West Sussex Wellbeing > Have you got high blood pressure?

Credit – West Sussex County Council – Residents e-Newsletter

High Blood Pressure is a leading cause of Heart Disease and Stokes. We’re encouraging everyone over the age of 40 to have their blood pressure checked and take control of their health. Find out more about blood pressure here.

You can pop into your local pharmacy to ask about getting a free blood pressure check and some GPs have machines in their waiting rooms. You can also buy a monitor to check yours at home.

Blood pressure measurement is also part of the NHS Health Check. If you’re aged between 40 and 74 years old with no pre-existing conditions, this free 30-minute check will tell you your level of cardiovascular risk and what you can do to ensure it stays low.

Managing Your Blood Pressure

Free NHS Health Check

West Sussex Wellbeing

Leaflet – Understanding your Blood Pressure by Sussex Health & Care

Brighten Up Mondays Campaign – Archery Taster Session and BBQ – 12th of August

Invitation from Mike Balmforth

In the interest of brighter Mondays you might like the look of this. An archery taster session up on the South Downs Way followed by a BBQ on August 12. This is co-hosted by Leaping Hart Archery Club and Midhurst Rotary Club. You will be tutored by members of the archery club and can release your Monday tensions with flights of arrows!

Date  Monday August 12 at 5.30 Ticket £15 -all equipment supplied.

Interspersed with the tutoring one or two surprises have been introduced and afterwards we meander to a burger BBQ at the rare breeds farm of Richard and Pauline Marks.

Price for that will be £12 each payable on the night.

Choose both or select just the one .Please bring own refreshments. Just need to know at this stage if you will be along, and will send payment details separately

Mike Balmforth

01730 814224 m 07979080120

Volunteers required to help remove Hymalayan Balsam invasive species from the banks of the River Rother

Credit: BBC Gardeners World

Please join us to help eradicate the invasive Himalayan Balsam rampant on the banks of the Rother. It’s no good for the water, for the other crowded out native plant species and their insect dependents, so we are asking for your sweat and toil to PULL it out!

The good news is it’s a cinch to uproot and then just discard, job done-by the ton!

Rendezvous is 8.00 at North Mill Easebourne by the bench just before the bridge on any of the following Saturday mornings June 15,22,29 and we will be hard at it for just a couple of hours. (meeting point might change dependent on progress made)

Please let me or your group leader know you’re making a date in your diary .Rotary will participate in two of these dates at least but if we run out of weeds to pull we won’t need the last one!

We meet up with the Midhurst Green Volunteers who are usually already hard at work clearing the overgrown pathway along the river. This project is under the auspices of the South Downs National Park Rangers and they together with Midhurst Green Volunteers have conducted the Risk Assessment.

Training and briefing will be given on the day and it is suggested you wear wellies, long trousers, long sleeves and gloves to avoid any nettles plus a hat! (refreshment as you can’t be sure of the Rother’s water at the moment !!)  

Coffee at the Midhurst Bakery or Fitzcane afterwards.

Looking forward to sharing the BIG PULL with you and below is just one link on You Tube explaining why we want to do this-apart from having fun!

Mike Balmforth (balmforths@yahoo.com) and Simon Flint (simon.a.@gmail.com)

Midhurst and Petworth Rotary Club

www.mandprotary.club

m.07979080120

An Appeal by Friends of St Mary’s Church, Bepton

The Church

The Parish Church of St Mary’s Bepton is a Grade 1 listed 11th Century building, in the heart of the South Downs National Park renowned for its idyllic location. Many seek out the church and its quintessential view across meadows to the Downs as a place of peace and quiet for reflection and contemplation. A wooden Saxon church built in 700AD preceded the present building, which was started by the Normans in 1180. Work began on the bell tower with a 3 1/2 foot thick flint and chalk rag wall. The two bells in the tower were hung in 1589 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1st which is inscribed “Praise the Lord” and the other in 1636 during the reign of King Charles 1st inscribed “Gloria in Excelsis” The stone font behind the entrance door originates from the Saxon building.

Further Pictures of St Mary’s Church

The Purpose of The Friends of St Mary’s Church

This new group has been formed by Bepton Residents he aim is to raise funds solely to support the cost of repairs and maintenance to the fabric of the church building. Initially we are concentrating on the essential repairs to the bell tower. Beyond this there will always be future repairs needed to keep the entire fabric of the building, inside and outside in a good state. By becoming a Friend, you will help ensure that the building is preserved and enhanced for future generations. There will also be an opportunity to enjoy future fundraising events for St Mary’s If you would like to get involved with this group or have any questions email stmarysbepton@gmail.com

Please Consider Becoming A Friend

It will help us to achieve our aim. We ask that you consider a minimum of £10 per person/household per year. Please complete the Membership Application Form and return it to:

The Friends of St Mary’s Church Bepton

Owls End, Pitsham Lane Bepton, GU29 9RD

Please note that a leaflet with full details should have arrived by hand delivery through your letter box (12-May-24) if you live in Bepton Parish



Wisley Gardens closed weekend 24th & 25th of February due Junction 10 works

Mike Balmforth has kindly pointed out that on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 February 2024 RHS Garden Wisley and the Garden Centre will be closed to all visitors due to the A3 weekend closure, as part of the ongoing M25 junction 10/A3 Wisley interchange roadworks.

National Highways is closing part of the A3 in both directions, from 9pm Friday 23 February to 5.30am Monday 26 February, between the M25 and the A247/B2215 south of Ripley. Because of this road closure, it is not possible to welcome our members and visitors to the garden that weekend.

New 96 Flex Bus Service available for Bepton Residents

Book a Bus is a local service that you can go from A to B of your choice and when you wish to go. You can find out more and book the service by downloading the Ride Pingo app or calling 01243 858 854. For example you can go from your home for an appointment at St Richards Hospital

Today John Beckett and I decided to try it out and using the Ride Pingo app the evening before we booked a ride from Country Inn, Bepton to Harting Down at 10am the following day. As we arrived at our journey start we received a ping message on the phone notify us of a pick up in 4 minutes      

(Note: If you want an immediate service the Ride Pingo app will give you the time it takes for a bus to arrive at your destination. e.g. 17 min)

Then we received another message shown below “Be ready at Your pickup spot”

Then Jeff the driver turns up! Bang on 10:00 am!

To finish our day John and I decided to walk back the 7.5 miles to the Country Inn! However if we wanted we could have booked a bus back too. Don’t forget full details are on the book a bus link above in the first paragraph..

Bepton, West Sussex – The official website for the Parish Council of Bepton in West Sussex