News

Advertising Feature: Brighton Festival returns with arts outdoors, online and safely back on stage this May! Lemn Sissay photograph © Jamie MacMillian

The sight of bluebells herald spring and the life enhancing feeling that those warmer, longer days of summer are just around the corner, as Robert Veitch discovered when he visited John McCutchan at Arlington Bluebell Walk

What does an active retirement mean? Adele Trathan discovers that it means very different things to people who enjoy a sense of freedom and fulfilment during their golden years

Advertising Feature: Many elderly people prefer to stay in their own home, but they can feel isolated and alone. Lisa de Silva spoke to Danielle Hope of Sussex Home Checks about how they help clients in later life remain independent at home, but still enjoy social and practical support

As Refuge turns 50, we asked Charlotte Baker to find out more about the work they do, the people they help, the campaigns they run, and the ongoing fundraising that makes it all possible

No longer in full time work? Just Retired? Audrey Bateman has the opportunity of later life learning and friendship waiting for you at the University of the Third Age

Advertising Feature: In 2017 Jonathan Lea had ambitions to create a more flexible, bespoke and affordable type of law firm and today this dream is a reality as Peter d’Aguilar discovered recently when he visited Jonathan in his Haywards Heath headquarters

Caring for loved ones can be demanding at the best of times but the additional stress of a pandemic means many carers are suffering with their emotional and physical health as Jane Caley from the Association of Carers explains

As a tentative sense of optimism is beginning to stretch out across the land we asked Ruth Lawrence to explore the past, present, and future, of friendships old and new, and the binding ties generated by Twinning

Charlotte Baker is venturing into the unknown this year and she needs your help in her quest to get to India this October as she fundraises for the charity Refuge. This month, she begins her blog with breaking news...

The idea of slowing down, as a way to tire out the kids may seem an oxymoron, but Hanna Prince has found a way to educate, entertain and enlighten, so grab some wellies and take a walk in the woods

Advertising Feature: Home improvements can come and go, but investing in a stone worktop is something that will last a lifetime. We sent Robert Veitch to visit the new Sussex Stoneworks showroom and learn a little more about the company

Advertising Feature: Divorce is difficult at the best of times and even more challenging during a global pandemic, yet Tisshaws in Haywards Heath are prepared for anything as Lisa de Silva discovered recently

World Kidney Day is on Thursday 11th March 2021, so Robert Veitch delved into a few Kidney facts and information about the day

News journalist Charlotte Baker is venturing into the unknown this year and reaching out far beyond her comfort zone in Sussex; having set herself the challenge of an epic trek in India while fundraising for the charity Refuge

In the UK right now the average house price is estimated at just over £245,000 (as of February 2021). But that figure obviously varies from region to region. So if you're a first-time buyer or looking to move to pastures new, which areas should you be looking at to get the best value for your money?

Since the Covid-19 pandemic began more people are finding out about becoming a foster carer as Jackie Hoare of West Sussex County Council reports

When a child loses a family member they were dependent on, it can be a harrowing experience. Yet, a charity that offers grief support to youngsters does exist, as Ruth Lawrence discovered when she visited Jigsaw (South East) in East Grinstead

In these difficult times, the role of a carer is more challenging than ever and the need for respite is so important. Adele Trathan explores some of the options available.

The start of any new year is a chance to reassess our health and look to where we might improve. This year it is more important than ever, as 2021 dawns amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Lisa de Silva explores how we can help ourselves.

Costa Coffee, is introducing a selection of delicious sweet and savoury items to its existing menu. Available to purchase from Costa Coffee stores nationwide from Thursday 6th May, these new additions are the perfect choice for any picnic in the park.

Got into baking sourdough bread during lockdown? Mix it up with this tasty pretzel recipe, from former Great British Bake Off finalist James Morton. Deliciously salty and perfectly chewy, these sourdough pretzels are sure to please.

A dreamy pudding for a little bank holiday weekend indulgence.

Our health and wellbeing are intrinsically linked to what we eat, so this month Lisa de Silva offers guidance on how we can provide our bodies with the perfect balance of nutrition

Schools are now open, so we've brought you one of our favourite lunchbox recipes, enjoyed by kids and grown ups — simple Lunchbox Lasagnes!

These pretty cupcakes have a delicate lemon flavoured sponge with strawberry buttercream icing. They’re ideal for the kids to enjoy at home while the lockdown continues!

It's Friday — and while the pubs and restaurants might be shut, we won't be deterred from making the best of it. How about sticking some music on and becoming a mixologist for the evening. We recommend this recipe for Toasted S'mores Martini.

February 12th marks the beginning of the Chinese year of the Ox! Why not celebrate with your family at home, by making and baking your own Fortune Cookies. After all, we could all do with a little luck in 2021!

Traditional pancakes with lemon and sugar are always a winner, but what about something a little different this year? We love thick, fluffy pancakes with fried banana and bacon, drizzled in maple syrup. Sounds so wrong, but we think it's so right!

When it's cold and wet outside, we love to brighten a day stuck indoors with a few home comforts. How about these home-made Pork and Cranberry Sausage Rolls, served fresh from the oven.

Fancy something sweet to eat now the Christmas supply is long gone? There’s no need to wait until your next essential shopping trip, you can make this quick and easy Chocolate Mug Cake with ingredients likely to be in your cupboard already.

What better way to celebrate Burns Night on Monday 25th January than serving this tasty twist on the traditional Scottish supper

One mouthwatering meal which is guaranteed to give you your five a day is a Buddha Bowl. You can make these with anything you like really — the more colourful the better! But here we're making a healthy and flavoursome grilled chicken and rice Buddha Bowl, packed with fruits and vegetables.

This is the ideal time of year to really get stuck into the festive cheese boards, paired with just the right wine of course. Peter d’Aguilar gives us a quick lesson

This richly spiced and fruited tagine from North Africa is ideal for feeding large families. Dates, prunes and apricots can be used instead of raisins and cranberries, or in combination. Serve with plain boiled rice, or couscous

We've gotten pretty good at baking and making over the past year, so we're keeping the momentum going with another festive home recipe.

With much more time spent at home in the lead up to Christmas this year, why not revisit an old festive tradition — and bake a Christmas cake to share with the family on the big day. Nothing beats it!

This gluten free carrot cake recipe by Jane Freeman uses honey in both the cake mix and cream cheese topping. Why not choose locally produced honey as it supports the local producers and reduces food miles

No Halloween or Bonfire Night party would be complete without some traditional toffee apples. To create these classic sticky and sweet treats, just follow this simple recipe. If you happen to have ‘little helpers’, be careful of the hot sugar, and don’t forget to have a bowl of soapy water nearby!

What better to eat in October than pumpkin soup? Seasonal and delicious, this bright and cheerful vegetable is at its best from October to December. You can have this soup either as an everyday supper, or to jazz it up for Halloween, it’s fun to serve it out of a pumpkin!

The Booth Museum in Brighton is home to an original presentation of the natural world as one Victorian saw it. Generations later, it’s also a timely reminder that extinction is all around today as Michael Blencowe explains

There are over 29,400 people living with dementia in Sussex. Alzheimer’s Society has been supporting any of them, and people across the county who are concerned about their memory, through the pandemic, explains Jacqui Justice-Chrisp (Alzheimer’s Society Area Manager for Sussex)

Property, equity and retirement can be a complex topic, so we asked Peter d’Aguilar to shed a little light on some of the options currently available

With an estimated 18 million working days lost to stress each year in the UK, Lisa de Silva explores the effects of stress and offers some tips for minimising and managing its effects

This month, Flo Whitaker tries in vain to understand the attractions of Social Media

The unprecedented times we are experiencing means that more and more people are buying online. So, what are the rules relating to online purchases and how are you protected? Amanda Hamilton of the National Association of Licensed Paralegals (NALP), offers some guidance

A pioneering service offers an alternative option for those needing end of life support, as Helen Stockton discovered when she visited the Cottage Hospice

What will the future make of Lewes’s most recent century? John Warburton explores the town in the past 100 years, from its iron industry and railway to its famed bonfire celebrations

Sensual and evocative, fragrance plays a powerful role in our lives. Lisa de Silva explains how nothing can stir senses and memories like fragrance, with its ability to take you back to another time, place or loved one

Whether you’re John Maynard Keynes or Mr Micawber, managing your finances is one of life’s unavoidable priorities as Peter d’Aguilar explains

It’s not easy to juggle fitness and childcare – but according to Hanna Prince, by combining the two you can keep everyone happy. Please note this article was written before the current lockdown began. Please exercise safely, according to the regulations at the time.

A beautiful story about a feisty 86-year-old, desperate to embark on one final great adventure.

There’s nothing more special than a homemade gift, particularly when it comes from someone you love. Make this Mother’s Day a creative one with Hanna Prince’s crafting ideas for all the family

There's plenty of TV drama to get stuck in to while we're indoors this winter. Here's our list of what's on and when.

Over Christmas, due to the lack of a Sky subscription and the need to find out what was getting everyone so worked up in the office, I devoured the book behind HBO's latest television thriller, The Undoing.

Let's face it - If they ever made 2020 into a feature film, you wouldn't want to buy the DVD. Flo Whitaker's no party animal, but she's never been keener to ring in the New Year

Did you have a go at the puzzle page in the January issue of the magazine? Do you want to see how many you got correct? Are you wondering what the frustrating answer was to those that had you flummoxed? Scroll down to see the answers

Looking forward to Xmas? Get the fire going, pour yourself a glass of egg nog and curl up with these festive favourites...

Though daylight hours might be shortening and early frosts might be upon us, there’s still time to explore and enjoy the landscape this November, so we sent Robert Veitch to Exceat and the Cuckmere Valley to marvel at the landscape… and get some exercise.

You can now enjoy a range of interactive puzzles online! Test your brain with fun equalisers, crosswords, crosscodes and sudoku regularly...

Behind the corporate image of Sussex Police, there’s a very human element to the force. Robert Veitch has delved into a little police history, then brought it up to date in conversation with the recently appointed Chief Constable, Jo Shiner

Dr Geoff Wells has been on placement at St Catherine’s Hospice since October 2020. Here he shares his experiences of working in the local hospice throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Saturday June 30th, 2012, was a rather special in John Hannam's 47 year career as a showbiz writer and broadcaster. He fondly refers to it as 'my Sheridan Smith day'

Would your life be better physically and emotionally without alcohol? That’s proved to be the case for Janey Lee Grace. Having been concerned about the amount she was drinking, Janey ditched the booze three years ago. She regaled Lisa de Silva her story, along with the joys of living alcohol-free

We talk to acclaimed children’s author and illustrator Chris Riddell about his inventive imagination, love of the Sussex coast and his eagerness to inspire the next generation of creative youngsters

From a life of movie acting and travelling the world to becoming an autism advocate from her home on the South coast, Tara Leniston gives an honest account of her journey

We talk to actor David Calder on his love of Sussex and life during lockdown

Well known for his presence on Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time, Bob Flowerdew speaks to us on the love of his profession, his links to Sussex and his handy gardening tips

On a cold January day I headed for Ludlow to meet up with Boycie, that notorious second-hand car dealer from Only Fools and Horses.

During the final ten days before the lockdown, I’d been lucky enough to have pre-arranged five interviews. It was in Guildford on a very wet and miserable March day. Would she be like Raquel in Only Fools And Horses or Mrs Maguire in Grantchester?

Sussex Living investigates much-neglected Sussex writer Hilaire Belloc, a politician, patriot and polymath on the month of his birth and death

There are some years you just never want to end. In my case, it was 2019. I became the grandfather of twin boys, was privileged to attend a Buckingham Palace Garden Party and had interviewed Dame Judi Dench live on stage, in the presence of the Lord Mayor of London. That honour led me directly to my last major interview of the year — Sir Ian McKellen.

This month, Flo Whitaker’s on the veg patch. If you’re new to veg growing, you can be sure of success with beans – and now’s the best time to plant them

Dinosaurs ate them, and the Victorians obsessed about them; ferns are astonishing survivors from the prehistoric world and still have the power to enchant us, writes Flo Whitaker

The delight of awaking refreshed after an undisturbed eight hours’ sleep is what Lisa de Silva would like everyone to enjoy, so here’s her guide to navigating the latest mattress and bedding options.

Gardening to help sustain our garden birds isn’t just a philanthropic gesture. It’s immensely beneficial to the health and biodiversity of your garden - and also to the wider environment, writes Flo Whitaker

Most people don’t spare a thought for their chimney, how it came to be, how it came to work and how it might have been cleaned in years past. We asked Robert Veitch to smoke out a little history, and to make it interesting. You be the judge.

Plant Heritage calls for garden enthusiasts across the UK to enter competition which celebrates rare and unusual plants.

Nothing says ‘summer’ more than home- picked fruit. Raspberries are easy to grow - and now’s the perfect time to plant them, writes Flo Whitaker

January doesn’t have to be gloomy after the Christmas decorations come down, it can be the ideal time to revamp the home as Adele Trathan explains

There’s a lot more to holly than spiky green leaves and a few red berries, so it’s over to Peter Erridge to explain all things historical and all things prickly

As the first frosts of winter bring a chill to the darkness, Robert Veitch takes a look at some ways to bring a little light into your life this season

A selection of berried shrubs will bring colour to your garden during the dreariest time of year, writes Flo Whitaker

The euonymus genus contains over 150 varieties in the form of shrubs and trees, so there should be one type available to brighten every garden throughout the year

Versatile and long-lived, no plants give better fiery autumnal colours than acers.

In today’s climate, home offices have never been more desirable. We've got this advice for designing your own stylish workspace

It’s all go on the veg patch this month. Sow hardy winter greens and plant onions for a tasty crop next year

September is the perfect time to customise your fireplace with a few stylish design tweaks

As we move into the cooler months, here's our top tips on the safest and most cost efficient ways to stay warm at home

Beautiful, sustainable and cheap to maintain, it’s no surprise that eco homes are popping up everywhere from city centres to the remote countryside

Coming in every shade from darkest inky purple to purest white, no summer garden is complete without the extraordinary blooms of agapanthus

The right window dressing can transform the look and feel of a room without the need for a complete interior revamp. Take inspiration from the latest trends to redesign your window space

Teddy has a love of clowning around and making people laugh, as explained through his human translator, Helen Stockton

It’s 25 years since the Friends of Weir Wood Society was set up to help maintain the Local Nature Reserve on the reservoir and Peter Erridge has been looking into the voluntary work they do for nature conservation

A retired Detective Inspector from Sussex is now investigating the rise and rise of pet thefts writes Charlotte Baker

January may not be an indoor month for everyone, but for Teddy it’s time to contemplate redecoration and the battle for control of the soft furnishings. As usual, his barks and yelps are translated into human by Helen Stockton

The UK’s biggest citizen science project has been recording the winners and losers in the garden bird world for over four decades with the help of half a million people, and now the RSPB is counting on Sussex residents to join in too, writes Becca Smith

As the seasons change, Teddy mulls over the impact on his daily rituals as the clocks fall back an hour. As always Helen Stockton interprets his problems with this time of year

Autumn’s well and truly arrived, and Teddy, along with his interpreter, are steeling themselves for the rainy days to come

‘Junior Him’ is moving and it’s a busy time for the whole family. Teddy’s on paw though with his own method of stress therapy

Things seem to be heading back to a sense of normal for ‘Them Indoors’, but there’s only one thing on Teddy’s mind: getting a decent haircut

What may seem to us to be natural waste, could be an invaluable asset for a whole range of garden species and benefit the natural environment.

Sparrowhawks are now fairly common throughout the country and more of us can enjoy the breathtaking sight of these spectacular, small birds of prey.

Teddy may be starting to look like a Wookiee on a bad hair day, but it hasn’t stopped him from staying positive during lockdown. His human interpreter writes his account of life at home and the reality of spending more time with ‘Them Indoors’.

Barney and Penny are our Cats of the Week

Zara is our Dog of the week

Need a new barbeque for the summer? Refer a friend to Hidden and you could win yourself this lovely outdoor grill!

The world is an extraordinarily beautiful place – particularly if you know where to look…

Here are a few life skills that may have entirely deserted us during the pandemic…

Enjoy a stunning time at this beautiful vineyard with half price tickets at just £10 per person!

Join us for a fun Friday cocktail-making session! Our experts will be showing off their skills and help you to make the perfect party drink...