The bridleways on some of the local commons have recently become very muddy with pedestrians, dog walkers, cyclists and horses all struggling to find a way through.
On one such passage has a narrow channel which is used mainly by pedestrians. Unfortunately some horse riders have been forcing their way through this passage and the surface was beginning to deteriorate. This has also happened in some of the wooded areas where horses have been avoiding sections of bridleway where the mud is many inches deep.
A unilateral action by one person who to attempt to create separate routes for horses and pedestrians unfortunately created a hazard for horses. The plastic tape used to define the channel was wound around metal stakes. This was illegal, and also a problem with this was that if a horse stumbled or fell against a stake then it would have been seriously hurt, not I trust what the person had in mind.
Anyway Surrey County Council who are responsible for maintenance of common footpaths and bridleways were notified and quickly came and removed the metal stakes.
Pressure continues to be applied to Surrey County Council for additional funding
to maintain such footpaths and bridleways.
Dear Friends,
One of my hobbies (when I have the time) is genealogy, tracing my family history. So far it has taken me all over the southern half of England and into south west Scotland, with my most recent foray having been to Norfolk, to follow up my paternal grandmother’s family, with the family name of `Chaplin`.
Whilst there are several people of that name in my family, I don’t think that the Charles Chaplin is one of them (but you never know…). However, on a visit to Norwich a year or so ago I discovered the very useful, and very helpful, Norfolk Family History Society and joined them. On joining, you tell them which names you are interested in, and this information is published in their journal. Some months later I received two letters, both from people who wondered if I might be researching the same family as them.
One wasn’t, but the other was. She turns our to be my `third cousin` in our branch of the Chaplin family - that is, we have the same great-great-grandparents. Correspondence is continuing… In another publication that I read recently I was informed that research in the United States had discovered that George W Bush and John Kerry (his Democratic opponent in the Presidential election this year) are `ninth cousins`, and that they are both rather more closely related to Hugh Hephner - something they would probably rather not know !
Another, altogether more recent, type of research - that of genetics - has concluded that all our families can be traced back to a tiny handful of individuals a few tens of thousands of years ago. We are all cousins, to some degree !
All of which adds a new angle to the age-old belief of Christians that we are all brothers and sisters under God, to the practice of Christians from the earliest times - caring for our neighbours, whatever their status or ethnic origin. At the end of the second century Tertullian famously remarked: “See how these Christians love one another”and he was not (unlike most of those who quote him today) being ironic when he said it. Indeed, Christians were renowned for caring, not just for one another, but for outsiders too. In the ancient world this just was not done, but Christians did it. The very word `charity`, which is so widely used today, is taken from (and mirrors) this very Christian trait.
In the western world today there are a myriad of `charities`, many of them `somethingAid`, all doing sterling work with different sections of the community, both here and abroad. Again, the original one is `Christian Aid`, which seeks to bring practical help to people right around the world. This month sees the annual `Christian Aid Week` - please will you give as generously as you can, in order to help our `cousins`, wherever they may be ?
William Lang.
P.S. At the end of Christian Aid Week we are having a special service of Thanksgiving for Christian Aid and for our local collectors - this will be at the United Reformed Church at 10.30 am on Sunday 16th May.
It was very pleasing to see such a full hall for the Annual Parish
Meeting on 5th April.
The main points from the Chairman's report were as follows:
Traffic Calming - Surrey CC Highway Engineers have sent a letter promising to undertake a feasibility study for a pedestrian crossing and traffic calming in Milford Road and Thursley Road in the area of the school.
After the formal meeting ,Abby Thomas from Surrey Community Action gave a talk
explaining Parish Plans and the way to instigate them. Essentially it entails
an extensive village survey conducted by a steering group which then produces
a long term plan for action. The Parish Council has to approve the plan for
implementation over a period usually up to 5 years. There was a lengthy discussion
with many comments and questions about the merit of any real benefits balanced
against the substantial endeavour required. Also some of the outcomes of such
a plan (e.g The Village Design Statement, Affordable Housing Survey, Traffic
Calming Consultation) have already been achieved in our village. It was clear
at the meeting that there would be no strong support for the idea.
Denis Holmes
Chairman
A few days ago we came home to find our cock Pheasant a pathetic pile of feathers in the middle of the road near our house. Every morning he would be seen underneath the bird feeder, brightening up the garden with his coat of many colours, scratching for the seeds that had been dropped. Frequently I would throw him some stale bread crumbs. He strutted around the garden fluffing up his feather before uttering a cockerel-like throaty call. The cats were terrified of him. Recently an intruder had been seen trying to muscle in on his territory. I had driven into our driveway to find the two of them sizing up to each other. My car horn did nothing to move them and I eventually had to get out and chase matey back across the road and into the hedge. Cock Pheasants are beautiful but stupid birds full of their own importance and oblivious to danger when the matter of females is being considered. When driving down our lane one day one was in the middle of the road, purping the horn several times (similar to the call of a Pheasant?) we succeeded in moving him to the side of the road so that we could proceed. Looking through the rear mirror we were amused to see the Pheasant seeing us off as he ran after our car. I expect our Cocky was seeing off his rival when he got hit. Still we do miss him.
On Good Friday the Riding for the Disabled Group held a sponsored ride the other side of Guildford at Albury heath. We felt obliged to attend as we had chosen them as one of our Mayor’s charities. It is a lovely part of the countryside with many paths for horses and walkers. Having seen lots of riders depart from the start on their twelve mile ride, we had a gentle stroll onto the common. A small bird was flying quite high up in large circles in the sky and singing in a high pitched fluid song not unlike a Skylark but this was not the right song nor was he as high as a SkyLark. I am convinced that this was a Woodlark. These birds are quite rare, but the habitat here was perfect. An open space for nesting, which had recently been cleared and was fenced off, surrounded by woodland. The only time I have seen these birds were on Thursley Common near the Moat. This sighting was an unexpected joy.
Easter at St James was a busy time. We were delighted to welcome Pat Pearce to our assembly again this year. She told us the Easter story through her flower arrangements, starting with the call of the disciples Simon and Andrew as they fished and ending with the Resurrection on Easter Day. The children’s favourite arrangement was the one for Palm Sunday because they loved her willow donkey standing under the palms.
We were invited to Milford and Villages Day Centre at the end of term to conduct an Easter service for the patrons. We took our boys’ choir and they sang Easter hymns, performed a short play and led the prayers. It was a lovely occasion enjoyed by all.
In the last week of term, we hosted a very successful Toddlers’ Easter Fun Afternoon for pre-school children. This was run by our reception teacher, Mrs Linda Gibbs and was very well attended. The children made Easter crowns and cards, printed and made models out of playdough and had great fun searching for Easter eggs hidden around the hall. It was lovely that Jane Kinnard brought a group of her children from Rainbows and Peter Pan staff organised one of the activities. Mrs June Playfoot, one of our governors, came to see what happens during these afternoons and surprised one of the mums who remembers being taught by her when the school was on the old site where Guardian Court now stands.
St James School enjoys wonderful support from the parents and the local community. There are many volunteers who come regularly to help in the classrooms, parents, grandparents, ex-parents and some who have had no previous connection with St James. They make a huge contribution to the school and the children enjoy having special attention from other adults. We also have a thriving PTA who organise social events as well as those which raise much needed money for the school. Towards the end of term, I organised a work party on a sunny Saturday morning and was thrilled with the number of parents who gave their time to improve the school grounds. One of the most difficult tasks was to remove the footings from our old adventure playground. They were set in huge lumps of concrete which had already broken one dad’s pick axe and it was an education watching them work together to get the concrete out! Other parents removed ivy from trees, worked on the gardens, cleared the drainage ditch and it was amazing how much work was done.
Elstead Garden Club had a very topical meeting in March, when Mr Martin Harwood came to talk to us about narcissi, just coming into their full beautiful bloom. As the keeper of the national collection of over 3,000 species, we could hardly have anyone better qualified, although we were a little sad to learn that they would shortly be leaving Surrey for Berkshire, in search of a warmer, drier location.
We were taken through the various pests which affect narcissi, from the fungal diseases, which cannot really be cured by amateurs, although commercial growers do so by boiling the bulbs for up to three hours! The only remedy for an amateur is really to dig up the bulb and discard it. There are various slightly less disastrous pests which can be helped by a fungicidal wash, and splitting up the bulb to get rid of the affected parts.
One of the things which perhaps we didn’t realise was that narcissi should be planted very deep, at a depth of 8 and a half inches, and therefore at least six inches apart. If this is done and the plants are fed with bone meal just before flowering, there is no reason why they should not last indefinitely, and we were shown slides of beautiful flowers from bulbs over a hundred years old. Plants which are planted too shallowly tend to split into lots of small bulb-lets, most of which will take some years to reach flowering size.
Bulbs which are short and squat mean that the flowers should thrive in the hot sun. Bulbs which are longer and thinner mean that the plant needs shade, and should be planted under something like a geranium to provide protection from the sun. A red colour on the petals is also a sign of a shade loving plant.
We were shown slides of all 13 major species of narcissi, starting with the trumpets, and making our way through the cups, and the jonquils, to the various species narcissi which make up the final classes. Some of the colours were very striking, but not all were good garden plants, and before we fell in love with a plant at a show or in a nursery, we were advised to make enquiries about its habit if growth, and any problems with pests and diseases.
Our April meeting sees Ron Watts, talking about “Four Seasons at Wisley” in preparation for our visit in June, and on May 10th at 7.45 pm in the URC Hall our chairman Brian Deaville, will be talking about herbaceous plants.
On May 1st we have our plant sale, and also this year a table top sale, in
the Village Hall, at 10.30 am, and on May 15th, we have our annual visit to
“Hethersett,” to see our president’s magnificent collection of
rhododendrons and azaleas**. We would be delighted to welcome more members to
our busy and active club. Come along to any meeting to join, or contact our
chairman, secretary or treasurer.
** Editor’s note - this event will go ahead, despite the death of Lady Adam Gordon.
Last term finished with a musical fancy dress party at the Village Hall and a treasure hunt for Easter eggs at Burford lodge Recreation Ground; a happy and muddy occasion. We were especially pleased to welcome back Winno to play the piano at our party, and look forward to her music sessions resuming on Thursdays.
Our theme if “People who help us” involved various visitors who we all enjoyed, including a dentist, a doctor and a midwife plus babies. We also made visits to the Post Office and shopping trips to the Spar. We ha a very positive response from Ofsted after our inspection, and look forward to their written report in due course.
This term we will be looking at “Growing” and hope to enjoy the spring sunshine at Birdworld later this month when we meet some of their new arrivals. Finally we are very pleased to welcome ten new children this term, and hope they soon settle in and feet part of Rainbows
Mr D. Ashbourne entertained the March meeting with an enthralling journey through the Historic Development of Hampton Court Palace. Cardinal Wolsey was the first occupant, taking a 99 year lease at £15 per annum and he remained from 1514 until Henry VIII took over in 1529. Much of the architectural development was due to those two occupants, one third by Wolsey and two thirds by Henry VIII, The beautiful Tudor chimneys, the stonework animals on the gables and the wonderful clock in the Clock Court were but a few delights to be seen. The ghost of Catherine Howard is said to have been observed in the Watching Chamber.
Further apartments were added by Sir Christopher Wren after 1689, when William of Orange and Queen Mary took residence, and Charles II made more additions.
In recent history a terrible fire caused extensive damage to the roof, but all is now restored to its former glory.
A coach trip to Hampton Court has been arranged for members on 5th August.
On 1st March nine members visited a performance of ‘Song and Verse’,
where our most senior member Miss Dorothy Eade sang the National Anthem in the
Welsh language.
A new activity group, ‘A Good Read’, is to be run by Joan Dalton and
Patti Pearce - details - 01252 702171.
Tea was provided by Christine Welland, Anita Catt and Ann Chandler and the competition for a handmade Easter Card was won by Ursula Dunlop.
The next meeting was on 1st April, when Mrs C Dancey spoke on ‘My Life as a Shepherdess’.
 |
The subject of sheep may not, at first thought, appear interesting, but Mrs C Dancey soon had members riveted to their seats with her talk on ‘My Life as a Shepherdess’ at the recent April meeting of Elstead Afternoon W.I. Her own flock now comprises 80 animals and she has tended sheep for nearly 40 years, locally. Wool and meat are the main products, but sheep also create good grazing for horses. Young lambs are not ready for shearing or breeding until one year old |
A splendid collection of old implements included a large stoneware ’Foster Mother’ into which warm milk was poured, and six or more teats provided succour for orphan lambs. The current method of ear-tagging for identity was preceded by marking irons for the body and branding irons for the sheep’s horns; a tailing iron, used red hot, docked the tails for reasons of hygiene. Some senior members recalled eating lamb tail stew during the war years.
A vote of thanks was proposed by Dorothy Miles.
Elstead Afternoon W.I. was founded in April 1920 and has run continuously ever since, currently affiliated to the Farnham Group. It boasts 67 paid up members, two of whom started in 1946 or earlier. There is a regular attendance of over 50 members each month. Mrs Muriel Ragless leads the Discussion Group which reported a lively gathering, covering diverse subjects such as Cows, Cholesterol and Obesity. The Walking Group will meet at The White Lion in Milford on 16th April when a long and shortened version can be enjoyed, with a good lunch to conclude.
Diana Terry was welcomed back after a serious illness. Members were encouraged to visit the forthcoming October meeting of the S.F.W.I. at Dorking.
Tea was provided and served by Deirdre Clarkson Webb, Diana Balchin and Diane Tulett, and the competition for a Spring Flower posy was won by Doris Parker.
The next meeting will be on Thursday 6th May in Elstead Village Hall at 2.30
pm, when the Annual resolutions will be discussed, plus a quiz and a ’Bring
and Buy’ table.
Editor’s note: these two articles appear together as the March report
somehow failed to appear last month. Apologies to those concerned.
At the meeting on 6 April, the President, May Deaville, began
by thanking Joan Ellis for the lovely flowers. On a sad note she announced that
Lady Adam Gordon had died suddenly while on holiday with her son in Perth. A
thanksgiving service for her life will be held in St. James's Church on 15 April.
The speaker for the evening was Dr. Diana Samways, a practitioner of 'Holistic
Medicine' in Haslemere. With the help of slides with very clear headings, interspersed
with amusing cartoons, Dr Samways urged everyone not to rely on their doctors,
with prescriptions and pills for cures, but to be especially vigilant in the
kinds of foods that are purchased. She recommended organic foods, and the Hay
Diet, never mixing carbohydrates and proteins at the same meal. These can help
to prevent many distressing conditions, eliminating the high proportion of harmful
substances present in mass-produced foods. Ready-prepared foods are preserved
in many ways, by the addition of potentially harmful chemicals or by irradiation.
Products from GM crops, or from soya, which is a modified food, can be especially
harmful when persistently present in the diet of children, causing blood and
bowel disorders. She felt that strict vegetarians never managed to eat enough
nourishing food to maintain a healthy body, as a high proportion of her patients
who suffered from bowel problems were vegetarians and unhealthily thin. Medical
self-help using natural foods and extracts, exercise, mental activity and a
purpose in life are the keys to keeping fit and healthy.
Brienne Skews thanked Dr. Samways warmly for her very interesting talk.
Notices included several forthcoming events, particularly details about the WI craft market, 'Summer Days', at East Clandon in 15 and 16 June. There will be many stalls selling handmade goods, commercial items and refreshments, etc. Ann Chandler had made a lovely folding box and attractive picture holder from a square of material and members were asked to get busy making items that could be donated.
The meeting in May will concern the yearly Resolutions which the group will discuss and decide whether to vote for or reject. These include Trafficking of women and children; The growing of GM crops in the UK; and Air Ambulance Service funding. The President finished the meeting by urging members to consider coming forward for the Committee, as three key people will be retiring in November. Next year's programme also needs to be planned.
In view of the ‘mixed bag’ of weather we had been experiencing with cold winds, rain and hail, was it going to keep fine for out members on their journey to The Village Hall, for the monthly meeting, which was to be a ‘bring & buy’ without being soaked, as nearly everyone has to walk there? So….. With eyes on the skies, and their contributions towards our sales tables, everyone arrived without getting wet !!! Wonderful.
After our usual time devoted to news and business (the stallholders having set up their stalls beforehand) they were open for business, and what a selection of goodies there was, so trade was very brisk for quite a while, with so many bargains to be had.
With purses rather less full than when members arrived, we then settled down to hear some music on tape, The Thames Valley Accordian Band, The Hart Male Voice Choir, and Sarah Brightman, a fun few minutes hearing about a collection of notes which had been put out for the milkman (not ours)! And a story of treasures left behind by the Victorians.
Then it was time for tea and the raffle, members being reminded of the ‘Members Meeting’ for April, and not forgetting in our memories, 2 members who had passed away, although they had not been able to come for some time, Margaret Penn & Hazel Davies.
Next meeting - Parks and Gardens of Guildford, also the first of our half day outings this month.
Brian Wilkins came to talk to the St. James Fellowship at their March meeting on the 23rd, encouraging us to research our family history.
It was a fascinating afternoon, introducing us to a range of the sources available, both in libraries and record offices, and on the internet. It really didn’t seem to be as difficult as one might have feared, and some of us could well be inspired to have a go! The satisfaction of compiling a family tree certainly appealed, and Brian was full of humourous stories of the “thrills and spills” of genealogy!
Our April 27th meeting sees Peter Beale talking about his work in Wildlife and Conservation, and on May 25th we have Brienne Skues taking about her visit to the ancient kingdom of Egypt. Its all at 2.30 pm in the Common Room at Guardian Court, on the fourth Tuesday. Do try and come along - many more people are, and its good fun! A good cup of tea guaranteed!
Do put Saturday June 12th in your diary now. Its our coffee morning in aid of Chase Children’s Hospice from 10.30 - 12 in the Youth Centre. We do hope to see the whole village there in aid of the excellent cause, with plants, handicrafts, cakes and lots of things to buy, as well as coffee
All the sponsorship money is now in and £408.76 was raised.
The top sponsor was Sue Briggs who nominated Elstead Recreational Trust and so cheques for £136 have been sent to Elstead Youth Centre and £272 to Elstead Recreational Trust (cricket pavilion). Thank you to everyone who supported the races this year.
Next year’s Pancake Race will be on Saturday 5th February.
Drab, smelly, badly lit, unimaginative food, more dozing than activity, little lively conversation - in fact, nothing much happening.
This couldn’t be further from the truth!
Milford and Villages Day Centre offers a light, airy, pleasant environment with comfortable furniture. There is a very friendly atmosphere, lively conversation and always something going on - exercises, bingo, painting, a stained glass group and various crafts. In addition, each afternoon entertainment is provided including quizzes, slide shows, sing-a-longs, music appreciation, talks and demonstrations. We organise outings to the theatre, pantomime, seaside, gardens and shopping trips. Two holidays are enjoyed every year. The meals are excellent and homemade cakes are available with afternoon tea. Fridays are exclusively for Carers and the Cared For and those who have suffered strokes. Therapeutic activities take place with the help of our Activities Co-ordinator and a Care Assistant on this day.
The extra services provided include assisted bathing, chiropody, hairdressing, reflexology and beauty treatments. A small shop selling everyday necessities operates daily and a computer with internet connection and one to one tuition is free for members. Transport may be arranged, subject to availability.
If you are aged between 50 and 150 and would like to meet new friends and enjoy our wide range of facilities, please call Barbara or Julie on 01483 420668 or pop in for a cup of coffee - we will be delighted to show you around.