Author: Miles

Bobservation No.36: Social Committee

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 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.

Planning Meeting – Thursday 7th Sept 2017, 6:30pm – Village Hall


You are hereby cordially invited to attend a planning meeting of the Fulking Parish Council to be held at 6.30pm, on Thursday 7th September 2017 at the Village Hall, The Street, Fulking, to transact the following business:
To discuss:

Ref. No: SDNP/17/04088/HOUS
Extension to and re-modelling of existing house
Barn Cottage Poynings Road Fulking BN5 9NB

Ref. No: SDNP/17/03762/CND
Variation of condition 2 on planning consent SDNP/15/04159/FUL – To increase the number of caravans to 2 mobile homes and 2 touring caravans and ancillary dayroom.
Market Gardens Clappers Lane Fulking BN5 9NH

Members of the Press & Public are welcome to attend.

By prior appointment with the Parish Clerk, a maximum of 2 people may speak for up to 5 minutes each in favour, and a maximum of 2 people may also speak for up to 5 minutes each against the application.

Derek Blackhall
Clerk to Fulking Parish Council
01273 846186
22 Kymer Gardens, Hassocks, BN6 8QZ, West Sussex
parishclerk@fulking.net

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!

Planning Meeting – Thursday 20th July 2017 6:30pm – Village Hall

Drawing of flat roofed house
Fulking Parish Council will hold a planning meeting at 6:30pm on Thursday July 20th 2017 in the Village Hall, to discuss:

The Cabbage Patch

Ref. No: SDNP/17/03246/HOUS

The Dales Poynings Road Fulking BN5 9NB

Note: This is an amendment to a previously considered proposal

Ref. No: SDNP/17/02025/FUL

Hillbrook Clappers Lane Fulking BN5 9NH

Note: this an amendment to a previously considered proposal

Ref No: SDNP/17/01505/HOUS

Members of the Press and Public are welcome to attend.

By prior appointment with the Parish Clerk, a maximum of 2 people may speak for up to 5 minutes each in favour, and a maximum of 2 people may also speak for up to 5 minutes each against the application.

Derek Blackhall, Clerk to Fulking Parish Council
01273 846186, parishclerk@fulking.net
22 Kymer Gardens, Hassocks, West Sussex, BN6 8QZ

Parish Council Meeting – 13th July 2017 7:30pm – Village Hall

Fulking Parish Council will hold their quarterly meeting at 7:30pm on Thursday July 13th 2017 in the Village Hall — agenda.

PARISH COUNCIL AGENDA

  1. Chairman’s Welcome.
  2. Apologies.
  3. Declarations of Interest.
  4. Approval of minutes of 6th March, 11th & 13th April, and 11th & 18th May, 2017
  5. Reports from MSDC Councillors & WSCC Councillor Joy Dennis
  6. Comments from the floor.

Matters arising from the above minutes not on the agenda: Ladybrook Spring maintenance update-Michael; Drainage along Edburton Road update-Michael; Hillside drainage-Miles; HGV sign update-Miles; Proposed parking measures West of Lady Brook Spring update-Mark; Preston Nomads entrance-Miles.

  1. Clappers Lane Update-Miles/Linda
  2. Operation Watershed update-Derek
  3. Transparency update-Derek
  4. Proposed annual review of procedures-Derek
  5. NTF insurance update-Miles
  6. Playground inspection/maintenance update-Derek
  7. Proposed 2018 meeting dates approval; 11th January, 12th April, 12th July, 11th October, AGM 3rd May-all
  8. Financial Matters (including Cheque List & Stubbs, Income & Expenditure to date, Budget v’s actual, quarterly bank reconciliation.
  9. Date of next meeting: 12th October, 2017.

Members of the Press and Public are welcome to attend.


Bobservation No.33: Fulking Fair 2017

Poster for 2017 Fulking Fair - Graphic house on green hill with detailsDepending on the weather this year’s FULKING FAIR on Sunday 30th July from 12 till 5pm has all of the attractions necessary to make it one of the best yet. We might even repeat our 2014 Argus award of the ‘Best Community Event in Sussex’. Parking and admission are both free. The various attractions that your Social committee has brought together are:

  • MUSIC  will include various local bands including the highly successful ’Sold as Seen’, ‘What the Funk’, ‘Stone Dark Night’, Jack Woodhouse, Mr Motown, Dave Gee and the Pyecombe choir.
  • FOOD:  Punjabi Street Food, Rushfields’ pies, Fish Story fish & chips, Ellie’s Biscuits , Wilderness honey, Gourmet Nuts, Fudge & Cheese and Peggy’s Pantry. There will be Teas and Cakes in the village hall and garden (see below). Ice cream will be available in The Street and the field.
  • CHILDRENS GAMES:  Bouncy castle for those kids who will not sit still, Stocks to torture Dads, Pony Rides for budding equestrian stars, Bubble Pop to amaze everyone, Puppet show by the renowned Sheila Marshall, Coconut shy for bashful kids, Hook the Duck for young crooks, Smack the Rat for the blood thirsty and Tattoo Painting for extrovert kids.
  • DRINKS: The Shepherd & Dog will be running a bar in the marquee which they have generously donated. There will be plenty of chairs and tables.
  •  DEMONSTRATIONS: HART, National Trust, Sussex Wildlife, Henfield Spinners and Knitters and Twineham Timber will all be there. Latest news is that Geoff Crane’s Burrell Traction Engine will be operating.
  • STALLS including A Chip off the Block, Tropic Skin, Saxon Stickmakers, All That’s Wood, Indigo, Emma’s Jewellery, Decoupage Delights, Presence Decor, Iron Railway Vineyard and Bric a Brac.
  • GAMES: Tug of War, including a challenge from Poynings, and two Tombolas  including one for children. We need prizes for both of these; please be generous and deliver a bottle or other prize to Louise at 13 Clappers Lane or Bob at Furzefield.

CAKES!, CAKES!, CAKES!
Due to the success of ‘Teas’ in the village hall & garden last year The Teas Team have agreed to repeat the exercise! So, once again they are desperate for cakes. It is important to let Pam (271) or Tricia (255) know if you are able to donate a cake (last year you were all amazing!) so that they have some idea of how many they will receive. All cakes can be dropped off (not literally!) in the hall after 10.30 on the day or given to Pam or Tricia by prior arrangement.

CALL MY BLUFF
Not many tables unreserved for Friday 28 July at 7pm in the North Town Field. Places are £15 or £100 for a table of 8. Pay on the night but book through Bob (271) or Emily at the Shepherd & Dog.