Village Activities

Art Group The Wisborough Art Workshop is an event, not simply an art class, with shared ideas and opportunities to experiment and improve with diverse techniques and materials. The Workshop days are aimed at all levels of expertise, from total beginners to experienced artists and support most two-dimensional art mediums. They are held on a Thursday, normally once a month, from 10.00 am until 4.00 pm. Refreshments included. For more information please call Patsy Moore on 01403 700219 or click here.
Arts Society The Wisborough Green Arts Society hold an annual exhibition of local art in various mediums at the August Bank Holiday event. If you are interested in exhibiting, then please contact Sheila Armistead on 01403 700319 or Rachel Boxall on 01403 700138. Your contribution would be most welcomed.
Balloon Club of Wisborough Green Every year Brian Smith and David Longden organise a fly out from Wisborough Green at the beginning of September. Up to twenty balloons take off from the Village Green, each one carrying a passenger who has donated £90 (2007) to CHASE. All of the donation goes to the charity; no expenses or costs are deducted. The balloonists give their time and costs free of charge and each one provides space in the basket. A spectacle not to be missed for passengers and spectators alike. If you would like more information or would like to book a space in a basket for 2008, please contact Brian Smith on 01403 700346.
Bell Ringers There are more than 40,000 bell ringers in the UK who come from all walks of life, but share a fascinating hobby and a commitment to their team. Initial teaching takes place on a one to one basis and most learners will be ready to ring with a band in a few weeks. The skill lies in being able to control a bell that rotates full circle using a rope attached to the wheel. Bells are rung for church services, weddings, special occasions and for pleasure. Wisborough Green Church has 6 bells, the largest (tenor bell) weighing 12 cwt, 2qrts, 12 lbs. Practice is on a Tuesday evening, beginning at 8.00 pm with Sunday service ringing at 10.00 am. For further information please telephone the Tower Captain, Mr Robin Miles, on 01403 823361.

Church Choir Our church has a small but balanced choir with fifteen regular singers of all ages from nine years old. We meet weekly in the church on Friday evenings at 7.30 for choir practice. Depending upon the coming events, the rehearsal lasts for up to 1½ hours. The choir leads the singing at three regular services each month – the first and third Sundays Sung Eucharist at 10:30 am and Choral Evensong at 6:00 pm on the second Sunday. Throughout the year, especially at Easter and Christmas, there are extra services, and for these we invite others to join us. Our repertoire includes music composed over five centuries and we like to challenge ourselves from time to time. We often sing at weddings at the request of the bride and groom and, from time to time, we join in the production of larger choral works performed in the church. We also enjoy occasional social events. We would like to increase the membership of the regular choir, so, if you enjoy singing, even only a little bit, and want to hear more about us, please contact Peter Edmonds on 01403 700623.
Church Flowers Undertaken by an enthusiastic and talented team of flower arrangers, the church is decorated on a regular basis and for 'special' occasions. They would also be delighted to decorate the church for your wedding. If you enjoy being creative with flowers and would like to join the team or would like further information about wedding decoration, please contact Jacky Grengs on 01403 700482.
Church Orchestra For further information about the Church Orchestra please contact the Orchestra Leader, Roger Moorey, on 01403 700700.
Fete Society The organisation of the traditional village fete held on August Bank Holiday Monday passed from the Wisborough Green Sideshows Society to the new organisation, the Wisborough Green Fete Society, in March 2008. The aim of the Society is to ensure the continuance of a traditional event and to offer financial support to local charities and good causes. The Society is made up of a core group of people who organise the event but we also reply upon the many supporters who kindly help man activities on the day. We welcome any offer of help, so if you would like to become more involved, either as an organiser or on the day, then please call Louise Davies on 700689.
Footpath Group At the 2003 Parish Exhibition, footpath issues featured prominently and one of the subsequent conclusions in the Parish Action Plan was the setting up of a Footpaths Group. The Group meets only when there is progress to report or some action to be taken and keeps the Parish Council informed of any matters of general concern. The PC also looks to the Group to provide information on any repairs and maintenance needed to the network as a brief for the regular visits by the Sussex Rangers. Communication within the Group is by round-robin e-mail. If you would like to be included either as an active member or for information only, please contac the Clerk. The Group's history and plans so far ... Useful website for walkers in Sussex
History Group The History Group grew out of the Wisborough Green Trust, an organisation that has been fairly dormant since the nineties. Its aim is to record and publish village history. The group is very informal. It meets monthly to discuss items of interest brought along by the members, be they artefacts or researched information and to review individual projects. The discussions result in updating of the history reports that have been compiled over the last few years. The meetings seem quite anarchic; sometimes this is essential as the right stimulus often triggers-off the recall of long forgotten memories. We are always pleased to welcome new members to our group, but we would be particularly interested in hearing from those with research and computer skills. In addition, we are always keen to hear from members of the public with stories to tell us or with photographs that they could lend us. For more information or if you have a story to tell please contact the Chairman, Richard Bairstow, on 01403 700140 or click here. The History so far!
Horticultural Society The Wisborough Green Horticultural Society (WGHS) started in its present form in 1951, and immediately started hosting talks and competitive shows, as it does today. The Society's aims have always been to encourage horticulture within the community, and to this end the main activities are monthly speakers during the winter months, competitive shows, an annual garden visit and plant sale.
At present WGHS has about 250 members. New members are very welcome, the present subscription being £5.00 for single or £8.00 for a couple. As well as reduced price entry to talks, and free entry to shows, members can buy seed etc. at reduced rates and of course, by attending the meetings tap into an immense store of local gardening knowledge. For membership please get in touch with: Mr J Coles, 3 Balchins Close, Wisborough Green, RH14 0DW or call 01403 700205. Further information about the Society and Events Latest Newsletter Programme of Events Show Results for 2008 The Committee Photographs of Past Events
Lawnmower Racing The British Lawn Mower Racing Association (BLMRA) was founded in 1973 at the Cricketers Arms in Wisborough Green. The man behind the sport was Jim Gavin, an Irishman who had raced and rallied cars across the world. Having become disillusioned with the increasing costs of motor sport, he got together with a group of locals to create a cheap form of motor sport easily accessible to all. Further information available from the BLMRA website. The 12 hour race is held locally at Brinsbury College near Pulborough, with a weekend of frantic racing held at the Bat & Ball Public House in October.
Sideshows Society The Wisborough Green Sideshows tradition began in 1948 when a number of villagers came together, led by Jack Colledge, to organise a race day on the village green. The young and the not so young were encouraged to compete for prize money raised from the proceeds of a small number of Sideshows. This was the start of the famous Wisborough Green Fete held each year on August Bank Holiday Monday. As the fete increased in popularity then so to did the profit and the committee decided to use the surplus money to pay for a Christmas Party for the Senior Citizens of the village. The Wisborough Green Fete has now become an extremely popular event attracting in excess of 5000 people to the village. In effect this created a mammoth task for the small committee to manage and in 2008 a new committee called the Wisborough Green Fete Society was formed to take over and run the fete. In the early fifties the village was not as affluent as it is today and a free Christmas Party was a delight for many. The Wisborough Green Sideshows Society - Senior Citizens Christmas Party has now become somewhat of a village tradition and most pensioners of the village see this as the start of the Christmas season. Up to 120 people sit down in the village hall to a full Christmas dinner with wine and entertainment. The Wisborough Green Sideshows Society proposes to continue to host this party each December so if you are or you know anyone who is; · Of normal retirement age. · Has actually retired from full time employment. · Lives in the parish of Wisborough Green. · Wants to have a good time with people of their own age. Then call 01403 700495 for further details.
Tuesday Craft Group A small sociable group meeting on a Tuesday morning at Wyatt House from 10 am to 12 noon. Open to all, the group enjoys craft activities including card making, knitting, tapestry and crossstitch. There is no course fee but a charge is made for the craft materials and a contribution for tea and coffee is welcomed. The group very often undertake a group project and are currently working on a knitted garden for a County Arts and Crafts Exhibition. For more information please contact Mrs Liz Williamson on 01243 788544.
Wildlife Observation An informal record of the wildlife observed in and around the village is kept by Mrs Rosemary Traherne, who occasionally publishes articles in the Parish Magazine to give details of any interesting sightings. If you have any information that you feel would be of interest, please telephone Mrs Traherne on 01403 700204.
West Sussex Beekeepers Association - Wisborough Green Division A progressive and friendly group who encourage all those who have an interest in honeybees and hive products, whether they are beekeepers or not. The group also have a class of membership for those who don't own bees, but would like to go to meetings and receive a monthly newsletter. Beekeeping has a reputation of being for "older" people, but the group are proud of the fact that the vast majority of newer members are younger people with young families, showing that beekeeping can be a family hobby. For further information visit The West Sussex Association's website and click on the division link to Wisborough Green. Alternatively, call the Secretary, Mrs Sue Cooper, on 01798 874061.
Wisborough Green Masonic Lodge Wisborough Green Lodge has been meeting in the Village Hall for 42 years. If you are interested in Freemasonry in general, or our Lodge in particular, please feel free to contact the Lodge Secretary, Adrian Gorman, on 020 7870 8359 or email.
Women’s Institute Join the WI for fun, friendship, entertainment and learning. The opportunities are boundless and any activity of interest to members can be pursued within the county or nationally. Besides the monthly programme, we go on theatre trips, skittles, darts, scrabble, barbeques and competitions. Meetings are usually held on the first Thursday of each month in the Committee Room at the Village Hall at 8.00 pm but do look at the programme for further information or call Sue Nicholls, President. 01403 700827 Mary Benson, Secretary, 01403 700284 Programme of Events and Meeting Reports