the speed limit to 40 mph between the Plough and the existing 30 mph limit at the north of Plumpton Green and to impose a 40mph limit at the southern end of Plumpton Lane. Parking on Pavements. It was also pointed out that inconsiderate motorists still persist in breaking the law and endangering the lives of pedestrians by parking partially on pavements. Numerous warnings, pleas and requests have been issued to such people over the years but they continue to ignore them. Parking partly on the pavement does not automatically allow two other cars to pass on the road, but it does force pedestrians, sometimes with baby buggies, to step out onto the road and into the path of traffic. If two cars do attempt to pass alongside one of these illegal parkers then the motorists concerned should be aware of a very serious risk of vehicle damage being caused. New Bench. Generous residents have offered to provide a new bench near the Lentridge bends but sought assurance that the Parish Council would ensure proper future maintenance. Council was pleased to give such an assurance. Planning. Three planning applications were reviewed. It was announced that an application has been lodged for a major development at the western end of Riddens Lane and that this would be reviewed by the Planning Committee in the 2 village hall at 7.30 pm on January 5. The meeting will be open to the public. Neighbourhood Plan. Progress is firmly being made in developing the plan to enable residents to influence the way future development within Plumpton is conducted. A number of landowners who consider that their land is suitable for development have been invited to present their proposals at a meeting in Plumpton village hall on January 6. Members of the public are invited to attend to listen to what is said. The meeting will run from 6.0 to 10.0 pm. There will be breaks! Affordable Housing. Council was delighted to learn that the 14 units in Sun Close have been allotted to 13 families either living in Plumpton or with strong local connections and one unit that was not taken up by others on the shortlist goes to a family from South Chailey. Who could ask for more? Comments have been passed on the colour of the roof tiles used in the development. Council understands that they were specified by Lewes District Council. Budget. A comprehensive report had been prepared for the meeting concerning the budget for 2015-2016 that will affect the amount the parish levies through Council Tax. Important factors included outstanding costs for implementing the Neighbourhood Plan (a sizeable grant has been obtained), the new sports pavilion project, administration costs that have increased but are providing great benefits and other necessary items. It was felt that an increase was inevitable, but it should be contained as much as possible. It was agreed that the precept should be increased by 23%, an increase in Council Tax of 29p per week. Cuts in services etc., provided by District and County Councils have placed a higher burden on the Parish in some cases and thus simply shifted the costs from one body to another. Bevernside Pocket Park. Discussions have taken place between residents of East View Fields, the Wildlife and Habitat Group and a representative of the Parish Council. Feedback is that some residents are opposed to opening up the area for the enjoyment of the public. Because of the lateness of the hour the matter was postponed for discussion at a later date. Next Meeting. This will take place at 7.45 pm in the committee room at the village hall on Tuesday, January 13, 2015. The meeting will be open to the public. Parish Clerk. Mrs Sarah Jeffers, 8 Heasewood, Bolnore Village, Haywards Heath, RH16 4TS. 01444-441302. Newick & District Decorative and Fine Art Society Plumpton & District Footpath Society Plumpton Village Hall. Tuesday January 13th 2015 2.15pm PROGRAMME FOR JANUARY 2015 Sunday, January 4. Meet at Plumpton village hall (TQ362 165) at 2.0pm ready for a four mile walk to Hattons Green and Yokehurst. Ring 01825 723716 for further information. Wednesday, January 7. Gather at Ditchling Common Car Park (TQ338 181) at 10.30 am for a circular walk to include lunch at the Cock Inn . Call 01273 890450 if you need to know more. Saturday, January 18. Make your way to the car park for the Laughing Fish, Isfield (TQ451 171) for 10.15 am to enjoy a five mile, circular trek to the east of Isfield via Little Horsted and over the ESN golf course. Lunch at the Laughing Fish optional. More details on 01825 722649. Wednesday, January 28. Arrive at Plumpton village hall from 2.0 pm ready for a talk on the renovation of Oldlands Mill, Keymer that will be given by Colin Walford at 2.30 pm. Sunday, February 1. Assemble at the Sloop car park, Scaynes Hill (TQ385 244) at 2.0 pm in readiness for a 3.5 mile circular walk eastwards. You can find out more on 01273 890450. SAATCHI A MODERN MEDICI Lecturer Barry Venning The Medici family dominated Florence for generations and Lorenzo de Medici, known as the Magnificent, sponsored such artists as Botticelli and Michelangelo. Charles Saatchi has been called a modern-day Medici and, had he been living in Florence in its heyday, he could have bought four versions of Michelangelo's statue of David for the price he paid for Tracey Emin's dirty bed - even allowing for inflation since 1499! Like the Medicis, Saatchi exercises tremendous power in the international contemporary art market. He can make and break artists' reputations, and somewhat controversially he has defined the character and direction of recent British art. Our lecturer Barry Vanning is a historian of British Art and he was the BBC s script consultant and expert commentator for a 2005 documentary on Turner s Fighting Temeraire. His interests and his teaching extend from medieval architecture to contemporary British art and he is currently an Associate Lecturer with the Open University. The 2015 RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch takes place on 24-25 January Inside cover Plumpton Parish Council Come and enjoy what should be a most interesting lecture. Visitors are always most welcome and the cost is £7 on the door with tea and biscuits afterwards and a chance to talk to the speaker. If you require any further information please ring Marjorie Blunden on 01825 723250. For details on how to take part, go to http://www.rspb.org.uk. And of course Happy New Year to everybody! Tony Hutson also collates the results for Plumpton so please copy them to him at Winkfield, Station Road, or email [email protected] or ring 01273 890 341. Annette Shelford 31 www.plumptonmag.com Plumpton Primary School January 2015 We hope you all had a very happy Christmas. The end of the Christmas term was very busy at school with children rehearsing for the nativity play and carol concert which, we hope many of you were able to attend. Our PPTFA held a very successful Christmas Fair and we were pleased to see many of you there. Thank you to all those parents who were able to attend the Reading and Phonics workshop to find out more about how we teach these key areas of learning in order to help children at home. We were very pleased to see you. A huge ‘well done’ to our Choir for their excellent performance at the Village Festive Fair. The children were pleased to take part and we have had a very good response to their performance. As you know, music and the arts are an important part of the Plumpton Primary School ethos and our recent Harvest Festival and last weekend’s performance shows that this continues to be a core part of the children’s education here. We have appointed a new Caretaker – Mr Rodriguez joined us in December. We are all pleased to welcome him to the Plumpton School community. Mr Cornford continues in his role as Assistant Caretaker and Cleaner at the school and we are very pleased that our site team is now back to full strength. Update regarding Headteacher recruitment The Governing Body have begun the process of securing the permanent leadership of Plumpton Primary School. The Governors have met with the Local Authority in order to ensure that they are clear on the legalities which underpin this process. Meetings of the Governing Body have taken place to work on the details of what is a key focus and to ensure that they secure the best leadership possible for the school. Please be assured that we will keep you informed as things develop. Thank you for your continued support of everyone here at Plumpton Primary School – it is greatly appreciated. Plumpton Village Action Plan www.plumptonvap.co.uk JANUARY UPDATE FESTIVE FAIR Thanks to everyone who contributed a prize to the raffle – the prizes seem to get better each year. Funds raised will go to the Village Action Plan. And you could also relax over a cup of tea with a delicious cake served by the Plumpton Tennis club – raising funds for the new Tennis Pavilion Plumpton started the Christmas season in style! 29th November saw shoppers turning out in their hundreds to take advantage of all the food and craft delights that were on offer. There were meats, breads, chutneys, biscuits, honey and cheeses, with wine to savour, and a whole host of delicious cakes. Stunning paintings and photographs, greetings cards, wood craft, bird boxes and so much more! To begin with Sussex Wildlife Trust entertained children and helped them make a wooden reindeer which will be on show all through December at the Primary School. This was followed by the Primary School Choir, led by the new choirmaster, John Sandford, who gave us a fine rendition of some well-known Christmas carols. And then came Father Christmas who spoke to children about their Christmas wishes in a beautifully decorated grotto - such a magical sight! So many people helped to make the event so special – thank you to every one of you. But particular thanks must go to Sue Morgan, Carole Nicholson and Sue Whittaker who orchestrated a magnificent event. After six years at the helm, the organising team are handing over the baton to the Plumpton Hospice Support Group. This is great news as it should mean that this popular event can continue for many years to come! Have a very Happy New Year. CHAILEY & NEWICK PAINTING GROUP - Annual exhibition Outside it was dull, damp and dismal but inside Chailey village hall it was warm and welcoming, bright, busy and buzzing, thanks to all our lovely visitors. We at the painting group take it as a great compliment that, in spite of the atrocious weather, just as many of you as ever came to enjoy our exhibition; a big thank you from all of us! The winner of the favourite painting vote was Katherine Walden's stunning pastel painting of a heavy horse, 'Gentle Giant'. To see this painting and images of the runners-up visit our web-site www.chaileyandnewickpaintinggroup.org.uk Next year's exhibition will be on November 21st & 22nd; we look forward to seeing you all again then. Carlina Oliver (Chairman) www.plumptonmag.com 28 5 www.plumptonmag.com inappropriate in so many respects. However, we have been advised that the possible threat at least needs to be taken seriously; precedents elsewhere suggest that the developers’ argument that LDC’s housing shortfall could be resolved in one fell swoop with such a large development may trump others. Eton’s College’s Development Plans for East Chiltington East Chiltington Parish Council has just discovered that the owners of a large area of land in the northern part of the parish, Eton College, are promoting major housing development on this land. As many residents will be aware, Landowners were invited to offer possible development sites as part of Lewes District Council’s (LDC) LDC’s Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA). The Eton College land in East Chiltington, which is centred around North Barnes Farm, was offered, but classified as not suitable by LDC. It therefore does not currently form part of LDC’s and South Downs National Park Authority’s (SDNPA’s) Joint Core Strategy, which will guide development in the district up to 2030 The process of ratifying the Core Strategy allows for representations to be made on behalf of those who object to elements of it. Eton College, via its agents Porta Planning, have lodged such an objection. They state that the omission of the North Barnes land is unsound, that the site ‘has the potential to make a significant contribution to meeting the District Council’s housing requirements’ and that it could be a ‘strategic site for major development’. This representation will be considered, alongside others, at the formal examination of the Core Strategy that will take place prior to its adoption in a series of hearings from 20th30th January at the Amex Stadium, in Brighton. ECPC is investigating whether there is any possibility of directly influencing this process. We believe that Eton College will unsuccessful because its proposal is be so We will keep parishioners informed of any further developments. If you wish to view the proposed area, then please visit http://www.lewes.gov.uk/ planning/shlaa.asp and look at the map for Burgess Hill, Ditchling and Plumpton Green. The site reference is 11PL. The text of the representation to the Core Strategy Examination can be accessed by going to http:// www.lewes.gov.uk/corestrategy and then clicking on ‘focused amendments representations’. It is reference REP/319. The next Parish Council meeting is at 7pm on Thursday 22nd January 2015 at Beechwood Hall, Cooksbridge. Another successful year for Plumpton Support Group of St Peter and St James Hospice who have been working very hard this year organising events to raise money for this most worthwhile cause. With your help in providing prizes or support for the various events we have raised £9,776.54. We would like to extend our thanks to you for your continued support, without which we would not have had such a successful year. Our next task is to arrange similar events for next year and although we appreciate that it is not always possible to provide support we are hoping that you will be able to continue to help us. Next year we will be taking over the organisation of the Festive Fair which has previously been run very successfully by the Village Action Plan team. Dates for your diary: Saturday 18 April – Sausage and Mash Quiz night Friday 24 April – Bluebell Walk Saturday 6 June – Patchwork Material Sale Saturday 22 August – Jumble Sale November – Festive Fair 6 PLUMPTON TENNIS CLUB NEWS JANUARY 2015 CLUBHOUSE PROJECT NEWS At the time of writing, work on the foundations has commenced. The rain makes this a challenging part of the project. In fact, with the amount of rain we’ve had, perhaps we should run a mud wrestling challenge as a fundraiser!!!! Please take special care on the track as there will be trucks and deliveries. The Parish Council will reinstate the 5mph sign to remind drivers to go slowly. We also hope to put in a passing bay, so that there is no necessity for cars to drive on the grass verge on the playing fields. Further improvements will be made as funds and materials become available. NEW YEAR MEMBERSHIP OFFER Do you know someone who would like a tennis club membership? We are offering 15 months membership for the price of 12 months for new members, if you join in January. Adult membership January 1 to end of March 2016 for £120 (which works out at £8 per month). Families can join for £240 (including 2 children). Junior membership is priced at £25 under this offer. An extra £5 is applicable per individual or family, which includes a key. In addition, anyone taking up this offer will also get their first coaching lesson free. FUNDRAISING We are delighted to report that our Annual Quiz raised over £1200. There was a great atmosphere and lots of complimentary feedback which is encouraging. A week later and we were running the kitchen at the Festive Fair for the first time. We thoroughly enjoyed the day and raised a very welcome £318 for club funds, so we must have done something right. Well done to Lesley Satchell and Sue Brown who organised our efforts and thanks to club members for all the delicious cakes. TENNIS Weather permitting, we’ll be back in action with our annual “Frostbite” tournament on 4h January. The public are welcome to join in and play. Maria on behalf of PTC. Contact: Maria Roche 07748 958971/[email protected] Coaches: Zoard 07424 801007/Sorin 07934 375248 Membership: Tim Gaynor 07779 082629 www.plumptontennisclub.hitstennis.co.uk 27 www.plumptonmag.com Bird Watch were specially protected. Looking forward have you ever considered making a list of the birds you identify during the year? The possibilities are many. An annual list of all species you see is an obvious one but a garden list, a Sussex list or a list of those seen incidentally during non-Natural History programmes on television is quite popular! Whatever you choose it will improve your identification skills so good luck. R.J.L. At the beginning of a new year we usually look back over what passed during the old one and what may expect or hope for in the next. It looks as if 2014 has been a warmer year than average with heavy rainfall early and late. This effected the birds’ breeding season favourably and as we had an early spring, many produced young that were on the wing a month ahead of those in 2013 when we had had such a cold late season. This year provided the juvenile birds extra time to grow strong and increase their survival possibilities and the adults plenty of the season left to produce later broods. The fine autumn with a bumper crop of berries and fruit ensured that the returning summer migrants attained good body weights for their journeys south. The juice of Blackberries and Elderberries is very rich in sucrose. This readily turns into fat on the bird and is a natural energy source that is used as fuel as they migrate. Many travel hundreds of miles in one flight. To give an indication of how a bird’s weight can vary during a year can be proved by our ringing studies. Before releasing a bird we measure its wing length and weigh it. Blackcaps are a species of which I am particularly fond and handle over a hundred annually. During the breeding season an adult will weigh about 17.5 grams whereas in September when preparing for migration I have known some to exceed 24 grams. It is also interesting to look even farther in the past to compare bird populations then and now. Looking back fifty years the absence of birds of prey was of concern and it was uncommon to see any, even Kestrels, locally in the 60s and 70s. The use of some particularly lethal chemicals as seed dressings and sheep dips had a knock on effect and decimated the top predators in the countryside. Not only did they poison the birds but their eggs had very thin shells that did not hatch. There had always been a residual population of Sparrow-hawks in large parks and woods away from the agricultural areas breeding successfully but as their young dispersed into the countryside they quickly succumbed. However, when these treatments were withdrawn and after a time they were no longer lethal, there was this supply of young birds ready to colonise the now safe countryside. Common now are Sparrowhawks but it was only in 1983 that they came off the Schedule 1 list of birds whose nests www.plumptonmag.com SOME CHANGES Our long standing printers have upped sticks and just moved to Devon However, they are still able to print this magazine and get it to us without difficulty. Previously the mag has been printed elsewhere and there were no problems, so the Magazine Committee is delighted to be able to leave arrangements more or less as they have been. The move to Devon has necessitated changing Sussex Print Ltd., to Devon Print Ltd., and the company will be based at Unit A, Yeo Vale Industrial Estate, Lapfield, Devon. Email [email protected] The insertion of flyers into the magazine is very popular amongst some people and the arrangement can, happily, continue but with some modifications to the procedure. Devon Print will gladly quote to print flyers and insert them in the magazines before delivering them to our distributors. However, anyone not wishing to use that service can deliver ready printed items to a Plumpton address and they can be inserted locally at a cost of £20. All enquiries for that service should be directed to Reg Stone 01273 890722 or [email protected]. 850 copies will be required. We thank Ayman and his team at Sussex Print for their excellent service over the past few years and look forward to working with Ayman and his new team at Devon Print. Reg Stone (Editor). 24 Plumpton Police Report Incidents recently reported – On the 12/11/2014 there was an attempted burglary in Southdowns between 08:30 and17:45. On the 26/11/2014 a vehicle was stolen from a property in Station road, not far from the shop between 21:00 and 23:00. On the 28/11/2014 a vehicle parked in the pavilion car park had its rear offside window smashed. This occurred between 9am and 9pm. Scam calls – This is becoming a major concern due to the increased number of scam calls at present. More and more scams are coming to light and people are falling victim on a very regular basis. It is important to be able to identify a scam call so resident are encouraged to remember the following Nobody who calls you should be asking for your personal or bank details so please do not provide them. There are a number of scam calls from people claiming to be from the police and asking for personal details. Please note that the police have no reason at all to ask for your bank details, if you have any doubt that the person is a real officer you can always contact the police on 101 and ask if this officer is genuine. However if you do this always use a different phone than the one you got the call on as the likelihood is the caller is still on the line and will intercept your call, claiming to be the 101 switchboard. This has happened. Residents are also reminded about the risks of internet and postal fraud. If you receive mail stating you have won money and to claim you need to send money, do not believe it. Emails are being sent out saying things like you have had an accident or you are guilty of an offence. If they are asking for personal details please ignore the email. If you have concerns, contact the police. If you would like more information on scams, please contact your local officer. Burglary – Burglaries are again a top priority across the district and we encourage residents to please be 9 mindful of your home security. Make sure your home is secure when you leave it and do your best to keep valuable items out of sight. Laptops, tablets and other small electronic items are particular items we have had reports of being stolen. Please be mindful about who you see in the area. If you have concerns about any people of vehicles in your area then please let us know. If you can, try and get the index of any vehicles you intend to report. Sussex police still offer a free home security visit to residents. Please contact your local PCSO for more info. Cold callers – We have had further reports of cold callers in Plumpton. Where as some door to door callers are genuine, please remain vigilant. Do not grant them access to your house unless they are there by appointment and do not provide them any personal details. If a door to door caller gets abusive or if you have any problems with cold callers please call police. Op Crackdown Op Crackdown has been put in place to allow members of the public to report Anti-social driving or abandoned vehicles easily without having to use the switchboard. This method has proven to be very reliable with a number of drivers being dealt with accordingly thanks to the reports made on Op Crackdown. To make a report on Crackdown simply visit www.operationcrackdown.org. Each report will take about 5 minutes. Local officer contact To contact your local officer you can email to [email protected] Or call 07787685708 or 101 - ext 563018 Please note that if you are reporting an incident all calls should go through the police switchboard. Non emergency 101 Emergency 999 Chailey Commons Society The Annual Ladybirds & Honeybees: w w w . c h a i l e yc o m m o n s . o rg . u k Curry & Quiz First of all let me wish you a very Happy New Year. Teams of 8 (individuals welcome) Saturday 7 Feb Our last two outdoor meetings for 2014 were, firstly, an Archaeology and Local History Walk when Linda Ball updated us on the findings from Pound and Romany Ridge, with special reference to the war time trenches which are under more intense investigation. Secondly, we enjoyed an Armistice Day Walk with Ian Seccombe, who took us from the War Memorial, at Chailey Green, to sites of war time history, including the tree carvings (arborglyphs) at Markstakes Common. These give a fascinating record of the troops who were there on the way to the D-Day landings. Plumpton Village Hall Pm Big plate of homemade curry Choice of dessert/cheese & biscuits Free entry to quiz Raffle with amazing prizes Licensed bar only Tickets only £12.50 A large number of members and friends came along to the Indoor Meeting to hear the wonderful talk given by Dr. Nikki Gammans on ‘The Life of the Bumblebee’. It was fascinating to hear about these marvellous little creatures and their life style. Bring your own crocks and cutlery [email protected] 01273 890589 Our first meeting this year will be our indoor meeting on Thursday January 15th at 7.30.p.m. in the Chailey Village Hall, by the Five Bells pub, when we hear from our volunteer surveyors about their results from 2014 on Pound Common. We will also have a special item of news, when Rory Galpin will tell us about his trip to Nepal. JUMBLE SALE From time to time there are volunteer working parties on the commons and details of these will be advised on the website or in the Newsletter. There is also a regular volunteer group at Markstakes Common who meet on Mondays at 9.30.a.m.. Do come along if you feel that these’ Green Gym’ activities would be of interest. Plumpton Short Mat Bowls Club SATURDAY, JANUARY 3 Plumpton Village Hall 2.0 pm Refreshments, cakes, Tombola etc. Please take donations of jumble to the hall during the morning of the sale. For further information visit our website – www.chaileycommons.org.uk William Coleman 01444 831098 10 Plumpton Wildlife & Habitat Group back to the tower of All Saints Church, where we have installed 30 nest chambers. The recording of swift calls is working well, thanks to Peter Baxter, but from experience elsewhere it may be some years before we get swifts moving in. Kingfisher - One of the main nesting sites for kingfishers on the Plumpton Stream was destroyed when a tree fell on it last winter. We prepared a few new banks we thought might be suitable for nesting and created a ‘starter hole’, but we don’t think any were used this year. Nightingale walk - The results of our annual nightingale walk were people 25: nightingales 0. But nobody seemed very upset and a number of people said they returned on a later evening and were well rewarded. Dormouse – We surveyed two new areas for dormouse and sadly found no evidence – the first no show in four years of surveying. We will continue to survey and monitor suitable sites locally. Bats - We are still trying to track down the summer breeding colony site of 125 pipistrelle bats that settled at one house near the shop in late May but suddenly disappeared just as the birth period was approaching. Bug Hotel – We were delighted to help Plumpton School renovate their bug hotel, with the help of 40 of the children. The kids had a great time and we collected about 40 different types of invertebrate, which were put back into the structure as it was rebuilt. We hope we can do more activities with the school in the future. Neighbourhood Plan - We are working with the Plumpton Parish Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group to ensure wildlife and their habitats are represented in the plan’s policies, which will shape development in the village for the next 15 years. 2015 – Of interest is the recent designation of a Brighton & Lewes UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. A large chunk of Plumpton is included (that part which is in the South Downs National Park). This is a significant international designation. A Partnership of organisations is currently agreeing priorities, which will probably concentrate on developing community interest and involvement in the maintenance and enhancement of the wildlife of the area. Annual General Meeting 2014 Our 2014 annual general meeting opened with a fascinating talk by Iain Parkinson, Conservation and Woodlands Manager at Wakehurst Place. Iain talked about his quest to locate wildflower meadows the length and breadth of England, the beautiful meadows he found, the people who have created and maintain them, and the studies he has led at Wakehurst Place into the best ways to sow and harvest these meadows. By hand, it seems, and with a very big scythe. Following his talk PW&HG Chair Tony Hutson summed up the year’s events and achievements, including: Meadows – We resurveyed the Plough meadow and a neighbouring private property and identified about 60 species of flowering plant at both. We unfortunately lost the Jubilee meadow at the Playing Fields but continue to look for another area to develop. We continue to maintain the wildflower areas at the station through the Station Partnership Scheme and with the support of Southern area manager Kate Richards and her maintenance team. Woodland – We surveyed a number of woodlands this year, mostly for the first time. These survey results are being compiled with earlier surveys to create a comprehensive record. We continue to manage Ferrings Wood and we also gave advice on and helped plant a hedge at the playing fields from whips provided free by the Woodland Trust. We continued our ancient trees survey, which we hope to complete next year. Pocket Park – Plumpton Parish Council approached us for advice on how to make the Pocket Park, the strip of wood by the Bevern Stream between East View Fields and Riddens Lane, more accessible to parishioners. It is an interesting site and houses an important rookery. The Parish Council is consulting with residents whose property borders on the area as to how to go proceed. Toads - Following last year’s mass mortality of toads on roads around the village, we successfully worked with the East Sussex County Council (ESCC) Highways Department to get some warning signs installed to alert motorists at key crossing places. Swifts – We continue to try to entice swifts Catherine Jackson 23 Footpath Detective’s Diary: along Charleston Bottom. The rain is easing now and being in the valley gives protection from the wind. This is a very peaceful valley and in Spring its flanks are adorned with wild flowers. At the end of the valley is a crossing point of many paths. I take one that heads north and winds its way up onto Lullington Heath, a National Nature Reserve. There are many paths but not all are through paths but rather end at a bench or a dew pond or nowhere in particular. I explore through the gorse and work my way east to join another section of the SDW to descend to Jevington Church, tiptoeing through the tree routes and the mud. JAUARY 2015 A Romp Across The Hills The turn of the year is traditionally a time to reflect on the past and look forward to the future. Many will have made New Year resolutions. That is not something I consciously do specifically on 1 January but it is around the end of the year that I make some plans towards the sporting events I will enter for the coming year. As these will involve some running events on rough ground it provides me with opportunities to explore the paths and test my running at the same time. The South Downs provide a wonderful playground for both all year round and the higher chalk ground comes into its own when the weather is wet because it drains. This route is one I explored on a very wet day but its a beautiful route in the sun too. I cross the village and continue on the SDW to climb Bourne Hill and at a major path crossing turn right and head onto Willingdon Hill. This path is taking me back to Friston but now the rain has stopped and I have a bit more to do. There is also a local bike race going on around the Beachy Head circuit and a bit of effort on my part could get me to see the finish on the final climb so I head south. My chosen route takes me across a series of hills in short succession which maybe why these paths are quiet. The first path descends on the eastern edge of East Dean to Ringwood Bottom, then a sharp climb to cross the A259 where I catch sight of the cyclists. On and up to Mill Down where it is hard to distinguish tracks from public paths, I make a mistake in heading straight to Bramble Bottom (well named), the proper path goes to New Barn and then south. I work my way down and along Wigden’s Bottom to pick up the path to climb and drop and climb again heading south all the time. I just make it to the road to see the lead riders make their final climb to Beachy Head. My start is in the pretty village of East Dean, East Sussex. Rain is lashing down and worse is very imminent in the next hour with a forecast of slight improvement a little later. I have quite a few miles to cover so its sensible to explore the woodland first and get some shelter from the trees. From the village hall I take the twittens through the pretty flint cottages onto the steep path that climbs to Friston Church. The rate at which the rain drops splash in the pond indicate the rain is getting heavier so its not a time to take a restful sit on the bench. I cross the A259 and follow the footpath down into Friston Forest. There is a large choice of paths and tracks so I choose one that stays on the steep south side where the cover is denser. On hot days I have used this as a cool shady path but on this day it was working well to provide some shelter from the battering rain. Being on the side of the hill also avoids the deep puddles collecting in the valley bottom. My finish is the path west to Belle Tout then north through Cornish Farm and onto Birling Farm with the sun now out it all looks green and beautiful. Back in East Dean, a quick wash under an outside tap to remove the worst of the mud and a good lunch at the cafe. EJH PLUMPTON NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN LAND SPONSORS PRESENTATION NEWICK COUNTRY MARKET Newick Country Market is held every Friday from 10am until 11am 6 January Plumpton Village Hall 6.0 to 10.0 pm. In Newick Village Hall on the A272 The market reopens on Friday 9thJanuary when we will have a good selection of locally grown vegetables, home baked cakes and savoury items which are always popular with customers, as well as eggs, preserves, locally produced cheeses and charcuterie. Handmade greetings cards and knitted items, paintings, animal portraits and plants are also available. Orders can be taken for any of the above. The Plumpton Parish Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group is inviting the sponsors of land put forward for potential development in the parish to make short presentations about the land in question at a meeting to be held on 6 January 2015 from 18.00 to 22.00 in the Village Hall. Members of the public are invited to attend and hear for themselves what the potential development sites offer. There will be limited opportunity to ask questions. Tea and coffee is also available so come along and meet your friends and stay for a chat. The Steering Group has the responsibility to review and assess these sites against specific criteria which identify if a site can contribute to the future of Plumpton. Such sites that meet these criteria will be put to the parish in the final Neighbourhood Plan; a referendum on which will be held, hopefully during late 2015, at which point parishioners will have the final say.” It is advisable to come along early as many items sell out fast. Information 768544. 12 orders: 01825 JUMBLE SALE Village Hall management Committee SATURDAY, JANUARY 31 Please take a moment to look at the Parish Council Website at www.plumptonpc.co.uk Plumpton Village Hall 2.0 pm Refreshmenst, Cakes, Tombola etc. Please take donations of jumble to the hall during morning of sale. The path meets the steps descending into West Dean, another little village with pretty dwellings built of local flint. I join the South Downs Way (SDW) to head north over the wooded hill to Charleston Manor then turn east www. plumptonmag.com and 21 www.plumptonmag.com Hello! MY EXCITING CHALLENGES I have just started my first year at Loughborough University reading Geography and Sports Science. At Loughborough we have charity challenges known as RAG (Raise and Give) challenges. I have decided to take on two of these challenges, for two different, but equally fantastic charities. The first is an Arctic Expedition, DARE (Dog-Sled Arctic Rag Expedition). Essentially I will be trekking/sledding 250km through the Arctic Circle at temperatures as low as -40°C starting in Norway and crossing the border into Sweden. This is for Make-A-Wish Foundation® UK, and I need to raise a minimum of £2650. The second challenge is a bike ride from London to Paris (L2P). Here I will be cycling 386km in 3 days from London to Pairs. This is for Breast Cancer Campaign, and I need to raise a minimum of £995. Therefore, in total I need to raise a minimum of £3645. For more information and to donate please visit my JustGiving pages: https:// www.justgiving.com/teams/nikkipayne I have also made a quick video about the challenges here if you would like to watch it: https://www.youtube.com/user/OnikkipayneO Nikki Payne Sun Close - OPEN Katie Stenning (nee Harland) far right receives the keys to her new home in Sun Close from John England of Hastoe Housing Association. Cllrs Clare Eastwood, Paul Nicholson and Sarah Osborne are also pictured. The keys to the 12 rented homes in the development were handed over on December 17 and all but one of the lucky tenants were due to move in on that day. www.plumptonmag.com 20 13 becoming slippery and dangerous. You can also use the brush attachment to clean greenhouse panes with a suitable anti-algae solution. The same principle applies for decked or wooden surfaces and there are many good quality wood preservatives available and some even have grit in them which makes surfaces non-slip. CHLOE’S GARDENING TIPS – JANUARY Happy New Year and welcome to 2015. We may have some snow this month and it can cause problems for some plants. It can damage evergreen trees and shrubs such as various conifers, Pieris, Euphorbia and Yew. The best thing to do is remove the snow from the branches which will stop them from being weighed down as they can break and this can change the shape of the plants, which could ultimately take years to produce new growth. Birds find it hard to find food in the snow, so put some nuts or seeds on a table or top up your bird feeders. Clean and repair your garden tools, book the lawn mower in for a service and check garden furniture for any rot. When it is warm enough to brave the elements, treat sheds, fences and trellis with a suitable wood preservative. Plants which are at their best in January include Snowdrops (Galanthus), Helleborus niger (Christmas Rose), Ilex (Holly), Hamamelis (Witch Hazel) and Viburnum (various varieties), Cornus (Dogwood), Chimonanthus (Wintersweet), Jasminum (Winter Jasmine), Lonicera (Shrubby Honeysuckle) and Garrya (Silk Tassel Brush). All fallen leaves on your lawns need to be removed ASAP as when the leaves start to decompose, they can rot the grass and this can lead to dead patches and you may need to replace areas with new turf. Try and avoid walking on frosty lawns as it becomes hard and brittle, thus damaging the stems. LOOK OUT FOR MORE GARDENING TIPS FROM CHLOE NEXT MONTH C.G. Garden Design 01273 890131 or 07891621288 [email protected] Just because its winter and cooler, does not mean you can stop watering any pots, containers or winter hanging baskets. They can still dry out and benefit from a drop of water when the compost or soil feels dry on top. Check stakes and ties of newly planted trees and re-secure if necessary. If you have clay soil and it is hard in the summer months, dig down 1 ft and lift soil up and leave clods on the surface. The frost will penetrate the clumps and by the spring, it will be easy to break up. Care club The Care Club met for the final time on Sunday, December 14 and enjoyed a superb Christmas lunch. The committee reluctantly decided they could no longer provide the monthly Sunday lunch as it is not only the cooking and serving that is involved but the shopping and other preparations. We are all very grateful for offers of help, but most of us are still able to look after ourselves on a daily basis. We will miss the monthly social contact but Dorothy Brook has extended a warm welcome to anyone who wishes to join the Happy Circle which meets on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at 2.0 pm in All Saints’ church Annexe. M.E.K The start of the New Year is a good time to examine existing deciduous trees, shrubs and climbers. Using sharp secateurs or a pruning saw, remove dead, damaged, diseased or unwanted wood. Regular pruning ensures plants stay healthy and prevents a buildup of diseases which can kill them and spread to neighbouring plants. Patios can now be cleaned with jet wash kits and there are many available with different cleaning attachments. These kits are easy to use and powerful which helps to remove 19 www.plumptonmag.com The PLUMPTON PARISH NEIGHBOURHOOD PLAN COME AND LISTEN LOCAL LANDOWNERS PUT THEIR CASE TO DEVELOP LAND OPEN MEETING TUESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2015 Plumpton Village Hall 6.0pm to 10.0 pm Legislation from central government dictates that many more homes must be provided throughout the UK and the allocation for Plumpton has been decided by Lewes District Council as being a minimum of 50 over the next 20 years. A number of local landowners have submitted their land as being suitable for such development. Plumpton Parish Council has appointed a Steering Group designed to ensure that local residents can exert at least some control over how such development is implemented by formulating a Neighbourhood Plan that will receive official recognition. The Steering Group has arranged a meeting where landowners or their agents can present their ideas and justifications for development on their land. This is not a formal consultation, but residents are invited to attend so that they may hear the arguments and logic put forward. There will be a limited opportunity for residents to put questions. The Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group will then analyse the proposals put forward and the questions asked to formulate its plan for development within the Parish. Such proposals will later be submitted to residents in a draft Neighbourhood Plan as consultation with locals is the key to the whole procedure. If you do not listen to proposals you will not be in a position to judge. Come along and take an active part in the future of YOUR village HAVE YOUR SAY The Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group is currently circulating a questionnaire to all local residents to seek their views on the future of Plumpton in the light of development proposals that cannot be ignored. The Group’s aim is to ensure that growth within the village is properly considered, does not impose impossible strains on the infrastructure and reflects the desires of residents in shaping the character of our community. PLEASE TAKE A LITTLE TIME AND EFFORT TO EXPRESS YOUR VIEWS. WITHOUT THEM HOW CAN A SMALL GROUP GUAGE THE TEMPERATURE? IT’S YOUR VILLAGE AND YOUR FUTURE AT STAKE. Please have the questionnaires ready for collection by 19 January 18 15 www.plumptonmag.com VILLAGE EVENTS CALANDAR SERVICES 4th January 2015 All Saints All Saints All Saints THE EPIPHANY OF THE LORD 8.30am Holy Communion 10.30am Sung Communion 6.30pm Evensong 11th January All Saints East Chiltington All Saints THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD 8.30am Holy Communion 10.30am Sung Communion 6.30pm Evensong 18th January All Saints All Saints All Saints EPIPHANY 2 8.30am 10.30am 6.30pm Holy Communion Sung Communion Evensong 25th January All Saints East Chiltington All Saints EPIPHANY 3 8.30am 10.30am 6.30pm Holy Communion Sung Communion Evensong 1st February All Saints All Saints All Saints SEPTUAGESIMA 8.30am 10.30am 6.30pm Holy Communion Sung Communion Evensong Daily Service 9am (Tuesday-Friday); 10am (Saturday)In All Saints Holy Communion as advertised on Weekly Notice Sheet Saints Days 11am All Saints Plumpton & East Chiltington Sunday School 18th January, 10.30am in Annex Rector: The Revd. Godfrey Broster Telephone: 890570 Churchwardens: Jenni Davies, Antonia Price, Cornelius Medvei. www.plumptonmag.com 16 3rd Jan 6th Jan 18th 24th Jan 31st Jan January 2015 Jumble Sale Short Mat Bowls Club 2pm Plumpton Neigbouirhood Plan HAVE YOUR SAY 6-10pm Plumpton Pantomine Village Hall Jumble Sale. 2pm VH VH ESCC MOBILE LIBRARY Being Made VH VH Sunday 4th January At The Races Sussex National Raceday 12.50pm Monday 12th January Timeform Raceday 2015 1pm Monday 26th January January Raceday 2015 1.30pm New Arrangements Curry & Quiz Night, 7pm VH Plumpton Racecourse 01273 890383 February 2015 onwards 7th Feb BOOKINGS Village Hall: Jane Donovan 07747 050903 or 01273 891036 Church Annex: Pavilion: Rectory 890570 Clare Eastwood 890526 VENUE KEY VH = Village Hall HQ = Scout HQ StM = St Michael’s ANX = Church Annex ECC = East Chiltington Church PAV = Pavilion Sch = Plumpton School COPY DEADLINES 12th January for February 12th February for March Copy to Plumpton Green Post Office or email: [email protected] TO INCLUDE EVENTS Telephone: 01273 890 722 or e-mail: [email protected] 17
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