After a busy morning’s street surgery in Lancing followed by some gentle leaflet delivering on Saturday, I ended up at Southwick Rec to see Southwick 1882 Football Club take on Ashurst Wood. It was billed as an historic day as the newly formed community interest company aims to revive the fortunes of the ‘Wickers’ after a sorry last few year which has seen the traditional Southwick Ground at Old Barn Way fall into decay.
After a lot of wrangling about who is responsible for the state of the Club ground and who actually constitutes the official Southwick football team it was good to see some action at last and even better to see Southwick get off to a great start to claim a 2-1 victory. I have been working with councillors to try to move things on and the Football Supporters Association has now stepped in to offer its services too which is helpful. With a fair wind, a few more wins and some funding under their belt it will be great to get the Old Barn Way ground back to its former state and once again the home of the Wickers. I know the club will welcome any support that locals can give under the #BringHomeTheWickers banner.
The name Piglet’s Pantry is well known not just in Sussex, and especially amongst Seagulls’ supporters, but also in the Cabinet Office. At the beginning of lockdown when many companies were faced with an abrupt disappearance of business one of those who sought my help was Jo Hunter at Piglet’s Pantry 0f Worthing. The problem was Piglets relied on the hospitality industry but as it was not a shop or a restaurant or a pub didn’t qualify for any of the financial assistance regularly available for other hospitality businesses. I raised this with Cabinet Minister Penny Mordaunt who held daily Coronavirus phone briefings for MPs and kept raising it until she and all the other MPs were well aware of exactly who and what Piglets is.
I am glad to say Jo and her excellent businesses did get some help in the end and I popped in to see (and taste) how well they are doing adapting to new opportunities with their celebration afternoon tea boxes and lots of other new products including a Jaffa Cake Cake. Who doesn’t like a pie factory especially when it is as good as Piglets?
I have just been asked by the Taxi industry to put forward nominations for this year’s Parliamentary Taxi and Private Hire awards. So if you know a local cabbie who has gone above and beyond then let me know and I will pass on your nomination.
