Alfriston

A SOUTH DOWNS ALPHABET: The South Downs National Park Authority have joined forces with an Alfriston based group called The Write House in an exciting South Downs wide competition to inspire children and the older generation to create a South Downs Alphabet. This project was inspired by the work of Eleanor Farjeon author of the rather fabulous A Sussex Alphabet. She may be better known to you for the words to the much loved hymn Morning Has Broken. Over the coming months school children and retired and semi-retired people from the University of the Third Age will write poetry about the landscapes, wildlife and people of the downs. A new book comprising of the A-Z winning entries and forming the new South Downs Alphabet will be published by the much respected (and very local) Snake River Press, alongside a beautifully illustrated reprint of Eleanor Farjeon’s original Sussex Alphabet and the delightful poem All The Way to Alfriston. If your school would like to get involved please contact me in the first instance and I will put you in touch with the organisers.

ALFRISTON TO CHICHESTER: Eleanor Farjeon’s poem All the way to Alfriston vividly describes the journey from Chichester to Alfriston. Ian Mcnulty will be doing it in reverse. He will be walking and fundraising to celebrate 60 years of The Abbeyfield Society by walking the 54 miles ‘along the running downs’ in stages. Leaving North Road on Tuesday April 5 at 10am he will walk the 10.5 miles to Southease and is inviting all comers and their dogs to wave him off or even better join for all or part of that stage. The other stages will take place over the following days, finishing in Chichester on Saturday April 9. Please contact Pauline on 871767 or [email protected] if you would like to join in.

LABYRINTH FESTIVAL: If a shorter and more contemplative trail is more up your street then a Labyrinth may suit. Labyrinths are a symbol of the journey of life and have been set out for man to follow in many forms for centuries. The Alfriston Labyrinth will be a meadow flowered trail, cut into the grass between St Andrews and the river. The Labyrinth festival running from June 11 to 18 will open the labyrinth for all to enjoy and bring together professional artists, singers, actors, choirs, musicians and a variety of local groups in a programme of performances, workshops, talks and specially written works. Walking a labyrinth is a form of quiet contemplation. It offers stillness in a busy world and the experience of the walk is different for everyone: mindful, prayerful, creative, or simply fun. To walk the labyrinth all that is needed of you is yourself. All proceeds will go to St Andrews Restoration.