News Archives - The Green

Crisp Autumn walks near The Green…

As Autumn draws closer it’s the perfect time to get out into nature and experience the natural beauty that Sussex has to offer. Whether you’d just like a quick stroll or a hearty hike, we’ve compiled a selection of walks for everyone of any ability. All of these walks are less than a 15 minute drive from The Green so grab some good walking shoes and your coat and off you go!

Furnace Green:
Need to get out the house for an hour or so? Then this walk is perfect for you! Explore Furnace Green in Tilgate Park. A short 11 minute drive away, you can park in Lakeside car park. There are no hills or steep sections of the walk but the ground can get muddy so we would suggest wearing wellies or sturdy footwear. Check out the route on the Crawley Government page linked below!

Grattons Park & Worth Way:
Got a budding historian in the family? Enjoy a slice of the past with this walk through several parks and Milton Mount Gardens – these stand on the site of the Worth Park House, one of Crawley’s Victorian country estates. You can also walk past one of Crawley’s oldest properties – “Ridleys” a grade 2 listed building. The route walks along the old railway line that was closed in the 1960’s.

Bewbush to Lambs Green:
Don’t feel like packing a picnic? A walk with an ideally placed pub is the perfect solution! Perfect for a lunch-time pitstop. Explore the west of Crawley, starting in Bewbush and finishing up in Lambs Green. This circular walk starts and ends in the Buchan Country Park car park, which you can get to in under 5 minutes from The Green. Don’t forget to bring a coat as some of the walk is wooded and you may get a bit chilly! Stop off for a bite to eat at The Lamb Inn, we’ve linked their menu so you can check it out before you go.

Old Crawley:
This walk has it all; meadows, ancient woodland and a watermill. At 7.5 miles this walk is one of the slightly longer ones so bring a snack and some good shoes! There are two flights of steps, multiple kissing gates and uneven ground so be prepared. Starting in Goffs Park car park and exploring Ilfield Mill Pond – a Site of Nature Conservation Importance. Here you can do a spot of bird watching and you could even see frogs, toads and newts! You can find fun activity worksheets for kids created by Crawley Council here.

For more detailed information on each walk check out the Crawley Government website here. There are step by step directions so there’s no excuses if you get lost!

The Green’s favourite Autumnal recipe

In the spirit of Great British Bake Off returning to our screens, and with autumn just around the corner, we’d like to share with you our favourite warming dessert: blackberry and apple crumble.

Nothing is more stereotypically British than a classic crumble. With a perfect crunchy topping and a sweet, warm filling, this pudding is a firm favourite.

Follow along for the recipe to enjoy this delicious treat, perfect when the seasons change. Even better, while living at The Green and enjoying the wonderful nature surrounding Kilnwood Vale, you might even find some wild berries for you to sprinkle in!

What you’ll need:

2 large bramley apples
3 crisp eating apples (eg Cox)
250g blackberries
2-3 teaspoons of cornflower
100-150g of caster sugar, depending on how sweet the fruit it
–
240g of plain flour
150g of butter, cubed
120g of demerara sugar

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5. Sift the flour and a pinch of salt into a mixing bowl to begin making the crumble topping. Add the cubed, room temperature butter. Rub the mixture together with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Continue rubbing in until the mixture begins to stick together to form small pea-size clumps. Stir in the demerara sugar.

Peel and thinly slice the bramley apples and place into a bowl. Peel and slice the eating apples, slicing them into slightly thicker wedges. Add to the bowl, along with the blackberries, and mix together.

Mix the cornflour with the caster sugar. Add this to the bowl of fruit and mix together well. Set aside for a few minutes to allow the fruit juices to seep out and make the sugar mix damp. Mix again until the cornflour sticks to the fruit.

Spoon the fruit mix into a large baking dress, and pack into an even layer.

Spoon the crumble mix in an even layer across the fruit.

Bake for 45 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is tender.

Serve and enjoy – why not add some custard, cream or ice cream?

We hope you’ll enjoy this classic British pudding, perfectly suited for the colder nights to come. And if you keep up with your baking, we might even see you on GBBO in the future!

Commuting made easy from The Green

How easy is it to get to London?

Thinking of living at The Green and commuting to London? It couldn’t be more simple!

Located in West Sussex, Crawley is a popular choice for those looking for a more relaxed lifestyle but still with the ability to commute into London. Conveniently positioned near Gatwick Airport and travel links such as the M3 and M25, Crawley is the perfect base.

The Green is on the outskirts of Crawley, located near the stunning landscapes of High Weald, a designated area of outstanding natural beauty. Situated in the countryside, but still with easy access into Crawley centre and larger surrounding cities such as Brighton, Guildford and London, The Green is the ideal location.

There is a direct train that leaves from Faygate station, a short 4-minute drive. From Faygate, it then takes just under an hour to get into London Victoria with one change. There’s a direct train from Crawley to London Bridge that will get you there in roughly 50 minutes and you can be right in the midst of the city.

Crawley to Camden – 1 hour 30 minutes

Crawley to Canary Wharf – 1 hour 3 minutes

Crawley to London Bridge – 46 minutes

Crawley to Kensington – 1 hour 3 minutes

Not a fan of the city? How about the coast – you can get to Brighton in under 40 minutes by car or 35 minutes on the train. Make the most of what’s left of summer at the seaside! Keen on cycling? You could get there in 2 hours and 15 minutes and you’d get to experience miles and miles (23.5 miles to be precise!) of beautiful countryside.

Meat the Chef at The Green

Here at The Green, we know how hard choosing what to have for dinner can be. That’s why we decided to make it a bit easier for you this month!

Our latest Resident Event had a special guest: Meat the Chef

Serving up fresh, made to order chicken burgers and sides, this pop-up was exclusively available for our residents to enjoy – just one of many great perks of living here.

It was another popular event with 85 of our lovely residents joining us for food, as well as a DJ set.

Our RSMs work tirelessly to ensure that The Green is running smoothly every day and they are always thinking of fun new events to run for our residents, so it’s nice to see them enjoying the festivities too!

Fancy being at our next event? Enquire today to find out more about The Green.

Like What You Hear? Come and Take A Look Around!

Meet Paul:
Your Maintenance Technician

There’s a new face around The Green – Paul! Paul is our new Maintenance Technician, and will be working hard alongside David, our other Facilities Manager, to make sure everything is working perfectly and the grounds are looking lovely!

Paul will be there for you if anything should happen to go wrong, as well as keeping The Green in tip top condition. Say hi to Paul in The Clubhouse or wherever he might be working around the site.

Hi Paul! How are you?

Fantastic, thank you.

Tell us about you! Where do you come from, what’s your background?

I am originally from South East London. I have always been a very determined and ambitious person with a varied career from being an auto technician to obtaining my childcare qualification to becoming a project supervisor.

What is the best part about your job at The Green?

I would have to say meeting the residents, and it’s nice to see smiling faces every day.

What do you get up to day-to-day here at The Green?

My role here at The Green is very varied! I work hard to keep our gardens neat and tidy for our residents to enjoy as well as maintaining our properties to a high standard.

What’s your favourite thing to do on your day off?

My days off are filled with family time. I love taking a day trip out at the zoo or to our family houseboat on the south coast – which needs a lot of looking after!

What would you recommend doing as a day trip from The Green?

‘Go Ape!’ followed by an visit to an all you can eat buffet. Go Ape is just down the road from The Green and perfect for children and adults alike so makes a great day out for families and friends and is a great challenge!

What’s your favourite spot here at The Green?

I would have to say The Clubhouse. That’s where everyone meets for coffee and a catch up! It’s the best place to meet the residents and find out what’s going on.

Paul – with Chris, Emma and David– is part of our outstanding resident services team here. Our team will always be looking out for you when you rent one of our stunning homes.

Like What You Hear? Come and Take A Look Around!

In-Depth: The Outdoor, Multi-use Sports Court

Fancy a kick about? A game of tennis or badminton? We’ve got just the place… Our multi-use sports court is perfect for you if you want to stretch your legs, burn off some energy and get some fresh air. Free to use and book out for all of our residents, the sports court is all yours!

The Green’s Outdoor Sports Court

How big is The Sports Court?
The Sports Court is big enough to play all your favourite sports on and big enough for group exercise classes! But specifically, it is 40m long and nearly 13m wide.

How many sports can be played on it?
Football, basketball, tennis, foot-tennis… pretty much any ball sports! Most types of ball sports can be played due to the various markings on the pitch. The court also has the potential for additional activities such as boot camp and personal training classes!

What is the Court currently used for?
We are currently trying to start a Tennis Club at The Green, and we run exercise classes every week out on the court in summer. These include a Circuits group and a Boxercise class. There’s also a 5-a-side football team which will always relish playing new people!

To book The Sports Court, just get in touch with our onsite team or use our residents’ smart app.

Come and take a tour of The Green to see what we have to offer residents – including our fantastic outdoors Sports Court and all our other amenities.

With different lines, you can play loads of different sports

Use the BBQ area after a game on the Sports Court — Just behind the Court is our Clubhouse – perfect for a BBQ after a game!

Play football on the sports court at The Green — Grab some friends and have a kick-about

Outdoor sports court at night with fllodlights — The Court is floodlit, perfect for use in Winter evenings

Five great days out in Sussex from The Green

We’re in a great location. Well, we think so. And we’re sure you’ll feel the same when you come to see our fabulous homes for rent for the first time too. Our local area doesn’t just have all you need. There’s also plenty of things to do. In West Sussex and beyond, take a look at some of the days out to discover from your new home at The Green at Kilnwood Vale.

1. Explore The Sussex Countryside

You *could* rent an apartment in Crawley or Horsham town centres. But that would mean missing out on having some magnificent countryside literally on your doorstep. Just cross the A264 outside our main entrance and you are on the boundary of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty; 1,450sq km of walks, cycles, attractions and much more…

How To: You can walk into the High Weald AONB from The Green.

Try Also: South Downs National Park – You can reach one of the UK’s newest National Parks by car, bus or rail from The Green, depending on what activities you’re interested in doing.

2. Brighton Rocks!

The Pier, The Lanes, The Pavilion and more; Brighton has it all. Just 40 mins by road and 70 mins by public transport, sample the delights of one of the UK’s finest seaside resorts. From strolls along the front to scaling the world’s tallest moving observation tower or the world’s oldest operating aquarium; you could fill or day or three with ease in Brighton.

How To: A23 (by car) – Crawley to Brighton (by rail)

Try Also: Portsmouth – A little bit further afield, but the Spinnaker Tower, Southsea Castle, Charles Dickens’ Birthplace, Historic Dockyard and more make ‘Pompey’ an absolute must!

3. To Be Beside The Seaside

For when the ‘Great British Summer’ has its moments, the Sussex coast has the beaches to savour it. West Wittering is one of the best too; a Blue Flag beach with high quality bathing water and equally fine facilities. So don’t forget to take your bucket and spade, watch wind and kite surfers or simply sit and admire the views of Chichester and the South Downs.

How To: via A24 and A27 (by car)

Try Also: Saltdean – A super seaside day out that’s closer to home at The Green; Saltdean is 40 mins by car. The Art Deco-style Lido is a particular highlight, now re-open to visitors.

4. Arundel Castle & Gardens

This medieval castle dates back to 1067 and is open to visitors between April and October. To take a trip to Arundel Castle is to step back in time as you walk round the Grade I-listed castle buildings and its extensive gardens. Be sure to climb 131 steps up to the Keep too; its views of the River Arun, the English Channel and the South Downs are quite incredible.

How To: A24 (by car) – Faygate to Arundel (by rail)

Try Also: Chichester – dating back to Roman times, this is West Sussex’s only city. By road or rail, it has centuries of history to explore; most notably, the grand 900-year-old cathedral.

5. Go Ape at Tilgate Park

Go Ape‘s two tree-top adventures at Crawley’s Tilgate Park offers thrills and spills for all the family. Zip wires, Tarzan swings, rope ladders and more will keep adults and children alike busy (and entertained!) during your visit. And if it isn’t your cup of tea, the park has walking routes and a kids’ play area to make sure everyone has a great day out close to The Green.

How To: A2220 (by car) – 23 and 10 (by bus)

Try Also: Drusillas Park – if you like animals, you’ll love this small zoo. Located near Alfriston, it cares for domestic and wild animals. And there’s plenty more if you have kids too…

Photo © Robin Webster (cc-by-sa/2.0)

If you like the sound of these suggestions, there’s so much more that Sussex has to explore. Rent an apartment or townhouse at The Green, and you’ll give yourself a brilliant base from which to get out and discover. If you can pull yourself away from our exceptional onsite amenities, of course! For stunning new homes and things to do, Sussex is the place to be.

Popcorn & Movie Night at The Green

We love the community we are building here at The Green, and our RSMs are constantly coming up with ideas for great new events for our residents to enjoy!

For our latest event, on 25^th April, we hosted a Popcorn and Movie night for everyone to come and enjoy – with our very own retro popcorn maker. With complimentary popcorn, wine and other nibbles, this residents event proved to be a huge success! We showed two movies – The Greatest Showman and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again – two firm fan favourites. It was a great chance for our residents to get together, have a natter and enjoy the films, with everyone welcome.

One of our happy residents, Damian, particularly enjoyed the evening: “Thanks for the great evening Emma! Had a great time and good to meet Turiny! The popcorn machine, wine, sweets and choice of films were perfect.”

Our residents at the Popcorn & Movie night

Turiny enjoying our new retro popcorn maker!

Residents watching Mamma Mia! in the Clubhouse

It was also a great chance for our residents to meet our new Night Concierge, Turiny! He will be around to help the RSM team with keeping The Green running smoothly. Watch this space to find out more about him in a blog post soon…

Don’t forget to keep a lookout for details of upcoming resident events at The Green. We’ve got Ladies Fashion Nights and events surrounding Mental Health Week coming up, so be sure to get involved!

Have you got an idea for a great new event? Let one of our RSMs know today!

Has our latest resident event tempted you? Come and explore what life at The Green is all about – request a private viewing of our homes for rent and unique new community today.

In-Depth: The Hall

Ever need some extra space to workout? Can’t find a good venue for your next party? Or could you do with a quiet area away from the outside world in which to get work done? The Hall is the answer to all these needs and more; our multi-use events space for residents and one of the superb amenities available to you at The Green.

As a resident, The Hall is an events space you can reserve for whatever you need it for. This is also where we host our exclusive resident events and activities. It has many strings to its bow: yoga classes, group workouts, meetings, parties, lectures, dinners, workspace, study area and more; we’ve made sure The Hall can be the space you need (and want) it to be.

The Hall at The Green

How big is The Hall?
The Hall is a 27ft by 13ft events space

What can you use The Hall for?
It’s up to you! The Hall has a number of uses, with tables and chairs available if you need them. Yoga mats are also available, and there are a number of fitness classes that already take place in The Hall – some led by residents, others by a qualified Personal Trainer. As a resident, you’re more than welcome to join in with them!

What’s The Hall like when you’re inside?
The Hall has low-level windows fitted with blinds for ventilation and privacy screening. It features a vaulted ceiling with suspended LED spot lighting and wood flooring too, with the whole events space finished in neutral colours. There is access from The Lounge and the corridor that leads through the Clubhouse.

Are there any other facilities in The Hall?
The wifi internet connection available in The Lounge extends into The Hall too.

Can I book The Hall for private events?
Yes, you can! The Hall can be reserved for any private event if you need a bit more space for your guests. It’s not a problem to use the tables and chairs that we have; you’re free to bring food and drink in too.

To book The Hall, just get in touch with our onsite team or use our residents’ smart app.

Come and take a tour of The Green to see what we have to offer residents – including our fantastic events space in The Hall and all our other amenities.

Welcome to The Hall – our multi-use events space for residents

The Hall is a bright events space and perfect for so many uses... — The Hall is a bright events space and perfect for so many uses…

A TV, wifi connectivity, tables and chairs are available in The Hall for you to use

Join in with one of the many group classes that take place in The Hall... — Join in with one of the many group classes that take place in The Hall…

The Hall is one of the communal spaces in which we hold our exclusive resident events — … or one of the many awesome events we organise for our residents

Meet Emma:
Your Resident Services Manager

It’s time for you to meet another of our amazing team members – Emma! Emma is our new Resident Services Manager, and she will be working hard alongside Chris, our other Resident Services Manager, to make sure your smile is as big as hers!

Emma will be there for you when you move in, if you want a quick natter and if anything should happen to go wrong. She’ll also be helping the team to organise a whole range of different events for our residents to enjoy!

Hi Emma! How are you?

Really well thank you, excited to be working at The Green.

Tell us about you! Where do you come from, what’s your background?

I’m an ambitious, creative and highly motivated individual, who has a passion for the hospitality industry and love giving outstanding customer service. I love to develop, inspire and challenge myself to go the extra mile and implement initiatives that deliver lasting smiles and unbeatable experiences!

What is the best part about your job at The Green?

Most definitely the relationships I build with the residents. I love ensuring from the viewing process to the move in is a fantastic journey!

What do you get up to day-to-day here at The Green?

I love how every day is so busy and varied. I do viewings to potential new residents, organise the let agreed process, check ins/check outs, solve any issues as well as plan future events for the Clubhouse!

What’s your favourite thing to do on your day off?

I’m a social butterfly, so I do far too much! But I love spending time with my husband and my friends and family. I love to cook, eat and drink! I also like to go on country walks with my crazy dog, Lexi.

What would you recommend doing as a day trip from The Green?

A day out to Brighton is always good fun for the city vibe, good food and shopping in the Lanes, or I love going to Devils Dyke, which is only half an hour from the Green.

What’s your favourite spot here at The Green?

Obviously the Clubhouse, because things are so varied and fun! It’s always a great place to catch up with other residents and meet the team.

Get in touch with us today if you’re interested in renting a townhouse or apartment at The Green? Book a viewing and Emma will be more than happy to show you what we can offer!