Author: Miles
Bobservation 28 – The Census
Our knowledgeable and interesting village web site gives details of the census data for Fulking in 2011. I appreciate that this is some 6 years old now but I find some of the information quite fascinating.
Fulking had 137 dwellings of which 130 are considered households. Of these households 10 had one bedroom, 25 had two bedrooms and 45,32, and 18 had three, four and five bedrooms respectively. Five had no central heating and six relied on solid fuel.
Flats numbered 7, terraced households 7, semi-detached 40 and detached were 76. All households had at least 3 rooms and 29 had 9 or more rooms. Vehicles per household were nil in 7 households, one in 36, two in 68, three in 13 and four+ in 6 households. 53 households were owned outright and 51 were subject to a mortgage or loan. 19 rented from private landlords, one was rent free.
The oldest villager was aged 97 and the next oldest was 91 and then there were two aged 90. Ten were aged 47 as were those aged 56, these were the highest for any age group. One was less than 1 year and three were aged one. Of the 303 residents, 272 were born in England, 4 in Germany, 3 in Kenya, 3 in the USA and 3 in Hong Kong.
Christians numbered 184, no religion 90, two were Hindu and one a Buddhist, there were no Jewish or Moslem residents, although 24 residents did not state a religion. No one lived in a Commune or was sleeping rough. 27 residents had a second address and of these 15 were outside the UK. Females numbered 161 and males 142.
This is just a selection from the very extensive web site and I hope is of as much interest to you as it was to me.
February 2017 Pigeon Post Published
Bobservation 27. In with the new and out with the old
You may think the title above refers to me. No such luck I’m afraid! However, we might reflect on what a successful year 2016 was for Fulking. A very good Fair in July with the new format of including stalls in the Street working very well. A good Call My Bluff in the incredible Shepherd & Dog which must now be the most popular country pub in Sussex. The Christmas Market has become such a successful event that potential stallholders have to be turned away. This year’s Christmas Party was very well attended and seems to have been enjoyed by everyone. However, pride of place this year must go to the amazingly attractive Downland Calendar for 2017, which I understand has achieved sales of 800 copies.
Let us not forget the regular village activities that you support by organizing or attending. For example: Pigeon Post; then there is Yoga, Messy Church, Craft and Chat, Toddlers/family coffee, Book Nook, Games Evening, Carol Singing around the village, St Andrews Day Quiz, Plays and musical evenings in the Village Hall, a Beagle pack and one of the best cricket clubs in Sussex. Not bad for a village of a little over 200 residents!
So forward into 2017 and may it be a happy, successful, and healthy year for all of you. If you are not already involved in village activities, please come along and help. You will be most welcome.
Two dates for your diaries; Tuesday 24th January 2017 – Annual General Meeting of the Fulking Social Committee in the village hall at 8pm and Sunday 30th July 2017 – Annual Village Fair.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
January 2017 Pigeon Post Published
Bobservation No. 26
Before wishing you all a very Happy Christmas let me first congratulate the Village Hall Action Group on the launch evening for their magnificent calendar. Not a bad turnout, and even the Chair of the Parish Council was there, mind you he took the majority of the pictures! It was so good to see Kath from Rushfields who are one of the sponsors and have been a major sale location.
At the time of writing the sales have exceeded 500 calendars, a second printing has been selling well, and the comments from outside the village have been very positive.
The Christmas Market/Fair in the village hall just gets better and better. Lots of helpers but hats off to Jen and Chris for driving it along every year. It has become another fixture on the Fulking calendar.
Christmas in a village like Fulking takes on a warmth not found in more urban environments. We should do everything we can to preserve that atmosphere. To this end the Social Committee have delivered invitations for the annual Christmas party on Friday 9th December to all villagers. There will be mulled, red and white wine and a tombola. The only thing we ask of you is to bring some savoury finger food. The party is from 6.30 to 8.30pm and children are welcome. Please try to be there.
The Shepherd & Dog is putting on its usual Kids Christmas Party on Saturday 24th December. What a good chance for mums to get a bit of space by sending dad out with the kids! It is a great fun event.
You must get sick of me nagging you month after month so, just for a change, my thanks to all of you who helped this year, in any way, to create such a wonderful place to live. Happy Christmas!
December 2016 Pigeon Post Published
Bobservation No. 25
It is with a sense of wonderment that for the first time in my memory a Fulking village calendar has been produced at all and indeed to an incredibly high professional standard. Credit has been given to the photographers and sponsors in the calendar but mention should be made of the marketing expertise that has been kindly supplied by Richard Rawlings and Jen Green for being the driving force amongst the other villagers involved. We can be really proud of the many achievements of Fulking over the last few years.
The launch of the calendar will be in the village hall on Saturday 12 November at 8pm when there will be a slide show of some of the excellent photos that did not make the last 12 and a welcoming glass of wine. Entrance is free but bring cash to purchase calendars.
The 2017 Downland Calendar provides spectacular views of our beautiful South Downs, all year round.
The Fulking Village Hall plays a central role in the life of the local community, so an action group has just put together a calendar to raise funds for maintenance needed to keep it functioning. The Downland Calendar 2017 features a variety of stunning images celebrating different aspects of the surrounding countryside and villages, with photographs taken by local residents clearly in love with this beautiful area.
It would make an ideal Christmas present for family, friends and colleagues, or for yourself! The A4 page calendars are available to buy for only £6.00 and will be supplied shrink-wrapped.
November 2016 Pigeon Post Published
Bobservation No. 24
It would be good if we could all take into consideration the feelings of our neighbours and communicate with them when a contentious situation happens. This might involve loud music, noisy children, late night barking dogs, trees, hedges, access to a view, parked vehicles or any number of things.
In particular it occurs to me that we might, as a village, consider that the ten-year battle between the village and Mid Sussex District Council over the Market Garden site has been brought to an end, with the decision by that council, complying with a Central Government ruling. In addition to this the recent ruling on the planning application at Conifers is the end of any objection that was raised.
Accordingly, I suggest that the village should now accept that these families are with us for as long as they wish to be, and should be accepted and welcomed as villagers on exactly the same basis as the rest of us. I appreciate that with the original lack of planning consent at the Market Garden site feelings ran high and I have no doubt that there will be objections to this Bobservation but I do implore you to let bygones be bygones and move on. After all, when it comes to planning contraventions there are some villagers who might find it difficult to cast the first stone.