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Shoreham Fort

Newsletter

In this Issue:
Catch Up and Up Coming for 2017

Once again our 'Irregular Newsletter' lives up to its name...

Even though we have been quiet, with regards to newsletters, so far this year we have been far from quiet with regards to the fort project.

So much goes on in the background that we seem to have forgotten to stop and look up from what we are doing and see and acknowledge how much we are achieving.

This is really important for us to keep doing because we can get so bogged down with the bad stuff that we don't recognise the good stuff.

The photos below show a visual timeline of progress from 1977 until 2015...

1977

1977

1980

1980

1999

1999

2006

2006

2009

Viewty

2015

Now

It's not until you see this collection of photos together that you realise the progress the volunteers have made in preserving Shoreham Fort, which played such an important part of our nation's history.

Spreading the word....

Two weeks ago saw us complete our trio of tourist leaflet exchanges for 2017, in conjunction with Sussex Top Attractions and Visit Chichester.

These events at St Hill Manor, Butlin in Bognor and Michelham Priory are a fantastic way for us to promote Shoreham Fort to the tourism and leisure industry with everything from small B&B's, large hotels, group tour operators, coach travel operators, other tourist attractions and members of the public.

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This season's leaflet exchanges have seen us hand out nearly 3,000 leaflets and has given us the chance to answer any questions people may have.

Something new...

Our friends the West Sussex Irregulars, who make our Nissen Hut their home during our Military History Weekend, have been looking at ways to help us raise awareness of Shoreham Fort in different social circles and we feel they may have just hit the nail on the head by tying in their Vintage Film Society with our own film industry history.

For those of you who are not aware Francis Lyndhurst, grandfather of Nicholas Lyndhurst, set up a film studio at Shoreham Fort in 1913 and utilised the site to make several films before taking out a loan to build the Glass House Studio at the other end of Shoreham Beach, behind the Church of the Good Shepherd (CoGS).

There used to be a Film Studio information panel on CoGS Church Hall but it was lost many years ago. The Friends of Shoreham Fort, with the help of Worthing WoW's Heritage Lottery project celebrating 120 years of film in Sussex, updated and replaced the panel last year, linking the Film Heritage from two ends of the Beach. We also recreated a backdrop from The Showman's Dream which Francis himself would have painted at Shoreham Fort. This was with the help of the amazing Creative Waves Community Arts.

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Below is a letter from the West Sussex Irregulars, explaining a little more about their film society and inviting you to join them on 22nd April 2017.

"Dear FOSF,

Just a little note to let you know of an exciting new thing we’ll be doing over the next few months. We, the West Sussex Irregulars have joined forces with the Friends of Shoreham Fort to put on a series of showings of vintage films in their lovely shiny Nissen Hut.

Each showing will consist of a “main feature” from the Golden Age of cinema (which could mean anything from the 1930s to the 1960s) preceded by either a “B” feature or a selection of “shorts” (which might include public information films or cartoons from the same general period as the main feature).

The good news is that as a paid-up Friend of Shoreham Fort, you will automatically be eligible for free entry to the showings. As you are aware, though, the Nissen Hut has a limited capacity so we would ask that you let us know beforehand (by means of the special email address at the bottom of this letter) if you’d like a ticket – we would hate to have to turn anyone away on the night.

Refreshments will be available for purchase on the night at the normal Food For Fort prices, and we would respectfully ask you not to bring your own.

The first showing is scheduled for Saturday 22nd April 2017 and will be the 1942 classic “Casablanca” starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid. Set during World War II, it focuses on an American expatriate who must choose between his love for a woman and helping her Czech Resistance leader husband escape the Vichy-controlled city of Casablanca to continue his fight against the Nazis.

We would ask that all arrive by 6:15pm for a 6:30pm start as the car park is free from 6:00pm.

If you would like to add to the atmosphere by dressing up in period costume (let’s face it, who hasn’t got a camel and a fez lurking in their garden shed?) then that would be lovely, but please don’t think that it’s compulsory! We look forward to seeing you there!

Contact: filmsociety@westsussexirregulars.org.uk

Easter Sunday Funday – 16th April 2017 11:00 ~ 4:00

Once again the Friends of Shoreham Fort will be going back to the good old days of fun for the kids with Egg and Spoon Races, Sack Races

easter-funday

MHW 2017 – 3rd ~ 4th June 2017 11:00 ~ 4:30

This year is the 7th year for our Military History Weekend.

Come down for this fantastic family fun day and see Shoreham Fort truly come to life...

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Gosh.....

As you can see there are exciting times ahead for the Friends of Shoreham Fort and we hope you will come and join us in that fun.

We do always need volunteers at our events so if you think you could help then please do get in touch with me, Sharon, secretary@shorehamfort.co.uk

Even if you can only offer us an hour or two of your time we would be extremely grateful.

See you all soon

Sx

Join us...

Want to help?

We're always in need of equipment, tools, and items at the fort... here's a few things on our wish list:

  • Projector

    Purchased with funding raised through a week of community fundraising in Shoreham Branch

    A big THANK-YOU to Santander for their donation!

  • Doors for Food for Fort and Nissen Hut

    A big THANK-YOU to Vevo Vision for their donation!

  • Sponsors

    We have four main events of the year, the biggest being our Military History Weekend - Sponsors of any of our events would be very welcome - please contact us

  • Expertise

    Bid writers / Architects / Fundraisers

  • Hand tools

    We are getting to the end of the useful life of our trowels, hand garden forks and equipment that we use for carefully weeding around the Scheduled Monument. Any small hand tools would be gratefully received.

  • Barrack Block

    That would be really lovely........ We are working on it ;)

  • My Cloud Mirror Drive

    Purchased with thanks to Shoreham and Southwick Rotary who we help when we can with book donations and especially at Christmas with our very own version of Elf and Safety lol Thank you for your continued support

    A big THANK-YOU to Rotary Club of Shoreham & Southwick for their donation!

  • Renewal of IT/presentation equipment

    With a partial award for an application to Sussex Community Foundation we have been able to increase our outreach and education programme; therefore increasing word of mouth of our project and engaging the wider community in a positive and proactive manner.

    A big THANK-YOU to Sussex Community Foundation for their donation!

  • Volunteers

    People are genuinely surprised when we tell them how few volunteers we have that come on site on a regular basis to help maintain and conserve the site for the enjoyment of the public. If you think you would like to get involved with this amazing project then please do get in touch or come down on one of our volunteer days. It may look like it\'s all hard, manual work but there really is a job for all.

If you're able to help, or have contact with someone who can, then please let us know

Research

Do you recognise one of these names? Perhaps a family member or friends family?

  • S.Hart
  • Wist.A.Brinstow
  • G.Callen

Let us know - They might be connected to the 1st Sussex Artillery Volunteers who were based at Shoreham. Any information is greatly appreciated.

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