THOUSANDS are expected to descend on Horsham Park this weekend as the town puts itself firmly at the forefront of the ecological movement.

The Eco-Fair which will be held in the park on Sunday is one of two events intended to paint the town green.

The County Times stall will be there and the first 150 visitors that purchase a copy of the paper from us will receive free eco light bulbs and Bendicks chocolates.

Today (Saturday July 19) the town's big retailers will pull together to offer 10,000 free 'bags for life' in stores around the town, as part of the Go Green campaign.

To tie in with the weekend, the Tesco store at Wickhurst Lane, Broadbridge Heath will become one of the first in the region to stop offering plastic bags.

From Saturday, customers will have to request plastics bags with their shopping, instead of being given them as standard.

On the Sunday, 110 stalls will be set up in Horsham Park, and Eco-Fair organiser Joanna Saady, said support for the event had been 'utterly amazing'.

Entry is free, and the day will kick off at 10.30am, with an official opening at 11am. And highlights including the 2pm 'FairTrade' fashion show.

CANCER Research UK's Relay For Life is coming to Horsham for the first time this weekend.

The event will take place at Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre today and tomorrow (July 19/20) from 12 noon to 12 noon.

Participants, survivors and the general public are all invited to watch the 24-hour relay itself, as well as the accompanying entertainment, which includes rock band 'The Session', rap artist 'Kasha' and classical guitarist Richard Durrant.

The relay itself involves teams of around ten people walking crawling, hopping, or otherwise travelling in whatever way they choose around the track over a period of 24 hours.

There will also be a 'Candle of Hope Ceremony', an opportunity to remember those loved ones who have sadly been lost to cancer, at 9pm on the Saturday.

The event will take place at Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre on the 19th and 20th July from 12 noon to 12 noon.

The money raised will go to help the work of Cancer Research UK, which aims to achieve the greatest benefit possible for sufferers of cancer.

SHIPLEY Parish Craft and Produce Show takes place today (Saturday July 19) at Andrew Hall.

This is the second time the popular event has been staged in the Red Lane venue.

It will help raise money for St Mary's Church in Shipley and go towards its bell restoration fund.

THAKEHAM Gardeners Club are holding the 52nd Thakeham Flower Show today (Saturday July 19).

The event will be open to the public from 2pm until 4pm in Thakeham Village Hall, Storrington Road, Thakeham.

Refreshments are available and the prizes will be awarded at 3.30pm. Admission is 50p for adults and free for children.

A MOTORBIKE show revs up in Horsham this weekend with hundreds of visitors expected.

The event at Horsham Rugby Club is free to enter and will feature real ale, live music and a barbecue.

The show will start at 12 noon today (Saturday July 19) with trophies being presented at 4pm.

From 2pm there will be rock bands which will perform until late.

A licensed bar will open at 10am with time being called at 11pm.

There are limited spaces for camping available on Friday and Saturday nights.

Camping tickets on the gate cost £10.

SUSSEXDOWN Care Home in Storrington is holding its annual fete today (Saturday July 19).

Assisting at the care home will be the Air Cadets from Worthing's 45 Squadron Air Training Corps (ATC).

Sussexdown, which is a care home aimed specifically at RAF veterans, is based in Washington Road and was, up until last year, run by the RAF Association before it was taken over by Care Home South.

The Cadets will be helping to set up the fete in the morning and assisting with car parking duties when the fete starts at 1.30pm.

For more information call 01903 744221.

ASHURST flower and produce show takes place today (Saturday July 19).

The event will be held in the village hall, Horsham Road, from 2.30pm.

Judging takes place from 11am through to 1pm and entries are restricted to Ashurst and district residents.

THE CHARMING gardens at St Mary's House, Bramber will be open today and tomorrow (Saturday July 19).

The Bramber attraction is taken part in the National Gardens Scheme – an organisation which raises millions of pounds each year for nursing, caring and gardening charities.

Visitors can enjoy five acres of gardens, including the charming formal topiary beds, the ancient ivy-clad Monks' Walk, an exceptional example of the prehistoric living fossil tree, ginkgo biloba, and colourful herbaceous borders.
The gardens will be open from 2pm until 5.30pm and entrance costs £3.50 for adults and £1 for children.

The house and gardens are also open to end of September on Sundays, Thursdays and Bank Holiday Mondays 2pm to 6pm.

A full programme of concerts and events, including an open-air performance of the classic farce Charley's Aunt on Saturday August 23, is available.

For more information call 01903 816205, or visit www.stmarysbramber.co.uk

A CELEBRATION of the 50th anniversary of George Bell takes place in Steyning tomorrow (Saturday July 19).

The special performance of words and music will be held in Steyning Parish Church from 6pm.

Bishop of Chichester from 1929 to 1958, George Bell was a Christian leader who had been warning church and nation of the evils and dangers of Naziism before challenging retaliation bombing in World War Two.

AMBERLEY Working Museum is set to host its first Classic Motorcycle show on Sunday July 20.

300 different motorcycles dating from the 1950s through to the 1980s will be on display, providing a rare opportunity to see such a vast collection at one venue.

The owners of the motorcycles will also be on hand to talk to visitors about their immaculately kept bikes.

The museum will be open seven days a week throughout the school holidays.

For more information visit www.amberleymuseum.co.uk

SPORTING legend Sally Gunnell this week called on people to sign up for the NSPCC Sussex Big Bike Ride in Horsham.

Riders will head off from Christ's Hospital on Sunday July 20 to raise money for child abuse victims.

So far almost 600 cyclists plan to take part but there are still places left and you can even register on the day.

There will be three different routes of 15, 30 and 60 kilometres to choose from, as well as a much shorter route for the very young in the school grounds, just off Worthing Road.

The rides will all follow the Downs Link, a footpath and bridleway joining the South Downs with the North Downs in Surrey.

There will also be stalls, music entertainment, refreshments, and face painting.

Entry costs £10 per adult, while under 12s go free.

On the day of the event there will be free parking on site and a free shuttle bus will be running from the front of Horsham station at 8.45am, 9.15am and 9.45am.

To register or find out more visit www.bigbikeride.co.uk and register or call 0845 130 3073 to order an entry pack.

PARHAM House and Gardens celebrates its Sixtieth Anniversary since the house was first opened to the public this Sunday (July 20).

The event will step back in time to the 1948 opening and re-create the ambience, flavour, sights and sounds of the post war era.

There will be house guides in period dress and the first 61 visitors to arrive will be admitted at the 1948 original entry price – 2/6 for adults, 1/6 for children (12 pence for adults and eight pence for children).

Visitors are encouraged to arrive in period dress and period vehicles.

As in 1948, the House and Gardens, near Storrington, will open at 12noon and close at 5pm.

For comprehensive coverage of all the stories making the local news, read Friday's edition of the West Sussex County Times newspaper. Website users who wish to purchase a copy of the County Times newspaper but live outside our circulation area can do so by telephoning 01403 751200 and asking for reception. The cost of the newspaper plus postage in England is £1.53 which can be paid for by credit card. Overseas rates are also available, on request.