Bob Saunders, from Hampers: Village People interview

By Michèle Copeland

Bob Saunders, from Hampers, is a well known figure in the village. When I go to meet him, he stands behind his counter which is laden with cheese, Italian salamis and olives.

“There’s nothing more challenging and enjoyable to me than to find an unknown cheese for one of my customers,” he says with a bright smile. 

Bob prides himself on buying and stocking as many locally sourced products as possible. “However, the produce must be good quality. I won’t buy it just because it is local.”

He caught the cooking bug at a young age from his mother and from one of his uncles, who became one of his mentors.

He worked as Head Chef at The Carlton in London and at The Royal Bath, among other places. “I was definitely inspired by my mum too, who did a lot of home cooking, so I come from a long line of chefs,” he continues.

How did it all start?

Bob was born in Yeovil. His dad worked for the Great Western Railway, on steam trains, but was posted to Brighton following closure of the Yeovil branch. Bob was still a lad when the family moved.

Bob, who went to Portslade Boys School before training at Brighton Technical College, worked at Vandenburgh’s in Burgess Hill for about ten years, moving up from third chef to second chef and then head chef in the late 1990s. He was then approached by his accountant to ask if he could help out Michèle Bole from time to time in her restaurant in Hurstpierpoint – which he agreed to do.

Shortly afterwards the delicatessen next door to Michèle’s restaurant came up for sale, and Bob decided to go into partnership with Michèle, running both the restaurant and delicatessen side by side.

[Full story on page 10 of March 2018 Hurst Life magazine]

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.

Hurstpierpoint crowdfunding for trishaw bikes

ITV Local News clip

A Hurstpierpoint initiative has recently been featured on ITV's Meridian local news. 

Cycling without Age is scheme which has come over the water from Denmark, and is now spreading worldwide. 

Hurst resident and campaigner Bridget Hamilton is trying to raise the £7,000 necessary to buy a bike for the local area. 

The crowdfunding campaign page can be see here. 

An exciting year at the Bowling Club

By Bob Mitchell

If you regularly visit the recreation ground in South Avenue, you will not have failed to notice the building work taking place on the eastern side of the clubhouse, if only because of the huge scaffold ‘tent’ erected to avoid work being delayed because of bad weather! As a consequence work is ahead of schedule and, by the time you read this, the scaffolding should be down and the external building work close to completion.

The Club has very much appreciated the forbearance of its neighbours in South Avenue and other Hurst residents using the footpath across the recreation ground. The good news is that by early spring, the Club, and its building contractor Closewall Ltd, aim to have things back to normal.

High Street gets new retro shop - RetroSpective

Hurstpierpoint High Street will be the home to a new retail outlet later this month when RetroSpective opens at number 89 – in the former Jam Pot shop.

The business is the brainchild of Lindsay Thompson and Tony Walsh who have had a stall in My Vintage, Hassocks for the last four years. Now the pair are going it alone, and are inviting like-minded potential stallholders to get in touch. “If you know someone who has a penchant for antiques and vintage items, or local high quality arts and crafts, then we’d love to talk to them,” Lindsay commented.

The shop will stock various types of products including upcycled furniture and accessories for every room in the house. But there will also be other items such as organic lavender products and pre-loved clothing for sale too.

Lindsay, who grew up in nearby Hassocks, says that Hurst is the perfect place to set up in business. “Hurstpierpoint is a lovely, historic and growing village (and one I very much enjoyed in my misspent youth!). We believe that the residents are keen to support their local high street, and we are keen to be part of that community and ensuring that it continues to thrive.”

At the time of going to print, the shop is currently undergoing a refit and it looks likely that RetroSpective will open its doors during February. Its hours will be 9.30am-5.30pm Monday to Saturday and Sunday’s 10am-4pm.

For more information call Lindsay on 07789 397284.

Hurst's Santa's Fun Sunday - photo round up

In early December Hurstpierpoint’s High Street was packed with residents, traders and stallholders alike as we all came together to celebrate Santa’s Fun Sunday. 

Photographers Louise and Richard Sullivan were out in force too, capturing the best bits of the action, including David Gold and Lesley Jill Manning switching on the lights (above).

See page page 27 for more information and all the many thanks to those who made this event happen.

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Christmas Tree recycling for charity in Hurst

Hurst resident Paul Wilkinson is once again on the roads of the village collecting up Christmas trees when they are finished with.

Paul has carried out this service for the last two years, and, in doing so, has raised over £7,000 for charity. He is hoping to beat the 2016 total of £4,050 this year, as he collects trees in exchange for any donation. The charities Paul will be supporting this year are both Hurstpierpoint-based – Cancervive and Hope.

“This village has served me very well over the years,” Paul explains, “both in work and life in general. So being able to give something back is  very important to me.”

Once your tree has served its useful purpose you can either text or call Paul on 07879 897241 and arrange the collection. There is no fixed amount for your donation and 100% of it will go directly to the two chosen charities. Paul adds: “Even if people don’t have a real Christmas tree I will happily collect any donations that people would like to give.”

How we made our Kipper Christmas card this year

We always like to send our customers and raving fans a little card to say how much we appreciate their support throughout the year. Christmas is a fantastic time to say this.

And so, we start to think about what our card will look like in October. 

This is how we did it...

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Wrapping paper by Willis & Co, Cuckfield. Ribbon by Waitrose. Decorated Christmas Tree supplied by Harvester in Haywards Heath. Print by Swan Press. Chief present-wrapper: Emily Billson. Chocolate-eater: David Tingley. 

Happy Christmas one and all...

David Saitch scoops the cup

By Mike Thatcher

Here’s a tip for you: if you want to travel incognito do not carry a huge silver cup around with you. This is what David Saitch learned after being awarded the prestigious Roebuck Cup at the Film Society of the Year Awards at Sheffield last month. ‘Go on my son, champion’ shouted one taxi driver out of his window. Others honked their horns. Conversations were struck on up the train home and even on a London escalator at the sight of this huge trophy.

The evening before, we were in our seats at the Sheffield Showrooms having been awarded a distinction for marketing earlier in the ceremony. I was very pleased and David looked pleased, although underneath I could tell he was chuntering about what more he had to do to win the darn thing.

“The Roebuck Cup is awarded to those remarkable individuals…” continued Deborah Parker, the chief exec of Cinema for All. My mind was wandering and David was texting Manon, asking what more he had to win the darn marketing award. “…names have been engraved upon the Roebuck Cup since 1979 - men and women who have given that extra something to the film society sector…”

At least we get our photo taken with Danny Leigh and Derek Malcolm for our marketing award, I thought. 

It then occurred to me that I was wearing the same dark top I had been at the last two awards. Oh well, no one will notice.

“…known to many for his attendance at this event, year after year, his continual support of groups all over the country…” Well, it’s a man this year, I mused. “… he has been running his own group for many years, bringing great cinema to his community in West Sussex”.

In true sitcom fashion David and I exchanged a glance.

“…several years ago he set up the UK Film Societies Facebook page to bring you all together…”.

“Oh flip”, said David, (I may have misheard), as he realised he would have to go on stage and say something. The tributes continued as he gathered his thoughts: Katie Brandwood of Stanley’s Film Club said: “We are indebted to David for enabling us to get back on our feet after losing access to our equipment, along with our long-term venue. In response to a plea for help on the UK Film Societies group in May, David arranged for the spare projector at his own film society, the Hurst Village Cinema, to be given to us on extended loan, going out of his way to handover the projector in a matter of hours.”

David strode to the stage and modestly accepted the award. “All I did was create a Facebook page, it took 20 minutes.”

[Full story in December 2017 Hurst Life magazine]

Peter Pan flies into Hurstpierpoint

Hurst Players Pantomime

It’s Pantomime time again! Oh - yes it is!

This year’s show is a traditional panto based on J.M. Barrie’s story of Peter Pan – lots of Pirates, Indians, Lost Boys, Mermaids and a fairy called Tinkerbell. This hilarious version, written by Tracy Rogers, will be a joy for all the family, with a lot of jokes and some great songs. Local singer Sam Nixon will once more be taking on the role of Principal Boy, this time as a thigh-slapping Peter Pan.

There will be evening shows at 7.30pm on 28th & 29th December 2017 and January 5th, with matinées at 1pm on 30th & 31st December, 1st, 6th and 7th January and at 5pm on 30th December, 1st and 6th January.

Tickets from £10 adult, £6 Child (under 12), £28 Family (2 adult + 2 children). Available online at www.hurstplayers.org.uk or from Clifford Dann on Hurstpierpoint High Street.

The Co-op in Hurstpierpoint, opens again at last

Hurstpierpoint Co-op store opening ceremony - Weds 29th Nov 2017

The Co-op store on the High Street is finally back, fully open at its original shop - since its closure following a fire in a nearby building back in September 2016. 

More on this story in the January issue of Hurst Life magazine...

Remembrance Parade 2017 in Hurstpierpoint

By Trevor Evans, RBL Parade Marshal

This year’s Remembrance Parade will take place on Sunday 12th November 2017. The parade will form up at 10.35am at South Avenue. Those gathered will then march through the High Street to the War Memorial.

If wet, the parade will meet at the Army Cadets Drill Hall which is situated behind the (currently closed) Co-op on the High Street.

Sussex Police have advised us that they are no longer able to provide assistance for the road closure and traffic control – and that we have to find our own marshals. I would ask those motorists and passengers travelling through the High Street at that time to accept a short delay to their journey whilst the parade takes place.

In addition, there will also be an informal gathering on Saturday 11th November 2017 at the War Memorial at 11am – all our welcome.

Hurst Village Cinema

By Mike Thatcher (Hurst Village Cinema)

At last, a new season upon us and with projector wiped and speakers tuned we present three very different films for October:

Wednesday 11th October 2017 8pm Lady Macbeth

We open with Lady Macbeth, based on a Russian novella, not Shakespeare. Katherine is trapped in an arranged marriage in the North East at the turn of the last century, essentially kept prisoner by her vile father-in-law and dysfunctional son. Bored beyond belief she takes action, but flaunting convention cannot go unpunished. This dark and powerful psychological drama is both riveting and chilling and boasts a standout performance from Florence Pugh.

Friday 27th October 2017 8pm Free Fire

A rare combination in a film; a gripping thriller which is also very funny. It’s the early 70s and a group of IRA operatives meet a South African gunrunner in a Boston warehouse planning to take a cache of M16 rifles back to Ireland. The deal goes spectacularly wrong, and Brighton filmmaker Ben Wheatley treats us to one of the most epic shootouts in recent memory. Everyone has a gun but no one is in control. The story of double-crossing is as old as the hills but Free Fire tells it in a refreshing new way whilst parodying the insanity of gun violence. A good old fashioned hoot!

Sunday 29th October 2017 8pm Hidden Figures

Three unsung heroes of the 1960s space race are given their moment in the sun here. Their story is particularly inspiring because they were African American women who, as well as calculating the angles of re-entry, had to jump through hoops at NASA when racial segregation was still a fact of life. Every day, Math’s whizz Katherine G Johnson must cross the grounds at Langley Research centre to use the ‘colored ladies room’, in a literal running gag, although it not inherently a laughing matter. This film presses all the right buttons for a blast of enlightening, upbeat entertainment.

Chatt Estates opens on Hurstpierpoint High Street

Chatt Estates, Hurst office

Keen eyed residents will have noticed that there’s a new estate agent on the High Street at number 133. 

Chatt Estates was founded by Peter Chatt and Alex Santry when they opened its first office in Ditchling in 2015. Having been born and bred in the area, Peter explained that opening in Hurstpierpoint last month was an ‘obvious step’ for the thriving agency. 

“Our team is hungry, proactive and efficient, and has a combined 15 years of local property knowledge. Do drop in and say hello. You’ll feel like you’ve know us forever,” Peter commented.

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Another new shop - seamstress now open too

A Hurstpierpoint resident opened a new shop in the village last month.

Maria Fox is a bridal seamstress and she’s taken the shop at 108 High Street for her business that specialises in bridalwear, bridesmaids, prom dresses and occasion wear – but she also offers general alterations too.

Maria, who has been sewing for 15 years, comments: “I pride myself on being meticulous! I know it has to be just right. All dresses leave my shop fitting perfectly and my brides happy.” 

The shop is open between 9am and 3pm during the week and by appointment on Saturdays. If you’d like to know more pop in and say Hi, or find Maria Fox Bridal Seamstress on Facebook.

Hurstpierpoint High Street - September update

Sunday 17th September –
Super Sunday High Street Party

There will be a Street Party atmosphere as part of the opening of the Hurst Festival. The High Street will be closed to traffic between 12 noon and 6pm. 

Please do come along and support the event for an afternoon of family fun!

All the shops are planning special events for the day – come and find out more.

There’s also a classic car rally, live music, face painting, stilt walkers roaming the street, morris dancers, a tombola, snow dogs, reptiles on the rec, fly fishing classes, art demos and the chance to try your hand at archery! 

Traders will be putting on something special for children too. The Kids Shop Window competition will be in full swing. Just collect an entry form from Mishon Mackay or Ashley & Thomas and go exploring on the High Street!

As well as the usual fantastic array of shops, the High Street will be adorned with a number of independent stalls too. If you would like to take a stall for the day, please contact Gill Blackburn on 07748 630 316.

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hurstpierpoint Co-op reopening update

The Co-op is scheduled to reopen at the end of November. However, this is pending approval of additional planning consent, for which the deadline was the end of August.

On a brighter note, the temporary store on the green is now taking credit cards! And Wendy from the Hurstpierpoint Community Shop confirms that the charity shop will be returning to the High Street as soon as possible after the Co-op’s move back.

Albourne Village Show 2017

Albourne Village Show 2017 - 9th September 2017

This year sees the 10th Anniversary of the Albourne Village Show which attempts to recreate our old Village Flower Show of the 1930s. It takes place at the Village Hall and on the green. At its core is a traditional flower and vegetable show, with additional classes for children, arts and crafts, photography, beverages, fruit, eggs, honey and all manner of culinary exhibits. Last year’s show attracted nearly 1,000 visitors and nearly 350 class entries!

Additional attractions include the 10th Anniversary Raffle (with £100 first prize), apple pressing (bring your own), vintage vehicles, a fun dog show, children’s games (including live magician), birds of prey, live music (including the Patcham Silver Band), hot food from the barbecue, cream teas, a beer tent (serving real ale and wines) and many other village and countryside exhibits and stands. Oh, and we have ice-cream and candyfloss. 

Details of classes can be found here on our website (www.albournevillageshow.co.uk). Entries to all classes from those outside Albourne are welcome and indeed encouraged!

The event is just a 20 minute walk from Hurstpierpoint. Entry is 50p for adults. Free entry for children and free car parking.

Non-stop Shakespeare by Hurstpierpoint Players

12th-15th October 2017

By Bob Sampson

Hurstpierpoint Players are planning a repeat of the successful Non-stop Shakespeare as a fundraiser to refurbish the Players Theatre in Hurstpierpoint.

As happened in 1999, it is our intention to get all 37 plays read in this 70-hour marathon, and we are inviting our members, friends, schools, professional actors, neighbouring amateur dramatic groups, in fact anyone who is interested, to get involved.

There are also great opportunities for companies to sponsor plays or take advertising space in the souvenir programme. Email shakespeare@hurstplayers.org.uk for details of what’s on offer.

The readings will go on 24 hours a day from 7.30pm on Thursday 12th October until whatever time we finish on Sunday 15th.

If you don’t want to read, please put this in your diary anyway to come along and support those that do! 

We contacted the Shakespeare Centre Library looking for advice on how long we might have to allow if we were to read right through. They said: “You deserve a huge amount of money if you’re going to read through all of Shakespeare’s plays! Going on the productions done here by the RSC, and taking at least half an hour off their running time, it would take anywhere between 60 - 80 hours to go through all the plays, depending on your texts and the speed of your readers.”

The Theatre Museum was really helpful too. Word had it that they had done a complete reading of the plays in 1989. However, it turned out they had missed a few! So it was left to the Hurstpierpoint Players to take on the task in 1999. We have done it before, so now the date is set and the mammoth operation is under way once again.

The Players Theatre building was converted to a theatre in 1976 and it has been apparent for a while now that the theatre building is in need of some significant maintenance and refurbishment work. The seats for example were already 30 years old when they were installed and the heating system has become more erratic and noisy as the years have passed. The Theatre is used by Hurstpierpoint Players, Hurst Village Cinema and Centre Stage Children’s theatre as well as many other theatre and musical concerts. The intention of this refurbishment is to make the place more comfortable for the audiences and users of the theatre.

If you want to take part in this thrilling experience, or just find out more details, send an email to shakespeare@hurstplayers.org.uk

Hurst College in community action

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Hurst College students in action around Hurstpierpoint

Every year Hurstpierpoint College’s Senior School sends out three year groups, with staff, to do project work in the local vicinity as part of their Community Action Day initiative at the end of the summer term.

This year the college dispatched 470 pupils and 79 staff to 32 locations, to perform manual chores and maintenance work for charities and other worthy organisations. The community-oriented students, accompanied by dedicated members of staff, took up their mops, rakes, spades and trowels to participate in one of the college’s most valued annual traditions.

Projects ranged from tidying public footpaths, clearing back scrub on the South Downs and gardening in organic cooperatives to serving in elderly care centres and washing windows and minibuses. The college also sent a concert party to a care home and a gang show to a school for children with complex needs.

Locations and organisations in the immediate vicinity to benefit included the Millennium Gardens and allotments in the village, Paws and Claws Animal Rescue Service in Sayers Common and Age Concern in Hassocks.

This is one of a number of days in the year when Hurst College and its students gives something back to the local community in a more direct way.

Robin Driscoll - talks to Michele Copeland - Village People, Hurstpierpoint

By Michèle Copeland

I was looking forward to meeting Robin Driscoll, one dull Wednesday in mid-July, in the heart of the village.

He lives in what was probably an old yeoman’s cottage, which was added on to in the 1800s and again in the 1970s.

In his own words: “It was better built then, than in the 1970s, where there are still problems with the drains!” 

He lives with his wife Deborah, whom he met in 1982. They have a son Sam and a five year old grandson called Dominic. They moved to Hurstpierpoint from Brighton in 1993 when they were looking into secondary schools for Sam.

Robin was schooled at Boundstone School, Sompting, between Lancing and Worthing. At 17 he decided to study Creative Arts in Worthing, which is now Northbrook College, finding the more academic path more challenging. He then took a year’s break from the course to work with the Community Arts Workshop in Shoreham. “This setup was specifically geared to help special needs kids, as well as local children of all backgrounds to express themselves via performance arts,” Robin continues, in the comfortable, bright conservatory where we are now sitting over cups of tea.

Hoping to return to college for his second year, he was surprised to find that the Vice Principal was not so keen to allow him to do that, as it was no longer an art college as such. It was now West Sussex College of Design and no longer taught fine arts. So Robin decided to go back to The Barn to work with special needs groups for four years before starting The Cliffhanger Theatre Company in 1978. This company he started with co-workers and friends and ran for some 15 years. Notable names included Peter McCarthy, who became a successful author, Becky Stevens, who is now a kids writer for TV and an author, and Tony Hasse, who now writes for TV and performs, whom he had met at the workshop in the early 1970s.

“We toured the country doing serials, a two hour show, in successive weeks, first based in Brighton and finishing at the Edinburgh Fringe,” he explains. 

They were so successful that, after three years, they didn’t need the Arts Council grant anymore.

“During that time I was asked to play the Great Raymondo in Only Fools and Horses, which was quite stressful as one had to remember one’s lines,” he remarks!

“What you have to understand is that the Edinburgh Fringe was a kind of showcase for television and the arts at the time. We were consequently invited to perform in Europe and Australia for two years running. 

Unfortunately, to do this nowadays is too pricey, so most comedians have become stand-ups and the awards tend to go to them.

“We were then approached by Mel Smith and Griff Rhys Jones to contribute to their TV sketches on Alas Smith and Jones, a British comedy series on the BBC in the 80s, and then got the opportunity to write for Rowan Atkinson’s Mr Bean, when Richard Curtis got more involved with Comic Relief and so was less available, right up until the early part of 2000.” Asked about how it was to work in the TV world, Robin says: “I always felt that they were generous spirited and helpful.”

[this is an extract from the full article printed in Hurst Life August 2017 issue] 

Robert Harris - Village People feature

By Michèle Copeland

Which residents of Hurstpierpoint would not have heard of, or been to, the St Lawrence Fair? Yet how many of us know its history and the role that the Harris family has played over 100 years?

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Harris Brothers Family Fun Fair - photo from the 80s

Though the Fair has been around for over 700 hundred years in Hurstpierpoint, it presumably started then to coincide with a cattle market trading day, which would have been very popular, first on Church Green (where the War Memorial now is) - the 1897 OS map has the area around the crossroads as ‘Market Place’. Later it moved a short distance away to the north to Lamb Platt, where London Terrace and North Terrace are now, opposite the entrance to Trinity Road. There are even entries in the school log citing occasions when the cattle spilled over into the road and prevented children going to school!

However, the link to Hurstpierpoint with the Harris brothers started in the 1860s and was made by John Harris, who had five sons and was a timber merchant with a yard in nearby Cuckfield. 

He came to the fairground business at the time of horse powered roundabouts and went on, with his sons, to be the first operator of steam roundabouts in Sussex. They first opened at Brighton Racecourse in Victorian times by supplying ‘amusements’ to fairgrounds .

[The full article is featured on the pages of the July 2017 issue of Hurst Life magazine]

Link: Harris Fun Fair website