Latest News of Local Interest

Bobservation No. 75: Questions, Light and Future

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Christmas Quiz
All things being equal you should have received a hard copy with Pigeon Post of the Bobservation Christmas Quiz. It is intended for all the family to get involved and some questions, quite a few actually, are much easier than others. Just as a suggestion let the youngest in the house have first go at solving the puzzles. Once you have solved as many as your ‘bubble’ can, email me the number you have solved by 30 December at the address shown on the quiz. No need to send the answers, unless you are the winner, in which case, I will require you to send them to me. This to avoid mistakes! You may enjoy solving the quiz better WITHOUT any help from Wikipedia etc.

Coronavirus
There seems to be a light, however small, at the end of the Coronavirus tunnel. It would be nice to think that together with Trump, Cummings, and Sutcliffe (the Yorkshire ripper, not Herbert!) all of these frightful things will join the virus in being gone. Hopefully, the vaccines will turn out to be successful. It is at times like this that we all need to offer support to each other, particularly those villagers who will be on their own over Christmas. So far as I am aware village neighbours have been pretty good at looking after each other, which is no more than one would expect in Fulking. After what has been a difficult year for most of us, one way or another, I take this opportunity to wish all of you a very Happy Christmas and a considerably better New Year in 2021. Hope we can have a village fair on Sunday 25 July!

Looking Ahead
Both the Corona virus and Brexit give us all a chance to change the way we live in the future.
Perhaps we could consider:

  1. Changing our electoral system from ‘first past the post’ to some form of proportional representation.
  2. Showing a great deal more respect and empathy towards immigrants who risk their lives to reach UK.
  3. Funding our respected NHS properly.
  4. Improving the benefits system so that mothers do not need food banks to feed their children.
  5. Enabling every child in our country to have an education as good as the private schools.
  6. Reorganise the Houses of Parliament to save the enormous cost of repair.
  7. Build a modern Parliamentary building in a more central location in the middle of England.
  8. Abolish the House of Lords and have a democratically elected Upper House.

Well, there are a few to go with. What can you add?

Jen Green linocuts now at Etsy

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Jen Green linocuts
My linocuts are now available from Etsy. This year has been hard for artists, with almost all exhibitions cancelled, but I am hoping that art available online will prove popular in the run-up to Christmas. My range encompasses wildlife, seascapes, and South Downs landscapes including Fulking and Poynings. If you order through Etsy and live locally, I can hand deliver and refund you the postage or else, possibly, supply a mount for the print.

Jen Green (552) also at instagram

Bobservation No. 74: Faith Schools/Recycling/Coronavirus

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Faith Schools

I have often wondered why, in a country which needs to integrate its population, how so many diverse religious groups’ faith schools can be encouraged and indeed funded. The recent decapitation in France of the schoolteacher Samuel Paty has once again thrown a highlight on religious intolerance. While this execution did not happen on British soil other faith killings have done. It must surely to true that to achieve maximum integration, the more that children in schools can mix with different ideas and faiths the better. So far as I am aware, here in Fulking, there is no intolerance of any kind. Indeed, a complete lack of interest in which faiths are present in the village seems to exist. As an atheist I find this very praiseworthy and have no desire whatsoever to attempt to convert others to my way of thinking. For me Don Bradman always has been and always will always be the almighty!

Recycling

A very praiseworthy amount of time has been given up by village volunteers in putting together a system of recycling those things that are difficult to classify. The village bus shelter is now the focal point and the Community Skill Swap Whats app site a fund of knowledge and help. Have a look at the Fulking village website under Environment and then Waste Services which gives a very explanatory review of what can or cannot be recycled.

Coronavirus

So far as I know, the number of COVID victims in Fulking is quite low even though we have several villagers involved with National Health issues or coming into contact with the public. The recent surge worldwide makes it even more important for all of us to continue to behave in a responsible manner. Masking, distancing and washing hands should always be carried out. It is quite possible that the creation of a vaccine, when it comes, will not be the end of the pandemic but a useful tool in mitigating its ravages. Whatever happens the world as we knew it will never be the same again and it will be up to us the create something better than we had before.

Ordinary Parish Meeting – 8th October, 2020

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Planning MeetingYou are cordially invited to an online Ordinary Meeting of Fulking Parish Council, on Thursday 8th October 2020 at 7.30pm, the meeting will consider the items set out below.

Trevor Parsons – Parish Clerk
parishclerk@fulking.net, 07767 422733

The public may film/record the meetings of Fulking Parish Council. By attending a meeting of the Council, they give their consent to being filmed/recorded by other members of the public, if such activity is taking place.

AGENDA

Public Participation: 15 minutes are set aside at the beginning of the meeting for the public to ask questions or make comments on items on the Agenda. Comments on items not appearing on the agenda can be made at the chairman’s discretion.

20/068/OM – Apologies

20/069/OM – Declaration of Members’ Interests

20/070/OM – Approve the Minutes of Previous Meetings

20/071/OM – Planning Applications Update

20/072/OM – Reports from District and County Councillors 

20/073/OM – Matters Arising & Outstanding Actions: 

  • Operation Watershed
  • Yellow Lines
  • Fulking to Henfield Bridlepath
  • Village Gates
  • Village Signs
  • Community Asset Register of Village Hall.

20/074/OM – Playground Maintenance

20/075/OM – Village Hall Lease Update

20/076/OM – Welcome Pack for New Villagers

20/077/OM – Reports from Outside Bodies

  • WSALC Review

20/078/OM – Information Items  To receive information and items for the agenda at future meetings.

  • Environmental Report

20/079/OM – Correspondence

20/080/OM – Financial Matters

 

Date of the next Ordinary Meeting: Thursday 7th January 2021.