News and events

Thursday 8 May is the 80^th anniversary of VE Day – a moment of celebration and reflection that marked the end of World War II in Europe.

The day will be an opportunity for people in West Sussex to come together and pay tribute to all those who fought for freedom from 1939 to 1945.

Residents are being encouraged to be a part of history by watching a flag raising or the lighting of beacons, joining a street party or attending a church service.

You can check out what’s happening near you at ve-vjday80.gov.uk

Our library service also has a wide range of resources to help you celebrate and find out more about VE Day.

If you would like to know more about the Home Front during the war, then Matthew Jones, Assistant County Archivist at the West Sussex Record Office, will be giving a talk called ‘West Sussex at War 1939-1945: the Home Front’ at The Old Library, Knockhundred Row, Midhurst GU29 9DQ on Thursday 8 May at 2pm. Booking is essential.

If you can’t make that date, then you can join a free online webinar on Sussex Day (16 June).

The webinar, the latest in the West Sussex Unwrapped series from West Sussex Record Office and Screen Archive South East, will explore the experiences of ordinary West Sussex residents on the Home Front in the Second World War. Photographs and documents from the Record Office will help to bring to life themes such as evacuation, rationing, air raids and the ever-present threat of invasion by sea whilst films from Screen Archive South East will show Home Guard training and activities, including the wrong and the right way of dealing with Nazi spies.

The talk will end with a compilation of films depicting the war-time experience and the end-of-war celebrations across the south east. Find the details here.

Here’s some of the other VE Day events happening in West Sussex:

• From May to September our West Sussex Record Office in Orchard Street, Chichester, will host a display of World War II photographs, with a selection of images displayed in some of our libraries across the county as well.

 

• Throughout May there will be an exhibition at Midhurst Museum of World War II artefacts from the Royal Sussex Regiment collections. You can find out more about the Royal Sussex Regiment Archive including World War II material here: The Royal Sussex Regiment - West Sussex Record Office. 

• During War Graves Week from 2 to 11 May, there will be Commonwealth War Graves Commission tours at Midhurst, Easebourne, Lodsworth and Clymping where those who lost their lives in World War II are buried, including men from the Royal Sussex Regiment. Find out more about War Graves Week here.

Councillor Pieter Montyn, Chairman of West Sussex County Council, said: “It is fitting that we mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation and the end of World War II in Europe.

“The hard-won victory began in June of 1944 with the Allied landings in Normandy and further operations in northern France in which British and Dominion forces alongside US and other forces played a central part. These continued at Arnhem and in the Ardennes during the harsh winter of 1944.  

“In the spring of 1945 British and other forces advanced through northern France and towards the end of April and during the first days of May liberated occupied Belgium and the Netherlands. 

“West Sussex played its part in the liberation, home as it was to the extensive build-up of ground and airborne personnel and equipment as well as to vast amounts of supporting materiel, in anticipation of the Normandy landings, and supporting continuing cross Channel operations.

“When the formal end of WW II hostilities was signed on 7 and 8 May, over a million people celebrated in the streets of Britain.

“Today, Victory in Europe Day is celebrated and remembered in most European nations. 

“This is a time not only to remember the extraordinary effort and events of 80 years ago, but also to reflect in gratitude on the sacrifices made by so many in the pursuit of peace.”

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For further information please contact the news desk on 0330 222 8090 or email [email protected].

Cuckfield Parish Council is calling on residents passionate about their community to consider becoming a Parish Councillor, as we currently have 1 vacancy to fill. 

MAKE A CHANGE, BECOME A LOCAL COUNCILLOR 

What do councillors do? Councillors are the champions of their community and give residents a voice on the decisions the council makes. 

How long does it take? Councillors put aside, on average, three hours a week for council work. This often includes attending meetings, engaging with residents and speaking on behalf of the council to other bodies. Currently Cuckfield Parish Council meets once every 3 weeks on Thursday evenings from 7.30pm. Depending on additional meetings or events happening within the village this may be more frequent 

Can I stand? There are only a few rules to stand for co-option. You must be: A British citizen, or a citizen of the Commonwealth, or the European Union 18 years of age or older Live or work within Cuckfield 

How can I get involved? Contact Noemi Ripert, Parish Clerk, Cuckfield Parish Council at 01444 454276 or [email protected] to find out more.

Everyone in West Sussex, including young people, professionals, and local organisations, still has the opportunity to have their say on improving health and wellbeing and reducing inequalities across the county.

The West Sussex Health and Wellbeing Board is seeking residents’ views on its draft five-year strategy (2025 to 2030), which sets out the overarching plan for improving health and wellbeing and reducing inequalities across the county.  

The draft strategy uses the latest evidence to identify the challenges and needs of people and communities in West Sussex and presents the board’s vision and five priority areas:

• Food and nutrition
• School readiness
• Transitioning to adulthood – children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing
• Tobacco control
• Health and wellbeing in temporary accommodation

The consultation closes at 11:55pm next Sunday, 27 April 2025.

Take the survey here: Draft Joint Local Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025 - 2030 | Your Voice West Sussex

Those who would prefer to complete a paper copy of the survey can visit their local library where copies are available.

The survey is also available to download and print and can be returned to any West Sussex Library. Find your local library on our website

For further information please contact the news desk on 0330 222 8090 or email [email protected]. For urgent out-of-hours enquiries please call 07767 098415.

Visitors to West Sussex Record Office can be assured of a first-class service when they are researching their local or family history after it successfully retained its Archives Accreditation, which sets the standard for archive services across the UK.

The Accreditation Panel praised the ‘strongly-led’ archive service that uses ‘a considered approach to development and delivery’, the effective use of resources to deliver services to its stakeholders, and the ‘impressive work on digital preservation’.

Archive Service Accreditation is the UK quality standard for archive services. 

It defines good practice and provides a benchmark for gauging performance, recognising achievement and driving improvement within the archives sector.

 

The Record Office has a vast collection of archives relating to West Sussex, stored on over eight miles of shelving dating back over 1,200 years.

It holds archives dating from 780AD to the present day for local councils, churches, schools, police, courts, hospitals, businesses, groups and societies, families, landed estates like Goodwood and Parham, the Diocese of Chichester and the Royal Sussex Regiment, as well as managing the modern records of the county council.

It’s the place to go if you are tracing your family history, studying the history of your house or any local building, want to research a military ancestor or explore old photographs.

You can also uncover information for a school or college project, carry out research for a book or postgraduate study, listen to memories of times gone by and view old film footage of the local area.

Councillor Duncan Crow, Cabinet Member for Community Support, Fire and Rescue said: “This is excellent news and shows what a valuable service the Record Office provides to help people and communities fulfil their potential by providing access to thousands of collections in one building.

“I am particularly impressed with the work by our Record Office staff on digital preservation, which puts us at the forefront of developments nationally and ensures that digital records for West Sussex can be preserved for future generations.

“The website was launched with 36,000 images in June 2024. More are being added as part of a regular programme of work and there are now over 52,600 digital images available for people to view.”

Take a magical history tour by visiting www.wsro.org.uk.

Notes to editors:

The awards were made by a UK Archive Service Accreditation Committee panel.

Archive Service Accreditation is supported by a partnership of the Archives and Records Association (UK), Archives and Records Council Wales, National Records of Scotland, Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, Scottish Council on Archives, The National Archives and the Welsh Government through its Museums, Archives and Libraries Wales division.

View the full list of accredited archive services.

Find out more about Archive Service Accreditation.

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For further information please contact the news desk on 0330 222 8090 or email [email protected]. For urgent out-of-hours enquiries please call 07767 098415. 

A successful scheme that has prevented over 94 tonnes of food from going to waste since April 2023 will continue for another year, thanks to funding from West Sussex County Council. 

Run in partnership with Sussex-based food rescue charity UKHarvest, the Community Food Hubs redistribute surplus food from suppliers while educating residents on food waste prevention. 

The hubs take place once a month in each district and borough across West Sussex. For a small voluntary donation of £5, residents can access a wide selection of surplus food. No referrals are needed and all residents are welcome to visit the child-friendly hubs. 

Deborah Urquhart, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, said: “Food waste makes up a staggering 40% of the average household’s general waste bin in West Sussex. 

“An important element of Our Council Plan is reducing the amount of waste we process. Tackling food waste and helping people minimise the amount of food they throw away is crucial. 

“Food waste also has a significant environmental impact—when you throw food away, you’re also wasting the resources that went into producing it. By rescuing surplus food, these hubs support both the environment and our communities. 

“At a time when many people are facing cost-of-living pressures, we’re proud to support this valuable service, helping residents access good-quality food that would otherwise go to waste.” 

In October 2022, the County Council launched a six-month pilot project to encourage people to make use of surplus food. Thanks to its resounding success the programme is now being extended for a third year, running until April 2026. 

In addition to surplus food, the hubs provide advice, recipe ideas and information stands on topics such as waste prevention, wellbeing and Citizens Advice services. 

Nigel Boshein, UKHarvest Community Food Hubs Manager, said: “The seven West Sussex County Council-funded food hubs allow us to provide food for an additional 1,136 people each month. This invaluable service ensures that healthy and nutritious food reaches those who need it most across the county. 

We are always looking to expand our Community Food Hubs programme, and with continued support from West Sussex County Council, we hope even more people will benefit from accessing rescued surplus food for a small voluntary donation.” 

Community Food Hub Locations 

• Adur – Southwick, Southwick Community Centre, 24 Southwick Street, Southwick, BN4 4TE
• Arun – Bognor Regis, Bognor Youth and Community Centre, Westloats Lane, Bognor Regis, PO21 5JZ
• Chichester – Petworth, Sylvia Beaufoy Centre, Midhurst Road, Petworth, GU28 0ET
• Crawley – Broadfield, Broadfield Community Centre, Broadfield Barton, Crawley, RH11 9BA
• Horsham – Storrington, Chanctonbury Leisure Centre, Spierbridge Road, Storrington, Pulborough, RH20 4PG
• Mid Sussex – Haywards Heath, Ascension Church, 110 Vale Road, Haywards Heath, RH16 4JS
• Worthing – Worthing, Sidney Walter Centre, Sussex Road, Worthing, BN11 1DS 

For a list of Community Food Hub dates, visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/UKHarves.... 

For more information and advice on food waste prevention, visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/FightAga....  

 

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  For further information please contact the news desk on 0330 222 8090 or email [email protected]. For urgent out-of-hours enquiries please call 07767 098415.

What do authors Elly Griffiths, Jane Austen and Peter James have in common?

They all have links to Sussex and all appear in your ‘100 favourite authors’ list published by our West Sussex Library Service, which this year has a packed year of events as it celebrates 100 years of being in the heart of the community.

If you are not already a member of the library, and would like to join in with the celebrations, it’s quick and easy to sign up if you live or work in the county. Visit your local library or join online.

West Sussex residents nominated their most-loved authors and Griffiths, Austen and James were the top three in a list that spans such diverse genres as fantasy, crime fiction, children’s and horror, as well as domestic noir, historical romance and humour.

Local links

Other authors with local links that make the most popular list include Richard Osman who grew up in Haywards Heath, Kate Mosse who lives in Chichester, and Philippa Gregory who lived at Pagham Harbour as a young woman which she also made the setting of her novel Dawnlands. Author Elly Griffiths lives near Brighton and Peter James was born there.

Steyning-based children’s author Julia Donaldson is also on the list, and her famous character The Gruffalo has a special place in the service’s 100 year celebrations, in the shape of a library card designed especially for the centenary.

World famous English novelist Jane Austen’s local link is to Worthing. In 1805 she stayed in Warwick Street with her mother, sister Cassandra, and a friend. She later drew on her observations of early Worthing for her final and unfinished novel Sanditon, the story of an up-and-coming seaside resort in Sussex.

Did you know?

Every week in our 36 libraries that are open Monday to Saturday there are:

• 42,000 customer visits
• 61,000 books (and other items) borrowed
• 3,000 people helped online
• 2,500 enquiries answered
• 3,000 people attending library events
• 315 hours of time given by volunteers.

Councillor Duncan Crow, Cabinet member for Community Support, Fire and Rescue said: “Our libraries certainly deliver our corporate priority of helping people and communities fulfil their potential. Our libraries help to inform, educate, and entertain our residents, as well as providing a welcoming place for people to come together.

“Reading is proven to significantly reduce feelings of loneliness, enhance empathy and increase self-esteem, as well as being a hugely enjoyable hobby.

“We have tens of thousands of books available for residents to borrow free of charge. They can search our online catalogue to reserve a title for collection from their local library or visit any of our 36 libraries to browse the shelves or pick up their reservation.

“We also have thousands of titles available for members to access for free via our eLibrary.”

View the top authors list here: 100 favourite authors - West Sussex.   You can click on the name of each author which will bring up a list of their books that are available in West Sussex libraries, plus a synopsis of what each book is about.

Find out what is happening to celebrate the library service’s centenary here: arena.westsussex.gov.uk/centenary.

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For further information please contact the news desk on 0330 222 8090 or email [email protected]. For urgent out-of-hours enquiries please call 07767 098415.

 April events coming soon..

To stay updated on the latest news and events in Cuckfield, you can read our monthly newsletter at: Cuckfield Parish Council April Newsletter

If you're not already subscribed, there's an option to sign up, and the newsletter will be conveniently delivered to your email inbox each month.

Cuckfield’s special afternoon for older people. Join us for an afternoon of Fun, Friendship, and Festivities

Food & Drink, Raffle and entertainment will all be included

27th April, from 1pm -3pm 

Please RSVP using any of the following methods:

📧 Email: [email protected]

📞 Phone: 01444 454276

🏠 In Person: The Queens Hall, 10am-3pm mon-fri

🔗 Online: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk...

Alternatively, you can scan the QR code to book instantly.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Join us for a fun-filled afternoon on the rugby pitch in front off HHRFC Whitemans Green! Sunday 20th July from 1pm - 5pm

Enjoy entertainment, fairground rides, a skate jam, and much more! Bring your own picnic or grab delicious food from the stalls.

The clubhouse bar will be open, along with other stalls selling drinks.

A perfect family day out—don’t miss it!

Kaleidoscope Singers will be performing in Concert at Holy Trinity Church, Cuckfield, on Saturday 26^th April, from 4.00pm until 5.00pm.

Based in Steyning, this small acapella choir have performed at many venues throughout Sussex and the South East over the last 22 years, but this will be their first visit to sing in Concert in Cuckfield.

“Whilst we normally do at least one concert a year in Lindfield, we have somehow never managed to perform in Cuckfield before now, and we are really looking forward to the opportunity to sing in this stunning Church, with its amazing acoustics” comments Zoe Peate, their Musical Director.

“ We bring a very mixed repertoire on this occasion – not only  to entertain, but to show the versatility of our singers.”.

The Concert will include Spirituals, Folk, Sacred,  a few “Weather themed” Pieces, an Irish Reel, Disney and even a little Michael Buble !!

We hope many in Cuckfield will come and support our first concert, and thoroughly enjoy this one hour mixed musical programme.

Tickets for the Concert are £10.00 each, (Under 18 Free) and are available  online   www.ksticket.co.uk  or from Holy Trinity Church Office,