BAGS of help for the environment is being achieved with a Fontwell charity’s new venture.

The Aldingbourne Trust has its own reusable bags to raise funds for its work with adults with learning disabilities and autism, thanks to the mother of a volunteer at its country centre.

Cathy Tiley ensures empty hessian bags are no has-beens by using her sewing skills to create the long-lasting goods. She is working with the earthworks project at the centre, just north of the A27, to print and sew on the trust’s logo.

Gill Nudds, the earthworks project lead, said: “This is such a fantastic opportunity for the people we are supporting in our department. It is a completely new set of skills they will gain.”

The wood team has also got involved. Its project lead, Brian Alden, was given an old leather sofa which Cathy stripped for the bag handles. She came back to the UK after 30 years abroad when her husband started a job in London. Their four children had grown up and she wanted to make good use of her time.

Two of her children work at a coffee roasters and tea merchant and Cathy noticed piles of coffee sacks made out of hessian. With the 5p levy on plastic bags, Cathy realised the unwanted items could become sturdy and practical shopping bags. One of her sons, Ed, had begun to volunteer at the country centre and Cathy wanted to offer help. She said: “We all have a connection to someone with a learning disability in some way. The difference in Ed has been remarkable and he is in such a better place now, which is fantastic. It is now my turn to give something back.”

Dancers were treated to a Celtic night to raise money for the Aldingbourne Trust.

A packed hall joined in the fun at the latest Reel Tartan event at Eastergate Village Hall to help the charity and its work with adults with learning difficulties.

Several members of its community joined the event. The result of the night of revelry was a £180 cheque which the organiser, Polly Meynell, handed over to the trust last week.

She stages the event each year to help a charity in the area – and she chose the trust for 2019.

“It was a wonderful evening of live music, dance and fantastic food,” she said.

“All guests came wearing tartans and were treated to a feast of Celtic-themed foods from all around the British Isles courtesy of Mark Dunne – Chefs on the Move.

“The Causeway Celidh band, a local band from Midhurst, played to a packed hall.

“By the end of the evening, they were calling some of their most challenging routines which, to their delight, were enthusiastically and expertly followed.”

BEAUTIFUL artwork will be on show at a Bognor Regis studio’s first exhibition.

The No 73 Creative Arts Studio is staging the event to raise money to enable more people to be able to enjoy its facilities.

The studio is run by the Aldingbourne Trust as part of its work to enable people with learning disabilities to live independently.

The exhibition is taking place daily from 10am to 3.30pm, April 8 to April 10, at the studio at 73 Aldwick Road.

One of those whose work will be on show is Nadia Tourbay. She will have some four pieces of sewing showing animals like bees and giraffes in the exhibition.

She said: “I like animals and I like sewing. It’s very relaxing. I come to the studio all day on Mondays and Wednesdays.

“I’ve been in exhibitions before and it’s absolutely fabulous having your work on show and people looking at it.”

The studio has been open for some years but it has become too small.

Helen Rawlings, its lead creative arts instructor, said she expected 60-80 pieces of art to be on display in the exhibition.

“We have taken part in the Chichester Art Trail but this is the first exhibition we have held like this.

“We want to raise enough money to be able to expand. This will enable us to have a quiet area and have about four extra people a day,” she said.

“We can accommodate 10 at the moment but we have a waiting list.

“The studio is somewhere for our students to socialise and learn artistic skills.

“It gives them something good to do and have a finished product at the end of it which they can have people come in and have a look at it.

“This is a lovely, friendly environment and it’s good for the people here to be able to show their skills.”

As well as the art trail, the studio’s artists have taken part in the Chichester Flower Festival and have won many prizes in an art competition held by the Mencap charity.

They are also taking part in an exhibition by art students at the University of Chichester.

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SILLY socks saw a company’s employees put their best foot forward to raise money for the Aldingbourne Trust.

The team at Covers Timber and Builders Merchants in Chichester, pictured above, donned an array of silly socks to raise funds for the charity.

A colourful collection of socks from designs of spots and stripes to more intricate patterns were on display for the Quarry Lane company’s wear silly sock day.

Martyn Beck, depot manager at Covers Chichester, said: “We are always happy to support local charities here at Covers.

“Our wear silly sock day was a great way for the team to do something simple and have a bit of fun, but also raise funds for a worthy cause at the same time.”

All funds raised will help the trust to support people with learning disabilities and autism to live independently.

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