First of all a really great thank you to all the people in the village who contribute articles to this magazine, without them there would be no magazine.
For those of you who contribute, if your item is prepared using a computer if possible please can I have both a printed copy and a disk copy as this saves a having to convert back to electronic form, while those of you who contribute by email please send your item to news@elstead.org.uk
For those of you who are concerned with the running of this magazine, the annual management meeting will be on Wednesday 6th of October at 8.00 pm in the Church Room. See you there.
Keith Williamson
Oakdene, Red House Lane.
October 2004
I’m not really that much of a swimmer, although I can swim a passable length, and I am certainly no diver but I do know about the dangers of the “bends”. If a diver tries to reach the surface too quickly following a deep dive, the brain is affected by bubbles of oxygen causing all sorts of unpleasant side effects which can be fatal if not treated in an appropriate fashion. It certainly necessitates spending hours in a decompression chamber.
But knowing the risks, why would a diver try and reach the surface too quickly. I suppose the most obvious reason is lack of air, either due to a fault in their equipment or a poor judgement of time such that the air supply is about to run out.
We all have times of crises in our lives and sometimes the crises we go through sends us to the very bottom of the pit, the darkest place in our lives. A place from which we long to escape as quickly as possible, so that we can once again feel the sun’s warmth on our face and breathe with ease.
Although it may be very hard to understand at the time, there is often good reason for what we are experiencing. Not that God wants us to suffer pain but there is a learning curve within what we are going through and from that learning curve comes strength and courage, which will enhance our lives in the future.
Whilst we are trying to “come back up” it can so often feel like “one step forward and two back” but we need to move slowly and gently, trying to allow things to happen in God’s time, which is never, ever the same as our time. “The slower we come back up, the better our recovery” is something, which was said to me very recently and is what prompted these ramblings.
When you find yourself at the bottom, recover slowly, and recover well. Amen.
Rosemary
The planning application at Croft Nurseries Hookley Lane for 27 houses including 18 affordable properties was examined at the August Parish Council meeting and it was decided to object to the application on the technical grounds that the application appeared to be subject to cross subsidy between the two categories of building. There are DEFRA policy guidelines against such subsidy.
We hear that plans to implement the mobile Citizens Advice Bureau are well advanced and the launch should be on 26th October at Cranleigh. We have supported the project from the outset including a small financial contribution. The service will be given wide advertisement to promote the scheme including information on the Elstead location for parking the CAB vehicle.
The Police and Community Partnership Group are holding a meeting in Elstead at the URC Church on Tuesday 28th September at 7.30 pm .This is an opportunity to discuss policing concerns, exchange views, ideas and information with the Waverley police. The village of Elstead has a low crime rate but I am sure that many people have concerns that they would like to raise with our local police. Why not go along ?
Denis Holmes
Chairman
One late evening there was a frantic call from our bedroom! being a dutiful
husband I sprinted up the stairs to witness the expected disaster and was told
that there was a very large wasp in the bedroom, and can I get rid of it, followed
by the door shutting with me and wasp in the bedroom and my wife elsewhere.
The wasp was some one and a half inches long (three centimetres) and when it
flew, emitted a low gentle buzzing sound. It was not aggressive and was more
interested in the bedside light than it was in me. I gathered it up in a handkerchief
and after putting it out of the window got the book out to see what it was.
It was a "Wood wasp", it has no sting and lives by itself, burrowing
into decaying timber to lay eggs. It or its relations have reappeared on a number
of occasions since and have been ejected from the house again but it is harmless,
looking more frightening than it is.
When pruning the mock orange I came across a conventional wasps nest about nine inches in diameter (20 centimetres) fastened to the branches of the shrub. The queen wasp had flown and apart from a few workers crawling over the outside it was finished for the year. I always thought that wasp nests were made in a dry spot but a friend who lives in France said that they are hornets and are coming across the channel to England. Before panic sets into the residents of Elstead do remember that wasps generally keep the house fly population and other undesirables down by catching a thousand or so of them each, every year.
We found what appeared to be a dead frog on the lawn, quite stiff and lifeless, but I picked it up to see if the heat of my hand would revived it as frogs are cold blooded, and went to put it in the pond. As soon as it realised there was water close by it suddenly restored to normal health and hopped into the water. We now understand that they play dead to escape an enemy.
I looked at what appeared to be a short piece of twig caught by a spiders web on the garage door. It was quite large, about two centimetres long, say an inch in old money, and as thick as a pencil. After a closer look I found it to be a well camouflaged moth. I left it alone in the sun and come the evening it flew off.
The week before the Garden Club show I was detailed to pick the fruit off the Bramley apple tree. Steps were used to reach many of the lower branches but further up where the best and largest fruits were I had to resort to climbing. As these were required for exhibiting with a view to winning something at the show, the wife stood at the bottom of the tree commanding the operation (that one! what do you mean you can't reach it! etc etc). The picked fruits were not to be dropped as they would bruise and not be of the required standard. Our efforts were rewarded with first in their class, and best fruit in the show. The tree has not been pruned for two years and certainly does not get sprayed with anything. It is a bit unfair as I cannot eat apples for they give me migraines but Di was later tucking into one of the show rejects, baked, with a layer of brown sugar.
After all of our illnesses and the efforts required of the mayoralty we treated ourselves to a holiday in Avignon in the south of France during which we had an evening meal at a restaurant by the river Rhone. Much interest was generated when the courier saw an animal swimming near the bank to get a piece of bread to eat. A heated discussion on what it was then took place among the party. The more sagely members pronounced that it was an otter; but it did not look like an otter, it was the same body shape, but fatter and had a thin tail. The local fish challenged it for the piece of bread; there was the animal and at least six good sized fish all fighting for the bread. Now I understand that otters eat fish but there was no fear of that on this occasion they were all fighting for the bread. I know that French food is known for its qualities but I think an otter will still prefer fish. Once back home in England we got the book out and decided that it was a coypu, a south American rodent introduced to Britain between the world wars and grown for its fur until they all escaped and started damaging the banks of the broads in Norfolk.
So it’s coming down to the wire! The mid-season wobble I mentioned last time has passed and, as I write, Elstead 1st X1 is on the verge of promotion to I’Anson Division One. It will all be over when you read this but now, with two games to go, the Ones just need to beat Fernhurst in the penultimate game to go up. If not, we will end up with an almighty crunch game against the other side chasing the final promotion spot, none other than local rivals Thursley.
The players, of course, want to seal promotion as soon as possible. From a spectator’s point of view we’d like nothing better than to go to Thursley’s pretty little ground for a winner-takes-all showdown. What a day out that promises to be!
So it’s all credit to the lads for turning the season round. Four wins on the bounce over Milford, Peper Harow, Grayshott and Deepcut have opened up all sorts of possibilities. There have been individual contributions but really it’s been a team effort. Even the championship is not an impossibility!
The 2nds have finished their rather truncated season in mid-table in Division Four, much better than looked likely after a inauspicious start. A fine winning draw at Rowledge was highlighted by 84 from Simon Wade, 49 by Sam Egan (so close to a maiden fifty), and 48 from Peter Hubbard. Simon was in the runs again with 50 in the last game win over Deepcut. A nice way to end the season! Well, that and a curry night to follow! Excellent!
Gordon Wycherley
The Winter Catalogue is available. If you have not found one in St James or the URC, you can obtain one and see some of the goods at the Coffee Morning in the URC hall on Saturday 2nd October from l0 a.m. -12 midday.
On November 6th, I will have Christmas cards and some of my gifts at the Village Hall Christmas card sale and the rest of my goods will be at the URC Coffee Morning.
Jean WheatleyWe have received a letter of thanks for the 20 squares we sent to "SPEAK" towards the Big Dress. Thank you all who contributed.
The most exciting day in February 2005 will be the launch of the Big Dress in central London at our annual Day of Action The day will involve a symbolic prayer action highlighting the exploitation of workers in the garment industry after which we will lobby MP's inside the dress, a huge walk-in petition on broader issues of world trade. The day is unmissable - the first public display of the world's biggest dress and the opportunity to talk with and lobby a large number of key decision makers. Following this the dress will go on tour to various locations during 2005 to raise awareness about the issues, lobby local decision makers and engage people in creative and educational activities, workshops, and other events.
SPEAK is a network connecting together young adults and students to campaign
and pray on issues of global injustice. Through bringing change to situations
of injustice, we aim to share our faith in our creator: God.
In our Trade Justice Campaign forms, we are asking for changes to trade rules
and for the reform of the World Trade Organisation. We want these changes to
give poor communities and nations an equal say and a fair deal. In this campaign
we are highlighting many issues including:
Workers' rights in the garment industry
Giving the poor affordable access to life-saving medicines
Environmental concerns
The arms trade
Child sex trade.
If you would like to know more about SPEAK or take part in their campaigns, please contact
SPEAK, The Crypt,
St Peter's Church,
Northchurch Terrace,
LONDON N1 4DA.
Jean Wheatlev
The Garden Club enjoyed a fascinating talk from Mrs Joan Cooper on Wild Orchids of Britain and Europe, in August.
Our speaker's interest in orchids was first aroused when taking her children on holidays to Devon. Unknown flowers found growing among the dunes of Braunton Sands turned out to be hellebrines, a type of orchid, and there were several other examples of the thousands of different orchids to be found. Mrs Cooper has photographed over a hundred different orchids, and had several amusing stories to relate of brushes with nudists when trying to photograph orchids on the beach! An orchid has three sepals and three petals, one of which is bigger than, and different to, the others. We were shown pictures of the well-known bee orchid, and the fly orchid which tries to mimic the female wasp, in order to persuade the male wasp to visit and pollinate it. This is fairly successful except that the topmost flowers in a stem tend not to get pollinated, because by that time a genuine female wasp has turned up, and lured the male away!
The Coopers moved from Sussex to Surrey, and found Pitch Hill, one of the slopes of Boxhill, to be a prime location for orchids of many species. The pale green colour of some helps to protect them, as they are not so obvious to the hordes of people who tend to gather at Boxhill. Other orchids like a woodland habitat, and grow happily in a much darker location. Terrestrial orchids will not normally grow happily in a garden, as they each need to be associated with a particular fungus, which, in the case of orchids without chlorophyll, provides all their food, and in others, a part of it. In order to plant an orchid therefore, you need to have the correct fungus for it to survive.. Orchids such as Ladies Slipper can suddenly appear in the middle of a garden lawn. But there is no guarantee that they will flower every year. Seeds can lie dormant for as much as fifteen to twenty years.
Our Autumn show is on September 11 th, and our meeting will cover Sweet Peas. Our October meeting at 7.45 p.m. in the URC Hall, will be on the 11 th. Mr Ron Smith will be talking on "The Reluctant Gardener". This is an extremely amusing as well as instructive talk. Those of us who have heard it before would certainly say it was worth a repeat performance, so do try and come along. If you haven't heard it before - it really is a must- if you don't catch any other gardening talk this year, try and hear this one!
Gillian Drew.
With the summer holidays over, don’t forget the Lollipops Parent & Toddler group meets every Thursday of school term, 10.00 – 11.30 a.m. at the United Reformed Church Hall. We welcome all pre-school children and babies.
It’s a great opportunity to let your toddler socialise in a friendly and safe environment and to make friends, so do try us if you’re new to the village.
Each week we have a good range of indoor toys including a road/rail play board, a kitchen area, a craft table and a baby corner. We’re also very lucky to use the outside area, and the ride–on toys, trampoline, slide and rocking horse etc will help your toddler burn some energy, while you enjoy a coffee and chat !!!
We usually finish with a sing-song which is many toddler’s favourite bit.
So come along and join in the fun!
The head of the Lewis Academy of Dance Penelope Boff would like to congratulate all the pupils who took their Cecchetti Ballet exams in July. The exam session covering Standard 1 to Grade IV examined by Therese Oswald had a 100% pass rate with four girls obtaining distinction, five girls merit, and four girls pass. Certificates will be given out next term. It is expected that a few of these girls will be auditioning for the Cecchetti Junior Associate classes during the course of next year as well as Youth Theatre Productions. Pupils are accepted for ballet classes from 3years upwards.
There is a new class for children’s Tap and Modern work beginning in Elstead Village Hall on Monday afternoons at 4.15pm and finishing at 5.15pm.
Anyone interested in this please contact :
Penny
on
01483 417 910
Thank you to everyone who supported our annual Barbeque during the Summer. Congratulations
to all of the winners in our raffle and to the local organisations and companies
who donated prizes. We raised nearly £1,000, some of which was set aside
to buy a new home corner and kitchen appliances for the children. The children
are certainly having fun with a new cooker, sink, fridge freezer and washing
machine.
At Peter Pan we have a record number of children starting the term this September
with many new faces. Our staff, Andrea, Wendy, Madeleine and Alison will certainly
be busy with this half term’s topic ‘Myself’ and then ‘Winter
Festivals’ leading up to Christmas. The Autumn term is always an interesting
time at the Pre-School with the change of seasons, harvest festivals and bonfire
night. We also have our annual Jumble Sale booked for Saturday, 13th November
at 11.00 in the Village Hall – we hope to see you there.
Autumn started with a warm glow for Elstead Afternoon W.I. when the September meeting was attended by fifty members. President Venetia Pierce was taking a holiday after the sad and untimely loss of her brother-in-law, Alan, so Ann Moon took the chair.
After listening to a full set of minutes covering July and August, plus reports from all the activity groups, the members settled comfortably to listen to Esther Carpenter describing "Life's Little Difficulties". She was born in Wales as the middle child of seven. When she was nine years old the family moved to Ramsgate in 1940, but wartime necessitated the immediate evacuation of children to a safer environment in Surrey, complete with gas mask and small suitcase. Her foster mother believed in feeding babies on stout, purchased from the off-licence! Sooner than was expected, her family was reunited back in Wales, but more sadness came when her mother died in 1945. Esther had to leave school to care for her younger siblings. Eventually father re-married so Esther took up a nursing career. Achieving full qualifications, this enabled her to travel, nursing in London, Canada and Singapore. One patient, when offered a "Local anaesthetic", look very worried and asked for a "British" one.
On the last day of her overseas contract she married and moved to Australia where her first son was born. She had to return to England and settled in Surrey but after a serious illness, she decided to retire.
A vote of thanks was proposed by Peggy Tilly.
After drawing the raffle, a generous tea was provided by Jo Weller, Kathleen
Dix and Peggy Maylin. The competition was won by Barbara Bartlett with her amusing
poem on the construction of a conservatory which should have taken six weeks
but took nine months.
The next meeting is on 7th October, when Robin Radley will speak on "To India with Love", and the competition is "A souvenir from India".
Christine Welland. 01252 703233
On 7 September the speaker for the evening was John Negus, who gave an enthusiastic talk on 'Twelve Months in the Garden'. He gave examples of plants that provide good colour for different seasons, illustrating his talk with beautiful slides and suggesting what varieties to buy. These included Rudbeckia for the Autumn, along with Helenium and Kaffir lilies. Among the plants for January to April he recommended the Algerian Iris, with Witch Hazel for a focal point, both plants being suited to sandy, acid soils. Aconites, Erica carnea (which flowers all Winter), a golden spire of Yew, Peruvian Scilla and the spectacular Apple Blossom Quince were among the numerous plants he listed for the Spring. The Quince he recommended pruning twice a year back to three leaves to produce flowering spurs for the next season. Exbury Gardens have wonderful collections of Rhododendrons, Azaleas, American dogwoods and Clematis montana grandiflora. Among the many plants and combinations John suggested he included the New Generation strain of Lupins, which flower all the way up the stem, and wonderful Iceland Poppies. This wealth of information in one talk ended with a quiz and prizes of seeds and terracotta cane toppers.
The evening ended with notices of invitations to other groups' meetings and a discussion about the 30th anniversary celebration in October. At the coming AGM in November several members will be withdrawing from the Committee, but with the suggestion that duties could be shared, Ann Chandler volunteered to act as Secretary. With this assurance, all posts can now be covered and the evening concluded with suggestions of speakers for the 2005 programme.
Susan Holmes, Hon. Minutes Sec
On August 12th it was a glorious summers evening when we went on a mystery trip which took us all around the Sussex countryside. The coach driver kept us guessing and did a very good job. We eventually ended up at a really nice pub in Bramber West Sussex, where we all enjoyed a drink and some good food.
By the time this goes to press we will have had our September meeting when Dr Bray will be talking to us all once again.
A reminder to you all, that our AGM will be on 18th November at 7.30 pm, when we will elect Officers and Committee for the coming year. If any of you would like to stand please let us know.
Also the County Conference will be held at Chiddingfold Village Hall on 4th December. We will be hiring a mini bus so if any of you would like to go pleased let me know.
The next meeting will be on October 21st when Mr Geoff Lunn will be talking on A Wildlife Safari the competition will be a jacket potato with any filling.
We meet in the Legion Barn on the THIRD Thursday of each month, new members are always very welcome.
Sue Taylor Secretary
As in previous years the Society is holding its Silent Vigil nationwide on Saturday October 23rd 2004. Locally, the vigils will be held at Hickley's Corner in Farnham and Town Bridge in Godalming between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m..
The Society invites you to join with us in one of these pro-life vigils to demonstrate opposition to the workings of the 1967 Abortion Act which so far has lead to the deaths of some 5½ million unborn babies in this country, the majority of whom have been killed for purely social reasons.
For further information please contact:
Jane Franklin on 01252 782 466.
For a few years now I have been Poppy Appeal Organiser for Elstead. Among my other jobs in the legion is that I represent a residential home, (Bexhill-on-Sea) to Surrey County and have done for over 10 years. The work consists of a committee meeting every other month and any other visits required for welfare of special days. The home is for up to 52 people and it has 24 hour nursing care, a fine kitchen, many social and medical facilities and a range of trips to local shows. Most of the residents are ex service men and women, who gave the best years of their lives for their country and are in need of care in the twilight of life.
I am honoured to do this, as not only do I help to raise money for Poppy Appeal, but also see it spent in the most positive aspect possible.
It is for these people, and the wider Ex-Service community, that I ask for your help now. I always need new collectors, so if you are fit, available, and over 18 years of age come and join me and the rest of the team. Call me on 703 293 and repay the debt we all owe.
Thank You.
Andrew Jones
Poppy Appeal Organiser.
Elstead District
Remember do you, all the heavy rain we had in August!! Seems quite a while back
now, but having made arrangements for our days outing to Worthing, we really
began to wonder what we were to expect. The day before we were due to go, the
heavens opened, but .... on THE morning, the sun showed itself and continued
to do so for the rest of the journey. On arrival, yes it was still there, and
we all broke ranks, going to our various places, firstly for a cup of coffee
or tea, and then on for walks on the prom or pier, before it was time to head
off for lunch, wherever the venue. A lot of friends on meeting up afterwards,
relished fish and chips, (real fish) locally caught, probably that morning,
and what a difference the taste is.
Looming on the horizon were those dreaded storm clouds, which seemed to get closer every minute, but mostly they missed us, either going out to sea, or more then looming up in their wake, but mostly to the west of us, and just leaving us with a few minutes shower. How fortunate we were.
The ''shoppers'' discovered it was market day, and what a lot of stalls there were of every description. One could hardly fail to miss them, even, if not purchasing any of their goods. It was also noted that 'the fair was coming to town' and all hands to the deck by their workers, all in readiness for the Bank holiday weekend I expect.
Everyone having done their own thing, it was time for the last 'cuppa' before getting on the coach on our homeward journey. There were bags of different shapes and sizes proving there had been a bit of a shopping spree, and one person it was noted, had a long tubular shaped item (quite heavy & bulky) which turned out to be a fold up garden chair ! I do hope the expense has not been all in vain, and that it has been given an 'airing'.
All in all, a very enjoyable day, and we were so fortunate with the weather, just our day sandwiched in between some other nasties.
JE Sheppard
The Fellowship met at Beacon Hill in August for our annual skittles tournament, and once again a thoroughly good time was had by all. The Has Beens took on the Also Rans, in a needle sharp match which the Also Rans won by one point!
None of us have quite fathomed out how to control a skittles ball, but for all that we had two scores of eight of the nine skittles down, which was very creditable, or a bit of a fluke, whichever way you look at it!
With an enjoyable bar meal, and lots of chat and laughter, this made for a
very good evening.
In September we have John Janaway coming to speak to us, and our meeting at
Guardian Court at 2.30 p.m. on October 26th, sees Jill Fry coming to talk about
Local Wildlife. Do try and come along to the Common Room. New members are always
most welcome.
Gillian Drew.