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name change to 'Casanova' - name. Six is beautiful and see him in one of the photos so lively and just like the after having been to the youngest sister in a family hairdresser on July 28th and running around making now he looks like what he is, a trouble and really enjoying real stud. herself. She races about and Now we had four baby llamas annoying the mothers.which we had not expected all the other babies follow her and Casanova is now worth a We still have four females fortune... However, the story who have not (as yet anyway) does not end there as on fallen to the charms of Saturday 1st August another Casanova so who knows what one of our lady llamas, Rhea, might happen next. Sundays inclusive 10am to who is 12 years old and the At the park we have a very big 4pm, and we hope to be back biggest of the female llamas marquee with socially distanced in the main buildings soon. (so no pushover for a small stud like Casanova) gave birth to yet another very pretty female cria who has yet to be named but has very nice tables. We are using this as our restaurant for now. All the food and drinks are served in disposable containers. We welcome all local visitors, at this challenging time, and can reassure you all measures have been put in place. 'white socks'. Llama walks are now being carried out and the We look forward to seeing So, we all asked, is Rhea the playground and bouncy castle you all here soon. last of Casanova's lady friends are available for all the little Cheers, to give birth? ones. The shop is also open by No! And so we had number "Six" as she is now called, appointment and we have a good range of gifts and toys. Bobby, Susan and all our staff and animals. while we think of a better We are open Wednesdays to www.llamapark.co.ukQUICK CROSSWORD QUICK CROSSWORD 1 2 3 4 5 6 QUICK CROSSWORD1 2 3 4 5 6 T O

Answers on page 5

Across Down 7 8 M I S 1 Cigarette seller 7 Fail to hit 1 Dessert with cream and sherry 2 Small French restaurant-bar F 8 Greyhound-like dog 3 Scaredycat or yellow-belly L 9 Beverage 4 Oily fruit 11 12 S E C 10 Identical in size 11 Ranked between first and third 13 Nice to hug and snuggle up to 16 Sombrero edges 5 Confine stray pets in an enclosure 6 Utterly and entirely 11 Jewish Saturday 12 Fast sailing boat 16 A B B R L I P 18 The sheltered side 13 Basement 19A P P 19 Clothing 14 Make soaking wet T E 20 Delta river of N Africa 21 Admiration of great men (4-7) 15 Lounge idly about 17 Drinks tube 21H E R

Members of Meridian Rotary have continued to meet each Wednesday evening by using zoom. The recent sad news came through of the closure of the original Rotary Club in the town. The Meridian Rotary Club, which has served the town for 35 years, continues on as usual, providing support to the many local and further afield charities. If it is possible, all the Christmas cheer they bring to the town and surrounding communities will continue this year. To raise funds at this difficult time, Meridian Rotary had a 30-day challenge for their members and family to walk a cumulative distance of 30 marathons collectively. Amazingly, they completed 82 marathons and raised nearly £10,000. QUICK CROSSWORD

Although entries for the annual rotary ‘Design a Plate’ competition were inevitably restricted, 300 children from three primary schools did take part. Judging was carried out by the Rotarians using zoom. The individual school winners were: Tilly (Year 3 Lingfield), Eleanor (Year 3 St. Mary’s) and Maria (Year 4 Blackwell). Maria was the overall winner receiving £50 for her school. All the winners will recreate their designs on a dinner plate thanks to Doodledish Pottery, Lingfield. The winning designs are shown below. If you would like to join Meridian Rotary for fellowship and helping those in our community and beyond, see www. meridianrotary.co.uk or facebook for details. Also hear the Rotary Radio Show on Meridian FM every Saturday at 1 pm. QUICK CROSSWORD

Across 1 Fishy zodiacal sign 7 Vex and irritate 8 Forefather 9 Incensed with anger 10 Pungent flavour 12 Soft fine hair 13 Secure from risk 14 Beach material 15 Hawk or clothes insect 17 An American 19 Language of ancient Rome 20 To strangle 21 Hospital carer 8A N C 22 Bellowed Down N O 1 A garden growth 10T A N 2 An instinctive habit (6,6) 12D 3 The ringed planet 4 To remove all one’s clothes 14S A N 5 Crazy and quite bonkers (3,2,1,6) I A 6 To grow less as hair does 11 Supreme being 19L A T 13 Swine pen E U 14 Speechless 21N U R 15 Looking-glass 16 To come in 18 To work bread T E

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Last month the railway resumed running steam trains which coincided with its 60th birthday celebration. Part of the celebrations included e-greetings cards recorded by railway enthusiasts and transport organisations such as, TV presenter Sir Tony Robinson, TV presenter and Bluebell volunteer Nicholas Owen, toy manufacturer Hornby and the London Transport Museum.

Alex Venton waves green flag © Bluebell Railway

volunteers and visitors back to the Sheffield Park station. Founders who started running the steam trains again, all those years ago, were present. In a ceremony to mark the reopening after a 20-week closure, Mr. Hunford said: "It was on this very spot 60 years ago – on 7th August 1960 – that the first passenger train left this station as the dream of railway enthusiasts to operate their own line came true. They were pioneers of the heritage railway movement, paving the way for groups across the country to open disused lines and run standard gauge preserved railways." He added, "The Bluebell Railway has seen sixty years of progress – we’ve overcome obstacles, extended our track, reopened stations and been able to connect to the mainline at East Grinstead and developed into a major tourist attraction. This

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all came to a juddering halt in March, we had to close and look at our future and the uncertainty around it. But thanks to the generosity of our members, volunteers, friends, supporters and the wider community, we were able to run a successful emergency appeal allowing us to generate the revenue needed to reopen in a safe and controlled manner."

One train-mad youngster who gave all his saved-up pocket money to save the steam railway he loves had the honour of waving the green flag to see off the first train as the line reopened. Six-year-old Alex Venton was a special guest and blew the whistle as trains began running again on the 60th anniversary re-opening day. Alex has been keen on trains since the age of two and is a member of the Bluebell Railway’s club for juniors. Many locals will know that the Bluebell, which is not-for-profit, launched an emergency appeal in March to provide enough money to recover from the closure and retain key heritage skills in the area.

Alex read about the appeal in the railway’s newsletter and decided to give all his saved-up money (he wanted to buy a new coach for his collection) to the appeal instead. Trevor Swainson, the funding organiser, said: “We were touched that Alex had emptied his money box Elton John fans chance to recreate album cover

because of his concern the railway was struggling. We have had more than 2500 donations to the appeal but it is stories like Alex’s that are particularly heartwarming and it makes us realise just how

© Sascha Kunze

special the Bluebell is to so many people.” The appeal has raised nearly £400,000 so far which was enough to allow it to reopen but it is still asking for donations because of continued uncertainty.

It’s been a long time coming, but now you can tell everybody there is the chance to follow in the footsteps of Sir Elton John and be pictured in the same spot as one of his album covers.

It’s been many years since the singer visited the Bluebell for the cover of his 1970 album Tumbleweed Connection, when he and Bernie Taupin were photographed by Ian Digby Ovens, with the Victorian station used to inspire the album's rural Americana concept. Museum curator Tony Drake said: “Late one afternoon I was locking up the museum when a young couple came along and declared, ‘It must be here’. I inquired as to what was ‘here’ and they told me the story of Elton John and the cover for his album Tumbleweed Connection. “They proceeded to take photos with the gentleman sat in the exact spot Elton sat. It’s exactly 50 years since the album was released and we are celebrating 60 years, so we thought it would be a good idea to encourage Elton's fans to come and take their picture at the scene.” The museum team painstakingly reset the enamel signs that were outside the building in 1970 in the exact positions and cleaned them ready for the photo opportunity. These include signs for Sunlight soap, Rowntree’s chocolates, Mazawattee tea, Shelvey’s mineral waters and Rajah cigars. The Nestle’s milk chocolate

bar dispensing machine had also been relocated to another station but it was “still standing” (oh yes!). It was carefully repainted and placed in its original position by volunteers. Visitors have now started recreating the album cover and the Bluebell is encouraging them to share their images on social media. Tumbleweed Connection was Elton John’s third studio album and it reached No. 2 in the UK album charts.

Sir Elton is one of many singers who have visited or used the Bluebell’s period stations for promotional filming. Others include Cilla Black, Ringo Starr, Sheena Easton and the Pet Shop Boys. Further, the railway is known as “The Line to the Stars” because hundreds of films, TV programmes, music videos and advertisements have used it as a backdrop; among them, Downton Abbey, Poirot, Muppets Most Wanted and The Woman in Black.

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family’s calendar this Christmas: a steam train experience not to be missed.

Tickets are sold per compartment to allow for social distancing measures. First class compartments seat up to six adults and third class up to eight adults. Passengers can also order Christmas hampers full of seasonal treats

© Bluebell Railway

to enjoy during the journey.

The emergency funding appeal is at

The Bluebell Railway will put on a major

We are so proud of our online reviews,thanks to all who posted

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