Bobservation No. 115: Legislation and Quotations


Anticipated Legislation
The recent failure of most, if not all, of the water companies to prevent unacceptable amounts of sewage being regularly discharged into rivers, lakes and the beaches of Britain have caused the Government, so I am given to understand, to bring about imposing legislation to force these companies to drastically improve their performance in these areas. I am told that funding will fall 50% on the companies and 50% on their customers. Accordingly water companies will be restricted to declaring dividends of 0.01% maximum and water rate charges will have to increase substantially. To achieve this increase there will be three main areas that will bear the brunt. These will be private houses with swimming pools, saunas and garden hoses. The proposed charges will be £10,000 p.a. for swimming polls, £9,000 for saunas and £2,000 for garden hoses. As well as this the proposed legislation will enable HMRC to increase these amounts by however much is necessary to achieve cleanliness in our rivers, lakes and beaches. It is thought unlikely that anyone will object to such socially acceptable legislation. 1/4/24

Quotations Group
Meeting on Monday mornings at 11am in Fulking village hall, the Quotations group is a chance for discussion for adult villagers and ex-villagers in friendly surroundings. Very ably lead by Samantha Leader a subject is chosen by mutual agreement and discussed the following week. A voluntary donation of £1 each week covers tea and Samantha’s marvellous shortbread. Quotations relevant to the chosen subject are invited and are collated and printed out each Monday to be read out at the meeting. This is an informal get together and a very good way to meet other local residents.

Family History Workshop


How to start and help with exploring your family history and to hear from others about their family stories.

Lead by Sue Albery at Beeding & Bramber Village Hall on Wednesday 5th April 2023 at 7.45pm (entrance to car park is opposite the hall). Organized by Beeding and Bramber Local History Society, visitors welcome — £5 entry or join on the night — membership for 1 year only £15.

Perching Birds

The story of how a local farm changed its farming methods and the effect on birdlife

Henfield Birdwatch are organizing a talk on Friday 25th February at 7.30pm in the Garden Room of Henfield Hall. The event is free for members and £3.00 for non-members. Refreshments will be available.

The Women’s Land Army

The Women's Land Army
A talk by Ian Everest to Beeding & Bramber Local History Society at 7:45pm on Wednesday 4th September 2019 in the Village Hall, Upper Beeding. There is a hard-to-detect car park immediately opposite.

The talk covers the role of women on Sussex farms and their vital contribution to feeding the country during both WWI and WWII. Their efforts only gained official recognition many years after they were disbanded in 1950. The speaker was brought up on a farm near Lewes and his mother was one of 80,000 Land Girls during WWII. The talk will include some of her personal memories as a ‘Cinderella of the Soil’.

An Anglo-Saxon execution burial

Saxon execution burial post-excavation
What archaeologists uncovered along the Rampion cable route: after describing the landscape, the talk will turn to the discoveries they made including the Anglo-Saxon execution burial site that was found on Beeding Hill.

A talk by Ed Blinkhorn and Garrett Sheehan to Beeding & Bramber Local History Society at 7:45pm on Wednesday 3rd April 2019 in the Village Hall, Upper Beeding. There is a hard-to-detect car park immediately opposite.

Truleigh Hill Landscape Project

Truleigh Hill Landscape Project
A talk by Philip Paulo to Beeding & Bramber Local History Society at 7:45pm on Wednesday 6th March in the Village Hall, Upper Beeding. There is a hard-to-detect car park immediately opposite.

More PR than ‘local history’ but those residents of Edburton and Fulking who have a view of Truleigh Hill may be interested to learn when the antennae are coming down and when the unsightly cold war bunker-bungalow will be hidden by trees. Just kidding.

Wreath DIY at Saddlescombe

Christmas Wreaths National Trust 2015
Create your own Christmas wreath with materials collected from the downs. Take a festive walk and collect your holly and ivy. Return to historic Saddlescombe farm to make your very own Christmas decorations in front of log burning stoves. Mulled apple juice, mince pies and roast chestnuts will be included.

Ten sessions available: 17th–21st December 2018, from 10:00am–12:00 noon or 1:00pm–3:00pm. Booking essential: one session has already sold out.