The Friends of Centurion Way had planed to stage a fun Christmas event on the path on the 15th of Dec between 2pm & 4pm.
Originally, we intended to warm seasonal refreshments on a portable stove and to encourage local path users to decorate lanterns to hang on the trees which are under threat if the path is diverted by the developers of White House Farm project.
On the morning prior to the event, the weather was particularly uninviting. There was cold icy rain alternately followed by waves of windy driving rain. I emailed people who might be coming and explained the MET office radar image of approaching rain predicted even worse weather to arrive shortly to coincide with our the event.
Despite effectively cancelling the event with the email about dire weather, I thought I should check supporters of FoCW were not getting cold and lonely at the end of the path. This is easy for me to do since I only live a few hundred meters from the end of the path. When I arrived Bill and Sarah Sharp were already there merrily setting up umbrellas stored in their cargo trike.
We spoke to a friendly photographer from the Chichester Post who arrived at first on the roadway inside Bishop Luffa school. For much of our conversation with him he remained inside his car, talking to us from the other side of the fence. He had already been out much of the day photographing other events and looked slightly concerned with the waterlogged state of his camera equipment.
He took some quick photographs to document the event and then immediately put his camera away in it’s water proof case. The Chichester post have published a story of the event that gives a supportive angle on our campaign.
I was surprised we even had a group of three FoCW supporters while the photographer was there. However, just after the Chichester Post journalist had left, Julia Smith arrived too, joining us with Nero (her dog). Together we handed out leaflets to people using the path, some of whom were not aware that it is under treat.
Lets hope we have dryer weather for our New Years day Beating the Bounds event on the 1st Jan 2019. We will be starting from the railway footbridge by Bishop Luffa school, we will meet at 11.00 am.
Seasons Greetings and a Happy New Year (on behalf of all the Friends of Centurion Way).
Mark Record