The Parish Magazine

The earliest copy of the magazine is in The Chichester Record Office and is dated 1963. The publication covers the united Benefice of Slindon, Eartham and Madehurst and, although it is produced by the Anglican Church, it includes news from the Roman Catholic Church of St. Richard and aims to include village news as well as church matters. It was produced commercially but in the early 1970s the church decided to economise and bought a Gesetner machine. The material was typed onto skins which were then printed with an inked roller – a somewhat messy business.

Richard Dynes, a local printer, whose wife, Jenny was the typist, responded to an appeal in the magazine and volunteered to help with the production. The team consisted of Richard, Colin Loveless, whose job was to produce suitable refreshment and the then Rector, Reg Gray. After that a group of elderly parishioners met to assemble the separate sheets and staple them together by hand. The editor before 1975 for some years was Josephine Duggan-Rees, a well known local historian; after that Jill Loveless carried out the job for some 25 years.

The next few years saw several editors, who all did an excellent job but, for one reason or another were unable to continue. It is now in the capable hands of Glen Hampshire.

Production methods changed too. With the arrival of computers it became much easier. Ken and Bonny Beere did sterling work for many years and Ken is still involved, chiefly as a consultant. The magazine is printed by Mulberry Press and distributed by a team of volunteers in the three villages. There are approximately 300 subscribers. Details of distribution, subscriptions and advertising will be found in the magazine; copies can be bought in each church.

The editor, who reserves the right to cut or shorten copy, welcomes contributions of articles, future events and local news. It is hoped that it is a truly community magazine; indeed in 1993 it won the West Sussex Gazette Parish Magazine Competition (Community News Section) and the following year was commended in the Chichester Diocesan section of the national EIG competition.

It is a good read and an excellent way of knowing what goes on in this small community.

Further information from:-

Editor: Glen Hampshire - 542692
Subscriptions and Distribution: Chris Cargill - 814215
Advertising: Marianne Clemmetsen - 814575