Harvest Festival & Picnic

Harvest Festival and Picnic
October 15th — a traditional Harvest Festival Service at 11.00am will be followed by our ever popular harvest picnic lunch (which must be ordered in advance). The picnic will take place inside St. Andrew’s, or outside if the weather permits.

Amazing Harvest Hamper raffle. We welcome all parishioners to this event. To order picnics (£6.50), phone Jane Warne on 07812-465-559 or email standrewsedburton@yahoo.co.uk.

Jane Warne

Bobservation No.35


We have put Furzefield on the market because we are finding it very difficult to keep on top of the regular land maintenance which becomes more onerous with age creeping along (rapidly!) Needless to say, we had mixed feelings about doing this. Our main concern is that the incoming owners understand and protect the land in its natural state.

After twenty-five years of involvement with Fulking it is very hard to think of living anywhere else and the availability of suitable small bungalows with less land in the village is practically zero. Our estate agents have done a magnificent job of presenting the property in the best possible light and the response has exceeded all expectations, both theirs and ours.

The stress of having potential viewers, nine in the first eight days, would seem unimportant, but it is very demanding. It is interesting how many of them wanted to extend the property in one way or another. It seems to be out of fashion to buy the size of house you want.

The biggest problem is where we are going to go next and I suppose deep down there is an impractical hope that we will not sell and have to stay! Time will tell and in the meanwhile with your patience and support I would like to continue with Bobservations as long as we remain in Fulking. It was flattering that one of the potential buyers had taken the trouble to read all 34 of the Bobservations to get an idea of what happens in the village.

Another thing, the advertised meeting in the Village Hall to have villagers engage in a discussion about the future of Pigeon Post was poorly attended. It may be that very few villagers read Pigeon Post in which case it is quite possible that it will cease in its current paper version. I think this would be a shame but quite understand that it is time someone else picked up the editorial reins.

Old Time Music Hall Singalong

Music Hall posters
To be held at St. Andrew’s on Friday 29th September at 7.30pm. The singing will be led by The Pyecombe Village Choir and tickets, priced at £10, include supper of bangers, beans and baked potatoes and a welcome drink. Numbers will be limited. To buy tickets, or for more details, please email StAndrewsEdburton@yahoo.co.uk, or phone 07812-465-559.

Bobservation 34: Village Pulls Together – Fulking Fair Report

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!

Footpaths needing attention

B73BY
Sue Philipson, our local Access Ranger, will be carrying out Public Rights of Ways inspections next month. Following these inspections, routine maintenance work will be organised.

If you know of any issues or work that needs doing, please contact West Sussex Public Rights of Way by the end of June via the following email address: prow@westsussex.gov.uk. Please copy in the Parish Council for our records (parishclerk@fulking.net).

Path numbers can be found on the West Sussex website and you may need to refer to the ‘How to use the iMap’ for this. Both the map and the guide can be found here: www.westsussex.gov.uk/imap.

Poynings Country Fete

Poynings Fete
Please join us at our traditional village fete in the rectory garden on June 10th from 2:00–4:30pm. This event helps fund the general upkeep of our beautiful Norman Church. There will be games and stalls for all ages — golf, toys, plants, cakes, books, a raffle and a tombola. Enjoy a scrumptious cream tea and watch the maypole dancing or puppet show with a glass of refreshing Pimms.

Sheila Marshall