3 days Ago
To mark the 145th anniversary of The Argus, we’re looking back at some of our readers special moments. Long-term reader and columnist, Geoff Stonebank s got in touch to share his fondest memories of The Argus. Geoff has been writing his weekly gardening column in The Argus since 2017.
He shared his birthday wishes, Geoff said: “The Argus has created some landmark dates during my time in Sussex and I can clearly chart my gardening experiences and charity fundraising successes through its published pages and online over the last 15 years of its 145-year history. Long may it continue.” (Image: The Argus) Geoff shares some of his highlights, including a two page feature in the paper.
He said: “I have three very fond, personal, memories of The Argus since we moved to Sussex back in 2004. “The first was having a photo shoot followed by a 2-page feature published in the paper under the ‘Life Argus’ banner back on the 5th October in 2015 linked to my charity fundraising. I have the framed feature on my office wall to this day.
” Geoff added: “The second was finding myself named one of the three finalists in the Argus Community Stars Awards back in 2017, for raising, at the time, over £95,000 for charity, notably the Macmillan Horizon Centre in Brighton, this figure now tops £177,000 in 2025. “All the finalists were invited to a reception on the i360 too on the 5th January 2018. Then on the 17th January I and some of my garden volunteers were invited to a glittering awards ceremony at the Dome.
“Sadly, I did not win but great to have been picked as one of the three finalists and to be involved. I still have the newspaper cut out too.” (Image: Geoff Stonebanks) Geoff also reflected on starting his column, he said: “The most significant moment for me was being invited by Editor, Arron Hendy, back in 2017 too, to write a weekly gardening feature every Saturday in the paper.
“The first 400-word feature appeared in April 2017 and then every week through until July 2022. Then in July 2022 the gardening feature became a full page with 5 images and 800 words and is still published every week, with every single article posted to my web site.” You can read Geoff’s feature in the paper every Saturday.
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