We organise a variety of events during the year ranging from guided walks and tours to visit and talks, often in conjunction with local festivities. These are usually for members only but sometimes open to guests and non-members.
For further information on any planned event contact the Secretary via our contact page.
UPCOMING EVENTS
2025 Events to be announced
PAST EVENTS (most recent first)
2024 NOVEMBER 14 (Thursday)
Visit to Tangmere Aviation Museum, starting 10:30am.
See report
2024 OCTOBER 18 (Friday)
Festival Theatre backstage tour, starting 10am, with coffee and cake.
Reservation details via email announcement.
2024 OCTOBER 16 (WEDNESDAY)
Annual General Meeting, 7pm at the Assembly Room
The Council House, North Street, Chichester PO19 1LQ
WIth open discussion on “Your Ideas for our City” on themes raised at the June 17 event
2024 OCTOBER 10 (Thursday)
ChiSoc anniversary dinner at Chichester College, starting 6pm.
Reservation details in the September newsletter and via email announcement.
2024 AUGUST 1 (Thursday)
Goodwood Motor Circuit, starting 10am
Visit for members and guests at £25 per person as announced on 2 June, to include donation to Goodwood’s sponsored charity, Dementia Support. The Society’s members learned about the Circuit’s history and later spotted this Spitfire
Apply to events@chichestersociety.org.uk
2024 JUNE 17 (MONDAY)
Your Ideas for our City, a Festival of Chichester event
7 to 9pm at the Assembly Room, The Council House, North Street, Chichester PO19 1LQ
A panel discussion by people deeply involved in Chichester’s life who are concerned about the future of our historic city, chaired by the Chichester Observer’s Phil Hewitt.
What does our panel, and you, suggest will make Chichester a vibrant and attractive place?
Followed by drinks and snacks.
Free event open to all – see post for report
2023 November 24 (FRIDAY)
Tree Planting to commemorate 50 years of the Chichester Society
Short tree planting event postponed from Friday 3 November owing to threatened storms, now on Friday 24 November. Join us at 11am in Jubilee Park South near the New Park Centre. The New Park Centre has agreed to open the bar from 10.30 to 11.30 so you can celebrate with tea, coffee or something stronger.
2023 November 23 (THURSDAY)
Planetarium
The society’s members and their guests are invited to a star-studded afternoon at CHICHESTER’S PLANETARIUM Thursday 23 November 2.00 – 4.30 pm. Presented by Dr John Mason
£10 per person paid at the door. Tea, coffee and biscuits are included.
2023 OCTOBER 18 (WEDNESDAY)
Annual General Meeting, 7pm at the Assembly Room
The Council House, North Street, Chichester PO19 1LQ
Guest Speaker: cancelled owing to indisposition
2023 September 5 (TUESDAY)
Goodwood Racecourse
Meet in carpark 5 at 09:30 for coffee then 10:00 Tour of the Racecourse followed by lunch at 1200 in the Owners & Trainers Restaurant.
Free afternoon to enjoy the racing. Maximum 20 guests.
2023 August 18 (FRIDAY)
Fishbourne Roman Palace
Meet in the car park at 2pm ready for an enjoyable and informative afternoon at this ancient palace, all for £20 per person.
2023 July 5 (WEDNESDAY)
Bowls at Priory Park
A good attendance, much enjoyed by all!
2023 JUNE 29 (THURSDAY)
Balancing Heritage and Growth in Chichester
A talk at the Assembly Room in North Street by the Alliance of Historic Cathedral Cities and Towns (ACT).
2023 JUNE 16 (FRIDAY)
Harbour Cruise and Lunch
Outing on the Chichester Conservancy boat Solar Heritage followed by lunch at Itchenor Sailing Club, as announced by email on 18 February
2023 APRIL 19 (WEDNESDAY)
Visit to the University of Chichester’s Bognor Campus Tech Park
Visit restricted to 15 people, as announced by email on 18 March
2022 OCTOBER 27 (THURSDAY)
Annual General Meeting, 7pm at the Assembly Room
The Council House, North Street, Chichester PO19 1LQ
Guest Speaker: Dr Tony Whitbread, President of Sussex Wildlife Trust,
on the theme ‘A DECADE OF NATURE RESTORATION’
A summary of his talk can be found on page 19 of the Dec 2022 Newsletter
2022 JUNE 4 (SATURDAY)
Chichester’s Jubilee Celebrations, in Priory Park
The Chichester Society manned a stand with gazebo as part of Chichester’s Jubilee Celebrations in Priory Park. The Family Fun afternoon follows on from the Gala procession through Chichester in the morning – a lot of fun in a lovely location!
2021 NOVEMBER 27 (WEDNESDAY)
Annual General Meeting, 7pm at The Assembly Rooms
The Council House, North Street, Chichester PO19 1LQ
Guest speaker: Margaret Paren OBE, former chair of the South Downs National Park – her topic is THE STORY OF THE SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK; ITS HISTORY AND FUTURE PROSPECTS.
Other planned events had to be cancelled due to the pandemic.
2020 OCTOBER 21 (WEDNESDAY)
Annual General Meeting
Guest speaker: Professor Jane Longmore, Vice Chancellor of Chi University – Her topic is
‘A sense of place: the role of higher education in West Sussex’
2019 OCTOBER 16 (WEDNESDAY)
Annual General Meeting
Guest speaker: David Johnson, Chairman CPRE Sussex
A summary of his talk can be found here
2019 SEPTEMBER 12 (THURSDAY)
Tour of the Almshouses in St. Martin’s Square
2019 SEPTEMBER 6 (FRIDAY)
Members Summer Party
2019 AUGUST 15 (THURSDAY)
Around the world in 44 days
2019 JULY 3 (WEDNESDAY)
Chichester Canal fish & chip cruise
2019 JUNE 26 (WEDNESDAY)
Selsey Lifeboat Station tour
2019 JUNE 7 (FRIDAY)
Cathedral roof works tour
2019 MARCH 6 (WEDNESDAY)
Goodwood Motor Circuit
Visit and tour
2018 JUNE 5 (TUESDAY)
Visit to Chichester Stoneworks
2018 MAY 31 (THURSDAY)
Visit to Natures Way Drayton Facility
2018 FEBRUARY 26 (MONDAY)
Goodwood Motor Circuit
An enjoyable visit. Many thanks to Goodwood. See picture here
2017 OCTOBER 18 (WEDNESDAY)
Annual General Meeting
The AGM was held in the Upstairs Assembly Room. The Guest speaker was, Gary Shipton, Editor of the Chichester Observer. See picture on Twitter here
2017 SEPTEMBER 19 (TUESDAY)
Exploring hidden Chichester : a walking tour with Alan Green
2017 AUGUST 15 (TUESDAY)
Chichester Cathedral: Behind the scenes tour
2017 JUNE 19 (MONDAY)
Chichester Festival Theatre – a guided tour
2016 OCTOBER 25 (TUESDAY)
Pagham-Medmerry wetlands reserve
The 2 hour tour was escorted by one of the staff of the RSPB HQ at Pagham.
2016 OCTOBER 19 (WEDNESDAY)
Annual General Meeting
The AGM was held in the Upstairs Assembly Room. The Guest speaker was, Tony Dignum, Leader of Chichester District Council.
2016 SEPTEMBER 21 (WEDNESDAY)
Sussex Apples at West Dean
The tour included tasting and the stories behind the different apple varieties. A short report is available here
2016 JULY 28 (THURSDAY)
Wine Tasting at Hennings, Chichester
The wines of Northern Italy – a wine tasting included a minimum of 8 different wines and nibbles. A short report is available here
2016 JUNE 29 (WEDNESDAY)
Selsey RNLI visit
Tour of lifeboat station and Tyne Class lifeboat “Voluntary Worker”; followed by tour of ‘D’ class inshore lifeboat “Betty and Thomas Moore”
2016 JUNE 25 (SATURDAY)
Secrets of the South Downs
Our annual Festival walk to see the unexpected!
Click on the year to find the Secrets discovered in 2014, 2015 and 2016
2016 MAY 25 (WEDNESDAY)
Natures Way
A 2 hour tour of this manufacturer of freshly prepared food, plus, if available visit to the kitchen. See here the attendees dressed to kill.
2015 OCTOBER 21 (WEDNESDAY)
Annual General Meeting
Guest speaker: Katy Bourne, Sussex Police and Crime Commissioner
The Chairman’s Annual Report can be found here
The Treasurer’s Report can be found here
2015 SEPTEMBER 10 (THURSDAY)
Harbour Walk
A guided circular walk with a Community Officer working at Chichester Harbour Conservancy.
2015 AUGUST 15 (SATURDAY)
Graylingwell – Historic Guided Tour
Guided by Greg and Katherine Slay. Greg is a senior social worker specialising in mental health, and a keen local historian. Katherine works at West Sussex Record Office, and has responsibility for the Graylingwell Hospital archives.
2015 JULY 22 (WEDNESDAY)
Tinwood Vineyard, Halnaker
A tour of the vineyard followed by wine tasting with 1 glass of each of 3 different wines per person plus canapés
2015 JULY 1 (Wednesday)
The Weald & Downland Museum’s past and future
Talk by Richard Pailthorpe, the Museum’s Director (as part of the Festival of Chichester)
2015 JUNE 27 (Saturday)
Secrets of the South Downs – a 6 mile walk
Organised by David Wilson (as part of the Festival of Chichester)
2015 JUNE 18 (Thursday)
Saving the City: Early years of the Chichester Society
Talk by Tim Rooth (as part of the Festival of Chichester)
2015 APRIL 24 (Friday)
Visit to Winchester
As guests of the City of Winchester Trust
2015 MAY 20 (Wednesday)
Apuldram Wastewater Works
A guided tour
2014 SEPTEMBER 26 (FRIDAY)
Viridor waste recycling site
A guided tour