Gozo’s Fort Chambray in the Fray
Preserving history, heritage and culture, or resorting to current economic needs? By Albert Fenech Plans to develop the historic British barracks of Fort Chambray... Read more.
Dad Runs Marathon in Memory of Best Mate’s Daughter
A HEATHFIELD man is running this year’s London Marathon in memory of his best mate’s daughter who sadly died aged just 3. Leon Collen, 34, is raising... Read more.
Natural Wines that don’t Cost the Earth.
By Lyn Funnell Returning to England after five years in Malta was a cultural shock. Everything was so affordable there and all the alcohol was duty-free. So my parents... Read more.
Dogs in Yellow Ashdown Forest Walk on Thursday 20 March
A special walk is taking place in the iconic Ashdown Forest on Thursday as part of the national ‘Dogs in Yellow Day.’ This special day is all about raising... Read more.
Treating Long Hair
My hair has always been my ‘trademark’. I have had long hair most of my adult life. In the 2010s I got a bee in my bonnet to see…... Read more.
Gareth Butterfield sets off on a road trip to find out why the Tesla Model Y is the best selling car in the world
By Gareth Butterfield If you think you’ve noticed a lot of Tesla Model Ys on the road, that’s because us Brits just can’t get enough of them. We... Read more.
Salina – When a Keg of Salt was Worth More than its Weight in Gold
Malta boasts a lengthy history in saline culture. Let’s take a look… The salt of the earth has always fascinated me as an expression but also a reality.... Read more.
Unity Diner – Vegan Restaurant, Spitalfields, London
The Unity Diner Vegan Restaurant in Spitalfields, London epitomises how and why Veganism is trending with positive rage amongst the city’s population. For... Read more.
Fashion-ing My Way
I love watching fashion shows. Well, I did until designers decided to get really weird and make garments I wouldn’t be seen dead in. It was like watching a…... Read more.
Trimdon, Durham. A Small Northern Town with a Big History
By Lyn Funnell Trimdon, in County Durham, is divided into four; Trimdon Village, Trimdon Colliery, Trimdon Station and Trimdon Grange. It is said that King Canute... Read more.
Gareth Butterfield finally gets to test the latest Toyota Prius in the UK
By Gareth Butterfield If you look back throughout the history of the Toyota Prius, it starts to feel like the design of every generation has very much been a function…... Read more.
We Meet at Last!
By Lyn Funnell I’ve known Seren for 13 years. She’s written for me every week. But we’d never met, although we’d almost managed it a few times. So when I…... Read more.
Spring Cleaning with Natural Cleaning Solutions
Leafing through my 1861 copy of ‘Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management’, it becomes apparent that during the Victorian age the chore of household cleaning... Read more.
Thousands of Years of Olive History in Malta and Gozo
Spice every room in the house with the aroma of burning olive twigs By Albert Fenech In days of yore, every Palm Sunday was a special occasion when those attending…... Read more.
World Book Day – a New Book Club for Ashdown Forest, Sussex
Today is World Book Day – and now a new Book Club is being set up in the iconic Ashdown Forest. Where better to come together with others, enjoy reading,…... Read more.
Lonely or Alone? Thoughts for Solo Travellers
May I offer up some thoughts about the subtle difference between loneliness and aloneness? I have been a ‘loner’ all my life. Always seeming to be out of step... Read more.
HMS Trincomalee
By Lyn Funnell The Frigate HMS Trincomalee is moored by the National Museum of the Royal Navy at Hartlepool. She (all ships are She) was built in India out of…... Read more.
Gareth Butterfield spends a week in the all-electric Jeep Avenger
By Gareth Butterfield The Jeep Avenger is very much a break from the norm for the iconic brand. It’s still an SUV, but it’s much smaller than its ancestors.... Read more.
Making Pies for British Pie Week: a Noble Affair
When it comes to deciding what Britain’s national dish is there’s always a bit of a debate with some people saying that the national dish is no longer the traditional…... Read more.
My Greatest Stroke of Fortune which Changed my Life
Meeting Lyn Funnell at Horsted Keynes! By Albert Fenech I was brought up and schooled in England and later permanently returned to Malta in 1965 but over the last... Read more.
Celebrating 40 Years of Wildlife Rescue: The Journey of Trevor Weeks, MBE and WRAS
In 2025, East Sussex Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service (WRAS) celebrates two extraordinary milestones: 40 years of founder Trevor Weeks’ tireless dedication... Read more.
Book Review: Pagans by James Alistair Henry
I was lucky enough to receive a review copy of the debut novel by James Alistair Henry. You might not have heard of Henry, but you’ll certainly be acquainted... Read more.
Hever Castle, Ann Boleyn’s Haunted Family Home
By Lyn Funnell Getting off the coach, we walked through the entrance arch to Hever, and after walking a few yards, we could see the magnificent Hever Castle, surrounded... Read more.
Sip & Savour Sussex: Michelin-Starred Excellence
Gourmand Delights & Hidden Culinary Treasures by Sarah Thompson www.sussexkitchen.co.u With 32 restaurants listed in the 2025 Michelin Guide, including three... Read more.
Strawberry Fields in New York
Strawberry fields and farms are dotted around Kent and Sussex with “pick your own” days during the season and cosy tea rooms serving hard-to-resist fruit tarts.... Read more.
Gone to the Dogs: The Isle of Dogs, that is
I’ve always wanted to visit the Isle of Dogs, in all honesty more for its name than anything else, so when I got the opportunity to visit I was determined…... Read more.
Splendid greenery on “The Rock” – the Malta Oasis in the Med
By ALBERT FENECH salina46af@gmail.com Modern communication being what it is (what it is NOT is verbal communication!) thousands of Maltese who holiday overseas throughout... Read more.
Brave Ann Supportive of LA Wildfire Victims
Eastbourne author Tony Flood talks to former Miss World and Los Angeles resident, Ann Sidney, about her traumatic experience during the recent California Wildfires... Read more.
Celebrating National Apprenticeship Week
Last week was National Apprenticeship Week – and Alex Rodd, 21, from Newick feels privileged to be an apprentice working at the fitness centre at Chailey... Read more.
Beautiful Sunflowers
For my “lockdown garden” in 2021, I went to the local animal feed store and bought some sunflower seeds. I was warned that they were irradiated and may not flower.…... Read more.
Gareth Butterfield Takes the New Lexus LBX on a Road Test
This is the new LBX. It’s Lexus’s base model. The entry level. And, yes, that is a bit like saying the Oyster Perpetual is the cheapest Rolex watch.... Read more.
Red Velvet Cake – the Glamorous Granny of Bakes
Red Velvet Cake is a recipe that is older than you might think! Red Velvet cake has enjoyed an explosion in popularity over the past few years and it is…... Read more.
Make Merry, then Repent… when in Malta
Eat, drink and be merry it’s Carnival time! Then you have 40 days to repent on your waywardness By Albert Fenech Seventy two years ago I was aged just seven…... Read more.
A Day in Rye, Sussex
By Lyn Funnell We went on a Day Coach Trip to Rye Market. But the coach pulled up in front of an empty market site as it was raining! No…... Read more.
Sentimental Clothes
My brother has just told us that his son deconstructed a ‘hoody’ to make another in fabric of his choice. It took him a weekend to finish. This brought back…... Read more.
Marino’s; Excellent Rye Chipshop.
By Lyn Funnell On a recent day trip to Rye in Sussex, there was only one place we wanted to eat; Marino’s. I’d eaten there a couple of times before…... Read more.
Gareth Butterfield Tests the All-New Toyota CH-R
I was always a big fan of the Toyota CH-R. It looked better than it strictly needed to, it drove well, it was spacious enough, and surprisingly economical with the…... Read more.
‘The Curious Case of Spotted Dick’
By Seren Charrington Hollins ‘Spotted Dick’ the source of playground sniggers from the past! The classic pudding is a source of continual embarrasment... Read more.
Awards Galore for Our Featured Artists – and a Special Upcoming Concert
It’s always nice when talent one recognises and champions is also recognised by others, and even better when that recognition comes with a worthwhile award.... Read more.
Rainbow Roast, using Fresh Vegetables
By Lyn Funnell The seven colours of the rainbow are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. Do try this colourful dish of Rainbow Roast Vegetables. It’s... Read more.
Gareth Butterfield Reviews the Striking, New Peugeot e-3008
This is the new Peugeot e-3008. Striking, isn’t it? It’s a complete reimagination of a hugely successful car for Peugeot and, in this fully-electric... Read more.
A day in Accra, Ghana
Accra is the capital of Ghana which sits on the Atlantic coast of West Africa. It was in 1877 when Accra became the capital of the British Gold Coast colony and... Read more.
The Trifle – A truly Decadent Dessert
By Seren Charrington Hollins There was a time when the English banquet table would have been gracefully adorned with sugar plums, syllabubs, flummeries, junkets... Read more.
First-ever television picture transmitted – a Maltese Cross!
TV inventor John Logie Baird makes resounding international history and uses the Malta/St John’s Brigade medallion for his first workshop transmission Many thanks... Read more.
Traditional Sussex Bacon Pudding
By Lyn Funnell I was a bit worried about this recipe as it had no liquid addition, or nothing juicy like tomatoes. But when it’s been steamed, the ingredients... Read more.
Heroic Dad’s Ironman Challenge after Death of Son
By Peter Lindsey A HEROIC father from Sussex has completed the epic Barcelona Ironman Challenge with his three brothers in memory of son Theo who died aged five.... Read more.
Gareth Butterfield spends a week in the all-new Dacia Duster
By Gareth Butterfield Remarkably, one of the cars I was most keen to drive in 2024 happened to have been one of the cheapest. The all-new Dacia Duster. We probably…... Read more.
A 360-degree immersion with ColdPlay
Coldplay’s A Film For The Future is premiering for a limited run at the impressive Lightrooms in London, Seoul and Aviva Studios, home of Factory International... Read more.
The British Love of Sausages
There is little debate that Britain is a nation of sausage lovers. Whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner you can always rely on a good old fashioned banger.... Read more.
Winnie the Pooh celebrations start in East Sussex
2026 marks the centenary of Winnie-the-Pooh, and The Ashdown Forest Foundation is delighted to announce a new charity partnership with Pooh Corner, Hartfield’s... Read more.