Category Archives: North Town Field

Bobservation 37: Migration, Dogs & Maps

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Banner with estate agents logosMigration
At the risk of being corrected over omissions I think that over the last seven years, the number of properties sold, for sale or for letting in Fulking has been interesting. A little research shows that the properties involved in migration of any sort were:

Arcadia, Badger Brook, Badgerwood House, Barn Cottage, The Cabbage Patch, 15,21,29 & 41 Clappers Lane, Customary Cottage, Downside, Four Acres, Furzefield, Hillbrook, Hillside, Kent Cottage, Little Down, The Old Bakehouse, Oldwood, The Paddock, Perching Barn, Perching Manor, Pippins, 2 Septima Cottages, 1 & 2 Southview Cottages, 3 Teapot Row, Thatchly,  Timbers, West Dean, West Orchard, Yew Tree Cottage.

That is 32 out of 137 or 23% of properties either sold, let or offered for sale! I find this interesting because in a parish like Fulking there is an old world feeling of permanence of residence which obviously is incorrect. As for Furzefield I think the impossibility of finding a suitable property in Henfield  to move to may scupper any hopes you may have of stopping future Bobservations!
Most recent emigrants are Clive and Kate both of whom  we shall miss. Kate was a very good Chair of the Parish Council at a difficult time. Parking will be easier in the Street!

Fun Dog Show
It has been agreed to hold a fun dog show in the North Town Field as part of the fair on Sunday July 29th 2018. Is there someone who would like to take on the organisation of this lighthearted event with full support from the Social Committee? If you would like to discuss it give me call on 857271 or email bob.pamrowland@btinternet.com

House Map
If you have not already looked at the magnificent Fulking Village web-site I suggest you  take the trouble to look at  ‘About our village’ and scroll down to ‘House Map’. Every residence in the parish has been marked on the map and indeed so have properties adjacent to Fulking. What a lot of amazing information has been put at everyone’s disposal.  Many thanks to Gerald, John and Miles for putting all this together.

Bobservation No.36: Social Committee

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Entrance to NTF on Fair DayThe results of this year’s fair were a very creditable profit of £1,450. This was assisted by the generosity of the Shepherd & Dog donating the net cost of the marquee and furnishings after allowing for the Call My Bluff net income.
The fair is organised by the Fulking Social Committee with the vital help of volunteers who are the backbone of the event. Full accounts of the fair are available from Nick Hughes the treasurer.
Dates for your diaries are:
Friday 8th December – Christmas Party in the village hall from 6pm, which I now know clashes with the village ladies pub night at the Shepherd & Dog but hopefully these ladies will be able to call in and say Merry Christmas on their way;
Friday 27th July 2018 – Call My Bluff in the marquee in the North Town Field and
Sunday 29 July 2018 – Fulking Fair also in the North Town Field from noon till 4pm.

The bottom line of all this is to get some more members of the Social Committee. It is only as onerous as you want it to be and you will be welcomed with enthusiasm. We meet about half a dozen times a year generally on a midweek evening at 8pm and have an Annual General Meeting which this time will be in the village hall at 7pm on Wednesday 31 January 2018.
The Social Committee is a great way for new arrivals and their families to meet other villagers and offer new ideas. Please give me a call on 271 or email me at bob.pamrowland@btinternet.com if you are interested in joining us.

Lastly I understand that Harry & Charmayne Diamond have sold Downside and will be leaving us after Christmas. They have been such an important part of the Social Committee and their generous loan of Downside Meadow has meant a big difference in being able to hold the annual fair. I am sure all villagers would want to wish them every happiness in their next home.

Bobservation 34: Village Pulls Together – Fulking Fair Report

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Well! with your help, if you did, and without it, if you didn’t, we had a couple of very successful and enjoyable events with the Call my Bluff on Friday 28th July and the Fair on Sunday 30th July. Fortunately, the weather was kind. Financially both events resulted in a good surplus (details will follow). Regarding the Fair, it is interesting that ‘the best laid plans ..’ inasmuch as the scheduled Punjabi Street Food was nominated for the final of the British street food completion on the same day as the fair, the pony lady decided that the available space was not for her, the music guys had a wobble over insurance, Bubble Pop was booked elsewhere and Sussex Wildlife were understaffed and could not come.

It is a great learning curve that something as simple as a village fair requires so much input by quite a few dedicated people to make it successful. Heaven knows what it must be like organising the Chelsea Flower Show. I take my hat off to them! Having said all that, the team put together what was possibly the best Fair we have ever had.

Many thanks to all involved, you were terrific!  Great Teas (and cake donations — over £500 raised!), BBQ, Bar, Food, Music, Stalls, Tombola, Parking, Tug-of-War, Kids Games, Puppets, Steam engine and anything I have left out.

As for the Call my Bluff, the Shepherd & Dog changed their wine supplier a couple  of weeks before the event  which meant a last minute scramble to get wines for the quiz sorted and it turned out they were very good indeed. Dave and Emily, as usual, proved to be the backbone of the evening. Tania was a brilliant first timer on the top table and I enjoyed myself. Louise managed to get £300+ from raffle tickets and Pam washed up all the glasses afterwards. Thanks to everyone who came and proved that this can be a really successful evening without becoming the drunken mess that has sometimes happened in the past. It was one of the best we have had. Long may it continue!