Foodbank in Hurstpierpoint expands during cost-of-living crisis

Hurstpierpoint Foodbank have re-opened their collection service, as demand increases due to the cost-of-living crisis. As well as the Friday delivery option, that was initiated during the covid lockdowns, for a trial period users will again be able to collect food in person from Court Bushes Community Hub, Willow Way.

The Foodbank will be open for collections from Court Bushes from 10am – 12pm every Thursday. The Melting Pot Café is also open at this time so free tea, coffee and cake are available as well as cup-a-soup and toast. The Foodbank distributes food through a referral system and provides enough food for a family for three days. Alternatively, people can come down to Court Bushes on a Thursday morning and talk to foodbank staff directly. Staff understand that reaching out for help in this way can be difficult and aim to treat users with discretion and kindness.
Additionally, a new partnership between the owners of Gibson greengrocers and the Foodbank is now giving those using the Foodbank access to fresh fruit and vegetables during the trial period. A voucher will be provided by the Foodbank to be used in the shop on Hurstpierpoint High Street.

Food parcels can also be requested through the following partner agencies:
• St Lawrence C of E Primary School 01273 833229
• Hurstpierpoint Pre-School, Trinity Road, 01273 834144
• Holy Trinity Church
• Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council Trinity Road, 01273 833264, Open Monday – Friday 9:30am -1:30pm
• Mid Sussex Health Centre 01273 834388, Open Monday – Friday 8:30am - 6:00pm
• Housing Benefit Team (MSDC) • Community Mental Health Team
• Social Services

Families can contact Hurstpierpoint Foodbank (hurstfb@gmail.com) or Burgess Hill Foodbank (foodbankburgesshill@gmail.com) if they need food.

St Lawrence Primary in Hurstpierpoint says goodbye to Crossing Patrol Officer

She has been a familiar to sight for over 30 years on Cuckfield Rd during term time, as the Crossing Patrol officer, but Helen Smith finally hung up her high-vis jacket and prepared to pass on the ‘lollipop’ baton, to take a well earned retirement this summer.

She was presented with flowers and well-wishers’ cards at the school by some Year 6 students and she wrote this note to children and parents of St Lawrence:

“Dear all. The time has come for me to hang up my rather unflattering hat for the final time and retire! I have enjoyed every minute of being St Lawrence School’s Lollipop lady and will miss you all. The children have been an absolute pleasure to work with, always friendly, polite and well behaved - they are a credit to themselves, their parents and the school. All being well, arrangements are in hand for cover to be provided from the 9th of June but there is now a vacancy for a full time School Crossing Patrol. I can thoroughly recommend the job and if anyone is interested, I would be happy to answer any questions they might have. Wishing everyone at St Lawrence all the best for the future.” Helen Smith

Paul Dyer (headteacher, St Lawrence School, Hurstpierpoint)

Paul Dyer

After 27 years as Headteacher of St Lawrence School Paul Dyer stands down this month (at time of going to print). Mike Thatcher met up with him to hear him reflect on his time at the helm of the village school.

Paul Dyer is a fiercely private man; he told me that in so many words. So interviewing him about his life, rather than solely about his role as Headteacher of St Lawrence, proved a challenge. His skills as a speaker and for setting the agenda of any meeting far outclassed any journalistic skills I may, or may not, possess but it mattered not, as the passion and emotion with which he described his tenureship at the school was a privilege to hear. A generation of students and parents will never have seen him out of a tie and trademark blue V-neck jumper, most often congratulating pupils after a performance or assembly, his head swinging suddenly round like an owl to address all parts of the Hall. He clearly likes it that way.

He was raised in Shoreham and has nothing but fond memories of growing up: “What an idyllic childhood that was; we just played all the time in the street. I formed my own football club, Adur Royals FC, which then became Buckingham FC and we entered a local Sunday league. I then became chairman of that local Sunday League before I went to college.”

He was a Sussex athlete and, following in the footsteps of an inspiring young teacher at his school, went to St Luke’s College in Exeter to do PE, putting his academic journey on hold. “For years I was head of a PE department but I wanted to do everything else as well; so I taught French at the same time, then history and literature,” Paul continued. “Later, I took a maths degree as I wanted to teach maths. I still teach a little, but not a lot.”

Within a year of going to St Luke’s he’d became secretary of the athletics club, having turned down a request from their football club to do similar, showing clear signs of being an administrator from an early age.

“After a year as a teacher I became head of department but never wanted to be a Head. But I guess it was inevitable; I had experience in London of being an interim deputy then I took a deputy headship in Surrey as we wanted to move out of London.”

He was one of eight interviewed for the post at St Lawrence School, six of whom were serving Heads. He was offered the job at 8pm on the second evening, and a passing corridor comment of ‘you’d better be good’ left him with no illusions about the scale of the task.

“Nothing prepared me for Hurstpierpoint and Headship 27 years ago. For example, I had never had to deal with Social Services and my first term here was dominated by attending SS meetings.” However, he felt personally welcomed, and was indeed invited into many houses in the village for dinner, but he did sense an anti-school feeling in the village.

[Read the full article in April 2020 issue of Hurst Life magazine]

Hurstpierpoint History: 150 years of St Lawrence School

What is now Players Theatre, used to be the village school in Hurst.

By Christopher Maidment

The act of commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Hurstpierpoint School with the planting of a replacement tree on the corner of Trinity Road and Cuckfield Road (Hurst Life, April 2019) warrants a brief reminder of the background of the school’s inception. It is worth noting that its original funding perhaps encapsulates the values of not only the Saint after whom the school is now named but also what is regarded by many as the village motto of ‘kind and charitable’.

The titanic work of documenting a more complete record of three centuries of education can be found in Ian Nelson’s book - Hurstpierpoint school ‘to be larned, not washed’. Snippets of this work are unashamedly plagiarised here, with Ian’s kind permission.

At the outset, it should also be a matter of recognition that it is in fact the 200th anniversary of the school’s original foundation at its previous location in 1819, at what is now the Players Theatre, and shown here. Following its life as a school, it became an off licence.

The surgeon Richard Weekes, who lived at Matts (now Norfolk House) in the High Street, recorded the event in his diary notes of 1818: ‘In the autumn of this year we bought by public subscriptions to the Methodist Chapel [Player’s Theatre] at Hurst for the sum of £460 and it has cost £600 to fit it up for a school for boys and girls’. This was very much in line with the national movement to expand elementary education to provide education for all children.

[see full article in September 2019’s issue of Hurst Life magazine]

Judy Parfitt to celebrate 150 years of Hurst school

By Mike Thatcher

Hurstpierpoint Society patron, star of Call the Midwife and village resident, Judy Parfiit was recently joined by Year 6 House Captains and other residents in planting a new tree outside St Lawrence School.

Twenty years after opening the school fete with her husband she returned to take part in this ceremony organised by the Hurstpierpoint Society to mark the 150th Anniversary of St Lawrence School. “It is a delight to continue to be involved in village matters, especially here at the school which is so central to our vibrant community, and working with Hurstpierpoint Society to create a new village heritage landmark,” Judy said.

After a short blessing by Rev Will Kemp, Judy took up the spade and completed the planting job at the junction of Cuckfield and Trinity Road. 116 trees have been planted in the village by the Society over the last ten years, including most recently, two in Chestnut Grove, one in Lynton Close, one in Weald Close and one in St Lawrence Way.

Cllr Colin Trumble, Vice Chairman of Mid Sussex District Council, said: “I am sure, along with everybody in the village, that we wish our excellent St Lawrence School a very happy 150th birthday. It will be great to see once more a tree growing next to the school, replacing the much loved horse chestnut that we lost a few years ago. This is a welcome example of the continuing success of Hurstpierpoint Society’s Tree Scheme.”

The ceremony was preceded by a robust Q&A session with Judy and the Year 6 pupils. Any fears that there would be no questions were soon dispelled as a sea of hands appeared and remained in the air all through the session. Judy gave them tips for acting, lessons for life and told them many stories from her varied career. Where mentions of Olivier, O’Toole and Hopkins were met with quiet respect, being told her favourite singers were Rag’n’Bone Man, Adele and Robbie Williams were greeted with gasps of approval.

The questions ranged from either her involvement in Call the Midwife and acting to questions starting ‘What is your favourite…?’ or to the somewhat leftfield. ‘Who is your least favourite cameraman?’. She finished with some welcome tips for those who had solo parts in the upcoming Robin Hood production, which were appreciated by her young audience.

Membership forms for The Hurstpierpoint Society can be collected from Columbines in the High Street or email: hurstsociety @gmail.com.

St Lawrence School youngsters compete with Lego

By George Harry-Berry, Year 6

On Friday 11th January a group of Year 6 pupils from St Lawrence Primary School took part in an FLL Lego Competition held at Sofitel Hotel, Gatwick Airport. FLL stands for First Lego League, and this year’s theme was hydrodynamics. 

Members of Lego Club, Bruno Benjamin, Archie Smith, Joshua Berman, George Harry-Berry, Hugo Stillwell, Oscar Harman, Leo Harris and Bea West, took part in a variety of missions where they programmed their robot to move in different directions and take part in a variety of missions.

The robot took weeks to build, and during the competition the pupils learnt more about programming and team work, and had a fascinating insight into the world of engineerring.

West Sussex County Council changes to school place applications

West Sussex County Council are urging parents to make sure they’ve done their homework when submitting school place applications.

Recent changes mean that schools will no longer send out reminder letters and so it falls to parents to ensure that applications are submitted on time.

If your child’s date of birth is between 1st September 2012 and 31st August 2013, it’s now time to apply for a school place. This can be done online at the website www.westsussex.gov.uk/admissions. If access to the internet is a problem, free access to apply is available at all West Sussex libraries and Children Family Centres.

This is the preferred method as the website provides the required information for completing an application, including details of all schools in West Sussex, the criteria for each and the relevant catchment area. Alternatively, a paper application form can be obtained by calling 03330 142 903.

The closing date for applications is Sunday 15th January 2017 and if received on time will take priority over those that are late. Online applications can be made from 3rd October. Contact should be made to schools directly for prospectuses and details of open events. 

School expansion complete - St Lawrence Primary School

In response to the increase in numbers of young children in Hurstpierpoint, the decision was taken to increase the annual intake of pupils from 60 to 90 from September 2012 onwards. Temporary changes were made to accommodation to take the enlarged cohorts in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Finally, in June this year, the building development to enable St Lawrence to increase to 630 pupils was completed.
     On 4th June, the Bishop of Chichester Martin Warner, in company with Nick Herbert MP, officially opened the new buildings. The school now has six new classrooms, a library and a second hall as well as a new entrance and office space. The playing field and play areas have not only been preserved but have seen the addition of an all-weather pitch.
     Head Teacher Paul Dyer said: “This has been a huge and complex project but the outcome for the children and families of Hurstpierpoint is outstanding.” Mr Dyer expressed his thanks to the community, especially new neighbours, for their understanding during almost two years of contractors‘ traffic in and out of the school. “Hurstpierpoint has wonderful children who daily display a love of learning and care for each other. They have the facilities they deserve,” he added. 
     The school is now seeking to raise funds to cover its swimming pool to enable pupils to swim all the year round.

See full article and all pictures on pages 10/11.