Hurstpierpoint Surgery -
Saturday 30th Sept 8.30 - 12pm
Monday 2nd October 6pm - 7.30pm
Saturday 21st October 8.30am - 12pm
Hassocks Surgery -
Saturday 7th October 8.30am - 11am
Monday 9th October 6pm - 7.30pm
Ditchling Surgery -
Saturday 14th October 8.30am - 12pm
By Holly Henderson
July saw the 10th anniversary of the charity Hope, started in Hurstpierpoint, which works to reduce stress and isolation amongst families. Hope has now developed five different styles of projects for people to run in their community to support parents who may simply like to talk through a parenting situation or be struggling personally with poor mental health or isolation.
The founder of the charity, Naomi McBain, explained how her faith was her original motive to begin this charity: “Our primary aim is to be a listener, not a counsellor,” she said, “and to ensure that everyone feels valued and heard. The charity has grown organically from leading The Sanctuary in the village. I saw a need in some local families who attended, and I wanted to see if we could do more to help.”
In the early years of Hope, Naomi started with parenting workshops, sensory playtime and the sparkle group which is specifically for mothers who may feel isolated. Now, she has introduced, ‘space for dads’ and drop-in groups. As a registered charity, Hope is run by Naomi and supported by three committed trustees; Rachael Heald, Sarah Emmanuel, and James Allen. There are now over 30 volunteers involved in different aspects of the charity’s work, and together over the ten years they have had 9,204 engagements with parents and families.
Earlier this month, Hope celebrated with a special anniversary party at Court Bushes Community Hub. They reflected on all that has been achieved and listened to stories from families who have been involved with Hope. Funders, volunteers and families came together to acknowledge the charity’s achievements alongside enjoying coffee and a slice of cake. Later on this year, in early September, Hope will be reintroducing a Sparkle group in Hurstpierpoint for mums of any age who would like a supportive small group to belong to. You can find out more information about this group or how you can volunteer with Hope directly from Naomi (naomi@buildinghope.org.uk).
St Lawrence Fair
It was lovely to meet so many residents and visitors at our stand at this year’s St Lawrence Fair. The Parish Council had lots of entrants to our free “Guess the Name of the Frog” competition. We are delighted to announce that “Florence” the frog was won by 18-month-old Zac who was entered by his Granny. Hopefully Florence the Frog has now settled happily into her new home!
We have been delighted to see real froglets in Hurst Meadows recently. For information on how to encourage frogs and other amphibians in your garden see the Froglife website: www.froglife.org
August 2023 Meeting Schedule
Please check Parish Council Notice Boards, or our website to confirm the meeting date and location. Members of the public are welcome to attend, and all meetings commence at 7.30pm.
Monday 7th Planning Committee
Thursday 20th Finance, Governance & Estates Committee
To read the whole newsletter, please click to enlarge the images or pick up a copy of August’s Hurst Life.
Village Pizza Kitchen
With summer on the way, Village Pizza Kitchen has now reopened their outside terrace area where they will be serving their full menu of pizzas and pastas, plus some additional lunchtime dishes, including paninis, salads and antipasti platters. As the warmer weather arrives, they will be extending their terrace area to include the space outside the bridal shop, so will have ample seating, along with heaters and blankets for those cooler evenings!
They have also been readying their two converted horseboxes, Little Pizza Kitchen and The Mini Bar for the summer season, with a packed calendar of events planned, including The Great Big Pants Party at Danny House, the St Lawrence Fair and Super Sunday! They do have some availability left, so if you have a private, public or corporate event that needs catering this summer, then get in touch with Jo at Village Pizza Kitchen.
With a busy summer ahead, Village Pizza Kitchen are looking for some extra help, so if you or someone you know is interested in a pizza making position, then please email hello@villagepizzakitchen.com or pop in with a CV.
Professional kitchen and pizza making experience is preferred but not essential as training can be provided. A positive attitude, love of good food and cooking however, are a must! Further information is available at www.villagepizzakitchen.com
By David Tingley, editor
Although it seems unbelievable in some ways, this month we celebrate our 100th issue of Hurst Life. We arrived on the local scene just over eight years ago, pushing our brand of the colourful community magazine through all letterboxes in the village. And I was delighted at the response from residents, almost straight away. However, in looking at all the back copies – as I did recently, what strikes me is how little I knew about this village in the beginning. I didn’t even have an assistant editor when we first started, but was very grateful to Hurst flooring legend James Taylor for putting me in touch with his inlaws! Linda and John Levett helped me connect with lots of people in the first two or three months. I also recall my good friend Elaine Goodwin putting me in touch with our first Village People candidate – Chris Bradford – whose story we told in issue one. In the early days these quick wins were vital to create a magazine every month, from nothing. But soon, we would be relying on our hard-working editors to lead the way.
I have had the pleasure to work with a number of truly community-spirited writers over the years. Starting with Hattie Parish, then Emily Volkert, Lucy Webb, Deb Hollywood, Michele Copeland until Mike Thatcher took the role in November 2018, and (thankfully!) hasn’t moved on since.
There are too many people whom I could thank. Too many interesting stories which we’ve covered over the years to mention them all.
Some may say that community no longer means what it used to. And I remember I was blown away when Mike Thatcher sent us in an article, which we printed in April 2018. Just weeks after the death of their 10-year-old daughter Ella, he wanted to use Hurst Life (before he worked here) to thank the community for its love and support for his family. He challenged us to consider that community spirit was very much present here in Hurstpierpoint.
And that’s the reason why we exist. We want Hurst Life to continue to be a positive force for good in the immediate area. I’m tremendously grateful to all who have made, and continue to make it happen, every single month. Thank you.
Hopefully you like what we do too: if so, we’re always grateful for a review to be left online: www.bit.ly/3qQXToa
To read David’s full nostalgic look back at the magazine, grab your July copy today and turn to page 12.
Assisted Waste Collection
Did you know that Mid Sussex District Council offer assisted collection services for residents who are physically unable to take out their waste to the roadside? Crews will enter your garden/external property boundary on your regular collection day and collect your wheelie-bins for you.
This facility applies to:
• Household rubbish / recycling waste
• Garden waste - if you have signed-up for the garden waste collection service
• Clinical waste – if you have registered for the clinical waste service.
Residents can apply online through the Mid Sussex District Council website or contact: the Waste Management Team, Tel: 01444 477440, Email: wastematters@midsussex.gov.uk Please share this information with any friends, neighbours or relatives who find it difficult to move their wheelie bins.
South Avenue Play Area
The play area in South Avenue Recreation Ground has an annual, independent inspection which advises us on what preventative work we can do to keep the equipment in tip top condition. Last year’s report recommended new safety surfacing under the swings, hammock, trampoline, and carousel. This work was completed last month at an incredible cost of £17,713! We hope that this will make the play area more accessible for children as the summer approaches.
Click the pictures to read the whole newsletter or turn to page 30 of June’s Hurst Life.
Hurst Meadows News
Thank you to all the children, staff and helpers from Year 5, St Lawrence CE School, who helped plant trees in Hurst Meadows last month. The tree whips had been heeled in safely over the winter awaiting the right weather for planting and this proved a challenge with the ground either frozen or the rain torrential! Eventually ninety children were able to walk to the Meadows and plant a tree each. The day was rainy and the ground muddy but good fun was had by all! Councillor Claire Majsai and Estates and Facilities Manager Stephen Witchell pointed out the ancient oaks which border Hovel Field. In 200 years time, the trees the children have planted may grow that big! Thank you also to the adult volunteers who came the following day to plant the remaining trees. In total around 350 native trees; rowan, silver birch, oak, hazel, and blackthorn were planted to form what will become an extension to existing Ancient Woodland. We hope that the children and all those who visit Hurst Meadows will enjoy watching the trees grow and see them begin to provide food and shelter for birds and insects. The next tree planting will be a single Walnut tree to be planted in Walnut Tree Field in the Autumn and then the focus will shift to natural regeneration and maintaining (through watering etc, as necessary) the newly planted trees. Some tree safety work is planned in Tilley’s Copse, the Wilderness, Hurst Meadows and a small number of other sites in the parish later in the year following our recent tree risk assessment surveys.
To read the full newsletter, please pick up a copy of May’s Hurst Life or click the pictures provided.
Azeez Barber, Hurst
New barber joins High Street
Azeez, originally from Kurdistan, and who has been in the UK for nine years, has opened Azeez Barber on the High Street by the traffic lights. For the last three years he has plied his trade in Haywards Heath and before that he worked in Spain.
He was made aware of Hurstpierpoint when a resident of the village was in his shop in Haywards Heath and told him about Hurst. “She recommended this village, saying it was very friendly and told me I should give it a go.” He opened at the end of March and is open seven days a week. Azeez has already found plenty of takers for his traditional style of Kurdish barber, with the speciality being hot towel and wet head shave, among other things. Most importantly he has had a good welcome in the village. “People are very friendly here, always stopping to say hello and have a chat. I am looking forward to working here and meeting more of the village.”
By Lucy Pegler
Katherine and I first met in an online sober community forum; both middle lane drinkers who had decided that alcohol was not serving us anymore. Realising we lived in adjoining villages and had a love of cold-water swimming, a friendship quickly formed. Katherine is a PR consultant and I’m an ex-specialist nurse, turned Pilates and fitness instructor. Our lives, on the face of it, were pretty good. Our stories are different, but neither of us drank daily. We weren’t waking up and pouring vodka on our cornflakes and had no rock bottom.
However, we had both developed an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, and realised moderation was not something we were good at. So, we ditched the booze all together. Absolutely loving our new sober lives and all the benefits it brings, we wanted to meet other likeminded people and support them in their journey. We have decided to start a local sober community covering Hurstpierpoint, Hassocks, Ditchling and surrounding areas for women who are sober curious, already sober, or just don’t drink.
We want women to realise that sober isn’t boring and you don’t have to drink alcohol to have fun. It’s not always easy going against the grain when alcohol is so normalised and glamourised in everything we do. However, having a sober community to lean on can make the journey a whole lot easier. You can expect coffee catch-ups, walks on the Downs, sea swims, meals out, Pilates, lots of laughter, new friendships and a whole lot more as the community grows.
If you can relate to our story and you’d like to join us, we have a private Facebook group called Sassy and Sober in Sussex. Hope to meet you soon.
Sustainability Strategy Update
A reminder that the Parish Council’s Sustainability Strategy is on the Council Policies page of the website. The Parish Council continues to manage Hurst Meadows to enhance biodiversity and nature recovery and will again be supporting No Mow May and the West Sussex Road Verge Trial Scheme, both of which aim to increase numbers and variety of wild flowers and the pollinators and other insects which depend on them. Lighting is being replaced in the public toilets and bus shelters with LED units which use less electricity. More bike racks have been installed and sections of the planned Hassocks to Albourne cycle path are expected to be delivered in Hassocks and Hurstpierpoint this Summer by West Sussex County Council.
To read the council’s full newsletter please click to enlarge the pictures below or turn to page 18 of April’s Hurst Life.
Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Community Forum
The first Community Forum took place on 26th January in partnership with Mid-Sussex Voluntary Action (MSVA). This was planned as a follow-up to the very successful Annual Parish Meeting. Many of the groups who attended had found the net-working opportunities this had provided really useful and requested further events to build on these. The Forum had a funding theme with information available from Sussex Community Foundation, Clarion Futures, the Parish Council and MSVA on grants available to community groups and how to access them. Tea and coffee were provided by the Melting Pot Café and time was allocated for informal net-working after the speakers. Thank you to all who attended this very positive event, including our speakers and the Melting Pot volunteers.
To read the full council newsletter, pick up your copy of March’s Hurst Life and turn to page 22.
Click to enlarge
Click to enlarge
Hurst Rethink groups are busy over the next few months with several projects on the go. Here’s a round-up of our main activities.
First up is Hurst Village Market, a collaboration between the Hurst Rethink Green Consumer group and The New Inn. The market will take place on the first Saturday of each month until July, when St Lawrence Fair takes over the village.
The market has two halves; in the covered marquee in the back garden, we have food and drink stalls, all featuring local Sussex produce. In the function room of the pub, we have homewares, beauty, jewellery and arts/crafts. If you’re after a present or a treat, it’s the perfect place to go and you’ll be supporting a local business run by one from our community. Please support our market as a huge amount of effort goes into putting it on from the Hurst Rethink team. Equally, if you have any suggestions for improvements, we’d love to hear them.
Secondly, our Biodiversity group is launching a ‘Save Our Swifts’ project. With funding from SOS - the Sussex Ornithological Society, we are installing ten nest boxes in the Weald Close area, to help migrating swifts breed successfully this year. The boxes are being installed by Attic Asset on Saturday 11th March and we will have a team in Weald Close that day to chat to locals about the project. Please come down if you can. We also hope to hold a swift event later this year so watch this space.
The Hurst Rethink Community Group are also busy organising a follow up to last year’s incredibly successful Hurst Jumble Trail. This village wide event will take place on Sunday 2nd April and is the perfect chance to declutter and have a spring clear out. We had over 130 households take part last year and would love the same, if not more, this time. To get involved, please email your name, address and postcode to hurstjumbletrail@gmail.com by 5th March. For all details on our events, check our website: www.hurstrethink.org
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.
Gibsons trades again
When Hurst residents Jordan and Leila saw the news on Hurst Hub before Christmas that Gibsons was closing, they thought they ‘couldn’t let in happen’ and sprang into action. After one meeting with Paul Gibson, they took over the business and have seen steady trade ever since. “It all happened very quickly,” said Leila, “and the support from the village has been amazing.” Her father was the gardener to the Bishop of Exeter, so providing produce runs in her family.
Jordan has run a landscape gardening business for 20 years and with three young children they felt the time was right for a new challenge. Jordan’s experience will not be wasted, as they hope to be able to sell perennials from the shop in due course. “We hope to make some changes, but we are not reinventing the wheel; we will carry on selling fresh, local produce,” commented Leila. They have already installed a card-reader, which 90% of customers are taking advantage of, are open six days a week and they will be supporting the local food bank with a gift card scheme. One customer told Hurst Life: “I think it’s amazing what they’ve done for the community by keeping the shop open and I hope they make a success of it.”
Brain and Charles - Hurst Village Cinema
By Mike Thatcher
Another busy month with three films and a NT Live to screen.
We kick off on Thursday 9th Feburary at 8pm with Petite Maman (PG). From the Director of Portrait of a Lady on Fire, this concise film will be sure to have you discussing it in the aisle or on the High Street as the credits rise. When her grandmother dies, Nelly returns to her mother’s childhood home to clear the contents. Here she discovers a den being made in the woods by a girl her own age. The fact that she is played by her real-life sibling and obvious twin, adds mystery to the story. It is beautifully paced and straightforwardly presented, in fact so much so, you may think you have missed something at the end. A tender tale of childhood grief, memory and connection with an interesting soundtrack, it will have you discussing it long after the event.
Then we screen Othello on Thursday 23rd at 7pm, an extraordinary new production of Shakespeare’s most enduring tragedy, directed by Clint Dyer with a cast that includes Giles Terera (Hamilton), Rosy McEwean (The Alienist) and Paul Hilton (The Inheritance). She’s a bright, headstrong daughter of a senator; elevated by her status but stifled by its expectations. He’s refugee of slavery; having risen to the top of a white world, he finds love across racial lines has a cost.
We continue with Limbo (PG) on Friday 24th at 8pm. This wry and poignant observation of the refugee experience is set on a fictional remote Scottish island where a group of new arrivals await the results of their asylum claims. It centres on Omar, a young Syrian musician who is burdened by his grandfather’s oud (musical instrument), which he has carried all the way from his homeland. It sounds like a hard watch, but it is actually rather humorous in an empathic way, acknowledging the bleakness of their existence and filmed in the ragged and beautiful west coast of Scotland.
Finally, we present Brian and Charles (PG) on Sunday 26th at 3pm which follows Brian, a lonely inventor in rural Wales, who spends his days building quirky, unconventional contraptions that seldom work. Undeterred by his lack of success, Brian attempts his biggest project yet. Three days, a washing machine, and various spare parts later, he’s invented Charles, an artificially intelligent robot who learns English from a dictionary and has an obsession with cabbages. Halfdocumentary, half parable it’s the perfect tonic for a February Sunday afternoon.
Food Bank News
Hurstpierpoint Food Bank has decided to trial reopening at Court Bushes Community Hub for foodbank collections for three3 months from 12th 2 January 2023. This is in response to increased need for food help during the current cost of living crisis. The Food Bank will be open for collections from 10am-12pm every Thursday morning, alongside the Melting Pot Café, for those requiring a food parcel. Referrals should be gained from the usual agencies (for further details see the food bank website https://burgesshillfoodbank.org.uk or ask at the Melting Pot.) The Food Bank will also continue to make deliveries on Fridays, for those unable to come to Court Bushes. To support this initiative, the Food Bank will need additional volunteers to staff the collection point. If you feel you could spare two hours every Thursday, then please reach out to hurstfb@gmail.com Donations of food can be left in the collection point inside the Hurstpierpoint Co-op.
Walnut Tree Field Tree Planting
This was due to take place in Hurst Meadows in December but the prolonged cold spell resulted in the soil being frozen, so planting was delayed until the New Year. 840 native tree whips have now been planted by the Parish Council. These whips were purchased from the Woodland Trust with the kind assistance of a grant from the Hurstpierpoint Society, who also donated funding to care for the trees over the next few years as they become established. This will include watering during dry spells as this on-going maintenance is crucial. Around the country it was really sad to see so many newly planted trees die last sSummer, due to lack of water. The Parish Council, for example, had to step in to water the trees planted by Vistry in Edgerley Meadow, as these too would have been lost in the drought. At the moment it is looking like most of them have survived but we will get a better picture in the sSpring when the new growth begins.
To read the full council newsletter, please click on the images or pick up a copy of February’s Hurst Life.
Alec Stevens, a sports coach at the college, is setting up a free Walk & Talk group on Wednesday mornings, open to anyone. His wish is to provide an opportunity for people to escape their daily grind, meet other like-minded people and perhaps feel empowered to open up to each other, or him, about whatever difficulties they are facing. “There is of course no pressure to say anything at all,” said Alec, “but based on my own experiences, I am fully aware of the short and long-term benefits. Not everyone needs therapy or coaching - sometimes all it takes is some fresh air, an open mind and good people.” Alec lived and worked in London for 17 years, but after overcoming a personal hurdle, he decided that a complete change was needed in his life - so he went for a walk. After reading The Salt Path by Raynor Winn, he chose to take some time over the summer to hike the 630 miles of the South West Coast Path in aid of Millimetres 2 Mountains Foundation. “The simple act of walking opened my mind up to so many possibilities and allowed me time to consider my own journey. The aim is, once a week, a group of like-minded individuals simply go for a walk and have a chat, perhaps ending up in a coffee house or pub afterwards.” He is now training as a Life Coach with The Happiness Explorer.
The group will meet on Wednesday 11th January at 9am and then every following Wednesday.
Further information sites will be added soon.
By Mike Thatcher
Season’s greetings to you all from the team, we hope that you get your fill of Christmas films over the holidays. ‘Arthur Christmas’ seems to have become the traditional watch in our household; there’s no accounting for taste. Members should have already received the new programme and it is available to see online and around the village.
We start on Thursday 12th January at 8pm with The Farewell (PG). This gentle and touching Japanese f ilm opens with the caption: ‘Based on an actual lie,’ and illustrates how different cultures approach mortality and grief. A headstrong Chinese-American student Billie (played brilliantly by Awkafina) returns to China after her grandmother is given a terminal diagnosis. An impromptu wedding is arranged so that the family can gather together to see her one more time. Despite the strong themes, it is a warm and often funny family portrayal, with a dynamite performance from Zhao Shuzhen as the spirited grandmother.
NT live returns on Thursday 26th at 7pm with The Crucible (12A) by Arthur Miller.
A witch hunt is beginning in Arthur Miller’s captivating parable of power with Erin Doherty (The Crown) and Brendan Cowell (Yerma).
Then the simply amazing My Life as a Courgette (PG) on Friday 27th January at 8pm. Despite being just over an hour, this moving stop-frame animation certainly does not leave you feeling short-changed. Told from the perspective of the children in an orphanage, its strength is that it is not childlike in any way. After his mother’s death, Courgette is befriended by a police officer, who with his new friends help him adjust to live in the orphanage. So much emotion is transmitted through the big eyes of all the characters in this wonderful, funny and sad film, I can’t recommend it highly enough.
We finish with Operation Mincemeat (12A) on Sunday 29th January at 3pm. In 1943, two British intelligence officers concoct Operation Mincemeat, dropping a corpse with false papers off the coast of Spain, hoping to fool Nazi spies into believing the Allied forces were planning to attack by way of Greece rather than Sicily.
Hurst Village Cinema's January programme (2023)
January 2023 Meeting Schedule
Please check the Parish Council notice boards or our website to confirm the meeting location. Members of the public are welcome to attend, and all meetings commence at 7.30pm.
5th Jan - Planning & Environment Committee
12th Jan - Community Engagement Committee
19th Jan - Finance & Governance Committee
26th Jan - Full Council
For the full newsletter please click on the pictures here or pick up a copy of January’s Hurst Life.
Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common December 2022 Parish Council newsletter
Mid Sussex District Plan 2021- 2039
The District Council has published a draft Plan for consultation from 7th November to 19th December 2022. Our concerns are:
• The disproportionate number of new homes proposed in the local area.
• Two of the three significant sites for the whole of the district will be located here.
• 8,169 additional new homes are needed across the district when compared to the existing plan which ends in 2031.
• There must be a higher regard to the individual character and history of our downland villages.
• There must be greater protection against the merging of all the separate settlements.
• Sayers Common and Albourne must be protected to maintain a separate identity for these two settlements. • 4,033 of them could be built here (see below for the details).
• That is a staggering 49.4% of all new homes in Mid Sussex.
• The policies that protected development beyond the green circle around Burgess Hill must be retained so the parish does not become a suburb of Burgess Hill.
For diagrams and more information please click the pictures to enlarge the newsletters or pick up a copy of December’s Hurst Life issue today.
Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common December 2022 Parish Council newsletter
Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common December 2022 Parish Council newsletter
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