More than a 1,000 tonnes of salt have been spread on West Sussex roads over the last week of severe winter weather.

Highways teams are keeping constant watch on fast-changing weather forecasts, ready to deploy gritters to keep the county’s main routes open and passable with care.

West Sussex County Council can call on a fleet of 22 griters with snow ploughs through contractor Balfour Beatty Living Places.

In the last seven days a total of more than 1,000 tonnes of salt have been spread on West Sussex’s roads.

More than 150 community winter plans are also in place, with 50 volunteer farmers on standby, while parish and town councils also work with farmers or contractors who can assist with snow clearance when needed.

Bob Lanzer, WSCC’s cabinet member for highways and infrastructure, said: “We are liaising constantly with the Met Office and have eight highway weather stations around the county, so we can combine all the information to produce a bespoke road condition forecast for the county.

“Precautionary salting operations will continue throughout the period of severe weather and snow ploughs will be fitted when required to ensure main roads are kept open.

“We advise residents and town and parish councils to monitor the @WSHighways Twitter account for updates.”

For information on how West Sussex Highways decides when to grit roads, and gritting routes, click here.

Gritting a number of major routes in West Sussex are the responsibility of the Highways Agency, such as the A27, A23 and M23.

The county council’s winter campaign website page has several sections giving advice on ‘staying warm’.

If you know or look after someone who may be susceptible to the effects of this cold weather period, please help ensure they stay warm and well and check in advance that they are prepared for this cold spell.

General advice includes:

• Stay tuned in to weather forecasts.

• Check and maintain daytime room temperatures of 21°C.

• Check bedroom night time temperatures and maintain it at 18°C or warmer.

• Keep warm and active, and if you have to go out dress warmly and wear non-slip shoes.

• If you are concerned about your own health or welfare, or that of others, please alert the emergency services click here.

Send in your snow pictures to the newsdesk.

A rare creature has been unearthed in the regeneration of a popular Sussex lake.

Workers removing silt as part of the project got a shock when they spotted something slithering around in the mud in Brooklands Lake in Worthing, West Sussex this week.

Like a scene from cult film the Creature from the Black Lagoon, arising from the depths was a fully-grown common snapping turtle, which was discovered hissing and looking put out that its habitat was being disturbed.

The engineers from environmental company Five Rivers managed to retrieve the female creature before it was swept up in the dredging work.

Because the company specialises in reviving natural habitats, engineers made sure they could find a new home for the turtle they named Terry.

Brooklands site manager for Five Rivers, Ben Sharp said: “We got quite a surprise when we saw it. We’ve discovered some weird and wonderful things during our work to clear lakes and rivers but never something quite like this.”

Ben and site technician Jimmy Griffiths searched for a suitable home for the turtle and found a shop called Littlehampton Exotics, in High Street, Littlehampton, which agreed to take her in.

Sales Assistant at the store Hayley Ashcroft said it was very rare for a common snapping turtle to be found in UK habitats. With many people looking for such animals after the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle craze, it was usually terrapins that were dumped once they outgrew their tanks.

Hayley said: “She’s in a quarantine tank while we slowly warm her up. She’s a little bit docile at the moment but we expect her to be back to her snapping best soon. When that happens we’ll find her a nice sanctuary somewhere.”

Terry was probably hibernating deep in the Brooklands mud for the winter, especially with the recent cold snap so would have had a rude awakening.

Ben and Jimmy were lucky because common snapping turtles are well named. They can take a human finger off with their jaws and are usually at the top of the food chain in the natural habitat of North America and can live up to 100 years old.

In the frozen wilds they can go six months without breathing taking in oxygen through gas in the membranes of their mouths and throat.

Councillor Diane Guest, Worthing Borough Council’s executive member for environment, said: “We always known that Brooklands is a haven for wildlife. I can’t wait for the works to be completed which will mean nature will be able to thrive for generations to come.”

A building conservation specialist, whose previous work includes projects at Hampton Court Palace and the National History Museum, has joined the staff at West Dean College.

Catherine Woolfitt has been appointed the new subject leader for historic building conservation and repair, bringing with her some 25 years of experience on high profile schemes.

David Dorning, head of school of conservation at West Dean College said: “She has the professional experience to consolidate our current courses, and the expertise to identify and commission new courses to meet evolving challenges."

Talking about her new role, Catherine said: “I find the study and investigation of historic structures endlessly fascinating. It is extremely rewarding when students engage in the process of reading historic fabric, to determine how it was built and how weathering, past interventions, and other factors have led to its current condition. The ethos of the West Dean courses is first to understand historic buildings through survey and analysis and then to develop plans and options for remedial work, based on practical experience of the methods and materials to be used. The West Dean estate provides an inspiring setting and numerous historic structures which serve as subjects for study, investigation and practical work.”

For more about the courses, and Catherine, visit www.westdean.org.uk

A planning inquiry to decide a contentious and long-running bid to build 77 new homes in Birdham will be held later this month.

The four-day hearing starts on March 20 at the Council House, North Street, Chichester at 10am.

Mr and Mrs Paul Knappett’s application for the homes, retail and open space on the Koolbergen, Kelly’s and Bellfield nurseries site in Bell Lane was rejected by Chichester District Council’s planners in February 2017 but they appealed.

They had an application for more than 80 homes at the sites refused in 2015, and say the new homes are needed and that new shop facilities would provide new employment opportunity.

The application received a number of objections from residents as well as Earnley, West Wittering and Birdham parish councils.

Birdham councillors believe it would ‘impose a scale of urbanization that would destroy the character of the village’. The parish has already seen around double the homes it is allocated for in CDC’s Local Plan.

Members of the public can attend and, at the inspectorate’s discretion, may be permitted to speak.

Sussex police has confirmed it is currently on the scene of a serious collision which is blocking the B2145 Selsey Road.

A spokesman said officers were called at around 10.50am to the incident at Hunston, near Chichester, and that motorists are being advised to avoid the area.

This story will be updated as more is known.

A parish councillor is warning residents to be aware of ‘ridiculous’ parking fines which he says are being given to motorists parking in Waitrose and Tesco.

Don McBeth, 73, of Ditchling, West Sussex, raised his concerns after his friend received a £60 Parking Charge Notice (PCN) after parking in Waitrose in Haywards Heath.

He said: “Imagine that you drive to Waitrose and park in their car park. You then do the week’s shopping which includes a carton of milk, which costs £1. You then return to your car and leave the car park.

“After a few seconds you realise you needed two cartons, so you return to the car park. Big mistake, the second carton will not cost you £1, it will cost you £61.”

Mr McBeth said the reason it would cost this much is because by returning to the store within two hours you ‘fall foul of a company called Britannia Parking’.

“The company does not permit customers to enter the car park twice within a two-hour period,” he said.

“Being chairman of Ditchling Parish Council I am concerned for people, especially the elderly, who may get these fines.

“I understand the rules are to stop people misusing the car park, but they are catching the wrong people.

“I have noticed that Tesco in Burgess Hill are doing the same, except their time limit is three hours, with no return within one hour.

“I have never been caught by this practice, but it concerns me that quite unintentionally, other drivers will, because they don’t know of the rules.

“It has been my practice for many years to drop my wife off at Tesco to do the shopping, travel to the tip, then return to pick her up. If I do that now within an hour, it will cost me £70. It is ridiculous and unacceptable.”

Mr McBeth said he went to Waitrose and Tesco with his concerns.

“Waitrose told me to drop someone off in the car park and then pick them up outside of it, to avoid getting a fine,” he said.

“I asked them if they were going to make the rules clearer to customers on their signs and they said no.”

A spokesman for Waitrose told the Middy: “We do understand that on occasion there are certain circumstances where our customers may need to return within the time period.

“When this is the case, we kindly ask them to talk to one of our partners on the welcome desk.”

Our sister title, Mid Sussex Times, contacted Tesco, but had not received a reply at the time of going to press.

A spokesman for the retailer has since replied advising us to get in touch with their head office, who could only be contacted by post.

The Mid Sussex Times also contacted Highview Parking and Horizon Parking, who manage the car parks, but have not yet had a response.

Bishop Luffa School has appointed its next headteacher.

Austen Hindman, who is currently head of Peacehaven Community School, will take over from Nick Taunt on September 1.

Mr Taunt has been with the school for 18 years and will retire at the end of the summer term.

Mr Hindman will be only the fourth headteacher in Bishop Luffa's 55-year history.

Nigel Hoggarth, chairman of the board of directors, said: "Members of the board of directors were unanimous in their decision to appoint Mr Hindman.

"He was selected because he was the outstanding candidate at the end of a demanding two-day selection process that was supported by the Diocese of Chichester.”

Mr Hindman has had a successful career in the senior leadership of schools in Portsmouth and Brighton and Hove.

Looking forward to his new appointment, he said: "Bishop Luffa is a unique school with a well-deserved reputation for academic excellence.

"It is a privilege to be appointed as the fourth headteacher in the school’s history, and I look forward to building on the strong foundations that Nick Taunt has created.

“The strength of the school is that it is distinctly Christian but remains inclusive. In our pressurised world, it gives its students the space to develop as individuals and to build the resilience that they need to succeed.

“I am looking forward to joining the school in September and working with the students, staff and wider community to continue the proud traditions of Bishop Luffa School."

Pay for MPs is set to rise by 1.8 per cent from April - increasing their salaries by more than £1,300 a year.

Politicians’ remuneration is governed by the Independent Parliament Standards Authority (IPSA), with any year-on-year changes made in line with public sector earnings.

MPs basic pay is current £76,011 in 2017/18, but will be £77,379 in 2018/19, a change of £1,368.

IPSA said: “This is in line with our determination on MPs’ pay, published in July 2015, where we committed to adjusting MPs’ pay at the same rate as changes in public sector earnings published by the Office of National Statistics (ONS).”

They can also claim expenses on top of their basic salary, which jumped from £67,000 in 2014 to £74,000 a year in 2015.

This rise to £74,962 in 2016 and £76,011 in 2017.

Young people in West Sussex are significantly less likely to be cautioned or convicted for a first offence than they were ten years ago.

Changes in police policy and an overall fall in crime has seen a 91% drop in the number of youngsters entering the criminal justice system, according to statistics from the Ministry of Justice.

In the 2006/07 financial year, 1,518 children aged between 10 and 17 were convicted or cautioned by police for the first time, but by 2016/17 there were just 134.

The data is taken from a national police database and records a young person’s first caution or conviction but does not include repeat offenders.

The MoJ also calculates a rate of first time offenders to allow comparison between different police forces and local authorities.

In West Sussex, police cautioned or convicted 182 children for every 100,000 in the area less than the England and Wales average of 312.

According to a 2016 report on first-time entrants by the Ministry of Justice, police forces have shifted their focus away from low-level crimes which are more likely to be committed by children.

“In 2002, a target was introduced to increase the number and reduce the gap between the numbers of crimes recorded by the police and those for which a perpetrator is identified”, the report found.

“There is some evidence that, in order to meet this target, the police focused their attention on young people who had committed non-serious offences, as they can be easier than adults to apprehend.”

In England, the number has fallen from just over 105,000 to around 15,500 over the last ten years - a decrease of 85%.

Some 16% of first time entrants in England and Wales were under 14, according to the latest figures. Of these, 1,049 were 12 years or younger, or 6% of the total figure.

The vast majority of young people convicted or cautioned, or 84% of total entrants, were aged 14 or above.

The data also shows that while the actual number of young people in the criminal justice system is falling, the proportion from an ethnic minority background is increasing. In 2006/07, 12% of first time entrants were non-white, but in the latest figures this had risen to 21%.

The number of black and minority ethnic children held in custody has also been increasing, and non-white youngsters now make up a huge 45% of all those in youth detention facilities.

Commenting on the figures, John Drew, senior associate at the Prison Reform Trust charity, said: “In the early noughties, the government imposed a lot of centrally managed crime targets, which didn’t differentiate between low and high-level offences, so the number of children in the system increased dramatically.”

“Over the last decade, we’ve come to realise that when a child is taken into the criminal justice system, it can have a number of seriously damaging effects. Agencies have got much better at working with children before they offend, or when they’ve committed lower level offences.”

“But the statistics on race are the bad news within a good news story. BME children are over represented at every single stage of the youth justice system, and the problem seems to be getting worse. There’s no single cause, but the correlation between poverty and race, for example, is well documented. There is also evidently unconscious bias and prejudice somewhere in the system, and much more research needs to be done to work out exactly where this is.”

A review of race and the criminal justice by Labour MP David Lammy published last year found that BME young people were more likely to be arrested and sentenced to custody for some crimes than white children.

However, it concluded that further research was needed to explain why BME young people were over-represented in the youth justice system.

Source data: <https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/criminal-justice-system-statistics-quarterly-september-2017>

Amberley CofE Primary School, Arundel

Amicus School, Arundel

Ashurst CofE Primary School, Steyning

Auntie Ro's Playgroup, Chichester

Barnham Primary School, Bognor Regis

Bartons Primary School, Bognor Regis

Bersted Green Primary School, Bognor Regis

Bishop Tufnell CofE Infant School, Felpham

Bosham Primary School, Chichester

Bourne Community College, Emsworth

Brinsbury College

Bury CofE Primary School, Pulborough

Camelsdale Primary School, Haslemere

Central CofE Academy, Chichester

Chichester College, Chichester

Chichester Free School

Chidham Parochial Primary School

Clapham and Patching CofE Primary School, Worthing

Colgate Primary School

Compton and Up Marden CofE Primary School, Chichester - The school will be closed on Friday 2 March. The school has an inset day on Monday 5 March

Conifers School, Midhurst

Cornfield School, Littlehampton

Downview Primary School, Bognor Regis

Duncton CofE Junior School, Petworth

Easebourne CofE Primary School, Midhurst

East Wittering Community Primary School, Chichester

Eastergate CofE Primary School, Chichester

Felpham Community College, Bognor Regis

Ferring Funtime Community Playgroup, Worthing

Fishbourne CofE Primary School, Chichester

Fishbourne Pre-School Ltd, Chichester

Fordwater School, Chichester

Funtington Primary School, Chichester

Graffham CofE Infant School, Petworth

Harting CofE Primary School, Petersfield

Hawthorns Primary School, Worthing

Hollycombe Primary School, Liphook

Jessie Younghusband Primary School, Chichester

Kingsham Primary School, Chichester

Lancastrian Infants' School, Chichester

Littlegreen School, Compton, Chichester

Medmerry Primary School, Chichester

Midhurst CofE Primary School, Midhurst

Midhurst Rother College, Midhurst

North Mundham Primary School, Chichester

Northchapel Community Primary School, Petworth

Nyewood CofE Infant School, Bognor Regis

Nyewood CofE Junior School, Bognor Regis

Oakwood School, in Horley

Plaistow and Kirdford Primary School, Billingshurst

Rake CofE Primary School, Liss

Rose Green Infant School, Bognor Regis

Rose Green Junior School, Bognor Regis

Rumboldswhyke CofE Infants' School, Chichester - School is currently open, but will be closing at 12.30pm

Seal Primary Academy, Chichester

Sidlesham Primary School, Chichester

Singleton CofE Primary School, Chichester

Slindon CofE Primary School, Arundel

Southbourne Infant School, Emsworth

Southbourne Junior School, Emsworth

South Bersted CofE Primary School, Bognor Regis

St Anthony's School, Chichester

St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Bognor Regis

St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Worthing

St Mary's CofE Primary School, Clymping, Littlehampton

St Richard's Catholic Primary School, Chichester

Stedham Primary School, Midhurst

The Academy, Selsey

Twineham CofE Primary School, Haywards Heath

Walberton and Binsted CofE Primary School, Arundel

Warnham CofE Primary School, Horsham

Westbourne Primary School, Emsworth

West Dean CofE Primary School, Chichester - School is currently open, but will be closing at 1pm

West Sussex Alternative Provision College, Chichester

West Wittering Parochial CofEd School, Chichester

Yapton CofE Primary School, Arundel

Also:

The Tree House Children and Family Centre, Bersted Site, Bognor Regis - Closed on Friday 2 March 2018

Updates will be added as we get them.

A car has left the road and ended on its side in snowy conditions just outside Easebourne, firefighters have said.

Stn 43 Midhurst, the Twitter account for Midhurst Fire Station, tweeted a picture at 3.30pm and said: “Crews have just returned from an RTC (road traffic collision) on the A272 at Benbow pond.

“Luckily only minor injuries.

“Road conditions are deteriorating due to laying snow.

“We would advise against driving #Midhurst #staysafe.”

Chichester College has taken the decision to close because of the freezing weather.

A decision on whether it will open tomorrow will be taken in the morning.

At 4.22pm on the college tweeted: “We’ve taken the decision to close the college (Thursday March 1).

“There will be no evening classes today.

“A decision as to whether we will be open tomorrow (Friday March 1) will be made early in the morning. Please check the website for the latest info: http://socsi.in/DNIW2

The Weald and Downland Museum is also closed today and tomorrow.

It tweeted earlier: “Due to the snow that is forecast the #Museum will be closed on Thursday 1 and Friday 2 March inclusive.

“We reopen on Saturday 3 March.

“Our apologies for any inconvenience caused. #snowmageddon #sussex”

'The long term picture is looking very positive', that is the reaction from Chichester District Council leader Tony Dignum to the latest unemployment figures.

This is despite records for the district showing the total number of claimants - including those on job seekers allowance and universal credit - has gone up nine per cent in the last year.

The figure has been recorded at 705, of which 115 are aged between 13 to 24, up by 55. However it stands at less than half what it did five years ago.

Highlighting that the area has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country, Mr Dignum said: "Over the past five years, the district has seen the number of claimants drop by 52 per cent, which is significant. However, it is worth remembering that this figure will fluctuate year on year, which has resulted in an extra 55 claimants over the last year.

"In the current economic climate, people are being more cautious, which is why we have probably seen this slight change. Overall, the economic picture within the district is looking positive, including the creation of 811 new businesses in 2017.

"As a council we are investing in numerous projects that aim to encourage the creation of more jobs. Examples include the brand new Enterprise Centre, which offers low cost accommodation to small businesses, through to the development of the Southern Gateway project. We also work directly with those who are unemployed through our Choose Work programme, which aims to help get people back into work. In retail, although some high street businesses have left the area, these have been replaced by others; plus, we are developing a number of new programmes that are designed to help retailers boost their businesses.”

The figures for Arun also show a rise in the last year with the total of claimants at 1,185, (225 are aged between 18 to 24) up 165 (16 per cent) year on year.

It too shows a decline compared to five years ago of 50 per cent.

Nationally the unemployment rate has remained at 4.4 per cent, with the employment rate recorded 'at a near-record high' of 75.2 per cent.

The minister for employment Alok Sharma said: “High employment rates are a reliable feature of today’s economy – and this is an incredible achievement. It is equally important that across society everyone has the opportunity to get a good job and get on in life.

“Today’s figures show that this government is building a fairer economy that supports people from all backgrounds to get into work. We are closing the BAME and gender employment gaps, and people across the country are accessing new opportunities.”

The South East continues to show high growth, with the employment level up 115,000 on the year and the employment rateup 1.3 percentage points to 79.9 per cent, according to the report.

Let us know what you think of the news by emailing news@chiobserver.co.uk. For more Chichester news click HERE

After six years of training and a lifetime of flying, Tim Peake stood in an elevator in December 2015 and looked out at the gleaming white Soyuz FG rocket that was about to take him into space.

“It’s the most incredible thing, it’s steaming, it’s hissing,” Tim said of the rocket as he addressed the packed Chichester Festival Theatre on Sunday.

“The first time I got to see a rocket launch other than on a TV screen was six months before.

“It’s quite emotional when you know the people on the rocket when they are going up into space.”

After receiving his Freedom of the City award, Tim enthralled the audience with a stunning account of his Principia mission to the International Space Station.

Click here to read about the Freedom ceremony and watch the video.

His story began with himself and fellow space-bound companions commander-cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and NASA astronaut Tim Kopra getting strapped into their rocket after the elevator ride.

They were taking off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the same spacepad Yuri Gagarin blasted off from when he became the first human in orbit in 1961.

Tim said: “It is actually very hard inside the rocket to know the moment you have left the launch pad.

“It’s only about two or three seconds into the flight the acceleration kicks in and you are off and you realise that you have pressed a button that you can’t undo.”

Once the 9,000,000 horsepower rocket got the three astronauts out of the atmosphere they became free of most of Earth’s gravity.

Tim said: “It is the most magical and wonderful feeling but it does not last very long because you have a very important job to do which is rendezvousing with the space station.”

Of course we know that Tim got onto the space station safely, ready to carry out countless important experiments for scientists back on Earth.

Is Tim going back to space? Click here to hear what he said when we asked him.

“It is a phenomenal piece of hardware. We have had people living in the space station for 17 years.

“Our job is to try and do as much science as possible.”

Perhaps the most famous moment of the mission was when Tim became the first ‘official’ British astronaut to perform a spacewalk.

“Going out of the airlock into space for the first time is a very special moment.

“It’s something we train a long time for but until you get out and do it for yourself you never quite know what it is going to feel like.

“You have the earth in front of your visor and the universe behind you. It was the most incredible feeling.”

Tim and fellow astronaut Tim Kopra spent several hours fixing part of the station but had to cut the spacewalk short due to water leaking into Colonel Kopra’s helmet.

As anyone who follows Major Peake on Twitter will know, Tim loves drifting into the space station’s observation ‘cupola’ module for a spot of Earth-gazing.

Tim said: “Space is literally the blackest black you can possibly imagine.”

At this point in the presentation Tim showed the audience stunning time-lapse footage of our planet from space.

Tim said by day you can’t see many signs of human habitation, but ‘by nighttime it’s a completely different picture’.

“At night you see human habitation everywhere. It’s absolutely beautiful.”

After six months in space Tim’s mission came to a close, with astronauts Yuri Malenchenko and Tim Kopra also joining him for the return journey.

“There’s always nerves when you press the button to start a spacecraft that has been untouched for six months.”

However, Tim added the Soyuz is ‘exceptionally reliable’, and following a descent he described as feeling like ‘an elephant is sitting on your chest’ from the punishing g-forces they landed safely on the plains of Kazakhstan.

After enthusiastic applause Tim took time for a Q&A session with the audience.

Did you go to the ceremony? Try and spot yourself in our gallery!

The premises closed its doors last March after trading for around two decades.

The bid, published in this week's lists, details internal alterations and work to the exterior to 'make good' the existing shopfront and sign write existing fascia panel.

In addition installing illuminated signs, laser cut brass lettering and new awning are listed in the application (18/00148/LBC) which is due for decision by April 17.

The design statement described the 'major benefits' of the proposed scheme, including that it would give 'the building a quality that does not detract from the intrinsic historic interest of the building'.

It added: "A proposal of this quality will make a positive contribution to the character and local distinctiveness of the historic environment. The existing floor plan shows the unit is a space into which the Harris + Hoole shopfitting can fit without harm."

Consultation is now running until March 15.

Let us know what you think of the plans, email news@chiobserver.co.uk. For more Chichester news, click HERE

Chichester Free School will close tomorrow because of the snow, the school has confirmed.

Classes were cancelled today and Karie Wright, HR and admissions officer, told the Observer: “Just to confirm that Chichester Free School will be closed all day tomorrow (Friday), reopening as normal on Monday.”

Here is a list of current school closures on Friday:

https://www.chichester.co.uk/news/education/schools-announce-closures-for-friday-1-8399204

Children have been getting into the spirit of World Book Day by dressing as their favourite fictional characters.

Among this slideshow of pictures there is Wally, Mrs Trunchbull, Matilda and Stick Man - among others.

You can keep sending your World Book Day pictures to us via email news@chiobserver.co.uk

In Lent, forty is a very special number.

This season of the Church’s year – a season of repentance and renewal as we wait for the celebration of Easter – lasts for forty days (excluding Sundays: the day of resurrection).

Lent recalls Jesus’s forty-day stay in the desert before the beginning of his ministry.

And it echoes the forty years that the people of Israel spent journeying through the wilderness, through the Egyptian desert before they reached the promised land.

That experience in the desert, journeying to the Promised Land, was, in many ways the place where the faith of Israel came into being: here an extraordinarily close relationship between God and his people was formed: the relationship that is central to the entire Bible.

But this was also a time when the people of Israel were open to extreme dangers and terrible temptations. They often grumbled against their leaders and against God, and were tempted to the worship of idols.

There is a similar ambiguity in the accounts of Christ’s temptations in the wilderness. After his baptism, he went to the Judean desert, away from crowds and activity, to be in a place where he could be still and pray and be with the Father.

But in the desert, Jesus was also vulnerable and, the gospels recount, different temptations pressed upon him.

Lent is a wonderful season when we are invited to draw close to the Father as the Israelites did in their journey through the wilderness for forty years, and as Jesus did in his forty-day sojourn in the wilderness.

We can do this in particular through the three core Lenten disciplines of fasting, prayer and almsgiving.

But, as we come close to God in this holy season, any or all of these can feel joyless and irksome. For the season of Lent does not lead us into some sort of idealised life where self-improvement suddenly becomes easy.

Rather, God’s grace is released into our lives in and through our struggles and often our failures.

Like Jesus, we may find ourselves the company of the wild beasts but the angels will minister to us.

Faith Matters:

There are a number of organisations that have made appeals of various kinds during Lent, each is looking for the support of people who wish to make an active difference to our world:

Chichester Diocese Lent Appeal for Family Support Work

This year's Diocesan Lent Appeal aims to raise awareness of the tremendously important work of the Chichester Diocesan Association for Family Support Work (FSW) across the diocese and help to realise the target it has set itself - to see a support worker in every part of Sussex within five five years.

Bishop Martin is the patron of FSW and has been very much involved in supporting the charity’s focus for the next five years.

A strong family for every Child in Sussex is the single aim of FSW, set up to support those at the margin of society, those least able to support themselves, those who are most at risk of slipping through the safety net.

FSW Director, Martin Auton-Lloyd, said: "I'm delighted to be the recipient of the Diocesan Lent appeal this year.

"As we start on a programme of growth over the next 5 years to meet the needs of the families in Sussex with a vision of our Family Support Practitioners covering the whole of [Sussex]."

Christian Aid - Count Your Blessings

Christian Aid are running a Lent and Easter appeal called 'Count your Blessings.' There are resources, calendars and videos with more information on their website at: https://www.christianaid.org.uk/lent-easter/

Water Aid - Jars of Change

Churches can apply for a resource pack to help make a difference in communities around the world who lack easy access to clean and fresh water. There's still time to organise events and raise awareness and make a real difference in the lives of others around the world. There's more information and churches can order a resource pack from:https://www.wateraid.org/uk/get-involved/faith-groups

A total of 464 drug-driving arrests were made in Sussex between March 2017 and February 26 this year.

On March 2 2015, the Government announced it is illegal to drive while over the specified limit of 17 legal and illegal drugs.

Now, on the third anniversary of the new law, officers are warning offenders that they are now far more likely to be caught and convicted.

In the 12 months leading up to the new legislation (March 2 2014 – March 1 2015), a total of 62 drug-driving arrests were made in Sussex.

This compares to 325 the next 12 months (March 2 2015 – March 1 2016) and 558 the following year (March 2 2016 – March 1 2017).

Between March 2 2017 and February 26 2018, a total of 464 drug-driving arrests were made in the county.

Chief Inspector Warren Franklin, of the Surrey and Sussex Roads Policing Unit, said: “Prior to the introduction of this drug-driving law, we had to rely on a roadside impairment test to prove a driver was under the influence of drugs. Now, with this new legislation and the DrugWipe kit – a tool which tests for a number of drugs at the roadside – we can prove it in a matter of minutes.

“This makes is a lot easier to catch and convict criminals, and this is reflected in the increased number of arrests made since the law was introduced.

“What hasn’t changed is our stance on roads policing – we have a zero tolerance approach to drug-driving, and anyone caught committing this offence will be dealt with robustly.”

If you are convicted of drug-driving, you could face a minimum 12-month ban, a criminal record, an unlimited fine, up to six months in prison, and an endorsement on your driving licence for 11 years.

Chief Insp Franklin added: “The consequences of drug-driving can be catastrophic, and it is well documented that driving under the influence of drink or drugs is one of the four most common causes of fatal and serious injury collisions in the UK.

“Drug-driving is stupid, it’s irresponsible and it’s downright dangerous. Anyone who does so risks killing themselves, their passengers or other innocent road users. They also risk losing their job and their licence, in addition to a criminal record, increased car insurance costs and trouble getting into countries including the USA.”

The new legislation introduced in 2017 makes it against the law to drive while over the specified limit of 17 legal and illegal drugs. The limit set for each drug is extremely low, and limits have been set to account for circumstances such as accidental exposure to drugs.

Surrey and Sussex Police liaise closely with Sussex Safer Roads Partnership and DriveSmart in Surrey to provide education and enforcement around drug-driving.

To find out more, visit THINK!’s drug-driving page online.

People in Sussex can text officers on 65999 with the details of people they suspect of drink or drug-driving, or visit the Operation Crackdown website.

You can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or report it online.

If you know someone is driving while over the limit or after taking drugs, call 999.

Former soldiers who served in the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers enjoy getting together for social gatherings.

The Brighton, Hove and West Sussex branch of the REME Association has about 15 members who meet regularly at the Royal British Legion Club Lancing and they are looking for more to join their happy band.

Barry Loveridge, chairman, said: “What we are looking for is older people, those who are retired who have time on their hands. We can’t reasonably expect the younger people to join because most soldiers when they leave in their 40s, it is difficult for them. They are too busy setting up their career.”

Gerry Mitchell, vice-chairman, added: “We are looking for commitment and that is the biggest part of it. We want people who come every month and take an active part.”

Current members come from Hove, Southwick, Upper Beeding, Lancing, Worthing, Haywards Heath and Pagham, so people from a wide area are welcome.

Barry, who joined at 15 and worked on aircraft, said: “The REME stared in 1942. Most of us are from the 1960s onwards.

“To be a full member of the association, you have to have served in the REME but we can have associate members.

“The monthly meeting is only an hour. It is fairly formal and we have a proper structure. We also have social functions at the Hummingbird Café and we do as many visits as we can. We like to go to places that are of interest to us, for example Ricardo and Bordon Camp.”

Glen Bruce served from 1954 to 1956, for his national service, as an electrician vehicle and plant at Malvern.

He said the association had an important role as benefactor, offering support to those who needed it.

Geoff Bowring joined the branch 30 years ago, 15 years after he came out of the army at the age of 42, having seen a newspaper advert.

Brian Meredith, treasurer, was a commando in the Royal Marines and earned the coveted Green Beret.

Roger Cross, who serviced in the Royal Artillery, said: “Wherever the army goes, the REME goes with it. REME is responsible for every piece of electrical equipment the army has, from rifles and radios to vehicles and aircraft.

“A lot of us joined as trainees at 16 or 17 and many had 22-year careers.

“The function of the association is social, to create an atmosphere of like-minded people who have a drink and a chat, and reminisce. We talk about posts we have had and stations we have been on.

“We also have a welfare function, which is very important to us, and it is now primarily related to widows of members we have lost.”

The branch meets on the third Tuesday of the month a the club in Culver Road, Lancing. For more information, telephone Barry Loveridge on 01273 870523.