The Village Halls Committee has asked for financial assistance to repair and renovate the two halls and therefore the Council has agreed to grant the sum of £1000. At the August meeting of the Council there was a strong plea from residents that we should budget to provide a grant on a regular basis as the halls are such valuable assets to the social life of the village. The Council agreed to examine this further,

Planning approval has been given for four floodlights at the Burford Lodge Recreation ground to enable Elstead Football Club to practice in the winter. Residents who live near the recreation ground have expressed objections to the proposed lights and currently the Council is reviewing the position.

After a suggestion from a resident we are installing a seat near the bus stop in Milford Road opposite the bus shelter.

We have received several complaints about the poor maintenance of the Thursley Road cemetery and we have pressed Waverley BC very hard to get improvements. I am pleased to report that at last the hedge and the grass areas have been cut.

During the Foot and Mouth outbreak period  Waverley BC had to stop road cleaning on Elstead roads but cleaning has now started again.

On the footpath leading up to Bonfire Hill there has always been a difficult stile to cross and a steep slope; The Godalming and Haslemere Ramblers Association Volunteer Working Group has installed two new kissing gates and built steps on the slope so it is much easier to negotiate this footpath now.

Following the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease the Council has reviewed the measures taken to communicate information about the crisis within the parish and will be writing to local authorities to suggest that there should be more delegation of powers to take action on the basis of local circumstances.

Leprosy is an illness written about in the Bible but not much now, yet it was common in our own country many years ago. Last August we were privileged to have Dr Raymond Burnish of The Leprosy Mission (TLM) to lead our service.  We always learn so much from his visit, how the work of the Mission is Christianity put into practice. People can now be cured of Leprosy and if it is detected in very early stages no lasting harm is done.  For others it may mean reconstructive surgery to restore mobility to hands and fingers that are clawed beyond use.

It may surprise you as it did me to hear that there are several cases each year reported in the larger towns or cities in our country, probably caught abroad.

Mrs Freda Sheppard had been the contact person for The Leprosy Mission in the Elstead United Reformed Church, for many years. Before she died, we were able to reassure her that the support would continue by our congregation. We will continue to collect used postage stamps at Church, just put them through the letter box in an envelope. If you have in the past bought gifts or cards from the catalogue, please contact Mrs Betty Batty on 01252 703550.  She has taken on Freda's work.