Falmer

VIVIEN LEIGH: I am writing this after a sunny, windy afternoon spent visiting the lovely gardens at Nymans. It was our first visit there but certainly won't be our last. Strangely there was a connection with Falmer. A special exhibition featuring some of the Victoria and Albert Museum's archive material relating to Vivien Leigh was on show. Letters, photographs and costumes were on display and there was a biography of the famous actress available in the gift shop. In the index of the book were a number of references to Godfrey Winn, the journalist who used to live in Falmer. Vivien Leigh and Godfrey were great friends and he would visit her at her home in Tickeridge Mill near Uckfield and she would visit Godfrey in Falmer. I am now interested to find out if I can read some more of the archives and see if her letters mention Falmer.

DUCKS: More duck news. I was walking around the pond last week when I spotted a duck on the island that looked as though it was stuck. The bird appeared to be trying to get to the water but something was preventing her from succeeding. I went home and fetched my binoculars. Looking through these it was clear that the bird’s foot was caught, I could see it stretched out behind it. I didn’t know quite what to do. I know there is a small boat stowed away for emergencies but if I managed to get to the duck, could I free it without frightening it to death? What would I do if it was clearly injured? I decided that the best thing to do would be to call the Wildlife rescue ambulance service as I read the column in the Sussex Express avidly every week. I called and described the situation and it wasn’t too long before two very capable volunteer rescuers appeared. They pumped up their dinghy and rowed out to the island freed the duck immediately, popped him into a sack and brought him back to shore to examine him and see if he was hurt. It turned out that the bird was one of our mystery ducklings. His leg looked very red and swollen so they took him off for treatment in their van. I was very impressed with them and will be donating to the cause. I hope they release him back here when he is recovered. If you look at the rescue service’s facebook page https://www.facebook.com/wildlifeambulance/ you can see the little chap getting light therapy on his damaged leg.

ARTWAVE: I am deep in the throes of Artwave organising, it won’t be long before you can check out who is taking part this year. I can guarantee it is a brilliant line-up of painters, ceramicists, printmakers, screen printers, lamp shade makers, collagists, and more.

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1) Make our website your homepage at www.sussexexpress.co.uk/

2) Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pages/Sussex-Express/

3) Follow us on Twitter @sussex_express

4) Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!

The Sussex Express - always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.