NWSS Make Donation To Pool Fund

Horsham based Brighton & Hove Albion supporters club North West Sussex Seagulls have made a £200 donation to a Cowfold school swimming pool fund. Members of the supporters club attended St Peters CE Primary School on Wednesday 17th July to present a cheque to Chair of Governors Eileen Precious and school head Giles Kolter. Eileen Precious explained that the swimming pool is a village community pool and was built in memory of village lads who sadly drowned in the sea some years ago, the idea being that all village children should learn to swim. It is used for lessons and clubs for the school children and is open to the public for some of the summer holidays. Although a charge is made for use of the pool this does not cover the cost of running it and the school relies on fundraising and donations to make up the shortfall. The school runs the pool but does not contribute financially from the school budget to its upkeep so any donation is gratefully received.

Mike Wilson on behalf of NWSS said that they were delighted to be able to make a donation to the Cowfold community swimming pool fund and praised the school’s contribution in encouraging all children in the village to learn how to swim. Raising awareness to fund this important local facility is crucial in being able to keep it a part of the local community and the school. NWSS supporters club is a non-profit making organisation and any surplus funds left over at the end of a football season are donated to local charities and organisations, with a particular emphasis on youth activities. On match days NWSS transports over 100 Albion fans in two coaches to the Amex Stadium from Roffey, Horsham, Southwater, Cowfold & Henfield.

More information on St Peters School and NWSS can be found on their websites at www.stpetersschoolcowfold.org.uk and www.northwestsussexseagulls.co.uk 

Really Nice Folks

Cambridge Folk Festival
Thursday 25th - Sunday 28th July, 2013

That's the Cambridge Folk Festival done and it was great to hear some new music to melt my ears. So much stuff to listen to over the four days and the weather was gloriously hot & sunny (apart from Saturday evening when we had lots of warm rain). Highlights of the festival for me were Irish songstress Heidi Talbot, Brighton band The Levellers, K T Tunstall, The Staves, LAPD, Katherine Roberts & Sean Lakeman, guitarist Tommy Emmanuel, female duo Larkin Poe (the wife loved them) and Lucy Rose. Although not musically my cup of tea the most entertaining live act were The Bombay Royale. You probably wouldn't have liked all the music on show but there was, without doubt, something for everyone.

The festival is more than just music though, there's all sorts of entertainment from Morris Dancers to poetry and there's also plenty of workshops if you wanted them. There were two main stages with two other tents for the up and coming artists, with particular emphasis on young musicians. The food choices were enormous and not too overpriced and the bars had a reasonable selection of real ales and cider to choose from. Lots of traditional craft and vintage clothes stalls were on show, as well as the obligatory merchandise tent. There was a wi-fi area where you could hook up to the internet for free and even a place where you could charge up your mobile phone if you needed to (at a price). Toilet facilities were excellent and I never had to queue, unlike some of the ladies. The ages of people attending the festival ranged from the very young to the more mature music fan (like me I guess) so I felt right at home. Camping was available for those that wanted it and the on site camping facilities looked excellent. We did the easy option and opted for a very nice B&B three miles away at the Tudor Cottage Guest House. The park and ride worked like a dream and we didn't experience any hold ups at either end of the day, in fact it was a short 10 minute walk to the festival site so no need to take the bus really. It's the 50th Cambridge Folk Festival next year and I really hope that we can visit again in 2014 as we had such a great time for our first ever visit this year

Irish songstress Heidi Talbot with me and the missus (I'm on the left!)

A really good music festival that was so much more than just 'folk' music. The folk purists might throw their hands up in horror at the electrification of some of the acts who performed but folk now encompasses such a vast range of different types of genres. From the traditional Celtic roots, through Cajun, Blues, African and into the mainstream crossover with bands like Steeleye Span, Bellowhead, The Mavericks, K T Tunstall and The Levellers. I don't care what you call it, I just like it.

It's a beautiful day

Morris Dancers try to establish the location of the beer tent

Only at the Cambridge Folk Festival: I saw something for the first time ever in my 60 years of being on this planet - a tree wearing a knitted jumper pretending to be a message board. That is so cool.

A tree wearing a knitted jumper - so cool

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