Tuesday 29 April 2014
Fur and feathered friends at Spring Garden and Leisure Show
A bumper gathering of fur and
feathered friends will be on display and in competition at this year’s Spring
Garden & Leisure Show taking place on Sunday 4th and Bank
Holiday Monday 5th May at the South of England Showground, Ardingly.
Over 155 alpacas will be
competing in the South East Regional Alpaca Show, double the entries in
comparison to last year and one of the larger shows in the UK with a new ‘Best
of British’ class showcasing the best UK bred animals. A record number of 14 weavers and spinners
from Sussex and Kent will be in the Spinners and Weavers marquee where visitors
can learn how they turn alpaca fleece into garments such as hats, scarves and
ponchos.
For all dog lovers, the region's top
breeders and over 700 dogs will compete to qualify for Crufts in the South of
England Open Dog Show which forms an integral part of the weekend
and has received commendation from The Kennel Club, in particular, for the
way it offers help and advice to members of the general public.
Thrill seekers can also enjoy the new
Paws in the Park ‘Dogstable Course’ where visitors and their dogs can compete
in a fun and safe obstacle course including a tunnel, gate and jumps with
rosettes awarded to the fastest times of the day.
With dozens of breeds of
chicken to choose from at this year’s show, those looking for a taste of the
good life can find out all they want to know about back garden chicken
keeping. Vet and poultry expert, Martin
Smith and Agricultural Consultant, Andrew Marshall will give regular live talks
about caring for poultry, and enthusiasts are encouraged to come along
throughout the weekend and ask their questions.
Clare Hastings, Chairman of the Spring
Garden & Leisure Show Committee said, “This show offers a unique insight
into the countryside and a great day out for all the family. Younger visitors can enjoy the fluffy
duck trail which will lead them on a journey right around the show to take in
sights such as guess the weight of the giant rabbit, the
‘Access the Countryside’ exhibition featuring cattle, sheep, goats and pig
workshops or the incredibly popular Mini Sheep Show.”
Thousands of visitors are
expected at this two-day garden and leisure event and green-fingered
fans will be inspired with thousands of seasonal plants, shrubs and garden
features on display and for sale across the showground. The latest retro-fashion in gardens, a
Victorian-style ‘Stumpery’, made from uprooted tree trunks and planted with
flowers, will form the horticultural centrepiece for the show.
Top garden experts will be on
hand to advise people on how to repair their gardens after the wettest winter
on record. BBC
gardening expert Jean Griffin and head gardeners from some of the most
exquisite and popular gardens in the South are part of an exciting programme of
Q&A sessions, talks and demonstrations to answer all your gardening and
horticultural questions and help put gardens back on track.
Head Gardener at the Salutation Gardens
in Kent, Steve Edney will explain how he is bringing the famous gardens back into
bloom after spending much of this winter under 20ft of water. Martin Duncan, Head Gardener at Arundel Castle;
Tom Brown, Head Gardener at Parham House; and Peter Holman, Chairman of South
and South East and London in Bloom will also join Jean on the panel of experts.
The Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air
Ambulance crew will also be operational from the showground during the weekend
and whilst on the ground it will offer a very special insight into how the crew
works and a rare opportunity to look over a fully operational helicopter.
Doors open at 9am and close at
5pm. Admission for adults is £10,
children £5 and senior citizens and students £8. Save money with a family
ticket (2 adults + 2 children) for just £25 or for advance ticket discounts and
further information visit www.seas.org.uk or
telephone 01444 892700.
Sunday 27 April 2014
Arlington Bluebell Walk & Farm Shop open to public
Hailsham Town Crier Geoff Rowe formally
kicked off the opening ceremony for Arlington Bluebell Walk for its 42nd year of opening to the public to raise funds for
local charities, reading Emily Bronte’s bluebell poem and leading a toast to
spring 2014.
John McCutchan, Farmer at Bates Green Farm
near Hailsham, who created the walks and looks after the wood, cut a ribbon to
open the woods early this year, as they are already a sea of white wood
anemones and the bluebells have started to open already.
He said, “I believe we may see one of the
most spectacular bluebell displays ever this year.”
The Arlington Bluebell Walk, which takes in
three working farms, has been delighting countryside lovers and raising
hundreds of thousands of pounds for Sussex charities since it first opened in
1972. There are seven different walks to try in the 23 acre wood, including the
graveled Blue Walk, which gives access to mobility scooters, wheelchairs and
pushchairs. Mobility scooters are also available to borrow free of charge.
Seventeen charities will take part in the
2014 event, with Demelza Children’s Hospice in East Sussex first in line, fundraising
by providing food and drink to walkers. To date, the Arlington Bluebell Walk
has raised more than £500,000 (todays value) for 60 local causes since the
attraction opened to the public 42 years ago.
John McCutchan, who farms the land where the
Bluebell Wood is and created the Bluebell Walk, said: “Bluebells signify that
spring has well and truly arrived and warmer weather is on its way. A woodland walk among a carpet of bluebells
is an experience to delight all the senses – from the scent of the native
bluebell to the crunch underfoot of old autumn leaves and birdsong up above.
The Arlington Bluebell Walk has walks and activities which allow people of all
ages and physical abilities to experience this stunning natural phenomenon.”
The fleeting beauty of the spring bluebells
has inspired writers, such as the Bronte sisters, and artists for generations.
Photographers are encouraged to capture the sea of blue in the annual Arlington
Bluebell Walk Photographic Competition. The winner entry will be featured on
the front of the 2015 attraction leaflet and entries from 2013 will be on
display.
Artists can take part in the Paint Me a
Bluebell competition and there is also a children’s quiz with prizes awarded by
the National Farmers Union. The quizzes are based on the different colour coded
walks.
Visitors can also learn more about dairy farming and get up close to
farm animals with pens of pigs, angora goats, sheep and baby chicks. At
neighbouring Parkwood Farm, the milking of the large herd can be seen from a
special viewing gallery every afternoon between 3pm and 5pm.
The Bluebell Farm Shop which is normally open Fridays and Saturdays from
9.30pm to 5pm will be open every day the Bluebell Walk is open from 11.00am and
is the main outlet for locally produced beef, lamb, chicken and fresh turkeys
at Christmas all reared by John McCutchan’s son in law Michael Vine (formally
from Ersham Farm in Hailsham)
The Farm Shop is a foodies’ paradise, stocked with a tastebud-tantalising
selection of ingredients for a spectacular dish prepared with the minimum of
food miles. Farmer’s wife Philippa Vine is a professional cook and food writer
and has a passion for locally sourced quality ingredients. The shop will stock a
mouthwatering range of homemade sausages, pies, tarts and delicious cakes.
Quality essentials such as olive and flavoured oils, vinegars, spices, herbs,
coffee, rice, pasta, pulses, flour and local free range eggs will also be
available.
For those wanting the ultimate takeaway after their walk, Philippa
offers a pre-order service, where countryside lovers can pick up tarts, cakes,
casseroles, and pies after their visit.
Philippa also offers cookery tuition in her farmhouse kitchen on a one
to one basis, or with a friend.
orders@bluebellfarmshop.co.uk or telephone 07896742454
Arlington Bluebell Walk
Thursday
10 April – Sunday 18 May 2014
Bates
Green Farm, Tye Hill Road, Arlington, Polegate, East Sussex, BN26 6SH
(Signs
off A22 and A27)
Open 10am daily Close: 5pm daily
Adults
£5.00. children £2.00 or family of up to 6 is £12.00. Seniors £4.50
Circus Street Market brings urban playground to Brighton
Crowds were thrilled
by a spectacular Parkour dance performance at Circus
Street Market by Brighton troupe Urban Playground, funded by Cathedral Group
and McLaren and organised by South East Dance.
Urban Playground also
managed workshops over the past two days with over 50 local people, including
adults and children from the neighbouring Tarner community, learning exciting
dance moves in the extraordinary ‘urban decay’ setting of the old market building.
“We are delighted to
help South East Dance bring such special and unique dance opportunities to
local people right on the site where we aim to build their future Dance Space,”
said Martyn Evans, Creative Director at Cathedral Group.
The event was part of
an ongoing programme of activity by South East Dance aiming to bring
world-class dance artists together with local communities.
Cathedral Group in
partnership with McLaren Property submitted a planning application back in
December for a development on the site estimated to bring over £200million into
Brighton & Hove over the next ten years, create over 600 jobs, deliver two
landmark public buildings: The Dance Space, a new home for dance, and a library
and teaching building for the University of Brighton, as well as much needed
new homes and student accommodation.
Saturday 12 April 2014
The Princess Royal to visit South of England Show
The Princess Royal will visit this year's South of England Show, celebrating British country life at the South of England Showground in Ardingly, on 5th June, it was announced on the official website of the British Monarchy this week [9th April].
Her
Royal Highness will visit some of the highlights of the Show, which is this
year celebrating horticulture, before she attends the AGM of the Royal Agricultural
Society of the Commonwealth, to be hosted at the Showground on the same day, in
her role as President.
Said
Michael Lambert, Chairman of the South of England Agricultural Society, who is
also Secretary of the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth, “We are
very much looking forward to hosting Her Royal Highness at the South of England
Show, which will showcase the best of British agriculture, equestrianism, food
and drink and rural crafts and skills.
“Horticulture
is a central feature of this year’s show and we hope that she will enjoy some
spectacular displays from the region’s specialists and schools, as well as
seeing some of the superb
equestrian events that we hold here.”
The Princess Royal last visited the South of
England Show when she was President of the South of England Agricultural
Society in 2004.
With
fun for all the family, highlights at the Show this year include the micro-sized
Shetland Pony Grand National, heavy horse turnouts, show jumping, Fur &
Feather displays with dozens of breeds of chickens and rabbits and the famous
livestock display where hundreds of animals have their moment of glory.
Last
year children and parents enjoyed mingling with the hounds and huntsmen during
the cavalcade of hounds in the Ardingly Ring; and for the three days of the show, the 150-acre
showground comes alive with hundreds of competitions, from best cattle, sheep,
pig and goat breeds, to countryside skills, including the Young Craftsman of
the Year and the farriers’ horse shoeing competitions.
World
class showjumping and equestrian events also feature throughout the show, as
well as entertainment and music, shopping galore and for foodies there is one
of the most impressive food halls in the South East.
FREE
entry for children under 6 yrs. FREE
parking and a regular bus shuttle service from Haywards Heath train station to
the showground.
For
further information and for advance ticket discounts visit www.seas.org.uk
or
telephone 01444 892700
You can
also follow us on Facebook: ‘SouthofEnglandShowground’, Twitter @
sofeshowground and read the Blog at SouthofEnglandShowground
SOUTH OF ENGLAND SHOW
South of England Centre, Ardingly, West Sussex.
(Near Haywards Heath. Junction 10 off M23)
Open: 9am daily. Close: 6.30pm daily.
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