Mayor of Bognor Regis' Weekly Briefing: Proms in the Park and Music in the Park this weekend

Our Town Councillors had plenty of questions and topics to raise, including the Rampion 2 Offshore Windfarm, flooding and its impact on homes and businesses in and around Bognor Regis and of course the hot topic of increased crime in the area, with Mrs Griffiths having also been involved in the recent meetings held with local businesses, Sussex Police, the Town Council and other stakeholders. These were just a few of the subjects discussed, and on behalf of my fellow Town Councillors, we hope to be able to continue to work collaboratively and effectively with Mrs. Griffiths, for the betterment of our Town and outlooks for our residents.

I am looking forward to another weekend of fantastic events here in Bognor Regis, with Proms in the Park on Saturday evening starting from 6pm and featuring a wonderful array of talented performers. ‘Lady & The Dukes’ will be kicking off the evening with a versatile set containing classics from the 1920's right up to the modern day. Electric violinist ‘Alleya’ will be performing at 7pm following her dazzling performance at the Town Council’s VE Day Beacon Lighting in May, and from 8pm the Chichester City Concert Band will be playing all the Proms classics. Music in the Park takes to Hotham Park on Sunday afternoon and concludes a weekend of live music here in Bognor Regis.

Next Saturday 21st June Bognor Regis’ Armed Forces Day takes centre stage, and as well as commemorating our Armed Forces Past, Present and Future, the event will also be celebrating the 80th Anniversary of the ending of World War II. As well as the usual Parade, Drumhead Service, St. Barbara Re-dedication Service and presentation of Veterans badge, this year in honour of VE-Day 80, a Knitted Poppy Wall will be on full display on Bognor Regis Pier from 21st June to 28th June 2025. The Committee and its army of poppy knitting and crocheting volunteers have been working extremely hard to make sure this wonderful tribute is ready in time, alongside the creation of a ‘Poppy Garden’, which will feature individually staked Poppies each containing the name of the 260 people of Bognor Regis who gave their lives during World War II. With live music, entertainment, food and drinks and a variety of stalls available, this free family event promises to be one to remember. If you really want to get into the swing of things, remember you are very welcome to get dressed up in your best 1940’s themed outfit and enjoy a dance or two to the amazing live bands. The event starts at 10am and finishes at 5pm – I hope many of our residents, and visitors, will come along to show their support for our Armed Services.

Lastly for this week, West Sussex Waste Partnership are relaunching their West Sussex Recycles survey, after the huge success of last year’s consultation, in which 61% of respondents said they wanted to know more about what can and can't be recycled at home. Further to this, informational videos were launched, each focusing on specific everyday materials, amassing a large number of views. In the hopes of better understanding local knowledge about recycling and waste prevention in West Sussex and in an effort to reach even more people, the survey for 2025 is now live and can be completed via the ‘Your Voice’ website. The closing date for responses is midnight on Monday 30th June 2025, so please don’t delay!