New seasons of rugby at Whitemans Green, Cuckfield

Haywards Heath RFC has a long-standing tradition of developing players of all ages and supporting their journey whether with Heath’s seniors, colts, juniors, minis or girls squads. Heath is built on the values of inclusivity, accessibility and fun with a strong family and community spirit – so whatever you are looking for in playing the game of rugby, Heath can provide the environment for players of all ages and abilities to flourish and develop skills, fitness and a passion for the sport. 

The Club is recognised as supporting the largest mini and junior squads in Sussex and offering players of all ages - boys from U6 to U16 and girls from U6 to U11 in mixed squads and a dedicated girls’ squad at both U12 and U14 – the opportunity to learn new skills and make new friends in an inclusive and supportive environment. New supporters and rugby lovers also welcome - first seniors’ home league match of the season takes place on Saturday 16th September. 

The Club is currently running pre-season training for seniors (18+) and colts (U17 & U18) in the evenings throughout the summer, meaning now is a great time to come along, meet other players and the coaching team and find out what playing at Haywards Heath RFC is all about. The new season for U6 to U11 (minis) starts on Sunday 3rd September. There is also a one day girls’ only rugby camp for ages 11 to 16 on Thursday 31st August free to all – to register visit www.hhrfc.co.uk or email rugby@hhrfc.co.uk. 

Awaiting planning permission from MSDC, the HHRFC Clubhouse Project is working towards building a state of the art multi sport facility at Whitemans Green providing improved facilities for the benefit of rugby, other sports and the wider community. The Club has already raised over £1.9m itself and is exploring all available options to make sure the remaining funding gap of just over £300k can be filled and the project breaks ground this year. And with the Rugby World Cup on the horizon in September (all England matches will be shown LIVE on the big screen in the Clubhouse, it’s a great time to get involved on and off the pitch – meet like-minded people, have fun and make new friends. 

If you can help the Club reach this goal please contact rugby@hhrfc.co.uk 

Nadia fundraises for Ukraine in Cuckfield

Ukraine has been an independent state since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. At the time of writing, and according to data collated by the United Nations, there have already been almost 3,000 civilian casualties, more than eleven million refugees fleeing the hostilities, and over £400m given in UK aid alone. As the fighting continues, more and more doors are opening up across Britain from individuals and families welcoming those trying to escape the conflict. Dozens of charities throughout the UK have raised huge sums of money in support of the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Social media is awash with fundraising pages illustrating ways in which we can do our bit to help. Local businesses and everyday people are all also getting involved, from sporting events and quiz nights, to auctions, charity concerts and lottery raffles. And some are baking cakes. Nadia Clay is a former Ukrainian national and at the end of March she held a bake sale in the centre of Cuckfield. She, her Slovakian friend, Zoya Karcova, and her eldest son Max helped to raise over £1,000 for the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. Apart from Zoya and her baking a lot of cakes, many were also kindly donated by local people as well as parents of pupils attending Holy Trinity school. “I have so many people to thank and don’t quite know where to start. The list is long and rather than thank people individually I’d just like to say, ‘thank you so much to everyone who got involved and to all those who turned out on the day; you know who you are’.”

Nadia has lived in the UK for over eight years now. Max went to Warden Park, her youngest son, Alex, still attends Holy Trinity School and was baptised in the local church. Also, she was married in Cuckfield, so she knows the village and the people that live here very well. But Ukraine will always be close to her heart. “There are so many people, especially in Eastern Ukraine, who have fled their homes who now face the challenge of completely rebuilding their lives and starting all over again.”

Nadia grew up in the city of Ivano-Frankivsk, 600km west of the capital, Kyiv. “I am from the Oblast Mountain region not too far from the Polish border. It is very green with many unique villages nearby. It is also very close to Bukovel, the largest ski resort in the whole of Ukraine. It is very beautiful there.” Both of Nadia’s parents still live in the Ivano-Frankivsk, and neither one of them wants to leave, even if the fighting spreads. “My father and mother are both elderly now. My dad doesn’t want to leave the home that he’s lived in all of his life. My Mum feels the same way. Every day I worry about them, about not being able to see them again, or my friends. We were supposed to be visiting them later this month but that’s not going to happen now.” The sense of helplessness Nadia feels, not only for her family, but also for the Ukrainian people as a whole is clear.

Even from our quiet corner of Mid Sussex, we must all hope for peace. Plus, of course, there are many ways to support the people of Ukraine, both practically and financially.

Cuckfield's own port for adventure

By David Curtis-Brignell MBE

What does Portsmouth and Southsea mean to us here in Mid-Sussex? Perhaps you have memories of Portsmouth Harbour Station and ferry trips to the Isle of Wight? Or even the fast, but possibly bumpier hovercraft off Southsea beach. Naval history perhaps? Some may remember the Pier which has had three fires during its lifetime, one in 1974 during the filming of “Tommy.”

Whatever your recollections, you can be sure that if you haven’t visited recently you are in for a pleasant surprise. The city’s strategic location has provided the reason for its rich maritime history which dates back to 1194.

Today you can see some of the landmark events brought to life with all of the advantages of 21st century heritage attractions. At Portsmouth Historic Dockyard you can see warships and submarines; Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory and visit the Mary Rose Museum, home to Henry VIII’s favourite ship which sank offshore in 1545. You’ll discover thousands of Tudor objects and learn about the lives of the officers, ordinary sailors and even the ship’s dog.

A year before the Mary Rose went down, Southsea Castle was built. Admission is free and you can go into the tunnel built in the 19th century and see how the castle was defended. 400 years later, the city was part of another great naval event; at the D-Day Story you will be able to experience just how little space there was on one of the landing crafts which has a Sherman and Churchill tank on board – just 20% of what would have been accompanying troops on the ‘day.’ If you don’t want to miss any of the history you can join a “Stories of WW2” walking tour which includes this attraction, Portsmouth Cathedral and the Royal Naval Submarine Museum.

The 170m high Spinnaker Tower will give you a bird’s eye view and the Blue Reef Aquarium has forty displays from a coral reef to an otter’s holt; but if you want to get on the water, there are boat trips, fishing charters and even the Gosport Ferry to enable you to sample life on the Solent wave.

As with many of our days out, there’s a lot to see and do and so an overnight stay might be the answer. From B&Bs to the luxurious ‘No Mans Fort’ there’s plenty of choice.

Always check opening times and Covid-19 restrictions before travelling.