Category Archives: Fulking Fair

Bobservation No. 105: Fulking Fair 2023

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Fulking Fair
This year’s fair will, as usual, be centred on the RSPCA fun dog show. In addition there will be childrens games, tattoo face painting, a competition, races and Tug of War. Food will include Crepes, Fudge, BBQ, Hot dogs, Pies, Bakeries, Pizzas, Ice Cream, Cakes, Biltong, Fresh fruit, Hot caramelized sandwiches, Homemade cakes, Preserves, Indian home cooking. Liquid refreshment by the Shepherd & Dog, teas, coffees, beers & wines, cocktails. Demonstrations by HART, Woodland Trust, hedgelaying, woodworking, Sussex Wildlife Trust, Henfield spinners & weavers. Music by Tenderhooks, Henfield Ukulele band, Pyecombe Choir. Doggie things like pet portraits, dog collars, dog & pet food, dog training. Sales stalls including childrens books, jewellery, leatherwork, bric a brac, caps & hats, ladies clothing, cards & gifts, flowers. Information from Fulking Parish Council, Sustainable Henfield 2030. AND an exceptional TOMBOLA to win great value prizes.

Ok! So I know we are missing a couple of F-16 fighters and a troop of Chieftain tanks but you can’t say we didn’t try!!

All of this takes a number of volunteers to make it work in an acceptable manner. If you have not already done so please contact Sally Brownie to see what you can do to help.

Charmayne Diamond RIP

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Charmayne Diamond
Alas! What a rotten year we have just had and now more news of another ex- Fulking villager who has passed away. Charmayne was a most enthusiastic villager and greatly enlivened the annual Call my Bluff wine quizzes. I was fortunate enough to be sitting in the Theatre Royal in Brighton with her and Lee on the evening when the Argus award for ‘Best Community event in Sussex’ was awarded to Fulking for the Fair and the three of us went on stage to receive the award. She was so excited. This could only have been achieved with her generosity in running the Dog Show and letting us use her two fields adjacent to her house for the fair. I hope it would not be incorrect to say she was genuinely one of those ‘larger than life’ people who very occasionally cross one’s path. Goodbye Charm!

Bob Rowland

Bobservation No. 102: Good Fortune

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Fingers of God - sun shining through cloudGood Fortune
With the news of the Turkish earthquake and the ongoing war in Ukraine, the proximity of Spring is a very good time to reflect on the good fortune of those who live in the Downland villages. It is only by  accident and luck of the draw that we have come to enjoy the stability and peace of the South Downs. Even though I am now living in Henfield my attachment to Fulking is undiminished and I find a new wave of enthusiasm emanating from the Fulking Social Committee under the leadership of Sally Brownie. I like to think that I continued where Nick and Jill left off and have now successfully passed the baton to Sally. These things do not just happen; they require a great deal of time and thought to make them succeed. Without like minded support from the Committee nothing would be possible.

Fulking Fair 2023
Inviting stallholders to the fair and letting them have a free pitch with a voluntary donation, based on success, usually means being inundated with offers. This year is quite different and the response has been very disappointing. Please rack your brains for anyone you know who would like a pitch for Fulking Fair at Perching Sands Farm, Sunday 16 July and let me or Sally know.

Bobservation No. 101: Joyce Harris RIP

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Finger post highlighting Paythorne Farm

Joyce Harris
Another Fulking village stalwart departed. Joyce and her late husband Brian were leading lights in the village and at St Andrews for many years. Her determined goodwill led the ‘church mice’ and she was a dedicated parishioner who was greatly missed when she became unable to participate due to ill health. Very recent years have seen a passing away of many of the older villagers and it is up to the present generation to fill their shoes. Joyce’s funeral will be at St Andrews on Friday, 24 February at 11am.

Fulking Social Committee
Sally has certainly kicked off the New Year positively with organising the monthly Thursday evening get-together. It is in the village hall for villagers from the local Downland parishes. Turnout for the first one was very encouraging as were the ideas put forward. There is little doubt that this getting together is very welcome particularly for newcomers. Let’s hope that action matches the enthusiasm.

Fulking Fair 2023
I am delighted to have been asked to start off the organisation of this year’s fair which will be on Sunday July 16. It will move, together with vehicle parking from the North Town Field to Perching Manor Farm. Many thanks to David and Angela for making this possible. It is hoped that the additional space will make the organisation simpler and more profitable. There should certainly be room for as many stalls and games as we can get. Over the next months volunteers are going to be very much sought after. RSPCA fun dog show will again be the focus. If you would like a pitch contact me at bob.pamrowland@btinternet.com.

Bobservation No. 96: Continuation

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Bluebells at Furzefield
Farewell to Fulking
As I write this I feel as though I am in another world! After thirty years of quite demanding work being custodians at Furzefield of a unique three acres of oak and hazel woodland and a glorious spread of bluebells in spring, we have moved to a delightful bungalow in Henfield. Moving was not the big wrench  we expected, just very hard work. Rich, Sarah and Archie will be our very dedicated successors.
A tremendous and very moving farewell was our great good fortune; held in the village hall attended by so many village friends who I dare not name for fear of leaving someone out! Sufficient to say, I was never able to encourage a Social Committee meeting of that size!  The leaving gift was quite amazingly generous and we were both very humbled by it. Many, many thanks to all of you. I fear my few words of thanks at the time turned into something of a hopeless drivel rather like recent question times in the House of Commons.
If only to achieve my century it has been suggested that I might continue with Bobservation a little while longer, which pleasure I hope you will grant me.

Fulking Fair 2022
Perhaps not quite as exciting as it can be because of the extreme heat and the need for new input. The future will be very well driven by Sally and her team with lots of new ideas. Please give her all the support she will need. Fulking Fair deserves to be protected, it has become a great local event.

Bobservation No. 95: BobsOvation

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Farewell
Well finally you are going to get rid of me! Except I would love to score a century of Bobservations and perhaps we can find a way so I can do that. Pam & I will be moving house to Henfield on 12 August. Fulking has been the centre of our world for 30 years now. Furzefield has given us many happy hours, gardening , conservation and entertaining and our successors Rich, Sarah, Archie and Barnsley will be ideal custodians of the bluebells, badgers and everything else, and I know very good additions to the Fulking social scene. It is this scene that I am going to miss a lot. Over the years Fulking has provided a social life and hobby that it would have been very hard to find anywhere else in the world. I have so many happy memories of wonderful people and great times particularly, I suppose, the Call my Bluff quizzes and of course the annual Fulking Fair (see below!).

Fulking Fair
Well! we had the 2022 Fulking Fair and got perfect summer weather and the RSPCA fun dog show found some shade under the trees. Due to exceptional teamwork we managed to have a truly wonderful afternoon. I think we all learnt a little about each other and I am sure next year we can make some improvements but that happens every time! I just hope you will let me be involved in some way even though I will no longer be a resident of this wonderful (secular!) parish.

Bobservation No. 94: Mick Gaule RIP

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What a very touching send off for Mick when we toasted his last journey from the balcony of the Shepherd & Dog. He was one of the very last oldies who had lived in Fulking most or all of their lives. Such a lovely gentleman and I think would like to be remembered as a great ferreter!.

Fulking Fair
With only three weeks to go until Fulking Fair 2022 I thought it might be of interest if I gave you an idea of how many villagers are involved in specific contributions of their time. I set out below in no particular order, those who are helping, with apologies to anyone who I have left out: Geoff & Jenny Shepherd & Dog bar, Tina music, Clive BBQ, Rosemary & Mick Tombola, Linda Terry Danny & Adrian parking, Sally First aid BBQ  Art Advertising Flyer Samantha Pitch set-up and allocation, Tricia Teas & Cakes and First aid, Carol Treasurer, Myriam & Bea Henna Tattoo painting, Angela Children’s games, Stuart & Nick Traffic Control, Jen Donation Box, Chris Art, Karen Social Media advertising, Laurence Simon & family Traffic  and Fair advertising signs, Jenny & Julian Electricity, George & Sarah Use of field, AND in addition to our homegrown BBQ and entertainment we will have the RSPCA fun dog show and food from Rushfields’ Pies, Safari Pizzas, Indulgent Ice Cream, Rob Padley’s Coffee & On the Hoof  Moroccan Kebabs. Stalls will be displays by the National Trust, the Woodland Trust, Sussex Wildlife Trust, Central Sussex Beekeepers, Sustainable Henfield 2030.  There will be many stalls along the Street and in the North Town Field with games and products for sale but please remember TEAS & CAKES in the village hall, The best ever BOTTLE TOMBOLA in the field, Shepherd & Dog bar and Clive Miller’s BBQ. All donations and any surplus from the Fair are in aid of the Village Hall.

Bobservation No. 93: Sheena Trist RIP

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Sheena Trist is no longer with us. What an inadequate comment for a very good friend who had the distinction of having been a Parish Councillor, Chair of the Parish Council and Parish Clerk at various times. Villagers of her ilk seem to be fewer and fewer these days. Our thoughts go out to Michael and Hollie. We will miss her.

The funeral arrangements for Sheena are: 2 pm on Friday 10th June at St Andrew’s, Edburton, and afterwards at Tottington Manor. All would be most welcome.

Parish Events
I understand that only one member of the public attended the Annual Parish Meeting and can only hope that this might be due to Covid hangover. If it was just apathy I beg you all to get involved in this wonderful village. I have a gut feeling that some villagers have no intention of getting involved in any activities. So be it. The reasons really are not important, but it would be good if the Social Committee gets more active input from Parish Councillors and that villagers make a greater effort to attend and indeed support the Parish Council. It used to be so much better and can be again with a positive approach on both sides.

Fulking Fair
This is going to be a REALLY successful year for Fulking Fair in the North Town Field on Sunday 24 July from 12 until 5pm incorporating the RSPCA fun dog show, live music, Shepherd & Dog bar, Clive Miller’s BBQ, Rushfield’s Pies, Safari pizzas, Indulgent Ice Cream, Teas &Cakes in the Village Hall, Children’s games, Tombola and all manner of stalls. Do please put this in your diary it will be THE village event of 2022.

Bobservation No. 92: Migrants and Volunteering

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Migrants
It seems to me to be quite ridiculous to make ‘illegal’ entry to the United Kingdom penalised without first attempting to find out what skills the migrant might have. Our nation is plagued by shortages of labour in many fields and workers with skills in the building trade, hospitality sector and agriculture for example could well be found within the ranks of such migrants. They may need training to enable them to fit in with our ways of working and talking but I would think human beings who put themselves to such risks as crossing the Channel in a rubber dinghy show a great sense of determination and courage. Eventually they could become useful tax paying citizens.

Fulking Fair
We seem to be getting along very well with the organisation of the fair on Sunday 24 July but still need  helpers. Please give me a shout on 271 or bob.pamrowland@btinternet.com if you have perhaps half a day to give. You will be playing a big part in making the fair possible.

Bobservation No. 89: Changes in Henfield

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Changes in Henfield
Over the last 30 years the changes in Henfield have been remarkable. Some of these are; The Health Centre which has become Henfield Haven and moved from Hewitts to its present location, the petrol station was tiny, the Tea Gardens were a very good Indian Restaurant, Setyres was a used car lot, the RPS food & wineshop was a Winerack, there was a Building Society and four different bank branches one of which is now the Vet, none of the housing estate to the north west of the Health centre existed, two pubs have gone, the video shop is a thing of the past, the Chinese no longer sells fish & chips, both the gentleman’s outfitters and the electrical retailers have closed, the fishmonger has gone, the forge and blacksmith has moved from the high street, the art shop was a cook shop, car parks were free, the solicitors above what was Lloyds bank moved to Hassocks and the large building is still empty. I just thought it might bring back memories, hopefully pleasant!

Fulking Fair 2022
This year’s fair may well need to be supported very well if we are to raise funds relating to the village hall, details of which will be forthcoming from the Chair of the Parish Council, Mark Hind. There will need to be as many villagers taking part as possible helping to make it successful. We need helpers to do all sorts of jobs most of which are not at all onerous and generally very good fun. Please get in touch with me tel 271 or email bob.pamrowland@btinternet.com and we can discuss what you might like to do.

Fulking Social Committee
I have now officiaIly handed over the Chair of the Social Committee to Sally Brownie who, in the short time she has been in Fulking, has shown an enthusiastic attitude that will well suit her for the post. She will provide much needed new ideas for the development of the social side of the village but will need your support.