Prestigious Double Award Win for TERRA

Since acquiring Tottington Manor 4 Years Ago, the growth and the brand positioning of their restaurant has achieved huge recognition, only one year after the launch of their TERRA Restaurant Sussex.

Following the visit last week of the Nationally recognised AA Inspector, TERRA Restaurant has been awarded their first AA Rosette. Helen Pomery Director said “This recognition is the result of four years of really pushing our team to be the best they can be and receiving this long awaited accolade is the biggest reward for them. Ultimately our guest feedback drives us forward every day and helps push us even further in our mission to receive our next Rosette, our journey has only just begun”.

Chris Hilton, Executive Head Chef at TERRA said “I’m over the moon and so proud to have been part of the journey that Tottington Manor and TERRA Restaurant has been on so far and I continue to be very excited about what the future holds, there is more to come”.

This news came just a week before the call from Restaurants Brighton who spearhead the highly regarded hospitality equivalent of the Oscars! We were incredibly honoured to have won our first BRAVO Award for Most Sustainable Restaurant. Knowing we were up against some very strong contenders we were quite overwhelmed but sustainable hospitality has been our primary focus from day one. With rising fuel costs, it became a priority to eliminate fossil fuels, dramatically reduce our wastage and choosing Sussex ingredients across 90% of our food menu and 25% of our Drinks & Wine List, not only are we actively supporting our local economy, it just feels like the right thing to do.

Last year was the first time we were nominated for a BRAVO and we were really honoured to have been placed at 15^th place for Best Sussex Restaurant. Appreciating the quality restaurants across Sussex also nominated, this gave us a huge sense of achievement but in 2025, we were nominated in 5 categories; Best Sussex Restaurant, Best Team, Best Wine List, Best Sunday Roast and Most Sustainable. Our biggest win was winning the Most Sustainable Restaurant category, however, achieving 2^nd place as Best Sussex Restaurant was beyond words, the whole team feel hugely rewarded because our guests voted for us, there can be no greater recognition. Across all categories we achieved Top 10 for 4 and Top 20 for all 5 nominations out of the thousands nominated. We cannot thank everyone enough, especially Restaurants Brighton who work so hard to champion the Sussex Hospitality Sector.

TERRA Restaurant Sussex is an AA Rosette standard South Downs facing restaurant at Tottington Manor which fully caters for events with AA 4 Star Restaurant with Rooms Award. A fine quality destination to entertain, eat well, drink well and sleep well.

Carpenter Box announces merger with Clark Brownscombe

South East accountancy firm Carpenter Box is extending its office network into East Sussex with news that it is to merge Lewes-based Clark Brownscombe into its south coast operations.

Carpenter Box currently serves a growing client base from offices in Worthing, Brighton, Crawley, Chichester, Portsmouth and London and this latest announcement marks another important step in the firm’s ongoing expansion strategy.

Clark Brownscombe will continue to operate from the office in Lewes and will adopt the Carpenter Box brand later this year. Current Directors at the firm, Robert Scrivins and Vicky Anderson, will become Partners at Carpenter Box following the merger, which will also see six members of staff join the firm.

Commented Alan Edwards, Managing Partner at Carpenter Box: “I’m thrilled to announce this merger with Clark Brownscombe and delighted to welcome the firm into the Carpenter Box team. They are a perfect fit for our growth strategy, helping us to expand into East Sussex with a Lewes office. Together, we bring nearly 200 years of combined experience in tax planning, advisory services and financial planning and share the same customer service ethos.”

Robert Scrivins added: “This merger is a significant milestone in our journey. We currently have expertise in business, charity and individual accounting and taxation matters and by joining with Carpenter Box, we will unlock additional resources and services that will directly benefit our clients through access to specialist knowledge.”

Carpenter Box, part of the Sumer Group of regional accountancy practices, is an award-winning firm of chartered accountants, tax specialists and business advisers with a reputation for innovation and excellence. The firm, which now has 23 Partners and over 250 members of staff, operates across the south east and in London, with specialist teams helping businesses and entrepreneurs succeed in a profitable, sustainable and tax-efficient way.

Photo L-R: Alan Edwards, Robert Scrivins, Vicky Anderson, Stuart Noakes

www.carpenterbox.com

www.clarkbrownscombe.co.uk

Electric Storm Youth Charity Announces New Leadership 

Say Hello, Wave Goodbye

Electric Storm Youth (ESY), a dedicated charity supporting young people across Sompting and Lancing for over 18 years, is proud to announce a leadership transition as it embarks on an exciting new chapter.

We extend our sincere thanks to John Randall, who has served as Interim CEO over the past year. John first joined ESY four years ago as a fundraiser, bringing energy and commitment to the role. In 2024, he stepped into the position of Interim CEO, guiding the organisation through a critical period of growth. Under his leadership, ESY implemented key developments and secured significant funding, including vital support from The National Lottery.

Marion Peskett, Chair of Trustees, shared:

“John has been a tremendous asset to Electric Storm Youth. His dedication, leadership, and ability to bring people together have had a lasting impact. We are incredibly grateful for all he has contributed during his time with us.”

As we look ahead, we are delighted to welcome Karen Jefford CMgr CMI as the new CEO of Electric Storm Youth.

Karen brings extensive leadership experience across the business, education, and charity sectors. A lifelong resident of Lancing, she has a deep understanding of the local community and a clear passion for supporting young people. With 13 years in secondary education, as well as being a mother of two and grandparent, Karen brings both professional insight and personal connection to her new role.

Karen is committed to building on ESY’s strong foundation. Her vision includes expanding services, developing new revenue streams, and strengthening the charity’s resilience, ensuring that ESY remains a vital and visible presence at the heart of the community.

Karen Jefford CMgr CMI, CEO of Electric Storm Youth, said:

“Having continued to engage in education, I see every day how important organisations like Electric Storm Youth are in helping young people navigate the journey from school into adulthood. If we at ESY can support, encourage, and build confidence among our young people, we’re not only helping them today, but we’re also investing in a stronger, more resilient future for everyone. I’m honoured to be part of this next chapter and to lead a charity that truly sits at the heart of our community.”

As we mark this transition, Electric Storm Youth remain firmly committed to its mission: supporting teenagers now and laying the foundations for the future.

www.electricstormyouth.co.uk

Tax and Investment Tips in a Volatile Landscape

How best to navigate the complexities of the current tax and investment landscape in a volatile economic environment?

That was the question that attracted more than 100 clients of South East accountants Carpenter Box to a special personal finance seminar in Horsham.

Roy Thompson, Head of Financial Services at Carpenter Box Financial Advisers, outlined how ‘fiscal drag’ caused by the freeze on allowances for personal tax, inheritance tax and ISAs heightened the need to make the most of investment returns. Moreover, the proposed inheritance tax treatment on unused pension pots from April 2027 will make it more important than ever to adopt a family-based approach to personal finance and tax planning.

He outlined how the pension changes, as proposed by the Government, could significantly increase death duties, but then highlighted a number of current options, that would help mitigate the inheritance tax take.

Inheritance tax was a particularly thorny issue for family farms, said David Crowter, Partner & Head of Private Client Services at Carpenter Box.

“With business and agricultural property relief changing from 100% on certain qualifying assets to being restricted to 100% on the first £1m from 6^th April 2026, many farming families are looking for answers. So, some of the things I have been suggesting to clients are that they review their Will to ensure it reflects their current wishes, take advice on gifting and valuation planning, and use life cover and pension drawings to reduce the amount to be paid in IHT.”

Henry Wilson, Partner, Senior Portfolio Manager at LGT Wealth Management, provided an overview of global financial markets, pointing out that while the global economy remains resilient, there will be investment opportunities. However, diversification and selectivity will be key in navigating the somewhat volatile and shifting economic and geopolitical landscape.

Photo (l-r) shows: Roy Thompson, Head of Financial Services at Carpenter Box Financial Advisers, Henry Wilson, Partner, Senior Portfolio Manager at LGT Wealth Management and David Crowter, Partner & Head of Private Client Services at Carpenter Box.

www.carpenterbox.com.

IT Security vs Cyber Security: the foundation vs the frontier

Securing IT infrastructure is crucial for modern business. But while IT security forms the foundation of protection, it alone is just one piece of the puzzle, with cyber security filling the critical gaps.

IT Security: the foundation

IT security is comprehensive, covering everything from hardware and software protection to managing access, ensuring data integrity, and disaster recovery. It acts as a brick-and-mortar defence—locking doors, securing networks, and safeguarding sensitive information. IT security focuses on protecting the infrastructure itself, ensuring only authorised access to vital resources and keeping systems operational against internal and external threats.

Typical IT security measures include:

• Endpoint Security: Safeguarding devices like computers and phones from malware.
• Data Security: Encrypting sensitive data to prevent unauthorised access.
• Disaster Recovery Plans: Ensuring rapid recovery from breaches, data loss, or outages.
• Access Control: Enforcing multi-factor authentication (MFA) for account protection.

These measures are essential for securing internal systems and sensitive data. However, they often lack the flexibility and focus needed to tackle modern cyber threats.

Why IT Security needs Cyber Security

IT security provides the foundation, but it doesn’t address the dynamic nature of cyber dangers. Threats like ransomware, phishing, and advanced persistent threats (APTs) evolve rapidly, requiring specialised, proactive defenses. That’s where cyber security comes in.

Cyber security focuses on protecting internet-connected systems from real-time threats such as hacking and malware, which can bypass traditional IT security. It brings an extra layer of defence, emphasising the detection and response to attacks as they happen. Key aspects of cyber security include:

• Threat Intelligence: Identifying emerging cyber threats before they can cause damage.
• Incident Response: Having a plan to mitigate the impact of an attack.
• Continuous Monitoring: Keeping a watchful eye on systems for signs of compromise.

Without cyber security, your organisation could remain vulnerable to threats that IT security is not designed to handle.

The future of security

As technology evolves, security strategies must adapt. AI, for example, offers huge benefits but also exposes organisations to new security risks. Both IT and cyber security are needed to manage these risks and ensure compliance. Cyber security helps organisations prepare for secure AI adoption, while IT security protects data and enforces security policies.

The necessity of both

In conclusion, IT security provides the essentials for protecting infrastructure, while cyber security actively defends against the evolving cyber threat landscape. A robust defence requires both, ensuring systems are not only secure but resilient against future cyber challenges.

At FluidOne, we provide comprehensive IT and cyber security solutions, empowering businesses to thrive in the AI era. For more information, you can reach us through https://www.fluidone.com/contact, call us at 01273 384100 or email us at brighton@fluidone.com.

Electric Storm Youth have been awarded a Sussex Community Foundation Grant for Young Carers!

Electric Storm Youth (ESY) is delighted to have been awarded a grant of £2804 from the Kim Addison Fund via Sussex Community Foundation, to support the vital work it undertakes with young carers.

Commenting on being awarded the grant, Karen Jefford, ESY’s CEO said “On behalf of the charity and our young carers, we are absolutely delighted to receive this significant grant which recognises the vital work we undertake in supporting young carers in Lancing and Sompting.“

Karen continues, “Young carers have complex needs and often feel socially isolated from their peers. This leads to stress, anxiety and in some cases specific mental health issues which need to be urgently addressed. The grant will enable us to continue to provide much needed support and counselling services to more than 45 individual young carers. This will take place at the Sir Robert Woodard Academy and as part of our general youth sessions.”

In the words of one young carer “The young carers session provides me with help and support when I've had a bad week or month and want to talk about it but may not even know how to start. It is a safe space for a chat in a confidential, non-judgemental way.”

Karen concludes, “Our work with young carers is just one of many projects we run to support young people in Lancing and Sompting. Our youth team takes a holistic and non-judgemental approach to working with young people and understands the complex factors that affect their lives. In addition to our young carers programme we also run mental health counselling, general youth sessions, LGBTQ+ sessions, street-based (detached) youth work, mentoring and work-experience.”

www.electricstormyouth.co.uk

Kalm Horizons is launching a new 8 week mindfulness course at Salt Water Studios in Worthing

Inner Peace is mindfulness course designed to introduce and explore mindfulness techniques including gratitude, letting go and acceptance. The sessions have been crafted to still the mind, ease anxiety and help participants sleep more naturally.

Thursdays at 8.15pm 

April 10, 17, 24

May 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29

LOCATION: Salt Water Studios
Stoke Abbott Rd
Worthing
BN11 1HE

Price: £95

Penfold Church Hall in Steyning undergoes vital repairs

Heritage experts Pilbeam Construction move in to complete urgent works

Penfold Hall in Steyning, owned by St Andrew & St Cuthman’s Church, is undergoing structural repairs and renovation by Sussex-based contractors Pilbeam Construction.

The hall in Church Street, built in 1840, used to be the National School but is now used as a community space for local residents and is a Grade II Listed building.

Horsham District Council approved a scheme for repairs, designed by Hockley and Dawson, Structural Engineers and managed by Simon Dyson of Hanslip Architects. Now work is underway.

It focuses on a gable wall (a triangular wall that supports the end of a sloping roof) which was in danger of collapse.

The wall required underpinning and repairs to cracks as well as new ties to be installed within the roof space. A cracked beam that supports the roof will be repaired and reinforced – and a new floor covering added when the hall is redecorated.

In addition, a new walkway is being installed in the roof to allow safe ingress, whilst specialist contractor, Crucial Environmental, has taken charge of removing asbestos.

Alan Corbett, managing director of Pilbeam Construction, which is based in Southwick, West Sussex, said: “It’s a challenging project because it’s so important to maintain the integrity and stability of the gable wall during the works – and to ensure the existing foundations are not disturbed during underpinning.

“It takes a specialist in heritage buildings to manage a project like this and we’re delighted to have been chosen for the task.

“These works will ensure Penfold Church Hall continues to be an asset to the local community for years to come.”

John Edwards at Penfold Church Hall said: “The hall has suffered for several years from problems caused by subsidence and the cracks in the back wall have gradually become more serious.

“Thanks to the generosity of the Wilson Trust and the legacy of the late Millicent Honeywood, the Church Council has been able to appoint Pilbeam Construction to carry out the underpinning, strengthening the wall and other repairs.

“Work started in January but careful management of the site means that it remains safe for other parts of the Penfold Hall to be used whilst the work is carried out. We're looking forward to the project being completed by early summer.”

For more information please visit: https://www.pilbeamconstruction.co.uk/

Hemiko give notice of works outside High Street Multi-Storey Car Park from 23-28 March

We will shortly be commencing works which will affect the High Street Multi-Storey Car Park in Worthing, resulting in a temporary traffic management system to allow vehicles to continue using the car park.

To receive regular updates on upcoming works in Worthing, please sign up to our mailing list by emailing worthing@hemiko.com, and a member of our team will add you to our distribution.

What works are taking place?

Over the coming weeks, Hemiko will be working to install the low carbon energy centre on High Street. From 23-28 March, we will install the steel framework of the energy centre using a crane. As a result, the existing entrance to High Street Multi-Storey Car Park will be inaccessible, and there will be a partial lane closure on High Street where we our staff will be at work.

We want to make sure that residents and businesses who need to use the car park over these dates are not impacted. As a result, we are introducing a temporary traffic management plan over 23-28 March to enable traffic to enter and exit the car park via the current exit onto Chatsworth Road.

The updated routes for northbound and southbound traffic on High Street, along with the routes to enter and exit the car park, are illustrated in the diagram above. Please note that Hemiko will need to put in place temporary traffic management measures for a second time later this spring. The dates for these works will be confirmed in due course.

What do these works mean for residents and businesses on the road, and those nearby?

Hemiko staff will operate stop-and-go traffic controls to facilitate the flow of traffic in and out of the High Street Multi-Storey Car Park, and along High Street. There will also be officers on hand inside the car park to direct vehicles and enable them to park safely.

Traffic wishing to enter High Street Multi-Storey Car Park will need to travel eastbound along Chatsworth Road. Due to the southbound closure of Chapel Road, vehicles are advised to follow a diversion route via Richmond Road, Salisbury Road, Shelley Road, Liverpool Gardens, and Liverpool Road. As part of this new route, the direction of travel on Liverpool Road has been switched, with traffic now travelling north to south. This diversion route will be clearly signposted.

By the time this temporary traffic management system takes effect, the Chatsworth Road junction closure and the temporary traffic light system on High Street will have both come to an end, ensuring that potential disruption to drivers is kept to a minimum. We are working closely with West Sussex County Council and Worthing Borough Council to coordinate our works.

Health, safety and accessibility

The health and safety of local residents and our staff is a top priority. We will be installing safety fencing around the site, to keep everyone safe. We have undertaken health and safety assessments of the works and will continue to do these throughout.

If you are a resident of the road with accessibility requirements or vulnerability, please let us know on 01903 337364 or by emailing us and we would be happy to meet with you to discuss your needs, and ensure safe access is always available to your property or place of work.

Thank you – and who to talk to if you’d like more information or to provide feedback

We know that no one likes disruption on their streets. We will be working very hard to minimise the disruption as much as possible. Thank you for your cooperation whilst we complete these essential works.

If you have any concerns and would like to speak to one of the local team, you can reach us on 01903 337364 or by emailing worthing@hemiko.com. Further details on how to contact us are accessible on our website, https://hemiko.com/contact-us.

You can also feel free to speak to staff when you see them on site.

Preparing for Advanced Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing

Manufacturers need to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) or risk missing out on transformational business benefits, members of South East-based METALL (The Manufacturing Engineering and Technology Alliance) heard at their latest meeting.

AI expert Vincent Murphy, founder of Brainstorm, demonstrated how readily available AI tools can transform business processes, including product design, materials science, supply chain efficiency, productivity and workflow optimisation.

He demonstrated how to use a general chat model to tackle in real time member queries such as reducing sales lead times, while encouraging those living in ‘exponential angst’ to ‘talk to AI.’ “You don’t know what it can do, until you try it,” he said.

Vincent referenced a recent IoT-Analytics report, which highlighted that manufacturers employing AI-driven predictive maintenance can achieve accuracy near 50% in anticipating equipment issues, translating to a potential 50% reduction in downtime. This approach also yields a 25–35% saving on maintenance costs. Yet despite this growing evidence of AI’s benefit to industry, 1 in 10 manufacturers still do not engage, whilst the majority skirt around the edges.

“An increasing number of publicly available AI advanced reasoning models can often achieve in less than twenty minutes what it previously took a PhD researcher to accomplish in 2-3 weeks,” he said. “This is not just another technology, we are increasingly within an ever-shortening window, potentially just 2–3 years away, of witnessing the advent of Average General Intelligence, with a subsequent societal impact easily on par with the printing press.”

METALL is supported by accountants Carpenter Box, lawyers DMH Stallard and NatWest Bank. Their events provide opportunities for manufacturing, engineering and technology businesses to share best practice, network with each other and benefit from growth opportunities. The alliance covers a geographical area from South Surrey to the South Coast, including Gatwick Diamond.

Photo (l-r) shows: Andrew Kettle, Relationship Director, NatWest; Tony Summers, Partner & Head of Manufacturing at Carpenter Box; Vincent Murphy, founder of Brainstorm; and Debbie Venn, Partner, DMH Stallard.