Reader Jayne Cole was kind enough to send us the following photo from her holiday in Spain. If you’re going away, do take your copy of the magazine with you and send your snaps and selfies to photos@cuckfieldlife.co.uk - we’ll include entries in coming issues!
This summer why not pack your recent copy of Cuckfield Life magazine in your suitcase - and send a selfie with you to us?
Simon Yeend
By David Tingley
Our new editorial assistant takes the form of Simon Yeend, a former sports journalist who has worked on national newspapers for more than 16 years. Simon, who has been a resident of Bolnore Village since 2004, has spent the last two and a half years looking after his youngest daughter and writing his first novel. “I’d been promising myself that I would do it,” said Simon, “and the natural break to look after Orla seemed like the right time.”
“I love living in Bolnore but I am also a huge fan of Cuckfield where my children go to school and where I walk my boisterous Hungarian Vizsla, Rufus, in the beautiful woods and fields that surround the village.”
Simon has got stuck in straightaway with interviews for features in this issue of Cuckfield Life, although he says that people are much quicker to respond to your phone call when you work for a national daily paper!
He would love to hear from anyone about fascinating residents who might make a great subject of our Village People feature, as well as local groups and societies that are keen to get their message out to the community.
Simon’s role is concerned with all aspects of editorial content, so do drop him, or me, an email on editor@cuckfieldlife.co.uk when you have a suggestion or news item or event to mention. Our strapline is ‘local village talk by the village’ and, as such, we love to hear from our readers – many of whom get in touch on a regular basis.
Cuckfield Arts Festival - early plans - starts on 24th June 2017
By Kate Fleming
Cuckfield has always had the potential for an arts festival simmering away and at long last it is being realised. The basic ingredients for success are already here - a beautiful church, a picturesque historic village situated in an arts-laden county, home to a wealth of artists. Why hasn’t it happened before we cry in amazement? Well now it is. Cuckfield Arts Festival has been created and will start on 24th June and run for two weeks.
This year the focus will be on music, but, as the naming of the festival indicates, other art forms could feature as the event grows. Music, however, is an ideal starting point, as the village is becoming known for musical activities, which are increasing in popularity and commanding a serious place in the life of the village.
The Singing Allsorts, our own Cuckfield all-female choir, celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. The choir has gone from strength to strength under the talented baton of Jane Haughton, singing for our community its varied repertoire of African, Gospel, Classical, Broadway and Folk music. Over the last decade the Summer Charity Concert has raised £10,000 for local and international charities and this year’s event has been incorporated into the festival in Holy Trinity Church on 6th July.
The unique sound of Ensemble Reza will start the festival. These virtuoso musicians got together so players could enjoy performing music closer to home in Sussex and the South-East. When these highly respected professional players with leading orchestras get together to play the performances are breathtaking.
[Article extracted from full page in May 2017's Cuckfield Life magazine, p.9]