Cocking's website made its World Wide Web début on 15th April 2005, the day of the Cocking History Column unveiling. The History Column has become an icon of the village, visited by many and the web site aims to follow that example. Cocking.org is non-commercial and totally independent. If you want to publish an article or submit a photo, please use the options under the menu heading of Contact. We hope you will bookmark this site and regularly click this way again for news, events dates and many other articles reflecting village life.
Local sculptor, Philip Jackson has been appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in the Queen's birthday honours list.
The 'CVO' is awarded in recognition of services to the royal family, which will come as no surprise to those of us who have seen his fine sculptures with a royal theme such as the Queen on horseback in Windsor Great Park and the recently unveiled Queen Mother memorial statue in the Mall.
Many will remember enjoying the escorted coach tour from Cocking that Philip arranged, linking a selection of his sculptures in and near London. Those who went on the trip will realise that his public works are by no means all based on a royal theme. He has for example produced several bronze works depicting football subjects including the 1996 World Cup group near Upton Park, the home of Bobby Moore's club, West Ham United and statue of the late England captain himself at the new Wembley Stadium.
Naturally, there are local examples of his works, such as the new Angel Gabriel, suspended on wires at Harting Church, the statue of St. Richard next to the cathedral in Chichester and of course Cocking's own Millennium History Column would never have taken shape without Philip Jackson, CVO.
So, a richly deserved honour for our famous resident, pictured above at the unveiling of the History Column four years ago.
Thursday 4th June, 2009 was an election day in Cocking. Not a General Election perhaps, but polls were being held for both the European Parliamentary - South East Region and the West Sussex County Council, Fernhurst Division contests.
Seasoned Cocking voters will remember voting in the Blue Bell Inn, but as this has been closed or some time the venue has moved over the road to the Moonlight Cottage Tea Rooms.
The County Council list of candidates was fairly standard, but the list of parties on the European Parliament ballot paper was the longest ever and included some odd organisations such as the Roman Party. Ave! which is really a French bus driver called Jean-Louis Pascual, who has been running for local elections in Reading under this party banner since 2006.
With the current political situation as febrile as it is, perhaps we won't have to wait long before the Tea Rooms once again act as Cocking's Polling Station, but next time for a full scale General Election.
A surprise landing took place in Cocking last Sunday and the event was recorded for posterity by Geoffrey Shepherd. This colourful balloon traversed the village before eventually running out of gas on Cocking Hill. All the photos in the Gallery here .
The Henshaws arrived in Cocking a year ago to take over the Post Office and village shop, saving it from possible closure. A year later the Post Office is even more firmly established as a vital part of village life and offers a wider range of products than ever before.
The couple's enterprising approach to the shop has been a revelation to the village. A vegetable stall for local produce, Linda's home made scones, hot soup and sandwiches for hikers - are just a few examples of their innovative approach. They really are always trying fresh ideas.
Canon Colin Bradley paid tribute to Paul & Linda's contribution to the village and thanked them on behalf of the packed Church and Cocking generally. Paul replied with some funny tales about his early struggles with Post Office book-keeping and his exposure to 'southerners'. Linda wiped away a tear or two and it wasn't only due to the quality of Paul's jokes.
The assembled crowd then ate and drank the delicious refreshments, while the church was filled with the sound of conversation well into the evening. A really good party was had by all.
Local sculptor, Philip Jackson has been appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in the Queen's birthday honours list.
The Henshaws arrived in Cocking a year ago to take over the Post Office and village shop, saving it from possible closure. A year later the Post Office is even more firmly established as a vital part of village life and offers a wider range of products than ever before.
