Tadworth & Walton Tribune May 2021

THE TADWORTH & WALTON

=q o f _ r k b Published by Tadworth & Walton Residents’ Association

Preserving the character and environment of Tadworth & Walton www.tadworthwaltonra.co.uk

May 2021

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FROM OUR CHAIRMAN

THE WORK OF THE TWRA INVOLVES ALL ASPECTS OF OUR COMMUNITY

W

elcome to the second issue of the ‘TWRA Tribune’. From comments we’ve received following our first issue, it’s evident that you approve of our new format.

Among other things, you will read here of TWRA’s involvement with Reigate & Banstead Borough Council’s new sustainability project, and of our own plans for a local biodiversity ‘Green Corridors’ scheme (page 32). You will learn about Tadworth and Walton before the advent of the railway (page 20), you’ll hear of the valiant efforts on our behalf by the new team of Litter Pickers (page 18). You’ll also find out what the Banstead Commons Conservators (page 24) are all about. In short, you will see how the work of your TWRA is involved with so many aspects of our Community.

To drive all this requires money of course. If you are not already a Member can you – at £5 per year per household - afford not to sign up to the efforts being made on behalf of your Community? We’ve made life very simple for you: since we don’t have Road Stewards in operation

at the moment, you can pay by Standing Order – a form is enclosed. We’ve also been working on making payment possible by PayPal (see the Financial report on page 26).

Two votes of thanks: firstly to Mike Fox and his team who have during this past year, ministered to the needs of the elderly and vulnerable locally.

Thank you also to those who have paid to advertise here, allowing the production of this journal.

Finally, our congratulations to Cllr. Rachel Turner who, for the next year will occupy the role of Deputy Mayor for R&BBC and also to Cllr. Jill Bray, also from the northern part of the Borough who will become Mayor. Our thanks to her also for her regular presence at, and contribution to, our monthly Committee meetings.

PS We hope to be able to hold our delayed AGM in October. Watch our website for information.

Clive Elcome, Chairman clive.elcome@ukgateway.net www.tadworthwaltonra.co.uk

Front cover: Thank you to David and Val Larner for the fabulous lights display.

THE TADWORTH & WALTON

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FORTHCOMING ISSUE PUBLISHING SCHEDULES

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= Tadworth & Walton Tribune

October 2021

Please contact Richard Milbourn • T:=MNTPT=OOOPMT • E: êáÅÜ~êÇKãáäÄçìêå]Å~êå~ÜKÅçKìâ • ïïïKí~ÇïçêíÜï~äíçåê~KÅçKìâ TWRA, c/o 64 Sandlands Road, Walton on the Hill, Tadworth, Surrey KT20 7HZ.

4 MAY 2021

1st September

4,000

Statements and opinions in the Tadworth & Walton Tribune, unless expressly written, are not necessarily those of the TWRA. Material in the Tadworth & Walton Tribune may not be reproduced in any form without the permission of the Editor.

T R I B U N E To advertise call 01737 222307 or visit www.tadworthwaltonra.co.uk

TA D WO R T H & W A LTO N R E S I D E N T S ’ A S S O C I AT I O N

TADWORTH IN BLOOM RETURNS

By Patricia Brookwick

BLOOM GLORIOUS BLOOMS

their property, should confirm their wish to have the

adworth in Bloom will thankfully be taking place

T

tree in writing and agree to water it during the dry

again this year. With support from local

months of the first few years after planting. Look out

businesses and the TWRA the beautiful hanging

for us while we are out and about or contact us to

baskets we saw in the Tadworth Conservation Area

let us know if you are interested in caring for one of

in 2019 will be back in May 2021. The Walton Forum

our new trees.

has also arranged for similar baskets to adorn the hanging basket trees on Chequers Lane. The baskets

DOG WASTE =

are prepared, installed and watered throughout the

I

summer months by an experienced horticultural

t’s hard to believe how many carelessly abandoned dog poo bags you see in our streets and

woodlands. On a walk with my dog recently, on the

business.

Our heartfelt thanks go out to the following

local Mill Field, I collected 42 of these abandoned

businesses for their fantastic support with this event:

bags. In a nation full of dog lovers, the issue seems to

Pfizer, One Stop Stores, Chapman & Son Butchers,

have become a big problem.

The Coffee House, Tadworth Tyres, The Bridge Grill

There are thought to be an estimated nine million

Restaurant, Nethercott Opticians, Studio C Hair Salon,

dogs in the UK, each producing an average 340g of

Hartleys.

waste a day or slightly more that 3,000 tones a year.

Please do let us know what you think of the

Such waste is filled with bacteria and potential

displays and if this is something you think your TWRA

parasites, a real health hazard if left on the ground.

should aim to do every summer.

Considerate dog owners (95% of us) generally do the right thing i.e., bag it up and dispose of the bag

STREET TREES

responsibly. There’s a vast array of bio-degradable

he Tadworth & Walton Tree Wardens will be

T

poo bags available for picking up after your dog but,

walking the streets of Tadworth & Walton again

should further incentives be required for those who

this spring, deciding on the best sites to plant more

can’t be bothered, failure to clean up after your dog

of our beautiful street trees. We plan to plant a

is an offence which can result in a penalty fine of

further 26 in December 2021. New this year is the

£80-£2,500.

County Council’s requirement that each resident, who is offered a tree to be planted on the verge by

6 MAY 2021

Once the ‘poo’s in the bag’ it’s ideally disposed of CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

T R I B U N E To advertise call 01737 222307 or visit www.tadworthwaltonra.co.uk

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TA D WO R T H & W A LTO N R E S I D E N T S ’ A S S O C I AT I O N CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

waste exposed on the ground but the bags, even

in an on-site bin, which does not have to be

some of the bio-degradable ones, take many years to

specifically for dog waste. If there is not a bin

decompose. Perhaps they think they will pick it up on

available, it should be taken home to be disposed of

the way back and then forget or they are simply too

with general household waste.

lazy and uncaring about the environment - those

Should you ‘poo pick’ in the woods?

peculiar people who go to the effort of bagging it

Yes. The issue is that dogs generally eat commercial

up but then feel it’s ok to leave the bag hanging

dog food which, if left on the ground, can have a

around.

negative environmental impact. Commercial pet

Ideally, composting is the best option. This is not

foods lead to excess nutrient deposits like nitrogen

suitable for your vegetable patch because of the

and phosphors, a build-up of which can degrade

pathogens that are almost impossible to kill but is

fragile eco-systems. By contrast, wild animals forage

fine for use on flower borders when thoroughly

for food, consuming nutrients from the environment

composted. Dog poo composting bins or waste

they are a part of - their waste products equate to

digesters have been around for a while and are

returning those nutrients to the soil. Additionally,

becoming the more conscientious method of

dog waste is filled with millions of faecal coliform

disposal.

bacteria, 23,000,000 in one small piece, just left lying

For now, if you can’t compost it, please continue

on the ground - until it gets into the air…

to bag it up in an eco-bag and dispose of the bag in

Why do people leave their dog poo bags

a bin or take it home to include with your household

hanging in the trees or lying on the ground?

waste – making our environment a more pleasant

Well, they may think that’s better than leaving the

place for all. Thank you. Patricia Brookwick

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MAY 2021 9

TA D WO R T H & W A LTO N R E S I D E N T S ’ A S S O C I AT I O N

PLANNING APPLICATIONS

By Gillian Hein JUBILEE WOOD

T

he woodland has continued to be well used by the younger members of our community, even when it has been cold and dull. Gradually, it is becoming more colourful with snowdrops, cyclamens, daffodils and bluebells beginning to spread.

We hope to introduce a larger min-library enabling the storage of larger children’s books and puzzles, and to repair the smaller one so it can be used for books for older readers. ‘Men in Sheds’ made the original one and with lockdown, we are not sure when the work will commence.

In winter, some stretches of path became very wet and muddy. The repair of the most eroded sections should be in place by the time this newsletter is distributed. The remainder of our ‘Pocket Parks’ grant from the government is being used for this.

TADWORTH PLANNING

T

here have been very few major applications in the last 6 months. An application has been submitted but not yet determined for extra parking spaces at Heathcote Medical Centre. Although we appreciate the need for more parking spaces, we felt that the proposed access was dangerous and so recommended that the new parking area be used for long term staff only, freeing some of the existing spaces for patients.

An application has recently been submitted for 2 back land dwellings at the end of Vernon Walk. Planning permission has been granted for one dwelling following the refusal on appeal for two dwellings. We consider that, despite modifications, two dwellings still amount to overdevelopment.

10 MAY 2021

An appeal is yet to be determined for backland development to the rear of 2-10 Vernon Walk. An appeal has also been lodged re the refusal of permission for 3 dwellings to the rear of 48, Cross Rd. We have asked to be involved if it is another virtual hearing.

There have been two recent appeal decisions concerning applications we had objected to. One was at 15, The Avenue where a proposal for 20 flats had been refused by the Council. This was the first ‘virtual appeal’ in the Borough and we were able to give evidence in support of the Council. A number of local residents also attended as observers. We thought it worked well and wonder if some appeals will continue to be virtual when lock down comes to an end. The Inspector dismissed the appeal mainly on grounds of harm to the Residential Area of Special Character (RASC). This is a good decision because if permission had been granted there would be pressures for more intensive development elsewhere in the RASC and the designation could carry less weight.

The other appeal decision was at 24 Epsom Lane South where the Inspector dismissed an appeal for the development of the site for 4 dwellings on grounds of impact on the character of Epsom Lane South and harm to a neighbouring property. However, permission has now been granted for two dwellings though only on the front half of the site, and there are still some appeals outstanding.

There have been recent cases in Tadworth where hedges have been removed and fences of about two meters in height erected along the back edge of the footpaths. Residents may be unaware that planning permission is required if a fence is above one meter high

T R I B U N E To advertise call 01737 222307 or visit www.tadworthwaltonra.co.uk

TA D WO R T H & W A LTO N R E S I D E N T S ’ A S S O C I AT I O N fence is above one meter high and the Council can require it to be removed if planning permission is refused. So please be careful if thinking of erecting new frontage fencing. (Two meters is allowed if away from a public highway).

As usual, we are concerned at the number of applications to remove protected trees and also the number of mature trees coming down which are not protected.

enlarge existing properties many of which were in the Walton conservation area. We felt most were acceptable as they respected the arts and crafts ambiance of this part of the village but did object to a few which we considered were detrimental and to which local residents had objected. One of these was the demolition and rebuilding of an existing garage at Merelands, Withybed Corner but the Planning Department considered that a precedent had been set by the approval of a previous application and agreed the proposal.

There are three applications to which we have objected, which are currently under consideration, two of which are in the conservation area. We await decisions from the Council.

As in Tadworth, there continue to be applications to fell protected trees. Normally we leave these to the tree officer unless we feel that they play an important part in the street scene.

WALTON ON THE HILL PLANNING

W

e continue to get complaints about unauthorised commercial activities on Sturts Lane and these have been referred to the Enforcement section of the Planning Department. In addition, we have objected to the design of a new building and the access arrangements to replace two flats also in Sturts Lane.

There have been several applications to

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MAY 2021 11

TRIBUNE UPDATES GIVE A THUMBS UP TO HELP SUPPORT TREE AND HEDGEROW PLANTING IN THE COMMUNITY

S

urrey County Council is giving local communities up to £100m over the next five years to spend on projects that improve their local area. This is money put aside to empower YOU, Surrey residents.

The Tadworth & Walton Tree Wardens, in partnership with the TWRA, have recently applied for funding from the SCC 'Your Fund' community scheme. If we are successful the fund will be used for tree and hedgerow planting within the community. This would equate to huge benefits for everyone living, working, commuting, learning in and visiting Tadworth and Walton - basically, community greening for improved biodiversity & enhancement of the local landscape and the related improvement of mental and physical health issues, improved environmental education of young people, action in moderating the local climate, help with building sustainable communities and action on traffic calming.

Ultimately a CLEANER, SAFER, GREENER place in which to live, work and play.

If you would like to support us please follow the link to our bid and give it the thumbs up.

Thank you for your support! www.yourfundsurreymap.commonplace.is/com ments/604b31223796a883d479e51b

INFORMATION ABOUT RIFLE BUTT ALLEY FROM PETER DODD

I

n our last issue, we gave information on a walk into Epsom, which went down the wonderfully named “Rifle Butt Alley”. Peter Dodd has kindly filled in a little more information on the origin of this name.

A shooting range existed for a long time on the slopes heading up to Epsom Downs, hence the name. It had concrete or brick structures at

12 MAY 2021

the top as butts, and which may still exist. In 1895 this location was under consideration to be used as the national rifle range (NRR), as it was one of the few 1,000 yard ranges in the country. The reason the NRR moved was because they used to fire on Wimbledon Common, but unfortunately killed a gravedigger at Putney Vale Cemetery which bordered the common. Epsom was not chosen because the range was too narrow. The range in Epsom is now used by grazing horses. Jeff Temple OUR THANKS TO THE BANSTEAD COMMONS CONSERVATORS

N

ow spring is coming, we are able to get out more and meet friends and relations; but things were not so easy in the winter months when for much of the time it was wet, dark and unpleasant.

However, in Tadworth and Walton we are lucky that we live in beautiful surroundings and are very grateful that, for those able to go for a walk, we have been able to visit the new footpaths in the Centennial Wood, visit our local commons, including Walton Heath, owned and maintained by Walton Heath Golf Club, and explore the footpaths in the wider countryside.

We are very appreciative of the work of the Banstead Commons Conservators which David Atkins, as a Conservator, ably explains in a separate article. It has been a life saver to walk on Banstead and Burgh Heaths and see how the seasons change. So many thanks to the Conservators for all the work they do in keeping the balance between conserving nature and facilitating public access. It has not been easy with the increased numbers using our open spaces plus the very wet winter, but the work is much appreciated. ( A gentle reminder, though, to keep to the footpaths, even when wet and muddy, and try to prevent the paths getting wider and wider particularly where crops have been planted).

T R I B U N E To advertise call 01737 222307 or visit www.tadworthwaltonra.co.uk

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TSB

THANK YOU JACKIE

A

s part of a national programme of closures, on Thursday 25th March, the Tadworth branch of TSB Bank in Station

Approach, shut its doors for the last time. A sad event for our two villages and for the staff involved. One of those members of staff is going to be particularly missed by us all. For 38 years, Left to right: Robin Parr-Davies (Treasurer), Jackie Tulk and Clive Elcome (Chairman).

Jackie Tulk has been there behind the counter, dispensing her own brand of courtesy coupled with sheer efficiency. Was it any surprise that so

with a terracotta pot of Spring flowering plants,

often, the visiting customer would try to single

together with a voucher for gardening supplies.

Jackie out for her attentions? A quality of personal

Jackie explained that, as a newly retired lady, she looked forward to getting involved with

service very hard to match in today’s world.

This branch of TSB has been the TWRA’s bank

gardening. She was very keen that we should let

for many years, and we took the opportunity to

her customers know how much she will miss them.

say ‘farewell’ and ‘thank you’ to Jackie on behalf of

Over the years, she met people as small children,

our membership and of all the residents she has

and continued seeing them as grown ups with

served over the years. A few days before closure,

financial affairs of their own. Memories she will

she was presented by our Treasurer and Chairman,

carry long into her new life.

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Working to Minimise Disruption Across a Natio onal Portffo olio TCFM is proactively working with a diverse portfolio of nationa al customers to keep their sites safe including: Tesco, Yodel, Mak kro, RS Components, Travis Perkins, Wincanton and many others acrross a range of industries including distribution, retail, telecommunications and finance. alls for TCFM’s national coverage is key to responding promptly to ca the Covid-19 decontamination solution, which mitigates disru uption to BAU at even their most remote sites.

How TCFM Can a Suppor Supportt Y Yo ou Through h The Developing Covid-19 Crisis TCFM is committed to supporting customers across the country to safeguard sites against Coronavirus as the situation continues to develo op.

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As many of your colleagues will be site-based, this will give them the peace of mind that you are committed to safeguarding their health and safety.

This identifies TCFM as a trusted partner in the fight against Coronavirus.

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T R I B U N E To advertise call 01737 222307 or visit www.tadworthwaltonra.co.uk

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WALTON ON THE HILL VILLAGE FORUM

WALTON IS IN BLOOM

S

pring appears to have finally sprung and as we all awaken from our lockdown slumber, so too have the sprays of annuals that have popped up all around the village. In the coming weeks you’ll be able to admire beautiful hanging baskets that will be dotted around the village that have been organised by Walton-In-Bloom.

Many of you will recall that last year due to the pandemic we were unable to arrange hanging baskets and we know this year they’ll make a very welcome return.

Another key group that continues to keep our village looking immaculate and doing an incredible job are the Tadworth, Kingswood, Walton and Burgh Heath Litter Pickers. Now synonymous with hi-viz jackets and purple refuse bags this group continues to do amazing work.

Those of us who aren’t involved yet owe each of you involved a debt of gratitude, and so from all Walton residents we thank you.

I’m sure by now many of you have seen the toad-crossing sign as you approach the village.

Please be mindful that toad season is upon us and will last a number of weeks, so please show some care and drive with caution when passing the pond on your way into the village.

As a village we are incredibly proud that

Walton Pharmacy are a part of the vaccination effort that’s helping our country emerge from the global pandemic. We would like to thank all the volunteers that are helping Vips and his team with the great work they’re doing and continue to do.

We are still carrying copies of Wild About Walton and Surrey Hills that we continue to sell to raise funds for the village, at £23.99 a copy.

Please email info@waltonvillageforum.org if you’d like a copy.

Finally, following the success and great feedback from our first newsletter at the end of last year, we’ll be following up with another one in due course. Please keep an eye on your email as we look to bring everyone up to date on various projects, initiatives and issues that we as a Village Forum continue to deal with on behalf of all our residents in conjunction with the TWRA and our councillors.

In closing, if anyone would like to get involved with the Forum or share ideas or suggestions please don’t hesitate to get in touch via info@waltonvillageforum.org. Grant Webster Follow and support us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter or feel free to reach out to us on www.waltonvillageforum.org.

THE TADWORTH & WALTON

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FORTHCOMING ISSUE PUBLISHING SCHEDULES

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October 2021

Please contact Richard Milbourn • T:=MTRM=TNM=VMPV • E: êáÅÜ~êÇKãáäÄçìêå]Å~êå~ÜKÅçKìâ • ïïïKí~ÇïçêíÜï~äíçåê~KÅçKìâ TWRA, c/o 64 Sandlands Road, Walton on the Hill, Tadworth, Surrey KT20 7HZ.

16 MAY 2021

1st September

4,000

Statements and opinions in the Tadworth & Walton Tribune, unless expressly written, are not necessarily those of the TWRA. Material in the Tadworth & Walton Tribune may not be reproduced in any form without the permission of the Editor.

T R I B U N E To advertise call 01737 222307 or visit www.tadworthwaltonra.co.uk

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LITTER PICKING GROUP _ó=pÜ~êçå=`ê~åÑáÉäÇ

Valentine’s Day, #LoveWhereYouLive #LitterArt display.

TADWORTH, KINGSWOOD, LOWER KINGSWOOD, WALTON & BURGH HEATH LITTER PICKING GROUP

V

olunteers collected 1,000 cans for a stunning heart display in the centre of the Tadworth Roundabout. The dynamic group wanted to highlight the terrible litter problem. Common finds are drink cans and takeaway lunch packaging, chucked out of vehicles or carelessly dropped in our lovely villages and roadsides.

Without litter picking, our villages and surrounding areas look awful and it’s an environmental disaster. Aluminum cans, a material that can take 10 to a 100 years to decay, generates iron oxide and pollutes our environment.

The drink cans used for the collage will be donated to The Beacon School Friends’ Association Charity, supported by Tadworth Terracycle, for a new litter and recycling project involving all 1,350 students.

Banstead’s celebrity singer songwriter and

18 MAY 2021

Beacon School parent, Michael Armstrong who supports the litter awareness initiative, dropped by for a photo with the LitterArt, by way of a new self-penned single titled ‘Matters of Heart’ which was released on 5th March. @CleanUpTadworth litter picking group was founded by Kingswood resident Alison Godden in August 2020 after noticing the rise in litter during the first lockdown. Supported from the outset, co founding members Lisa Davies, Juliet Quartermain and Sharon Cranfield set about establishing excellent social media and area leaders to keep the group growing and engaged with the community.

With 400 Facebook group members and almost 300 Instagram and Twitter followers, 50 regular litter pickers keep our 5 Tadworth area villages as litter free as possible.

Alison says, ‘I am so proud of all our volunteers who litter pick in all weather, to help keep our villages clean. Clearing huge amount of historical litter too – some found items have been in bushes and brambles for 10

T R I B U N E To advertise call 01737 222307 or visit www.tadworthwaltonra.co.uk

LITTER PICKING GROUP plus years. My simple mantra is– every piece of litter that we pick up is no longer littering our villages. It may build up again, but we can keep on top of it by organising regular litter picks and building awareness of who we are and what we do!’

Many local businesses, councillors and organisations quickly noticed how clean our area had become.

When we had litter picked 1,000 purple bags, Surrey County Council & Tadworth & Walton Residents Association awarded a very generous £1,000 grant with funds to provide much needed litter picking kit. Surrey County Council’s Cllr Jeff Harris says: ‘This fantastic effort by our willing volunteers shouldn’t actually be necessary. If everyone was as passionate about our area as they are, everyone else would TAKE IT HOME! Please don’t be an anti-social chucker.’

Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, support the group with purple bags which which promptly get picked up.

Reigate and Banstead Councillor, Rachel Turner says: ‘Within 5 months these amazing litter pickers have collected 1,000 full bags of litter, plus an enormous amount of large rubbish items and fly tipping and have also got various communities working together.’

Volunteers include children who are really committed to keeping our beautiful heath, woodlands and other areas litter free.

Special thanks to our Group sponsors Richard Saunders of Saunders Estate Agents, Alexandra FC and Terracycle, as well as Reigate and Banstead who have all donated to help kit our group with hi-viz vests, litter pickers, bag hoops and gloves. These have been invaluable, keeping our volunteers safe.

Other projects ongoing are the continued battle with inaccessible litter behind network rail fencing and fly tipping. Discussions with network rail to take place soon.

A charming neglected woodland, The Lost Manor of Preston Hawe, was litterpicked but needs cooperation with Raven Housing Trust to clear fly tipping and overgrowth to restore this as a safe space for local children .

The Group says, ‘We are not just litter pickers as we want to make a difference and help make our villages the cleanest in Surrey as well as being role models for the surrounding areas, who have been inspired by us. Mole Valley DC residents have approached us for help which delights us. That’s what we’re about.’

The group welcomes new members - please visit their facebook page @CleanUpTadworth or email sharoncranfield@icloud.com

COMPETITION TO DESIGN NEW LOGO

I

n our last issue, we invited readers to submit their ideas for a new logo for the TWRA. After much discussion around the Committee table, it was decided that we would adopt the design featured by local Tadworth resident Nick Ovenden, who is a professional designer. It is reproduced right and throughout this issue. While we had contemplated dropping the swans because Walton no longer has any, Please mention T R I B U N E when responding to adverts

strong opinions were expressed about their being part of our local heritage, they have therefore been retained. We hope you like the result.

Congratulations then to Nick.

He has been rewarded by free advertising space in this ‘Tribune’ and will also be receiving bottles of something liquid and red!

Thank you so much to others who submitted ideas but were less successful.

MAY 2021 19

B E F O R E T H E R A I L W A Y By Richard Harris

L

lands with commoners having the right to graze

of cars, cyclists and walkers visiting Banstead and

suitable for grazing provided game such as rabbit,

Walton heaths is testimony to the importance of

pheasant and partridge. Commoners’ rights also

our local open spaces in helping to mitigate some

extended to cutting furze, turf and bracken, and

of the restrictions of the past year. But we assume

digging for chalk, gravel, and loam as shown by the

that the woods and heath-land we currently enjoy,

pits marked on the 1897 map. Walton was

are much as they always have been. Landscapes

especially famous for its large numbers of sheep.

however, are always subject to change both by

The area also had several gypsy encampments and

natural progression and the way they are

horses were an important part of the local

managed.

economy, both for transport and the racing

ockdown has meant that local residents have

Walton and Banstead heaths were common

discovered or become reacquainted with, the countryside on their doorstep. The number

sheep, horses and other animals. Areas of scrub less

The story of the railway arriving in Tadworth in 1900 and the subsequent development of

industry.

Clues to the period when heath-land was an

Tadworth and Walton, with construction of

important part of the local agricultural economy

Edwardian villas and the laying out of Walton

can be found today in the large number of dew

Heath golf course is well known. What is not so

ponds in the area which, due to absence of surface

well recorded, and therefore less understood, is

water on the chalk uplands, were dug for livestock.

how the surrounding countryside would have

They are to be found dotted over the 1897 OS

looked in the last quarter of the nineteenth

map. One in Chapel Road is a survival, but there are

century before the coming of the railway, and the

several others now hidden in local woodland.

role it played in the life of both villages.

Several of the footpaths leading from the area

Tadworth and Walton were originally part of a

were originally drovers’ roads for taking sheep to

chain of hamlets including Banstead and Headley

market, mainly to Epsom. An example, known as

on the top of the North Downs; small, dispersed

Sheep’s Walk, still runs from Walton Road, in the

settlements remote from the sprawl of London,

vicinity of Loretta Lodge, to Langley Vale.

which were focal points for a rural area consisting

Indentations and pits across the area testify to the

of a scatter of fields and woodland within wide

extraction of gravel and other materials, and the

areas of heath-land. The heaths consisted of

remains of two windmills are to be found in

grassland, tracts of bracken and furze interspersed

Tadworth.

with areas of scrub. An extract from the Ordinance

Throughout the nineteenth century the heaths

Survey (OS) map of 1897, (surveyed in 1895), shows

and common land were subject to a number of

that both villages were very small, and the majority

pressures which intensified as it progressed. There

of the area between them as heath rather than

was a gradual decline in sheep farming, and the

the tree-scape we see today. A contemporary

system of common land was under threat, with

account records that, from a vantage point near

entrepreneurs seeking to buy free-holders rights to

Mere Pond, it was possible to read by telescope,

grazing and other benefits, with a view to selling

the clock on Kingswood Church. The painting of

land for building. This was resisted by local

Tadworth Green gives an idea of the pre-railway

residents and following a long period of litigation,

landscape; in comparison with a contemporary

Parliament was asked to regulate the commons by

view, it has many fewer trees.

establishing, in1893, a Board of Conservators to

20 MAY 2021

T R I B U N E To advertise call 01737 222307 or visit www.tadworthwaltonra.co.uk

B E F O R E T H E R A I L W AY

1899 Painting by Philip Clark showing the Mill, Dukes Head and Blue Anchor, Banstead Common Conservators.

protect them from further building development.

But the changes to the landscape did not stop

of many parts from their original rural character to residential districts inhabited by persons having

since much of Walton Heath was occupied by the

their main “business of life” in the Metropolis. The

golf course, and the decline of sheep and animal

result has been that agriculture in this County has

grazing meant that, in parts of Banstead Heath, the

ceased to absorb the principal energies of the

natural succession reasserted itself with much of

population, a large number of the inhabitants…

the former grassland reverting to scrub which in

now finding employment as outdoor servants to

turn evolved into the birch woodland we see

the villa population’; a process of employment

today. What was originally heath land providing a

diversification which has continued to the present

livelihood for many local residents, became areas

day.

for horse riding and walking. Late Victorian and

Further Reading:

Edwardian topographical publications prompted

Copthorne Hundred, Surrey, Victoria County

the increasingly mobile middle classes to enjoy the

History, Vol. 3, 1911.

air and exercise of the Surrey Hills.

Agriculture, Surrey, Victoria County History, Vol. 4,

The 1897 OS extract shows the contrast

1912.

between the road network of 120 years ago, when

Walton: An Illustrated History, K.R. Clew, 1968.

both villages were very small, and that of today

Tadworth: An Illustrated History, K.R. Clew, Second

with its focus on Tadworth Station and the

Edition, 1971.

subsequent development which sprung up around

The View from the Mill, M. Thompson, Banstead

it. In the first half of the twentieth century the

Common Conservators, no date.

arrival of the railway meant that they were subject

The Architectural Development of Walton-on-the-

to increasing pressures of urbanisation. The railway

Hill, D. Metcalfe, Walton-on-the-Hill Local History

was the catalyst for the change at the turn of the

Society, 2000.

twentieth century summarised in the Victoria

Tadworth: The Village on the Downs, Ch.10, B.E.

County History of Surrey as ‘the gradual transition

Osborne, 2015.

To advertise call 01737 222307 or visit www.tadworthwaltonra.co.uk T R I B U N E

MAY 2021 21

WALTON PHARMACY

VACCINATIONS MILESTONE REACHED

W

alton Pharmacy are very proud to be

running

supporting the NHS in vaccinating our

smoothly, as

community. Here in the Surrey

well as

Heartlands, a milestone of 500,000 vaccinations

helping every

has been reached. This is an incredible

patient that

achievement in such a small time, and it couldn’t

comes into

have been achieved without the help of our staff

the pharmacy

and volunteers. A big thank you to our volunteers

for their medical needs. For further information,

who have taken out their time to help out, and to

please visit our website

The Blue Ball and The Fox and Hounds for

www.WaltonPharmacy.co.uk or download our

allowing patients to use their car parks.

app ‘Manage My Meds’ to request your

Over the last year COVID has had a huge

prescriptions. Following recent government

negative impact for a lot of people, however this

guidelines, anyone who requires a lateral flow

vaccination programme has really shown true

test, can please pop into the pharmacy to collect

community spirit, bringing the best out of

their free test.

everyone.

The vaccination centre has had a great start

Mr Vipul Patel and his team have worked extremely hard ensuring the programme is

22 MAY 2021

and we look forward to continuing this journey over the next few months.

T R I B U N E To advertise call 01737 222307 or visit www.tadworthwaltonra.co.uk

BANSTEAD COMMONS CONSERVATORS

By David Atkins

Adder on Banstead Heath.

L

Small Copper on Banstead Heath.

ocked down Tadworth and Walton residents

benefactors wanted to stop suburban London

enjoy amazing access to open country

stealing our commons for housing and gravel

countryside, greater than the access of much

extraction. The Act did not fund us. In the first half

of rural England because rural life is not always an

of the 20th century livestock were grazed, hay

idyll; paths can be few; shared and muddied by

harvested and sold, the heath had all sorts of odd

tractors and livestock and often impassable in

uses such as clothes drying and bleaching, the

winter. We enjoy (mostly) well drained footpaths

sport of skating on the ponds of the commons

paths across Banstead Heath throughout the year.

even deserved a paragraph in the 1894 byelaws.

We live on the chalk of the North Downs, laid

The Banstead Commons Conservators, locally

down by the skeletons of innumerable microscopic

elected volunteers, supervised and policed local

creatures living and dying in ancient seas over

users. Times changed, in the 20th century farms

millions of years. By 65 million years ago the

moved south where livestock and dogs do not

process was complete. A thin clay cap was laid

constantly mix. Hay from the Mill and Sportsman

down by glaciation. As sea levels rose our

fields could no-longer be sold to farmers because

downland became coast with sand and shingle

it contains a mix of wild plants. 21st century

beaches. When the seas retreated these layers

Banstead Heath needs maintenance to remain

became heathland with their own vegetation and

open heath. Left un-grazed and un-mown it

good drainage. The clay cap is important because

reverts to a blackthorn and bramble thicket,

where it is disturbed the drainage and vegetation

through which birch trees later emerge to be

change. Rainwater will readily disappear into

replaced in turn by a forest of hardwoods. The

fissures in the uncapped chalk, these fissures

seeds lie dormant in the seed bank of the soil.

sometimes become swallow holes. Rainwater

Our management priorities change with the

reappears in springs miles away at the foot of the

demands and needs of society. Our emphasis now

downs. Dry valleys (valleys now without streams or

is to conserve the different habitats for wildlife

rivers) were carved into the chalk by streams in

whilst balancing the needs of visitors. The

the distant past when the water table was higher.

Meadows and Heath are mowed mechanically and

Banstead Commons Conservators (BCC) was set

our SSSI (sites of specific scientific interest) are

up by an Act of 1893 (The Metropolitan Commons

regularly grazed to promote the growth of

(Banstead) Supplemental Act 1893). Public spirited

wildflowers and support the insect and bird

24 MAY 2021

T R I B U N E To advertise call 01737 222307 or visit www.tadworthwaltonra.co.uk

BA N S T E A D C O M M O N S C O N S E RVATO R S

populations. Other key tasks include tree safety,

The BCC does not own Banstead Heath, most

bracken rolling, maintaining ponds and the

of it belongs to Reigate and Banstead Borough

extensive network of permitted paths and

Council. We remain the unpaid volunteers who

bridleways. Less prosaically, fly tipping and litter

manage and employ on your behalf a warden,

needs to be removed. We do not believe in the

two keepers, and a part time clerk. As our Act still

dog poo fairy. and do not have a budget to

does not fund us, we rely in part from a grant

dispose of dog faeces. Our advice is either remove

from Reigate and Banstead Borough Council; we

it in bags so you can dispose of it, or flick it in the

urgently need to replace the balance of our

traditional manner, away from paths and where

income which came from the EU set aside grants

children play, so insects and fungi can break it

now closed to us.

down and dispose of it naturally. Leaving it

You can join us. Our tenure as conservators is

bagged is not a logical solution as nothing breaks

for 3 years, after that we reapply to Reigate and

down the plastic; nature cannot get on with its

Banstead Council for reappointment in accordance

work.

with our Act competing with others who want to

Can we make a special plea on behalf of

serve. Or you can just follow us on Face book,

Skylarks and other ground nesting birds. They are

attend our quarterly meetings (zoom at present),

starting to nest. Keeping to the paths (with your

look up our web site or just enjoy the wonderful

dog) across the Mill and Sportsman fields until

countryside open to you.

mid- August will mean they are not disturbed, vital

Ed. Note – The four commons under the wing of

if their numbers (in steep decline) are to remain

the BCC are : Banstead Downs; Park Downs;

steady.

Banstead Heath and Borough Heath.

Please mention T R I B U N E when responding to adverts

MAY 2021 25

TA D WO R T H & W A LTO N R E S I D E N T S ’ A S S O C I AT I O N

TWRA FINANCIAL REPORT

By Robin Parr-Davies, Treasurer

D

ue to the COVID-19 restrictions, at the time of going to print, it has not been possible to meet with our Accounts Examiner in order to “sign off” our Accounts for 2020 and so the following Financial Report is based on a Provisional set of 2020 Accounts for both the TWRA and the Jubilee Woodland Management Committee. Provisional Accounts for both the TWRA and JW are available on the TWRA web site. Some key points arising from the 2020 Accounts are as follows: Income at £18.6k was significantly less than in 2019, mainly accounted for by a much higher level of Grants and Donations the previous year, but also a significant drop in Subscriptions from £6.5k to £2.9k this year. The latter due almost entirely to the loss of cash collections because our Road Stewards have not been able to visit members houses due to the COVID-19 restrictions and Lockdowns. Our Road Stewards have not gone away but in the meantime, we would ask Members who have not already raised a Standing Order for their £5 Annual Subscription to please do so and a Form to send to your Bank is printed on page 43. It is important to note that with Standing Orders you are always in control and can stop it whenever you wish to, if you were to leave the area for example. I am also pleased to be able to announce that shortly Members will be able to pay their annual subscription by PayPal. A small working group have been working on this and a further announcement will be made shortly. My thanks to Paul Weller, Jeff Temple, George Curry and Mike Fox for their efforts on this project.

Various Donations (£5.1k), Grants (£9.5k) and our Pfizer Donation (£3.0k) were received during the year. Our thanks to all those who have donated to the various projects and in

26 MAY 2021

particular to Surrey County Council (£1.5k) and Reigate & Banstead Borough Council (£8.0k), for their Grants which are earmarked for specific projects in the Jubilee Wood and for the 2021 Trees Programme managed by our Tadworth & Walton Tree Wardens Group (TWTW). The Pfizer funds were allocated to Tree Stump Clearance, a new Tent, Tadworth in Bloom and to provide Seed Funding for the Tadfest project.

Expenditure at £7.6k was also less than 2019, which benefited from some very significant Grants. Most of the 2020’s Grants and Donations were spent on local activities and projects such as TWTW's tree planting and the Stump Removal Programme. Following the Spring virtual Newsletter, a small profit was achieved from our new styled Autumn Newsletter, which now takes the form of the Tadworth & Walton Tribune, where advertising revenue more than covered the cost of its production and distribution. Our thanks to Richard Milbourn who managed this project for us.

Our year end Bank Balance remains healthy at £24.4k, after accounting for a carry forward of Pfizer Funds and Cost Accruals for Tadworth in Bloom and the Tree Planting and Jubilee Wood projects funded by the Grants.

There was very little financial activity in the Jubilee Wood Accounts in 2020: Income of £300 from “Donations” against costs for Garden Maintenance totalling £95. The Bank Balance therefore increased slightly to £6,100.

An RBBC-CIL Grant for the Jubilee Wood was received in December 2020 and currently resides in the TWRA Account. A balance of the Governments Pocket Parks Grant, held by RBBC, will be spent in 2021 on improvements to the paths in the Jubilee Wood.

T R I B U N E To advertise call 01737 222307 or visit www.tadworthwaltonra.co.uk

FLOOD PREVENTION

HARD SURFACE DRAINAGE

By Jeff Temple

T

the planning portal on

to an increase in flooding. As a result rules now

rojects/45/paving_your_front_garden Additionally,

apply for householders wanting to lay hard surface

under the Highways Act, it is actually an offence

over their front gardens if the surface to be

for a landowner to allow water to drain across a

covered is more than five square metres. In that

footway of the highway.

he conversion of gardens to driveways has

If you are planning this work, you need to go to

increased the amount of water that goes into the storm drains when it rains, leading

www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_p

instance, you are required to get planning

There have been major problems of localised

permission to lay traditional, impermeable driveways

flooding in parts of Tadworth in recent years. With

that do not control rainwater running off onto

increased development, climate change and more

roads. This will apply to new driveways, drive

erratic rainfall, run off is likely to increase. Even if

extensions or drive replacements. You are also

you are not creating a new or extended driveway

obliged to maintain this drainage in good condition.

or hard surface, we can all play our part to reduce

You do NOT need planning permission if the

surface water run-off. Consider diverting run-off

surface to be covered is less than five square

from existing driveways to part of your garden, or

metres or if the new surface is permeable or

install water butts on your downpipes. So, please

porous or if a traditional surface is laid and the

help prevent run off into our roads by taking

rainwater is directed to a lawn or border to drain

appropriate measures, and by keeping any

naturally or is directed to a soakaway via a

drainage clear. On top of all that, please consider

drainage channel.

that it is, in fact, the law!

FANCY FREE WALKS TO TRY n recent newsletters I have described walks in

I

Headley and Langley Vale

our area, starting from Tadworth and/or Walton.

Join it at the junction of Ebbisham Lane and Hurst

In this issue, instead of describing one walk,

Road, and follow it to Headley and then round to

you’ll get 3, but from me pointing you in the

Langley Vale and the new woodland, and back up

direction of an excellent website, which includes

to Walton. 4 or 5 miles of easy walking, with the

many walks for free. The organisation is “Fancy

highlight being a wander through the new

Free Walks”, and I highly recommend this collection,

Centenary woodland.

which are very detailed, and with maps included.

Walton-on-the-Hill and Headley

The walks close to us can be found at

Start at Walton Pond, take the little paths over the

www.fancyfreewalks.org/SurreyCentral.html. Here

Headley, before crossing Headley Heath and

are brief descriptions of walks local to us from that

dropping down to the North Downs Way, over to

collection:

Mogador, and back. 10 miles of moderate walking

Epsom Downs and Walton-on-the-Hill

with long easy sections and one strenuous ascent.

Starts at Walton pond, and goes across to Langley

The TWRA is indebted to Fancy Free walks for

Vale, up to the Racecourse, and back across the

allowing us to publish this information. See them

Downs. 5½ miles of easy walking

on www.fancyfreewalks.org Jeff Temple

Please mention T R I B U N E when responding to adverts

MAY 2021 27

C O U N C I L LO R ’ S U P DAT E

FAREWELL TO JEFF HARRIS You may already be aware that Jeff Harris is standing down from his role as our SCC Councillor and will not be seeking re-election in May. The TWRA owes him a big vote of thanks: he has been present at virtually every one of our Committee meetings, bringing to the table his expertise, wisdom, and grasp of local affairs all dispensed with a substantial dash of good humour. During his four year tenure of office, he has kept a particularly watchful eye on the less fortunate in our society, and has always been ready to champion their cause. Importantly, he always followed up any matters raised at our meetings rapidly and comprehensively, helping us to find our way through the County Council’s bureaucracy, including access to the Surrey grant system .

We know you will want to join us in thanking him for his tireless work on behalf of us all. We wish him well in the future. He’s going to be a hard act to follow! Jeff’s ‘Last Post’ is reproduced below:-

I

Probably need a whole Tribune to explain that!

as a whole, and individually when

your support. My best wishes for the future. Jeff.

they asked for help, advice or

Harris REPORT

’m pleased and proud of my

achievements on behalf of residents over the last four years

guidance. So far every single parent that came to me with a problem has been successful in achieving what they wanted for their

So...has my term of office been successful? I’ll let you be the final judge of that. Thank you for all

T

his is my final report for residents across my Division - Tadworth, Kingswood, Walton on the Hill Burgh Heath and Preston.

children.

Financially, I’ve supported everything from Youth

I should start by saying that for all of us this last

Clubs, Tree-planting, the postponed Tadfest next

12 months have been unforgettable and unique

year, Junior Citizens Events, (which I personally

for all the wrong reasons. Coronavirus has

brought back to Reigate and Banstead, keeping

impacted on every single one of us in so many

thousands of our children safe and healthy),

ways. As I write, I’ve not seen some of my

renovation of the signpost at the traffic lights,

grandchildren since last summer, and for many it’s

Tadworth Cricket Club and many other worthy

been tragic and quite horrendous in terms of

causes locally.

personal loss. If you have been affected by loss,

I’d suppose I would like to claim some credit that the roads and footpaths are better now than when I arrived, and we can all look forward to

please accept my personal condolences.

With the rollout of the vaccines, a new normality will be possible.

more speed-related safety improvements through

On a more positive note, (having had to make

Tadworth and Walton, including possible average

£500 million of cuts over the last four years), due to

speed cameras along Dorking Road.

good financial management, this year will see an

But I suppose the most important ‘successes’ are

increase in spending in many areas; Adult Social

the works to alleviate flooding of peoples homes,

Care, Children’s Services, including Special Needs

in Pebble Close, Kingswood Road, and Ashurst

(contrary to myths circulating), the Environment,

Road, Chipstead Lane and in Burgh Heath, which

and the one everyone complains about - Highways!

There are dozens of new Highways projects

had been flooded on a regular basis.

As for my work within Surrey County Council?

28 MAY 2021

now being undertaken and repairs being

T R I B U N E To advertise call 01737 222307 or visit www.tadworthwaltonra.co.uk

C O U N C I L LO R ’ S U P DAT E

conducted. Since January, an average of 500 potholes have been repaired EVERY DAY. Far more to be done, but it’s a start.

Locally, amongst solving many perennial

everyone.

Away from Highways, for a couple of years out Children’s Services have been poor. At long last due to new senior management, some investment and

problems, I’ve managed to get the footpaths along

we Councillors ‘chasing, checking and challenging’

the A217 widened and in places re-surfaced.

the news is very good and we are hoping for a

Flooding problems have been addressed in

much improved Ofsted Report this summer.

Chipstead Lane, Ballards Green, Kingswood

My final piece of good news is that money is

Road/Ashurst Road, and Pebble Close. Bonsor Drive

now earmarked to reduce the speed limit through

is being done within the next few months, and the

Tadworth and Walton on the Hill. My work is

area around the traffic lights in Tadworth will get

almost done, so I’ll hand over the baton to my

some attention as well. There’s a ‘new’ footpath in

successor with just a bit of pride in our villages.

Dorking Road by the Grumpy Mole, making accessibility to and from the Hospital better for

Thank you all for your support and community spirit over the last four years. Jeff Harris

AVERAGE SPEED CAMERAS ALONG THE A217

M

commits a speeding offence.

round the roundabout and back, which was

collisions, especially those of a higher severity.

used for many years as a racetrack by anti-social

Fatal and serious collisions fell, by 25-46% while

drivers and associated idiots. As a result of

personal injury collisions fell, by 9-22%”.

any residents will know about the ‘Mad mile’ on the A217 from the Banstead Crossroads towards Sutton,

enforcement, its largely been tamed in recent years.

However the stretch between there and the

Nationally, the permanent Average Speed Camera sites analysed saw reductions in injury

Ours do far better - An internal evaluation of the A217 average speed camera scheme in Surrey found that there has been increased

motorway has consistently been a race track in

compliance with the speed limit along the

both directions, with too many serious collisions,

whole length covered by the enforcement

dangers to cyclists, pedestrians walking along

cameras. This reduction in speeding coincided

the road, or trying to cross it.

with a halving in the total number of

Three years ago, I supported the introduction

personal injury collisions. The number of

of Average Speed Cameras, rather than the old

serious injury collisions reduced by more

fashioned fixed cameras, which were out of

than three quarters. As well as the reduction

date, failed constantly and cost a fortune to

in road injury, this has reduced the amount of

maintain. They actually made matters worse as

congestion and has helped to improve the

drivers sped up to them, braked hard and then

journey time reliability on this key strategic

sped away.

route.

Average Speed Cameras are designed to ease

In summary – everyone wins! More such

the flow, prevent speeding and braking, and

systems are already being placed along the A24

keep the speed at the set limit and, in so doing,

locally and other roads. Finally, such is my

prevent collisions and make it safer for everyone.

support for these life-saving projects, I have

Without doubt, ours do. Even with the

asked for consideration for Dorking Road to be

reduced traffic volumes as a result of Covid-

put on the list of future projects.

19, less than one in a thousand vehicles

Jeff Harris, County Councillor

To advertise call 01737 222307 or visit www.tadworthwaltonra.co.uk T R I B U N E

MAY 2021 29

CHRISTCHURCH URC

COMMUNITY GARDEN CLEAR UP

View of the church now that the ‘jungle’ has been cleared!

Nearly finished bed getting ready for planting.

W

ork is continuing on the garden and, once again, I am immensely grateful to Treemasters who sent along one of their employees with a mattock to break up the root masses which remained following the cutting down of the overgrown shrubs, and the root grinding which was carried out by one of the associates. This has meant that I am now able (though hard work!) to dig over and remove most of the remaining bramble and ivy roots. One of the front beds is well underway and the two apple trees will be planted on this plot. I am always looking for volunteers to help with the task and I am grateful to Gina ParrDavies for being the first! Anyone else wishing to be involved should call me on 01737 813494/07789 181455. If digging is not your thing, help with the disposal of the garden waste would be equally welcome. All I would ask is that the empty sacks are returned in

Bed needing digging over to remove all the matted weed roots.

order for me to refill them. I am grateful to Caroline Pepper for the donation of a number of packets of vegetable seeds. I am starting off some plants in my greenhouse at home so that I hope to be able to make an instant impact when the beds are ready to be planted up.

Watch this space.

Janet Holah

LOOK AT THIS

D

avid Larner, ‘Custodian of the Mere Pond’, recently took the time and trouble on our behalf, to create the illustration below. It

nicely encapsulates what we enjoy most about Walton. While it was not chosen as the new TWRA logo, it definitely merits a place in this issue of ‘The Tribune’. We’re sure it will be featured time and again in the future. Well done David and thank you.

30 MAY 2021

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N E I G H B O U R H O O D W ATC H

LOCK DOWN HEROINES & HEROES opefully in 6 months’ time, when the next edition

H

to produce and deliver cups of hot soup to those that used

of The Tadworth & Walton Tribune is published,

to frequent the Kitchen and others who they knew were

our lock down trials and tribulations will be over. It

on their own or would appreciate the gesture. In a similar

seems therefore appropriate to give a “shout out” now to

way Margaret Fitch in Tadworth and other members of the

all those local heroines and heroes who have helped to

Good Shepherd Mothers’ Union started a tradition of

make our lives better during the health emergency, and in

baking cakes and delivering slices each Saturday morning to

many cases are still doing so.

those who might in normal times have participated in the

First of course we would all want to recognise those health service staff living locally who have been battling the

regular Coffee Mornings/Fellowship on that day.

Many residents have also responded with great

pandemic on the front line as well as the staff in our local

generosity to the appeals for items to go to the local

care homes who had to deal with very difficult and

foodbanks. I am personally aware of many car loads of tins,

distressing situations particularly during the first waves of

dried goods, long life milk and bottles of fruit juice that have

infections and deaths.

been ferried from the Good Shepherd Porch to the food

Next I would like to recognise the 200 or so local people

bank at St Matthews Redhill, with other loads being taken

who responded as volunteers to the various calls that were

from St Peter’s to the food bank in Epsom. I am also aware

put out to assist in mounting the local Community Support

that other churches in our area have been very active in

programme to help vulnerable or infected people who had

local support efforts. Another project involving local

to isolate at home. Up to the time of writing this article 145

donations has been “Level Up” which is coordinated by

support relationships have been created. Some volunteers

Raven Housing on behalf of Reigate & Banstead Council.

have been undertaking shopping or collecting prescriptions,

This project collects used laptops to be refurbished,

others have given lifts to medical appointments and more

enhanced and distributed to local school children whose

recently vaccinations, whilst some, including a few who

families do not have adequate IT facilities to support their

were isolating themselves, provided telephone support to

home working. I am aware of several local individuals who

other lonely and worried residents. More recently local

have provided laptops to this programme but in addition I

people have been volunteering as guides and receptionists

should mention Pfizer which has provided £10,000 for

to support the vaccination programmes at both Epsom

purchasing enhancement parts and Fidelity which has

Race Course and Walton Pharmacy.

provided technical volunteers to carry out the work. Most

Of course the staff in our local pharmacies and food

recently SGN (Southern Gas Networks) donated a large

shops have also had a major role to play. I should particularly

number of their older laptops so the target of providing

mention Hartleys where the staff were both setting up a

over 600 laptops to pupils by Easter could be met.

new business whilst also going the extra mile in terms of

I cannot close without also thanking my three colleagues

delivering food supplies to the vulnerable; the Walton Co-

in running the Community Support programme in

Op who donated £100 of food for Community Support to

Tadworth & Walton. They are Revd. Tim Astin, of the Good

distribute to those in need, and Walton Pharmacy who

Shepherd and Mo Atkins and Norma Darter both from St

worked tirelessly to set up a local vaccination centre. I am

Peter’s and the Walton Open Group.

sure there will have been other acts of kindness by our local

Finally please accept my apologies if I have not

businesses worthy of our gratitude whilst our sympathies

mentioned some contributions of which you are aware. This

go to those who have had to close their doors and suffer

has truly been a team effort to combat the effects of a

financial hardship.

terrible disease whilst many have also had to cope with the

Small acts of unexpected kindness have lit up these dark

loss of friends and loved ones. Keep well.

times. Norma Darter coordinated an effort by those

Mike Fox, Community Support & Neighbourhood Watch in

involved with the Walton Open Group and Village Kitchen

Tadworth & Walton 01737 350452 mike.fox2@ntlworld.com

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MAY 2021 31

GREEN CORRIDORS IN OUR WARD _ó=dáääá~å=eÉáå

INTRODUCTION

A

s an Association, the TWRA tends to concentrate on protecting our settlements from insensitive development. However, as we live in an area of beautiful countryside, we now feel that there is something we can do to enhance local wildlife and to help ward off the effects of climate change using more tree planting and facilitating the movement of species. We can achieve this by enhancing and creating ‘green corridors’ comprising linear groups of trees, hedgerows and grassy field margins.

We propose to restrict our project to our ward which includes the village of Lower Kingswood, and stretches from the M25/ North Downs scarp in the south, to Epsom Downs in the north. If successful, it could be regarded as a pilot project and be extended to the whole of the northern part of the Borough, with the assistance of the

32 MAY 2021

Federation of Banstead and District Residents Associations. We will work with the Tadworth and Walton Tree Wardens and the Lower Kingswood Residents’ Association, together with our local councillors and council officers, plus other organisations involved in nature conservation. Reigate and Banstead Council are keen to assist and the Tree Council wishes to be involved and will provide training.

THE PROJECT We are fortunate that much of our area is already actively managed, with an emphasis on wildlife. Banstead Heath is maintained by the Conservators, the developing Centennial Wood is managed by the Woodland Trust, and Walton Heath by the Walton Heath Golf Club. In addition there are several areas of ancient woodland, stretches of agricultural land, many with fields defined by

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GREEN CORRIDORS IN OUR WARD

hedgerows, and tree lined lanes. We feel that it is important to try and reverse the decline in the number of flora and fauna species, a trend which is being experienced across Surrey and nationwide, and to try to improve the linkages between areas of wildlife value, so that there can be more movement between important habitats. We will also identify narrow pinch points between settlements, such as between Tadworth and Walton, and specify where it is important to retain strategic gaps when responding to planning applications.

Although our emphasis is not on increasing public accessibility, there may be instances where new footpath links would be desirable, such as from some of the new paths in the Centennial Wood to the existing footpath network.

CURRENT INFORMATION In August 2017 Reigate and Banstead Council prepared a Green Infrastructure Strategy. This identified the green fabric of the borough which includes ancient woodlands, Sites of Scientific Interest, and the AONB etc.

This was followed by an Environmental Sustainability Strategy in July 2020 which delivers general policies on energy and carbon, low impact consumption, and the natural environment and biodiversity. The objectives of the latter include ‘improving tree cover’, increasing the ‘area of soft landscape valuable to wildlife’ and increasing the amount of ‘nature species that attract pollination’. Although there are general policies for each of these objectives, there are, as far as we are aware, no studies relating to specific locations or practical recommendations for the enhancement of particular sites.

An initial meeting with a member of the Council’s sustainability team is encouraging.

THE SUGGESTED PROCESS 1. The first activity will be to find out what information is already available. Reigate and Banstead Council, the Surrey Wildlife Trust, the Surrey Botanical Society and other bodies may already hold useful information on habitat types, the species present and their prevalence.

It may be similar studies have already been carried out elsewhere and we can learn from their methodology. We are aware that information has been collected for the Haslemere Neighbourhood Plan for example.

2. Next we need to map designated sites of nature importance, areas of woodland, hedges, valuable field margins, footpaths and important road verges, using Google and on site surveys, evaluating their ecological value where information is available.

Consideration will be required on how to map and store the data.

3. It is important to look at green links outside the area, for example to Headley Heath, across the A217 and to Epsom Downs.

4. From these stages we should be able to identify a) existing green corridors between valuable habitats, b) where there are gaps in potential green corridors c) where green corridors already exist but which may have gaps in the hedgerows, are too narrow or have no natural open fringes etc and so need strengthening. d) where there are barriers such as major roads and whether these can be mitigated e) where there are gaps/ green corridors between settlements which need to be protected from development.

5. From this we can locate priority locations

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

MAY 2021 33

GREEN CORRIDORS IN OUR WARD

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33

for tree and hedgerow planting and contact the landowners/ tenants. The tree wardens’ experience will be valuable at this stage.

6. The next stage is to investigate costs and sources of funding, for example local companies such as Pfizer and Fidelity,’ which have an interest in biodiversity, may be prepared to assist. Our local Councils may be able to provide grants and the Woodland Trust in the past has provided free hedgerow and tree whips for suitable projects.

In coming years, farmers will receive payment through the Environment Land Management Scheme (ELMS) which will include local nature and landscape recovery projects. The promotion of green corridors should be eligible for these payments and farmers may take on the obligation of future maintenance.

7. With sites and funding in place, it will be necessary to prepare an action plan, identifying priority areas for new hedgerows and field tree planting where landowners agree and monitor progress.

8. If the results are positive, we can consider spreading this approach to the rest of the northern part of the Borough, providing there is local support from the other residents associations, via the Federation.

SUGGESTIONS AND ADVICE, PLEASE This project is at a very early stage. There may be difficulties in practice which we have yet to identify. We therefore welcome any suggestions and advice. Although we have enthusiasm and some background knowledge, we would particularly appreciate assistance from an ecologist and an expert in digital mapping. So any volunteers offering to help will be most welcome.

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34 MAY 2021

T R I B U N E To advertise call 01737 222307 or visit www.tadworthwaltonra.co.uk

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W A LTO N H E AT H G O L F C LU B

NEW CHAIRMAN AT GOLF CLUB

A

t the Walton Heath Golf Club AGM in January, I was elected to the Board; four days later at our first 'virtual' meeting I was honoured to become its Chairman. I am grateful to Clive Elcome for the opportunity to contribute to this newsletter given the importance of good relations with our local community.

Walton Heath is a very special place to play golf. Although I have only been a member for under a decade, I am conscious that the Club and the Board, as its leaders, are custodians of a magnificent legacy, established in 1903, which will remain long into the future.

Over the last few months our courses have remained closed.

During this period, our greenkeeping staff have been focusing on projects to protect and enhance the heathland. In the last few years, we have been proactive in regenerating the native heather, which has receded over recent decades, in part due to pollution from the M25. Within the team we have a conservationist, who is leading an initiative to encourage the return of birdlife native to a heathland environment.

During the pandemic lockdowns we have been acutely aware of visitors from outside the locality electing to drive to the heath for recreational purposes, creating issues by inconsiderate parking in Deans Lane and Heath Drive in particular.

36 MAY 2021

A minority of these visitors do not share the love and respect that members of TWRA and of the Club have for the heathland and, unfortunately, the courses and the heather have experienced some damage.

Last year, we engaged one of the leading firms of golf course architects, Mackenzie & Ebert, to review the courses and to offer a vision for their future development, in order to maintain and hopefully improve their Great Britain and World rankings. M&E started by looking back at the original design of the courses, and were helped by the encyclopaedic knowledge of Philip Truett, a resident of Walton-on-the-Hill, a member of the Club Stuart Southall. and a highly respected golf historian. Any future changes to the courses will be in keeping with Herbert Fowler's original design principles and aimed at showcasing heathland golf at its finest.

TWRA and the Club have many mutual members with a common commitment to the wellbeing and enhancement of the locality. I hope that during my period as Chairman we can strengthen the friendship and respect between our two bodies, and where there may be differences of opinion, work together for the common benefit of all members of both communities.

Stuart Southall Chairman, Walton Heath Golf Club

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TA D WO RT H & W A LTO N OV E R S E A S A I D T RU S T

VIOLENCE IN TROUBLED COUNTRY

By Mike Fox

W

e had a very interesting Zoom session with our contact for the Myanmar Refugee School we support on the Thai

border. She was concerned that the recent violence in that troubled country has very much reduced the chance that the refugees might be able to return to their homes in the near future.

The pictures of the children enjoying the lunches (right) we fund were enchanting but it was a reminder that we have only been able to send

known local plants expert, Keith Lewis, to sell teas

enough money for the 152 children to have just 3

when his garden at 41 Shelvers Way, Tadworth,

lunches per week. Currently this is all they get as

KT20 5QJ is opened as part of the National

no other charity is supporting them for school

Garden Scheme from 2pm to 5.30pm (admission

meals and the refugees’ parents are not allowed

to the garden is £5).

to earn money by the Thai government. It costs

Due to social distancing restrictions our two

£23 for each day that the school provides lunches.

annual John Allinson Sponsored Memorial Walks

In our current fund raising situation we cannot

will take place later than usual on Saturday 25th

afford the extra £900 needed to pay for an

September and Friday October 8th. Hopefully the

additional day’s lunch each term-time week.

later dates will enable us to follow our recent

Donations can made on our web site or, by

pattern of walking a figure of eight course

sending cheques, made out to TWOAT, to our

centred on a pub where participants can enjoy a

Treasurer, Antony Hawker at The Holt, Alcocks

lunch together during a mid-walk break. The later

Lane, KT20 6BB.

date will also give our supporters a bit more time

Now that the path out of lock down has been outlined by the Government, it is a great relief for us to be able to start planning for fund raising

to get in trim for a longer distance walk than they may currently be tackling!

For those interested in organising earlier small

events again as we have been eating into our

group walks themselves, we have published the

reserves to maintain support to our overseas aid

details of a walk on our web site that should be

projects.

really beautiful with Bluebells in late April and

On Friday June 4th we hope that teams of up

early May. We hope that those who enjoy the

to 6 supporters may be able to gather in one of

walk and the information of local interest that we

their homes so that they can participate in a Quiz

have provided along with the details of the route

via Zoom – participation will be £10 per team

itself might make a small donation to benefit our

member. Normally we hold our quizzes in

projects in poorer communities.

Christchurch Hall where space limits us to at most 8 teams so we are hoping this first fund raising

We plan to hold our Annual Social Meeting including a dinner at St John’s Hall on Saturday

event for TWOAT in 2021 might generate a

October 16th. Please visit www.TWOAT.org to

record attendance for one of our quizzes!

keep in touch with our events or to download

On two Sundays, the 11h July and 22nd August, we have been kindly invited by well-

the Bluebell Walk details, alternatively phone Chair Mike Fox to request them on 01737 350452.

To advertise call 01737 222307 or visit www.tadworthwaltonra.co.uk T R I B U N E

MAY 2021 37

TA D WO RT H A RT G RO U P

ONLINE EXHIBITION

A

n online exhibition for an art group that has been holding their traditional exhibitions in church halls for over 40 years is a step into the unknown for all concerned – not only for the artists who have never put together anything quite as technical and complex as that before, but also for the public, some of whom have never bought so much as a bag of groceries online, let alone a work of art.

But times have changed and the mould has been broken, some might say for ever, because online art has introduced what was a traditional local exhibition to the whole world.

And, when art lovers the other side of the planet are now viewing paintings that usually find a home no further than five miles from that church hall, nothing can ever be the same again.

So, when Tadworth Art Group set sail last November on the good ship ‘Internet’, it truly was a voyage of discovery. Would people really be able to appreciate a 90cms x 60cms painting reduced to the size of a thumbnail? Would they be able to navigate their way round a virtual art gallery? And, more importantly, would they be confident that their online purchase would lead to the prompt delivery of something they

38 MAY 2021

would be happy to hang on their wall?

Well, as it turned out, nobody needed to worry. After the initial stampede for paintings on the opening day, a steady stream of buyers continued over the following two weeks, and from the feedback Tadworth Art Group received, all were delighted with their purchases and many were surprised how easy their experience had been.

From Tadworth Art Group’s point of view it had been a resounding success and any trepidation or concerns had been washed away from the good ship ‘Internet’s’ decks, particularly when the demographics showed that there were buyers from all over the U.K. and their website had ‘hits’ from countries as far afield as New Zealand, Saudi, USA and many other European countries.

Will Tadworth Art Group ever return to their traditional exhibitions? Without a doubt! We all long to meet up and rub shoulders again, to view paintings in the flesh and talk art over a glass of something refreshing.

But, be assured, online art is here to stay, so don’t miss TAG’s next exciting exhibition from 14th to 23rd May. Visit www.tadworthartgroup.com Facebook, Instagram

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6&+2 23(1 '$<6 6&+22/ '$<6 6DWXUGD\ 6 DW May )URP 9. am 9. m* S Saturday 2 October at 1 10.

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Celebrraating 100 Y Ce Yeears in 2020-21 www.manorhouseschool.org | 01372 457077 | admissions@manorhouseschool.org

WALTON OAKS, THE HERMITAGE & THE COTTAGE cçääçïáåÖ=qÜÉ=qêáÄìåÉ=~êíáÅäÉ=áå=cÉÄêì~êó=ä~ëí=óÉ~êI=oçÄÉêí=oìÇÇÉää=åçï= ÇÉëÅêáÄÉë=íÜÉ=ÅÜ~ê~ÅíÉêë=íÜ~í=äáîÉÇ=áå=íÜÉëÉ=t~äíçå=çå=íÜÉ=eáää=ÜçìëÉëK

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F

ollowing Ambrose Hall’s arrival in WaltonOn-The- Hill in 1792 many residents have occupied Walton Oaks, The Hermitage and The Cottage and have made their mark on the history of Walton and beyond.

AMBROSE HALL [1739-1815] ANNE HALL [nee POWELL d. 1812 aged 77] In 1792 Ambrose Hall came to Walton and moved into a house that had earlier been occupied by Lord Byron. He married Anne daughter of Haslett Powell.

He was involved with Walton and the village and is mentioned in Parish records as being an observer of the poor in 1795. His wife Anne became the first of the Hall family to be interred in the family vault in the churchyard of St Nicholas, Sutton when she died in 1812.

Ambrose was also interred there.

HUMPHREY HALL [1763-1848] MARIA JANE HALL [nee NORDABY d. 1865] When Ambrose died in 1815 he was succeeded at The Hermitage by his son Humphrey who served as a churchwarden at St Peter’s and is noted in 1817 as making a report to the Vestry that the tower was in such a bad state ‘it had to be taken down immediately‘, which was done.

By 1820 a new Gothic Style tower with an

40 MAY 2021

octagonal upper storey had been completed.

This remained until 1894 when it was modified to the present squared off shape.

REV. AMBROSE WILLIAM HALL MA [d. 1897 aged 83] ANN HALL HALL [d. 1867 aged 51] When Humphrey died in 1848 his son Rev. Ambrose Hall was effectively away from Walton.

He had already married Anne Farran when he went up to Peterhouse, Cambridge in 1837. He obtained a B.A in 1842, an M.A in 1845 and had become a priest in 1843. Ambrose was a trustee to the Reigate Turnpike Trust in 1840.

Walton Oaks, which had previously been let, was sold in 1848 to Josiah Squire who married Ambrose’s sister in law Sophia Farran.

Ambrose was twelve years as Vicar, at a newly built church at Long Cross, Chobham and he followed as Rector at Debden, Essex until 1866.

He then returned to the house at Walton described in the 1871 census as Hall’s Cottage.

At this time his daughter Caroline was with him.

Ambrose seems to have stayed at Walton only until the late 1870’s. During his time there the original cottage was extensively enlarged and modernised with the initials AWH and the date 1870 appearing on an outside chimneybreast.

Ambrose was also a prominent Freemason becoming Grand Chaplain of the Grand Lodge of England. He died in 1897 and was interred in the family vault at Sutton.

THE HALL FAMILY TOMB The Hall family tomb, dated 1812, in the churchyard of St Nicholas, Sutton, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons: Please mention T R I B U N E when responding to adverts

W A LTO N OA K S , T H E H E R M I TA G E & T H E C O T TA G E Architectural and Historic interest and Group value.

The Halls were a prominent local merchant family and had a long history connected with trade and commerce of London. They were members of the Drapers’ company and were for many years based in Hertfordshire. Ambrose Hall [1739-1815] described as being a merchant of London and of Sutton was the son of Thomas Hall and his wife Mary, was the daughter of Sir Ambrose Crowley, who traced his image back to King Edward I. Ambrose and Anne Hall were married in 1762, and lived at The Hermitage, Walton-onthe-Hill as well as London. They are buried with their son, Humphrey [1763-1848] and his wife Maria Jane [nee Nordaby, d 1865], and his son, Ambrose William Hall [d 1897], who was vicar of Longcross in Surrey, before moving to Debden in Essex, and his wife Anne [d 1867].

SAMUEL BOSTOCK [1809-1869] Born in Newington Surrey, a stockbroker who profited from investments on the London Stock Exchange during the mid-Victorian boom. His success allowed him to move his family to The Hermitage in 1857 where he cultivated the style of a country squire.

The East window of St Peter’s Church above the altar and the South one immediately adjacent were given in memory of Samuel Bostock, and his brother Hewitt by his widow Marion.

The two inscriptions read: “To the Glory of God and in memory of her husband Samuel Bostock of The Hermitage in this parish who died April 1 1869 and is buried in Norwood Cemetery. This window is erected by his widow Marion Bostock Nov 1869”.

“In Memory of his Brother Hewitt Bostock Died June 4 1859 aged 47”.

Marion [1830-1926] was eÉïáíí=_çëíçÅâK also born in Newington and

pí~áåÉÇ=Öä~ëë=ïáåÇçï==áå=pí=mÉíÉêÛë=`ÜìêÅÜK

later married Rev John Cave Brown in WaltonOn-The- Hill in 1884.

Hon. HEWITT BOSTOCK [1864-1930] Born on 31 May 1864 in Walton-On-The-Hill, the eldest son of Samuel Bostock and Marion Iliff.

He married Lizzie Jean McCombrie in Surbiton on 12 June 1890 and they had 4 daughters and 3 sons.

Hewitt graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge with a BA in 1885, and an MA in 1890. Hewitt was admitted to Lincoln’s Inn in 1883 and was called to the Bar in 1888, but never practiced. He became a rancher, businessman, and politician Bostock went to British Columbia, Canada and settled on a ranch at Monte Creek in 1893 and became a rancher and fruit grower. He did much to aid the development of British Columbia where he was the Senator from 1904 and was the leader of the Liberals in the Canadian Senate from 1914-1922, and a Privy Counsellor. He was Minister of Public Works from 1921-1922 and Speaker of the Canadian Senate from 1922-1930. Hewitt died on 28 April 1930 in Monte Creek BC. Robert Ruddell Final part to be published in next issue.

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MAY 2021 41

W A LTO N O N T H E H I L L C O N S E RVAT I O N A R E A

CONSERVATION AREA RE-CONSULTED Introduction In April 2012, Reigate and Banstead prepared a draft Appraisal for the Walton on the Hill conservation area. It was never formally adopted and the Council has recently re-consulted.

The document sets out the history of the village and analyses its townscape, the two main components consisting of the historic core of the village with its church, Green, pond and manor house, and the later Arts and Crafts estates comprising large houses in landscape settings. It also

applications. It should also help with appeals.

It also forms the basis of what we as the

examines the architectural features of the main

community can do. Many of the recommendations

building types and materials used. It recommends

are matters which we can follow up more effectively

changes to the boundary and sets out some of the

than the Council and, where necessary get grant aid.

main problem areas and opportunities for

Our list of proposals includes trying to standardise

improvement.

street furniture with an appropriate design, colour

The consultation

and materials (there are currently numerous types of

When the Council’s Conservation Officer asked the

bollards, inappropriate salt containers and litter bins

Residents Association for its views, we set up a small

for example), introducing more trees, replacing the

sub-committee and prepared a draft report which

standard lamp post lighting heads with heritage

was circulated by email to our members, put on the

energy efficient LED lights; and encouraging

Association’s web site and distributed via the Walton

improvements of private forecourts.

Forum. The resulting responses were taken into

We envisage setting up a small sub-committee

account in our final response to the Council. We also

which will implement these ideas following further

prepared a separate document with ideas on what

consultation on particular issues. George Curry who is

the community can do to implement some of the

a member of both the TWRA and Walton Forum has

recommendations. Both of these are on the

offered to chair this group and we know we have

Residents’ Association website.

the full support of our councillors, particularly Rachel

Subsequently the Conservation Officer organised a zoom meeting for those showing an interest and the

Turner who has assisted in our work to date.

If you have any ideas or would like to help, please

contents of the document and responses, including

contact us.

boundary changes, were discussed.

Another Conservation Area in Tadworth?

A final version of the appraisal will go to the

The Council is looking at additional areas which may

Council’s planning committee either in spring or

be worthy of conservation area designation,

summer.

including Tadworth. Although there have been a

Why it is important and the way ahead

number of recent infill developments in the older

The appraisal includes valuable information on what

parts, we have suggested an area including High

should be preserved in the conservation area and

Street, sections of Tadworth St. and Epsom Lane

where improvements can be made, so it will be used

South, Chapel Road and properties fronting onto the

by the Conservation Officer and the Development

Dorking Road. The Council will consult the property

Management planners when considering planning

owners before any decision is made.

42 MAY 2021

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% S TA N D I N G O R D E R F O R M Please complete all boxes highlighted with a green heading 1. Your Details

Ref No: Please use the first line of your address with no spaces

Your full name

Your Bank Branch name

Your address

Your Bank Sort code

Your telephone number

Your Account no. being debited

2. Details of your standing order Recipient’s names Tadworth & Walton Residents’ Association

First payment amount: £5 (Five pounds)

Recipient’s Bank and Branch name: TSB Bank, Station Approach, Tadworth

First payment date:

Recipient’s sort code: 30 98 43

Usual payment amount: £5 (Five pounds)

Recipient’s account number: 00110260

Further payments: Annually

3. Your agreement I authorise you to debit my account in accordance with the details in Section 2

Your signature:

Date:

PLEASE GIVE THIS TO YOUR BANK OR INSTRUCT ONLINE If you have already submitted a form to your Bank you do not need another.

To advertise call 01737 222307 or visit www.tadworthwaltonra.co.uk T R I B U N E

MAY 2021 43

TA D F E S T

FESTIVAL COMING TO TADWORTH

I

n 2019 a small group of enthusiastic Tadworth residents banded together with the idea of putting together a large scale annual community event to be launched in 2020. We all know what happened then! Now with vaccines coursing through the country’s veins and our collective appetite for a community event even greater, they are ready to announce… Tadfest 2022! You can expect a day packed with bands, stalls, games, food, refreshments and fun for the whole family. Tadfest will be not-for-profit and is supported by The Tadworth and Walton Residents Association and Surrey County Council.

Any money raised at Tadfest 2022 will be used to secure the future of annual

Tadfest events and to support its charity partners in equal measure. In 2022 the charity partner will be The Children’s Trust and we are delighted to hear that the event will be held on Saturday 18th June 2022 in the beautiful grounds of Tadworth Court. A website and facebook events pages are in the offing and tickets for Tadfest and other linked fundraising events will go on sale at a later date, but in the meantime, put the date in your calendar now!

If you would like to be part of Tadfest, whether as part of the organising team, a volunteer on the day, as a sponsor, stall-holder or whatever, they’d love to hear from you at teamtadfest@gmail.com.

E V SA E

TH E AT

D

44 MAY 2021

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Signature at Rosebery Manor - Delivering Peace of Mind.

Signature at Rosebery Manor has an unwavering commitment to creating a safe and welcoming environment for our residents. We welcome new residents, offering assisted living, nursing, dementia care and accommodation for couples in apartment style accommodation.

Residents can enjoy a varied programme of activities and entertainment in spacious communal areas that allow for social distancing.

“I have been massively impressed with the quality of the accommodation and the calibre of the staff from the start. Nothing is too much trouble, and everyone is unfailingly friendly.

During the current crisis, they have been amazing in the care they have continued to give to all the residents. When my time comes, I would love to think my son would send me here!”

Review from Emma, Daughter of Resident

To find out more about how Signature at Rosebery Manor can provide total peace of mind for you and your loved ones, please contact Sonia or Debbie on: 01372 541 815 | enquiries.rosebery@signaturesl.co.uk | signature-care-homes.co.uk

SOME USEFUL LOCAL CONTACTS Some Useful Local Contacts If you need to have something actioned by our local or Surrey Council, please consider trying to report it yourself first, rather than contacting our officers or Councillors. Thank you.

TWRA Committee Officers: Clive Elcome – Chairman clive.elcome@ukgateway.net – 01737 813110 Gillian Hein – Vice Chair & Tadworth Planning gillian.hein@virginmedia.com Robin Parr-Davies – Treasurer robin@parr-davies.com – 01737 812871 Gillian Bockmeulen – Secretary gbockmeulen@hotmail.com – 01737 814989 Mike Fox – Membership Secretary, Neighbourhood Watch & Police Liaison mike.fox2@ntlworld.com – 01737 350452 Richard Harris – Walton Planning rcharris33@hotmail.com – 01737 813784 Patricia Brookwick – TWTW – 07949 209 234 Jubilee Woodland Management Committee Officers: Rachel Turner – Chair & Local Councillor Cllr.turner-banstead.gov.uk – 01737 812565 Gillian Hein – Secretary Robin Parr-Davies – Treasurer Gillian Bockmeulen – Community Liaison Local Councillors representing our ward: Rachel Turner – Borough Councillor – cllr.turner@reigate-banstead.gov.uk Rod Ashford – Borough Councillor – cllr.ashford@reigate-banstead.gov.uk Jamie Paul – Borough Councillor Cllr.paul@reigate-banstead.gov.uk (up till 7th May –after that date see our website) Jeff Harris – Surrey County Councillor (up till 7th May – after that date see our website) – Jeffrey.harris@surreycc.gov.uk Member of Parliament: Crispin Blunt MP – crispinbluntmp@parliament.uk Westminster Office – 0207 219 2254 Constituency Office - 01737 222756 Reigate & Banstead Borough Council: 01737 276000 (Emergency number & outside office hours – 0151 221 2928) reigate-banstead.gov.uk/contact_us Joint Enforcement Team. To report abandoned vehicles, anti-social behaviour, fly tipping, graffiti, litter, dog fouling etc., please contact the Joint Enforcement Team (JET) on-line at: www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk/report or 01737 276300 Surrey County Council: contact.centre@surreycc.gov.uk - 03456 009 009

46 MAY 2021

SCC Highways Department: Report potholes and damaged pavements at www.surreycc.gov.uk/highways Emergency roads and transport issues – 0300 200 1003 Emergency Numbers: Gas Leak Emergency Number – 0800 111 999 Surrey Police – 01483 571212 or 101 Police Non-Emergency Number – 101 Anti-terrorist hotline - 0800 789 321 NHS Advice Number - 111 Emergency Welfare Support: Surrey County Council's Community Helpline - 0300 200 1008 Red Cross Coronavirus support line 0808 1963651 Mental health: 24hr NHS helpline - 0800 915 4644 Samaritans - 116 123 Domestic abuse - East Surrey Domestic Abuse Services: 01737 771350 24hr National Domestic Abuse Helpline 0808 2000 247 Bereavement support: Cruse Bereavement Care - 01737 772834 or 0844 477 9400 Local Medical Centres: Heathcote Medical Centre – 01737 360202 Tadworth Medical Centre – 01737 303217 Local Hospitals: Epsom General – 01372 735735 Leatherhead – 01372 384384 East Surrey (Redhill) – 01737 768511 St Helier – 020 8296 2000 Local Chemists: Jubichem – 16, Shelvers Way, Tadworth – 01737 813131 Day Lewis Pharmacy – 20, Cross Road, Tadworth – 01737 813130 Walton Pharmacy – 12, Walton Street Walton on the Hill – 01737 813251 Downs Pharmacy – 33 Tattenham Crescent, Epsom Downs – 01737 354714 Local Charities: Dyscover - 01737 819419 Friends of St Peter’s Church, Walton on the Hill – 01737 813832 Living at Home Scheme – Banstead.liveathome@mhjs.org.uk Tadworth & Walton Overseas Aid Trust – 01737 350452 The Children’s Trust – 01737 365 000 Local Scout & Guide Groups: Tadworth: Beaver, Cubs and Scouts Fiona Hawker - 01737 358097 Walton: Rainbows, Brownies, Cubs and Guides - Avril Farley - 01737 356160 or Anna Yates waltonscoutgroup@hotmail.com Local Schools: Chinthurst – 01737 812011

Walton on the Hill Primary – 01737 812103 Tadworth Primary – 01737 354541 The Children’s Trust School - 01737 365810 Local Groups & Committees: The Gage Players, Amateur Drama Group – Box Office - 01737 812703, Membership friends@thegageplayers.co.uk The Open Group – Mo Atkins - 01737 813834 or Pauline Shaw – 01737 812223 Local History Society – Peter Denyer – 01372 377337 Walton Village Forum – Grant Webster – 01737 819915 St Peter’s Mothers Union – Karen Rand 01737 213311 Good Shepherd Mother’s Union Margaret Fitch - 01737 812047 Walton Warriors Football Club – chair@waltonwarriors.co.uk Tadworth, Kingswood, Lower Kingswood, Walton & Burgh Heath Litter Picking Group - Sharon Cranfield - 07852 571047 Kingswood, Walton & Tadworth Horticultural Society – Keith Lewis 01737 210707 Banstead u3a www.u3asites.org.uk/banstead/home Tadworth Cricket Club – secretary@tadworthcricketclub.co.uk The Walton on the Hill Arts Society: info@theartssocietywaltononthehill.org.uk Local Churches: St John The Evangelist Church, Tadworth – 01737 813102 Church of the Good Shepherd, Tadworth – 01737 813152 St Peter’s Church, Walton – 01737 812105 Christchurch URC, Walton – 01737 813494 Local Halls: Church of the Good Shepherd Hall, Tadworth – 01737 819646 or ergogery2@madasafish.com St John’s Church Hall, Tadworth – bookings@stjohnstadworth.org.uk Breech Lane Community Centre, Walton – 01737 819959 Christchurch Hall, Walton – 01737 813494 Lord Riddell Hall, Walton – 01737 813265 Walton Primary School – 017837 812103 Walton Scout & Guide hall, bookings boddys@btinternet.com Please let us know if you want to be included in this directory, or if your number needs correction, at Jeffrey.Templeuk@GMail.com

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