Cuckoo Fayre, Cuckfield - May 1st 23

Cuckoo Fayre Cuckfield 2023

Following on from the fantastic success of last year, the Independent State of Cuckfield’s Cuckoo Fayre is back for 2023 with even more fun for all the family. The event will take place on Bank Holiday Monday 1st May from 12pm at Cuckfield Recreation Ground (behind the Queen’s Hall).

There’s the usual favourites including the ever popular dog show (kindly organised by Mewes Vets), plus the kids’ favourite steam train ride. There will be all the regular stalls supporting local groups and good causes with tombolas, fun fair games and challenges, plus there will be dance displays in the main arena. The fire service will be back with their fire engine to wow young and old and there will also be a display of classic motorcycles.

If you attended the Fayre last year you won’t have failed to see the spectacle that was the recently revived Tug-O-War competition. Won by the Talbot Tuggers, the competition returns and teams (of six) are invited to enter and challenge the reigning champions. Email: info@cuckfieldstate.org to find out more.

New for 2023 is a food court offering a wider selection of food and drink than ever. There’ll be the usual burgers plus some more exotic offerings from the team at the Rose & Crown, plus a Caribbean food truck, ice creams and a coffee truck. And don’t forget the kippers from the Cuckfield Baptist Church stall. If you get thirsty, the team from HHRFC will be running the bar with a selection of drinks, plus there’s a Pimms stall and a prosecco bar.

The Independent State of Cuckfield has been organising the Cuckoo Fayre and Mayor’s Election for almost 60 years and all monies raised go to local groups and charities in and around Cuckfield. For more information go to www.cuckfieldstate.org or follow them on Facebook. ISOC would like to thank Mansell McTaggart for its continued support of this event.

Join Cuckfield's historic mayoral race this year - 2022

By Bradbury Williams

With less than six months to go before Cuckfield’s unique mayoral elections are staged, the campaigning across the village is about to begin. As the memory of repeated lockdowns fade and the nation plans a massive array of street parties to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the Independent State of Cuckfield are delighted that the competition is taking shape so early.

Three candidates have already declared they are standing, all with long-standing roots in the local community, but there is still time for any others to join the fray. “We are certainly off to a very good start this year, but it’s never too late to throw your hat into the ring, you just have to be 16 or over and have a connection in the village,” said Chair of ISOC, Mike Schlup. “Everyone who enters, whether they raise £100 or £10,000 has made a big contribution to local good causes, but you have to be in it to win it,” added Mike. To help sustain the interest in this treasured local tradition and increase engagement across the entire community, ISOC is planning a re-brand in the Spring.

It also organises the Mayor’s Procession, the Easter Walking Race, the May Day Cuckoo Fayre and the Pensioner’s Christmas Lunch. The ‘Independent’ State of Cuckfield was established with a universal declaration of independence in 1966, after the annexation of the land used for the annual Donkey Grand National at Whitemans Green.

Winning the competition is simple, you just have to raise the most money, with each candidate closely guarding their funding total until the final count begins at 9.55pm on election night with a final declaration just minutes away.

To read more about the current standing candidates please turn to page 16 & 17 of April’s Cuckfield Life magazine.

Will Cuckfield's events be able to go ahead this year?

By Bradbury Williams

A challenging year of repeated lockdowns has taken its toll on dozens of community organisations across the Cuckfield area.

Landmark annual events were forced to cancel, so many local good causes missed out on thousands of pounds worth of donations – the ever-popular Cuckfield Bonfire being one of the biggest casualties last November.

Whilst there’s now light at the end of the tunnel, organisers of the much loved Cuckoo Fayre and Staplefield Fun Day have just had to call them off, yet again.

At the start of last year Iain Pringle had made up his mind to have a go at landing the unique role of Mayor of the Independent State of Cuckfield. As a founding member of the village’s ‘Sad Dads’ group which meet regularly at Warden Park School, Iain was aiming to come first, in an election process where the biggest fundraiser gets the job. “We were planning a big sponsored bike ride to Cuckfield ‘s twin village of Aumale in Normandy and luckily I knew from the start it would be well-supported,” he said. As a second lockdown loomed in the autumn Iain had to change the plans and hastily arranged a 75-mile tour of Sussex. “We had to follow the ‘rule of 6’ so arranged to cycle in small groups, and because there wasn’t that much else on, we had 27 riders on the day,” he added.

Organisers of the election night itself, usually a very lively event held in one of the village’s pubs, were also forced into a radical re-think. But the Chair of the Independent State of Cuckfield Mike Schlup was well prepared and managed a successful virtual election event on Facebook. “In the end it was our biggest year ever, and Iain was duly elected after raising £15,000,” said Mike. “And we very rapidly distributed the money to several good causes in the traditional way.”

In October the 55th election contest will hopefully be back to normal and the new Mayor will be able to carry out the traditional ceremonial duties. “We really want anyone interested to get in touch, because after that enforced hiatus we’re going to come back stronger than ever.”

Find out about Cuckfield’s popular Bookfest and Cuckoo Choir in April’s issue of Cuckfield Life on pages 26 and 27. Also, villagers of Staplefield pick up a copy to learn about the annual May Fun Day plans.