Events and Trips
Other major activities over and above our monthly talks include trips, lobbying, commenting about planning applications (see our planning section), providing grants for local projects and our Annual Christmas Supper.
Visit to the Sussex County Cricket Ground at Hove
We are planning a visit to the ground in Hove on 7 October.
Sussex County Cricket Club was founded in in 1836 and can claim to be the oldest professional sports organisation in the world. It played at 16 different grounds before settling in the present site in 1872. Sussex first won the County Championship in 2003 to begin a decade of success.
The tour of the ground will start 1100 and will be followed by a visit to the museum. The tour is free but donations to the club are invited. Those who want can have lunch in a nearby venue.
Those wishing to attend should contact Nicola Mason on nickymason82@gmail.com
Members and guests should make their own way. Those who need transport, or can offer places, should inform Nicola. There is a fee for parking in the ground, also some parking outside but that is not free.
Visit to Applesham Farm
We visited Applesham Farm in early July where Hugh Passmore gave us a guided tour of the farm in a purpose-built trailer as a sequel to his talk earlier in the year. As he drove us round the farm, he told us about how he runs the farm as a mixed arable and livestock farm as a protection against fluctuations in market prices and some of the problems of farming today, including illegal hare coursing. He also told us that he practises sustainable farming, using traditional methods such as crop rotation and under sowing, so minimising the use of chemical fertilisers and weedkillers. We made the visit on a warm summer’s evening with little or no wind, saw hares enjoying the sunshine and ended up having a BYO picnic in the Passmores’ beautiful downland garden, with its views over Lancing College, the Adur Valley and the coast beyond. Mike Kelly and Jane Oxley brought their sixteen-year-old grandson with them who talked about his life on his parents’ farm and the animals we saw.
Trip to Chichester Festival Theatre
Members of the Society visited Chichester Festival Theatre on 2 April 2026 where they made a tour of the theatre and stayed on for a matinee performance of BFG by Roald Dahl. Carole Powell has very kindly written a review of the trip which can be found by using the link Chichester Theatre Outing April 2026
Christmas Supper
We held our annual Christmas supper on 19th December 2025. Eighty members and guests sat down to a delicious supper which was prepared by Normandy Dining. This was followed by music from the Sea Jam Jazz Quintet. The evening included a raffle with a number of prizes very generously provided by Steyning traders. We hope that everyone enjoyed the evening.
Coach trips
Coach trips are open to non-members. The visits are well researched and convivial days out. Usually departing from The Steyning Centre car park at about 8.30 am by coach and returning about 6 pm. Time is allowed for coffee, lunch and tea stops. Reductions to the cost are made for National Trust members or English Heritage members where appropriate.
If you need to cancel after making a booking, please remember that booking charges will not be refunded if you cancel less than 42 days before the trip, unless we find a substitute after all the unsold places have been sold. However, you can find a substitute because booking fees are transferable, provided that you notify us before the trip.
