Viva Lewes Issue #159 December 2019

THE BEAUTIFUL EVERYDAY

159

VIVALEWES

EDITORIAL

All month I’ve been wandering around muttering (Robert Herrick’s line)

‘Gather ye rosebuds while ye may’. This is because our issue theme is Gather,

which has consequently got tangled in my mind with ideas of seizing the

day. Then again, maybe the two are related. Whether you’re gathering for

Women’s Walking Football at Lewes FC, or children’s dance at the Lewes

Dance Academy. A day of drumming at the Ham Lane Scout hut, a class in

festive baking at the Community Kitchen, or rowing on Piddinghoe Pond.

Or maybe you’re gathering with other parents of young’uns thirsty for a

(Wickle) coffee; or heading over to the Artists and Makers Fair in the Town Hall. Or

joining The Group to make some new friends. Or maybe you’re gathering with others in

a support group? This month, I met Peter Bridgewater, who runs one of these for people

bereaved by suicide – he tells me it can help.

Or, indeed, as Eleanor Knight poignantly captures it, gathering over festivities with family.

‘What matters is not what they’ve achieved but how they make us feel.’ Quite!

There are also one or two invitations in this issue. Once we’ve all weathered the election,

how about a bit of steering of things you can affect? The Friends of Lewes, perhaps – which

exists ‘to keep Lewes special’ – or a glorious Community Woodland near Laughton (see

‘My space’, on page 104). They are both looking for the right person NOW: could that be

you? Why not seize the day? And gather.

THE TEAM

.....................

EDITOR: Charlotte Gann charlotte@vivamagazines.com

SUB-EDITOR: David Jarman

PRODUCTION EDITOR: Joe Fuller joe@vivamagazines.com

ART DIRECTOR: Katie Moorman katie@vivamagazines.com

ADVERTISING: Sarah Hunnisett, Amanda Meynell advertising@vivamagazines.com

EDITORIAL / ADMIN ASSISTANT / HAND MODEL: Kelly Mechen admin@vivamagazines.com

DISTRIBUTION: David Pardue distribution@vivamagazines.com

CONTRIBUTORS: Michael Blencowe, Mark Bridge, Hasia Curtis, Lulah Ellender, Mark Greco,

Anita Hall, John Henty, Robin Houghton, Eleanor Knight, Dexter Lee, Alex Leith, Lizzie Lower, Carlotta Luke,

Anna Morgan, John O’Donoghue, Galia Pike amd Scott Wotherspoon.

PUBLISHER: Becky Ramsden becky@vivamagazines.com

Viva Lewes is based at Lewes House, 32 High St, Lewes, BN7 2LX, all enquiries 01273 488882

Morris Road Garage would like to say a big

thank you to all our wonderful customers.

We wish everyone a Happy Christmas - see you

in the New Year.

We close for business on Friday 20th December 2019 and reopen

on Thursday 2nd January 2020

THE ‘GATHER’ ISSUE

CONTENTS

Bits and bobs.

8-29. Cover artist Scott Wotherspoon

on a varied career; Wendy Baker, who

set up her dance academy aged 19;

Photo from above; Five minutes with

Southover Head Noel Fadden; charity

card shop at Lewes House; The

Friends of Lewes bids farewell to their

Chair; Spread the word; greyhound

Maisie; how you can make a difference

buying a drink at the Depot; Charity

box visits this year’s Late Night

Shopping chosen charity, the Bevern

Trust; books on stunning knitting, and

local characters; meet The Group;

Carlotta Luke shares wild swimming;

Craig turns Walrus-and-Carpenter.

Columns.

31-35. Eleanor Knight celebrates the

mundane and glorious; David Jarman

reminisces, with Michael Billington;

and John Henty gathers thoughts of

gatherings.

On this month.

37-54. A Christmas Carol

collaboration; Massive Violins =

cellos; Arthur Smith in Lewes for

election night; University of Sussex

Symphony Orchestra gathers

generations; Dexter Lee’s film roundup;

a day for Drumming; Thomas

McCarthy collects songs; Best

Foot Music gathers cultures; Super

Sunday Circus springs into action

at The Dome; and Amanthi Harris

remembers 1970s Sri Lanka.

Art.

57-65. Artists and Makers Fair; David

Jarman on Ditchling Museum; Art

and about including Chalk Gallery

2020 calendar, the Brighton Art Fair,

Martyrs’ Gallery and many more;

Caroline Lucas curates Brink at

Towner.

Listings.

67-83. Diary dates from the Raystede

Christmas Fair to The Crucible

to A Sussex Christmas talk, and

much else; Freetime listings include

Christmas at Nymans and Sheffield

31

Illustration by Hasia Curtis

THE ‘GATHER’ ISSUE

Photo by Petter Hellman

Park, and Cats Protection grotto;

plus, the Fireflies competition

for Late Night shoppers; book

review for a star-studded Children’s

Literary Christmas; and support

for teenagers – and their parents,

and teachers. Classical round-up In

the Bleak Midwinter! plus, Lewes

Chamber Music Festival, Esterházy

Chamber Choir’s Carols by

Candlelight, Handel’s Messiah, and

others. Gig of the month is Femme

Brûlée, plus gig round-up.

Food.

85-93. Depot at lunchtime;

Christmas recipe from the Jolly

Sportsman; join Community Chef

baking festive breads; Joe chooses

53

Bonne Bouche

chocolates;

the town’s

Christmas

food

markets, then

cocktails at

Chaula’s.

The way we work.

94-97. Photographer Cressida

Murray visits four Artists and Makers,

and asks where they might be

gathering for Christmas.

Features.

99-137. Our local Christmas gifts

guide; Marina Robb shows us round

Mill Woods; family day out at

Plumpton Races; Women’s Walking

Football arrives at the Dripping Pan;

Alex Leith talks Italy with Lewes

FC’s Tony Coade; support group for

people bereaved by suicide; Michael

Blencowe delivers the Holly; Lewes

town Business news; and the Late

Night Shopping Guide.

Inside left.

138. Four Man Manual Drill: firemen

at The Dripping Pan.

99

VIVA DEADLINES

We plan each magazine six weeks ahead, with a mid-month

advertising/copy deadline. Please send details of planned events

to admin@vivamagazines.com, and for any advertising queries:

advertising@vivamagazines.com, or call 01273 488882.

Remember to recycle your Viva.

Every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of our content.

Viva Lewes magazine cannot be held responsible for any omissions,

errors or alterations. The views expressed by columnists do not

necessarily represent the view of Viva Magazines.

Viva retains copyright for any artwork we create.

Love me or recycle me. Illustration by Chloë King

6

If you have a degree you can train to teach in less than

a year. Plus, you could get a bursary of up to £28k

or earn a salary.

eastsussex.gov.uk/teach

THIS MONTH’S COVER ARTIST

“I was lucky enough to cut my teeth working in

London at some top design agencies,” says this

month’s cover artist Scott Wotherspoon. “Eventually

I found myself specialising in packaging

design where I was working on global projects

for the likes of Benson and Hedges (this was the

late 90s after all), Budweiser, Mars, Heal’s, Unilever,

Stella Artois, Microsoft, Virgin and more.”

After contributing some drawings to Dazed and

Confused and Wallpaper* magazines, a chance

meeting at a Christmas party led to Scott being

represented in the UK and States as an illustrator.

“I packed in the nine to five,” he says, “bought

myself a desk and Wacom tablet for home, and

spent several years commuting to New York to

work with the modern-day Mad Men.”

In 2004, Scott and his wife Elisabeth also

started Wickle. “Originally we designed, and

wholesaled perfumes, toiletries and quirky

eco-conscious gifts. We got some good stockists

in Europe and America and as far afield as

Australia and Japan. And then our daughter

was born and, like so many, we decided the city

wasn’t for us, so we looked around for places to

up sticks to.” They found themselves in Lewes –

a decision they’ve never regretted.

“We never intended to open a shop”, says Scott,

“but when a unit came up in the Needlemakers

for some nuts reason we said yes. It was opened

on a shoestring and I remember how little stock

we had to start with – but we stuck with it and

quickly seemed to strike a chord with local folk.

We haven’t looked back.”

Busy times. Scott recalls serving customers,

while trying to hit an illustration deadline with

a two-year-old strapped to his chest. “Elisabeth

had worked as a retail trouble shooter across

Scandinavia – so she was the brains, taking care

of the buying and selling. It’s been touching and

rewarding becoming a small part of the Lewes

community – when we first moved here it didn’t

feel that there were many places for young

families so we set out to create a welcoming,

safe place where new mums and dads could grab

a breath.”

Scott’s still very involved with Wickle but

8

SCOTT WOTHERSPOON

nowadays he’s mainly focused on Liquid Studio,

where he’s Creative Director. “I joined five

years ago after a chance meeting with Jem, the

founder. We’ve since grown into a small team

offering big city creativity with a south coast

attitude. We like being small: we’re light on our

feet and ideas flow. Also, selfishly, it means I can

keep doing the fun part – design.”

Liquid design everything from beer labels to

web banners, including locally for Gun Brewery

and Ancient and Brave. “Fortunately, Lewes

seems full of ambitious people with big ideas

looking for a little assistance!”

So, to our cover… How did Scott arrive at it?

“I had a simpler version of this image knocking

around for some time. It never felt complete

until a colleague pointed out that adding

mistletoe would make it festive. Hopefully it’s

not obvious immediately what’s going on: the

colours and shapes are enough to draw you. And

then, when your eyes make sense of the image,

a little smile rises up…. That’s the idea anyway!

Merry Christmas.”

Charlotte Gann

wickle.co.uk; liquid-studio.co.uk

9

UK BREWER OF THE YEAR 2017 AND 2018

SEASON’S GREETINGS FROM THE

HEART OF HARVEY’S

I n d e p e n d e n t FamIly Brewers

s I n c e 1790

WWW.HARVEYS.ORG.UK

/HARVEYSBREWERYLEWES /HARVEYS1790 /HARVEYSBREWERY

Photo by Charlotte Gann

MY LEWES: WENDY BAKER

Lewes Dance Academy was founded in 1998.

By you? Yes! I founded it when I was 19, having

qualified in dance with the IDTA at 18. My dad

ran a successful Lewes taxi firm, and had always

been self-employed, so I think I inherited that

ethos. I’ve been doing this all my life. I started

the Dance Academy dance classes at Malling

Community Centre (I grew up in Malling; my

parents live there still). Then I took a lease at

St John’s Ambulance in Timberyard Lane; then

North Street. Everywhere I went the building I

was working in was taken over and redeveloped!

So it’s wonderful to have finally found a

permanent home here in Landport. Pippa from

Pippa’s Nursery, the Youth Club and us have

together taken on the mortgage.

Community is clearly really important to

you? It is, and mine is a Community Interest

Company – which means not for profit, like

a charity, but with the aim of serving the

community. I’ve lived in Landport for 18

years: to be able to use a building in my own

community for my own community sits really

nicely. We do exceptionally well at creating

community in Landport, and at low cost. But

we’re working very hard to do this. Last summer

holiday, between us we offered two weeks of free

children’s clubs for all ages, thanks to the Pells

Pool Fund. There were 30 kids here a day. Our

doors are open every day now, and the kids are

free to join in whatever way is right for them. It’s

their space. Some of them are very serious about

dance – I think I’ve just got my sixth student

going to do a degree in it. But people join in

as much or as little as they want. We make

dance affordable to many families who might

not otherwise be able to access it. Two of my

teachers are ex-students. And I’ve also started

teaching second generations of some families

now! We all support each other, and we join in

as families (I’ve got four kids myself, including

baby Theo). When the Pells School closed, for

instance, that was tough on many children. But

they have a place to come to that remains their

own while other things change.

Have you lived in Lewes your whole life?

All but six months, when I moved out to South

Heighton. But I couldn’t settle! I just came back

to Lewes every day. I love it. Because it’s my

home. Because of the community, and the town’s

uniqueness. It’s not too commercialised, and

everyone can be themselves. And that’s what I

want to build here: a community where everyone

fits in. Dance was always important to me

because I felt free, and free to be myself. I started

dancing when I was eight, but it took a lot of

commitment from my parents, and I had to travel

to Newhaven five days a week. Lewes Dance

Academy is everything to me. This is my passion,

this is my life.

Interview by Charlotte Gann

thedanceacademylewes.com

11

THE BRIGHTON

Waldorf School

SCHOOL

SHOWCASE

Thursday 23 rd & Friday 24 th January 2020

1:00pm - 4:00pm

The Brighton Waldorf School – a two-day Showcase

celebrating pupil performance and academic achievements.

Come along and visit live classroom lessons, see pupil

performances and meet the Brighton Waldorf School Team.

For more information, please visit:

www.brightonwaldorfschool.org

For any enquiries please call 01273 386300

Limited Company No. 2395378 • Registered Charity No. 802036

PHOTO OF THE MONTH

BIRD’S EYE VIEW

Phil Bodger sent in this wonderful aerial shot. He wrote:

‘I have a drone licence and produce aerial photography and video, mainly for surveying purposes

(coastsua.co.uk). In May this year, having recently moved to Lewes from Glynde, I was out early one

morning testing the software on a new drone. I live close to The Swan Inn and getting to that walk

across the Downs to Kingston only takes a few minutes. I love the view towards Newhaven, and that

morning the mist lay across the fields and it looked particularly beautiful and rather otherworldly.

Once the drone was in the air, I could see the view through its monitor and that aerial perspective, 50

or so metres up, was incredible. I soon forgot about testing the flying software and took several shots

from slightly different angles, hoping to capture the stunning scene. Once I arrived home, I did a

little processing, but it was really just brightening the shot, as the sun had been low in the sky.’

Please send your pictures, taken in and around Lewes, to photos@vivamagazines.com, or tweet

@VivaLewes. We’ll choose one, which wins the photographer £20, to be picked up from our office after

publication. Unless previously arranged, we reserve the right to use all pictures in future issues of Viva

magazines or online.

13

BITS AND BOBS

FIVE MINUTES WITH...

Born and

bred in

Birmingham,

Southover

primary

Head Noel

Fadden

started his career in inner city Birmingham before

stints in Eritrea, Hastings and Vietnam. ‘I

have a passion for ensuring all children are involved

and that teaching is vibrant and as active

as possible’, he says. ‘I have been at Southover

for 13 years and enjoy the community and the

town; in all weathers the streets have character,

be it misty mornings or sunny evenings.’

WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? At school,

seeing other people happy – children, staff and

parents, and when out on the Downs, the fresh

air makes me smile.

WHAT IS YOUR TOP FILM / BOOK?

Sherlock Holmes is a fail-safe option to read

– well written, clever plot lines and a bit of

science and psychology.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE TV AND

RADIO SHOW? Peaky Blinders on the box and

From Our Own Correspondent on the radio –

stories behind the news that you could hear in a

café far, far away.

TOP PLACES TO EAT OUT OR DRINK,

IN LEWES? Chaula’s has the best Indian food

outside Birmingham!

WHO ARE YOUR HEROES? David Attenborough

and then the staff and volunteers who

go above and beyond to help the school.

Do you have Workspace to Let?

Workspace to Let as a Desk,

Office or Studio?

I have a list of clients wanting

workspace in Lewes.

For more info visit:

www.spaceagentlewes.co.uk

14

GIFTS AND BOBS

CARDS FOR GOOD CAUSES

The Charity Christmas Card Shop is open on the

ground floor of Lewes House, on School Hill. It

will remain open (Monday to Saturday 10am-4pm)

until Tuesday 17th December. The shop will also be

open for Late Night Shopping (on Thursday 5th)

until 8pm.

The shop sells Christmas cards on behalf of national

as well as local charities and at least 70p in every

pound goes to the charity. The charities include the

RNLI, Save the Children, SASBAH (Sussex Association

for Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus), Raystede

and St Peter and St James Hospice.

“This year”, Shop Manager Wendy Stonestreet told us, “there’ll be this lovely new Christmas card

of Keere Street [pictured], illustrated by the very popular local artist Lyndsey Smith, sold in aid of

SASBAH. We’ve also a wide range of Christmas goods including advent calendars and candles, diaries,

wrapping paper, tags, gift bags and small gifts…”

Do pop in. And new volunteers are also always very welcome. Please either call in at the shop or ring

Wendy on 01273 472157.

Enjoy a

Winter Gift

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Organically Grown, Zero THC, Great Taste,

Broad Spectrum, Eco Packaging

LifeSparkCBD.co.uk

Local, Sustainable E-commerce CBD business

*Enter: VivaLewes20% at check out, valid from Dec 1, 2019 – Jan 1

15

Win £2500 cash to help get your business started in 2020

Set up by Lewes District Council, the LEAP Programme

is dedicated to champion new enterprise in the Lewes

district including Seaford, Newhaven, Peacehaven,

Chailey and surrounding villages.

Delivered by Edeal this FREE programme provides local

people with in-depth training to help them plan and

start their new business.

2016 Winner Tracey Horan

Dolly Fixtures Ringmer

2017 Winner Anna Lane

Olive Branch Mobile Spa

Lewes

An initial one-day start-up workshop is open to all

residents (minimum age 18+). Following the workshop,

15 candidates will be selected to advance to a series of

short training seminars covering law, finance, marketing

and social media. Candidates will also receive one to one

mentoring from our team of dedicated experts to help

them create a viable and strong business plan to be

judged by a panel of experts.

The winner will receive £2500 and the runner up, £500!

Once the business plans have been judged, all candidates

will receive a mentoring support package worth £350 to

help them develop their business further.

The programme will build to a gala awards ceremony

celebrating the achievements of LEAP candidates in 2020.

All candidates will also have the opportunity to network

with LEAP businesses from previous years.

2018 Winner Sara William

The Patchwork Cat Newhaven

You can register for LEAP by visiting

www.yourleap.co.uk

or call Edeal on 01323 641144.

2019 Winner Nicki Whitehead

Homecare Business Support Seaford

BITS AND JOBS

THE FRIENDS OF LEWES

SEEKING NEW FRIENDS

Robert Cheesman (pictured)

has been Chair of The Friends

of Lewes for the last 26 years –

when he took over from Peter

Linklater in 1994 (saying, he

remembers, he’d “do it on a temporary

basis”!). Born and bred in

the town, he has lived here for

all but six years of his life (“From

1972 to 1978, I worked in Cumbria…”).

He knows this town.

But now he’s stepping down, and

The Friends – a civic society,

whose basic remit is ‘to keep

Lewes special’ – are looking for a successor to

take the reins. Who might that someone be?

“Maybe a change agent,” says Neil Merchant,

who’s leading the search. “Someone who’ll look

at what we’re doing, and what we should be doing.

How should we be reacting, for instance, to

climate change? Or the crisis in social housing?”

Neil and Robert agree The Friends need people

who are “familiar with, and sympathetic to, the

town”. But also realists. “I want to see Lewes

remain special,” says Robert; “I don’t want to

see it preserved in aspic.”

Looking back over his long tenure, one of the

things he’s happiest about is “the establishment

of the South Downs National Park – though

my friend, the late Paul Millmore, did a lot of

the legwork.” While he’s fine to see brownfield

site development within the town – existing

buildings redeveloped and repurposed – he’s

emphatic the town should not encroach further

in any direction into the Downs.

“Our re-established Trees Committee is also

doing really well – which I’m pleased about.”

All of these, and many more, are issues that exercise

The Friends of Lewes.

A retired civil servant, Robert

says a lot of his role as

Chair has involved networking

with local authorities

and with developers. “Good

design is one thing we want”,

he says, “so, for instance,

with the Premier Inn, we saw

various iterations; eventually,

we got a design we could

live with. If you go about

things professionally, the

people you deal with grow to

respect you.”

As the remaining committee turn their thoughts

to finding his replacement – as well as a new

Secretary, to replace Marcus Taylor (also

sometime contributor to Viva Lewes) who’s

stepping down at the same time – they want to

get the message out that they’d welcome new

blood: anyone who wishes to join The Friends

of Lewes – they currently have about 400 members

– but also, if there’s anyone out there who

might wish to play an active part in one of these

key voluntary roles?

“We really want to be proactively inclusive,”

says Neil. “We’re also proposing to limit trustee

tenure to eight years. And we’ve come up with

job descriptions for both the Chair and Secretary

role, for anyone who might be curious.

“Robert and Marcus are stepping down at the

AGM in March. We’d like their replacements

chosen by January – please, please, anyone local

with the energy and interest to do something

for the town, get in touch. We’d love to hear

from you…” Charlotte Gann

friends-of-lewes.org.uk

17

TRIPS AND BOBS

SPREAD THE WORD

Daire McGrath wrote: ‘Here

are my children, Mads and

Ewan Child, enjoying Viva

Lewes on the ferry from the island

of Brac to the city of Split

in Croatia. Janet Ward sent in

this picture of husband Dudley,

taken, she wrote, ‘in the

Elephant and Castle in Boston,

where we had breakfast in

September.’ And yoga teacher

Fiona Condie wrote: ‘Here I

am, taking a welcome break

from teaching in the beautiful

Andalusia mountains.’

Keep spreading the word. Send

your photos, plus a few words to

hello@vivamagazines.com.

18

BITS AND DOGS

PETS OF LEWES

Maisie, 6, Greyhound. Maisie wasn’t quite quick

enough to race, so she went straight to the Retired

Greyhound Trust without having to work for

a living. This was an ideal situation for her –

greyhounds are known for being naturally lazy and

Maisie is no exception. She is, however, willing to

do long walks and has been all over the Downs. She

loves meeting other dogs but is not famed for her

social skills, often getting overexcited, barking and

making inappropriate jokes.

Loves: lanterns, haddock, the Pilsbury dough boy.

Hates: Glottal stops, lavatories, lateral thinking, lavender, lacklustre hair.

Greyhound facts: the greyhound is the fastest breed of dog in the world. They are an ancient Egyptian

breed that can be traced back to 3000BC. It was believed by the ancients that when greyhounds died

they passed into an afterlife known as the Field of Reeds, where they lived forever, bounding, leaping

and cocking their ghostly legs against priceless monuments. @dogsoflewes

If you’re looking to rehome a greyhound, visit Brighton RGT to find out more: retiredgreyhounds.info

my vet’s open

all night

Susan Hart, Lewes.

The Coastway Vets’ veterinary hospital

in central Brighton is open 24 hours a

day for emergency cases and provides

cover for most of the region’s vets every

evening, weekend and bank holiday.

For more details call:

01273 478100

coastwayvets.co.uk

19

DRINKS AND BOBS

SUPPORT LOCAL FOOD BANK USERS

Here’s one way to help – if you go to the Depot. Just support

the ‘Donate a Drink’ scheme.

When you order a drink or a meal, ask to Donate a Drink and

an extra £3 will be added to your bill. The money is separately

accounted for and will be handed over to The Lewes Pound in

time to give out envelopes of Lewes pounds to food bank users

before Christmas. Please help make a big difference to someone.

Dino Bishop from Depot says that the scheme has raised some

£800 in its first year; wouldn’t it be great to soar well past

£1,000 before Christmas? So far, users of the town’s three food

banks have reported spending their Lewes pounds, for instance,

on seeing a film at the Depot, eating out at the John Harvey

Tavern; one teenager bought clothes at Oxfam; someone got a bracelet repaired at Jonathan Swan;

and others spent them on fresh fish in the Riverside, meat at May’s, books for their grandchildren

from Bags of Books or said they were able to enjoy good quality sausages from Richards Butchers.

That’s quite a few local Lewes businesses also benefiting, to say nothing of the pleasure given to

those enjoying a treat not normally affordable. Why not ‘Donate a Drink’ this December? CG

thelewespound.org

Can you help us give someone with cancer

a bit of a boost at a difficult time?

Andrea from Worthing donates a facial

each month.

We’re on the lookout for other donations

from local businesses in Sussex. Could

you provide a hotel stay, family day out,

restaurant meal, gift vouchers, beauty

products or treatment?

We would love to hear from you.

info@elliesfriends.org

elliesfriends.org

Registered charity no. SC024414

BITS AND BOX

CHARITY BOX: THE BEVERN TRUST

How did the

charity come

about? It was

founded in 1999

by Peter and

Heather Frost,

to help their son

Jonathan – so

it’s our 20th anniversary

this year.

A few parents

who had children

with complex

needs at Chailey Heritage realised that, once

those children reached a certain age, there was

nowhere for them to go. So Peter and Heather

decided to do something about it. With the help

of donations from about 200 local people, they

started to build on donated land in Barcombe.

The Bevern stream runs behind the building,

which is how the Trust got its name.

What does the Trust do? We provide a

home for life for local disabled adults, aged 18

upwards. There are ten residents, most of whom

are classed as having ‘profound disabilities’.

Most are in wheelchairs and require one-toone

care. As well as rooms for the residents, we

offer respite care. We also have a sensory room,

an activities room, a lounge, a kitchen and a

hydrotherapy pool. And we organise daily trips

and activities.

Why are you needed? Without us, many

youngsters would be put into residential care

homes, or would end up living with parents who

would find it difficult to cope with their needs.

In East Sussex alone, there are 1,000 profoundly

disabled adults and only 100 beds available. In

addition, many care homes are being closed,

and funding is being cut at an alarming rate.

We are offering an alternative, and giving local

profoundly disabled

adults a real home,

where parents can

be parents instead of

carers.

What is the home

like? It’s a happy

home, full of smiles,

and a great place to

work. Everybody’s

room is individual.

Everybody has their

own style, and their

own posters up. And everybody gets to take part

in different activities each day and to go out on

trips. A typical day might involve cookery, art,

hydrotherapy, visits from family, or a trip out.

We try to make sure everyone has the same opportunities.

So, for example, someone more able

might go horse riding, while others might not

physically be able to do that, but could ride in a

horse-drawn carriage instead.

How can people get involved? The Lewes

community has been amazing, with businesses

sponsoring us, and local schools raising funds

through dress-down days and fêtes. Other

people set up regular gifts, volunteer at events

or donate raffle prizes. We’re the chosen charity

for this year’s Late Night Shopping. And on 7

December, it’s our third Lewes Santa Run, when

we hope up to 200 people will take part in a

2K or 4K fun run to raise money for the Trust.

You don’t have to be a runner – you can walk or

push – and you get a free Santa suit! It costs £20

for adults to enter, and we’re asking people to

raise at least £20 in sponsorship each. We made

about £3,000 last year, so we’re hoping to top

that this time. Anita Hall interviewed Community

Fundraiser Elizabeth Lang

beverntrust.org

21

BITS AND BOOKS

BOOK REVIEW: INVISIBLE JUMPERS BY JOSEPH FORD & NINA DODD

Have you ever wanted to disappear into the

background? If you have, you might want

to enlist the help of an unlikely and obsessive

pair: Joseph Ford who loves creating and

capturing optical illusions with his camera, and

Nina Dodd who loves to knit peculiar things.

Combine the two and you get Invisible Jumpers:

a collaboration that began in 2014, when Joseph

met Nina on a photographic assignment that

called for some inventive knitting.

Joseph was taken with a jumper that Nina had

made to match the upholstery on a Brighton

bus, and suggested that they photograph it

onboard. One jumper led to another and the

Brighton-based duo have collaborated on a series

of increasingly challenging knitting illusions

ever since. ‘I work on the principle that if it’s

conceivable, it must be knittable!’ writes Nina.

The results are captured in a beautiful book recently

published by Hoxton Mini Press. While

the 25 images look effortless, each took weeks,

sometimes months in the making, with Joseph

carefully scouting the locations and models before

giving Nina a plan for the image. Together

they matched yarns to the colour and texture of

the backgrounds and Nina deftly knitted up the

garments. Finally, Joseph returned to the locations,

meticulously positioning the models and

knitwear before taking his pictures.

‘I love this kind of attention to the absurd.’

writes Norman Cook (aka Fat Boy Slim), who

appears (or rather disappears) in the book

against a six-metre Acid House smiley face. Us

too: equal parts homespun labour of love and

mind-bending marvel of skill and patience. LL

BOOK REVIEW: A FIELD GUIDE BY CHELSEA RENTON

Ever thought of people-watching as a quirky

kind of bird-watching? It’s an interesting parallel,

and one Chelsea Renton invokes at the start

of her cartoon book A Field Guide to (some of) the

Peoples of the British Isles.

Divided into sections: ‘Widespread’ (which covers

Hairstylists, Builders and Therapists, to give

a flavour), ‘Seasonal’ (Opera Lover, Festivalgoer…),

‘Juveniles’, ‘Exotic’, ‘Pest’ and ‘Miscellaneous’,

there are probably a number of pet

hates and loves here for everyone, among these

incredibly detailed caricatures. Each section is

rounded up neatly with an ‘Identification Chart’

– continuing the twitching theme – where you

can spot each stereotype by their distinctive

‘tracks’ (footprint).

Some may strike a little

close to the (Lewes)

knuckle – who knows? The

‘“Lifestyle” Shopkeeper’,

for instance, with her

‘shades of taupe and fawn’

and ‘layered clothing of an

asymmetric cut’ – but the

author concedes ‘my field

of observation is limited. Living in the South

East, I am familiar with the activated-charcoal

smoothie drinkers of Brighton, but know less of

the legendary hen parties of Newcastle…’; ‘If

you think it’s you, then it probably is.’ CG

23

TRIPS AND BOBS

THE GROUP

OPPORTUNITIES TO GATHER

“My husband and I

used to run a Sussex

pub together”, Patricia

Bentley tells me.

“After we split up, in

2000, I became aware

of just how many single

people there were,

and over a certain age.

Many emerge from

marriages, after the children have left home.”

So in 2006, Patricia started The Group, in a pub

in Haywards Heath. And it’s still going strong.

“Today we have about 300 members, but we

always welcome new faces. I’ve made lots of

lovely, real friends through it, and been to events

I wouldn’t otherwise have thought to go to. And

it’s really nice too, seeing other people meet.”

There are monthly ‘Club nights’ in five venues

across Sussex – Lewes, Brighton, Horsham,

Burgess Hill and Worthing. In addition, there’s

a multitude of events organised by members:

walks, theatre trips, meals out, even holidays

(the picture is from one, in Montenegro). Members

get sent a twice monthly diary, and then are

free to approach individual organisers for any

events that interest them.

“That’s the beauty of the formula”, says Tricia.

“We have a committee of nine, some of whom

coordinate meetings – I run the Lewes one –

but this is just a framework. It’s our members

who fill the pages of the diary. It’s just putting

group members in touch.

“People join and leave all the time – which is part

of the fun, the rolling cast. At the moment, we’re

probably about 2:1 women to men. We’re geared

to the over 50s, and the unattached.”

The activities are varied, and reflect of course

the interests and skills of group members. “So,

one ran a pottery

class from her home.

Another, a coach

driver, offers group

trip transport…

There are walks

every weekend, which

are always popular –

one recently ended

at The Anchor in

Barcombe, and then we took the boats out. And

we have regular trips to London. And a golf

society!

“One coordinator, Maureen who runs the

Burgess Hill club nights, organises a holiday for

members every year.”

Patricia went on one holiday with The Group,

to Prague, she tells me. “And for the last five

years I’ve organised a trip to the Edinburgh

Festival every August… Which I would go to

anyway, but it’s fun opening it up to members.

We stay in university accommodation, and it’s

very comfortable, with en suite bathrooms.”

By day, Tricia is also a Celebrant – for the last

seven years, as an independent. She conducts

weddings, funerals and baby namings. It’s what

she retrained to do after she left the pub. “All

my work seems to have been about people, and

about relationships”, she smiles.

“The Group is not a dating agency, and plenty

of members, like me, don’t mind being on their

own, and doing things on their own. But it’s also

fun, sometimes, to join up with others…”

In Lewes, the club nights are every 4th Thursday

of the month, 8pm. “Except in December,

of course, because that would be Christmas!”

So, 28th November, or 23rd January…

Charlotte Gann

thegroup.org.uk

25

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FOCUS ON: OPEN WATER

Research shows that time spent near open water

brings happiness. I find this especially true when

that time is spent with like-minded people. I’ve

begun swimming regularly in Seaford with one

group of friends and rowing on Piddinghoe

Pond with another. Sometimes it’s so beautiful,

we just stop and stare. From top left, clockwise:

waves hitting the Newhaven breakwater;

Tidemills beach, for a mid-November swim;

Lewes Pilot Gig Club women vets’ crew; dawn

at Piddinghoe Pond; and heading out from

Newhaven in a pilot gig. carlottaluke.com

27

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COLUMN

Eleanor Knight

Keyboard worrier

A bit of kudos is what we’re all after these days.

It’s not enough just to do stuff. No. We want our

achievements richly garlanded and extravagantly

praised. We want them tracked, recorded and

shared with our followers who, in turn, require us

to complete the whole sadomasochistic cycle with

a big thumbs-up for them running the equivalent

of the Serengeti, or jumping the Shard (up dear

reader, always up) over the course of a month, or

– if you’re like me – a bien joué for remembering

the French for ‘picture frames’ (cadres, since you

ask, although quite why Duolingo chooses fine art

as a pathway to fluency is not yet apparent).

While there are apps to record endurance, learning

and incremental mastery, there are none that

calculate the worth of the seemingly pointless

tasks of everyday life. Consider all the socks and

pants you have washed over the last six months:

Kilimanjaro? Or just a Ditchling Beacon? You

may have assembled and packed an entire St

Paul’s-worth of sandwiches over a term, but this

will go unrecorded (tricky this: job well done =

no evidence). There is no tracking device that

tells you or anyone else just how many miles of

hoovering you’ve navigated this week.*

But while it might be nice once in a while to get

a little bit of kudos for these non-appable exploits,

that would be to miss the point. Because these

boring tasks are acts of love. I don’t even mean

the romantic kind, I mean the ordinary, everyday

getting-on-with-it kind; pragma (Greek, since we

started with kudos) the love that survives compromise

and lasts over time.

The fact is that there are some elements of our

lives that are just mostly pointless. And here’s the

thing – and I’m afraid it’s controversial – being

alive is one of them. What are we here for? We

don’t know, but tracking apps certainly offer the

promise of progress in a life that’s for learning.

Sadly, the hardest lesson life has taught me (without

any app at all) is that the people we love most

rarely endure as long as we’d like them to. And

who cares if they’ve run the coastal path barefoot

or scaled the Empire State Building in flippers?

What matters is not what they’ve achieved but

how they make us feel. Perhaps not so oddly then,

it’s in the moments of mundanity that we miss

them the most.

Keep the sausage rolls and turkey sandwiches

coming. Sweep up those pine needles while you

may. Plump up the cushions so the in-laws can

watch the Queen, and be ready with the spare

beds. You won’t win any medals, but you’ll have

given those you love a very happy Christmas.

*Actually the more I think about it the more I

think patent pending.

Illustration by Hasia Curtis

31

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COLUMN

David Jarman

My back pages

After 48 years Michael Billington is to retire as

the chief theatre critic of The Guardian. Interviewed

on the radio, he nominated the 1980 Peter

O’Toole Macbeth at The Old Vic as his worst

theatrical experience. I went to it, and it really

wasn’t very good. A couple of things I remember.

After the three (very) ‘weird sisters’, King

Duncan entered and, pointing at a supine body

dunked in the production’s notorious trademark

gore, asked: “What bloody man is that? He can

report, as seemeth by his plight, of the revolt the

newest state.” It was pretty obvious that the man

was in no position to do anything of the sort.

Fortunately, a passing captain, similarly incarnadined

but still upright, was able to bring Duncan

up to speed. And then, towards the end, young

Siward confronted Macbeth. Well, being ‘born

of woman’, this was one fight young Siward was

never going to win. But at The Old Vic he came

close. Peter O’Toole forgot to duck when his

adversary lunged at him, the sword thudding into

the side of O’Toole’s head. They shambled off

stage together, Macbeth reappearing a moment

later, implausibly triumphant and still rubbing

his ear ruefully. Giving an essay in the theatre

programme the title of Macbeth: A History of

Disaster was, perhaps, asking for trouble.

For many years I was a keen theatregoer, but I

don’t get around much anymore. Partly sloth,

partly the ubiquitous ‘reimagining’ (wretched

word) of the classics. News of a particularly

egregious example arrives in the post from Stratford.

Next year the Royal Shakespeare Theatre

is putting on The Winter’s Tale – ‘set across a

16-year span from Mad Men to the moon landings,

this moving new production imagines a

world where the ghosts of fascist Europe collide

with the horrors of The Handmaid’s Tale, before

washing up on a joyful seashore.’ Reading this,

I was beginning to think that they had missed a

trick by not adding Fleabag to the heady cultural

mix. But then my wife spotted that the music had

been entrusted to Phoebe Waller-Bridge’s sister,

Isobel.

Ibsen and Chekhov used to be relatively safe

from the reimagining bandwagon, but not for

some time now. And yet it was Chekhov that

supplied one of my cultural highlights of 2019.

Not on the stage, though. On Monday 13 May

the Seniors’ Free Matinee (Depot, please note)

at the British Film Institute was The Lady with

the Little Dog. Made in 1960 to mark the centenary

of Chekhov’s birth, and directed by Iosif

Kheifits, it proved to be a beautiful film, exhibiting

a sensitivity and restraint utterly in keeping

with Chekhov’s short story.

Not that you would guess that that was the way

it would be, if you’d ever seen the film’s American

trailer:

‘Romance – betrayal – turmoil – a mysterious

woman. HE is a philanderer –

HER life is ruined.

Iya Savvina is

the most

sentimental

acquaintance

you’ll ever meet –

Aleksei Batalov is

the most charming

heartbreaker

to cross your path.

The most disturbing

romantic movie you’ll

ever see.’

Illustration by Charlotte Gann

33

COLUMN

Lewes Out Loud

Plenty more Henty

Gathering my worldweary

thoughts together

in an effort to comply

with our Viva theme

for December, I turned

again to my trusty – and

somewhat dusty – Concise

Oxford Dictionary. Here

I quickly established

that a ‘gathering’ is ‘an

assembly or meeting, especially a social one’.

Good, I thought to myself, for the past ten years

or so, I’ve been to lots of those when giving talks

to the feisty WIs and TWGs throughout the

length and breadth of Sussex.

In fact, only recently I attended one such social

gathering in the west of the county and I hope

the merry members of Worthing Mothers’ Club

will forgive me if I illustrate these words with

another splendid Donald McGill postcard from

my collection.

Funnily enough, the subject matter, although

over 80 years old, does raise a more serious contemporary

issue and that is declining numbers at

many of the meetings I have attended – not just

for my presentations I hasten to add.

Age is clearly a major factor, mobility and

transport difficulties do not help and then there’s

always the question of finding people prepared

to take on committee responsibilities.

If the women of Worthing can forgive me for

the saucy postcard, appropriate though it is, I

am even more concerned about offending Viva

readers north of the border as Hogmanay looms

on the horizon!

You see I have a serious confession to make.

One bagpipe I can tolerate but a whole hillside

full of ’em warming up in torrential rain? No

thank you. Sylvia and I

were on holiday in the

Scottish Highlands and

decided to attend the

Braemar Games along

with members of the

royal family.

Needless to say, they

were under a protective

canopy as the gathering

commenced. We, though, were on an exposed

brae along with the piping pipers and, drenched

and deafened, moved reluctantly away before a

single caber was tossed.

One coming together of people I always enjoy

nearer to home, whatever the weather, is Late

Night Shopping in the town. I shall be there

again this year, seeking out the roasted chestnuts

and, hopefully, a hot toddy or two. If there’s a

lone bagpiper in the precinct, I’ll certainly raise

my glass to him as I did recently, at the Depot

to friend Mark Ridgwell, who died in December

last year.

Amongst many things, Mark was the driving

force behind the Lewes Octoberfeast and as a

tribute to him, our cinema offered one of his

favourite cocktails – a Manhattan with Bourbon

whiskey – at a special price.

It’s a favourite of mine too and I enjoyed it after

watching Hitsville, the Motown story told by

a guy I actually met at the record company’s

Detroit HQ in 1971. Smokey Robinson.

Finally, a word of thanks to Shannon who so

patiently explained to me the workings of my

new Smartphone when I visited her in Tescos

recently. I did ask for an instruction book. She

just gave me one of those looks!

John Henty

35

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ON THIS MONTH: THEATRE

Delving into Dickens

A fresh staging of A Christmas Carol

Photo by Tony Bannister

It’s 1843. The last few years

have seen Charles Dickens

earn a reputation as one of

England’s greatest storytellers.

Yet he’s not happy. All

around him is injustice and

suffering, with the children

of poor families often sent

out to work in dreadful

conditions. In addition,

there’s no guarantee of

education for the children

who don’t work. And he

can see financial problems

of his own on the horizon.

Dickens plans to write a pamphlet to express his

views... but then changes his mind. Instead he’ll

craft a piece of fiction; a work that’ll influence

public opinion and, hopefully, earn him some

money. Around six weeks later, A Christmas Carol

is finished: a fantasy in which the burgeoning

traditions of a Victorian Christmas are linked

with goodwill to all.

Fast forward to December 2019, where Darren

Heather (pictured right) is directing an adaptation

of the tale at Lewes Little Theatre. “We are

very much following the traditional line of the

story”, he tells me. However, they’ve made a few

minor changes to the play, which was created

a few years ago by Gary Andrews (left). “We’re

trying to approach it from the social injustice

aspect. It will start off relatively dark and get

lighter, with Scrooge’s reformation at the end.

It’s still a piece of entertainment, not a lecture.”

Why, I ask, is Darren keen to emphasise this

particular aspect of the story? “I think it’s a fairly

topical thing. We have so many people relying

on food banks to just live

normally. It’s not quite the

same as workhouses but it is

a modern version of that.”

Darren’s changes to the script

have been welcomed by the

playwright. “Gary’s been

absolutely fantastic, he’s been

so supportive.” In fact, he’s

even got a role in the show.

“I decided fairly early on that

Dickens would be a good

addition as a character.” As

Gary has previously played

Charles Dickens in a oneman

show, he was an obvious choice. “It’s been a

very good collaboration so far – and it’s fantastic

to have him physically in the show.”

But there’s more to this presentation than physical

appearances. “We’re going to be using a lot

of technology and a lot of good lighting effects

to tell the story as well.” A number of the scenes

will feature back-projected skylines of London,

whilst some of the ghosts manifest themselves in

video form before coming to life. Alongside the

high-tech drama, there’s an original music score.

Ultimately, Darren explains, this is a story about

redemption. “The young Ebenezer was a lovely

child but something went wrong along the way

to make him what he became. I guess, at the start

of the story, he’s an isolationist. He’s very insular,

very much looking inward, fearing the world,

fearing everything; then he realises he has to

engage with the world to get something out of

it.” Mark Bridge

Lewes Little Theatre from 8th until 14th.

lewestheatre.org

37

JO O’SULLIVAN

CHRISTMAS

How to make it work for

separated families

Lewes looks wonderful at Christmas. The

twinkling lights, the shop windows... and in

particular I love it when the town is closed for

traffic for late night shopping (5th December).

As a Collaborative Family Lawyer and

Mediator at this time of year, I am aware that

December is probably the hardest month for

separated families. Whether you’re recently

separated or you’ve been apart for several

years, Christmas poses a unique set of

challenges for parents and children.

Christmas is first and foremost a celebration

of the family, so for many of my clients it is

a really difficult time. They want to try and

make things work but they also want to

spend this important time with their kids.

I encourage parents to remember that there

will be other Christmases and that their

children will have a great time, wherever

they are.

If I had to pin down the basics of

making it work over the festive period,

these would be my top tips:

Fake it to make it – use Christmas to be

as generous as possible towards the other

parent – even if you’d rather things were very

different.

Play nicely – don’t speak negatively about

each other or to each other. Christmas is

largely about creating happy memories and

rituals for your children. Children don’t like

it – and find it really hard to cope – when

parents criticise each other.

Look after yourself – try and take some

time for yourself. When the children are with

the other parent, find ways to enjoy it either

alone or with friends.

Please call to discuss what might be the best process for you

on 07780676212 or email jo@osullivanfamilylaw.com

For more details about how I work visit

www.osullivanfamilylaw.com

ON THIS MONTH: MUSIC

Photo by Max Colson

Massive Violins

Pure entertainment

Whenever Ricky Chatto travels on public transport

with his cello, there’s always someone who’ll shout

“That’s a massive violin!” So when he decided to

form a band of cellists, it wasn’t hard to think of a

name. It began nine years ago when Ricky and his

wife Ruth had been to see the Ukulele Orchestra of

Great Britain. The idea of doing something similar

with cellos was just too tempting. It helps when

your daughter happens to be a cellist, fresh out of

college and in a band that’s only doing the odd gig.

Said daughter (Grace) then recruited a number of

her musician friends from college and before long

the band was seven-strong.

Nine years on, the Massive Violins are a unique act

with a big fanbase in London and beyond. (And

Grace’s band, Clean Bandit, aren’t doing too badly

either.)

This month the MVs are back at the All Saints

Centre after virtually selling out there last

Christmas. So what’s the Lewes connection?

“Grace has been friends with Beatrice Philips (who

runs the Lewes Chamber Music Festival, which

we love coming to) since they were teenagers,”

explains Ruth, “plus Guido Martin-Brandis grew

up in Lewes and was a student at the East Sussex

Academy of Music at East Sussex College.” Ruth is

full of praise for All Saints as a venue, with its raked

seating, cosy atmosphere and “a stage wide enough

for seven cellos!”

If you associate cellos solely with classical music,

you’re in for a surprise. The Massive Violins’

programme is based around classic pop and rock

covers – think Queen, Abba and Adele – which they

perform in their own arrangements. All the players

also sing, and each gets a solo or two. Occasionally

they’ll throw in the odd operatic aria for fun, and

to showcase their different voices. “Camilla does

a brilliant ‘Queen of the Night’” says Ruth, “and

Guido’s ‘Elvis’ is better than the real thing.”

A typical set is exuberant, joyful and pure entertainment.

Ruth is enthusiastic about the MVs and

their ability to delight the audience. “The band just

radiates joy. Young people are especially fascinated

by the cellos – you just don’t see these instruments

that often in pop music.” At least three of the seven

cellos were made by Ricky, a fact that sometimes

amazes people.

Details are still being finalised but we’re promised

“a feast of Christmas music, so classics such as Last

Christmas and Blue Christmas, plus Ricky and Grace

performing Fairytale of New York which will be great

fun. There’ll also be some audience carols.” The

group decides its repertoire and works as a collective.

Ruth says that officially she used to be the

manager, but admits with a laugh, “they’re totally

unmanageable!” Robin Houghton

Tuesday 17 December, 7.30pm, All Saints Centre,

tickets £15 from massiveviolins.com

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ON THIS MONTH: COMEDY

Arthur Smith

Fearless comedian

Photo by Steve Ullathorne

Self-appointed Mayor of Balham, Grumpy Old

Man TM , much-loved writer and comedian, Arthur

Smith has unquestionably attained the status of

National Treasure. What this means in practice is

unclear, but may well have something to do with

better socks. That and an infectious faith in the

human spirit.

I caught up with Arthur after a weekend he

described as “rambling about in mud with friends.”

Has he ever rambled over this way at all?

“I have been to Lewes, as it happens. I once spent

the night at Virginia Woolf’s place, and the next

day I walked out over the Downs and came across

the paragliders. I don’t suffer from altitude sickness

or vertigo or anything so I thought, right, let’s

have a go at this. So they strapped me in with this

bloke and up I went, swooping in and out of the

countryside. It was lovely.”

So a fearless comedian is going to be all right doing

a gig on election night in a Tory marginal?

“Oh blimey. Am I? Oh dear. Though to be honest,

I don’t really hear the news much. Not because I’m

hard of hearing or anything, it’s just that I’m busy

shouting F*** OFF repeatedly at the television.”

Yes, let’s spare a thought here for all the similarly

festive events overshadowed by this latest doomed

attempt to find out what the British public wants

for Christmas.

On which subject, what’s the official Arthur Smith

tried-and-tested recipe for a happy Christmas?

“Grin and bear it. No, I can’t say that. Actually,

my partner’s big on Christmas so I have to

get involved a bit, but I’m not entirely sure that

everyone really does like figgy pudding. Children

like Christmas the best, so the best thing is to be

around children, preferably between the ages of

four and 12. After that, quite frankly, I lose interest.

Oh and I’m hopeless at wrapping. I could probably

have a go at the sort without a ‘w’, but the one with

a ‘w’ I just get in a terrible mess.”

Helping Arthur get into the Christmas spirit will

be Mark Dolan, host of Channel 4’s Balls of Steel,

and Fran Kissling, ‘very clever and very funny’

according to the Bath Echo – a newspaper, not

an acoustic device. Fran promises a bit of Swiss

surrealism, and if you didn’t know that was a thing,

remember their cheese is famous for the bits that

aren’t there. Eleanor Knight

Comedy Night Christmas show with Arthur Smith,

Mark Dolan, Fran Kissling and more. Con Club,

Lewes, 12th December. Doors open

7.30pm. Show starts at 8pm.

wegottickets.com/

event/485752

Arthur’s brilliant new book,

100 Things I Meant to

Tell You is out now and

available at

arthursmith.co.uk

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UoS Symphony Orchestra

An intergenerational celebration

The University of Sussex Symphony Orchestra

are recreating their programme from 1969 – when

they performed as part of the opening season of

the Gardner Arts Centre – in a special show at

ACCA this month. The genesis for the concert

came from ACCA’s creative director Laura

McDermott conducting research in The Keep

archives relating to the history of the Gardner Arts

Centre. Laura unearthed the original programme

for the first USSO concert in December 1969

and was thrilled to discover that the programme

notes were written by UoS alumnus Ian McEwan,

who will read the words he wrote for the original

concert as part of the 2019 show.

I ask USSO’s leader, third year philosophy student

and violinist Jakob Masiak, about the history

of the orchestra. “Back in the 60s it was primarily

meant to be an outfit for the students who studied

music. Nowadays we’re an interdisciplinary

and international society. Which is incredibly

exciting every year… no matter what department

you’re from, no matter what country, it’s very

very fun.”

The three pieces in the programme are Brahms’

Academic Festival Overture, Beethoven’s Piano

Concerto No. 3 and Stravinsky’s Symphony in C.

Pianist and UoS graduate Shin Suzuma will also

be returning for the show. He’ll perform the Beethoven

piece on a Steinway grand piano, donated

to the university by fellow alumnus Tony Banks

(keyboardist from Genesis). “You normally get

at most two rehearsals with any soloist. Which

can be quite intimidating for the orchestra, and

maybe the pianist themselves. In this case we will

have three proper rehearsals with Shin.”

Jakob tells me that the USSO always tries to invite

as many friends, family members and former

orchestra members to performances as possible.

This time though, ACCA staff have assisted the

USSO in publicising the event and the Development

and Alumni Relations office at University

of Sussex have contacted alumni ahead of this

concert, to help make it a special occasion.

The interdisciplinary nature of the USSO gives

students a chance to meet all sorts of people from

across the university they might not otherwise

have met. “Some people have wildly different

schedules in their day to day lives. Some friends

only see each other once a week: at the rehearsal.

Having the opportunity of going to Falmer Bar

afterwards is quite helpful.

“We also put on dedicated social days: we’ve had

laser tag, ice skating, and we were planning on

having some beach time next term, that sort of

thing. Our Sunday rehearsals are more social.

It’s still productive of course, but we have a huge

break in the middle to eat cookies.” Joe Fuller

7th Dec, 7.30pm, attenboroughcentre.com

43

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ON THIS MONTH: FILM

La Salamandre, Dilili à Paris, White Christmas

Film ’19

Dexter Lee’s cinema round-up

The month starts with Swiss director Alain

Tanner’s 1971 drama La Salamandre (Dec 1st),

co-written by English novelist John Berger. It’s

one for the buffs, concerning a journalist and

a would-be novelist researching an incident in

which a young woman (Bulle Ogier) is accused,

then acquitted, of shooting her uncle. Both

writers come up against the limitations of their

writing medium when it comes to searching out

the truth of the matter.

It’s part of a French-language season at Depot.

Also featured are Michel Ocelot’s dreamy kids’

animation Dilili à Paris (Nov 30th, Dec 1st), and

three feature films. The first of these is Bruno

Dumont’s look at the latter part of Joan of Arc’s

life, Jeanne (2nd), the second of a two-parter by

the unorthodox director. Then there’s Belgian

auteur Joachim Lafosse’s Keep Going (4th),

which depicts a 30-something mother (Virginie

Efira) and a surly, resentful teenage son (Kacey

Mottet Klein) attempting to bond on a horseriding

trip to Kyrgyzstan. Plus there’s a chance

to see La Belle Epoque (8th), an offbeat romcom

starring Daniel Auteuil as a gone-to-seed rejected

husband who rediscovers his mojo when

he is transported into a film set of his past life.

Think Richard Curtis, with a French accent.

There are also a couple of documentaries on the

bill: Freak & Chic (5th) goes behind the scenes

of an otherworldly fashion show by superstar

designer Jean Paul Gaultier, and To the Four

Winds (10th) introduces us to a farmer on the

French-Italian border who comes into conflict

with the authorities when he encourages a

group of immigrants to move onto his land.

Most of the regular one-off slots at Depot

take a break this month, with the exception of

a very seasonal dementia-friendly screening:

White Christmas (3rd), starring Bing Crosby

and Danny Kaye (altogether now…) There

are three week-long-run ecologically-minded

documentaries to recommend: 2040 (from 6th,

with a meet-the-director Q&A with Damon

Gameau on the 7th), Aquarella (from 13th) and

The Biggest Little Farm (from 29th). Interesting

features getting a run include Honey Boy, Pink

Wall, The Kingmaker and Little Women; the latter

part of the month is dominated by two blockbusters,

the latest from the Star Wars franchise

(from 18th/19th) and the film version of Cats

(from 20th).

There are some Lewes Film Club crackers at

the All Saints, to finish the year, starting with

the documentary Nae Pasaran (3rd, 8pm), about

a decent and courageous group of striking midseventies

Glaswegian factory hands, refusing

to make jet planes for the Chilean fascist junta.

First Reformed (13th, 8pm) is the much-moregripping-than-it-sounds

tale of a Protestant

Minister (Ethan Hawke) undergoing a profound

spiritual crisis. And Stan & Ollie (20th, 8pm), as

you probably gleaned when it came out last year,

is a biographical drama, starring Steve Coogan

and John C Reilly as Laurel and Hardy, looking

at the endgame of the comic duo’s partnership, as

they go back to touring variety halls, as best they

can with tensions resurfacing in their relationship

and Hardy’s heart condition deteriorating.

45

chrismas

ogden

solicitors

“ We would like to wish all our clients and contacts a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year ”

Chrismas Ogden Solicitors Limited, Howard Cottage, Broomans Lane, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 2LT.

Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm

W: www.chrismasogden.co.uk T: 01273 474159 E: enquiries@chrismasogden.co.uk

celebrate

From table bookings for 8

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lewesdepot.org/viva

ON THIS MONTH: DRUMMING

Immersive

Rhythm Day

Treat yourself to a reset

’Tis the season to be… well, more than a little

tired and stressed. You may be looking forward

to celebrations and time off, but your to do list

keeps growing and you think you might be coming

down with a cold.

One innovative way to grab some restorative

me-time and counter the winter blues might be

to try a spot of drumming.

“It’s an instant way to boost your mood and feel

better,” enthuses Virginia Thorn, co-founder

of The Sussex Drum, with Jamie Morgan. The

duo run drumming classes and events around

the South East and are hosting an Immersive

Rhythm Day in Lewes this month.

“Very early on, I was so affected by drumming

that I wanted to share its benefits with

everyone,” says Jamie, who has been fulfilling

his ambition for the past 26 years. “It’s such a

liberating thing to do. You get swept up in the

energy, and it doesn’t matter if you don’t know

what you’re doing, as you get carried along by

everyone else.”

“It’s about enjoying the experience and diving

into the energy,” Virginia agrees. “What I love

about it is that feeling of being in rhythmical

flow with other people. It can be incredibly liberating

and uplifting to be ‘in beat’ with others,

and anyone can do it. If people turn up with no

experience, or unable to hold a steady beat, they

can still dive into the day and have the experience

of drumming.”

And it’s an experience that is universal, Jamie

points out. “I think almost every culture in the

world has some kind of ecstatic, rhythmical

tradition, with the same rhythms emerging in

different settings. That feeling of entrainment –

of being in sync – is the first step. Our survival

would once have depended on feeling connected

to each other.”

Jamie’s exploration of drumming in different

cultures has led him to take an ‘energy-based’

approach when introducing it to others, Virginia

says. “Jamie has worked with drummers all over

the world, and the way they learn is not to sit

down and break down the rhythm – it’s to throw

themselves into the action of drumming. Beginners

join in with more experienced drummers,

and that’s how they learn their craft. Archetypal

rhythms come through, and there is a focus on

energy above mechanics. First you capture the

energy, then you find out what to do.”

“To drum around this time of year is especially

powerful,” she adds. “It’s a beautiful and effective

way to clear energy at what is often a very busy

time. It’s lovely to have the opportunity to come

together with others to share and celebrate,

and for people to take time out for themselves.

Drumming is great for getting you out of your

head! It’s like a reset.” Anita Hall

6th Lewes Scout Hut, Ham Lane, 14th Dec,

11.30-5pm, see thesussexdrum.com to book.

47

Volunteer

with us

Get back a whole lot more than you give

Chrismas

è Big Christmas Singalong!

Wed 4 Dec

Christmas Concert

Sun 8 Dec

Tales Around the Tree

Wed 18–Fri 20 Dec

Backstage Tour at Christmas

Sat 21 Dec

è Snowman & Paddington

Bear’s First Concert (pictured)

Sun 15 Dec

Super Sunday

17–27 Dec

è Wizard of Oz

Sat 28–Sun 29 Dec

E-mail

ILCRVolRecruitment@redcross.org.uk

to fi nd out about the roles in your area and

help people in your community who need

a little extra support to live well.

redcross.org.uk/independent-living-volunteer

The British Red Cross Society, incorporated by Royal Charter

1908, is a charity registered in England and Wales (220949),

Scotland (SC037738) and Isle of Man (0752).

Photo © Simon Rawles/BRC.

Focusing

on you

Counselling, Psychotherapy

and Psychological services

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01273 921355

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admin@brightonandhovepsychotherapy.com

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© Snowman Enterprises Limited The Snowman


Thomas McCarthy

Traveller, singer, storyteller

Photo by Amy Bateman

“As soon as you

could attach a portable

TV to a car

battery, it died out

for Traveller people.

Literally within

months, the songs

were forgotten.”

Thomas McCarthy

comes from a family

of Travellers, based

in Birr, in central Ireland, who kept up the tradition

of singing traditional songs, when others

around them were stopping.

“Our people frowned upon the television,” he

tells me, down the phone from his London

home. “They’d call it a conversation killer. It

took people’s attention away from the songs, and

the stories.”

People used to look forward to the Travellers

coming to town, so they could hear their songs,

he tells me. “But then Elvis happened, and the

Beatles, and if a Traveller started singing a song in

a pub, they’d say ‘we don’t want to hear that sort

of song, we’ve got a jukebox, now.’”

McCarthy remembers singing songs himself,

from the age of five, and writing his own from the

age of 13. “We’d sing round campfires outside the

caravans,” he said. “That’s what we did. That and

the stories. My grandfather Johnny told stories

that would last two weeks. His three brothers

were all singers, and songwriters.”

Around the turn of the millennium, he decided to

start ‘collecting’ songs, from his grandfather, from

his mother, from his uncles and aunties. “It was

lucky I had the good sense to do that. If I hadn’t,

those songs would have been forgotten by now.”

Most of the songs

were unique to his

extended family,

others were more traditional.

Some were

hundreds of years old.

“I collected 12 or 13

hundred,” he says. “I

can sing two or three

hundred of those off

the top of my head.

The rest of them I have written down.”

He uses a ‘warbling’ technique, taught to him by

his mother, involving a movement of tone within

the longer notes. “It used to be common in Irish

singing, but has become a lost art.”

He’s only been singing as a public performer

since 2008. “I was singing at a wedding and a

young fellow came up to me and he said ‘have

you ever been to Cecil Sharp House? [London’s

folk art centre]. I went along there for a singaround

on a Tuesday night. I never knew there

was so much interest in folk singing.”

After that, the invitations started coming. Now

he regularly performs in folk clubs and festivals

round the country, and round Ireland, too. He

has recorded three albums, and there are plenty

more to come.

So are there, I ask, any younger McCarthys following

the tradition? Or does he represent the

end of an era? “My son was brought up to sing,

but he’s lost interest,” he sighs. “I am recording

songs, and teaching other folk singers, but...

maybe he’ll come round to it again.” Alex Leith

Lewes Saturday Folk Club, Elephant & Castle,

Sunday Dec 8th, all day workshop and concert

8pm, £8. lewessaturdayfolkclub.org

49


Inter-Cultural Winter Warmer

Music crossing borders

Whether you’re celebrating

Christmas, Hanukah,

Diwali or just looking

forward to being with

friends and family, the

festive season is a time

of coming together – a

spirit embodied by the

Inter-Cultural Winter Warmer that takes place

this month at the All Saints.

Organised by Best Foot Music in association

with choir leader Polina Shepherd, the event

brings together Russian and Yiddish (pictured)

choirs, along with Dervish Sufi and Syrian folk

music, and has as its theme ‘collaboration, cocreation

and unity’.

“It’s all about social inclusion,” explains Phill

Minns of Best Foot Music, a non-profit organisation

that supports and promotes musicians

from refugee and migrant backgrounds, as well

as recording and documenting their music. “I’ve

always been involved with music, and I got fed

up of seeing anti-migrant headlines in the papers

and wanted to show one of the many positive aspects

of migration. Many very talented musicians

go unrecognised as, if they’ve just come here,

they don’t necessarily know music networks or

have any connections. We enable them to make

those connections, by helping them to get gigs

or to process their ideas.”

The Winter Warmer is the fourth Best Foot

Music has hosted, and its first in collaboration

with Polina, who leads all four of the choirs

taking part in the event – Russian and Yiddish

choirs from London, and their Brighton and

Hove equivalents.

“It’s a pleasure to be working with Polina,” Phill

says. “We’ve known each other for nearly ten

years, and she’s really

knowledgeable about

the music and its history.

This is the biggest thing

we’ve done together, and

it’s very unusual for all

four choirs to be in one

place. There’s a lot of organisation

involved just in making sure everyone

knows what they’re doing.”

The musical offering also features Syrian folk

singers Jamal and Alaa, while Jamal will be

debuting his new Dervish Sufi music ensemble

at the evening too.

“When Jamal was in Syria, he was in a wellknown

Sufi group and did a concert where there

were Christian, Jewish and Sufi choirs,” adds

Phill. “He was keen to do something similar

here, and it fitted well with what we were trying

to do.”

As well as music, there will be a bazaar with stalls

selling arts, crafts and refreshments, including:

beads from Wild Bloom Beads; tea, sweets

and cakes from Sussex Russian Centre Kalinka;

jewellery from Rebecca & Arty; and festive gifts

from Friends House Moscow.

“When people talk about migrants, they often

focus on negatives,” Phill concludes. “People

have been travelling around since the year zero,

but migrants have become a political football in

recent years, and there’s been a rise in anti-migrant

feeling. We’re trying to redress the balance

and to show the many positive contributions that

migrants make to the community.” Anita Hall

The Winter Warmer takes place 6-8.30pm,

Sunday 1 December, at the All Saints Centre, with

tickets costing £10 (£7 concessions).

See bestfootforward.net to book.

51

Robinson

Crusoe

Sunday 22nd December 2019 at 1:30pm

All Saints Centre Lewes

A Family Fun Traditional Pantomime by Tim Rowland

Inspired by the 300 year old classic novel by Daniel Defoe

ticketsource.co.uk/lewes-drama-collective

His Dark Materials II

By Philip Pullman

Adapted by Nicholas Wright

Proudly presented by the LDC Youth Group

Directed by Tim Rowland,, James Firth-Haydon

Assistant Director Timothy Telford

1,, 2,, 8 &and 9 Feb 2020 at 3.30pm

All Saints Centre, Lewes

This amateur production is presented by special arrangement with NICK HERN BOOKS

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ON THIS MONTH: CIRCUS

Super Sunday

Rollercoaster colourful

Photo by David Levene

If you prefer the louder, Big Top side of contemporary

circus – rather than quieter, contemporary

dance-influenced affairs – then Super Sunday

could be for you. The show has “a feeling of the

gates of the amusement park being opened, and

there’s all these toys you can play around with”,

according to Race Horse Company co-founder

and acrobat, Rauli Dahlberg. These ‘toys’ are in

fact large machines that the acrobats perform

on, in, and explode out of.

“It’s an acrobatic show, with six circus artists on

stage. We have a huge machine called the wheel

of death, and a trebuchet, which is kind of like a

human slingshot. Then we have a teeterboard,

which is a wooden plank, with two guys jumping,

facing each other and flying up to seven or

eight metres. Then there’s a human cannon. It’s

a kind of big rollercoaster colourful show with a

lot of energy. And a lot of action.”

Wheel of death? Rauli casually uses the term in

our conversation, and it turns out that it’s an official

title for the machine (pictured). The wheel

of death sees two acrobats in spinning wheels,

“like hamsters”, in which they can do flips and

“go really high”. The wheels can go as high as

ten metres in fact, “which is why it’s called the

wheel of death. We have a few safety mats underneath

but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll

hit those. It needs nerves of steel.”

It’s not all massive machines however: one act

in the show sees Rauli doing flips on a yoga

ball, for example. He tells me that their double

trampoline act is one of the highlights, which

sees acrobats trampolining with an array of colourful

balls, replicating the look of a tumultuous

children’s ball pit.

Reviews have praised the show’s humour, which

comes from the way in which the acrobats

respond to the strange, flamboyant goings-on

onstage. “We don’t speak during the show. It’s

mostly body comical: kind of how the body

reacts to a situation. We have a few characters

for example, such as a teddy bear coming onto

the stage. The situations are completely weird.

It’s really playful, [with] a lot of different tricks,

machines and objects being thrown around the

stage.”

Super Sunday arrives at Brighton Dome after a

well-received run at Edinburgh Festival Fringe

this summer, having premiered in Stockholm in

2014 as a collaborative effort without a named

director. The six acrobats discuss what worked

well – and what didn’t – in previous performances,

to develop and hone the choreography. “If

somebody gets a crazy idea that they want to add

– or they want to take away something from the

show – then we do it. It’s constantly changing.”

Joe Fuller

Brighton Dome, 17-27 Dec

53

ON THIS MONTH: TALK

Amanthi Harris

‘How do you build a paradise?’

“We left before the civil war

began so I was not directly

affected by it; my strongest

memories are of an earlier,

unspoilt time.”

I’m having a coffee in the

Depot with the Lewes-based,

Sri Lanka-born writer Amanthi

Harris, who moved with her

family to England when she was

nine years old.

Amanthi has made the south

coast of Sri Lanka the setting

for her first published novel,

Beautiful Place, and she’s drawn

upon her recollections of the country to form

the backdrop of her story.

“I am looking at the country through rose-tinted

glasses, I know,” she says, “but my memories from

the seventies are really very wonderful.” This has

influenced the central tenet of her story: “how do

you build a paradise? Is it possible?”

The ‘paradise’ in question is the ‘Villa Hibiscus’,

a guest house run by a young Sri Lankan girl,

Padma, and her adopted father, an Austrian

architect called Gerhardt.

“The book follows the stories of Padma and

Gerhardt, and also of the guests who visit the

house. Each character has a dilemma, and we

see that through other characters’ eyes, too. Essentially,

it’s about community.”

But it’s not all sweetness and light. “The colonial

aspect of Sri Lanka is very much part of the

dynamic of the interactions,” she continues.

“Europeans coming over to a tropical land and

finding a little corner to claim. So it’s about

people making connections… but it’s also about

greed and the desire for power.”

Amanthi divides her time

between writing and art. As an

artist she works in drawing and

3D, and studied at Central St

Martins. She also runs Story

Hug, an Arts Council-funded

project ‘using art and stories to

inspire creativity and community.’

You get the feeling that

whatever medium she employs,

the driving force will be a

strong narrative voice. “There is

some part of us,” she says, “that

gets awakened when we tell

stories. And if that story means something to the

teller, it becomes even more powerful.”

Amanthi’s 2016 novella, Lantern Evening, won

the Gatehouse Press New Fictions prize, but it

took a while for her to get a publishing deal for

Beautiful Place, which was ‘ten years in the making’.

“I had finally put it aside, and was starting

a new novel, when I received an e-mail from

Christopher Hamilton-Emery of Salt Publishing,

saying they wanted it,” she says, her eyes

sparkling with the memory of her excitement.

Her agent has since sold the Indian and Sri

Lankan rights to Pan MacMillan.

It could prove to be quite a hit, then, in the publishing

world. I ask her – half in jest – how long

till she’s sold the film rights, too; how long till

we’re watching Beautiful Place at Lewes Depot?

“It would make quite a nice film,” she smiles,

and I realise that, by golly, it would. Alex Leith

Amanthi is in conversation with Mark Hewitt, All

Saints, Dec 11th, 8pm. Lemn Sissay and Pam and

de Femmes are also on the bill. leweslivelit.co.uk

54

photo by Tomek Henke

Spend five days in a beautiful ancient Sussex woodland learning the

craft of chair making with Sussex Green Woodworker Danny Harling.

Weekend courses also available in stool making, simple chair making,

bowl & spoon carving and lathe making.

Learn to use the pole lathe and other green woodworking techniques

to create a beautiful finished product without the use of power tools

or machinery. Suits complete beginner or experienced woodworkers.

Danny Harling is a carpenter, furniture maker and woodland owner.

He has been making chairs and teaching greenwoodworking for over

30 years. He lives in Kingston near Lewes in East Sussex.

Courses cost £425 for 5 days, £175 for weekend courses.

Vouchers available.

For course dates and more information go to

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or contact danny@sussexgreenwoodworking.co.uk or 07970 556006

ON THIS MONTH: ART

Artists and Makers Fair

Where community meets art

The annual Artists and Makers Fair was first

started by then-Western Road mum Tina Deubert

(of Tina’s Kitchen) in 2003. The motivation

was to raise money to supplement Art provision

for the school.

Sixteen years on, and it’s gone, and is going,

from strength to strength – each year it raises a

significant fund (“There was a big hike with the

arrival of credit card machines three years ago!”)

– as it’s handed from one generation of Western

Road parents on to the next to organise.

Two of the three current organisers – Antonia

Jewels, “with a fundraising head on” and Kirsten

Norbury, who looks after marketing – sat down

with me for a chat. (Their third member is

Miriam Navarro, who oversees the creative side.

It’s very much a team effort. Plus, there’s a host

of Western Road parents who swing into action

to help during the week and on the day…)

Antonia and Kirsten both sound sad at the prospect

of their tenure ending. “This is my last year

as a Western Road parent,” artist and Art teacher

Kirsten said, “but I’ll always feel part of it.” The

event is clearly cherished.

“Western Road is a community school, and the

Artists and Makers Fair a big part of that”, says

Antonia. “It’s become such a date in the calendar

(always on the first Saturday in December, in

the Town Hall). And the money we raise goes to

promoting creativity in the school much more

broadly – we bought laptops, for instance, so the

children could learn about animation.

“Also, when we write to thank the artists

afterwards, they consistently reply by saying it

has the best atmosphere – and they loved taking

part. Everyone loves it!”

The raffle – or, as Antonia bills it, “posh tombola”

– is one of the highlights. Each participating

artist is invited to donate a piece as a prize.

About 75 of the 84 stalls do so. “These are

wonderful prizes: tombola prizes people actually

want to win,” says Antonia. “There’s a real buzz

round that part of the hall…”

This year, they’re also experimenting with having

an open ‘preview’ evening the night before

(Friday 6th) – “the artists and makers have asked

for this” – so people can come and mill and have

a drink from the bar and mull, before perhaps

returning to buy something on the day itself.

The theme of the Fair for 2019 is Scandi Art –

“folk art, by another name”, says Kirsten who

has designed the delicious poster. The standard

of contributors is high: “we have around 200

submissions for the 84 stalls,” says Antonia; “and

then quite a rigorous selection process. Although

any Western Road parent who is a practising

maker automatically gets a stall… ”

“What’s wonderful,” says Kirsten, “is it’s still an

authentic community event. It’s a lovely balance.

Come along for everything from art to jewellery,

to prints, to postcards, to Christmas gifts. It’s a

great atmosphere, with children welcome. Oh!,

and our legendary café.” Charlotte Gann

Lewes Town Hall, Friday 6th December, 6.30-

8.30pm; Saturday 7th December, 10am-5pm.

artistsandmakersfair.wordpress.com

57

picasso

chagall

dufy

matisse

delaunay

hockney

léger

guansé

buffet

freud

miró

cocteau

www.martyrs.gallery

exhibition posters

16 November – 15 December

12–5pm (Thu–Sun)

in association with

ART

Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft

‘For those who makes things with their hands’

The Ditchling Museum

opened in 1985, a couple of

years after we moved to Lewes.

It’s been very much part of our

lives ever since. But goodness

it’s changed. Dim memories

of the early days in the old

Victorian school next to St

Margaret’s Church conjure up

old farm tools, Victorian cottage

parlours, period costumes

and the like. Delightfully

amateurish, perhaps, but only up to a point. The

advent of the Hilary Bourne Gallery in the early

1990s transformed the museum, with its emphasis

on Eric Gill, Hilary Pepler and fellow members

of the Guild of St Joseph and St Dominic, not

to mention artists such as David Jones, Edward

Johnston and Ethel Mairet. A succession of rather

splendid exhibitions followed. One I particularly

remember was Handwriting: Everyone’s Art. The

catalogue was edited by Ewan Clayton and Timothy

Wilcox, both much involved in the museum

to this day. I still have the paper on which I asked

my then eight-year-old daughter to copy one of

the exhibits – ‘Be kind and tender to the frog /

And do not call him names / As “Slimy-Skin” or

“Polly-Wog”… or “Billy Bandy Knees” / The

frog is justly sensitive / To epithets like these’.

But even then there was plenty of room for the

traditional museum. I’m looking at the programme

for 1997-1998. There’s ‘Flint-makers to

Saxon Farmers: Archaeology on your doorstep’

and a celebration of the 175th anniversary of

Ditchling Horticultural Society entitled: ‘How

does your garden grow?’. There’s Easter Monday

egg rolling for the children – those not quite old

enough, I imagine, to sign up

for ‘The Young Wyverns’, the

junior branch of the museum’s

Friends’ Association.

All that was swept aside by the

opening of the new Ditchling

Museum of Art + Craft in

September, 2013. I’m not complaining.

It’s a fabulous museum

which always raises my spirits

as soon as I go in, even on the

very, very wet Saturday in early

November when I visited with three other family

members. I hope it was only the weather that

meant we pretty well had the place to ourselves,

apart from the friendly and valiant volunteers.

But in my experience it’s usually very quiet, which

makes me worried that Lewesians are not sufficiently

cognizant of how lucky they are to have

this museum on their doorstep.

If you’ve never been, or not for some while, now

would be a good time to visit. A new exhibition,

Disruption, Devotion + Distributism (I’m not sure

I got the ‘disruption’ bit) draws on the recent

acquisition of over 400 pamphlets and posters

produced by Hilary Pepler’s ‘St Dominic’s Press’.

It’s also timed to coincide with the centenary of

The Guild of St Joseph and St Dominic – ‘primarily

a religious fraternity for those who make

things with their hands’.

There’s also a display of Alan Kitching’s Letterpress

designs – The London Series – his recent ‘A to

Z of London’ set against his earlier celebrations

of the capital including one commemorating the

great calligrapher Berthold Wolpe of Kennington

and… Lewes. David Jarman

ditchlingmuseumartcraft.org.uk

Guild of St Joseph and St Dominic safe door,

painted by David Jones. Image by Tessa Hallmann

59

01444 405250 | @NymansNT | @NymansNT

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/nymans

Credit: Quentin Blake: A P Watt at United Agents on behalf of Quentin Blake.

Towner Art Gallery

David Nash 200 Seasons

29 September 2019 – 2 February 2020

Devonshire Park, Eastbourne, BN21 4JJ

www.townereastbourne.org.uk @townergallery

#200Seasons #EastbourneAlive

David Nash, Nature to Nature, 1985. © Jonty Wilde, courtesy David Nash. Tate Collection

ART

ART & ABOUT

In town this month

Chalk Gallery proudly presents its 2020 calendar, featuring

work by all the Chalk artists and now available

from the gallery. They’ve also collaborated with Year

6 pupils from Barcombe Primary School, who have

decorated and donated baubles that festoon the gallery’s

Advent window. Proceeds from the sale of both

the calendar and baubles will be donated to the environmental

charity Client Earth. Chalk’s seasonal exhibition

of small and affordable artworks continues until

5pm on 23rd December when the gallery closes for the holidays, re-opening on 6th January.

Sam Hewitt

Due to the ongoing refurbishment of Brighton’s Corn Exchange,

Tutton & Young’s long-running

Brighton Art Fair relocates to Lewes Town

Hall this year. Join them on Saturday 30th of

November and Sunday 1st of December (with

a preview on the evening of Friday 29th) for

an exhibition by upwards of 60 local and national

artists. (tuttonandyoung.co.uk)

Jane Fox

Following the success of

their Piper, Sutherland and

Chagall show last year, Martyrs’

Gallery has teamed up

once again with Goldmark

Gallery to create another

bold and colourful exhibition

to brighten the winter

gloom. This year, they’re

showing a selection of exhibition

posters by some of the

twentieth century’s most celebrated

artists, including affordably-priced

lithographs by Picasso, Matisse,

Chagall, Miró, Braque, Hockney,

Freud, Cocteau and Dufy,

among others. On display in the

Star Brewery from Thursdays to

Sundays, 12-5pm, until Sunday 15

December. (martyrs.gallery)

Also, at the Town Hall, the

Artists and Makers Fair

returns on Saturday 7th, from

10am-5pm (preview Friday

evening). Buy direct from a

carefully-curated selection of

local makers, with a percentage

of sales going to support

Western Road school. (See

p57) Down the road at 30

Friars Walk on the 14th &

15th, you’ll find an exhibition

of miniature scenes by figure

maker Peter Cole and prints

by artist and designer Andy

Gammon (11am-5pm).

61

Pottery Classes

for Beginners

Learn hand-building skills

and decorating techniques in

small groups at the Blue

Door Studio behind the

Union Music Store in Lewes.

TUESDAYS:

10am – 12.30pm starts January 7th – 4 weeks

THURSDAYS:

6pm – 8.30pm starts January 9th – 4 weeks

SATURDAYS:

10am – 12.30pm starts January 11th – 4 weeks

4 week block - £180 (Includes all materials + firings)

* places still available on Saturday December 7th: Make your own

Xmas decorations out of porcelain. £10 per person for half hour

session (plus £2 per decoration for firing, postage and packing)

Sussex Arts Collective

M E R R I LY !

30/11- 22/12

10am-4pm, Sundays 12pm-3pm

Jewellery, wood,

printmaking, ceramics,

textiles, glass and sculpture

Crypt Gallery, 23 Church Street, Seaford, BN25 1HD | www.thecryptgallery.com

ART

Out of town

Look At This, the festival of contemporary printmaking, continues

at Phoenix Brighton until the 15th. As well as visiting

the exhibition, join Glug Brighton for an evening of talks with

Anthony Burrill, Jim the Illustrator & Kelly Anna on the

6th (book via Eventbrite); or bring the family along to a free

print workshop on the 7th & 8th of December (11am-1pm &

2pm-4pm). (phoenixbrighton.org)

Hello Marine

Also in Brighton, the Christmas edition of Artists Open Houses sees artists

and makers opening their homes and studios at weekends until the 8th

of December (aoh.org.uk). And the annual Burning the Clocks celebration

returns on the 21st to see out the old year and welcome in the new. Watch the

family-friendly procession aglow with illuminated lanterns as they make their

way through the streets of Brighton and down to the beach for a bonfire and

fireworks organised by Same Sky. The event is free to attend but, if you’d like to

make a contribution, or want tickets to get up close on the beach, visit crowdfunder.co.uk/burningthe-clocks-2019.

Merrily! A festive exhibition by the

Sussex Arts Collective featuring

jewellery, printmaking, ceramics, wood,

textiles, glass and sculpture is at Crypt

Gallery in Seaford until the 22nd of

December (gallery open 10am-4pm,

Sundays 12pm-3pm). Just along the

road, the Stanley Spencer exhibition

continues at Studio Plus gallery until

the 15th, raising funds for a local charity

benefiting children and families.

‘Eyes’ Preparatory drawing by Sir Stanley Spencer

Maxine Dodds

A panel of judges

from Sussex

Wildlife Trust,

headed up by the

acclaimed wildlife

photographer

David Plummer,

selected 12 finalists from over 600 entries for the

SWT online photography competition. A public

vote deemed this wonderful image – of a Vole in a

Foxglove, taken by Maxine Dodds of Rudgwick,

Horsham – the ultimate winner. All the finalists’

photographs will feature in the Sussex Wildlife

Trust’s 2020 online calendar (available to download),

and in an upcoming exhibition at the Booth

Museum of Natural History, in Brighton.

Brink, an exhibition curated by Caroline Lucas MP, opens at

Towner gallery on the 14th of December (see page 64 ). David

Nash: 200 Seasons, a major retrospective of the sculptor’s

50-year career continues in the next-door gallery, with the two

exhibitions sharing an environmental interest.

Tirzah Garwood, Hornet with Wild Roses, 1950. © Estate of Tirzah Ravilious.

DACS 2018. Towner Collection

63

William Nicholson, Judd’s Farm, 1912. Towner Art Gallery, Eastbourne

Brink

Caroline Lucas curates the Towner Collection

Caroline Lucas is a busy woman. Between

the frenetic goings-on in parliament in recent

months and preparing to defend her Brighton

Pavilion seat in this month’s snap general

election, she has found the time to curate an

exhibition at Eastbourne’s Towner Gallery.

Unsurprisingly, the resulting show is both

a celebration of the local landscape and a

campaigning platform, highlighting Caroline’s

concerns for the environment and climate

change. It runs alongside the retrospective of

David Nash, the prominent British sculptor

who works with wood, trees and landscape,

and whose exhibition title inspired Caroline’s

curatorial direction.

“It’s interesting that David’s exhibition is called

200 Seasons – it’s a retrospective of 50 years

of his work – and that got me thinking about

time,” explains Caroline. “200 seasons sounds

like an innocent enough title but – when you

project forward 200 seasons instead of looking

back – what is our world going to look like?

Do we even know that we have 200 seasons in

which it will be possible to live safely on our

planet? Projecting 50 years forward is quite

scary in some ways.” Hence, the title of her

exhibition: Brink.

While selecting from the 5,000 works in

64

ART

Towner’s collection, Caroline was struck

by how many of them depicted landscapes,

seascapes and the cliffs of the Sussex coastline.

“You really got the sense of edges… That

grew into this sense of being on the brink, on

the edge of something new, politically, in the

broadest sense. Whether or not we rise to the

climate challenge, whether or not Brexit gets

resolved, whether or not we have a kinder more

compassionate politics going forward. It feels

like we are metaphorically on the edge, just as

so many of the artworks I was looking at played

with the idea of different planes, different

edges.”

She has clearly relished the role of guest curator

– an opportunity that she describes as a real

privilege and having almost endless possibilities

for interpretation. “You see each artwork

differently once it’s placed next to another. The

context in which you view it, I think, changes

the meaning you pull from it.”

Many of her chosen pieces feature trees and

wilderness that speak to the Nash exhibition

next door, and visitors can expect to see “old

favourites” by Eric Ravilious, as well as lesserknown

works by Tirzah Garwood, Robert

Morris and Kier Smith. Imagery from local

environmental campaigning groups will also

feature. Placards made for an Eastbourne youth

march for climate action will hang alongside

pieces from the Towner Collection, as will a

sobering poster that projects what the town

might look like under different scenarios of

sea-level rise. “It really does bring home to

people that climate change isn’t some distant

threat that happens to people many miles away,”

concludes Caroline. “It’s something that could

be very real to us as well.” Brink promises to be

a thought-provoking exploration of a landscape

on the edge.

Lizzie Lower

14 December – 20 May 2020

townereastbourne.org.uk

David Nash and Caroline Lucas at Towner. Photo by Rob Harris

Eric Ravilious, Lombardy Poplars, 1935 Leslie Moffat Ward, The Long Man of The Downs, 1943. ©The Artist’s Estate

65

Dec listings

SAT 30 NOV & SUN 1 DEC

Raystede Christmas Fair. Festive music, Santa’s

grotto, food & drink and meet the donkeys.

Raystede, 10am-4pm, entry by donation.

The Nevill Collective Christmas Event.

Eight local artists and makers show their wares.

Mulled wine, tea, coffee and cake available. St

Mary’s Church Hall, 1pm-9pm (Sat) & 11am-

5pm (Sun).

SUNDAY 1

Inter-Cultural Winter Warmer. A one-off

concert from Brighton & Hove and Londonbased

international communities: Russian

choirs, Syrian music, Sufi dances and Yiddish

choirs. All Saints, 6pm, £10/7, see page 51.

MONDAY 2

Plumpton Festive Fun Raceday. Live music

from the Wild Murphys in the Paddock Bar,

free glass of mulled wine or mulled Silly Moo

cider and a mince pie to the first 300 people

through the gate. See plumptonracecourse.

co.uk. (And page 107.)

WEDNESDAY 4

Musical Matinee Club: White Christmas.

Interactive screening featuring fun props and

prompts. Specifically designed for people who

may benefit from a more informal environment,

specifically those living with dementia

and/or disabilities. De La Warr Pavilion,

1.30pm, £3.50 (carers go free).

The Art of Ageing

Well open evening.

Discuss natural

skincare, experience

in-store facial rituals

and demos, have

a mini makeover, learn functional nutritional

advice from menarche to menopause. Tanya

Borowski Clinic & Wellbeing Store, The

Needlemakers, 6.30pm, £10 (pre-booking

essential), all monies will be donated to the

Climate Coalition Charity.

WEDNESDAY 4 – SATURDAY 7

The Crucible. Eastbourne College production

of the Arthur Miller play. Eastbourne College,

7pm, £9.

THURSDAY 5

Business Start-Up Workshop. Free wholeday

workshop which will focus on specific

business start-up topics, giving you the skills

you need to start on your business journey. Telscombe

Civic Centre, 10am-4pm, free, register

at yourleap.co.uk.

Comedy at the Con. With Arthur Smith,

Mark Dolan and Fran Kissling. Con Club,

7.30pm, £9-£12, see page 41.

Lewes Late Night Shopping. See page 131.

FRIDAY 6 – SATURDAY 14

A Christmas

Carol. An original

play by Gary

Andrews, bringing

to the stage

Charles Dickens’

classic Christmas

tale. Lewes Little

Theatre, see

lewestheatre.org

and page 37.

67

E A S T B O U R N E C O L L E G E P R E S E N T S

The

By Arthur Miller

Crucible

"I SPEAK MY OWN SINS; I CANNOT

JUDGE ANOTHER. I HAVE NO TONGUE

FOR IT"

Wednesday 4th Dec -Saturday 7th December 7pm

College Theatre

Tickets £9 boxoffice@eastbourne-college.co.uk

www.wegottickets.com/eastbourne-college

Dec listings (cont.)

Photo by Andrew Buxton

SATURDAY 7

Artists & Makers. Annual arts & crafts fair,

all proceeds go towards the arts at Western

Road School. Town Hall, 10am-5pm, £1,

kids free (preview night Friday 6th, 6.30pm-

8.30pm). See page 57.

Cliffe Christmas Fair. Fun for all the family

with home-made gifts and cakes, tombola,

animal game, chocolate treats, stocking fillers,

decorations and more. Cliffe Hall, 10am-

12.30pm, free.

Make your own Christmas

tree decorations.

Craft session suitable for

children and adults. Blue

Door Studio Lewes, 10am-

4.30pm (half-hour slots),

£10 pp plus £2 per item for

glazing, firing and postage,

contact hello@louisebellceramics.com.

Santa Run. Fun run fundraiser for The

Bevern Trust. Starting and finishing from

Harvey’s Yard, see beverntrust.org for more

info. (And see page 21.)

SATURDAY 7 & SUNDAY 8

Family Weekend. With indoor Christmas

market, woodman’s shed and homemade

tea, coffee and cakes. Free parking available.

Dovecote Garden, Westdean, 10am-4pm.

MONDAY 9

Exploring Public Art in

Lewes. Lewes History

Group talk with Andrew

Buxton, revealing many

aspects of the history of

Lewes that are represented

by statues, monuments,

murals and other

artworks. King’s Church,

7pm for 7.30pm, £3 (members free).

Photo by Hamish Brown

TUESDAY 10

Life Drawing Christmas Special. Drop-in

session, bring your own materials. Lewes

Arms, 7.30pm, £5.

WEDNESDAY 11

A Sussex Christmas. Talk with local historian

and author Chris Horlock, revealing how

the people of Sussex celebrated Christmas in

the past. The Keep, 5.30pm, £5.

Catalyst Club Xmas Special. Three

15-minute talks on any topic under the sun.

Lewes Arms, 7.30pm, £7.

Lewes Live Lit.

Lemn Sissay, whose

book My Name is Why

was recently serialised

on Radio 4, headlines

an evening that also

features local novelist

Amanthi Harris and

fun multilingual

songsters, Pam and De Femmes. All Saints,

7.45pm, £12/£15, see page 54.

FRIDAY 13

SATURDAY 14

Full Moon Fire Ceremony.

Vert Woods,

BN8 6BP, 7pm, contact

ali@lucidhealing.co.uk

for more info.

Cliffe Bonfire

Christmas

Fair. Craft

stalls, food,

licensed bar,

gift and raffle.

Lewes Town

Hall, 10am-

3pm.

69

Christmas at

DoveCote GarDen

Christmas trees

West Dean grown Norway Spruce and

Nordman Fir.

Trees are cut and pot grown.

Family Weekend 7th & 8th

December, 10am - 4pm

inDoor Christmas marKet

Apple Juices, Jams, Chutneys, Silver jewellery,

Art, Ceramics, Photographic Art, Plants, Honey,

Pies, Textiles, Vintage furniture, Oak carvings,

Christmas Cards and Gift ideas, Live Music

for MND. Harvey’s of Lewes stall.

WooDman’s sheD

Lantern lit with a brazier for Christmas messages

in the ox-yard.

home maDe tea, CoFFee & CaKes

Also Coffee & Bacon Buns served in the Cart Barn

Free Parking. Free Entry. WC available.

in the centre of West Dean nr. seven

sisters Country Park Bn25 4aL

1DEC

@

Lewes

Con Club

SPIZZENERGI

5 BRITISH SEA POWER 3

6 THE FOLD

7 JOHN OTWAY

13 FAT BELLY JONES

141pm STARFISH

14eveJUST FLOYD

15

19 REGGAE CHRISTMAS DJs

20 LEWES LOVES DISCO

21 KONDOMS

223pmKATE & FRIENDS

22eve BUFFO’S WAKE & OH MAMA

28 LAZY SUSAN DJ’S

31 NYE PARTY

SEE WEBSITE FOR ALTERATIONS, DETAILS AND ENTRY

the smash hit satirical review of the year

THE TREASON SHOW

THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT WAS

The Argus

The Latest

Saturday 21 December,

All Saints Centre, Lewes - 8pm

BOOK ONLINE WWW.TREASONSHOW.CO.UK

Dec listings (cont.)

Immersive Rhythm 2019.

Community day drumming

event. All levels welcome,

drums provided. Sixth

Lewes Scout Hut, Ham Lane,

11.30am-5pm, £20 (£15 early

bird), see page 47.

Makers of Change Craftivism session. A

supportive space for personal, social or political

activism, rooted in the act of making things by

hand. Facilitated by artist Alinah Azadeh and

artist-educator Charley Haward. For people

aged 13-17, LGBTQAI+ friendly. Lewes New

School, 2.30pm-4.30pm, free. (Also a session

for women 18+ at Westgate Chapel 10.30am-

12.30pm).

MONDAY 16

Focus on Carers. This event is open to all

carers to share stories and celebrate the skills,

love and dedication they bring to their role.

Light refreshments provided. De La Warr Pavilion,

Bexhill, 10.30am-12.30pm, free, booking

essential via jane@projectartworks.org.

Plumpton Christmas Raceday. Free glass of

mulled wine or mulled Silly Moo cider and a

mince pie to the first 300 people through the

gate. See plumptonracecourse.co.uk.

Safehouse Improvised Music Session. Participatory

improvised music session. All noise

makers, performers and musicians welcome.

The Lewes Arms, 7.30pm, £2.

FRIDAY 20

Lewes Friday

Food Market

Festive Special.

Hot mulled wine,

live music, lucky

dip and fresh local

produce. Market

Tower, 9.30am-

1.30pm.

SATURDAY 21

Christmas Market. Stalls from all over Sussex

bringing their best Christmas food & gifts.

Cliffe Precinct, 9am-4pm.

Repair Café. Take along damaged clothes,

broken electrical appliances, bicycles, china,

jewellery and more. Tea, coffee and cake will

be available. Landport Community Hub, BN7

2SU, 2pm-5pm, no charge is made but donations

are welcome.

The Treason Show: That Was the Year

That Was 2019. Locally renowned topical

comedy show, rounding up 2019. All Saints,

8pm, £17.50/£16.

SATURDAY 28

Pepper’s Ghost. Victorian magic lantern

show with music. Elephant & Castle, 8pm, £7.

Local Christmas Post

The local delivery service will be operating

again, covering Lewes, Kingston and, new

for this year, Ringmer. Price is 25p per card,

and cards must be left at the

collection points by 4pm

on Wednesday 18th

December to ensure

delivery by Christmas

Day. Contact

secretary@c-s-b-s.co.uk

for more info.

71

SANTA S

TOY FACTORY

Opens 23rd November 2019

’

SOUTH DOWNS

NURSERIES & GARDEN CENTRE

BOOK

ONLINE

NOW

NEW animated displays for 2019!

Meet Santa and receive a gift

From £6.50 per child

Last year we raised £23k+ for The Budding Foundation

Book online at www.thebuddingfoundation.co.uk

(charity no. 1155335)

A273 Brighton Road HASSOCKS

Sussex BN6 9LY 01273 845232

www.tatesofsussex.co.uk

SANTA’S

NEW Grotto experience for 2019!

Meet Santa and receive a gift

£9.50 per child

BOOK

ONLINE

NOW

Raising money for The Budding Foundation (charity no. 1155335)

Book online at www.thebuddingfoundation.co.uk

OLD BARN

NURSERIES & GARDEN CENTRE

A24 Dial Post, HORSHAM

Sussex RH13 8NR 01403 710000

www.tatesofsussex.co.uk

FreeTIME

êêêê

THROUGHOUT DECEMBER

Christmas activities at Nymans. Family

Christmas crafts, froggy storytelling, and lots

of drop-in activities. See nationaltrust.org.uk/

nymans.

Santa Specials. Enjoy a train

journey through the Sussex

countryside in all its winter

splendour. Santa and his elves will be on board

with a present and chocolate treat for all the

children. Tickets must be pre-booked online,

see bluebell-railway.com.

Winter activities at Sheffield Park. Nighttime

wildlife walks, crafts, carol concerts and more.

nationaltrust.org.uk/sheffield-park-and-garden.

UNTIL SUNDAY 22

Glow Wild. Winter lantern trail in the grounds

of Wakehurst. Trees, ponds and landscapes

are brought to life with hundreds of glowing

lanterns, torches of fire and projections. Festive

food and drink will be available both outside

in the Carriage Ring and in the Seed Café and

Stables restaurant. See kew.org/wakehurst.

UNTIL TUESDAY 24

Santa’s Toy Factory. Visit Santa

and receive a gift. Meet some of

his new helpers in the factory.

South Downs Nurseries, tatesofsussex.co.uk.

FRIDAY 6 – SUNDAY 12 JANUARY

Jack & The Beanstalk. Live music, colourful

sets and costumes and plenty of comedy, fun

and laughter. Devonshire Park Theatre, see

eastbournetheatres.co.uk for times and prices.

SATURDAY 7

Christmas Bazaar. Grotto, live music, craft

activities, café and festive stalls. Brighton

Waldorf School, 11am-4pm, £1 (kids free).

Merry Mayhem.

WishWorks

puppet theatre

perform their

show, followed by

a festive fair with

lots of fun, games and treats to raise money for

Hamsey School. Christchurch, Prince Edward’s

Road, show at 2pm, £5, fair is free to enter from

2.40pm (after the show) until 5pm.

SUNDAY 8

Cats Protection Xmas

fair and grotto. Sleigh

ride to Santa, Mid

Sussex Choir, stalls

and a café. National

Cat Adoption Centre,

Chelwood Gate, 10am-3pm.

SUNDAY 22

Robinson Crusoe. Family pantomime by

Tim Rowland, inspired by the classic novel by

Daniel Defoe. All Saints, 1.30pm, £8.50/£6.50.

Carol concert, Nativity play & family party.

Traditional carol concert at St Laurence

Church, Telscombe Village (3pm), impromptu

Nativity play (actors of all ages welcome,

no experience needed). Followed by family

party in nearby Village Club at 4pm. Father

Christmas, presents for children, food, mulled

wine and raffle. Parking available in the

farmyard opposite the church. All free.

73

Calling all Fireflies!

Costume competition at Late Night Shopping

êêêê

Further to the Light Up Lewes! Christmas lights campaign,

being run by the Lewes High Street Traders Association, at

Late Night Shopping on Thursday 5th December, there’ll

be a Fireflies Costume Competition for children up to Y6

(ie aged 11).

‘Look out your best Christmassy outfit but it must LIGHT

UP!’ read the instructions. The competition will be judged

by the Mayoress, Gaynor Lamb, and Patina’s Caroline

Croft. Children who wish to enter should turn up bedecked

with their shiny finery (and accompanied by an adult) at

Lewes Castle Gateway at 6pm. The Lewes Town Crier will

ring out the winners.

Then the Lewes High Street Traders Association and Visit

Lewes invite you to ‘light up the High Street with your

amazing glowing creations’. There’ll be music and singers

and dancers, and horse and carriage rides, and food stalls and

shops open late selling lots of wonderful seasonal goodies…

See our Late Night Shopping Guide on page 131. latenightshopping.co.uk

BOOK REVIEW

A Children’s Literary Christmas

by a rare gathering of authors…

Step into a world of sleigh bells and stockings, frost fairies and

elves, crackers and carol singers, in this exuberant festive anthology

for children. Inspired by the approach and style of the British

Library’s bestseller A Literary Christmas, this beautiful book

celebrates the season with the best Christmas stories and poetry.

From classic favourites such as A Christmas Carol and ’Twas the

Night Before Christmas to some of today’s best-loved authors such

as Matt Haig, Michael Morpurgo and Shirley Hughes, these tales

cover Christmas traditions old and new. Divided into five sections

– Father Christmas, The Magic of Christmas, Family Celebrations,

The Gift of Giving and Christmas Spirit – this treasure trove of

extracts provides perfect bite-sized pieces of Christmas literature to

share with all the family. Join Pooh and Piglet as they sing a snowy

song, Jumbie the squirrel as he loses the invitations to his winter party, and Ebenezer Scrooge

who wakes on Christmas morning full of hope and love. Anna, Bags of Books

A Children’s Literary Christmas and many other Christmas stories for children are all 15% off at

Bags of Books throughout December.

Alicia Drummond

Teen Tips and so much more

“In the last five years the pastoral aspect of

teaching has grown exponentially,” Alicia

Drummond says, “and many teachers tell

us they feel stressed and ill-equipped to

deal with the current mental health crisis

facing many teenagers.”

This is one reason Alicia’s training

company – Teen Tips – exists. A therapist

herself, specialising in working with young

people, she feels angry, she says, that teachers

are often not taught the basics of child

development or given the knowledge and

skills which would allow them to feel more

confident in their pastoral role.

“I’m on a mission to turn that tide. Lots

of money is invested in mental health first

aid – which is of course important, but it’s

all reactive. We need to be proactive and

create environments that promote mental

health and wellbeing.”

Alicia likes teenagers, she tells me. “I used

to be an events organiser, in a previous life,

but then I had children, we lost a baby, and

I ended up in therapy; I realised this was

what I wanted to re-train to do.

And I knew I wanted to work

with teenagers: I think, perhaps,

because adolescence

was the trickiest time in

my own development.

“Teenagers get a bad

press, especially in the

UK. We give them such

a hard time, expect a

lot of them, while

constantly

criticising,

but they’re

great: incredibly

loyal,

interesting, funny and they really look out

for each other.

“Working with teenagers in therapy can be

heartbreaking but if you can build a rapport

with them, and they want to change,

it’s a huge privilege to be a part of their

journey.”

Alicia set up Teen Tips 12 years ago.

Under its auspices, she goes out and speaks

at many schools, but as demand for her

talks grew she realised she needed to adapt.

Now, she’s focused on getting her training

online as a resource she can offer to teachers

and parents en masse – and (soon) to

teenagers too. Today, Teen Tips – and the

name is a misnomer: the weight of material

goes way beyond any list of ‘tips’ – offers

this to schools, as well as, independently,

to parents.

I ask Alicia what she thinks has caused the

current crisis? “The pressure to perform,

the compare and despair culture of social

media; anxiety about the future, the

disconnected way we’re living which leaves

many teenagers feeling lonely at home –

eating regularly together as a family can

make a big difference…

“On the plus side, we are more able to talk

than we were. What is permissible is so

much more fluid – so ‘rebelling’ doesn’t

need to be destructive. And the internet

has created platforms where teenagers can

make a difference: look at Greta Thunberg.

Her work couldn’t have happened

without social media.

“We have to trust our young people, while

providing a containing environment.

That is the challenge. And it’s one we face

together.” Charlotte Gann

The next parenting teens workshop is on

16th January. See details at teentips.co.uk

75

TUESDAY 31 DECEMBER 2019 2.45PM

CONDUCTOR STEPHEN BELL

SOPRANO AILISH TYNAN

NEW YEAR’S

EVE VIENNESE

GALA

TICKETS £14.

50-£ -£42

.50

(50% DISCOUNT FOR STUDENTS/U18S) U18S)

BRIGHTON DOME TICKET OFFICE

0127

273 70

970

09

brightondome.org

brightonphil.org.uk

g.uk

@BPO_orchestra

/BrightonPhil

hil

Park for just

£6 at NCP

Church Street

between 1 & 6pm

Christmas Fest ival

Rebecca Leggett

Mezzo Soprano

Schola Cantorum choir

Holst

Mahler

Dvorak

Britten

Seasonal Music

Carols

Friday 20th December 7:30pm

Lewes Town Hall, Fisher Street entrance

Info, tickets and prices visit:

MUSIC

Classical round-up

SUNDAY 15, 7PM

In the Bleak Midwinter!

Ten years ago, after days of heavy snow, Liz and Roger Fenn had to

find an alternative venue for their midwinter celebratory fundraising

concert in aid of Lewes Amnesty International. Hamsey Church,

where the event began in the early 2000s, just wasn’t feasible. So at a

few days’ notice it was moved to St John Sub Castro. Would anyone

turn up? In fact, the church was packed, and the event (now biennial)

has been a ‘hot ticket’ ever since. Lewes is rich in performing talent,

amateur and professional, and this fundraiser has remained an eclectic

mix – a chance to experience anything from classical to folk, from

Barbershop to bagpipes, from poetry to performance art. Now held at

St Anne’s Church, the event’s MC this year is actor Jonathan Cullen (pictured). Space is limited,

so book early.

St Anne’s Church, £12. From Baldwins Travel or bleak-midwinter-concert.eventbrite.co.uk

PICK

OF THE

MONTH

Photo by Cammie Toloui

SUNDAY 1, 2.45PM

Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra. The

Brighton Phil presents a cornucopia of classics

conducted by Natalie Murray-Beale, including

Haydn, Mozart and Vaughan Williams’ evocative

The Lark Ascending.

Brighton Dome, £14.50-£42.50, 50% student/U18

discount. Ticket Office 01273 709709

brightondome.org

SUN 1 AND SUN 15, 4PM

New Sussex Singers. Two concerts this month

to celebrate Advent and Christmas: Advent

Antiphons at St Anne’s on December 1st and Sing

Noël at St Michael’s on December 15th,

both events start at 4pm. £10,

newsussexsingers.org.uk

FRIDAY 6 , 7.30PM

Lewes Chamber Music Festival. The Annual

Christmas fundraising concert for LCMF features

The Eusebius Quartet in a Beethoven-fest.

Trinity St John Sub Castro, £18,

leweschambermusicfestival.com

SATURDAY 7, 7.30PM

Music for a Venetian Christmas. The wonderfully-titled

His Majestys Sagbutts & Cornetts

join the East Sussex Bach Choir to perform

music by Gabrieli & Monteverdi. Conducted by

John Hancorn. Trinity St John Sub Castro, £20

(under 16 free) from Lewes TIC,

eastsussexbachchoir.org

SUNDAY 8, 11AM

Coffee Concert: The Maxwell String Quartet

play Schubert String Quartet in D Minor Death &

the Maiden, Haydn, Roukens and Scottish Folk

Music. Attenborough Centre for the Creative

Arts, £18.50 (£16 conc), attenboroughcentre.com

SUNDAY 8, 4PM

The Corelli Ensemble Christmas Concert

includes seasonal classics including Vivaldi

‘Winter’ from The Four Seasons, soloist Maeve

Jenkinson, and Howard Blake’s The Snowman

Suite. Seaford Baptist Church, £12 adults (in

advance from Seaford TIC or the website) £14 on

the door. Children free. corelliensemble.co.uk

77

CLASSICAL MUSIC

Baroque Collective Singers

SUNDAY 8, 6PM

“Jingle all the way..!” The Paddock Singers

present their usual festive selection of lush choral

arrangements, festive readings and audience

carols. St Michael’s Church, Lewes, £10 from

ticketsource.co.uk/paddocksingers and Baldwins

Travel. paddocksingers.co.uk

SUNDAY 8, 7PM

Pro Musica Chamber Choir. On the programme:

Fauré Requiem, Cantique de Jean Racine

and excerpts from Britten’s Ceremony of Carols.

Directed by Pro Musica’s new conductor Richard

Miller with Philip White-Jones at the organ.

St Andrew’s Church, Alfriston, £12 (children 14

and under free of charge), promusica.org.uk

SAT 14 & SUN 15, 3PM

Glyndebourne Chorus & Tour Orchestra and

Youth Opera. This year’s Christmas Concert

features opera highlights, Yuletide classics and

carols. £23-£57, glyndebourne.com

FRIDAY 20, 7.30PM

Lewes Concert Orchestra. A special Christmas

Festival Concert with guests including the

Schola Cantorum of St. Pancras and mezzosoprano

Rebecca Leggett. The programme

includes carols, seasonal music and Dvorak’s 8th

Symphony. Lewes Town Hall, £10 in advance or

£12 on the door, lewesconcertorchestra.org

SATURDAY 21, 6PM

Carols By Candlelight. The Esterházy Chamber

Choir’s well-established (and free) Christmas

offering: expect a feast of traditional carols and

other festive music. St. Anne’s Church, Lewes,

free entrance, esterhazychoir.org

SATURDAY 21, 7.30PM

A Christmas Cracker in aid of Dementia UK.

East Sussex Community Choir directed by Nick

Houghton, with Wallands School Choir and special

guests Richard Attlee (of The Archers fame)

and star tenor Toby Spence. Carols for choir &

audience, Christmas songs, readings and jollity.

Pre-concert Christmas Bazaar from 6.45pm.

Lewes Town Hall, tickets £15 & £20 from Lewes

TIC, Town Hall & on the door subject to availability.

eastsussexcommunitychoir.org

SUNDAY 22, 7PM

Handel Messiah. The Baroque Collective directed

by John Hancorn. It’s a seasonal favourite,

but if you haven’t heard Messiah played and sung

by a chamber ensemble then you’re in for a

surprise. It’s Handel without the bloat. Sprightly,

colourful and joyous. St Michael’s Church, £20 &

£25, under 16s free, from Lewes TIC,

thebaroquecollective.org.uk

TUESDAY 31, 2.45PM

New Year’s Eve Viennese Gala. The Brighton

Philharmonic Orchestra’s traditional end-of-year

event guarantees a swirl of waltzes, marches and

polkas by the Strauss family and others. Stephen

Bell conducts, with soprano Ailish Tynan.

Brighton Dome, £14.50-£42.50, 50% student/U18

discount, brightondome.org

Robin Houghton

E A S T

SUSSEX

B A C H

C H O I R

HIS MAJESTYS

SAGBUTTS &

CORNETTS

The Esterházy Chamber Choir present

Carols by

Candlelight

St Anne’s Church, High Street, Lewes

Saturday 21st December, 6pm

Free Admission

The perfect antidote for the Christmas Rush

A VENETIAN CHRISTMAS

GABRIELI

ST JOHN SUB CASTRO, LEWES

SAT 7 th DEC

Director -

John Hancorn

eastsussexbachchoir.org

79

GIG GUIDE // DECEMBER

GIG OF THE MONTH:

FEMME BRÛLÉE

Back in May, for the first Ripple mini-festival,

Sharon Makgill of Popsicle in the Needlemakers was

asked to put down some grooves at the Con Club.

She recruited Natalie Grahame, draped the place

in pink and they threw one hell of a (strictly vinyl)

party. Fast forward seven months and the troupe of

female DJs Femme Brûlée is a local favourite. Each

member of the team brings something different

to the decks, wowing crowds at gigs and private

functions alike. Get your dancing shoes on for ‘an

eclectic collective of women DJs pimping up Lewes

nightlife’. And it’s free! Saturday 28, Lamb, 8pm.

SUNDAY 1

Spizzenergi. Punk/new wave. Con Club, 7pm,

£15

Sophie & Julian Moore. Local singing/song

writing. Lamb, 8pm, free

Samsara. Dub and reggae. Lamb, 8pm, free

Supernatural Things. Funk. Royal Oak, 8pm,

free

Thomas McCarthy. Folk, Irish Traveller trad.

Elephant & Castle, 8pm, £8. See page 49.

MONDAY 2

Anita Wardell, Nigel Thomas & Terry Seabrook.

Jazz. Snowdrop, 8pm, free

THURSDAY 5

British Sea Power 3. Indie/alternative. Con

Club, 7.30pm, £15, members £12

Zoot Zazou. Vintage Hot Swing. Pelham

Arms, 8.30pm, free

FRIDAY 6

Afro Latinicity. Afro Latin DJs and live percussion.

Lansdown, 8pm, free

The Fold. Folk/rock. Con Club, 8pm, free

Soul Casserole DJ Night. Lamb, 8pm, free

SATURDAY 7

John Otway. Alternative. Con Club, 7.30pm,

£15

SUNDAY 8

Pam and de Femmes. Sunday chilldown with

four-part female multilingual harmony group.

Lamb, 8pm, free

MONDAY 9

Terry Smith, Spike Wells & Terry Seabrook.

Jazz. Snowdrop, 8pm, free

FRIDAY 13

Fat Belly Jones. Ska/R&B. Con Club, 8pm,

free

Que Asco. Neo-grunge. Lamb, 8pm, free

SATURDAY 14

Starfish. Junior bands session. Con Club,

2pm-4pm, £3/£5

Fruitful Sounds DJ night. Royal Oak, 9pm, £5

>>>

80

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christmas menus

Available from 13th November

Two courses from £19.95

christmas gifts

Champagne | Hampers | Gift Vouchers

Available to purchase online: www.cote.co.uk/christmas

Côte Brasserie Lewes

82 HIGH STREET, LEWES, BN7 1XW

01273 311 344 | www.cote.co.uk/cremant

GIG GUIDE // DECEMBER

John Crampton. Foot stomping blues. Lansdown,

8pm, free

Just Floyd. Pink Floyd Tribute. Con Club,

8pm, £5, members free

Porchlight Smoker. Roots/folk/country.

Lamb, 8pm, free

Shepherds Arise. Folk, Sussex trad carols,

dance tunes, readings, Mummers’ play. Elephant

& Castle, 8pm, £8, advance tickets only

SUNDAY 15

London Calling. Clash tribute. Con Club,

7pm, £15

Que Asco, Friday 13th, The Lamb

MONDAY 16

Terry Seabrook Piano Trio. Jazz. Snowdrop,

8pm, free

TUESDSAY 17

The Massive Violins. Seven singing cellists.

All Saints, 7.30pm, £15, see page 39.

THURSDAY 19

Reggae Christmas Fundraiser. DJs. Con

Club, 7pm, £3

SUNDAY 22

Kate and Friends. In-the-bar acoustic. Con

Club, 3pm to 5.30pm, free

Buffo’s Wake & Oh Mama. Gypsy punk and

Psychedelic blues rock. Con Club, 7.30pm,

£5

MONDAY 23

Christian Brewer, Nigel Thomas, Darren

Beckett & Terry Seabrook. Jazz. Snowdrop,

8pm, free

FRIDAY 20

The Boogie Woogie Band. Lansdown, 8pm,

free

Lewes Loves Disco. DJs. Con Club, 8pm, free

Monster Groove. With live band The Soul

Steppers. Lamb, 8pm, free

SATURDAY 21

Bad Bad Whiskey, plus DJ. Skiffle-billy and

R’n’B. Royal Oak, 8pm, free

Koan Brothers. Country rock ’n’ soul to cowpunk.

Lamb, 8pm, free

The Kondoms. High energy covers. Con

Club, 8pm, free

Christmas party. Folk, bring songs & tunes.

Carols, fire, candles and mince pies. Elephant

& Castle 8pm, £4

FRIDAY 27

Willow Wisp. Boho Post blues with a driving

beat. Lamb, 8pm, free

SATURDAY 28

Lazy Susan. DJ night. Con Club, 8pm, £4

Femme Brûlée. DJ night. Lamb, 8pm, free

MONDAY 30

Geoff Simkins, Bobby Worth, Paul Whitten

& Terry Seabrook. Jazz. Snowdrop, 8pm, free

TUESDAY 31

NYE Contenders and guests. Con Club, 7pm

till late, free, members and friends only

NYE at The Oak. Live music & special guest

DJs. Royal Oak, 9pm, free

83

Indian Restaurant &

Cocktail Lounge

BOOK NOW FOR

CHRISTMAS &

NEW YEAR

Cocktail lounge also

available to hire for

parties

Opening times:

Lunch every day

12pm - 2:30pm

(except Mondays)

Sunday to Thursday

5pm - 10.00pm

Friday & Saturday

5pm - 10:30pm

Monday closed

6 Eastgate Street

BN7 2LP, 01273 476707

FOOD

Depot

Brunch AND Lunch

Photo by Lizzie Lower

Lewes Depot is, of course,

a wonderful thing. It has

descended and enhanced

the town. On summer

afternoons, the gallery

doors are open and café

customers spill onto the

grass and sofas and tables

outside. In winter, it’s a

snug retreat from rain and

wind. At times it feels the

whole town is down there,

but the space is generous

enough it rarely feels

claustrophobic. I spend

many a coffee-time down

there meeting interesting

people for Viva; or Friday nights or Sunday

afternoons at a movie. (Under 25s go for only

£4 – what a bargain! And I love that row of seats

with all the leg room – row D in Screen 1: the

most comfortable cinema experience I think I’ve

known – despite warm favourites from other eras

of my life, notably the Phoenix in East Finchley

and Duke of York’s of old, in London Road.)

But I haven’t often eaten here. So Lizzie and I

decide to retreat from the office one lunchtime

to try out the Depot’s ‘Brunch and Lunch Menu’,

served daily, from 10am to 3pm. We were not

disappointed.

Lizzie opted for the ‘Vegan brunch’ (£7.50), and

I chose the ‘Vegetable club sandwich’ (£11.50)

from the ‘Large’ plate menu. It was enormous!

A classic ‘club’ – “A Tom and Jerry sandwich”, as

Lizzie pronounced it – with three not two layers

of wholemeal bread, and overflowing – positively

bulging – with goat’s cheese and roasted peppers.

Served with chips – excellent, large crispy ones,

fluffy on the inside – and

a salad with a very lemony

dressing, I was defeated, I

have to own, after one half

of the sandwich. I’d defy

anyone to get through the

lot: a good plate to share?

But it was delicious, the

flavours of the whole platter

big and bold, as were

the colours.

Lizzie liked her vegan

brunch too. “Hearty,” she

said, “and, happily, not

too virtuous”. It consisted

of a generous plateful of

two hash browns, grilled

tomatoes, avocado, fried mushrooms, baked

beans, wilted spinach all arranged around two

slices of lightly grilled bread. Lizzie liked the

“nutty, perfectly browned mushrooms” – half

button mushrooms, so nice and chunky – and

declared the wilted spinach “very nicely wilted.

Just soft enough, and well seasoned.” And the

hash browns? Just as hash browns should be:

“golden on the outside, soft on the inside and ever

so slightly greasy”.

She enjoyed, she said, “all the indulgence of a

classic fry up without any of the animal products”;

while I was equally happy with my super-sized

almost-Scooby sandwich.

The Depot this early Thursday lunchtime

mid-November was buzzing but the service was

friendly and speedy. The place felt lively but not

too busy, nice and warm and brightly lit, with

mellow music playing, even as the rain slunk

beyond the window. A fine retreat. CG

Depot, Pinwell Road, lewesdepot.org

85

86

Photo by Alex Leith

RECIPE

Creamed Savoy cabbage with lardons

Jolly Sportsman chef Vincent Fayat on a succulent

accompaniment for any roast – including turkey

You might have heard that the Jolly Sportsman

has changed hands recently. I’m happy

to say the new owner hasn’t changed anything

about the food that’s being served: I’m continuing

as head chef, and I’m cooking the same

healthy portions of hearty, succulent fare.

I come from South-West France, and some of

the recipes I use come from my home country,

like the fondant potatoes you can see in the

photograph. But all the food we use in the

Jolly Sportsman kitchen is seasonal and locally

sourced. That’s very important to me.

Savoy cabbage is really tasty just boiled or

steamed, and served with a knob of butter,

but it’s even better cooked with cream and

lardons, in which case it becomes one of the

highlights of any meal. A cabbage will produce

four to six generous portions.

Chop the cabbage into quarters and cut off

and discard the woody bits from the centre,

then slice into half-centimetre-wide strips.

Immerse these in boiling water, in a large

saucepan, for five minutes or so. Don’t let the

cabbage get too soft: it needs to retain a bit

of crunch.

Prepare a bowl of iced water, by putting a tray

of ice cubes in tap water; place the drained

cabbage in this bowl. This will help it to retain

its colour, and thus its taste. Drain off in a

colander, and, using your fingers, squeeze as

much remaining water as you can out of the

cabbage. The more water you squeeze out, the

more cream it will be able to absorb.

Flash fry 120g or so of smoked lardons in

a tablespoon of sunflower oil for about five

minutes, stirring continuously with a wooden

spoon, then remove, and place in a bowl lined

with kitchen paper to soak up the excess fat.

Some people will use duck or goose fat instead

of sunflower oil, but be aware that most of it

will end up in the kitchen paper!

Pour 300ml of double cream into the saucepan,

and when it’s hot, add the lardons. When

the cream starts thickening, add the cabbage,

and mix up with a wooden spoon, for about

five minutes, until the cabbage has started

taking in the cream.

Season to taste, remembering that the lardons

will be salty, so be careful not to overdo the

salt. Grate in a little nutmeg, too, if you like,

that goes well with anything creamy.

One of the great things about the nights

drawing in is that partridge and pheasant have

come into season, and we’ll be serving one or

the other throughout the winter at the Jolly

Sportsman. In the picture the cabbage is an

accompaniment to partridge, which I have

cooked in two distinct ways, frying then roasting

the breast, and broiling the legs in a stew.

The preparation of those fondant potatoes

will remain one of my little secrets, for now…

Bon Appetit! As told to Alex Leith

Jolly Sportsman, East Chiltington,

01273 890400

87

CHRISTMAS

MARKET

Local, ethical and delicious,

the perfect recipe for christmas

C H R I S T M A S C A K E S

M I N C E P I E S

O R G A N I C S P R O U T S

S U S S E X C H E E S E

W I N E & G I N

S T O L L E N

C H R I S T M A S P U D D I N G S

F R E E R A N G E T U R K E Y

S A U S A G E R O L L S

R O A S T E D C H E S T N U T S

C H R I S T M A S W R E A T H S

& M U C H M O R E !

SATURDAY 21 DECEMBER

9AM-4PM

CLIFFE PRECINCT, LEWES

www.commoncause.org.uk

07555902677

FOOD

Festive Baking

for a seasonal gathering

If you need some respite from the endless Christmas

shopping and office parties, you might be

interested in the Festive Breads workshop being

run by Robin Van Crefeld at Lewes Community

Kitchen this month. Not only will he teach new

baking skills, he’ll share how making these breads

is part of ancient traditions and seasonal rituals.

Could this be the perfect antidote?

The five-hour workshop, run by Robin on Saturday

7th December, will teach participants how

to make three different types of festive breads:

a stollen – the Leipzig variation, which has less

butter than usual (for cake connoisseurs); a Greek

Christopsomo bread; and Hanukkah sufganiyot

(doughnuts). These recipes will happily feed a

crowd, but they also embody a certain ritual or

spirituality which can often feel absent at this

over-packaged time of year.

Stollen is a bready cake that is said to symbolise

the swaddled baby Jesus, and is dotted with boozy

fruit and flavoured with spices. Robin will teach

the fundamentals of making enriched dough,

and marzipan. While kneading the dough for the

Christopsomo bread it’s traditional to take time

to reflect on the year just gone, and to knead

in your intentions for the coming year. A small

segment of dough is kept aside and used to create

personal, meaningful motifs that adorn the sides

of the bread.

While the doughs are fermenting you will make

(and eat) Hanukkah sufganiyot. These doughnuts,

with a festive filling in place of the usual jam,

represent the Jewish miracle of the Temple oil.

The workshop also includes a lunch prepared by

Robin, where you can get to know the rest of the

group and share great food. The focus of the day

is on developing culinary skills, but Robin is keen

to emphasise the pleasure of cooking in a group

and providing delicious food for others.

In his opinion, food bridges divides, brings

communities together and promotes wellbeing

across society. This Festive Bread workshop is just

one of many – coming up next year are a Game

workshop (with Alex Von Riebech from Limetree

Kitchen) in January; South Indian Vegan and

Gluten-free cooking in February; Fish and Seafood

in March; Fermentation in April; a Taste of

Africa and Fine Dining and Desserts in May; and

Jewish Breads and Patisserie in June.

As well as these workshops, Community Chef is

a social enterprise and catering business. They

organise life-enhancing local projects like cooking

classes with homeless people using food bank parcels;

the ‘Man with a Pan’ project to help single,

vulnerable men learn to cook well for themselves

and others; and projects to help improve people’s

mental health. Robin also hires out Lewes Community

Kitchen to local small businesses. To read

more about Community Chef’s valuable work,

check out the website. Lulah Ellender

7th December, 10.30am-3.30pm.

See communitychef.org.uk for ticket info.

89

Please join us on the 5th December for Lewes late

night shopping. We will be open until 9pm, and will be

serving up warming drinks and delicious nibbles for

everyone to try.

We Are A Family Owned Health Food Store,

Bringing Zero-Waste Shopping, Organic & Biodynamic

Fruit & Veg, Organic Skincare, Artisan Breads, Local

Produce, Vegan and Gluten Free Products.

16-17 Cliie High Street, BN7 2AH

01273 359200 seasonswholefoods.co.uk

FOOD

The Pelham arms

hIGh sT. leWes

Bonne Bouche

Convivial and beguiling

A box of chocolates must rank among the most

fun food options for a group to gather around.

So Kelly and I venture to Bonne Bouche, to

return to the Viva office bearing sweets for the

team. The shop is brimming with gift options:

pens, cards, peanut brittle, ice cream, vouchers…

and chocolate.

Oh so much chocolate. Over 70 varieties in fact.

We fill our boots, for the sake of those troopers

back in the office of course, one of whom is eating

for two. Kelly bagsies an Advocaat whilst still

in the shop, and is exuberant when she eats it: a

“perfect Christmas Snowball cocktail flavour”.

The cups are stunning, be they caramel or

praline, packed with smooth, velvety fillings.

There are more colourful options: I love a

raspberry jelly, and the light, whipped texture of

the strawberry crème fraîche takes us by pleasant

surprise.

The pistachio marzipan is lovely: “quintessential

Christmas”, according to Lizzie. But the overwhelming

favourite is the French cocoa dusted

truffle with salted caramel. It’s deceptive, almost

paradoxical: it tastes darker than it looks, with a

strong salty crunch in the middle, and melts in

the mouth deliciously. A beguiling triumph.

There’s something for everyone: sugary treats,

subtle flavours, textural curios... The team is not

only full, but fulfilled, for sharing chocolate is a

surefire way to foster convivial contentment.

Joe Fuller

3 St Martin’s Lane, bonnebouchechocolate.shop

CHRISTMAS

BOOKINGS

NOW BEING

TAKEN

Christmas parties

for up to 40 guests

Please email

manager@thepelhamarms.co.uk

to book your party

and to receive a copy of

this years festive menu

91

1st - 24th December

Available

booking and pre-order required

Advanced

per person

£35

pairing +£20 per person

Wine

course is brought to your table for everyone to share.

Each

recommend choosing one option per four people.

We

potatoes, mashed potatoes, Dauphinoise potatoes, honey roast parsnips,

Roast

and swede mash, wok fried sprouts and chestnuts

carrot

T H E S U S S E X O X

C H R I S T M A S F E A S T I N G

NIBBLES

STARTERS

Bread board with garlic, rosemary, and thyme butters

(choose your starter to share)

Fish sharing board

Shepherd's pie croquettes, sticky sauce

MAINS

Vegetarian antipasti board

(choose your main course to share)

Rack of South Downs lamb, olive jus

Whole roast curried free range chicken, chasseur sauce

Rib of Sussex beef, red wine jus

SIDE DISHES

Mushroom and parsnip wellington, vegetarian gravy

PUDDING

(choose your pudding to share)

Chocolate marquise, Christmas pudding ice cream, orange gel

Mulled wine apple crumble, vanilla custard

www.thesussexox.co.uk

01323 870840

FOOD

LEWES FRIDAY FOOD MARKET

Lewes bites

Look out for the Christmas markets this month.

Common Cause’s special festive market is on

Saturday 21st (in the Cliffe Precinct, of course).

There’ll be free-range turkeys (to order), and

game, organic veg, Christmas cakes, Yule logs,

mince pies and stollen, pies, wreaths, local charcuterie

and cheeses, chutneys, plastic-free crackers

and sparkling Sussex wine and gin. There’ll

be choirs singing

and a Christmas

Hamper competition,

plus

a kids’ ‘Guess

the number’

sprouts in a jar.

And the Lewes Food Market on the

morning of Friday 20th December

promises to be a special

Christmas one, with live

music, a lucky dip and mulled

wine: “the obvious date to get

all your Xmas produce”, says

Market Manager Lucie Inns.

Join us on Friday 20

December for a special

festive market!

HOT MULLED WINE,

LIVE MUSIC, LUCKY DIP,

FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE

www.lewesfoodmarket.co.uk

And when you’ve done all your shopping,

why not give yourself a wellearned

treat? What about

a special Chaula’s cocktail

evening? Their Cocktail

Lounge upstairs is well

worth a visit, and will add a

zing to any festive evening. Open

every Thursday, Friday and

Saturday night from 5.30pm. Go

on: this crazy year is nearly over.

Cheers!

93

THE WAY WE WORK

Photographer Cressida Murray visited four local makers – all of whom

feature in this month’s Artists and Makers Fair – and asked each:

Where will you be spending Christmas?

cressidamurray.com

Cécile Garcia (pattern, print and textile artist)

‘I am looking forward to spending Christmas relaxing at home with my

family and going for wintry walks along the coast.’

THE WAY WE WORK

Caroline Chalton Hellyer, CCH Ceramics

‘Every year we go to Yorkshire, where I grew up.

We hide from the frost in warm old living rooms.’

THE WAY WE WORK

Natasha Caughey, Auricula Jewellery

‘With family on the Suffolk Coast. Escape to beach hut with

mulled wine whilst sister does Christmas Day North Sea dip.’

THE WAY WE WORK

Kirsten Norbury (portrait artist), owner, Artstart Art School

‘l’ll be up on the West Coast of Scotland celebrating the festive

season with my husband’s family and party-loving friends!’

ORGANICA

A shop bursting with

botanical goodness,

including many varieties of

houseplants including all

your festive favourites,

seasonal flowers and fresh

Christmas Wreaths

WWW.ORGANICAPLANTS.COM

@ORGANICAPLANTS

07736220820

Riverside building,

Cliffe High St

Christmas Trees for Sale

P.E. Underhay and Son

Buy from the grower Cut to order Ultra fresh No needle-drop here

Open every weekend in December, 10am to dusk.

Situated on B2124 between Laughton & Golden Cross between Park Lane

& Broonham Lane before ‘Quik Loo Hire’.

From left to right: Tintin calendar, £13.95, Keizer Frames; Camembert Baker & Tunworth Gift

Package £21, Cheese Please; Spongelle Hand creams, £13.50, Browns Hair & Beauty; Scottish Fair

Isle Berets, £22, Closet and Botts; Mr and Mrs mouse tree decorations, £6, made by Gisela Graham,

Sussex Christmas Barn, Barcombe; Lewes Map tea towel, £12, Tourist Information Centre.

Ho ho ho...

click &

collect

ernestdoeshop.com

Packed with gifts galore, for Christmas...

there’s so much more in your local country store

Broyle House, Ringmer BN8 5NN

Tel: 01273 812707

From left to right: Jellycat sparkly reindeer £30, The Laurels; A4 portfolio in ‘Charleston

Scumble’ pattern, £30, Charleston; mustard vase made from recycled glass, £42, From Victoria;

Life Rocks copper water bottle, £32, Tanya Borowski; ‘Our Planet’ book, £20, Bags of Books;

Wintergreen gift box, £48, bookblock.com; Seven Sisters gin gift pack, £46, Rathfinny;

Recycled Random Wool Rug, £20, Sheffield Park; Pompom garland, £19, Popsicle.

46 High Street, Lewes, BN7 2DD

01273 481048 - fran@cheesepleaselewes.co.uk -

www.cheesepleaselewes.co.uk

Sussex Cheesemonger & Fine Food Specialist

GIFT BOXES TO SUIT ALL TASTES

FROM £15

- CAN BE MADE BESPOKE -

- VEGAN AND VEGETARIAN OPTIONS ALSO AVAILABLE -

WE ARE NOW TAKING CHRISTMAS CHEESE

ORDERS

PLACE YOUR ORDER EARLY TO AVOID THE

Merry Cheesemas

QUEUES

Sussex Christmas Barn

Visit the Christmas Barn, located just outside Barcombe and

choose from a stunning range of Christmas decorations for

your home and tree.

Weekdays 9am - 5.30pm

Saturday 10am - 5.30pm

Sunday 10am - 4pm

Tempting homemade cakes and lunch menu from

our onsite cafe.

Freshly cut 100% UK grown Christmas Trees

Available from Thursday 21st November.

GIPPS FARM, BARCOMBE, EAST SUSSEX. BN8 5EH

WWW.SUSSEXCHRISTMASBARN.CO.UK - Tel: 01273 401021

From left to right: Silver heart pendant on silver chain, £35, David Smith Jewellery; ‘Happy Christmas’

Fawn In The Snow Recycled Wrapping Paper £2.37/sheet, blankinsidedesign.co.uk; Harvey’s

Christmas Ale, £27.20 for pack of 12, Harvey’s; personalised cat bowl, £13, Mary’s; Limoncello

panettone, £16.30, Seasons; felt penguin slippers, £27, Brats; ride-on tractor, £50, Ernest Doe;

robin stud earrings, £40, Alexis Dove; bum bag made from recycled PET bottles, £19.95, Wickle.

Photos by Charlotte Gann

Marina Robb

Mill Woods

Marina Robb leases ten acres of the (roughly)

180 acre Vert Woods Community Woodland,

just the other side of Laughton. It’s a gorgeous

spot, accessible while feeling completely secluded.

Marina set up her community interest training

company, Circle of Life Rediscovery, in 2006.

“I always wondered”, she tells me, “what would

motivate people to care about the environment.

But, as David Attenborough says, you can’t care if

you don’t know.”

The other thing she’s passionate about is how

being in nature simply helps. “Over half the work

we do is funded,” she says. “We spend days out

here with vulnerable groups, teenagers with mental

health problems, and families with children

with disabilities and learning difficulties. We run

forest schools and trainings, and all our training

is outdoors.”

Half Italian, she also travelled a lot as a child – “I

was always super curious about different cultures,

different ways of living on this one thing we have

in common, the earth.”

Her single biggest motivator is the idea of

inclusivity, she says. “There’s no point getting on

the bus unless we’re all on the bus together.” She

wants to see a world where everyone is included.

“I want to be part of a change – environmental

and social.”

It’s inspiring talking to her, especially sitting

on a log in the woods in dwindling autumn

daylight. The air is cool and fresh. There’s no

one else around. “Learning outdoors just is different,”

she says.

“The human brain is complex. But when you’re

104

MY SPACE

out here, there’s a levelling effect. The

research shows when we’re out in nature,

we’re more in our bodies, better at regulating

ourselves. Nature itself brings a whole other

set of relationships – ones we’re better off for

being in touch with.”

Marina used to be a primary school teacher,

after studying Environmental Management

and Education. (She’s also the author

of a book called Learning with Nature.) As a

teacher, she says, she could see the difference

when she took the learning outdoors. The

children, and the lessons, came more alive.

So today all her teaching happens outside.

Here, in Mill Woods. “Of course, we do all

you’d expect – fire, food, foraging – but also

lots of imaginative and creative play: we follow

a child’s interests.” As well as their funded

work – which they carry out in partnerships

with CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental

Health Services) and FISS (Families Intensive

Support Service) – Marina and her team also

run Wild Family Days open to the public.

“Plus,” she says, “we’re always looking for any

support people can and wish to offer… Also,

in case anyone reading this might be interested,

Vert Woods Community Woodland

is currently looking for a Chair to steer our

passionate committee! Do get in touch.”

There are three things, Marina tells me,

she believes make change happen: nature,

inclusion and meaningful activities. “These

are exactly the things we bring together here

– but do you know how precious they are

to the families we support? It’s everybody’s

birthright to be out in nature and enjoy it –

yet how often do you find, as we have here, a

disabled toilet out in the country?”

Charlotte Gann

Circle of Life Rediscovery are running Family

Wild Days in Mill Woods on Saturday 21st

December and Friday 3rd January.

circleofliferediscovery.com

105

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WE TRY

Plumpton

Racecourse

Good and fun

Despite ominous weather warnings, my family

come out in force for a day at the races at

Plumpton. My five-year-old cousins Emma and

Molly are excited, and their parents are chuffed

that a large portion of the activities laid on for

this Family Raceday are free, such as elaborate

facepainting, and Derby horse hoppers (winners

pictured). We meet Trolls movie characters, tethered

falcons and owls – all free – and pay for the

girls to try the slides, ball pits, and games. There

is also a mascot race, won by a Womble.

The twins enjoy the all-round horse racing

experience too. Emma is fidget-gleeful while

observing the “beautiful” horses’ braided hair in

the paddock, and oscillates wildly between whom

she wants to win, settling on “all of them”. Molly

is less effusive in her praise. Are you enjoying

watching the horses? Is it good? Fun? “Good.

When they run it will be fun.”

We set up a sweepstake in a paper cup, where

we all put in one pound per race. The mood is

relaxed and non-competitive. My mum pockets

the sweepstake on the second race, for example,

with a horse picked purely “because no one else

wanted him”. Some of us do place higher stakes

bets with the bookies bestriding betting trolleys,

however.

For the fourth race, I like the sound of Limelighter:

I’m fond of both the alliteration and the

theatrical connotations. I go for £2 each way,

getting good odds of 25/1. My horse lingers

around third or fourth for most of the race, but

I suspect it’s calculated pacing. The brown gelding

bursts into life towards the end of the race,

streaking ahead thrillingly… and winning! I win

£32 from my punt.

I catch five minutes of CEO Daniel Thompson’s

time, who explains that under 18s always go free,

and that there are different sorts of racedays

throughout the year, including a Sussex Raceday

where local produce can be purchased in a farmers’

market. There’s a wide selection of local ales

at the bar year-round in fact, including Harvey’s,

Hairy Dog, Silly Moo cider, and Long Man.

The racing-curious might be interested in the

Cheltenham Bonus Series, which draws in big

name contenders from November to February.

If a horse wins one of the nominated Novices

Chases, and then wins any steeple chase at the

Cheltenham Festival, those connected with the

horse win £60,000.

Dan shows me the live Sky Sports feed, which

serves to illustrate the experiential gulf between

watching on TV and attending in person. The

most memorable moment of the day comes from

standing close to the fence on the home stretch

of the track. Molly’s right: watching such bewildering,

stunning animals galloping at full speed

is fun. Joe Fuller

plumptonracecourse.co.uk, next Racedays

2nd and 16th December

107

Meet new friends of both sexes in a welcoming atmosphere.

Walks, lunches and dinners, golf, theatre trips, pub evenings,

sports and holidays.

We meet on the fourth

Thursday evening of every

month at a pub in Lewes.

Next meeting:

Thursday 23rd January, 8pm

The

Group

Lewes, Wothing, Brighton, Burgess Hill and Horsham.

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FEATURE

Women’s Walking Football

New team seeks members, Lewes FC

Walking Football might

sound like Human

Subbuteo but believe

me it’s just as much fun

as any other variation

of the Beautiful Game.

Futsal, Five-a-Side,

Beach Football – they’re

all great, but Walking

Football is footie anyone

can play. Chesterfield

FC Community Trust came up with the game

in 2011 as part of a fitness drive for the over 50s

but it was a Barclays Bank ad featuring Roy and

his pals playing on a 3G pitch which really got

the ball rolling.

Steve Rich, then 52, saw the ad and launched the

WFU website. Then, Manchester City started

a Walking Football team, Glasgow Rangers

followed, and now there are tournaments in the

UK and around the globe. There’s even been

an international, England v Italy, at the Amex in

May 2018. England won 2-0.

The rules are simple: no running, no physical

contact, no tackling from behind, no overhead

height. Kick-ins, corners, and penalties, five, six,

or seven-a-side. That’s about it. It’s a strippeddown

version of the game, with the emphasis on

close control and passing.

There’s quite a bit of Walking Football in Sussex,

but not too much when it comes to women

who want to play each other. The founding of

Lewes FC Women’s Walking Football Team

is set to change this. On a crisp cold winter’s

day I went to meet a few of the players, talk to

them about how they got into the game, their

campaign to attract more players, and how they

landed the support of

‘Equality FC.’

Julie Busfield is skipper

of the team. “I started

when I was at primary

school – boys came and

knocked because I was

a decent player. But as

I grew older it became

clear that it wasn’t acceptable

to play football.

I was stopped from playing. Then, when I was

58, I heard about Walking Football. So I’ve

played with a Brighton mixed team but when I

was looking for anything for women there was

nothing at all in Sussex.”

I also chat with Tash Fairbanks, who tells me she

went to the Brighton Dome earlier this year and

heard Karen Dobres, a Director of Lewes FC,

talk about the Club’s equal pay policy. “I asked

her if there was a Women’s Walking Football

Team. She gave me Charlie Dobres’ contact

details and Julie got in touch.”

“The Club has given us a free pitch, free kit and

every encouragement,” says Julie. Yes, Charlie

says; the club was delighted to help. “They represent

the terrible injustice that has been done to

women who love football, who just wanted and

continue to want to play. I’m so happy we can

help them get back on the pitch.”

The team’s keen to recruit new players now:

“any woman over 40, experience or no experience,

it doesn’t matter”, says Julie. Is this you?

John O’Donoghue

Tuesdays, 12-1pm, The Rookery 3G Pitch, The

Dripping Pan. For more information email info@

lewesfc.com; and there’s a video on YouTube.

109

We don’t stop for Christmas, or New Year,

if you need us you can still call 24 hours a day

We wish you a

Merry Christmas!

vivamagazines.com

FOOTBALL

Tony Coade

Lessons from Italy

“After the first match I played in Brescia, I went

to the club bar, and knocked down a few beers,

like we all used to do in Ireland.”

Tony Coade, Lewes FC coach, newly appointed

as joint manager since Darren Freeman stood

down in October, is telling me about the steep

learning curve he underwent when, as a young

man, he started playing in Italy, back in the 80s.

“I didn’t speak a word of the language, but I

sensed that I’d done something wrong, and I

realised that no-one else was drinking. That

the other players were looking at me funny, and

thinking ‘what’s he up to?’ From that day on,

in the five years I played in the country, I didn’t

drink another drop.”

Tony had only meant to spend a couple of weeks

in Italy, but he fell in love with the country, and

decided he had to stay, come what may, for much

longer. Without a word of Italian, he realised the

only job he could possibly get was in football.

He’d played up to the top level in his native

Ireland – for Cork Celtic – and managed to get

into a semi-pro team based in Brescia.

“I became super-fit and had a really good rest-of

season, scoring 17 goals in 15 games, from central

midfield,” he tells me. “I got noticed. And a

pro club, Palazzola, in Serie C1 (the third tier of

national football) gave me a contract in the summer.

I ended up playing there for three years,

alongside some fantastic players, and everything

about my life changed.”

It wasn’t just the drinking culture that was different,

in Italy. “Italian football was very defensive

minded at that time,” he says. “If you went

Photo by James Boyes

1-0 up you were expected to shut up shop and

make sure not to concede, rather than to keep

on attacking. I was an attack-minded player, but

I learnt such a lot about the defensive side of the

game. Being a good player isn’t only about what

you can do with the ball. It’s also about knowing

what to do when you don’t have it.”

Tony moved back to England in 1989, but he

never reached the same heights in English football.

He finished his career at Newhaven Town,

opting to retire when he suffered a long-term

injury, at the age of 28.

I never dropped out of football entirely,” he

says, “and ten years ago, with the support of my

wonderful wife, I decided to take my coaching

badges.” An eventful spell at Peacehaven Town –

as coach, then manager – led to his appointment

at Lewes, where he has been working for the last

four years.

So can we expect Lewes FC to set up like a

defensive-minded 1980s Italian team? “We’re

a footballing side who like to play attacking,

passing football,” he smiles. “But you can be sure

that my players will be working hard on their

shape, when they lose the ball. And we won’t go

chasing glory when we’re 1-0 up.”

Alex Leith

111

“What is certain is that hitherto

woman's possibilities have been

suppressed and lost to humanity,

and that it is high time she

be permitted to take her own

chances in her own interest

and in the interest of all.”

Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex

Lewes FC is the only football club in the world to

pay its women's team the same as its men's team.

Endorse us, support us and help us do more.

JOIN THE CLUB:

www.lewesfc.com/owners

HEALTH

Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide

Learning to talk about it

There is still a very real

stigma around suicide,

Peter Bridgewater tells

me. We find it hard, as

a society, to talk about

it. Despite the fact it is

actually so common: more

people die from suicide

in the UK than from road

accidents; and, tragically,

it’s the most common cause of death among

20 to 35 year olds. But it brings in its wake so

many complicated feelings, and trauma: it’s different

from any other kind of bereavement.

And this is why Survivors of Bereavement

by Suicide (SOBS) exists. “It was set up 28

years ago, by a woman in Hull who had lost

her brother to suicide and couldn’t find any

supportive environment in which to talk about

it. So she put an ad in her local paper, and the

support group model was born.”

This isn’t a counselling service – and the people

who convene and facilitate these groups aren’t

counsellors. It’s a self-help support group. And

everyone involved, including the volunteers,

are themselves survivors – ie they have lost

someone close to them to suicide.

Peter, who for many years ran Ivy Press, on

School Hill, set up and facilitates the Lewes

group with two colleagues. “I lost both my

parents to suicide many years ago,” he tells

me. “My father when I was 21 and my mother

when I was 33.” Peter says he’s lucky to have

supportive brothers: “I’m the youngest; there

are six years between each of us. We’ve always

been able to talk about it. Suicide makes many

people feel blighted; families tend to either pull

closer, or disintegrate. A suicide is like dropping

a hand grenade into a

family.

“Most bereaved survivors

who’ve lost someone

to suicide will experience

guilt, shame and

the ‘what ifs’. There will

always be unanswerable

questions. People never

really resolve the ‘whys’.

Meeting with others who have experienced

similar tragedies can help.”

In the South East, there are currently groups

in Lewes, Hove and Margate. (You need three

people to set one up; more groups would

always help.) The Lewes group has been going

for about four years. It meets twice a month,

and usually, Peter says, “about eight people turn

up to a meeting” (out of 60 to 70 ‘members’).

Peter himself volunteered for the Samaritans at

Eastbourne for 15 years, starting the training

when he was 40; he then spent ten years with

Cruse Bereavement Care, another support service.

He’s happy now that he’s come full circle

and is working supporting others bereaved by

suicide. “There’s often no visible warning whatsoever

before someone takes their life,” he says.

“Half of all suicides have never had any contact

with mental health services.

“We want to raise awareness that our group exists,

and what it does. It’s so helpful for people

who find themselves in this tragic position to

realise they are not alone, nor the only ones.

We’d also like to let everyone know that suicide

is common. We need to find ways of talking

about it…” Charlotte Gann

Contact Peter at sobs.southdowns@gmail.com or

07902084397. uksobs.org

113

Domestic Pet, Farm Animal and Equine Services

Your local

Veterinary

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since 1865

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21 Cliffe High Street

01273 473 232

WOODINGDEAN SURGERY

01273 302 609

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01273 814 590

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www.cliffevets.co.uk | www.cliffeequine.co.uk

WILDLIFE

Illustration by Mark Greco

Holly

Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la

I’m sure you’ll agree that these are crazy times,

folks. Back in Ancient Rome they had a festival –

Saturnalia – which saw their society turn upside

down for a week each December. It seems Saturnalia’s

traditions of chaos and mayhem are now the

daily norm for us Brits but, as we career towards

Christmas, we have another thing in common with

Saturnalia. We will soon be paying our respects to

the Holly tree.

Holly has been celebrated in many traditions

over the centuries because as a native evergreen

its vibrancy in the dead of winter could easily be

mistaken for immortality. Holly was the sacred

tree of Saturn the Roman God of agriculture. In

pagan tradition the Holly King ruled over the

Oak King from Midsummer to Midwinter. Holly

was easily adopted by Christians who saw many

links between the tree and the life of Christ. Today

Holly remains a centrepiece of our Christmas

decorations, cards and cakes.

Each Holly tree is either male or female. While

both produce delicate white flowers in May it’s

only the female Holly that bears a berry as red as

any blood. When these berries are produced in

profusion it’s taken to be a sign of an oncoming

hard winter although in reality it’s the outcome of

a successful spring. Holly’s prickles provide protection

for nesting birds, their flower buds are food

for the Holly Blue butterfly’s caterpillar and their

ripe berries are essential for thrushes.

If you’re after a tree filled with folklore then, Holly

must take a bow. So if you’re planning to deck

your halls with boughs of the stuff this Christmas

here’s a quick user guide. First off NEVER cut

down a Holly tree – that’s guaranteed bad luck, a

superstition which has spared many Holly trees

from the woodsman’s axe. And make sure you leave

Holly trees in your hedgerows to prevent witches

from running along the top. If you bring Holly

into your home at Christmas it’ll help protect you

from those pesky festive faeries. Only female Holly

leaves under your pillow will allow you to predict

your future in your dreams. Oh, and don’t forget

to get rid of your Holly decorations before Twelfth

Night (but don’t burn them, that’s bad luck too).

Holly trees will protect you against lightning

strikes (I’m not sure if this has been scientifically

proven so don’t blame me if you still get zapped).

And don’t eat the berries, they’re poisonous, but if

you have smallpox you can drink an infusion made

from the leaves.

Stick to those rules folks and you’ll have a peaceful

Christmas. Me? I’ve had enough of the state of

the world today. I’m going to pour some wine,

put on my toga and pretend I’m in ancient Rome.

Somebody pass me my fiddle.

Michael Blencowe, Senior Learning & Engagement

Officer, Sussex Wildlife Trust

115

BUSINESS NEWS

Our Christmas message is the same as it is every

year. We urge you to do at least some of your

shopping in the independent (and other) shops

in town, so the local economy will thrive in this

important period for traders. See our shopping

guide on page 99 if you want some ideas.

There’s a Lewes District Council initiative to

encourage you to use the local indies: pick up

a tote bag and stamp card in the Tourist Info,

and get cracking: you stand to win a hamper of

goodies supplied by the shops on the list. And,

of course, don’t forget Late Night Shopping on

December 5th. This year, it promises to be a

(well-lit) cracker: we’ve much more on that on

page 131.

The Needlemakers continues to be a source

of news. A big welcome to Emma from Along

Came She, setting up in the space next to the

café where Nørd used to be. Emma, a clothing

and print designer, makes and sells bright,

sustainable clothing with young women – and

especially young mothers – in mind. One of her

lines is breast-feeding friendly garments.

Mary Fellows, meanwhile, who used to run a

sweetshop in the same building, and now works

from Sun Studios on Mount Place, is opening a

pop-up in the space in the Needlemakers where

From Victoria used to be, before moving to the

High Street last month. She tells me she’ll be

selling her colourful, self-designed, 50s-influenced

mugs, tea-towels etc, as well as “sweets

and stocking-fillers, throughout November and

until the last customer comes in on Christmas

Eve.”

It’s all go on that floor: over the corridor Tracey,

from Inshanti, selling Indian clothes and home

goods, has had a refit and started up her own

clothes label.

Sadly, there’s another closure in Cliffe: Barracloughs

the opticians are calling it a day in Lewes,

but will continue to run their branches in six

other local towns, from Uckfield to St Leonard’s.

They’ll be trading till December 14th. And,

while we’re down that way, a bit of movement in

Riverside: Organica, those purveyors of organic

houseplants and fair-trade gifts, have moved

downstairs. Do visit their new, fine space.

If you’re thinking of starting a business round

these parts, help is at hand. The Local Enterprise

& Apprentice Platform (which forms the

great acronym LEAP) are offering a free wholeday

business start-up workshop (on Thursday

5th Dec, 10am-4pm) where experts are on hand

to analyse whether your business idea is legal

and viable. Register online at yourleap.co.uk or

call Edeal on 01323 64144.

Which just leaves us space to wish all Lewes

businesses a thriving Christmas period, and a

prosperous New Year! Alex Leith

Send any news to alex@vivamagazines.com

116

DIRECTORY

Please note that though we aim only to take advertising from reputable businesses, we cannot

guarantee the quality of any work undertaken, and accept no responsibility or liability for

any issues arising. To advertise in Viva Lewes please call 01273 488882 or email advertising@

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HOME

PROFESSIONAL RELIABLE

FLAWLESS

LADY DECORATOR LEWES

For a no obligation quote call

07917 067847

hello@ladydecoratorlewes.co.uk

Nina Murden,

the Lewes Seamstress

E S T . 2 0 0 5

Also Professional Repairs and Alterations Service.

01273 470817 | 07717 855314

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HOME & GARDENS

Jack Plane Carpenter

Nice work, fair price,

totally reliable.

www.jackplanecarpentry.co.uk

01273 483339 / 07887 993396

Art Frames

New in Lewes town centre.

Bespoke coloured frame to complement artwork, finished in

natural wax. Quick turnaround if required for exhibiting.

Please contact Richard.

Mobile: 07940 512021 | Email: rejpelling@gmail.com

PAUL FURNELL

Carpenter / General Building

and Renovation works,

Based in Lewes

t. 07717 862940 e. paul.lee.furnell@gmail.com

GARDENS

LEWES CHIMNEY SWEEP

07796 802588

Jason Eyre Decorating

Professional Painters & Decorators

jasoneyre2@gmail.com | jasoneyredecorating.com

07976 418299 | 07766 118289

Handyman Services for your House and Garden

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Honest, reliable, friendly service.

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HEALTH

Hamblin

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expert arborists

Tree surgery • Hedges • Gardens

Nathan Hamblin FdSc (Arb)

Experienced, professional and insured

www.hamblintreecare.com

0777 364 2640

Lewes Xmas Trees

Sussex trees and wood carvings

Free local delivery

On sale in Volunteer Pub Garden next to Waitrose in December

Find us on Facebook and Instagram @lewesxmastrees 0777 364 2640

HEALTH

John Davis

MA BACP(reg)

Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy

Based at Coach House Clinic in the centre of Lewes,

I offer therapy to those experiencing particular difficulties

or individuals feeling somewhat lost in life.

Please feel free to get in touch.

Call: 0780 135 4803

Email: jd-therapy@outlook.com

www.johndavistherapy.co.uk

VALENCE ROAD OSTEOPATHS

neck or back pain?

Lin Peters - OSTEOPATH

for the treatment of:

neck or low back pain • sports injuries • rheumatic

arthritic symptoms • pulled muscles • joint pain

stiffness • sciatica - trapped nerves • slipped discs

tension • frozen shoulders • cranial osteopathy

pre and post natal

www.lewesosteopath.co.uk

20 Valence Road Lewes 01273 476371

Holistic Treatments

Swedish Body Massage

Indian Head Massage

Reflexology

Angelica 07401 131153

www.angelsaromahealing.com

LOW COST RATES AVAILABLE

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32 Cliffe High Street • Lewes BN7 2AN

HEALTH

The Cliffe

Osteopathy &

Complementary

Health Clinic

Lynne Russell

BSc FSDSHom MARH MBIH(FR)

I have been offering women information

and support at menopause for over

17 years.

You may just want to know more about

what is happening, or to find a way

forwards with or without HRT.

Contact me if you would like to arrange

a free mini-consultation to see if my

approach might suit you.

07970 245118

www.chantryhealth.com

OSTEOPATHY

Mandy Fischer BSc (Hons) Ost, DO, PG cert (canine)

Caroline Jack BOst, PG cert (canine)

Cameron Dowset MOst

HERBAL MEDICINE & REFLEXOLOGY

Julie Padgham-Undrell BSc (Hons) MCPP

PSYCHOTHERAPY

Julia Rivas BA (Hons), MA Psychotherapy

Tom Lockyer BA (Hons), Dip Cound MBACP

ACUPUNCTURE & HYPNOTHERAPY

Anthea Barbary LicAc MBAcC Dip I Hyp GQHP

HOMEOPATHY, COACHING, NLP

& HYPNOTHERAPY

Lynne Russell BSc FSDSHom MARH MBIH(FR)

01273 480900

23 Cliffe High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 2AH

www.lewesosteopath.com

Open Monday to Friday and Saturday mornings

Taking a Natural Approach

at Menopause

Offering informaaon & support for over 17 years

Appointments at The Cliffe Clinic & via Skype

LYNNE RUSSELL BSc FSDSHom MARH MBIH(FR)

www.chantryhealth.com 07970 245118

Doctor P. Bermingham

Retired Consultant Psychiatrist.

Assoc. Medical Psychotherapy. Formerly SAP.

Psychotherapy for the psychological core of depression.

Suicidal ideation. Relapse. Supervision of therapists.

drpbermingham@gmail.com

HEALTH

Sacha Allistone MBACP

Acupuncture, Alexander Technique, Bowen

Technique, Children’s Clinic, Counselling,

Psychotherapy, Family Therapy,

Herbal Medicine, Massage,

Nutritional Therapy, Life Coaching,

Physiotherapy, Pilates, Shiatsu,

Podiatry/Chiropody

‘A burden once lifted is lighter than air.’

— Ioannis Georgiadis

sachaallistone.com | 07909986812

CHRISTMAS GIFTS

We have a seleccon of beauuful Christmas

toiletry giis available.

ORDER YOUR PRESCRIPTIONS IN

PLENTY OF TIME

Please make sure you order your

prescrippons in plenty of me to cover for

any holidays.

REFLEXOLOGY

THAI YOGA MASSAGE

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BEREAVED OR AFFECTED BY SUICIDE

Phone Peter: 07902 084 397

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SURVIVORS OF BEREAVEMENT BY SUICIDE

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We will be closed all day Wednesday

December 25th & Thursday 26th, and

Wednesday 1st January, but open as usual

all other days.

(Closed between 1-2pm)

01273 488882

OTHER SERVICES

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We can work it out

• BUSINESS ACCOUNTS AND TAX

• MEDIA AND THE ARTS

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• FRIENDLY AND FLEXIBLE

T: 01273 961334

E: aw@andrewwells.co.uk

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Andrew M Wells Accountancy

99 Western Road Lewes BN7 1RS 01273 488882

LESSONS AND COURSES

GARAGES

GARAGES

EXPERT

ADVICE

I N C O R P O R A T I N G F L O T Y R E S

COURTESY

CARS

DIAGNOSTICS & TPMS

SERVICING AND OIL CHANGE. BRAKES.

COIL SPRINGS/SHOCKS – ALL SUSPENSION

EXHAUSTS, EGR – ALL EMISSIONS WORK

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MOT SERVICE AND MOT REPAIRS

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LEWES

LATE NIGHT

SHOPPING

THURSDAY 5TH DECEMBER, 6-9PM

Whether you’re just starting to think about Christmas shopping or

you’re super organised, and simply need to pick up a few finishing

touches, enjoy an evening of strolling around the town for inspiration.

The High Street will be pedestrianised from the bottleneck to the

bottom of School Hill from 6 to 9pm and all the Lewes pay and display

car parks will be free for the evening after 5pm. Many of the shops,

fairs and galleries will be offering discounts, workshops, quizzes and

delicious festive treats to get you in the Christmas spirit.

Look out for all the street entertainment as you roam. Music will

fill the streets from choirs, bands and bell ringers. There are Morris

dancers, horse and carriage rides and the castle will be busy with the

children’s Fireflies competition followed by performances from younger

entertainers. There’ll be street food, fairground rides and, of course,

Father Christmas will be stopping off at Lewes House.

Lewes is going to feel at its best: a busy medieval County town

on market day. Be sure to check out the shop windows. There’s a

competition for the best-dressed window and Deputy Mayor

Stephen Catlin has the tricky job of picking the winners.

For full details see

leweslatenightshopping.co.uk

WHAT’S ON

HIGH STREET

There will be street performances from the castle down through Cliffe High Street

including choirs, singers, dancers and other musicians. The only traffic will be the

horse and carriage ride, Morris dancers and the Knots of May will be showing us how

best to keep warm but, for those not feeling that energetic, the roasted chestnuts and

mulled wine should do the trick.

CASTLE

6pm prompt – calling all Firefires to the castle gateway (aka children dressed up in

costumes with LED wow factor). See page 74 for more details.

Prizes for the best costume will be judged by Mayoress Gaynor Lamb and Caroline

Croft from Patina. The Choir from Lewes Old Grammar and young musicians from the

East Sussex Music Service will be performing throughout the evening.

Admission to the Barbican Museum is also free on the night. There’ll be activities in

the galleries and a children’s trail around the museum.

TOWN HALL

The Christmas Craft Fair returns to Lewes Town Hall (Fisher St. entrance) with over

60 stalls. You’ll be sure to find that perfect gift!

LEWES HOUSE – SANTA’S GROTTO

Santa will be stopping off at Lewes House to hear all your Christmas wishes, so

thinking caps on, kids. For the grown-ups – mulled wine while you wait.

PRECINCT

You’ll find festive stalls, food sellers and children’s

fairground rides in the precinct. Look out for the

Silver Sounds Samba Band and, for those watching

their Christmas waistlines, take advantage of dropin

sessions at the Body Happy gym.

HARVEY’S YARD

Once again, Harvey’s Brewery will host their

traditional yard event from 6pm-9pm where you’ll

be able to enjoy music, a hog roast and BBQ,

vintage vehicles, heavy horses and a well-stocked

bar serving the newly released Christmas Ale.

THE TOWN TRAIL

Win great prizes while getting your shopping done:

take part in The Town Trail (see pages 134-136 for

all the details).

THIS YEAR’S CHARITY

Each year Late Night Shopping aims to raise as

much money as possible for local good causes

and this year their chosen charity is The Bevern

Trust. Volunteers will be out and about in the

town all evening with collecting buckets and

you’ll also find collecting tins on shop counters.

Founded in 1999 by Peter and Heather Frost,

to help their son Jonathan, The Bevern Trust

turns 20 this year. It provides a caring home for

life for ten local disabled adults – a happy home,

full of smiles. It’s also a great place to work, and

an invaulable research and campaigning centre.

(See too our ‘Charity box’ on page 21.)

THE TOWN TRAIL...

Twelve shops are taking part this year. Collect a letter from each shop. Arrange them

into a festive word below. Collect all 12 stamps, complete the anagram, fill in your

contact details, tear out this page and hand it in to any of the participating shops. The

first three entries drawn will win either a Harvey’s hamper, a £25 voucher for Bags of

Books or a Viva stocking filled with goodies from local shops. The prize draw will take

place on Friday 6th Dec. Remember to take your Viva out with you!

1 2 3 4

INFORMATION CENTRE

5 6 7 8

9 10 11 12

GET ALL 12 STAMPS IN THE BAUBLES ABOVE

Hand this page into one of the participating shops to be entered in the prize draw

Name ..............................................................................

Email address .............................................................................................

Tel no .................................................................................

A BIG THANK YOU

The High Street Traders Association are presenting Late Night

Shopping this year and would like to thank all the wonderful local

traders who go to such thoughtful and generous efforts

to make the evening a great occasion.

Thanks to Santa and his helpers in their grotto, all the bands,

singers, dancers, entertainers and street vendors that help to

bring the streets to life. Thanks to Isaac Reeves for his graphic

designs and everyone who volunteers their time on the evening

including the street marshals, the Town Crier and the judges.

But most of all, thank you to everyone who comes

out to shop and support their local High Street.

We wish you a very happy, healthy and

prosperous Christmas and New Year.

INFORMATION CENTRE

INSIDE LEFT

THE DRIPPING PAN

There aren’t many sporting arenas in the country

that have been in continuous use for longer

than The Dripping Pan.

One plausible theory was that the ground was

laid out at the same time as the grassy mound

behind it was erected, in the Tudor period, to

be used for jousting and other such events.

We know for certain that some of the first-ever

organised cricket matches were played there in

the 18th century. There is record of a match

between a 2nd Duke of Richmond’s XI and a

Sir William Gage’s XI, as early as August 1730.

Of course, the ground has been used by

Lewes FC since 1885, and both the Men’s and

Women’s teams still attract three or fourfigure

crowds nearly every week.

In the early part of the 20th century, as the

above photo shows, the Dripping Pan was the

venue for the annual ‘Fire Brigades Competition’

in which brigades from round the county

ran through their drills, against the clock, to

see which could achieve the fastest time.

A contemporary report from the Sussex Agricultural

Times describes the 1906 competition,

which is pictured here. Events included the

Horse Cart Drill, the Four Man Manual Drill,

the Five Man Steamer Drill and the Escape

Drill, in which a dummy was rescued from the

top of a scaffold tower.

This picture, we presume, shows the Four Man

Manual Drill, which was won by the Brighton

Volunteer Brigade. Most of the spectators are

at ground level, but some are perched on the

fence above: we are particularly taken by the

fancy hat of the girl near the centre of the

picture.

Interestingly, the newspaper refers to the Dripping

Pan as ‘Mountfield’, thanking the Mayor

and the Corporation for ‘throwing open the

ground’. As the term ‘Dripping Pan’ was already

well established, we can only assume that

the two terms were both simultaneously in use

to describe Lewes’ historic gathering place.

Alex Leith

Thanks to Edward Reeves, 159 High Street,

01273 473274

138

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Viva Lewes Issue #159 December 2019

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