Shopping local in Hassocks this Christmas

By Erika Woodhurst-Trueman, HCO

A few months ago, Christina rocked up at my door to collect a steak and ale pie (as you do) and lamented from a 2m distance about what a miserable Christmas it was going to be and how we had to do something. I agreed, and within a few minutes we concocted a plan.

Christina Angus is co-founder of Street Diner, Brighton’s biggest street food market and co-founder of The Sussex Hive, a networking collective for women (both re-launching in 2021). She’s been organising street food at The Hassocks that we’ve delighted in when we’ve needed a break from cooking 200 meals a week, and would liaise with community-focused landlord Chris Lambe to curate a huge line up of traders for a night market. The pub would sort out mulled wine and Christina’s mum, Margaret, would organise a festive choir.

I (Trustee of Hassocks Community Organisation - HCO) would coordinate the late-night shopping, speak to organisers of the FoHIS Festive Trail of Light and recruit marshals to keep the event Covid-safe. We’d attempt to bring everything together on the same day with our brilliant Hassocks Village Market kicking everything off.

Frantic activity ensued. Emailing councils and traders, form filling, poster design and WhatsApp-ing. We even checked to see if we could help get the Elf and Christmas Window Display competitions up and running. Fantastically, they were already in hand. Eventually we obtained all the permissions and were set to make our big announcement when another lockdown was announced.

While 2020 has been hard, it’s been wonderful to see how residents have stepped up to support local businesses, and what our resourceful shop owners have been doing to reach customers. Just as in Lockdown#1, people have pulled together, buoying each other up mentally and financially. They’ve been shopping local, contributing to food banks and donating money for meals for children during school holidays. So, on the back of this mood of support, and as Lockdown#2 neared its end, we began to promote and look forward to our event.

We’re delighted to say it looks like everything on the 19th can go ahead with measures in place. There’s something for everyone and all budgets: local produce and crafts at the HCO village market. A fun FoHIS festive trail for young and old. A delicious line up of Street Diner traders, drinks and carols at The Hassocks. And the opportunity to shop late for gifts from our high street – supporting local businesses and of course our local economy, which is vital in keeping our high street independents alive!

It goes without saying we need everyone to be sensible and comply with government guidelines (hands – face – space) but we hope that this event will bring a smile to people’s faces and some much-needed festive cheer.

From all of us involved in bringing this event together: ‘MERRY CHRISTMAS!’
www.hassockscommunity.org.uk

Repair Café comes to Hassocks

By Juliet Merrifield, HKD Transition

What can you do with a dress with a broken zip? A lamp with a frayed lead? A stool with a wobbly leg? A toy truck whose wheel has come off? A teddy bear with stuffing coming out? Bring it to the Repair Café Hassocks! Our team of volunteer repairers have had a lifetime of fixing things and now are willing to help fix your things too.

Barring changes in Covid-19 guidelines, Repair Café Hassocks will start on 28th November, then every month on Market Day (fourth Saturday) except December and August. We’ll be at the URC church at 23 Keymer Rd from 10am-1pm, ready to have a go at fixing things.

It may be that you don’t have a sewing machine, or arthritic fingers make it hard to do sewing that once was easy. Or maybe your household items are waiting for a new part or someone to glue it together. We can’t promise to fix everything, but we’ll try our best.

You can book items for repair via the Facebook page: www.facebook.com/repaircafehassocks.

With current Covid-19 restrictions we won’t be operating the ‘café’ part but you can drop off items for repair and pick them up later that morning.

Questions? Email us at: repaircafe@hkdtransition.org.uk.

Brighton music to Hassocks Silver Rocket

By Deirdre Huston

Matt McGuire and Ben McCully have known each other for about 15 years. Around 2008 to 2010, they used to be in a band together when they lived in Brighton. “It was very non-serious. We were messing about. We only did three gigs and then we split up and went in different musical directions,” recalls Ben.

And it wasn’t just music that was changing in their lives. Ben’s wife, Lucy, was teaching in Brighton and the couple were living in a two-bedroom flat at Seven Dials. “We had an eighteen-month-old daughter. We needed more space. On a whim, we came out to see Hassocks: the schools are good, there’s a train station, Brighton’s only ten minutes away. We didn’t know anybody, but we moved in and we’re still here! One by one, our mates followed.” Ben has seen some changes in the village: “the demographic has definitely changed. There are quite a few young people around in Hassocks which is great because it has injected an energy into the place.” After one of their gigs, Matt had met his wife, Sarah, and they also moved to Hassocks where they appreciated the peace and quiet and being able to hear the birds in the morning. Today, Ben’s daughter, Orla, has just started at Downlands while Matt has two children, Bob, at the Infants and Olive, at Windmills.

Ben works in Shoreham as an engineer for Ricardo, an engineering consultancy. He explains, “it’s predominantly been about engines of all sizes, from the small 2-stroke scooter engines to a huge power generation engine, but now some are moving electric which is interesting. The brewery is a nice diversion from my day job because it’s very different. It’s nice to do something creative. My job is quite high-pressure so it’s nice to step outside of that.”
“And I’m a freelance copywriter and full-time Dad,” adds Matt. “My wife’s a GP so I do a lot of our day-to-day childcare.”

Read more inside November’s Hassocks Life magazine to find out how the pair got into brewing and where the name Silver Rocket came from.

Flash flooding in Hassocks high street

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On Saturday 26th October, Hassocks was affected by flooding. In Keymer Road, water flooded shops near Spitalford Bridge. Kelly Harding of Bella June comments, “the entire community came together on that wet and cold evening - how incredible! There were people clearing the drains, the fire brigade pumping, people helping to clear the shops... just such a wonderful community. We are endlessly grateful for the support and help we received and continue to receive. Totally overwhelmed by the love of the Hassocks community. I wouldn’t want my shop anywhere else despite the flood risk!” Kelly is looking for nearby temporary premises which Bella June might use for about a week while the ruined floor is replaced.

Hayley Elphick of Reflex@42 recalls, “it was a terrible Saturday night to be honest, coming after everything that’s already happened this year. Thankfully, we now have sandbags, some angel of a man turned up at midnight with them and I cried all over the poor man!”

Juliet Merrifield, of HKD Transition, explains how the flooding happened: “surface water poured downhill to the lowest point. The drains were blocked with leaves blown off by the strong winds.” To help slow the flow of rainwater, Juliet suggests, “we can reduce the runoff from hard surfaces by planting trees, harvesting water from roofs into water butts and making sure driveways are permeable.” HKD Transition have been working to reduce pressure on local flooding pinpoints such as Spitalford Bridge. Margaret Ford of HKD Transition commented, “the flooding in the Parklands Road area might have been a great deal worse.” The Floods and SuDS group is a partnership between HKD Transition and Hassocks Community Organisation, with a lot of support from the Ouse and Adur Rivers Trust. The group have initiated various local flood interventions, such as the Rain Garden in Adastra Park. A couple of weeks ago, a group of twenty-five volunteers, working in bubbles of six and following social-distancing rules, were out mending dams in Lag Wood.

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The owner of Lag Wood, Paul Roberts, provided chestnut stakes for the group and helped conduct a recent survey to monitor the condition of each dam. Alistair Whitby, of HKD Transition, explains: “these dams are essentially a couple of stakes in the riverbed with debris behind it. They’re designed to be leaky and are beneficial for biodiversity.” The water that forms behind the debris dams is beneficial for wildlife like macro-invertebrates, damselflies, dragonflies, coots and kingfishers. During high rainfall events, these dams can hold back a significant amount of water. Alistair adds, “it’s a natural way of making sure the water’s not running down into the village all at once. The key thing is to slow up the speed with which water hits a barrier. Spitalford Bridge can only hold so much water so as soon as the water is reaching it at a greater speed, the water starts backing up.”

Alistair comments, “climate change is exacerbating these high rainfall events and any way of holding the water back and releasing it more slowly is what we’re trying to do.” HKD is looking for more volunteers. To get involved, see www.hkdtransition.org.uk/flooding

New ways Hassocks can remember our fallen heroes

By Michelle Binks

There will be an Act of Remembrance at Keymer Church on Wednesday 11th November at 10.50am. Father Alex explains, “this short act of remembrance takes place around the memorial, with some wreath laying and some prayers before we observe the two-minute silence at 11.00am. People don’t need to book because it’s an act of worship and outside.”

Here are other activities that we can do this year to remember our fallen heroes:

• Take a walk to The Chattri, the Hindu monument to their fallen soldiers, located on the South
Downs. Access is from Patcham or Jack & Jill Windmills along the South Downs Way.

• Paint a poppy and display it in your window.

• Bake 11 cupcakes, ice in red and share with your neighbours.

• Paint pebbles with poppies and hide them around Hassocks for others to discover.

• Remember the minute silence at 11am on 11 November.

• Remember to wear your poppy; you can still get them from the many outlets in Hassocks.

Visit: www.BritishLegion.org.uk

Donations can always be made direct to the British Legion website or you can take your donation to our local British Legion Club on Woodland Road, Hassocks. Maybe even pop in for a cuppa or a pint.

Community building at The Corner Café

By Deirdre Huston

This has been quite a year for H (Helen) and Damon. They took over The Corner Café in February. “Within two weeks, we had lockdown,” recalls H, “and cafés and gyms closed. We shut completely but then, after four weeks, we did takeaways: breakfasts, burgers and sandwich-type light lunches.”

From May The Corner Café reopened, but initially with only three tables. They installed a perspex screen and placed hand sanitiser on every table. They added more tables outside and you only have to walk past to see how popular it’s become. “Some customers may be vulnerable,” explains H, “so I help them maintain social distancing.”

Tegan and Megan who work at the café are their daughters, and H’s son helps Damon in the kitchen so it’s a family concern, but H is keen to help other young people gain experience if she can. “I like to give people a chance who haven’t got qualifications or experience. I might not be able to offer much, but I can give them a couple of hours so they can learn the ropes.”

Damon moved here from Essex. He has previously run two very different cafés, a sandwich shop and one at Southend Airport. H has lived in Brighton and Hove all her life, came to know Hassocks about eight years ago. “It’s a lovely village,” she comments, “I moved my mum here so she could be a part of the community.”

To read more about the café, H and Damon you can read the full article in October’s Hassocks Life magazine.

Baby Loss Awareness Week

Baby Loss Awareness week is an international initiative which runs from 9th -15th October. The aim of the week is to raise awareness of an unspoken tragedy which affects many families. Babies die, even in the 21st century. In our culture many people find it very difficult to talk about death, and the death of a baby (before or after birth) is an experience which is rarely spoken of.

The circumstances of loss vary widely and include miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, compassionate induction (ending a pregnancy due to very complex medical issues), stillbirth or death after birth (expected or unexpected). Each of these little lives, sometimes described as a “missed beginning”, impacts the life of the family in many ways. Professionals involved can also be deeply affected. The aim of Baby Loss Week is to provide an opportunity for those affected to gain support, to provide (if they wish) an opportunity to speak of their child/children and their experience of loss, and to increase awareness in the community.

As part of this week, a global event takes place at 7pm on 15th October, known as the Wave of Light. Taking place at 7pm local time everywhere, to create a wave of light around the globe, the idea is that you light a candle and leave it burning for at least one hour to remember all babies who have died too soon.

Last year for the first time a public Wave of Light event was held in Keymer. The feedback was that those who attended found it moving and supportive and so it is hoped that this can become an annual event.

The event will be jointly organised by Angie Bowles, a local independent midwife who has a special interest in supporting parents dealing with loss and Father Alex Baxter, Rector for our parish. It will be held at Keymer Church (St Cosmas and St Damian). The event is free of charge and open to those of all faiths and none. Individuals and families will be welcomed who have been directly affected as well as their friends and those involved professionally in various capacities. The Wave of Light event will be an informal event at which those who wish to will have an opportunity to speak their child’s name, but if you prefer you will be able to simply attend and sit quietly and privately. Candles will be provided and will be lit as part of the event.

Of course, this event may be impacted by any change in national guidance about socially distanced gatherings. Currently we can welcome 30 people, and you will be asked to wear a mask. Subject to changing guidance, we hope to be able to invite you to stay for light refreshments and a time to talk.

If you would like to attend or have any questions, please feel welcome to contact Angie on 07974 729566 or via the event information on Facebook https://bit.ly/2G0ae25

Have you spent more time on the Sussex Downs since lockdown?

As part of a project called ‘Changing Chalk’, the National Trust and partners have received funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to support activities and events that will help people to spend more time on the Sussex Downs. They are particularly interested in how greater engagement with nature since Covid-19 brings new opportunities to bring people and nature together.

Sam-Culture are working with the National Trust and Sussex Downs to find out whether people are visiting the Downs more since Lockdown began.

They are keen that local people let them know their thoughts and help to shape future project activities. You can help by filling out the short survey: https://s.surveyplanet.com/k3YoOydJ3z

Watch Hassocks Football Club

By Scott McCarthy

The turnstiles at the Beacon have been open for a month now and one of the unexpected consequences of Covid-19 and the ban on spectators at professional football is that crowd numbers have gone through the roof.

Football fans looking for the live action they cannot get at the Amex or elsewhere are instead flocking to non-league grounds. What they are finding is entertaining football, value-for-money, good food and the option of having a pint of beer while they watch.

It is a different world to the mega-rich Premier League, where you will pay £4 for a bag of Minstrels and £3 for a bottle of water. £7 will get you a hotdog, a burger and a large plate of cheesy chips at the Beacon in comparison!
And Hassocks are selling a lot of those. The Robins have seen more than a 100 percent increase in attendances at their home fixtures so far, a massive boost for the club’s finances after going from March to September without a single penny of income.

Visitors old and new are not just being treated to unorthodox three course meals for less than a tenner; Hassocks has rebuilt its squad over the summer with a youthful, new-look team who have shown plenty of promise so far.

If you are a football supporter who is missing watching in the flesh, then come and spend a Saturday at the Beacon. Hassocks have three home games in October, all detailed on the club’s website and tickets are available on the gate for £6 adults and £3 concessions. Under 16s go free.

Of course, nobody knows how long the turnstiles will be open for – this information is correct at the time of going to press. Should further restrictions be placed on grassroots football, then the Beacon may have to shut again.

For now though, Hassocks and all their new-found supporters are determined to enjoy football while they can!

Hassocks Goes Gold 2020 - looking good on High Street

The annual awareness campaign for Childhood Cancer in Hassocks is blooming well in Hassocks this month (September) with many shops taking part and decorating their window displays accordingly.

#HassocksGoesGold

Hassocks Adastra Park Play Areas - Covid-19 Guidance

By Parish Clerk
Hassocks Parish Council has worked hard to complete the play area improvements within Adastra Park and to put in place Government guidance measures to open its play areas. The new play areas have been safety inspected ahead of their opening, but we cannot guarantee that their hard surfaces will be coronavirusfree. To allow everyone to enjoy the new play areas as safely as possible, the Council strongly advises that all reasonable precautions are taken to ensure the safety of yourself, your family and other users by following the guidelines on this page. These rules are in addition to the normal rules of the play area.

Important Covid-19 guidance for using the Adastra Park play areas:
Please ensure you maintain social distancing in line with current government guidance

• If the play area is busy, please come back another time
• Parents/adults should wipe down equipment before and after use
• Please ensure only one adult enters the play area with their child/children
• Please be considerate in the amount of time spent on equipment so others can use it
• If a piece of equipment is taped off, please do not use
• If a piece of play equipment is being used that you wish to use, please queue whilst maintaining social distancing
• Please ensure you and your child/children do not touch faces, put mouths on equipment or hands in mouths
• If you have to sneeze, please sneeze into a tissue or arm when a tissue is not available
• Please use hand sanitiser before and after using each separate piece of play equipment
• No food or drink should be consumed within the play area
• Please wash your hands after using the play equipment
• Please place litter in the bins provided. If a bin is full please take your litter home. Thank you for your co-operation in helping towards making the play areas safe for everyone to enjoy.

Adastra Park Play Area

New play equipment in Adastra Park

Planned Hassocks Repair Cafe seeks volunteers

HKD Transition is hoping to establish a repair cafe in Hassocks, to coincide with market day each month and taking place at the United Reformed Church. Repair cafés are pop-up events located on regular dates where the local community can get their broken household items repaired for free by volunteers. The types of things fixed include clothes, household electrics, technology, woodwork, children’s toys and furniture.
The idea is not to compete with local businesses or professionals but to fill the gaps where these don’t exist or where the cost of repairs is more than replacing the item. Repair cafes are a way for our communities to help each other move away from our throwaway culture.
To get the repair cafe going we need a team of volunteers who would be interested in participating and lending their repair skills, as well as helpers with the café and with organising and greeting.
Do you have any skills to share and would you be willing to volunteer? If so please email the team at: repaircafe@hkdtransition.org.uk.
You can find out more about how a successful repair cafe works and how it might work for us locally by visiting the Burgess Hill Repair Cafe, which will be starting again on 12th September from 10am-1pm at The Kiln (the former Argos store).

Hassocks Gardening Museum

Photo: Deirdre Huston

By Deirdre Huston
Clive Gravett is one of the leading worldwide authorities on lawnmower history and often gives talks and writes lectures. Back in 2013 he heard the Tate family were planning a major redevelopment of the Heritage Centre. Keen to be involved, Clive approached Jonathan Tate and tells me: “We clicked!”. A couple of years later they had a meeting and agreed to create a ‘museum of gardening’. Clive’s specialist interest is lawnmowers but they wanted to cater for wider interests. He explains: “I like to try and keep the museum changing because we have a lot of local regulars. Our collection is much wider than the items on display. We have a lot in storage, and I move things around. All the mowers are displayed with information so you can see what makes them unique and how they’d have been used.”

To find out more about the museum, its volunteers and a small hint about this year’s Christmas grotto, you can find the full article in September’s issue of Hassocks Life.

Village People - Jonathan Pearce

By Deirdre Huston

Jonathan was born in Plymouth but grew up in Wadebridge, Cornwall. He was six weeks premature, and Rhesus Negative blood group, and needed a hospital birth. “I don’t think my dad ever forgave me for being born in Devon,” he jokes. His father was from tin mining stock, while his mother hailed from High Wycombe. One of Jonathan’s earliest memories is of sitting on his grandfather’s knee at four or five: “They sent me to get him out of the pub,” he admits. “During the Twenties, he was ‘The Trainer’ of Wycombe Wanderers football team, as they used to call him. He was a bad lad. After absconding with his work’s Christmas Club money, they caught him trying to board a cross-channel ferry from Brighton. But I loved him dearly.” Jonathan missed him when he died a year or two later. When the family moved to Bristol for his father to start a fresh job, Jonathan went into the first year of junior school. Although his father was a rugby man, Jonathan loved football and all he wanted to do was play for Bristol City. Jonathan’s father was a progressive man who believed in giving youth opportunities, and he worked as a Senior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering. The family lived on the same road as Bristol City manager Alan Dicks, and through him Jonathan’s father became involved with the club, taking on responsibility for the education of junior players. In 1972 Jonathan and his father started filming games for use in training, making Bristol City the first club in Europe to film games for tactical purposes. Jonathan explains how this helped him gain experience in football and media worlds: “I was meeting people in TV, and we travelled to games with journalists or on the First Team bus.” Still grappling with ambitions to play football, he reveals: “For about six months, I trained with the club, but I knew I wasn’t good enough. Then I broke my leg playing football at school and I was four months in plaster. I got a letter from Bristol City saying they didn’t want to take me on, and I locked myself in my room for two days. I was fifteen.” But Jonathan continued working with his dad, filming the games, and when he progressed on to Birmingham University, Alan sent him a lovely letter of thanks which, to this day, Jonathan treasures.
When Jonathan was a second year undergraduate, BBC Radio Bristol had a job vacancy covering Bristol City games. To pass the audition, Jon had to commentate over recordings of Bristol City games. Fortunately, those recordings were provided by Jonathan’s dad, enabling him to prepare thoroughly and, from then on, things fell into place. Jonathan admits: “I’ve been incredibly lucky.” But anyone familiar with his career can see that thorough research and a knack for presenting complex ideas succinctly have contributed much to his success. He learned journalistic skills at National Broadcast School but his big break came in 1987 when he was working for the BBC, and a friend from National Broadcast School, Andy Parkinson, was leaving Capital Radio to work at the BBC. Andy recommended Jonathan to talk to Capital because they were looking for someone to help set up sports coverage. Matthew Bannister appointed Jonathan to set up coverage of London football. Later, Richard Park gave Jonathan his first major platform, and Jonathan helped set up Capital Gold Sports. “We did a rights deal for six teams for £30,000 a year,” he comments. “Nowadays the rights are worth hundreds of thousands of pounds per club! And they allowed me to commentate in a way which mirrored the passion of football supporters.” Capital Gold Sports exploded on to the air and captured the London audience. Commentary from the 1990 World Cup was dubbed on to World in Motion, and the Three Lions ‘Football’s Coming Home’ song in 1996 when the version with the Capital Gold commentary outsold the one with the BBC commentary. Jonathan is quick to acknowledge the many people who helped his career, including his good friend Chris Tarrant, who frequently played Jonathan’s commentary on his breakfast show. “They bought lots of independent stations around the country and we built a radio empire,” remembers Jonathan. He became Group Head of Sport. “We had the rights for 72 out of 92 clubs in the country, including all the top clubs. He has been lucky enough to be awarded six Sony Radio Awards, four individual and two team, plus three New York Radio Festival Golds. “They gave us awards for being the Best Commentator, Presenter and then Sports Programmes in the world,” says Jonathan, laughing. He has fond memories of fantastic teamwork: “It was like Wild West radio. I was there for 15 years and laughed for 15 years, but we worked hard too. Eighteen hours a day, six days a week. At one stage we were banned from every pub down the Tottenham Court Road.” Jonathan met politicians, rock stars and actors, even Princess Diana. “There were some crazy times. At one big sports writers’ dinner, I remember two of the Capital Gold team with their trousers round their ankles on the dance floor next to Princess Anne and her husband. There were lots of tales which can’t be told, but we had such fun.” Jonathan has treasured memories of working with Bobby Moore, summarising their friendship with one simple statement: “He was one of the best men I’ve ever met in my life.” But things were changing and, when Richard Park left, Jonathan’s heart went out of it. In 2002 Bob Shennan, Head of Five Live Sport, enticed him back to the BBC.
To read more about Jonathan’s amazing career pick up an August copy of Hassocks Life.

Welcome back to the High Street

Hassocks High Street

By Deirdre Huston Hassocks high street has been through some tough times, and seen many changes, but the Coronavirus Crisis this year has been one of the strangest periods that many of us can remember. Some shops were able to keep trading and served the local community diligently by working long hours, putting themselves at risk and through providing deliveries where possible. Hassocks Hardware was very busy, and it was common for a queue to stretch from its door as residents purchased essential items. The pet shop enabled locals to maintain high standards of animal care, while local corner shops and supermarkets provided options for shoppers who couldn’t obtain online slots. Twine, the butchers, was open mornings and also undertook deliveries across local areas on various days. Another example was Hassocks Eyecare Centre, which was contracted by the NHS to remain open offering urgent and essential eyecare throughout lockdown. “We furloughed most of the team,” explained Vicki Macken, “since it was clearly not ‘business as usual’, but Paul and I as business owners had to become receptionist, dispensing optician, technician and delivery driver as well as being optometrists! The practice looks transformed with plastic screens everywhere and we are now accustomed to rustling as we walk with the plastic aprons on.” Circumstances and government regulations to prevent the spread of Covid-19 required many of our local businesses to close, and, this summer, it’s a relief to see many of these businesses opening their doors again.
To read more about what Vicki had to say and to find out about other shops in the high street, pick up an August copy of Hassocks Life today.

Market welcomes new stallholders

A new feature at the market this month will be the Great British Charcuterie Company from the Marina in Brighton. They will be filling a hole which was left when the Spanish charcuterie stall moved on last year and will be very welcome. Also new will be Yorwarth’s Fresh Fish from Seaford. They will be bringing the village fresh fish from the Channel , giving Hassocks residents access to fresh fish that could only be satisfied otherwise by driving to another town, so you’ll be doing your bit for the environment when you take a stroll into the high street to buy your fish at the Village Market. Other new stalls are on the way, while many of the regular stallholders will be at the market. You can look forward to purchasing breads, local cheeses, fresh vegetables, locally grown plants, vegan cakes and more. The Village Market is also a great place for local businesses to try out their products on us all; look out for a Hassocks resident offering home-made soaps this month. There is also always a stand set aside for local good causes, so do get in touch if you’d like to join us. The market organisers have already implemented safety measures in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Visitors will be asked to follow a one-way system through the Village Market, entering it on the Keymer Road side, and exiting on to the corner of Dale Avenue. This is kindly being marshalled by the Hassocks and Keymer Volunteers Covid-19. Opening hours at the Village Market are 9am to 12.30pm on the 4th Saturday of the month (next one is 22nd August). It is held in the National Tyres car park, smack bang in the middle of the village, so you have no excuse to miss it. It also gives you a great opportunity to visit some of the top-quality shops we have stretching up from Orion Parade to Station Parade. The Village Market is managed by Catriona Hawksley, under the auspices of the Hassocks Community Organisation. If you would like to take up a stall there simply email Catriona on hassocksvillagemarket1@gmail.com.

Published in August’s Hassocks Life Magazine

Little Princess fundraises

Five-year-old Penelope West has been fundraising for the NHS. She and her mum were inspired by a friend’s little boy. He had walked ten miles around East Grinstead, and they decided to do something similar. “We wanted to do whatever we could to help in the current crisis,” explained Penelope’s mum, Natalie. They walked lots of different routes around Hassocks and found some amazing new paths to explore. To add to the challenge, each day Penelope decided how she wanted to dress up.

Read how they got on and more in July’s Hassocks Life.

Friends near, but so far

For ten long weeks people in Hassocks waited patiently through lockdown, staying at home while worrying about family and friends elsewhere. Photographer Steve Lewis, missing his friends but unable to visit because of the virus, took this photo-series of Hassocks families through their windows. “The windows symbolise the way we have all been separated from our friends and families,” Steve said. “The glass kept us physically safe, but emotionally and socially isolated.” Steve lived in Hassocks for 20 years and still lives locally. “Since my children grew up in the village I know people all over the village. The photos brought a few minutes of connection between us even though we couldn’t touch. “Taking the photos was also a reflection of lockdown itself, in that I had time to do this and focus on it. In our normal busy lives I wouldn’t have had time for this, and my friends would probably have been too busy to take part. Coronavirus did bring us some benefits, the chance to slow down.”

See more photos from this series on Steve’s Instagram: @Owstonlewis

DownsFest 2020 Cancelled

DownsFest music festival, which was due to take place in September, has been now been cancelled. Organiser Michelle Binks said: “We have held out for as long as possible but feel this is our only option at this stage to keep everyone safe, and not knowing what’s to come in terms of guidelines.” However, on a very positive note the date of Saturday 17th July 2021 for has been confirmed for next year! “We have brought the date forward into July for the warmer weather and lighter evenings,” Michelle went on, “avoiding other local event clashes and before the schools close for their summer holidays.” One Step Beyond will be headlining and our new ‘Family Zone’ will be launched at DownsFest 2021. The event will continue to fundraise for St Peter and St James Hospice. All tickets for DownsFest 2020 will automatically be transferred to 2021. Ticket holders who cannot make it next year, will find refunds will be available through Ticket Tailor. Michelle said: “We cannot thank the community enough for its understanding and ongoing support. Here’s to 2021!”

Village People - Keren Ghitis

Keren Ghitis

From the earliest days people have been telling and recording their stories. These stories provide us with valuable links to the past and bring history to life. But life stories can also be a powerful tool in raising awareness of injustice, inequality and suffering. Hassocks resident Keren Ghitis has spent 15 years travelling all over the world capturing stories of ordinary people faced with unimaginable adversity. She now lives in the village and works as a psychotherapist in Brighton and Hassocks.

By Claire Cooper

Keren was born in Israel into a Latin American family. “My dad is Colombian, my mum Brazilian and our spoken language was Spanish,” she said. “I was brought up in a Latin culture in the Middle East!” With her multicultural upbringing, Keren knew from an early age that she wanted to work with marginalised communities. “As I grew up I became aware of the many different kinds of social injustice and the divide between rich and poor, particularly in Colombia and Brazil, which made me determined to work in those areas,” Keren recalled. “The political situation in Israel had also sparked my interest in social justice and human rights.” The opportunity to make a difference came when Keren joined PANOS, a London based company leading the way in using media and communication for development, shedding light on unreported issues and providing a voice for the poor and marginalised. Keren was a member of the Oral Testimonies team. “Our role was to equip people to record their life experiences and present their stories to inspire change,” said Keren. “I worked with people living with HIV and Aids, victims of war, survivors of trafficking, domestic slavery and communities in poverty. “When people tell their stories it has a huge impact on raising awareness and conveys a reality stronger than statistics.” Keren’s work with young people living with HIV and Aids in the Dominican Republic highlighted the spread of the virus and its impact on the poorest people. “I worked From the earliest days people have been telling and recording their stories. These stories provide us with valuable links to the past and bring history to life. But life stories can also be a powerful tool in raising awareness of injustice, inequality and suffering. Hassocks resident Keren Ghitis has spent 15 years travelling all over the world capturing stories of ordinary people faced with unimaginable adversity. She now lives in the village and works as a psychotherapist in Brighton and Hassocks. with one young girl living with HIV whose grandmother refused to use the same cutlery and dishes. The girl lived in a room away from the rest of the family. As you can imagine, this experience of constantly being rejected affected her very deeply.” Keren travelled all over the world gathering stories. “We would teach local people how to document their life stories, starting with how to use a tape recorder and progressing to videos. “When you consider that many people we trained had never seen a television, learning to hold and use a video camera was a completely new experience! We would transcribe the recordings into English and show the videos at global conferences and in international media to promote change and policy innovation.”

To read more please find the article in this month’s (July) issue of Hassocks Life!