Bobservation No. 111: Christmas Tombola Communication

Bottles in speech bubble

 

Social communication advantages
It occurred to me how fortunate we are in the Downland Villages to have so many social communication advantages: BN5 magazine comes to mind immediately, so ably edited by Emma Cole with her wonderful team who provide a monthly guide to what has happened and will happen in Henfield and the surrounding area of BN5. As well as this the advertisements in BN5 provide a very handy way of finding a local tradesman. Next the great contact mobile phone texts, What’s App, such as Community Skills Swap and Quotations. These are such useful sites to offer, ask for, complain, suggest, and indeed all manner of places to facilitate life in the countryside. If you don’t already receive them on your mobile phone I am sure one of your neighbours can help you do this. Last but certainly not least Pigeon Post so well put together by our very own Jen Green.

Fulking Christmas party tombola prizes
Rosemary and Nick, who have very successfully taken on the mantle of Tombola organisers, are looking for bottles for the Christmas party which is on Friday 8 December. These can be left in their porch at 31 Clappers Lane or at Roger and Carolyns at Woodlands. I am sure lots of you have those unwanted bottles of wine or beer or cider or soft drinks (or even bubbly!) and could free up the cupboard/wine rack space by donating to the Tombola prizes. Don’t forget to bring plenty of £s to buy Tombola tickets. The income goes to the Fulking Social Committee principally for Village Hall maintenance.

Christmas
I wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

Bobservation No. 109: Volunteering & Good Wishes

Purple and Green banner clip from Volunteering matters website at an angle

Volunteering
In the time I have been involved with and in love with Fulking, which is now 31 years, I have noticed a big change in the overall attitude of the village (strictly speaking I believe hamlet is possibly the correct description), however I digress. Nearly everyone, irrespective of wealth, used to get involved with village activities such as the Parish Council, the Xmas party, the fair, the social committee, the village tidy up and holding events in and maintaining the village hall and the North Town Field; now it is down to a few enthusiasts to work up a head of steam to achieve anything.

From time to time, we have had great motivators like Nick & Jill and Dave & Em at the Shepherd & Dog and a few others. Now days there is a handful of enthusiasts desperately trying to instil some life into what, I fear, may be a dying beast. Perhaps Fulking, by virtue of its seclusion, has become a very attractive property investment area which has brought in a completely different attitude to village life. I do appreciate that there is a small core who continue to promote village togetherness but they find it harder and harder to get volunteers!

If anyone reads this and thinks I have a good point please start by finding out the date of the next Parish Council meeting and making an effort to attend and understand what Fulking is all about. Thanks..

Good Wishes
Two of my and Fulking’s very good friends, Chris Gildersleeve and Clive Miller have had serious medical treatment recently and things have been very hard for them. This is to wish them a return to their usual good-hearted ways as soon as possible.

Bobservation No. 102: Good Fortune

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

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. 100: A New Year’s Wishes

Bobservation No.100*

The New Year 2023
I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year and can only say I do hope it is better than 2022! It has been a sad year for Fulking , the passing away of Baz Parmar, Mick Gaule, Nick Bremer and Sheena Trist all of whom, in their various ways, were important contributors to village life. Externally Covid has continued to harass us, although not as badly as at its peak and village social life has been gradually getting back to normal. This has culminated with the very successful village annual Christmas party, with which Sally has really taken over the reins of directing the Social Committee with great enthusiasm and a very good band of helpers.

My New Year’s Wishes
My hopes for 2023 are: 1. Ukraine winning the war against Russia. 2. The Government agreeing to talk to striking unions about pay. 3. An end to Covid. 4. Inflation reducing to a low single figure. 5. The needy receiving social benefits that enable them to live reasonably. 6. An end to Tax havens and all tax evasion. 7. Demolition of the Houses of Parliament and building a completely new House of Commons in the centre of England. 8. An end to the House of Lords and the aristocracy. 9. A technical reduction in the size of the Royal family and a modernisation of the Monarchy to include normal taxation. 10. A total return to remaining in Europe. 11. The church being reasonable about the sale of the Village Hall. AND 12. ENGLAND WINNING THE ASHES!.

* not out

Bobservation No. 96: Continuation

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

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. 90: Social Comment


Fulking Social Committee
It is possible that there are villagers who are either unaware of the Social Committee or of its purpose. It was formed in the late 1990s by Nick & Jill Bremer and since then has raised in excess of £20,000 by fund raising events such as the annual Fulking Fair. This has been mainly expended on support for work in the North Town Field, childrens’ play area and the village hall upkeep. Because these amenities are not owned by the District Council we have to finance their maintenance.  The Committee is an independent organisation with a constitution and all decisions are made through the Chair, currently Sally Brownie. Any decisions, financial or otherwise, made are subject to a democratic vote of the members. Whilst suggestions are always appreciated no other body has any control whatsoever over the Committee. All villagers are welcome to join subject to the approval of the existing members.

Auction of Promises
In support of fund raising the Social Committee will be holding an Auction of Promises in the village hall on Saturday 25 June. Final details are still in the hands of a select team of entrepreneurial experts . It would be great if anyone could offer a suitable Promise prize by getting in touch with Sally, Rosemary, Karen or me. The more exciting the better! One thing I can tell you; theatrical celebrity Richard Linford has very kindly agreed to be the auctioneer.

Ukraine
I am sure I am not alone in expressing my horror at the appalling and very unnecessary invasion of Ukraine. It is at times like this that we should all reflect on how fortunate we are to live in such a wonderful village.