Author Archives: David Bettiss

April community project morning

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Our April work morning will happen on Thursday 2 April (the day before Good Friday), starting as usual at 10am just for an hour or so. We’ll be at the Village Green and the task will be to weed and tidy up the bed leading towards the public toilets, plus the nearby herb bed and shrub beds. If you’re able to help at all, then we’d be very pleased to see you for a sociable and useful hour – please bring a trowel, fork and secateurs etc if you have them.

If any doubt about the weather on the day, please check the website for any updates.

The Story of a Ferring Wildlife Garden – our January 2026 meeting

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Dr Tim Freed, a dedicated entomologist of many years and a Group member, gave an enlightening presentation on how he has transformed his private garden in Ferring into a carefully managed refuge for wildlife.

What began as a conventional garden has been steadily reshaped into one designed purely as a sanctuary for the widest range of wildlife possible.

Tim’s lifelong fascination with insects prompted him to take a gradual and experimental approach. Firstly, small areas of lawn were left uncut and Tim was encouraged by the many native species of wildflowers that quickly established themselves.

This motivated Tim to allow larger areas of lawn to naturally grow further areas of wildflowers. This very soon resulted in attracting many pollinating insects. Advice was taken on which shrubs to plant to add value to pollinators and specialist insects. Dead wood was retained rather than cleared, providing habitat for beetles, fungi, and nesting bees. Ponds and damp areas were introduced to support aquatic insects and their predators.

Tim’s vision extended beyond insects alone: the garden was intended to support interconnected food webs, from soil microorganisms to birds, amphibians, and small mammals.

This approach demanded patience and a willingness to accept visual disorder in favour of biological complexity.

The process was not without difficulty. Establishing a wildlife-friendly garden required significant physical labour, ongoing observation, and continual learning. Progress was often slow, and setbacks such as plant failures, extreme weather, or invasive species were frequent. Social challenges also arose: neighbours sometimes viewed the untidy appearance of the garden as neglect rather than intention, requiring Tim to repeatedly explain and defend his approach.

The many stunning photographs of the species now present in the garden helped to illustrate the importance of Tim’s work and to encourage the audience to try this technique in areas of their own gardens.

After the usual break for tea and biscuits Stephen Abbott took to the floor to discuss local planning issues. A new planning application has been submitted for a dwelling to be built on a small piece of land on the corner of Brook Lane. The Ferring Men in Sheds group are proposing to build a wooden shed behind the pumping house on the Glebelands playing field. Roundstone Pick Your Own Farm is now closed due to the retirement of the proprietors.

To conclude the meeting Graham Tuppen advised members and visitors on local wildlife sightings with news of several Goldfinches in his garden. Clive Hope had spotted a Mistle Thrush and a Goldcrest near to the farm ruins in Sea Lane. Peter Dale had seen Great Tits and Goldcrests locally plus Oystercatchers, Sanderlings and a Lapland Bunting had all been seen on Ferring beach in the last week or two, as well as a Snow Bunting at the Witterings.

 

Sea Water Quality – November 2025 meeting

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At our November meeting, Ferring Conservation Group was pleased to welcome Cllr Vicki Wells, Worthing Council’s Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, who provided an informative update on the latest sea water quality findings along the Worthing coastline.

Drawing on her background as a science producer for the BBC, Vicki is committed to strengthening community involvement in local environmental monitoring. She recently joined members of a local swimming club to take part in seawater testing, helping to ensure that citizen-collected data contributes to a fuller and more accurate picture of coastal water conditions.

Thanks to equipment supplied by Southern Water, three designated sampling points have now been established to support local campaigners in tracking water quality. These complement the Environment Agency’s weekly testing programme carried out from May to September each year.

While water quality at Goring Beach and Heene Road has improved and is now officially rated “good”, the stretch near Beach House Grounds remains classified as “poor.”

Vicki explained that multiple pollution sources may be contributing to the issue, including urban run-off carrying litter, chemicals, mis-connected or damaged sewer infrastructure, natural waste from wildlife and dogs, as well as human impacts such as improper waste disposal on the beach.

Investigations are ongoing, supported by improved signage and the launch of the Yellow Fish campaign, which aims to raise awareness that pollution entering roadside drains flows directly into the sea.

Following Vicki’s presentation, Alex Finch, Water Quality Specialist at Southern Water, spoke about the company’s efforts to support Worthing Borough Council in improving coastal water quality. He acknowledged the company’s past challenges—including illegal sewage discharges that resulted in fines and regulatory red ratings—but highlighted progress made through the identification of pollution sources.

Using a bell-curve chart, Alex illustrated the risks posed by harmful bacteria such as E. coli and viruses like norovirus, which can cause gastrointestinal illness in humans. He reaffirmed Southern Water’s commitment to reducing storm overflow releases and continuing work to tackle contamination concerns.

Seasonal mince pies accompanied cups of tea during a short break followed by Nature Notes, presented by Graham Tuppen. The following birds had all been spotted at Widewater, a man-made lagoon at Lancing, including Turnstones, Coots, Black Swans, Cormorants, Goosander, Heron, Little Egrets, Little Grebes, Moorhens, a silver Appleyard (a domestic breed of duck) as well as an unusual visit from a Slavonian Grebe.

Clive Hope had seen waders on the beach at Ferring and Goring consisting of over 60 Oystercatchers, 40 Sanderlings, a few Turnstones and the odd Grey Plover, Dunlin and Ringed Plover. On the sea Clive spotted 12 Great Crested Grebes and 8 Red-breasted Mergansers.

On the west side of the Ferring Rife an influx of Blackbirds, Reed Buntings and Chaffinches joined a good number of Linnets and Goldfinches there. Also one Blackcap and a couple of Song Thrushes.

Stephen Abbott concluded the meeting by updating members with local planning news. Change of use for industrial units on the slopes of Highdown Hill have been submitted. The application for a footpath registration submitted by Ferring Conservation Group had been formally accepted and would be decided in due course.

Emergency beach clean

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Many thanks to our team of volunteers who turned out this week to help clear our beach at Ferring of all the rubbish

Part of our clean up team with the rubbish collected

that has washed up here recently. There was a significant amount of polystyrene from the ship incident in the Channel plus more items such as fishing gear, nylon rope and others bits as a result of the stormy weather.

We did escape the worst of the incident, which sadly has affected the beaches at Selsey, Pagham and Bognor in a serious way, but at least for the time being, we have a clean beach again. The cleansing offcer at Arun DC is very grateful for all our efforts and wanted to pass on his thanks.

We’ll continue to monitor the area and if necessary, we will again call for an impromptu clean up.

Swift nest boxes in Ferring

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This week, the first two Swift nest boxes in Ferring were installed at Greystoke Manor Residential Care Home in Church Lane by one of our local Swift Champions, Paul Stevens. The owner of the home, Mr Bradley, kindly funded these and we are very grateful to him.

We have also got agreement from four other properties in the immediate area to install a further 8 boxes and it is hoped this will happen in January. These include at the St Andrew’s Church Centre.

As many of you will know, Swifts are in serious decline and one of the main reasons is the loss of their nesting sites, so we hope that by providing these boxes, we can build a colony of birds around the Ferring Conservation Area over a period of time. Alongside the boxes, we hope to put in a number of “callers” – small speaker devices that put out the bird’s call and these have proved successful elsewhere in attracting the birds to nest in the first place.

This is only the start of this project, which we hope to develop further in other suitable nearby properties and start a real “Swift Street” here in Ferring.

Moth Trapping Exercise at St Oscar Romero school

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Students from St Oscar Romero School in Goring-by-Sea, along with their teachers, were recently treated to a fascinating overnight moth-trapping experience, thanks to the expertise of Dr Tim Freed – a leading entomologist and member of the Ferring Conservation Group.

This event is part of a growing partnership between Ferring Conservation Group and the school’s Fingerprint Ambassadors – a dedicated group of students passionate about environmental issues. For the past two years, this collaboration, overseen by Phil Dean, the school’s Careers, Enrichment and Outdoor Learning Leader, has helped foster greater awareness of local biodiversity and conservation efforts within the community.

On the evening of 16th July, Tim set up two Robinson moth traps within the school grounds. At 6pm, students and staff gathered in a classroom to hear an engaging introductory talk from Tim, who explained the vital role moths play in the ecosystem. He introduced the group to a variety of species, their habits, life cycles, and the importance of biodiversity.

Following the talk, the group enjoyed a barbecue—cooked to perfection by Phil Dean on the school grounds—as they made final preparations for their overnight camp, securing tents and discussing the evening’s activities.

As dusk fell, Tim led the students and teachers to the first moth trap, positioned among some rough grassland near one of the classroom buildings. The group was delighted to find a healthy variety of moths had already been attracted to the trap’s bright light. The second trap, located in a darker corner of the school playing field, near a row of poplar trees and away from light pollution, proved equally successful.

With high hopes for a rich haul in the morning, the students and teachers retired to their tents, eager for an early start.

After a night under canvas, the group rose early to join Tim who had returned at first light to check the traps and make a quick assessment of the catch. Together with the students he reviewed the final contents of the traps. His expert commentary brought each species to life, making for an unforgettable learning experience that combined hands-on science with real-world ecology.

In total, over 135 species were recorded across the traps. Star attractions were several Poplar and Elephant Hawk-moths and a solitary Pine Hawk-moth. A number of migratory species were present including the rare Golden Twin-spot, and well-over 1000 Willow Ermine were noted. Interestingly, 98 species were recorded at both the Classroom site and the Poplars site, reflecting the ecological richness of each location. Both traps produced a number of interesting finds, including moths typically associated with riverbank habitats—an indication of the influence of the nearby Ferring Rife corridor, which intersects the broader Chatsmore Farm landscape.

The Classroom site, with its rough grassland, scrub, and proximity to gardens, proved to be a surprisingly valuable area with numerous grassland species present as well as a good variety of butterflies seen there during the day. At the Poplars site, which features railway-side vegetation and mature woodland, several uncommon and local species were recorded including the Olive, Cnephasia longana, Gypsonoma minutana, Sitochroa palealis and Synaphe punctalis. Several species were common to both traps.

(Pictured – female Poplar Hawk-moth)

Big Butterfly Count report

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On Tuesday 29 July, 9 members (plus a dog) met up in the Bluebird cafe car park for a second Big Butterfly Count near the Ferring Rife. This followed on from our previous one at Cissbury Ring.
Although the weather started very dull, it gradually warmed up, and we managed to count a total of 42 butterflies, with 16 Large Whites, 14 Gatekeepers,  9 Speckled Woods,  and 1 each of Small White, Comma and Red Admiral. These numbers were split into 3 counts, and entered onto the national database.
We also spotted a couple of “woolly bear” caterpillars, which we identified as being those of the White Ermine moth.
We also saw a Grey Heron, a flock of at least 10 Little Egrets (24 had been seen there the previous day), and a possible young Great White Egret, plus Moorhens, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Buzzard and Sparrowhawk, as well as some feeding Swallows and Swifts.

Protecting the Goring/ Ferring Gap

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(Photo by John Vaughan)

Please see the following statement that gives an update on the situation regarding the Gap:

The open space between Goring and Ferring — known as the Goring/Ferring Gap — is
a designated “Local Green Gap” and deeply valued by our community.
In recent months, planning applications to develop part of this land triggered strong
concerns and widespread objections. Thankfully, Worthing Borough Council rejected the proposals — a victory for local voices.
Subsequently the land was put on the market, which raised a new possibility: could the
community buy and protect it for good?
So local amenity groups got together and decided to create a proposal, which was to set up a Community Trust to purchase the land, funded by a Crowdfunding campaign.
Unfortunately, the proposal was rejected by the landowner, who decided to take a
different route. We understand that the land will be put back on the market, although the
final plan is unclear.
The same local amenity groups came together again to explore the options. The result?
A decision to continue and form a Community Trust, ready to purchase land if the
opportunity arises, funded by a future crowdfunding campaign.
� More updates will follow soon — watch this space.
Want to help shape the future of the Gap?
We’re looking for people to get involved — including potential Trustees.
Contact any of the following groups to express your interest:
– Ferring Conservation Group
– Goring and Ilex Conservation Group
– Goring Residents Association
– The Worthing Society
– Transition Town Worthing CIC

“No Development on Goring Gap”

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Please see the below update from our Chairman, Pete Coe:

There has been some conjecture and rumours circulating about the planned development of a plot of land owned by Chris Dixon. The following is the facts, as we know them.
On Thursday last week it was announced by James and James (Estate agents in Goring and Ferring) that they had been contacted by Mr Dixon to say that there will be no further attempts to gain any form of planning from him and he was selling the land as he has “to respect the wishes of many residents out way (sic) the few”.
On Friday we were contacted by James Brock (joint owner of James and James) to say that he was negotiating a 6-month grace period to buy the land as a trust that he would like to be between Ferring Conservation Group & Goring Residents Association, with a crowdfunding campaign led by him & the community. He added that it’s his dream that we secure the land and then put as many easements/covenants on it so that it can only ever be used as a nature reserve.
At our request he has expanded the interest groups to include the Goring and Ilex Conservation Group and the Worthing Society, and we are having an initial chat with James on the 2nd of June to discuss the matter in more detail and identify other potentially interested such as the Sussex Wildlife Trust.
Clearly matters such as the selling price are currently commercial in confidence and the details of fund raising and the legal framework for any Trust need to be worked out and James and James are probably in the best position to lead on this. As ever, the devil will be in the detail. Personally, I see this as potentially a good opportunity for the Communities of Ferring and Goring to again work together to protect our green spaces.
I will update all members with the outcomes of the meeting.

Patching Orchid walk

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On Saturday May 3rd (the 3rd anniversary of Tricia Hall’s passing) a group of members gathered on France Lane for a walk through Patching Woods, led by Graham Tuppen. The main purpose was to look at the Bluebells and Early Purple Orchids, both of which were putting on a great show. There were still some Wood Anemones visible, and we also admired the Yellow Archangel, Bugle, Stitchwort, Dog Violets, Primroses, Wood Spurge and Germander Speedwell.

On the wildlife front, we were also able to see a number of Red Kites, Buzzards, Sparrowhawk and Kestrel, and either heard or spotted many Blackcaps, Song Thrushes, Wrens, Swallows, Martins and Nuthatch amongst others, including Robins and a variety of Tits. Over the village we also saw a party of 4 screaming Swifts flying over the buildings – an increasingly rare sight these days.

When the sun finally came out, a number of butterflies appeared, including Orange Tip, Speckled Wood and Red Admiral, plus also a possible Fritillary.

All in all, it was the English countryside, and particularly its ancient woodlands at their very best in the month of May.