The Cowdray Gundog Challenge raised more than £4,000 for Midhurst Palliative Care, drawing hundreds of spectators to the Deer Park. Eighteen teams of top handlers and dogs from across the UK and Europe competed in a series of tests judged on control and teamwork. The winning team, Run Forest Run, included Craig Perry, Matt Gould, Shane King and Emma Champion. Gould’s black Labrador earned Top Dog with a perfect score. Organiser Jason Mayhew said: "The challenge gets bigger every year, and we’re proud to be raising vital funds while celebrating the skill and partnership between gundogs and their handlers in such a spectacular setting.” Representatives from Midhurst Palliative Care were there to collect donations and raise awareness of their work supporting local families facing life-limiting illnesses. Comments Tel: 01252 725224[email protected]Follow us Further Links Owned or licensed to Tindle Newspapers Ltd | Independent Family-Owned Newspapers | Copyright & Trade Mark Notice & 2013 - 2025 We are sorry but the page or file you were looking for is not here. You may have mistyped the web address, followed a broken link from another website, or we may have moved or removed it. Try using the search form below to find what you were looking for, or follow links from the home page The day will be an opportunity for people in West Sussex to come together and pay tribute to all those who fought for freedom from 1939 to 1945 Residents are being encouraged to be a part of history by watching a flag raising or the lighting of beacons joining a street party or attending a church service You can check out what’s happening near you at ve-vjday80.gov.uk Our library service also has a wide range of resources to help you celebrate and find out more about VE Day. If you would like to know more about the Home Front during the war, then Matthew Jones, Assistant County Archivist at the West Sussex Record Office, will be giving a talk called ‘West Sussex at War 1939-1945: the Home Front’ at The Old Library, Knockhundred Row, Midhurst GU29 9DQ on Thursday 8 May at 2pm. Booking is essential then you can join a free online webinar on Sussex Day (16 June) the latest in the West Sussex Unwrapped series from West Sussex Record Office and Screen Archive South East will explore the experiences of ordinary West Sussex residents on the Home Front in the Second World War Photographs and documents from the Record Office will help to bring to life themes such as evacuation air raids and the ever-present threat of invasion by sea whilst films from Screen Archive South East will show Home Guard training and activities including the wrong and the right way of dealing with Nazi spies The talk will end with a compilation of films depicting the war-time experience and the end-of-war celebrations across the south east. Find the details here. Here’s some of the other VE Day events happening in West Sussex: ·        From May to September our West Sussex Record Office in Orchard Street, Chichester, will host a display of World War II photographs, with a selection of images displayed in some of our libraries across the county as well. ·     Throughout May there will be an exhibition at Midhurst Museum of World War II artefacts from the Royal Sussex Regiment collections. You can find out more about the Royal Sussex Regiment Archive including World War II material here: The Royal Sussex Regiment - West Sussex Record Office.  ·         During War Graves Week from 2 to 11 May, there will be Commonwealth War Graves Commission tours at Midhurst, Easebourne, Lodsworth and Clymping where those who lost their lives in World War II are buried, including men from the Royal Sussex Regiment. Find out more about War Graves Week here. said: “It is fitting that we mark the 80th anniversary of the liberation and the end of World War II in Europe “The hard-won victory began in June of 1944 with the Allied landings in Normandy and further operations in northern France in which British and Dominion forces alongside US and other forces played a central part These continued at Arnhem and in the Ardennes during the harsh winter of 1944 "In the spring of 1945 British and other forces advanced through northern France and towards the end of April and during the first days of May liberated occupied Belgium and the Netherlands.  “West Sussex played its part in the liberation home as it was to the extensive build-up of ground and airborne personnel and equipment as well as to vast amounts of supporting materiel and supporting continuing cross Channel operations “When the formal end of WW II hostilities was signed on 7 and 8 May over a million people celebrated in the streets of Britain Victory in Europe Day is celebrated and remembered in most European nations.  “This is a time not only to remember the extraordinary effort and events of 80 years ago but also to reflect in gratitude on the sacrifices made by so many in the pursuit of peace.”  Photo credit: West Sussex Record Office L’Alouette/A/1/23/5 - tea party in Lyon Street Let us know if this page was helpful so we can make improvements Leave your feedback below to show how useful you found this page West Sussex County Council will only use this email address to respond to any issues raised Some of the best gundog handlers in the world will gather at Cowdray on Saturday with proceeds going to Midhurst Palliative Care Organised by Cowdray’s award-winning gundog trainer Jason Mayhew the event has become the UK’s largest team test with 17 teams of four dogs competing in a series of controlled challenges and demonstrations Experienced judges will score the teams throughout the day The event runs from 9am to 4.30pm at the Deer Park near Benbow Pond with all proceeds supporting the Midhurst Macmillan Service A live auction and refreshments will be available there is a gundog scurry where you can enter on the day A scurry is a timed test to retrieve a dummy and dog owners can have as many goes as they want Cowdray gundog trainer Jason Mayhew said: “I am delighted to be organising the fourth Cowdray Gundog Challenge This year we will be raising awareness and money for Midhurst Palliative Care that does an amazing job helping those in need “We are keen for as many spectators as possible to come and watch this fantastic competition where highly skilled gundogs work with their trainers to show outstanding obedience and discipline “Gundog training is an ideal way to keep your dog fit and mentally stimulated but please be aware that trials shots will be used at the Deer Park and any dogs sensitive to loud noises should not attend For more details and tickets, visit: www.cowdray.co.uk/events/the-gundog-challenge-2025 Tel: 01252 725224[email protected]Follow us Further Links Neil McAllister revisits the handsome town in the South Downs National Par Bag a bargain at the NCT sale featuring quality-checked items for easy shopping with early entry for NCT members and expectant mums Bag a bargain at Haslemere and Midhurst’s NCT Nearly New Sale taking place on Sunday from 10.30am to midday at Camelsdale Primary School The bi-annual sale is a fantastic opportunity to shop for high quality pre-loved baby and children's clothing and shoes (0-12yrs) It's a ticketed sale (not table-top) meaning items are quality checked and laid out by type gender etc for easy shopping by category with a single point of payment The sale enables local parents to sell on items they no longer need with profits supporting the work of NCT charity locally and nationally Early entry is available from 10.15am for NCT members and expectant mums Entry is a suggested £1 donation per adult Contactless payment for items is preferred and please remember to bring a bag for your bargains For more information please visit https://fb.me/e/8tHmdUOFj or email [email protected] Tel: 01252 725224[email protected]Follow us