Storrington White Stork and Nature Festival 2026

The Annual Storrington White Stork
& Nature Festival
9.30am to 3.30pm

This annual festival celebrates everything in nature and particularly the return of the white storks from their migratory journey abroad.

A festival came about in 2025 when Knepp Wildland together with Storrington were jointly designated the 16th European Stork Village. The event is hosted by the Storrington & Sullington Parish Council on behalf of its residents. It is inclusive and offered free of charge.

Contact: storks@storrington-pc.gov.uk (regarding storks) or office@storrington-pc.gov.uk (general enquires).

SPONSORS: This event has only been made possible by the generosity of the collaborators and their volunteers: Storrington & Sullington Parish Council and the White Stork Project. Also a big thank you to the following additional sponsors:

The Festival Guide

We aim to provide a wide range of activities throughout the day:

EVENTS AROUND THE VILLAGE

09:30 – 09:45 Place Villerest, Corner of Old Mill Drive & High Street
Stork mural and interpretation board reveal by Lady Emma Barnard of Parham.

• Isabella Tree (joint owner of Knepp Wildland)
• Neil Moore (Guy Leonard Estate Agents)
• Daryl Bennett (Freelance street artist @SinnaOne)

10:00 – 10:45 Storrington Primary School, Spierbridge Rd, RH20 4PG
Fancy dress street parade starts 10:15 from School to Recreation Ground

10:45 – 11:15 Chanctonbury Leisure Centre entrance, Spierbridge Rd, RH20 4BG
Welcome and event opening

• Virginia Hicks (Storrington & Sullington Parish Council Vice-Chair)
• Charlie Burrell (Joint owner of Knepp Wildland)
• Patrick Barkham (The Guardian columnist)
• Folk orchestra and choir perform original stork music by Eileen Sephton

11:15 – 11:30 Entertainment Centre outside Leisure Centre entrance
Press and photo opportunity

11:30 – 15:15 Various activities inside Leisure Centre and outside at the Recreation Ground
See detail programme timings below

15:15 – 15:30 The Studio inside Leisure Centre
Thank-you and take-home messages with choir singing original stork songs

ACTIVITIES IN AND AROUND THE LEISURE CENTRE

FIXED EXHIBITS (ALL DAY)

• Parish Council’s Helpdesk (for general enquiries and in case of any incident)
• White Stork Project (table stall in foyer with LIVE Nest Webcam
• Eco Theatre (Clive Cobie, Tree Circles)
• Eco Milk Float (Carrie Cort, Sussex Green Living)

INDOOR TALKS (11:30 – 15:30)
Offered by Knepp Wildland Foundation & White Stork Project.
The first session is chaired by Patrick Barkham, columnist for The Guardian

11:30 – 12:00 Knepp Rewilding Vision: Isabella Tree interviewed by Patrick Barkham, with special guest Jordi Sagartal, ornithologist from Spain

12:05 – 12:50 White Stork Project: Laura Vaughan-Hirsch,
Cotswold Wildlife Park: Richard Wardle and Warsaw Zoo: Paulina Debska

Between the talks: “Soundscapes of Hope” by Sound Artist Hazel Reeves

The 2nd session is chaired by Morag Warrack, Councillor Horsham Trafalgar

13:00 – 13:30 Bird migration research, Aldina Franco (Univ. East Anglia)
13:45 – 14:15 White-tailed eagles, Tim Mackrill (Roy Dennis Wildlife Foundation)
14:30 – 15:00 Weald to Waves, and Gardening for Wildlife: Libby Drew (Director: Knepp Wildland Foundation) and Kate Bradbury (author and TV presenter)
15:15 – 15:30 Take-home messages, Virginia Hicks (Vice-Chair Storrington and Sullington Parish Council)
15:30 – 15:45 Gathering Light Choir perform original stork music

ACTIVITIES IN AND AROUND THE RECREATION GROUND

MAGICAL MUSIC (11:30 – 15:00)
Coordinated by Claudia Fisher

11:30 – 12:15 Sussex Folk Orchestra
12:30 – 13:10 Nick Penny Harp Harmonies
13:20 – 13:30 The Dance Hut
13:40 – 14:20 Gathering Light Choir
14:30 – 15:00 Steyning Grammar School band

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
A range of engagement activities are planned and will emerge as the day unfolds!
White Stork Project volunteers will be available all day for interaction and queries.

• Nature education and crafts: near Spierbridge Rd., hosted by Emma Beard
Forest school/youth engagement: microscopes, stork and owl pellets, feathers, skulls, weaving, leather pouch making etc.

• Conservation grazing: meet the adorable Dexter cows which create amazing biodiversity through their feeding and behaviour

• Birds of prey: Behold these raptors close-up in their static and 2x 30min aerial displays

• Our canine companions:

• • Scruffts-style fun dog show and competition for everyone!
  • Dog training and behaviour to help control your dog
  • Vets impart their knowledge on chemical treatments, CPR resuscitation etc.

• Sports:

• Archery: Try your hand or just watch the youngsters (by the Storrington Scouts)

We hope you will fully enjoy the wide variety of activities and public engagement!

STALLS – around the Recreation Ground (see Stall Map & Guide below):

A vibrant selection of stalls featuring wildlife education and conservation groups, local community organisations, and independent artisan makers. Discover handmade crafts, art, jewellery, designer articles and plants, plus specialist food producers offering jams, chutneys, chilli sauces, and more.

REFRESHMENTS:

We aim to provide a wide range of sustenance throughout the day to suit all tastes and pockets. Please bring your own refillable mug/water container.

• Leisure Centre – Hot drinks and snacks
• Cricket Club – Alcoholic and hot drinks at the Clubhouse
• Football Club – Alcoholic drinks and bar food upstairs in the bar

Behind the Leisure Centre:

• Pizza Oven – Wood-fired including gluten-free and vegan options
• Summit Tasty – Gourmet loaded fries
• Bakery – with sausage rolls, quiche etc.
• Mid Sussex Super Cream – Sustainable electric ice cream van

TOILET FACILITIES:

• Inside Leisure Centre (DISABLED)
• Inside Football Club (includes DISABLED)
• Inside Cricket Club

PUBLIC CAR PARKING: The public car parking for the festival will be at the Hormare field off Hurston Lane accessed from the A283 Pulborough Road. Access gates will be open 7:00am to 17:00pm. Alternative parking is available in the Storrington town car parks – usual charges apply.

STALLHOLDER ARRANGEMENTS: Need a stallholder ticket in windscreen. Offload only from Leisure Centre parking area according to your allocated timing. Parking for the day is at the Hormare field off A283. A map will be added nearer the time. Storage of equipment and goods is available by prior arrangement only on Friday, 22nd May (13:00pm – 16:30pm). Stalls may not be dismantled before closing at 15:30pm.

On the day the Leisure Centre Car Park is reserved ONLY for blue badge vehicles and VIPs, refreshment vans and 2 eco-vans. Blue badge holders and VIP/Stallholder tickets must be clearly displayed in your car windscreen.

EMERGENCY SERVICES:
• St John’s Ambulance with First Aiders
• Fire brigade
• Police services

STALLS MAP AND GUIDE

The Stalls are listed by Number and Name

WELCOME & MUSIC STALL

1 Fire Engine
2 Fire Service
3 Police
4 Storrington Community mini bus
5 Storrington Speed watch
6 Dogs
DOG ARENA

COWS (local Dexters)
7 Brighton & Hove Food Partnership

8 SDNP Rangers & Downs to the Sea
9 Friends of the South Downs
10 Rotary (Storrington)
11 Stor St Marys Church x 2
12 Storrington Camera Club
13 Janet Brown photography
14 Storrington Bowls Club
15 Roots West Sussex CIC
16 Bangin Beef (dried beef)
17 The Greenhouse (Pulborough Refills)
18 South East Pine Martin Project
19 Friends of Storrington Primary School (FOSS)

20 Storrington Community Partnership CIO
21 Bearded Gnome Nursery
22 Childsplay Veronica Lucas
23 Chris Knox Crafts
24 Citizen Zoo (London)
25 Dolly Moon Crystals
26 Flint & Fern Glass Studio
27 Penelopes Child
28 Hellen Salter (Dog gifts)
29 Glass by Heather
30 Bruno weaving and wooden wildlife boxes
31 Spirit of the Downs

NATURE TABLES
32 National Trust
33 Stor Conservation Soc
34 Swift rehab and artist cards
35 SWT Regional Group (Swift project) & Paul Stevens (Ecological Consulting)
36 Woody Wonders
37 Chanctonbury Community Land Trust
38 Western Sussex Rivers Trust
39 Stor & District Museum

40 Friends of Meadowside
41 Sandgate Conservation Society
42 CPRE Sussex
43 Friends of Adur SSSI
44 Knepp Weald to Waves
45 Knepp White Stork Project
46 Knepp Wilding Shop

47 Storrington Repair Café & Recycling
48 WSCC Waste Prevention
49 Shuttle and Float
50 Arundel B-Bob Birds and Bees
51 Arundel B-Bob Jams & Chutney

52 AJS Pyrography (Wood art/jewellery)
53 Ray Wild at Heart
54 Goats milk soap and sheep’s wool
55 Lily’s Cottage (Wildlife boxes)
56 Stor Village Hub Crochet lady
57 Joe’s Chilli Sauce
58 Krishna (Indian Cuisine
59 Together by Nature
60 Friendly Fox Design

61 West Sussex Golf Club & Murray Downlands Trust
L/C Leisure Centre
FIRST AID – St Johns Ambulance

ARCHERY

Scouts & Girl Guides

BIRDS OF PREY

Eco-Theatre (Clive Cobie)
Eco-float (Carrie Cort)

REFRESHMENTS
F1 Pizza Oven
F2 Summit Tasty (Loaded fries)
F3 To be confirmed
F4 Ice-cream (Mid-Sussex Super Cream)
F5 Honor Bakery (flans, quiches etc)
F6 The Football Club (bar food)

Submitted to the Storrington Community Website using the Event contact form.