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About Findon
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The Findon Valley Residents' Association is a charity registered in England and Wales: 267009
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Celebrating 100 Glorious Years By Alex Clouter
Please click on any photo to see an enlarged version! "It all started at the bottom of my garden," Zoë Goddard said, answering my question about how the Findon Valley Residents' Association started. Leroy Bryan, FVRA President and myself went to visit Zoë to congratulate her on reaching her Centenary Year on 6th March 2010. After being greeted by her daughter Jenny, when we called round, we were ushered indoors and immediately warned about the bird clock about different bird songs on the hour! As soon as Zoë and her husband, William, moved into Findon Valley in 1935, it wasn't too long before the FVRA was formed. Zoë Goddard is a founder member of the FVRA and she worked with a neighbour Mr Cordwell, whose garden backed onto hers, in setting up the Residents' Association. "We formed in 1935, with only 20 or so residents. We were unhappy with a factory that was coming into Findon Valley." The aims of the Association have changed very little since then, ensuring that the interests and the needs of Findon Valley residents were recognised and respected with the safeguarding actions of the committee. Mr Spink was the Association's first Chairman and Mrs Pennycud, Vice Chairman. In the mid 1940s Mr Rice (Worthing Borough Councillor) took over the Chair and Mr Prime the Vice Chair. Their target was to have 1,000 members. Some of their actions included the development of a new footpath to link Cissbury Gardens and Hollingbury Gardens, a notice board for the FVRA sited in King's Parade and a second doctor for the Valley. With her husband being a bricklayer, working with other people in construction, they saw the gradual growth of bungalows on the NW/NE side of the Valley. The lucky couple were able to pass on their own design ideas to develop their delightful home as it was being built in Vale Drive. Close friends moved in next door and soon enough William and Zoë soon settled down and enjoyed life to the full with their daughter, Jennifer. Their small family naturally extended with a growing network of neighbourly friends with their own families.
Fast forward to 6 March 2010, the 100th birthday of Zoë and much to celebrate for a week or so. Four birthday cakes and loads of cards later, including the Big One from Her Majesty The Queen, she can now relax and enjoy reading a HUGE souvenir photo album compiled by family and friends celebrating 100 glorious years in the life of one Very Important Person.
Picking the sixth day of the third month, other well known people have tried to ‘muscle in’ on Zoë's birthday: Lou Costello (comedy film star from the Abbott and Costello partnership) was born on the same day in 1906; Frankie Howard, comedian, in 1917, John Noakes (remember him from BBC’s Blue Peter?) in 1934 and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (opera singer) in 1944. Congratulations Zoë, on your birthday and we thank you for the strong role you played with others in the evolution of our Residents' Association!
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