Release date: 21 July 2022
If you’re staying local over the summer holidays and are looking for some inspiration of things to do, West Sussex County Council has lots going on across the county for all the family.
A number of the council’s services have organised free events for both adults and children, alongside regular events that run on a monthly basis throughout the year.
July
- Saturday 9 July – Saturday 10 September: Gadgeteers Summer Reading Challenge. This exciting challenge runs throughout the summer holidays and is open to children and young people at all 36 West Sussex County Council libraries.
- Thursday 28 July to Saturday 20 August: Transatlantic Ties travelling exhibition. Starting out at Horsham Library, this exhibition from West Sussex Record Office explores the historical links between West Sussex and the US dating back to the 18th century including the ‘Sussex Declaration’.
August
- Monday 1 August: Medals and certificates will be ready to collect from your local library for anyone who has taken part and completed the Gadgeteers Summer Reading Challenge.
- Wednesday 3 August: Green Watch from Bognor Fire Station will be visiting Bognor Library between 3 and 4pm to show off some of the cool gadgets from their fire appliances as part of the Summer Reading Challenge.
- Saturday 20 August: Libraries Discovery Day. Taking place at Crawley Library between 11am and 3pm, this is a chance for residents to come and discover everything their local library has to offer.
- Saturday 20 August: Alongside the Crawley Library Discovery Day, Blue Watch from Crawley Fire Station will be visiting between 1.30pm and 3pm to show off some of the cool gadgets from their fire appliances as part of the Summer Reading Challenge.
- Monday 22 August to Friday 9 September: Transatlantic Ties travelling exhibition arrives at Crawley Library for three weeks.
- Wednesday 24 August: Libraries Discovery Day. Taking place at Haywards Heath Library between 11am and 3pm, this is the second of five Discovery Days across the county.
- Saturday 27 August: Libraries Discovery Day. Taking place at Worthing Library between 11am and 3pm, this is the third of five Discovery Days across the county.
- Tuesday 30 August: West Sussex Record Office’s Tuesday Talk. Starting at 7pm, this free online talk is called ‘Dialect and heritage: the West Sussex story’. Tickets can be booked via Eventbrite.
- Wednesday 31 August: Libraries Discovery Day. Taking place at Bognor Regis Library between 11am and 3pm, this is the fourth of five Discovery Days across the county.
- Saturday 3 September: Libraries Discovery Day. Taking place at Horsham Library between 11am and 3pm, this is the final Discovery Day.
Other events and handy links
West Sussex Libraries also hold a number of regular monthly events for both adults and children. Adult sessions include Knit and Natter, friendly reading groups, Computer Buddy sessions and Relax with Colouring, whilst children’s sessions include rhyme time, toddler time, Saturday singalong and multi-sensory story magic.
Families with children who are eligible for Free School Meals can also sign up for free summer holiday clubs to help keep their children entertained over the school break. Eligible families can now book places on the Family Information Service website.
If none of the events above take your fancy, but you like to get outside when the sun is shining, there is plenty to discover by visiting the Experience West Sussex website.
As West Sussex is one of the UK’s most diverse counties, encompassing hills, harbours, beach, farmland and market towns, the website allows you to search for places to walk, beaches to visit free to attend events and much more.
If you live in and around Crawley, Buchan Country Park is set in 170 acres of beautiful countryside and is an excellent place for walking, watching wildlife or enjoying a picnic. They also have a number of sculptures dotted around the park which families can have fun hunting for.
Want to leave the car at home and cycle somewhere different? The Cycle Journey Planner lets you plan your own cycling route, with turn-by-turn directions and maps. You can choose where you want to go, find out journey times, distances and how many calories you'll burn. You can also see an elevation profile showing how flat (or hilly) routes are.
Although the summer months can offer a lot of joy and happiness for many, they’re also a good time to stop, reflect and check in with how you and your family are feeling emotionally. For further advice and information on mental health and wellbeing, visit www.westsussex.gov.uk/YourMindMatters.
Wishing all residents a fun, safe and happy summer.
