It was certainly a busy weekend with a number of excellent events taking place.
Having seen the excellent “Share, Care and Repair Fair” get off to a flying start in Carfax in the morning it was great to join the annual Riverside Walk on Saturday - 320 walkers took on all or part of the 13-mile circuit. It was a particular pleasure to meet new residents exploring the walk for the first time. The event also serves as a fundraiser for excellent local causes – on this occasion the Queen Elizabeth II School.
QEII is a fantastic school providing high quality education to children with high needs: on visits to the school students have shown me their new sensory garden and talked about their fabulous drama productions. Not only has QEII been named the West Sussex “Special School of the Year” but the Head, Lesley Dyer was awarded “Sussex Head of the Year” at the Teacher Awards last week. Lesley is retiring this year and I know will be much missed.
Students from many local schools joined the Children’s Parade as part of the Funday Sunday held in Horsham Park. The Parade was a brilliant cacophony of colour and noise! A huge amount of effort had gone into the costumes and displays.
The Parade, and indeed Funday Sunday itself, would not have been possible without the dedication of all the volunteers who helped to make the day a great success including Horsham Rotary club who, with the support of Bensons, arrange for the fuinfair to be opened early for the exclusive use of children with high needs and their families to enjoy. The whole day is a great event, though I know this year was tinged with sadness due to the recent loss of John Le Rossignol a stalwart of this Funday Sunday and of Rotary in Horsham.
The day is also a great opportunity for local community groups and voluntary organisations to showcase their many activities.
I was also able to join Horsham Museum on Friday, for the opening of their “A Garden of Botanical Art” exhibition. It was a pleasure to meet some of the artists and see their artwork on display. The exhibition runs until 14th September.
Photo Credit: Year 5 and 6 students from Barns Green Primary School visited the House or Commons on Monday - it was a pleasure to meet them.