North Sussex centre celebrates forty years of fab fundraising

41 members attended the lunch held at the Horsham Indoor Bowls club in Broadbridge Heath. Three original members, Jenny Radford, Alan Parsons and Mary Plastow went to the event and a cake was made to mark the occasion decorated in National Trust (NT) colours.

Five original members remain who joined the society in 1978, the other two being Brian Harmsworth and Isabel Parlby.

In 1979 there were 648 members of the centre and meetings were held in Crawley, East Grinstead and Horsham. Although membership is now much lower we still continue to meet in Horsham and raise funds for local NT properties.

The centre’s aim is to organise an annual programme of activities for the its members while raising funds to support local properties. The first donation in 1979 was £100 to Standen.

By 2000 the centre had given £42,908 in donations.

The centre hold lectures in the Wesley Hall in London Road from September to April monthly on a Thursday afternoon at 2.30pm.

They host speakers on a variety of subjects.

Membership costs £15.00 a year per member. It includes entry to all lectures and newsletters in spring, summer and autumn. You don’t need to be a NT member to join the local centre. Some of our members are volunteers at local NT properties. If you would like to go as a visitor to our lectures the charge is £5.

The new season of lectures will start on Thursday September 13 at 2.30 pm.

For more about the centre call membership secretary Mr. J. Balaam on 01403 730162.