Author: JeffreyDriver

I moved to Littlehampton in 2013, and I was keen to get involved in the local community. I joined the society a few years ago, I’m also on the management team of the Littlehampton Fort Restoration Project, and I’m an active volunteer at the Littlehampton Miniature Railway when schedule allows.

I’ve been on the committee for several year, and really hope to continue to help the society thrive. Since I’ve been a member of the society I have used my professional skills and experience to help it. I redeveloped the society website when I became a member, and recently rebuilt it again based upon feedback received from a competition I ran.

I still have a raft of other ideas to help drive up memberships and increase donations. I’m always looking for ways to help the society improve.

There are personal reasons for wanting to see the society endure for many years to come, such as my kid, who loves being involved with the society, and I want him to continue to enjoy it (and my potential grandchildren too!) Outside of personal reasons, the society is also a huge force for good, raising money for local charities and groups, and I enjoy knowing that it brings pleasure to many people. More than ever, the local community needs support during these difficult times.

Hi, my name is Stuart. I have been a member for around two decades. I help out on the market stall and go to the out meetings helping to carry the banner on occasions. I also help set up stalls at fundraisers such as Armed Forces day. I help with the guarding and bonfire building and like meeting people. I enjoy being a member and like being on the committee as I would like to give more help to the society to make it be as good as it can be. I have always wanted to be a member from when I was a kid and plus my auntie and uncle have also been members in the past. I love our motto ‘burn to do good’

Although I have loved the spectacle and magic of the Littlehampton Bonfire Society’s annual event since I first went as a child (excepting for the Zulu with the bone through his nose – he always scared me), my first outings with a Sussex bonfire group was with Lindfield (a friend invited me along). I really loved going to out-meetings with Lindfield and then at one meeting I saw some people dressed in North American Native dress. I was wearing my smugglers stripes and it hit me: I live in Littlehampton, why was I marching with Lindfield? So I went to see Tyn, paid my £5 and joined the line-up for our event.

The following year I joined the ranks of the regular fund-raising and the torch-making teams. Giving some of my time to these events helped me to feel a real part of the society and the following year when I lined up on our night I felt that this time I had earned the right to be there!

Several years ago there was a vacancy on the committee and they were looking for help: someone to take over writing the newsletters. I had no experience of doing anything like that, but I offered my support and have been doing the newsletters for several years now.

When Chris Alderton needed to step away a few years ago as the minutes secretary, I was asked if I would take on the job. Since then I have done my very best to maintain the high standards required for the job.
The last several years have been very challenging on the committee. One may imagine that not putting on an event would significantly reduce the work of the roles on the committee. Whilst we didn’t make many torches last year or hold the usual number of fund-raising events, there have been many meetings to write the minutes for and newsletters to be prepared. Also, I write the press releases and have to prepare for the various radio interviews necessary.

Thankfully, wonderfully last year we were able to host a bonfire event again for the first time in several years! It felt so amazing to be lining up again with friends, family and fellow bonfire enthusiasts. And the happy faces in the crowds more than made up for the years of struggle.

My wish for the society is that it is enabled with your support to go on and that more generations of Littlehampton children may enjoy the spectacle of a local torchlight parade, bonfire, and fireworks. If I can be a part of what brings that magic into being, then that is why I put myself forward for the roles again.

I have been a member for the last 6 years after hearing that the society desperately needed a secretary to be able to continue. I was originally a member from the age of 5 until my late teens. The job has changed a lot over the last few years, with many more hoops to jump through behind the scenes. However, we have a great committee and work hard to get the event on.

I have worked in the office of a local company for over 30 years managing accounts, banking, and wages. I also volunteer at a local school hearing the children read (retired qualified Teacher working with Adults with learning disabilities) and I am also a licensed chaperone to enable children up to the age of 16 to be able to participate in theatres and dancing performances. I am a crafter and hold a craft market once a month. I am also involved in my grandchildren’s lives whenever and wherever possible.

I help with the society’s fundraising at the many stalls and the May fair whenever I can, and go to many out-meetings for the society.

I have been a member for around 18 years with 12 years on committee, 9 general, 1 vice chair and 2 as chair. Producer of programme for 7 years and banner carrier for 10 years. I am the lorry driver distributing and collecting road signs, cones etc on the day before and the actual day.

Until 2018, minibus driver to out-meetings (we now use our own cars to save society money). I help with Bonfire building/guarding & rotas, help oversee/reply to emails to society and the website until its relaunch in 2019. I have attended the monthly committee meetings and help with various other duties and requirements throughout the year.

After bonfire night when most people have gone home and are tucked up in bed, I and a team of helpers are again going around and collecting road signs etc. to store away until the following year. We don’t get to bed much before 4am!

I have been a member for over 14 years, my wife and family are also involved in the Society and have been for many years. I have always taken an active role in contributing to the preparations and planning for this Bonfire extravaganza that we hold annually in our town. I first became involved after seeing an add in the Littlehampton Gazette asking for Marshals to assist with Crowd Control. I did this for quite several events and gradually began to progress with my involvement in all aspects of bonfire.

I take pride and a great deal of achievement as well as enjoyment in supporting the Bonfire Society at various events throughout the year with Fundraising, Torch making, Torch Dipping, Marshalling, Bonfire Building and Guarding etc.

During Bonfire season I go to as many out-meetings as I can attend, including parading through the streets of Littlehampton on our night and at out-meetings in my own Traditional Native American Indian costume which I am proud to wear.

Whilst I love the social side of the bonfire events, I also get great satisfaction from taking an active role within the society. I joined the committee in 2011 but had a short break away in 2018. I have been Society Chairman for the past two years and hopefully will be able to continue to support the organisation, taking it forward into the 21st century and continuing to be the voice of the Society for the foreseeable future. In 2020, I became Commander in Chief Elect, in 2021, I was duly elected as Commander in Chief which was my first ever year being responsible for the overall preparation, planning and running a safe event for approximately 30,000 spectators (as a guide provided by our partners in previous years). During the planning stages in 2021 I worked closely with our Society safety representative, ADC, and all other partners. I am again standing for the position of Commander in Chief and hope to continue to build on the founded relationships that I have established with SAGs and other partners. After holding such a successful event in 2021, I hope to build on that new founded knowledge and experience. I am someone that learns from feedback and past events that I have not only witnessed but lead in order to improve and refine not only next years event but that of any future events.

I was appointed as a director in late 2020, this was due to wishing to continue to further support existing Directors and to assist in the continuation of the Society.

In my professional life I work within the public sector, dealing with the public and handling intricate issues and situations which provide me with vast experience and knowledge when it comes to working with the Safety Advisory Group and completing complex event documents such as our event management plans etc. Within my role I have experience of working with Community Partners to solve problems and deal with a wide range of Community issues.

I have lived & worked in Littlehampton my entire life. I used to run David O Jones sports shop in the town & I retired in 2009.

I have collected for the bonfire society for approx 45 years & joined as a member in 1990.
I have no specific role within the society but am heavily involved in the fundraising side of things, including the market stalls.

I act as a general dogs’ body; helping to distribute the newsletters & make the torches, put up posters, organise help with and run the monthly town market stall. I help with transport to out-meetings and fill in wherever I am able. Members can come in to see me in the shop for any help they may need.

I am a Director of the Limited company, The Littlehampton Bonfire Society Ltd. I attend all out-meetings as a travelling collector. I attend the majority of the committee meeting.

I have been a member of LBS since 2017, and became actively involved in the society in 2018 when I took over the role of membership secretary.

I have helped out with various fundraising activities, and started going to the bonfire outmeetings with my son Dudley in 2019 who loves the processions!

I am one of the core members of the “torch making team”.

I am the Productivity Manager at an asbestos company in Brighton.

I first joined the society in 2005 by going on a few memorable out meetings. The crowds were huge, but the buzz was just as big. During my time with the society, I have helped in many ways with helping build the bonfire some years, and many long hours guarding. A few times I put my hand to making the torches, but my main duties were being a marshal along the seafront for our event which over the years has been both fun and hectic.

I remember the locals’ celebs that we had living along the terrace coming out and joining in the fun, such as late Ziggy Byfield and Alan Minter. Many of times whilst on duty he would see me walking up and down the road making sure everyone was in a safe position and when I had a few minutes he would shout me over for a quick coffee.

I love to see the children’s faces light up when the floats and groups walk past and then grin from ear to ear seeing the different costumes from all the different societies walk past. Every year I see those children’s faces when the bonfire is lit and the fireworks are exploding high in the sky and I say to myself, yes, we’ve done a good job and the children are happy.

My goal is to see my local community year in year out supporting LBS so we can support local charities in our area.

My current role of Director and chief Parade Marshal is different from what I have been used to, but with the many years of experience that I have doing Marshalling duties, Bonfire Building, guarding and many other endless tasks with the help of friends and those I’ve previously worked with, I’m confident that I can continue to support the community and the society in the future as we strive to prepare, plan, and put on safe and enjoyable events for all.

My wife and I have been members of the Littlehampton Bonfire Society for 38 years, during this time we have spent many happy hours with our bonfire buddies.

We have taken part in many outmeetings and travelled many miles, one of the most memorable was the party in Hyde Park, London for the Saint Johns Ambulance Brigade centenary. We caught a special train from Barnham. Other memorable events were the Special Olympics, held at the Withdrawn Stadium Brighton, The Lord Mayor of Westminster’s new year parade. We took part in the torchlight procession at the end of The Arundel Festival, unfortunately, this does not run any more. A pity as this is a fantastic setting for a torchlight procession. We have been to Lewes on the 5th many times.

We have participated in many street collections, Littlehampton Carnival now alas defunct, Bognor Carnival, and the Illuminations Gala, the gala had a torchlight procession. I guess health and safety killed that, Worthing Carnival, Ashington Carnival.

Our involvement with our own event has varied from bonfire building and guarding to building Miss Bonfire floats, marshalling, and laterally I have been acting as Captain of Bonfire. In the distant past, we did not have a caravan and used to sit in our cars and only guarded the fire up to the small hours. Unfortunately, the fire was set alight by hooligans twice, so we had to guard 24 hours a day from the commencement of building until the fire brigade put out the ashes on the Monday night after the celebrations.

We have been involved with fundraising events, May Fair, both Manning stalls, and collecting plants that local nurseries donated. We have been on theatre trips to London and Southampton, we have enjoyed quiz nights, skittles evenings. I still help out with the monthly market stall and sort and sell books to the book companies.

We both look forward to a few more years of helping the society.

1978 – Float driver for many years
2000 – Collector / Road Closures
2001 – Torch Marshal / Bonfire Building / Guarding
2002 – Banner Carrier
2005 – Torch Making / Building / Guarding / Erecting of safety barriers etc.
2018 – Captain Of Torches On Going To Present Date
Have been an active member for many years.

Although relatively new to Littlehampton, having moved here in 2013, I was keen to get involved in the local community. I joined the society a few years ago, and I’m also on the management team of a local charity.

I’ve been on the committee for around a year, and really hope to continue to help the society thrive. Since I’ve been a member of the society I have used my professional skills and experience to help it. I redeveloped the society website, adding an online shop allowing members to easily pay for their memberships online. Also, I have produced marketing material and am producing some branded merchandise.

I have a raft of ideas to help drive up memberships and increase donations which I aim to develop and start implementing early this year.

There are personal reasons for wanting to see the society endure for many years to come, such as my kid, who loves being involved with the society, and I want him to continue to enjoy it (and my potential grandchildren too!) Outside of personal reasons, the society is also a huge force for good, raising money for local charities and groups, and I enjoy knowing that it brings pleasure to many people. More than ever, the local community needs support during these difficult times.

Hi, my name is Stuart. I have been a member for 19 years. I help out on the market stall and go to the out meetings helping to carry the banner on occasions. I also help set up stalls at fundraisers such as Armed Forces day. I help with the guarding and bonfire building and like meeting people. I enjoy being a member and like being on the committee as I would like to give more help to the society to make it be as good as it can be. I have always wanted to be a member from when I was a kid and plus my auntie and uncle have also been members in the past. I love our motto ‘burn to do good’

Although I have loved the spectacle and magic of the Littlehampton Bonfire Society’s annual event since I first went as a child (excepting for the Zulu with the bone through his nose – he always scared me), my first outings with a Sussex bonfire group was with Lindfield (a friend invited me along). I really loved going to out-meetings with Lindfield and then at one meeting I saw some people dressed in North American Native dress. I was wearing my smugglers stripes and it hit me: I live in Littlehampton, why was I marching with Lindfield? So I went to see Tyn, paid my £5 and joined the line-up for our event.

The following year I joined the ranks of the regular fund-raising and the torch-making teams. Giving some of my time to these events helped me to feel a real part of the society and the following year when I lined up on our night I felt that this time I had earned the right to be there!

A couple of years ago there was a vacancy on the committee and they were looking for help: someone to take over writing the newsletters. I had no experience of doing anything like that, but I offered my support and have been doing the newsletters for several years now.
When Chris Alderton needed to step away last year as the minutes secretary, I was asked if I would take on the job. Since then I have done my very best to maintain the high standards required for the job.

The last several years have been very challenging on the committee. One may imagine that not putting on an event would significantly reduce the work of the roles on the committee. Whilst we didn’t make any torches last year or hold many fund-raising events, there have been many meetings to write the minutes for and several newsletters. And of course none of us have had the usual pay-off of actually putting on a successful event. It has been hard.
My wish for the society is that it is enabled with your support to go on and that more generations of Littlehampton children may enjoy the spectacle of a local torch-light parade, bonfire and fireworks. If I can be a part of what brings that magic into being, then that is why I put myself forward for the roles again.

I have been a member for the last four years after hearing that the society desperately needed a secretary to be able to continue. I was originally a member from the age of 5 until my late teens. I was a bit taken aback when I saw the lists of jobs that the secretary was currently doing as it was the work at least four people but due to some super members taking some of these jobs it became slightly more manageable.

I ran the office of a local company for over twenty years and still work for them managing accounts, banking and wages. I also volunteer at a local school hearing the children read (retired qualified Teacher working with Adults with learning disabilities) and I am also a licensed chaperone to enable children up to the age of 16 to be able to participate in theatres and dancing performances. I am a crafter and hold a craft market once a month. I am also involved in my grandchildren’s lives whenever and wherever possible.

I help with the society’s fundraising at the many stalls and the May fair whenever I can and go to many out-meetings for the society.

I have been a member for around 17 years with 12 years on committee, 9 general, 1 vice chair and 2 as chair. Producer of programme for 7 years and banner carrier for 10 years. I am the lorry driver distributing and collecting road signs, cones etc on the day before and the actual day.

Until 2018, minibus driver to out-meetings (we now use our own cars to save society money). I help with Bonfire building/guarding & rotas, help oversee/reply to emails to society and the website until its relaunch in 2019. I have attended the monthly committee meetings and help with various other duties and requirements throughout the year.

After bonfire night when most people have gone home and are tucked up in bed, I and a team of helpers are again going around and collecting road signs etc. to store away until the following year. We don’t get to bed much before 4am!

I have been a member for over 10 years as my family were members for many years. My wife and family are also involved in the Society and have been since it started. I have always taken an active role in contributing to put the night on and, supporting various events throughout the year with fundraising, torch making, dipping, marshalling, bonfire building and guarding.

I go to as many out-meetings as I am able to attend and I parade on our night and at out-meetings in traditional native American costume which I am proud to wear.

Whilst I love the social side of the bonfire events. I also get great satisfaction from taking an active role in the society. I joined the committee in 2011 but stood down in 2018 due to personal reasons. For the past year, I have been Vice Chairman, and also Commander in Chief Elect, working closely with our Society safety representative, ADC, and other partners. I was appointed as a Director in late 2020, this was due to wishing to continue to further support existing Directors and to assist in the continuation of the Society.

In my professional life I work within the public sector, dealing with the public and handling complex issues and situations. Within my role I have experience of working with Community Partners to solve problems and deal with a wide range of Community issues.

I have lived & worked in Littlehampton my entire life.  I used to run David O Jones sports shop in the town & I retired in 2009.

I have collected for the bonfire society for approx 45 years & joined as a member in 1990.
I have no specific role within the society but am heavily involved in the fundraising side of things, including the market stalls. 

I act as a general dogs’ body; helping to distribute the newsletters & make the torches, put up posters, organise help with and run the monthly town market stall. I help with transport to out-meetings and fill in wherever I am able. Members can come in to see me in the shop for any help they may need.

I am a Director of the Limited company, The Littlehampton Bonfire Society Ltd.  I attend all out-meetings as a travelling collector. I attend the majority of the committee meeting.

I have been a member of LBS since 2017, and became actively involved in the society in 2018 when I took over the role of membership secretary.

I have helped at fundraising events and went to several out-meetings in the 2019 season with my son Dudley (4Yrs old who just loves being in the processions!).

I am one of the core members of the “torch making team”.

I am the Productivity Manager at an asbestos company in Brighton.

I first joined the society in 2005 by going on a few memorable out meetings. The crowds were huge but the buzz was just as big. During my time with the society I have helped in many ways
with helping build the bonfire some years, and also many long hours guarding. A few times I put my hand to making the torches but my main duties was being a marshal along the seafront for our event which over the years has been both fun and hectic.

I remember the locals celebs that we had living along the terrace coming out and joining in the fun, such as late Ziggy Byfield and Alan Minter. Many of times whilst on duty he would see me walking up and down the road making sure everyone was in a safe position
and when I had a few minutes he would shout me over for a quick coffee.

I love to see the children’s faces light up when the floats and groups walk past and then grin from ear to ear seeing the different costumes from all the different societies walk past. Every year I see those children’s faces when the bonfire is lit and the fireworks are exploding high in the sky and I say to myself, yes we’ve done a good job and the children are happy.

My goal is to see my local community year in year out supporting LBS so we can support local charities in out area.

My new role as chief parade marshal is different from what I have been used to, but with the years that I have been doing marshalling duties, and with the help of friends and those I’ve previously worked with, I’m confident that I can continue to support the community and the society in the future as we strive to prepare, plan, and put on safe and enjoyable events.

I have been a member of Littlehampton Bonfire Society for 38 years during which time I have been involved in putting on Bonfire night and representing the Society at out meetings and driving minibuses, and participating in fundraising events.

I intend to continue helping with the market stall and any other jobs where man and vehicle are needed. I would hope that my working life experience gained over 57 will be of help to the committee.

I wish to continue assisting the Society to Burn to do good work.

I’m George, and I am happy to be part of LBS.

A bit about me. Im early 40’s, and live in Bognor Regis. I’ve been around the area, living in Bognor, Chichester and Tangmere all my life.

I work full time for the local NHS ambulance service, providing emergency 999 cover to the local area (including Littlehampton) in ambulances and cars. Before that, I worked for 15 years for a large retailer, as part of their Loss Prevention department – which involved conflict management, managing others, and creating and maintaining relationships with store management teams.

Alongside working full time at the above jobs, I started and maintained my own little enterprise – EMS Services. I created EMS because I saw security and stewarding companies providing low paid, under trained staff, who weren’t interested in providing a good service to clients. I started off as my first large job…. To Littlehampton bonfire. It was certainly a baptism of fire, and taught me a lot about event safety, and staffing. 7 years later, I made the decision to stop providing stewards to events, and decided to give something back to the society, by providing my expertise for no cost, for the benefit of the society.

I hold qualifications in emergency ambulance support, along with major incident training, safeguarding, fire safety, Advanced blue light driving, and a few others I’ve forgotten !. My experience of staffing events and running events should help me within LBS.

I hope to provide something back to the society – my good knowledge and expertise from many years of working Littlehampton bonfire, my knowledge of the JEC and council process, and relationships with the emergency services.