A couple of weeks ago, in blazing sunshine, I spent a week in Sussex (and Surrey) visiting five fabulous schools. Thank you all for making me so welcome, and thanks also to The Book Box who organised the whole thing and sold more books than you can shake a stick at! Here are a few memories…
I was especially excited to find these giant Nutcrackers at Notre Dame Pre Prep Catholic School… although I’m hardly Ella Bella! They rather reminded me of a certain movie with giant dolls… which was funny, because earlier that week I’d enjoyed a thrilling drive along the cusp of Beachy Head, from which vertiginous point Chitty Chitty Bang Bang took wing in the immortal movie (and my childhood favourite!).
Interestingly, none of the local (Eastbourne/Brighton) children knew!
For me, it stands as the most iconic childhood movie moment of all. Possibly because the intermission and ice creams came at exactly that moment when Chitty plunged over the cliff…
I also loved the views across the Downs and came home full of Samuel Palmer – type pictures in my head.
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