80 years old and well-worth preserving
Wealden District Council has commemorated the 80th birthday of one of the district’s most famous characters, Winnie-the-Pooh.
The chairman, Councillor Mrs Pat Kennedy, and members of the Council were given a tour of the places in Ashdown Forest which inspired AA Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh stories and EH Shepard’s famous illustrations.
Councillors also visited the new exhibition, Winnie-the-Pooh in the Landscape, at the Ashdown Forest Centre, which compares today’s Forest views with those illustrated in “Winnie-the-Pooh”, “The House at Pooh Corner” and “Now we are Six”.
The tour was given by Hew Prendergast, Clerk to the Conservators of Ashdown Forest, who explained that nearly one in five of all visitors to Ashdown Forest were attracted by the Pooh stories.
“Parts of the Forest are different today than in 1920s when EH Shepard was sketching,” said Dr Prendergast. “One of our challenges as Conservators is to think how best we can keep the magic of Ashdown Forest that Milne and Shepard gave to the world.”
“Wealden’s countryside has been the source of inspiration for many writers and artists, and through their contribution it has gone on to be loved by children all over the world,” said Cllr Keith Whitehead, Cabinet member for Planning and Regeneration.
“There are many such landscapes in Wealden which we want to see preserved. As the popularity of Winnie-the-Pooh shows, they are widely appreciated by visitors who make a valuable contribution to the rural economy. Through discussion and careful planning it is possible to strike the right balance that will allow us to preserve and share our heritage.”
Councillors also visited the Pooh Corner Shop in Hartfield, originally visited by Christopher Robin when AA Milne was living in the village and now a souvenir shop run by Mike and June Ridley.
Other Councillors taking part in the visit were Cllr Mrs Rowena Moore, the Council’s Sustainability Champion; Cllr Raymond Parsons, Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, Cllr Mrs Sylvia Martin, Wealden representative on the Ashdown Forest Tourism Forum and local member Cllr Jim Hollins.
The Winnie-the-Pooh in the Landscape exhibition, sponsored by Egmont Books, takes place at the Ashdown Forest Centre, Wych Cross, Forest Row; weekends 11am-5pm; weekdays until September 30, 2pm–5pm.
