John Milne MP: The strength of local volunteering

Last Wednesday, I attended the opening of the new all-weather football pitch at Forest School. We have a chronic shortage of all-weather surfaces across the district, as I know from my days following my son and his team, Storrington Vipers, round the waterlogged pitches of Horsham District. The winters are getting wetter and it’s not uncommon to lose half the fixtures in a season.

Later that day I joined the congregation at St Mark’s, Holbrook to welcome their new vicar, the Rev Tim Stilwell. The formal ceremony, known as licensing, was completed by The Right Reverend Dr Martin Warner, the Bishop of Chichester. Tim and his wife Jo have moved to Horsham from Fulham where he was vicar for the best part of 20 years. Let’s hope he stays with us for another 20 years at St Mark’s!

On Saturday I attended a Macmillan Coffee morning in Warnham, which is regular fundraising event held by local residents James and Shirley Coggins. Not only does this raise money in a good cause, it’s also a great social event especially for older residents. I was struck by how many people seemed to have lived in the village all or most of their lives. That says something about the community!

On Sunday it was my welcome duty to open Run Barns Green 2025 which was held once again on behalf of St Catherine’s Hospice. It’s amazing how an event in a small Sussex village has grown into one of the country’s most popular runs, rated 4th best in the country by the prestigious Half Marathon List. This is a particularly important cause - the government has not matched funding support for hospices over the last few years despite the dramatic leap in inflation.

Some people, like Rev Tim Stilwell, have chosen Horsham. Others have chosen to stay, in part because of the community that surrounds them. I’ve been proud to see the strength of local volunteering in our district. Long may it continue.