News

A look back at our THS 2023

One of our busiest year’s ever and to think in 1985 it was said that the meet would’nt last. This years attendees included, 426 Adults & 33 children staying in a selection of 91 Caravans,124 Motorhomes, 7 Tents, & 3 Trailer Tents.

We welcomed visitors from all over the country on annual holiday, visiting relations and friends or touring around. It was great to see everyone from as far north as Durham & Teeside. To the west from Gloucester & Liverpool and as far south from Portugal.

Over the past few years we have included a Charity Theme to the THS collecting for local Sussex Charities each year West Sussex DA can be very proud to have collected thousands of pounds.

This year we were supporting the ‘Sussex Search and Rescue, a local group of volunteers who give of their time looking for missing people. A wonderful total of Two Thousand,Four Hundred and Fifty Pounds was collected during the Meet which has already been forwarded to their HQ.

The money is raised at different social events which include ‘The Great Lancing Bake Off’ with campers baking cakes in their vans for the competition and after being judged, donating their creations to the Tea & Cake afternoon.

The cake judges this year were the two representatives from SSR, plus Rosie Clack-Walsh, an editor from the Clubs very own Out and About Magazine.

This year’s winner was the lovely Vikki, entering for the first time with her wonderful gin-tonic & lemon cake. Clearly a very popular choice.

Well done to all of the children that also entered their cakes with Erin & Lily judged the best with their Ferrero Rocher chocolate cake.

Of course everyone that takes part are all winners for helping to raise money including and sincerely thanking many local businesses for donating raffle prizes!!

The Charity theme continued the following weekend with our extremely popular ‘Lancing Garden Center’ with a great selection of beautiful plants for sale. Twelve months of hard work nurturing plants and flowers by Tina & Steve for the annual event, along with a Bacon Bap Breakfast, Table Top sale and Tombola .

Campers enjoyed live entertainment each weekend in our Marquee which is always well received along with mid week social evenings including Bingo, quiz’s & other fun items. This year we saw the brilliant sounds of Tom Jones, Suspiciously Elvis, busker and sing along songs with Peter Ridge and the brilliant guitar duo playing & singing anything the audience requested!! Amazing.

If you have never been to the Lancing THS, then maybe consider joining us next year ! We will be pleased to meet you.

It is with great sadness that I have to announce the passing away of Ray Reed earlier this week.

Ray was a long time member of some 50 years and a Past Chairman of West Sussex d.a.

Our thoughts and prayers go to his family at this sad time

Many of you will have known Ray and probably camped with him at sometime over the past 50 years as I have.

He was a log term serving member of our committee organising many events and giving freely of his time.

It was a real delight that Ray was still camping with us at Lancing THS only last August for the 60th Anniversary Reunion where he thoroughly enjoyed catching up with old friends & members.

(I have no further details at this time, but be sure I will advise when I hear more)

RIP. Ray Reed

We had a very good turn out for our first Meet of the season at the Clapham & Patching site with the AGM also well attended followed by a wonderful buffet lunch.

I am pleased to report that we have a hard working committee elected for another year with one space still vacant should anyone wish to join us. The weather stayed kind for us although the field was a little on the soft side initially with three units regrettably getting stuck. Thankfully there’s usually Boys with Big Toys on site always willing to lend a hand with a tow out of the mud.

At this time of the year your DA hire the hall which gives us a warm retreat for the evening fun & much laughter for all, including, games ,music, a quiz and this year an alternative Bingo using playing cards.

On Easter Sunday Morning a local walk was enjoyed taking a route through the bluebell woods and visiting a pub. Unfortunately the walkers were followed home by a home by a herd of inquisitive Goats that ran riot for a while around the caravans.

This was all taking place while the Chefs, Pat & Chris and their great small team of helpers were preparing the Italian Easter Sunday Meal. The Menu was, Bruschetta, Linguine Bolognese, Tiramisu ,followed by Limon Cello & Mints. It was all very well received and the four course meal was enjoyed by everyone.

The sum of £2,143.03 raised from Charity events, raffles, and donations over the course of the WSDA THS at Lancing College has been presented to the local representative from this year’s chosen good cause, KSS – The Kent, Surrey & Sussex AIR AMBULANCE.

FABULOUS THS, AND DA 60TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION LANCING COLLEGE,
   5th to 30th August 2022 . A total of 1200 nights, spread over three weeks, in all types of caravans, motorhomes and tents, were camped at this truly outstanding THS held in the beautiful grounds of Lancing College, where great organisation and heatwave weather was a wonderful combination.
  Lancing THS is as successful now as since Ray Reed first organised the Meet 37 years ago in 1985.
During the Meet we were entertained by brilliant live acts provided by Suspiciously Elvis and a cheeky thrusting Tom Jones.  Vocalist Tyler had the Marquee rocking on the final Friday evening with an engaging mix of dancing & sing along tunes and Peter Ridge entertained us during the 60th Anniversary afternoon with a selection of golden oldie favourites. Something for everyone. 

It has become an annual tradition that we support a Charity at Lancing THS & this year it was the KSS Air Ambulance.  
The two main events to raise money were ‘The Great Lancing Bake Off’ afternoon on the 2nd Saturday and the increasingly popular Charity Plant sale & Breakfast morning on the 3rd Saturday. 

We even had our very own Spitfire fly past over the field as a recognition to supporting the Air Ambulance by the Spitfire piloted by John Romain. A pat on the back to Roy Harris for organising that special treat!! (The Video is on Facebook)

Our Charity events this year were as popular as ever. Everyone has been so generous that we couldn’t ask for better support.
We are very proud to say that a grand total of £2143 was raised during this THS and since 2015 the total raised for a variety of charities is almost £14,000 by WSDA at the Lancing College THS Charity Meets which is an amazing achievement.
A special mention must go to Sheila and Val Who walked the streets of local businesses drumming up superb donations for the charity raffle prizes. Our thanks to all the businesses pubs and restaurants for their generosity once again.
Another special mention must go to Tina and Steve for all of the hard work each year in creating their ‘West Sussex Garden Centre’ & the charity plant sale and raising so much money for our charity. 

Another big event made this year’s THS special was the getting together of so many older members of WSDA for a reunion and hog spit roast.
It was so wonderful to see so many old/familiar faces once again after so many years, on a beautiful bank holiday Friday afternoon with celebration cakes, Pimms, live singalong music, joy, laughter, reunions and finishing off with the enjoyable hog spit roast supper that had been roasting over the grill all day.
A memorable afternoon enjoyed by all & a recognition to all those who have supported WSDA over 60 years to keep West Sussex the success it still is today!  
which brings me to another special mention for Celia for baking well over 100 celebration cakes and organising the Pimms and for Ian for all of his hard work in organising the spit roast and for the clearing up.
Of course, none of this would happen at all if it wasn’t for all of the hard work of your committee and of course the THS would not take place without your Stewards, Chris, Pat, Lin, Steve,  Sheila and Val giving up their time for almost a month and working so hard to look after you all and run the meet! (Which of course we all very much enjoy !!)
Thank you everyone for all of your support. We make a great team and once again you have done West Sussex da proud!!

Calling All West Sussex Past & Present Members

We are holding a Reunion get together on FRIDAY 26thAug,

WEST SUSSEX DA 60th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION!!!!

at LANCING COLLEGE THS Site

During the afternoon Starting at 3pm !

With Tea & Anniversary Cake

From 4pm enjoy some Complimentary Pimms and an afternoon of entertainment and sing along from our Busking Musician Peter Ridge

Early evening we are having a Complimentary HOG SPIT ROAST with side salad for wsda

(ready around 5pm).

Please rsvp Pat if you would like the hog roast & salad no later than Friday 19th August!

(Pat 07813 107655 or mail;- pat@westsussexda.co.uk )

(No need to camp for WSDA members/past members but come along, bring any memorabilia from past years, & share memories and stories with old friends.

Please let any past members know or even bring them along with you!

Live Vocalist in the Marquee during the evening with the always welcome return of ‘TYLER’