Q3 community 2020 12

Thakeham’s new Meadow Stores & Café

QUALITY AND VALUE DIRECT FROM THE GROWER!

• You will find an exceptional range of Seasonal and Hardy plants here at our Nurseries in – all grown and sold on site.

• Spring Flowering Bulbs – Available Soon!

BUY ONE GET ONE FREE OFFER ON A WIDE RANGE OF HARDY PERENNIALS STARTS 3RD AUGUST

VILLAGE NURSERIES

SINNOCKS, WEST CHILTINGTON, RH20 2JX 01798 813040 OPEN 9AM-5.30PM – 7 DAYS A WEEK. village-nurseries.co.uk

[email protected]

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News from your Parish Council by Charlotte Dumbrill, Assistant Clerk

NEW BUSINESSES OPEN IN THAKEHAM We provide a tailored approach to all aspects of veterinary care which involves a large amount of communication between MEADOW HALL VETERINARY PRACTICE the practice and our clients. While we are operating under the  constraints of the Coronavirus, we will often be seen outside Despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic the new the practice spending time with an owner to ensure the correct veterinary practice opened their doors to our furry friends at the treatment plans are instigated. We thank everyone for your end of June. The new independent practice offers a full service for patience and consideration at this time to help keep our clients all small animals. Dr Sophie Hall said “In the last few weeks since and staff safe. Thank you Thakeham for welcoming my profession we opened, Meadow Hall Vets has already made a difference and team into my home village and I know Meadow Hall Vets will to the health and wellbeing of the local pets of Thakeham. This continue to add and bring benefits to our community.” village has been my home for over 20 years and for the first time The practice is open Monday-Friday 8:30-6:30pm and I’m able to help the pets of my direct community. Saturday 9am-1pm. Contact them on 01798 817372 or via [email protected]. www.meadowhallvets.co.uk

MEADOW STORES & CAFÉ Residents were delighted by the long-awaited opening of ‘Meadows Stores’ village shop and café on the Abingworth development! After many delays and the challenges of fitting- out the shop during the Covid-19 situation, shop owner Simon and shop manager Jane opened their doors to customers at the end of April. Jane said “During the last 3 months we’ve had an incredibly positive response. Opening during lockdown has had its challenges but we have been delighted with the support from the local community, and so good that we in turn could support by our delivery service in this challenging time. Our vision, and ethos, is to offer a good range of everyday essentials as well as something a little different from local suppliers. Among the most popular sales so far are our apple Dr Sophie Hall BVSc MRCVS pictured right doughnuts from award winning Jengers Bakery in . with the team at Meadow Hall Vets We source our gorgeous tomatoes from Nutbourne, pies and quiches from , meat from , and delighted to

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all being enjoyed. The wheels are in motion for our alcohol licence, and we are looking forward to holding some social events to promote our produce in due course.” Meadow Stores & Café is located next to the Village Hall. Open until 5pm Monday-Saturday and 11am-3pm on Sundays. Contact 01798 813243 or email info@ meadowstores.com

KINSBROOK VINEYARD & PICKETTY Inside Meadow Stores café FARM SHOP/CAFE Having successfully established the 40 acre vineyard at Picketty now be stocking Water. Corner, this project has consent for a new farm shop and café, On July 4th we were able to open our café working in line which is expected to open in Autumn 2021. In the meantime, with the government guidelines for social distancing. Our menu their Horse Box Café is open 9am-5pm and is positioned is proving popular, the freshly made sandwiches and rolls and at Picketty’s entrance (RH20 2LU). Find out more at delicious cakes from our local supplier Cake Angel Sussex are www.kinsbrookvineyard.com.

UPDATES TO PARISH RIGHTS OF WAY Although it is not an ideally direct route it is the best route (amongst admittedly limited) options to provide a safe, all- weather, and relatively direct connection. A map detailing the BRIDLEWAY LINK TO exact location of the bridleway has been uploaded on the WEST CHILTINGTON Parish Council website and updates will be posted there too. The bridleway extension on the west side of the B2139 opposite the Abingworth football fields was started in May. DEDICATION OF ABINGWORTH As always intended, the extended bridleway will provide BRIDLEWAY a new safer place for users to cross the B2139 (using the In mid-July the Parish Council received confirmation that traffic calming build-out), and will give walkers, cyclists, and legal agreements were signed to confirm the new east- equestrians better connections to the rights of way system west bridleway through the middle of the Abingworth to the north and west. development. The wooden barrier adjacent to the sales Mid-July saw completion of surface improvement works offices is due to be removed enabling full cyclist and to the High Bar Lane/West Chiltington bridleway. This will equestrian usage. WSCC right-of-way signage will follow. make it more accessible for all residents and should mean the end of needing wellies to use this route in the winter! NEW PAVEMENT ON THE B2139 IMPROVED BRIDLEWAY LINK The newly laid pavement runs north from the Merrywood TO STORRINGTON Lane junction to connect with the eastbound bridleway opposite Kingdom Hall. It has been part of Abingworth In June, the Parish Council has committed to seek to progress development commitments since 2018 and is intended to this scheme, which involves upgrading bridleway 2791 help pedestrians travelling between central Thakeham and (Threals Lane to Northlands Lane) so that central Thakeham the Rock Road area. The bus stop is being reinstated. residents can combine this with the upgraded bridleway from High Bar Lane to West Chiltington to access central To find updates on the progress of all rights of way Storrington via a safe walking/cycling route. West Chiltington projects in the parish, visit the Parish Council website residents will also benefit. and look under Planning/Rights of Way updates.

Vegetables We are currently operating Refi an order and collect system and the shop will reopen on 8 September! Visit thegreenhouse.shop for more details.

Find us at Stane Street Nurseries, Fruit Stane Street, Pulborough RH20 1BQ Herbs (same site as Coughtrey’s Butchers) Ca us 01798 874445 Email us [email protected]

Gifts Household

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COMMUNITY UPDATES entrance, at times shown on the Parish Council website home page. For other queries about the scheme, HIGH BAR LANE PLAYGROUND contact Parish Councillor Fiona at [email protected]. It is IMPROVEMENTS more important than ever to recycle; In mid-January, the refurbishment work including choosing re-usable, washable on the playground on High Bar Lane was face masks as disposable masks cause completed. Some of the old equipment major preventable plastic waste! Stay was replaced while others were ENVIRONMENT safe and keep the environment safe – refurbished. A new rubber surface was keep recycling! Fiona also laid beneath some of the equipment. UPDATES As lockdown measures eased parks were re-opened again and it’s been wonderful JOIN THE FRIENDS to see so many local children out having A NEW TREE IN YOUR OF THE GLEBE FIELD fun in our playgrounds again.  STREET? GROUP However, please note the signs Are you interested in wildlife, being Loss of biodiversity in our residential areas clarifying conditions for using outdoors, working with other people to and countryside is an urgent problem. playgrounds during ongoing Covid help improve the biodiversity of one of As well as asking residents to consider all control measures. These include family our green spaces? alternatives before felling mature trees, units staying and playing together within Then please come and join the we should all seek opportunities to plant the park; limits on numbers per piece Friends of the Glebe Field group. new trees and hedges. To kick-start this, of equipment; no food or drink to be They are setting up a group to the Parish Council are offering to plant consumed in the playground, and the develop and (subject to Parish Council two new trees in local residential streets importance at this time that litter is either approval) carry out some projects for free! This offer, under the WSCC put in a bin or taken home. The play in the Glebe Field (pictured above). Donate a Tree Scheme, is worth £150 equipment has been safety inspected but Initial ideas include planting a small per tree – for which WSCC will check cannot be constantly sanitised, so bring community orchard, making a small the proposed streetside location, source your own hand sanitation. pond for wildlife and developing and plant the tree (chosen from a list of links with schools and youth groups. small native species) and provide 3 years’ ABINGWORTH PHASE They would welcome new members  after-care. Applications for autumn 2020 bringing further ideas to explore. 3 UPDATES planting need to be made by the end of All kinds of skills required: physical At the end of April District August. To apply for a Parish Council- work, fundraising, developing nature Council’s planning committee (south) funded tree, please send details of the awareness – and endless enthusiasm! voted narrowly in favour of approving proposed location and contacts for They are hoping to have a meeting the developer’s latest Abingworth two neighbouring households willing of volunteers on the Glebe Field in Phase 3 plans, overruling the Parish to keep an eye on the new tree, to the mid-August. For further details and Council who strongly objected to the Parish Clerk by Thursday 20 August. to sign up, please contact Tony at proposal to increase the house numbers The Parish Council will also be [email protected] from 25 to 75. working with our rural landowners and While this is not the outcome that the other agencies via other new schemes, Parish Council were hoping for they are including the Wilder FRUIT TREE PLANTING now looking ahead to the future,  project being set up by HDC and Sussex The Friends of the Glebe are particularly to secure the community benefits Wildlife Trust, and the new Lottery- interested in the idea of planting a that the scheme has yet to deliver funded ‘Lost Woods of the Low Weald small group of apple trees (Sussex (particularly the new allotments). The 50 and Downs’ scheme (WSCC, the Tree varieties), and a successful approach extra houses at Abingworth will be taken Council and Woodland Trust). elsewhere has been to seek sponsors into account when considering further for planting of each tree, to welcome a housing proposals within the parish. You new baby, commemorate an occasion, can find out more about the progress SUSSEX GREEN LIVING  or remember a special person. To of this development and the Parish RECYCLING help gauge the interest in this, if Council’s response to the draft new While the Village Hall is closed, the this idea appeals to you, please HDC Local Plan on their website under special waste collection bin will be get in touch with Tony by emailing Planning Updates. available regularly outside the hall [email protected]). ROCK ROAD SCHOOLS PLAYING FIELD FLOODING Contact your Parish Council County Council’s Clerk: Owen Richards: [email protected] commitment to install a filter drain system Assistant Clerk: Charlotte Dumbrill: [email protected] in the Rock Road schools playing fields Telephone: 01798 815305 www.thakehamparish.co.uk (as the last element of the recent traffic Facebook: @Thakeham Parish Community signals installation project) is now set to Office: Thakeham Parish Council, Thakeham Village Hall, begin on 3rd August. The proposed works 1 Abingworth Crescent, Thakeham, West Sussex RH20 3GW should increase the capacity and rate at which water is drained away and reduce Councillors’ full contact details can be found at: www.thakehamparish.co.uk/ flooding on the pathway and field – councillors which is great news for anyone that If someone is new to the Parish contact the Parish Council so that they can give had to wade through the water to get them their welcome pack. to school. 4 Community matters

THAKEHAM STRIDE AND REPORTING A PROBLEM RIDE – COMING SOON! The Parish Council often get asked to whom any problems should be reported. The Thakeham Stride and Ride (TSR) Here is a reminder of where to report the problems that we regularly come initiative aims to help residents to explore across – the full list is on the Parish Council website. the wonderful opportunities for walking, cycling and horse-riding that are available I’ve noticed a problem with… Who is responsible? in the Thakeham countryside and Roads (including potholes and West Sussex County Council neighbouring areas. Members of the Parish trees/vegetation affecting roadways) www.westsussex.gov.uk Council have produced an initial portfolio In an emergency (e.g. fallen tree of 16 routes of varying length to suit all affecting a road) Call 01243 642105 tastes, fitness and mobility levels. Each route is mapped and described, including Pavements – vegetation overgrowth Usually the adjacent landowner, wayfinding details and points of interest but can be reported via WSCC en route. The TSR routes will be published LoveWestSussex portal via the Parish Council website, where Fly Tipping Horsham District Council they will be www.horsham.gov.uk downloadable individually, Dog related issues (including waste bins) Horsham District Council and also in a 40-page (free!) booklet of all routes. BROADBAND VOUCHER UPDATE FROM The project SCHEME THAKEHAM is nearing publication Residents and small and medium-sized VILLAGE HALL and we will businesses in rural areas of West Sussex In light of updated government guidance, be promoting can now benefit from the fastest and the Village Hall Trust are planning a it further most reliable broadband connectivity if carefully staged process of re-opening, in coming they choose to ‘go gigabit’. More money starting in early August with lowest-risk months. is now available to pay for gigabit- activities. capable broadband connectivity through COVID precautions are very detailed the Government’s “Gigabit Broadband and measures in place will include a one- Voucher Scheme”. way system, hand sanitisers and limiting Now rural eligible premises can the number of people in the building at claim up to £4,000 each towards the any one time. TAX installation cost of gigabit-capable Unfortunately, not all classes and broadband, when part of a group of groups can start up again, but the 01903 745414 premises. The deadline to apply for Trust are liaising closely with users a voucher is 31 March 2021. with a view towards extending activities www.localhorsham Detailed information and links to in early autumn. districttaxis.co.uk the eligibility checker can be found at You can find latest information at https://gigabitvoucher.culture.gov.uk www.thakehamvillagehall.co.uk

5 Volunteers are on standby to support vulnerable people, THAKEHAM COMMUNITY EVENTS especially those who can’t get out, with help running errands At Thakeham Community Events’ February AGM a new to keeping regular contact through phone calls. Phone 07517 management committee was elected with lots of plans for 100626 for assistance. an exciting social year. Unfortunately, events of a different nature happened! They were forced to cancel the annual THAKEHAM PARISH HISTORY: CAN YOU fair normally run in conjunction with the Thakeham schools.  While social distancing remains a requirement, they believe CONTRIBUTE? it will even be too difficult to run smaller events as per the The Parish website has a history section, including an archive programme from last year in the Village Hall. They will decide page (thakehamparish.co.uk/archive-area), for which they on the practicality of Halloween Fireworks closer to the date. welcome items relating to the parish from historical times to At the end of July, they held a “Find our fluffy friends” the recent past. Contact Roger Taylor ([email protected]), competition around the parish stretching from Water Lane or the Clerk or Assistant Clerk if you have any photographs, in the south to The Street. They hope children enjoyed information or anecdotes you can share, or questions about the game of spotting them in windows on their walks and village history. congratulations to the 20 winners. If you have any bright Each notable building, space or artefact should have its own ideas for community social events that could be run in a record here, and they welcome written accounts of houses safe way Thakeham Community Events would love to hear and other locations from their present or past residents, from you. neighbours or visitors. The collection is steadily but slowly There are also vacancies on the committee if anyone growing – can you help speed up progress? is interested. Contact them via email: ThakehamEvents@ outlook.com; via Facebook/messenger @ThakehamEvents or follow on Twitter@ThakehamEvents THAKEHAM GARDENERS CLUB Thakeham Gardeners Club is not meeting at present, and the committee are monitoring their position. LOCKDOWN HELP STILL AVAILABLE As well as keeping abreast of the current social distancing THAKEHAM BELLRINGERS guidance, do bear in mind that if you, or someone you know,  faces particular issues during the lockdown period, the St. Mary’s church in Thakeham is open for private prayer but Thakeham Coronavirus Support Group is there to help. the Bellringing has ceased until further notice.

Thakeham Community Bulletin is produced four times a year by Every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of content. Eyelevel Design Eyelevel Design cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions or endorse companies, products or services that appear in this Telephone: 07973 828231 publication. Production of the Community Bulletin relies solely on Email: [email protected] advertising revenue and is at no cost to the Parish or its parishioners. 6