November

November has been, like all others, an interesting and very varied month of visits – I keep being asked “what has been the best so far in the year”? It is so very difficult to answer as each visit is very different, has special meaning and is a delight in its own right as well as a privilege to have been included in whatever was going on – this is not trite merely fact as predecessors will confirm and successors find for themselves.
We were lucky enough to be invited by the Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex to join with her and other guests at the “Dining In” of the new Chief Constable of Sussex Mr Martin Richards as our first engagement for the month followed the following evening with a dinner for us hosted by the Lord Lieutenant of West Sussex at his home and an opportunity to meet the people behind the names of which I hade heard much.
On the 4th we were invited to join in the Bognor Regis Civic Service and nearly didn’t make it thanks the London – Brighton Veteran Car Run! Fortunately we were able to pass a message of possible delay but made it with seconds to spare. On the 6th we launched the Public Appeal for £1million to replace the Shoreham Lifeboat and Station – the total cost is close on £5 million with some funds already available and committed it seemed sensible to limit the Public Appeal! We are well on our way and any day now as and when a Rescue call is made, it may be the last slipway launch for the boat as she will go afloat for the duration of the works – so now you know why I have been visiting Shoreham Yacht Club for Committee meetings! If you can help with the appeal by way of funds and fund raising – I and the entire Crew will be delighted to hear from you –
want to know more go to: http://www.shorehamlifeboat.co.uk/news.html
The following morning it was to Arundel Castle for the NSPCC South and Mid Sussex Branch AGM following which there was a presentation on the work of Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) by two extremely caring and informative officers from the CEOP Centre.
The following evening was an attendance at a Presentation by a locally based consultancy offering environmentally friendly building projects Frankham being Haywards Heath based and providing service across the Country.
Friday 9th we spent the afternoon in the Police Resource Centre at Haywards Heath where the intricacies of communication and communications with Officers on Patrol were explained prior to sitting in the centre and listening to first calls from the Public for help and the manner in which local help was summonsed and directed. The radio team who also answer the phone do really deserve a very Big Thank You from us all they have infinite patience, have a calming manner and an ability to extract information from some very distraught and anxious callers and Police Officers reporting on the incidents they are attending and actions taken. I have experienced these skills from Night Patrol with the Police and asked if I could make the visit to pass on the Thanks of the community. Then it was into the CCTV suite where we joined the team monitoring cameras in town centres around Sussex – fortunately things were quite quiet as this enabled a full briefing of the work – their response to incidents observed in terms of evidence gathering as well as being a source of information to Police Officers on the ground – we left knowing that our journey to Amberley to the Working Museum was not going to be delayed by traffic build up as we had scanned the road route to be taken! Every year the Museum invites a specialist and notable person to speak on a topic of choice – this was, I am ashamed to say, our first visit to the museum and we were pleased to see, on entering the site, the WSCC steam powered road roller being loaded for transport to London for the Lord Mayor’s show the following day. This year’s Heritage lecture was given by Professor Sir Gordon Conway KCMG FRS on the subject of ‘Making Science and innovation work in a developing world’ - with a buffet to follow it was a good chance to network and also ask the questions one didn’t feel able to in front of others!
Saturday and St Paul’s School Burgess Hill for the Red Cross day at which we were shown the work of the modern day Red Cross the equipment they use, the skills they have and the ever growing demand for volunteers of all age groups – it was a fascinating visit and I am now enrolled for a first aid course, essential as we have come across some road traffic accidents as we have been travelling the County and I have felt very inadequate!
Sunday 11th November Remembrance Day Service and Parade at Worthing – the Lord Lieutenant determines who should attend which service held within the County – The day if you can remember it started a little grey but looked as if it was to stay dry, sadly it didn’t and the heavens opened at the most inappropriate time and it got cold a couple of the veterans suffered with hypothermia, but despite this a record crowd, very smart Cadet Force members and an excellent band from the Salvation Army – a moving experience especially having three members of our family serving in the Territorial Army and one having served in Iraq in OpTelic 4.
A couple of days office bound to remind my colleagues what I looked like then it was off to Arun and District Neighbourhood Watch AGM at Littlehampton – I had quite expected to see my predecessor Mrs Judith Buckland DL who formed the link through this particular branch with Neighbourhood Watch wherein the High Sheriff for East and West Sussex are now Patrons for their year of service. An interesting evening at which the proposed Police changes, being budget driven, are not exactly being welcomed by the members.
16th and Brighton and Hove Business Club Lunch a new organisation bringing business leaders together to share information, raise funds for charity and enjoy some social time together – unfortunately I was asked to speak on my role, hopefully it did not put too many off their lunch. I hope to be back and taking some lifeboat crew with me! That evening Burgess Hill School for Girls had their presentation evening for the upper school and academic achievements with recent leavers coming back to collect certificates and accolades with some splendid University places having been attained, a dynamic and exciting evening with musical entertainment from some very talented young people.
Saturday evening and Patrol with East Grinstead Police where they are operating a Zero Tolerance Policy – commencing at 5.00 p.m. and out with the Patrol until 10.00 – a varied evening of burglar alarms at schools, possession of herbal cannabis – driving habits and a caution as well as dealing with a couple of groups of young people, in different areas, deemed to have been making a nuisance and then onto the pavement outside the night clubs watching clients entering and leaving the premises on what turned out to be the first very cold night of the winter and a somewhat uneventful evening. The new Section 32 powers giving the Police the right to exclude persons from an area for twelve hours was used for the first time in the town and despite the recipient’s confirmation of understanding as to the meaning and effect of any breach, they re-appeared in short time and were transported to the Custody Suite in Crawley – a long lonely walk home and not seen again that evening! I still cannot comprehend why alcohol is consumed in such a quantity as to render anyone senseless and when it is a young and therefore potentially vulnerable female scantily attired, of which there were many, it makes no sense at all!
Leaving the excitement of Clubland at 0300 allowed me some sleep before attending the Sussex Counties service celebrating HM The Queen and HRH Prince Philip’s Diamond Wedding Anniversary Service in Chichester Cathedral on Sunday afternoon. Couples who shared the same wedding date were included in the wonderful service and entertained to tea at County Hall where we were able to share in their life stories and experiences – it was encouraging to see so many younger members of the family supporting them especially as it was a frightfully wet (torrential rain) and dull afternoon. One couple were particularly keen to meet with Christine and I as they had hoped to be joined by a friend whom it turned out was a close family friend of my parents who had lost touch, sadly and at the last moment she was not well enough to make the journey. It was a truly memorable occasion and we rounded the evening off by attending the Army Benevolent Fund Charity Concert with the Welsh Guards in the Festival Theatre.
Monday 20th I was invited, by the Police, to attend a seminar with members of the various Independent Advisory Groups from across Sussex where persons of all interests and race support the Police in incident related matters which may have a major impact upon the community. This was the second such seminar and showed the lengths the Police go to, to ensure that all parts of the community understand what is being done to minimise risk to the public and inform those directly involved or associated with an incident which could range from sudden death, a severe and major road accident or fire through to an act of terrorism. A recognition of fact that no one has all the answers but by sharing there are many who can and are willing to help. A wonderful group of socially minded caring people – I learned a great deal.
By contrast Tuesday’s meeting was that of the Surrey – Sussex Courts Board at Lewes where the day to day management of the Courts, their composition and staffing levels, trial effectiveness and public accountability, all managed under the Chairmanship of a Lay member were discussed. Then it was on to Rudgwick where Hall and Woodhouse the family owned brewers were launching their fund raising initiative called the “Community Chest” into which the company provides a core fund and encourages members of the company and publicans to use their talents to raise more which can be applied to local causes, who will have to compete for consideration in the funding allocation. The scheme has been successful in Dorset where the brewery is based and the family felt the time was now right to expand to other areas of prime interest commencing in Horsham having acquired the former King and Barnes brewery and Public Houses – David Woodhouse was High Sheriff of Dorset in 2006! I have already encouraged some of those seeking funds to submit applications – one can never start too early when it comes to fund raising!
Friday and The Chapter Dinner in Vicars Hall at Chichester Cathedral hosted by the Dean and Chapter which was a delightful evening which unfortunately I had to leave early, making my apologies, as I had family commitments on the Isle of Wight to which I hade to make passage before the last ferry of the night!
Monday 29th and from Cowes to Poole to the RNLI HQ and Training College to which we, together with the High Sheriff of Dorset, were invited through our association with the Shoreham Lifeboat Appeal – every time a call is made for a lifeboat to be launched a report is made by the MCSA to RNLI HQ where they maintain a twenty four hour service in their Operations Room – have served in recent inland flooding problems as well as rescues around our coast and overseas. We were shown the College where through realisation of own assets and bequests they have established a first class world leading centre for training with simulators and storm pool for in water exercises in liferaft and lifeboat capsize drill – we were totally disoriented on entering a darkened room where we could here fast running water rushing in the strong and howling wind when a helicopter search light broke the darkness searching the wave torn water for people cast out of an upturned lifeboat!
The college has saved the Institution vast sums of money in accommodation costs formerly incurred for lifeboat personnel from around the country staying locally while training. The facility not only offers training at every level and with simulators but offers hotel style accommodation and quality meals thus keeping crew together while training and socialising. The facilities are also available for hire by external organisations hence the project is profitable!
By contrast Tuesday we visited Varian a company based in Crawley, one of the first to be established in the New Town back in the fifties a world leader in Cancer Treatment equipment – some of the science was too advances for me to comprehend, but now part of a world based company they have maintained their leading technological and science based edge enabling research as well as production to stay on the site despite lower manufacturing costs elsewhere in the world. A formidable company where all members we met are focussed on the desire to beat and cure cancer – then it was off to Shoreham for a lifeboat appeal committee meeting and update on progress and the need to maintain the impetus if we are to raise our £1million.
Wednesday evening at Brighton TA Centre for the Lord’s Lieutenant’s Awards Ceremony of presentations of long and meritorious service to active personnel and volunteers involved in training the young people in ACF, ATC and NTC as well as awards of Lord Lieutenant’s Cadet of the Year – a splendid evening of celebration of what volunteers and regular forces are doing, can do and are to be applauded for the role they are playing in Afghanistan and Iraq all in front of family members young and old alike all glowing with pride and rightfully so!
To end the month I attended and was invited to inspect and join in the presentation of awards to the successful young people who had completed their firebreak training a ten week course in which they learn the benefit of team work, responsibility and basic fire training as well as basic first aid. Some were recommended by schools to help them develop their own self esteem with others encouraged to learn to take instruction and care for others. Again what pride in their faces despite the nerves of having to perform before their peers, family and teachers and perform they did as an excellent and caring team of young people who have a lot to offer society in years to come.
Well done West Sussex Fire and Rescue Services for taking the time to encourage so many young people in such a constructive manner whilst still making the learning experience fun for them.