Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Council newsletter - Nov 2023

Hurst Meadows Heritage Orchard

Thank you so much to all the local volunteers who came to assist with the raking of the Orchard following the annual cut. This will give the wildflowers and the fruit trees the best chance of flourishing next year. We are delighted that, thanks to the hard work of orchard manager Martin Sadler, Plant Heritage have added our community orchard to the National Plant Collections directory. This reflects the value of this collection of historic Sussex apple trees. Congratulations Martin!



Section 106 Monies / Developer Contributions

Under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, financial contributions can be sought from developers towards the costs of providing community and social infrastructure, the need for which has arisen because of a new development taking place. This funding is commonly known either as ‘section 106 monies’ or ‘developer contributions.’ The Parish Council will always seek to apply for section 106 funding for local projects wherever possible, and some examples of where we have been successful in doing so recently can be found within this article.

Please click the images to read the full newsletter or pick up a copy of November’s Hurst Life today.

In brief look at Sayers Common history

By Michael Bailey

For many years it might have been thought that Sayers Common sat in the shadow of Hurstpierpoint. Both villages are old, as is apparent from some of the buildings in them, and both for example, record the numbers of residents called for service in WW 1 (in Sayers Common over 50 gave service and 6 never returned). But the main difference between the two until the 1990s was that the road through Sayers Common happened to be the main road between Brighton and London, the A23.

Motorists up to the 1990s will recall driving the single carriage road from Pycombe past the Muddleswood Crossroads (then an accident black spot) then continuing the single line of traffic through Sayers Common to the Bolney Crossroads (also then another black spot!) . With the increasing number of cars and other transport in the 1950s to 1980s the road was very busy and not the ideal place to encourage new residents.

Drone footage over Sayers Common - September 2023

Then, with the construction of the then new road, now the A23, all changed. The road through the village, London Road, is just for local traffic and that almost immediately resulted in the village becoming an ideal location for residential development to satisfy the ongoing demand for new homes.

Berrylands Farm was the first big development and followed by smaller ones until more recently Linden Homes started and continue to build homes on the western side of the village. More are coming off Reeds Lane and according to the Mid Sussex Development plans even more may be contemplated.

In tandem with new housing the recent past has seen the establishing of a special school by LVS, the creation of a thriving Community Shop and one of the largest suppliers of aircraft parts sits on the village outskirts. Many residents will also have benefited from SpaMedica which carries out NHS eye surgery from the Kings Centre.

All this helps Sayers Common to be a pleasant and convenient place in which to live and it emerged from the shadows many years ago. It is now a substantial and growing community in its own right but is the only “Downlands Village” without its own parish council despite having petitioned for one in 2019.

The Village Society (free to all residents) plays a leading role in conserving and enhancing the characteristics of the village and village life and in encouraging community activities while the welfare of the wildlife in the area is fostered by a Flora and Fauna Society.

Hurstpierpoint Advent Calendar 2023

By the Hurst ReThink

Community Join us as we return this year to partake in our village’s Christmas spirit by creating a festive display in your front window. It will need to be visible to the road and passers-by, ready to be lit and unveiled on you allocated advent day, from 5-8pm. All addresses to be lit on 24th December to mark the night before Christmas. Apply with your address and available dates by 27th October to hurstadvent@ gmail.com.

Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council news - October

Learn How to Save a Life - Free First Aid Training

Friday 6th October 6.30pm – 8pm Hurstpierpoint Village Centre Conference Room Would you like to learn how to save a life in an emergency including how to use a defibrillator?

The Parish Council has organised this free training session open to all residents. To book your free place please email or call the Parish Office office@ hurstpierpoint-pc.gov.uk or 01273 833264.


Hurstpierpoint Village Centre

The Parish Council is sole Trustee of the Village Centre Charity and must act in a Trustee capacity when required. This involves having a separate bank account, separate Trustee meetings and filing an annual return to the Charity Commission. The building is owned by the County Council and leased to the Parish Council, so the only function of the Charity is the management of the building and taking bookings. This work is undertaken by the Parish Council staff team and a management fee is charged to the Charity for their time. The Parish Council, acting as Trustees of the Village Centre, are considering dissolving the Charity so that the building is managed by the Parish Council directly. If anyone wishes to comment on this proposal, please do let us know.


To read the whole newsletter please click to enlarge the pictures or pick up your copy of October’s Hurst Life today.

Hurst Cricket Club news

By Rob Sawyer

On 2nd September, Hurst CC had our own version of Super Saturday. The equation was simple: our 1st XI needed a win to guarantee promotion and our 2nd XI needed at least ten points to avoid being one of four teams relegated.

Away at Ifield CC, the 1s won the toss and chose to bat and had a steady start reaching 79/1 in 19 overs. Back at Fairfield things were going to plan. Having won the toss the 2s found themselves with ball in hand and taking regular St Peters wickets, never allowing their batters to gain the upper hand. Once again, and for the umpteenth time, it was Neil Crickmore who did the bulk of the damage, taking four of the top six.

Over at the home of Ifield CC, brows were being mopped and not just because of the intense heat. Almost exactly one year ago we blew our promotion chances on the last day of the season, it was starting to look like history would repeat itself. After Alex Bushell, Jimmy Llyod and skipper Matt Parsons departed, the required acceleration did not go as plan with a clatter of wickets, leaving us at 130/5 in 31 with promotion in the balance. The sound of leather on wood accompanying a late order collapse to 168 all out, not nearly enough.

At Fairfield, there was a collective sigh of relief as St Peters were bowled out for 131, supplying us with the ten points required to guarantee survival. The fact that an eventual ten run defeat was the result was irrelevant and all eyes turned to Ifield Green where the home teams reply started.

We had a great start, Oscar Harman making the breakthrough, then Jimmy Llyod took two quick wickets. Although wickets fell regularly it was looking like we would once again snatch defeat from the jaws of promotion. Step forward Alex Bushell with four wickets. Still, at 130/7, it was in the balance. In the end we did it, winning by just ten runs. Having lost out on promotion in the two previous seasons, the feeling was one of relief more than triumph although that was put aside once everyone made their way back to Fairfield for a double celebration.

All in all, season 2023, the 306th in our long history, was a successful one and as the footballers take over the pavilion and the sight screens and covers are put away, we can look forward with optimism to 2024. Have a great winter!

Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council News - Sept 23

September 2023 | Parish Council News Village Centre, Trinity Road, Hurstpierpoint, BN6 9UY Tel: 01273 833264 Email: office@hurstpierpoint-pc.gov.uk www.hurstpierpoint-pc.gov.uk


Green and pleasant land?

Many of our residents like to walk both for recreation, getting to school, work or shops, or as a way of enjoying our lovely countryside. As well as the health benefits, choosing to walk reduces the amount of traffic on our roads which can only be a good thing. Sadly however, walking around Hurstpierpoint and Sayers Common is not always as relaxing, enjoyable, or safe as it could be. The Parish Council has recently received several complaints about the following issues: • Pavements obstructed by encroaching vegetation It is the responsibility of the landowner with trees and hedges that overhang or grow out into the pavements, to keep the pavements clear. Please remember that pavements are vitally important to children, the frail, and wheelchair or pushchair users who cannot step into a road to avoid obstructions. For example, at the Parish Council we love bramble for its value to wildlife – but in the wrong place e.g., hanging over a footpath it can be dangerous especially to those with limited sight. How can you help? Regularly check your hedges, trees and plants are not growing out across the footpath and trim where necessary.

Are your child’s immunisations up to date?

In the light of a worrying increase in cases of measles, an infection which spreads easily and can cause serious and potentially long-term problems such as pneumonia and meningitis, we have been asked by Alison Challenger, Director of Public Health for West Sussex, to encourage parents and carers to protect their children from preventable illnesses by making sure their childhood immunisations are up to date. She states: “Immunisation is the best defence against diseases, including measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR). Every child deserves the best start in life. Vaccines protect your child, yourself, and other members of your family from a range of unpleasant and often serious childhood diseases.” Many childhood vaccines are given more than once, at different ages and in different combinations. Ensuring your child has their vaccinations at the right time gives them the best protection, but it is always possible to catch up on any vaccinations your child has missed. Every child is still entitled to their jab, even if they have missed an appointment, which can be rescheduled. Vaccinations are offered free of charge in the UK. You can call your GP to book an appointment. If you are not sure whether your child has had all their vaccines for their age, you can: • Check your child’s RED BOOK • Ask your health visitor • Contact your GP practice Visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/childhood -immunisations to find out more about childhood vaccinations.


To read the full council newsletter, please click the images provided to enlarge them or turn to page 18 & 19 of September’s Hurst Life.

Hurst Village Cinema through September 2023

By Mike Thatcher

I’m delighted to report that over the summer, the everamazing Ivor has installed a new, laser projector at the Players, which not only looks fantastic, but means I can relax about bulbs blowing mid-film! As always, we are screening four films as part of the Hurst Festival, one in the New Inn garden and the others at the Players.

Wednesday 20th September: Dirty Dancing (PG) – This year’s film in the New Inn garden: Baby (Jennifer Grey) is one listless summer away from the Peace Corps. Hoping to enjoy her youth while it lasts, she’s disappointed when her summer plans deposit her at a sleepy resort in the Catskills with her parents. Her luck turns around, however, when the resort’s dance instructor, Johnny (Patrick Swayze), enlists Baby as his new partner, and the two fall in love. Baby’s father forbids her from seeing Johnny, but she’s determined to help him perform the last big dance of the summer. An 80s’ classic and well worth a re-visit in the unique setting of the New Inn garden.

Tuesday 26th September: Fargo (18) – Perhaps the Cohen brothers’ finest film, it is a dark, quirky and violent black comedy set in the bleak landscape of Minnesota. Brilliant performances from Francis McDormand and William H Macy, this turned the rules of the true-crime film on its head. It spawned the recent series with Martin Freeman.

Wednesday 27th September: The Day of the Jackal (15) – A chance to see this absolute classic on the big screen as director Fred Zinnemann delivers a masterclass in tension and suspense. An underground group pays for the services of crack assassin Edward Fox ‘The Jackal’ to kill President de Gaulle; what follows is a tense cat-and-mouse thriller chase across France, leading to thrilling climax.

Thursday 28th September: A Serial Killer’s Guide to Life (15) – Includes a Q&A with writer/director Staten Cousins Roe and lead actress Poppy Roe, who are incidentally both Hurst residents. A very British black comedy it features Katie Brayben as a self-help addict who goes on a road trip with a life coach (Roe) who just happens to be a serial killer. Filmed locally, it’s a deadly and comic skewering of the ‘wellness’ culture and has been described as a cross between Sightseers and Thelma and Louise.

All tickets can be bought via the Festival website (www.hurstfestival.org).

Hurst Open Studios welcomes the community

By Annette Street

Hurstpierpoint Open Studios will take place over the weekends of 16th-17th and 23rd-24th September during the Hurst Festival and there will be 25 artists at 13 venues around the village.
Come and meet the artists and view paintings, textiles, stained glass, photography, jewellery, ceramics and sculpture. We’re also supporting an exhibition by Ukrainian artist Alexey Artyukh. There is something for everyone to enjoy and maybe treat yourself, or someone else to a unique piece of artwork.

Look for the blue and white balloons! Find more details online: www.hurstfestival.org/hurst-open-studios Hurst Life spoke to two new exhibitors in the village; Matt Startin, who has recently moved here and Tamila Moiseieva, a Ukrainian who is exhibiting on behalf of Alexey Artyukh:

By Tamila Moiseieva
Alexey Petrovich Artyukh, was born in 1966 in Kiev and in 1999 he was ordained a priest in the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. He paints in the styles of academic realism and Impressionism. Work in Ukraine is still hindered by financial difficulties, as life has become harder, paintings are not ordered and not bought. So, Alexey can’t sell anything in his country now. Therefore, he has difficulties with feeding his family. We are very grateful to organisers of Open Studio and everyone who helped to show and promote Alexey’s creativity in England, a country where there are many lovers of art and all the beautiful things that exist in this world! I am hoping to sell paintings of Alexey and transfer money to him. This is my goal. Thank you.

By Matt Startin
I originally studied Architecture at the Mackintosh School, part of the Glasgow School of Art, but then found a job into the video games industry as a 3D artist. I have now been making video games for over 25 years and I’m currently an art director at Electronic Arts (EA), a well-known American video game company. I started printmaking back in 2015 when I took a course in traditional etching at BIP printmaking studio in Brighton. Visitors to my studio will see a collection of my aquatint etchings and mezzotint prints and I’ve recently been working with charcoal too. There will also be a few photographic prints for sale. I’ll be working in the studio so people can watch me create a mezzotint plate and I’m happy to talk about the printmaking process to anyone that wants to listen.

Mid Sussex Health Care - Flu Clinics 2023 in Hurst

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

https://www.midsussexhealthcare.co.uk/

Hope celebrates 10 years in Hurst

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).

Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common news - Aug 23

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.

Enjoy the summer at Village Pizza Kitchen

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

100 issues of Hurst Life - Thank you Hurst community

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.

Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council newsletter - June 2023

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.

Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common May 2023 | Parish Council News

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.

New barber joins Hurst High Street - Meet Azeez

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.”

Hurst residents start local sober group in the community

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.

Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council April newsletter - 2023

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.


Hurst Rethink brings Hurst community activities this spring

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