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Issue 3 | June 2019
D-Day 75: West Sussex people played their role.
A West Sussex man, whose invention helped make the D-Day landings possible, is just one of the stories in a new edition of a book produced by West Sussex Record Office.
‘D-Day West Sussex’ explains how Lieutenant-Commander Robert Lochner, RNVR, experimented in the garden pond at his home at Linchmere near Midhurst to create ‘floating sea walls’ (Mulberry Harbours) which allowed supply lorries and other support vehicles to land safely on the Normandy beaches.
The book is available at the Record Office in Orchard Street, Chichester and from all public libraries in West Sussex.
Visitors to the Record Office will also be able to read the diary of a General, written just days before D-Day. This, along with other significant documents, is on display in the reception area. In the diary General Lashmer Gordon Whistler of the Royal Sussex Regiment, described how he felt before D-Day: “A very strange feeling being in England waiting for the final campaign to start. I hope I am not going to be too frightened.”
Whistler took command of the 3rd Infantry Division for the final push from Normandy to Bremen in Germany.
For more information visit the WSCC website.
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Working to support Armed Forces Veterans.
The Veterans Hub project helps local veterans by offering comradeship and support in a welcoming group environment.
The project covers all our ex-service personnel from recently ‘signed-off’ men and women to those who defended the country in WW2, fought in Korea and those who have served through subsequent wars and conflicts.
The Forces Connect South East - Veterans Hubs project has funds available to support local veterans groups to achieve Hub status and to help make them sustainable. If you know of any group that might benefit from this project please ask them to contact the project’s Delivery Partners by email at simplesolutionsbusiness@gmail.com
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Jobs in care.
Our Proud to Care West Sussex website currently has over 200 jobs in care advertised across West Sussex.
If you know anyone who is looking for a job where there’s flexibility, opportunities to progress and they have the skills to help people get the best out of every day we’d love them to get in touch with us.
As part of our campaign to find more people to work in care, we’re hosting drop in recruitment events in Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill where people can meet local providers and find out more about jobs currently available.
For details on future events in Bognor Regis, Littlehampton and Worthing please email sam.boulton@westsussex.gov.uk.
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Change a life through Fostering.
It’s the small things that make the biggest difference. That’s what our children in care tell us.
We’ve launched a new campaign asking everyone to consider if they could #changealife by fostering.
Please help us share this campaign. Our monthly information evenings are a great way to find out more and are hosted across the county with the next event taking place on 13 June in Horsham.
Take a moment to watch an interview with Harry, one of our care leavers, who recently shared his experience of being in care and follow the campaign on social media at #changealife.
You can also download our latest poster for your notice boards.
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Ash Dieback disease.
Ash dieback (ADB) is a disease of ash trees, first recognised in the UK in 2012. Once infected, the disease is usually fatal. Typically, the tree becomes very brittle, snapping at the base. Although there is no treatment, a small percentage of ash may be resistant to, or tolerant of, the infection. Just over 20% of all trees in West Sussex are ash. ADB will therefore have a significant impact on the county’s habitats.
The County Council is working with district and borough councils, organisations, and land owners to coordinate an approach and mitigate potential health and safety risks. There is likely to be selective felling of ash trees and reactive work this summer.
We are encouraging town and parish councils in West Sussex to check the trees they are responsible for and prepare plans to manage the impact of ADB.
More details and guidance will be sent out to you separately to help you put plans in place.
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Crackdown on single-use plastics launched by County Council.
A plan to eliminate single-use plastics and avoid unnecessary plastic waste has been launched by West Sussex County Council.
The County Council will carry out a full audit of all the plastic it uses across its buildings and set targets for reduction as part of a Plastics Action Plan published last week.
The council has made a commitment to find alternatives to plastic wherever possible and to use recycled plastic when it isn’t. The council will also ensure that where possible, plastic items they do use can be reused or recycled.
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Boost for butterflies, bees and beetles
The importance of pollinating insects such as butterflies, bumblebees and beetles is being spelt out in West Sussex.
A new ‘pollinator action plan’ has been published by West Sussex County Council which sets out how these vital species can be protected.
“Pollinators are an integral part of our existence. Without them our food supply, wildlife and countryside would cease to exist,” said Deborah Urquhart, West Sussex County Council Cabinet Member for Environment.
“There are over 4,000 species in the UK and impending habitat loss, pesticides and climate change are threatening their very existence.”
The pollinator action plan aims to help sustain pollinator species in the county. West Sussex County Council will work with contractors and partners to deliver this plan and will encourage schools, residents and businesses to get involved.
Town and Parish Councils are invited to think about pollinators in their local areas, if not already doing so and get in touch with news of any action (including photos where possible) being taken to increase or protect habitat for pollinators.
To encourage further, we have a great offer - the first 20 councils that get in touch via sustainability@westsussex.gov.uk will be sent a Wildflower Seed Pack and sowing instructions. Each pack contains enough wildflower seeds to cover an area of 20m2 – perhaps there’s an area at your Parish Offices or you could create your own wildflower corridor with 1m2 dotted throughout the parish?
Visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/bees to learn more, view the plan and find out about the small changes you can make at home too.
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Our latest communication campaigns
Take a look at three of our latest communication campaigns:
Feel free to share these links, and the information contained within, to help keep your residents updated and informed.
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Have your say on local issues that affect you
Have your say on matters that affect you and your local communities - and get your residents to do the same - by visiting our Have Your Say Consultation Hub. From major road schemes and Joint Area Action Plans, to premises licence applications and safeguarding in our schools; we want to hear your residents' views to help shape future policy and decisions.
One of our main public consultations open right now is:
Go to the Have Your Say Consultation Hub for all the latest consultations
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Your Voice: The People's Panel
Alternatively, encourage your residents to join Your Voice: The People's Panel where they'll be regularly consulted about a number of important local issues. Once registered they'll receive links to surveys, reports and outcomes and occasionally links to other public surveys.
Find out more information and subscribe here.
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Get in touch!
If you have any questions about what you've read, or you'd like to share some of the work your town or parish council is doing for us to highlight in future newsletters, email us at:
townandparishcouncilnews@westsussex.gov.uk
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Follow us on social media
Don't forget you can also follow West Sussex County Council on social media for all the latest news and updates. Just click on one of the social media links at the bottom of this email.
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Do you have an event coming up?
If you would like to promote an event in your area you can use the events calendar on our website.
You can search for West Sussex events here.
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