Mid Sussex Marathon Weekend 2019

With spring bursting into life and the evenings getting lighter, it’s such a wonderful time of year to get back into running condition, especially with Mid Sussex Marathon Weekend around the corner.

Recently featured by Runner’s World in ‘21 amazing UK marathons that aren’t in London’, the event has proved successful each year, with over 1,400 people running in 2018. There are changes afoot this year with new routes for both the East Grinstead and Haywards Heath 10 Mile races. Event Director Simon Adby explains: “The East Grinstead route has been changed slightly to improve the runner experience. The Network Rail works taking place in Ashenground Woods have resulted in a revised Haywards Heath route for this year. Fortunately finding alternative paths was straightforward, so regular participants will not notice much of a difference.”

Appealing to elite, club and first time runners the three-day event hosts nine events over the weekend, including the feature two ten mile races in both East Grinstead and Haywards Heath and the ten kilometre in Burgess Hill. All three combine to cover a total of 26.2 miles – the distance of a marathon. There will also be a family Fun Run and timed junior mile race on each day of the weekend, making it ideal for people of all ages and abilities to take part in.

Residents of Haywards Heath and Bolnore Village should note that on Sunday 5th May there will be a 20-minute (10:25-10:45am) road closure on South Road.

The route will take runners from Victoria Park via Ashenground and Bolnore Woods through Beech Hurst Gardens and into Bolnore Village. Traffic maybe stopped by marshals to let runners across roads, particularly where the footpath crosses Trubwick Avenue and Renfields. Car users are encouraged to leave plenty of time to allow for slight delays, which marshals will aim to minimise.

Event organisers are still looking for more volunteers over the weekend to assist with marshalling of the routes. If you are able to help out between 9am and 1pm on any day then please contact organisers via: www.midsussexmarathon.co.uk

Laines Organic Farm in Cuckfield

By Jacqueline Elmore

When we think of the hymn We Plough the Fields and Scatter the image that we often conjure up is one of a tractor turning over the soil preparing for harvest.

Most of the terrain surrounding Laines Organic Farm right here in Cuckfield is cultivated by hand, not by machinery. Largely by Toos Jeuken, a Dutch farmer who arrived in West Sussex not long after Britain joined the European Union.

Toos explains: “We came to Cuckfield after the UK entered the EU. That’s why many Dutch farmers came to England at that time. Suddenly there was a great opportunity for farmers to grow things here.”

Right now the subject of the EU may be a contentious one but, standing in a sunny field of giant kale, Toos finds some humour amidst all of the panic: “Do you think they might send me back to Holland now that we’re leaving the European Union?”

All joking aside, Toos doesn’t appear to be overly concerned about her passport status. Instead her motivation is clear; to ensure that her crops are protected and well nurtured in time for harvest.

Toos arrived in Cuckfield in 1977 - a year after her father bought the farm with the sole aim of using it to grow vegetables.

The landscape of Laines Organic Farm has changed over four decades. “They built the Cuckfield bypass in 1989,” she explained, “and that split the farm in half. My Dad also sold the old house and some of the land so I now own 20 acres but that’s more than enough to grow the sorts of vegetables we need.”

Full article printed in the March 2019 issue of Cuckfield Life magazine

Getting outside with kids in Bolnore Village

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Map of children’s playgrounds in Bolnore Village

By Elaine Goodwin

As the weather improves those of you with children might be looking for a new play park to take the kids to.

Maybe there is a play park in the village that you have yet to discover?

Here is a map of all the goodsize play parks in Bolnore, the largest of which is at Kingfisher Drive. The skate park at the recreation ground and the community garden in the village square are also good options for getting the kids outdoors while staying close to home.