Kingswood Village Voice March 2023

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KINGSWOOD VILLAGE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

A charity run entirely by volunteers - Registered Charity No. 275187

The Village Hall, Waterhouse Lane, Kingswood KT20 6EB

Chairman Bob Gunn

Kingsdene, Furze Hill, Kingswood KT20 6EP 07504 060758 Email: kvcachair@gmail.com

Secretary Maxine Swan

Longbour n, 33 Woodland Way, Kingswood KT20 6NU 07534 410295 Email:maxine.swan@mail.com

Treasurer Antony Hawker

The Holt, Alcocks Lane, Kingswood KT20 6BB 01737 358097 Email: kvca@ecit.uk

Committee Members Sue Camblin …………….. 01737 833823

James Chatfield ………….. 01737 353248

Penny Chatfield ………….. 01737 353248

Chantal Cox ………………. 07957 810771

Steve Kippen ……………… 01737 832757

Tamara Mount …………… 07376 120660

Juliet Quartermain ……….. 07775 901719

Sarah W ilson …………….. 01737 833370

KADDS Judy Par nall ………………. 01737 830888

Hall Bookings Penny Chatfield ………….. 01737 353248

Strictly between 4pm and 7pm, Monday to Friday only

Email: pen.chatfield@btinter net.com

Hall Managers Simon & Sheila Peacock …. 01737 371397

THE VILLAGE VOICE

Content Editor Bob Gunn ………………… 07504 060758

Email: kvcachair@gmail.com

Advertising Editor Juliet Quartermain ……….. 07775 901719

Email: jqemail@icloud.com

The print run for The Village Voice is 1,600 copies. It is delivered free to all households and businesses in Kingswood by our dedicated team of volunteer distributors. The Village Voice is published four times a year: March/June/September/December with copy dates of 31st January, 30th April, 31st July and 31st October. All proceeds from The Village Voice support the Kingswood Village Hall and other community activities provided by the KVCA.

Statements and opinions in The Village Voice, unless expressly written, are not necessarily those of the Kingswood Village Community Association. Material in The Village Voice may not be reproduced in any form without the permission of the Editor.

NOTES FROM THE CHAIR

My KVCA colleague Sarah Wilson is the Guest Editor of this edition of The Village Voice, as I was overseas at the critical time for its preparation. My thanks to her for doing such an excellent job.

Many of you who read our village magazine play an active part

in our community life. You help to run the many village clubs and organisations; you are distributors of The Village Voice and KRA Road Stewards; you are involved with Kingswood Heritage, KNEC or KingswoodSafe, looking after sections of our village; you perform in or support plays and concerts at the Village Hall; you pick litter to keep our village clean; you support the shops and businesses which are so important to our village.

Whatever part you play, “thank you” on behalf of the KVCA. Our mission is to create and sustain ‘community spirit’ in Kingswood, and what you do plays an important part in that. I would therefore like to invite you to our AGM on Wednesday 12 April at 7.30pm, so that you can hear about those things that the KVCA is doing, and I hope contribute your ideas and enthusiasm to our programme for the rest of 2023 and beyond. AGM details are in the poster on page 30. I do hope to see you there.

In the December Village Voice I told you about the new roof insulation which is helping us to keep our energy costs at the Village Hall lower than they would otherwise be, and reducing our carbon footprint. Thanks again to the Reigate & Banstead Borough Council for the funding. We have had a professional energy survey of the Hall undertaken and, using the results of that, we have other plans being developed to

improve the Hall further. I will summarise progress at the AGM. By then I also hope that we will have in place the new Village Sign opposite our Waterhouse Lane shops, again funded by R&BBC through their Community Infrastructure Levy fund. We are indebted to my KVCA colleague Steve Kippen for project managing both the roof insulation and the village sign project.

My other KVCA colleagues also contribute greatly to our Kingswood community. They are listed on page 3, but I would like you to know a little of what each of them does. Maxine Swan is our Secretary and organises our meeting, minutes, actions. Antony Hawker is Treasurer, so is heavily involved in invoicing (and unfortunately chasing) amounts due to KVCA from Hall Users and advertisers in The Village Voice. Antony also seeks grants and gives us very clear information on our financial position at any time. Sue Camblin is working on live music concerts at our Hall. James Chatfield is our legal expert, is developing our new constitution and also writes interesting articles for our magazine. His wife Penny is our Hall Booking Secretary, without whom the Hall simply could not operate. Chantal Cox is now dealing with the quarterly distribution of The Village Voice. In addition to his project management skills, Steve Kippen is our go-to man for anything practical to do with the Village Hall – he knows it better than anyone else. Tamara Mount is our well-being mentor, organising support groups, running ‘Feel-Good Friday’ meetings and organising

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concerts bringing neighbouring villages together. Juliet Quartermain has boosted the income we earn from advertisements in The Village Voice through the excellent relations she builds with our advertisers. And she also helps lead the Litterpickers. Our gardening guru is Sarah Wilson, leading our work on improving the station gardens and the nature strip around the Hall car park, as well as writing articles for The Village Voice and editing this edition.

All of them, however, contribute much more than those brief resumes suggest. They contribute their ideas and imagination for things that will make our Kingswood community better, and importantly their enthusiasm for then helping to bring those things about. Their commitment to our village is invaluable. Do you have ideas, imagination, enthusiasm and want to make our village a better place? You could join us

in the KVCA, either on the committee or as a special helper. Please get in touch with me if you would like to discuss.

In December we welcomed Coughlans Bakery and Bottega Lounge to our exclusive retail strip. Now, unfortunately, we have to say goodbye to No 12 Restaurant, which had to close at the very end of 2022. We are sorry to see them go. These are tough times for all local retailers, but especially for restaurants. Do please support the local businesses which remain in Kingswood.

Please take advantage of all the things which go on in our village, either at the Village Hall, or those provided by the clubs and organisations you can read about in the pages of this magazine. Please come along to our AGM on 12 April. My best wishes for the rest of 2023.

Bob Gunn, KVCA Chair kvcachair@gmail.com

SOMETHING MUST BE DONE!

I had been clever enough to fracture my wrist and injure my hip outside our village hall at the beginning of December. This incident has given me an unforgettable insight into our precious, tottering NHS. I want to try and explain the good and bad that I have experienced.

Obviously, I am speaking from my own experience, but the ambulance arrived very quickly - fortunately they were nearby. They were extremely caring and sympathetic and drove me to St Helier hospital. Unfortunately that day there were so many patients waiting for A&E that we were stacked in trolleys and in 3 days I never got to an actual ward, coming up from the first night in A&E where sleep was impossible, because of the bright lights and the noise. My clothes were thrown into a corner and I could not go to the toilet as I couldn’t walk

and needed a bedpan. I wasn’t offered this facility from 1 pm until 2 am.

Some of the nursing staff were grouchy and surly, others were better and kinder. I do realise their job is difficult but if our system does not allow for even basic nursing care when people are in extremis it absolutely must be changed. People are supposedly put in these waiting rooms temporarily and therefore given hardly any care, but the fact is, it hasn’t worked out

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like that, and patients are ending up in a “temporary” situation for many hours and overnight, as I was, in extreme discomfortand I fully realise I was better off than a lot of others.

I heard a lot of yelling and arguing and nursing staff trying to control unruly and desperate patients. One man was shouting for hours on end, another was put in handcuffs by the police. I would not have believed it if I had not seen it or heard it. There is not enough nursing staff to cope with the number of patients, and the extreme pressure is making a lot of them overtired and resentful. This is well known but until you experience it you don’t realise it. We need to wake up and quickly.

On the plus side I have had brilliant medical care - for free - my arm was quickly x-rayed and set in plaster and I felt no pain while it was done. I finished up in a temporary medical ward next to a lady who was in extreme pain and moaning and screaming out incessantly for the whole

night. I have no idea what was wrong with her, but it sounded terrible.

As I am my husband’s main carer I was worried about how we would manage, but how fortunate we were that my stepdaughter Sarah, a professional care manager, moved in with her partner Paul, a retired naval chef, to take care of us. I’m so grateful to them and my main fear then was that we were both going to put on far too much weight!

Clearly something has to be done about our brilliant but struggling NHS and please Mr Sunak, value the jobs that nursing staff do. It is so much in our interests, as I found out. They will be getting chocolates for Christmas and Santa hats from me, and I will do what I can to publicise their plightit’s the least I can do.

Primrose Drake

HOMES FOR UKRAINE –A LOCAL UPDATE

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022, the Council has proudly shown and provided support to Ukraine in many ways, from flying the Ukrainian flag, to lighting up the Town Hall, to being one of the first Councils in Surrey to publicly announce our involvement in the National visa scheme.

chance for sponsors and guests to meet other people, ask questions, get advice, socialise and practice English. We have 2 of these dropins each week which provide easy access to services from the Council and our partners. At the Ukrainian Independence Day event in August over 300 Ukrainians, sponsors and supporters come together to celebrate this important day in the Ukrainian calendar. Hearing the stories of people, and the rousing rendition of the Ukrainian national anthem will stay with me for a very long time.

The 2 schemes which allow those affected by the war to settle in the UK, RBBC currently have 297 individuals settled in the Borough, I am proud to say that every Ward is providing safe homes for fleeing Ukrainians. Unlike any previous resettlement schemes that the Council has been involved in, the homes for Ukrainians are all provided by local ‘sponsors’ – residents who want to pro-actively help by opening up their homes and allowing Ukrainian ‘guests’ to live with them. There are many things that the Council are required to do including property inspections, DBS checks on sponsors, administering payments and safeguarding checks. In addition, we are choosing to provide, through the Resettlement Team, leisure activities, coordination with voluntary sector organisations, connection to our Community Centres and providing ongoing support to our sponsors and their guests.

We are also the only Council locally who are providing weekly drop ins offering the

Thanks are due to the sponsors who have willingly opened their homes. From before their guests arrive, they are on hand to support all aspects of the guests’ needs from practical tasks such as registering at a local GP, applying for school places, supporting benefits claims, opening a bank account to providing emotional support, advice around work readiness and a sense of community belonging.

I would like to pay particular thanks to members of our existing local Ukrainian community, local support groups – including those around Kingswood – Council officers and our many dedicated sponsors, who are working tirelessly to ensure that we continue to respond to the needs of the newest members of our communities.

Councillor Caroline Neame, Executive Member for Housing and Support and Ward Councillor for Chipstead, Kingswood and Woodmansterne.

Ukrainian family, photo by Tim Markey

CHRISTMAS PARTY FOR OUR UKRAINIAN GUESTS AND THEIR HOSTS

The Church of The Good Shepherd and Kingswood Support for Ukrainian Families held a very successful, surprise Christmas party for Ukrainian families living within our community.

A coffee morning at Tadworth Church had raised some funds to pay for the party. We wanted to make a gesture of showing our guests, from a war affected country, our hospitality and to ensure they enjoyed their stay here as they tried to adapt to their new lives. We turned to Reigate and Banstead Council and Cllr. Jodie Phillips to send out our Christmas party invitation, translated into Ukrainian and Russian, to all the individuals and families in our local area. We very soon started to receive replies to confirm their interest in our party project.

The party was to be held at St. John’s Church Hall in Tadworth. Heather Wooddin, Jean Tattam and Tamara Mount put their heads together to create a beautiful event, which was to be completely different from a Ukrainian Christmas. We knew that our Ukrainian guests celebrate Orthodox Christmas on January 7th. We found out the names and ages of the children who were to attend the party, so Father Christmas could deliver presents to them. Jean, Tamara and Heather made sure there was enough food, drinks and a beautiful Christmas cake.

We were a bit nervous on the day of

the party as we were not sure how many guests would come, but we were ready to accommodate fifty guests. The hall looked very festive, decorated with beautiful Christmas decorations. As the guests arrived, they seemed very happy to meet other local Ukrainian families in the area. Tim Astin, the Vicar from The Church of the Good Shepherd, was our DJ for the afternoon. The children loved their Christmas presents. The novelty of Christmas crackers was shared in a circle and very soon we all had paper crowns on our heads and laughed at the silly jokes! The guests enjoyed a Magic Show and the children enthusiastically helped to make balloon animals. The highlight of the show was Marky the Magician’s white rabbit, which appeared out of a top hat! Yuliia, our renowned musician from Ukraine, entertained us with some poignant songs which were a touch of home for our guests.

We thank all the volunteers who helped in this joint effort to give our guests from Ukraine and their hosts an afternoon of joy and happiness. We send special thanks to Chris Standing, Father Christmas Yuliia and to the White Bunny! Judging by the faces of the children and their families it was a great success and it really brought us together.

W ith the remaining money and more from some new fund-raising events, we are eager to do other events which will connect our community.

If you would like to help with some ideas for future events to help Ukrainians in our area, please contact:

Mount.tamara111@ googlemail.com or hcwoodin@yahoo.co.uk

Marky the Magician’s white rabbit

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FEEL-GOOD FRIDAY TALKS WITH TAMARA: CREATING A ‘HEALTHY ZONE’ IN OUR LOCAL AREA

The idea of creating a healthier and a happier community turned into a ‘movement’ that has a ‘ripple effect’ in Kingswood and beyond, even other counties! And it does not end just with our monthly Feel-Good Friday Talks: it has expanded into a variety of ideas on how to connect with our locals, how to create a place of living through togetherness, learning through joy and fun and by enriching our own minds, helping others to reorganise their priorities in life that will help them feel in control of their reality.

As we meet in Kingswood Village Hall every last Friday of the month, we have our regular participants, such as our “poet on call,” as I have named her, our dear Patricia Irvine, who said: “A Kingswood friend introduced me to the idea of the “Feel Good Friday Talks” last summer. Initially, I didn’t fully understand the idea, or indeed the intended concept, but I was curious and felt that any such positive endeavour deserved to be investigated and possibly supported. I attended that September and have continued to do so…

Anything which aims to bring people together in a safe, hopeful and tranquil environment, where there is an opportunity to explore a variety of life issues from varying perspectives surely makes sense! I would describe meetings as such an ‘opportunity’ to view life where balance, holistic avenues and a wealth of other aspects can be explored without fear or concern. The outcome is likely to enrich all those who take part. We all have something to learn from others and something

to teach others. All we need to do is listen with a wideopen heart, share with others if it ‘feels right,’ and take part if inspired… “Speak and I will listen~ Lead and I will follow ~ Inspire me and I will lead…’”

There are so many people in our community who are full of wisdom that we can learn from. At our Feel-Good Friday Talks they have a platform to share their knowledge and through fun and joy, encourage others to participate in a safe and nonjudgemental place. After all, we are all human, we are all ‘cavepeople’ inside, we have the same set of chemicals and hormones that drive our behaviour and emotions, so the more we learn about who we are, the more we can do to be our own creators. Life happens, everyone has a story and what we do in the given moment will be determined by our own understanding of our abilities.

In the wester n world when it comes to improving health, people tend to focus on exercise and what we put into our mouths:

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

organic food, supplements, micronutrients and yet, in places such as Okinawa or Ikaria, where people have a fundamentally strong social structure, diet is just one small part of it. People stay engaged in the community through social activities and family life.

Carmen Lenox is another person that brings joy to our meetings, though sometimes reminds us that we can modify our guilty pleasures of having a drink or two or sweets and treats but keeps us informed about the ways of how to think of diet as a preventive lifestyle. Her knowledge and a positive attitude towards food as fuel and information that our bodies need to thrive and keep in balance give us basics on how we function and if something is out of order, we can recognise and adjust. This is Carmen’s experience of our FGFT: “I have found being a part of Feel-Good Friday Talks so uplifting. I came along to the first talk and was blown away, not only by Tamara and her knowledge, but by the community, who are so open and welcoming! I am a nutritional therapist and I give talks on how we eat can directly feed into not only how we function, but how nutrition can affect other key areas in our life. It has been such a joy to talk monthly for FGFT, I am constantly being inspired by the other speakers and the lovely group who are always so eager and engaging with each talk.”

We had a few interesting and joyful speakers, from artists, to psychologists, health

coaches, chiropractors, yoga teachers. As we are moving forward in the New Year, more locals are preparing for the next few months and we will have a doctor talking about the joy and health benefits of gardening and being outdoors; a very interesting talk on the pilgrimage to Santiago, with some amazing ways to tune into our psyche through various means that will open some other doors to our being; there will be a magician, when we talk about attention and perception, we will learn that our realities are not always the same and that we don’t have to shout at others if they cannot see it through our own eyes!!! Sometimes we are literally not on the same wavelength! Talking about wave lengths and music, we will have a neuroscientist in May who will demonstrate alongside a pianist how to tap into our brain waves, how to liven up the feelings or calm down the mind and maybe have a sing-along! We will have an artist from Australia on her way to Sicily and talk about how ‘cave people’ communicated even before the spoken word; and much more. All this through fun of being together and learning with joy!

We are all students in life; we need inspiring teachers to motivate us to learn and share. Teach yourself and teach others. Be a participant in this creation of a ‘healthy zone’ in your environment. The reality is not set in stone; the more we learn, the easier we can shape it to our needs. We are loving, social beings, always remember that.

For more information and if you would like to participate in any of our future talks, please contact me on: mount.tamara111@ googlemail.com or 07376120660.

With all of your moving costs covered, you can use your village credit to save on:

Energy Bills

Our well insulated properties are built with energy efficient heating systems to reduce heat loss.

Transportation

Use our village transport services from your local trips to reduce your vehicle running costs.

Groceries

Our warm and vibrant restaurants are ready to welcome you for your evening meals or your morning coffee.

TUTTI FESTI CONCERT AS WE CELEBRATE TOGETHERNESS

Kingswood Village Community Association (KVCA) and our local area, Tadworth and Lower Kingswood, had started a beautiful initiative to bring people together, closer, to create a happier and a healthier community. We know that to have a fulfilling life, we need each other, because love for our fellow human beings can lift us, inspire us to be the be the best version of ourselves and through our shining light, we help others to shine as well.

This Tutti Festi concert had been a joint venture between our local talents from different parishes, different cultures and different music traditions. We are so fortunate to live in this beautiful area and the best way to connect people is through music, laughter, joy and living in the moment when the outside world is forgotten and we sing together in unison.

As people welcomed all the performers who provided the most amazing atmosphere of joy, happiness and connectiveness, I have asked one of our old residents from Kingswood Village to share his experience of the evening and here is what Peter Temperton had to say:

“Sitting in the audience, after having left

Kingswood in 2006 after 35 years in residence, I was struck by the very amiable atmosphere and old friendships. As the excellent Compere, Ron Searle, remarked-the evening epitomised the sense of togetherness, which I most certainly shared as I knew more people than I expected and those I did not know seemed to share that same feeling.

The quality of the two outstanding choirs from Kingswood and Tadworth and two sopranos, Kasumi Brooker and Primrose Drake accompanied on the piano by Juliet Chaplin, was extraordinary and brought so much joy by drawing classical music closer to our hearts. The surprise package of the evening was the appearance of two highly talented Eastern Europeans, one from Ukraine, who is a guest at one of our residents, a lady named Yuliia Komishan and a fantastic performer and entertainer, Serge Pachnine, of Russian origin, whose presence added to the feeling of togetherness as well as pure awe of their extraordinary talents. Yuliia played an instrument called Bandura, shaped like an oversized guitar with 64 strings and harp overtones, that most of those present had never seen or heard of before and we were

In the world in which people go through their own life stories, we must be reminded that TOGETHER we can bring peace to any heart through joy, laughter and care for one another.

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informed that this instrument, particular to Ukraine, had to have a special permission to be taken out of the country. Yuliia caressed that bandura to produce a lovely sound, almost like an orchestra, with sound including a piano, a hard and a guitar.

Serge played a button accordion and he was not only a fabulous musician, but a very funny comedian-apart from his own renditions, he persuaded the audience to join with some of his songs and ended the evening with a comical and boisterous version of “Those Were The Days My Friend,” after I, my friend Vicky and others from the audience assisted with the rhythm with objects like a football rattle, spoons and a washboard. What a fun way to bring people together! And what a wonderful experience for those present, with some saying they weren’t even missing “Strictly” a bit!

That feeling of together ness between old friends and new acquaintances will be a lasting memory. My sincere thanks and appreciation go in particular to those who performed so

well and the organisers of the KVCA, well done indeed!”

The Choir to The Church of The Good Shepherd in Tadworth, with their music director Tim Carey and The Choir of The Parish of Kingswood, with their Choir Director-Jane Searle, have provided the most angelic music and voices to lift the spirits up and bring heavenly sounds close to our senses. Music itself is powerful, but enhanced by beautiful voices, it brings us closer to each other as we all shared pure bliss in one place without any distraction of the world beyond the self.

Ron Searle brought lightness and humour to the stage with his amazing stories and lively presence. As we were closing the evening of sheer joy, we pledged to continue our mission of togetherness and take it further out to a wider community. People sang together, laughed together, joined hands together. We bridged the boundaries and we have to be grateful that we have had the opportunity to do it together. People left the Hall with full hearts and smiles on their faces. As Vicki Kennedy concluded: “Thank you, Tamara, for arranging such a wonderful evening of music, singing and entertainment celebrating “Tutti Festi”, the spirit of togetherness, something we all need so much in these stressful times. Hope this will be the first of many more concerts, I can’t wait for the next time.”

At the end of this uplifting concert, we all sang “We’ll Meet Again”, as we will carry this spirit even further: Tutti Festi 2023! will take place in Tadworth in the summer of 2023 with more participants and more local artists involved. Thank you all who participated in Tutti Festi 2022, a team effort of many on the stage and behind the scene as we all made it happen! We love you! We will definitely meet again.

Tamara Mount mount.tamara111@ googlemail.com

Yuliia Komishan, Ron Seattle, Serge Pachnine

Jane Searle leads the Choir of The Parish of Kingswood

HELPING PEOPLE LIVE WELL BEYOND DIAGNOSIS

The Brigitte Trust is a Surrey-wide charity that was established in 1984 by Surrey resident Brigitte Watkin. She experienced the lonely deaths of several friends who died in hospital. They were in need of emotional support and Brigitte was not allowed to be with them in their final hours as she was “not a relative”.

Thankfully times have changed, but there is still a huge need for someone to listen and share some of the worries and fears after a diagnosis of cancer, organ failure or a neurological condition.

Our Volunteers are provided with comprehensive training, support and ongoing development. All volunteers are DBS checked. We received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2012, the MBE for Voluntary Groups.

The Trust offers a free volunteer service of emotional, practical and social support to adults who are facing life-limiting conditions, and their carers – support that complements the essential work of the clinical teams. The same volunteer visits every week and builds a relationship with the client, and the Trust is

often told that having someone from outside the family circle to talk to can be such a help.

The service is offered throughout Surrey and the call is out for more volunteers! Make friends, learn new skills and do something really worthwhile. Contact Mandy East, Volunteer & Training Manager on 07814 747585 or mandy.east@brigittetrust.com to find out more or apply via our website: www.brigittetrust.org/become-a-volunteer/

Lucy Beach Charity Manager The Brigitte Trust www.brigittetrust.org

KADDS ARE BEING SPIRITED

There are a few plays that seem to come up regularly in the world of local drama groups and that people get excited to take part in. One of these is the classic by Noel Coward, Blithe Spirit, and KADDS are delighted that it is coming to Kingswood in June.

It is a wonderfully funny play, with really witty writing and some amazing characters. Madame Arcati is one of the truly great comic roles. It is a coveted part and has been played on stage and screen by many of the best character actresses including Margaret Rutherford, Angela Lansbury and, most recently, Jennifer Saunders. And don’t forget the other characters including the novelist Charles, his second, rather up-tight, wife Ruth and the ethereal Elvira.

The play has a particular resonance for me as it was the first one in which I took a backstage role, stage managing a school production when I was 15, and had so much fun that I fell in love with the production roles in the theatre. So, you will often find me hanging about in the wings, moving props

around and making sure that the actors have everything that they need

Georgie Lucas, who we have seen in her comic powers, is directing. We have a great cast who are busy rehearsing and there is a fantastic crew busy designing and planning the set and staging. It will be a feast for the eyes and a really enjoyable evening too.

T ickets are already available from Ticketsource (www.ticketsource.co.uk/ kadds) and the Kingswood Stores. It is sure to sell out, so do get yours early to avoid disappointment. And we look forward to seeing you there.

Judy Parnall KADDS Committee Chair kaddskingswood@gmail.com

KVCA AGM & KADDS AGM

Wednesday 12 April 2023

starting at 7.30pm at Kingswood Village Hall

Join us to hear what’s going on in your village and especially at your village hall and in your village magazine.

A Fish & Chip meal will be served between the two AGMs. Tickets are £12.50 each.

You are very welcome to attend either or both AGM’s without having the meal.

Please book tickets for the meal by 31 March at www.ticketsource.co.uk/KADDS

If you have any difficulty please contact Judy Parnall by email kaddskingswood@gmail.com or by phone

KRA - PLANS FOR 2023

It was fantastic to be able to welcome so many of you to the Village Hall when our KRA coffee mornings finally returned to the village in February. Until Covid, these regular Saturday morning events were a hugely popular part of the calendar of Kingswood life, giving residents the chance to hear what’s happening in our community ‘straight from the horse’s mouth’. Judging by the turn-out last month, they’ve been very much missed.

If you haven’t been before these coffee mornings will give you a chance to meet the KRA committee, who work tirelessly on your behalf, as well as local councillors and the police. Members of our dedicated planning team are there to offer one-to-one advice on anything that’s concerning you. There is also the chance to speak face-to-face with officers from Surrey Police about crime and security which has, undoubtedly, become the number one topic of concern among many residents.

There’s another KRA coffee morning planned for Saturday April 15, so put the date in your calendar now. And remember, you don’t even need to be a KRA member to attend – although there will be a chance to sign up when you’re there.

As the year progresses, we’d like to introduce some ‘themed’ events with, say, a speaker on a subject that’s of concern to our residents. It could be about transport, to discuss cuts to our local rail service and the lack of any bus service in the village or about ways to improve the appearance of the area or how to make Kingswood environmentally ‘greener’. Please let us know what you’d like to hear more about.

One of the subjects that will no doubt be high on everyone’s list is our roads. With the arrival of what promises to be an early Spring, with milder weather and extra daylight hours, the appalling state of repair of many of our local roads is becoming increasingly apparent.

Potholes like craters have appeared in Furze Hill and stretches of the A217, and surrounding roads can seem more like mountain tracks in the Himalayas fit for the latest Top Gear challenge, than legally-compliant UK roads. The KRA is working closely with our Surrey County Councillor, Rebecca Paul, and other local residents’ associations to try to ensure that roads, road signs and drainage repairs are a top priority on which your money is spent.

As well as actively campaigning against the cuts which have been made to local rail services, the KRA has also taken the rail operators to task for changes to car parking arrangements at the station, where you can no longer buy a parking ticket at the ticket office but must now pay online. We have written to complain both to the rail company, Govia Thameslink Railway, and the company that operates the station car park, Apcoa, and, at the time of writing, are awaiting a reply.

Finally, I just wanted to let you know that the KRA’s Annual General Meeting is being held in the Village Hall on the evening of Tuesday March 21. Please do come along to find out more about what we do on behalf of the community – and enjoy a free glass of wine on us!

David Floyd, KRA Chair contacts@kingswoodvillage.org

PLANNING, HOUSING AND CIL PROJECTS

Planning

Planning in Reigate and Banstead is governed both by national law and by our Development Management Plan (DMP), which was approved in 2019 and runs to 2027. This sets out long term planning policies which affect us all. The Council needs to ensure that the DMP is updated well before 2027 and the Council is starting work now on the next version. This will involve us all - there will be presentations, consultation and lots of opportunities to comment.

When a planning application is made for a location near your home you’ll see a site notice pinned to a lamppost or tree near the site, and those who lives adjacent to the site or nearby will receive a letter from the Council. There’s usually plenty of time to do so, so don’t rush - think about what you want to say, and then submit your comments, which you can do multiple times if you’ve forgotten something.

If you have worries about any application then please do get in direct contact with one of your Borough Councillors - Simon, Caroline or Tim. Our details are below. We have the ability to take any application, however small, to the Council’s Planning Committee, and we will ensure that the highest levels of scrutiny are applied as required.

Housing

We had a very busy December and, apart from business-as-usual, we successfully moved 32 households into our new social/affordable housing in Redhill in time for Christmas.

W ith the sudden drop in temperature the housing team went into full action with the support of volunteer groups to bring in all rough sleepers. This proved to be a very difficult task as, during Covid, night shelters had been shut for fear of cross-

contamination between guests. Officers worked throughout the night, contacting emergency accommodation facilities both within and outside our Borough and managed to make offers of accommodation to all the street people known to the Council.

We are now in discussion with Renewed Hope Trust, a local charity which specialises in night shelters, to re-establish a night shelter in the Borough during the winter months.

Local Community projects

Finally, another reminder to you that local community projects are being financially supported by RBBC’s Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) scheme - the new trees in Waterhouse Lane, the new village signs and the newly insulated Village Hall roof. CIL projects can be proposed by individual local residents and if you have a project in mind that you think might transform our community, however big or small, then please do get in touch with us.

Contacts: cllr.parnall@reigate-banstead.gov.uk

01737 830888

cllr.neame@reigate-banstead.gov.uk

07767 782473

cllr.archer@reigate-banstead.gov.uk

07854 175053

www.reigate-banstead.gov.uk

Simon Parnall, Caroline Neame and Tim Archer

KINGSWOOD AND THE CHIPSTEAD VALLEY RAILWAY

The railway was late arriving at Kingswood. By the end of the 19th century most places had been connected to the national network, but it did not reach Kingswood until 1897. Although only twenty miles from central London, Kingswood, Tadworth and Walton-on-the-Hill were remote hamlets nestling in rural countryside on the top of the North Downs.

The person responsible for changing this isolation was the local MP Cosmo Bonsor of Kingswood Warren. His original proposal to connect the district was to extend the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway from the existing Epsom Downs Station to one running through the Chipstead Valley to be built by the South Eastern Railway. To achieve this he became elected as a director of the SER in 1894, eventually becoming its chairman in 1898 with the intention of joining the two lines. However there were major topographical difficulties in constructing a railway which would link Epsom Downs with the Chipstead Valley. Without major engineering works such as extensive tunnelling, the line would have been unable to traverse the summit of the North Downs. Since the primary motivation for the scheme was to take advantage of the traffic generated by the racecourse – at that time the Derby was the biggest sporting event in the country – the line also needed to be more accessible for race-goers than the existing LBSCR Epsom Downs station. What Bonsor really wanted however, was to construct a branch line along the Chipstead valley to carry agricultural produce and provide better access to London from Kingswood, Tadworth and Walton. So as well as providing a more convenient way of reaching Epsom racecourse, he also had an eye on the development potential for high status housing in the bucolic Surrey Hills, accessible by a direct line accessible to the City of London. The Chipstead Valley railway built by the SER

between 1897 and 1900 achieved this aim.

The influence of Bonsor as chairman of the SER can be seen in the design of Kingswood Station as the most elegant on the Chipstead Valley line. Originally called Kingswood and Burgh Heath it still has an extensive canopy attached to the three storey station house on the Up Platform. This it is said to have had an open air terrace as part of the first floor tea room which remained until the 1920’s. The evidence for this is the railings around its perimeter as shown in Figure 1. The drive from his house at Kingswood Warren led directly to the station, running through a roadway behind the Down Platform. Bonsor’s coachman sheltered his horse and carriage to collect him from the train in the space which still exists under the road bridge.

A train can be seen approaching in the far distance with the road bridge carrying Waterhouse Lane, a semaphore signal on the left and the signal box to the right on the up platform. The railings around the station canopy are clearly visible.

The railway of the early 1900’s was very different from today. Trains were steam hauled requiring ancillary facilities such as coal yards, water tanks, turntables and maintenance sheds. Passenger trains consisted of small non-corridor coaches and goods trains brought coal and building materials to a two siding yard at Kingswood now occupied by the car park behind the Up Platform. Traffic was controlled by semaphore signals operated from a series of signal boxes; the Kingswood one

can be seen to the right of Figure 1. In 1900 Kingswood Station was briefly the terminus of the line when it then moved to Tadworth once engineering work had been completed on the Kingswood and Hoppy tunnels. Initially, trains only progressed to Tattenham Corner on race days and for special excursions.

In 1928 all this changed with the arrival of electrification. The advantages of electric traction over steam are that it allows trains to accelerate and decelerate more quickly, combines motive power with passenger accommodation, is regarded as cleaner and dispenses with the need for coal depots, turntables, run around loops and long periods for the preparation and maintenance of engines. Hence electrification meant that much of the infrastructure needed to support steam traction was swept away although goods traffic was still hauled by steam until the 1960’s as was the annual visit of the Royal Train to Tattenham Corner for the Derby which was pulled by a steam locomotive until 1963.

In the 1920s and 30s housing development, encouraged by electrification, started in Kingswood. The Chipstead valley railway served, ‘pleasant undulating country soon to be populated by comfortable villas’. The developer Costains bought Kingswood Warren in the mid 1920’s. Detached houses costing between £1250 and £5000 were marketed as spacious properties within easy reach of central London, situated in what were call ‘non-suburbanised’ estates in beautiful countryside with a selection of golf courses on

the door step. Consequently, the line became focused on commuters rather than race traffic. Following the introduction of electric trains, the platform at Kingswood Station was extended to cater for the increased number of passengers and a footbridge now linked the up and down platforms. A gradual decline in freight traffic resulted in closure of the goods yard in 1962.

The Chipstead Valley railway was the reason why Kingswood, Tadworth and Walton changed from remote settlements to well connected commuter communities. Their economies based on agriculture, mainly sheep farming and dependent on horse drawn transport, evolved, beginning at the start of the twentieth century, to how we see them today. Bonsor’s vision of a prosperous residential area surrounded by beautiful countryside and linked to the capital was achieved by the Chipstead Valley railway.

Richard Harris

Further reading

N. Owen, The Tattenham Corner Branch, Oakwood Press, 1978.

V Mitchell and K Smith, London Suburban Railways: Caterham and Tattenham Corner, Middleton Press 1994.

A.A. Jackson, The Railway in Surrey, Atlantic, 1999.

A.A. Jackson, Semi-Detached London, Wild Swan, 1991.

Kingswood Station circa 1910: Lens of Sutton

IN THE BLEAK MID- WI -NTER

A grey day and the AGM on the program (not everyone’s favourite), are not expected to draw in the crowds, but we nevertheless had a creditable number attending our November meeting. Besides re-electing the committee and the President (in absentia, visiting family in Australia) we had a craft exhibition to admire and a WI visitor, Lesley Earl, who addressed us on WI publications and future plans for the WI in the UK. As usual the meeting ended with cakes and tea and much chatter. Little did we know that Ursula, our capable and lovely tea hostess of many years, was treating us to her last tea. Ursula passed away suddenly later in November. This came as a great shock to us all.

KVWI celebrated her 53rd birthday in December. What a jolly afternoon it was, so very enjoyable. Our entertainer was a singer, Jill McGuire, whose lovely voice was ably supported by her accompanist, Juliet. A further member of the company was Sergei - and his accordion. Sergei’s big personality had us singing along with his playing and laughing at his funny stories. Sergei accompanied us in a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday to us” when we cut the WI birthday cake. Not that we needed more cake, so well satisfied were we by the mince pies and sumptuous cakes provided by the Committee.

Our January meeting was very special. Sarah Lott, daughter of our late, dear friend and past member, Janet Hill, came to address us on Memory Books. It was such a moving and thought-provoking talk. She reminded us of the missed opportunities to ask nowdeceased family and friends about interesting, even historical events in their lives. It had us resolving to label old photographs and tell our families more about the past – before

we forget or are gone for good. Sarah quoted a saying, Japanese, or perhaps it was Chinese, that you die twice. Once, when you die, and once when your name is no longer spoken. Back to photographs, the sheer volume of digital photographs with no backs to label, means that soon the valuable memory resource we had in old snaps will be lost. Sarah encouraged us to try to write our life story, citing benefits such as boosting self-esteem, keeping the brain active, bringing the family together and providing a lasting legacy and social history. I must mention that at this meeting we also voted for the resolution which our members would like to see go forward to WI’s national conference in June. In a year of excellent candidate resolutions (after several years of unexciting ones), our choice fell on, “Save our water, every drop matters.” We closed, as usual, with tea, cakes and happy chat.

Nettie Cooper

WALTON-ON-THE-HILL AND DISTRICT LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY

MURDER AT THE VICARAGE

AN ILLUSTRATED ACCOUNT BY KEVIN AND PIA CHAMBERLAIN OF THE DREADFUL MURDER WHICH TOOK PLACE AT KINGSWOOD VICARAGE IN THE SUMMER OF 1861 AND A RE-ENACTMENT OF THE TRIAL AT WHICH, YOU THE AUDIENCE, WILL BE THE JURY.

TUESDAY 7TH MARCH 2023, 8.OO p.m.

AT KINGSWOOD VILLAGE HALL Waterhouse Lane, Kingswood

Members free, visitors £4.00

Nabil Abdulrashid Bohart be announced!

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY HIKE AND FUNDRAISE FOR CHILDREN WITH BRAIN INJURY

Raise money for The Children’s Trust and support children with brain injury by signing up to the Surrey Hills Hike this Spring.

The charity is calling for supporters to join them on this sponsored walk through a section of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Beauty. The walk with start and finish at The Children’s Trust headquarters in Tadworth, Surrey, on the 12 March 2023. All the family are welcome, babies and dogs included, with options including a five or ten-mile route, or a ‘1K Your Way’ which is a fully accessible one-kilometre route suitable for buggies and wheelchairs.

Marguerite, a local supporter who took part last year with her daughter Tess, says: “Don’t think twice, sign up now! My 8-yearold daughter Tess was the driving force in us taking part. She was keen to do something to benefit children and young people with brain injury so jumped at the chance. Being able to take our dog along too was an added bonus. It was easy walking with lots of lovely volunteers posted along the way to stop you getting lost. I had a really lovely experience.”

Keren Holding, Activity and Leisure Lead

at The Children’s Trust, commented: “We are thrilled that this year’s event features a new fully accessible route for wheelchairs. We love to offer the children and families we support the opportunity to get out and about in the local community to support their wellbeing and rehabilitation.”

Katie Roberts, Head of Volunteer Fundraising at The Children’s Trust, says: “The Covid pandemic and cost of living crisis have made supporting children with brain injury and neurodisability harder than ever, but we remain dedicated to giving them the opportunity to live the best life possible. Our Surrey community has always been amazing at supporting us, so we’re excited to offer this opportunity for them to come together, explore the great outdoors with friends and family and meet new friends along the way.”

To sign up for the walk for just £10, visit https://www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk/ surreyhillshike

TWO NEW BROOMS

As this is my last report, I’d like to begin by thanking everyone at the Village Voice for their help and support over the last sixteen years and for tolerating my many last-minute submissions. The magazine articles have helped enormously in highlighting our meetings and have encouraged people to come along.

As I write this, our current programme is halfway through, but Covid is still causing us problems. We’ve already had two talks cancelled due to illness of the speaker but on both occasions we managed to get good replacement speakers

In January we were entertained by an evening of magic, instead of the advertised ‘Palaces of Glass’. After that, on February 28th, we had a look at ‘Crop Circles’ . Our last talk of the season on 28th March is a talk about Puccini to be given by Roger Askew, a speaker who has visited us in earlier years and was very well received.

I have enjoyed my time researching speakers and learned a great deal in the process. People are remarkably helpful, especially those who are enthusiastic about their subject. Our first speaker this year, a professional genealogist who worked on the early programmes of ‘Who do you think you are ‘spoke for over an hour without any notes or slides and kept the attention of his audience throughout. Some speakers are a complete surprise. I recall one very well qualified man who was rather unimpressive whereas a last-minute substitute, about whom I knew little, provided a really memorable evening. You win some and lose some!

Support from our members has helped me get our programmes together. Some have provided speakers’ names; others have suggested topics and many have shown the committee their appreciation of our events.

Thank you so much everyone and best wishes again to my successors, Sue Camblin and Barbara Bomyer. I’m certainly looking forward very much to next year’s programme. If you are interested in joining us at one of our meetings please ring me on 01737 833496.

Frances Rosbotham Programme Secretary 01737 833496

THANK YOU AND GOODBYE FROM KINGSWOOD NSPCC

It is with sadness that I must inform you the Kingswood NSPCC branch has decided to close. It has not been an easy decision, but lifestyles have changed over recent years and finding support for our fundraising events has proven difficult, as demands on people’s time increases.

was formed, with Mrs Carol McWhirter as Chairperson.

Since then, the committee has evolved, and members have changed many times.

The fundraising events over the years have varied hugely, ranging from quizzes, fashion shows, open gardens, teddy bear hunts, tennis days, coach trips, swimming galas, grand balls and, memorably, a dinner with a tour of the Houses of Parliament! It has been great fun coming up with ideas to raise funds for this worthwhile charity.

We hope you have enjoyed contributing to the amazing amount of money we have raised - a total of over £1 million for the NSPCC - £400,000 of which by the current committee.

We are so grateful to everyone who has supported us over the years, and together we should feel proud to have raised so much for such a vital charity.

The committee has been an integral part of our village community for more than 80 years. In 1935 Kingswood NSPCC was founded and became part of the NSPCC South East Surrey branch, where they raised £16.

In 1961 The first Kingswood committee

If you would like to continue to donate to the NSPCC, please visit www.nspcc.org.uk/ support-us/ways-to-give/donate

Thank you.

Kingswood Committee

THE BEGINNING OF THE END!

The KT&W Flower Club is proud to be a member of NAFAS (The National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies). Katherine Kear, NAFAS National Chair, received a call from Westminster Abbey soon after the death was announced of HRH, Queen Elizabeth II, and she and the NAFAS National President arranged the two pedestals at the High Altar for Her Majesty’s funeral. A team of other NAFAS members did other arrangements, all in white and mainly lilies.

to the Flower Club. A former Kingswood resident, Phyllis has been a member of KT&W Flower Club for 45 years, and a committee member for 40 years and many of those years as an excellent Programme Secretary. Phyllis is a gifted flower arranger and has enjoyed taking part and winning prizes at NAFAS competitions.

Closure of the Flower Club. The committee has had to take the difficult decision to close the Club and apart from a summer lunch for members in June, the last meeting in the village hall is in May. A decline in membership and a rise in costs of flowers, fuel and demonstrators means we are no longer viable as a club.

Phyllis has arranged excellent demonstrators for the next three meetings. Visitors: £10 on the door.

All welcome, we would love to fill the hall for our last few meetings.

Dates for your diary:

Tuesday 14th March at 7.45pm, Demonstrator: Lucia Dean-Taylor

Tuesday 11th April at 7.45pm, Demonstrator: Robin White

Tuesday 9th May at 7.45pm, Demonstrator: Vivien Withers

On a humbler note, the KT&W Committee were delighted to be able to present our Life President Phyllis Taylor with a Surrey Area NAFAS Certificate for Services

Jane Hollington Chair, Kingswood, Tadworth & Walton Flower Club

Life President Phyllis and President Cath Howard The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Flower Festival at St Andrew

Phyllis with Jane Receiving the Certificate at the December meeting.

THE GREAT TASTE WASTE WAYS WE CAN IMPROVE OUR OUTLOOK ON FOOD

In the UK alone, we waste around 9.5 million tonnes of food every year, 70% of which comes from UK household waste (UK Government, 2021). Whilst 9.5 million tonnes of food went to waste, 9.7 million individuals experienced food insecurity during September 2022. As supermarkets continue to raise costs to counter inflation, UK food poverty is unlikely to improve any time soon.

So what can you do & how can we help?

1. Donate or volunteer at your local food bank

2. Taste more, waste less

Tadworth food bank operates at the Merland Rise Church every Tuesday between 10am-12am. You can offer a little hand by donating food at either Asda in Burgh Heath or at the Banstead Waitrose, in the donation boxes located past checkout.

Alter natively, you can sign up to volunteer by emailing volunteers@goodcompany.org.uk.

There are many ways to limit personal wastage. From setting concise shopping lists to using all parts of your veg…and by that, I mean saving the leaves, the stems, the stalks! Get creative with your cooking and conjure up some soups, stocks, relishes, jams, you name it! Oh, and don’t forget to freeze those leftovers, they’ll probably come in handy when you don’t want to face the kitchen!

We’ve all been guilty of having eyes bigger than our stomachs at one point or another, but fortunately what we don’t eat doesn’t have to go to waste. Take it home and enjoy it tomorrow (leftovers always taste better anyway)!

3. Compost what’s lost

It’s not always possible to save food; sometimes it goes off before its sell by or it can’t be stored properly. Rather than throwing out mouldy scraps, take them to the compost heap. This ensures that food is properly broken down and returned to the soil, producing renewable energy. One thing lost is another thing gained!

Whilst the options are currently quite limited around Kingswood and Tadworth, some businesses have already partnered with Too Good To Go to save their produce. Londis in Tadworth have signed up to the scheme, offering cheap ‘magic bags’ packed full of products that would otherwise go to waste.

This brilliant service works on a ‘pick-up policy’, limiting delivery emissions, so don’t expect food to be delivered straight to your door. It’s schemes such as these that are gradually chipping away at the impact we are making as a community. The more we support, the more businesses will be inclined to sign up too…who knows we may even be lucky enough to get a bakery signed up!

Genevieve Norris

4. Too Good To Go

A PLANT FOR EVERY MONTH OF THE YEAR

March is really the beginning of the gardening year. The worst winter weather is behind us and the long hot summer still to come. Based on last year’s weather our gardens will need to cope with drought, temperatures of 40 degrees, snow and long periods of frost with temperatures below 8 degrees. Quite a challenge!

Don’t be too ambitious but try to aim for one plant in flower for every month of the year. This will mean that there will always be some pollen or nectar for insects as well as seed heads and berries for birds. These suggestions are based on what I can grow easily in my garden so should suit all Kingswood gardens.

March – ‘Tete a Tete’ daffodils

has autumn interest with red leaves in autumn. A small crab apple would be Malus ‘Evereste’ and a larger one Malus floribunda

May – Allium and tulips in containers

This is a planting combination which brings great colour to your garden just before much else is in bloom. Choose your tulips and Allium and plant deep in a large pot in November. Keep close to the house and then put in a prominent position as the flowers emerge. If you choose Viridiflora tulips they will come up the next year as well.

June – Foxgloves

There are so many different daffodils that you can have some flowering in your garden from February to May. Tete a Tete are some of the easiest to grow and flower for a long time and being fairly small do not get blown over in the wind. Year after year they will multiply and carry-on flowering. All you need to remember is not to plant them in deep shade and not to remove the leaves until they turn yellow, which is usually six weeks after flowering.

April – Crab apple

Any tree with spring blossom brings a real ‘sense of spring’ to the garden. Choose a tree with the colour blossom you prefer, usually white or pink. Maybe choose a tree that also

Foxgloves are such an underrated plant. Reminiscent of our native woodlands and so easy to grow. Ideally get a dozen young plants in March and plant in a shady place. They will grow their spires quickly and you will soon have lovely flowers which are so enjoyed by the bees. Foxgloves are biennials so the plant takes two years to mature. In autumn, after flowering, you will find thousands of tiny seedlings and

CONTINUED ON PAGE 56

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“From

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next spring you can move these to the border where you want them. They will take two years to flower but then you will have them forever!

July – Honeysuckle

Lonicera periclymenum ‘Graham Thomas’ is a beautifully scented honeysuckle with evergreen leaves and luscious red berries. Let it climb up your fence or a tree and enjoy the scent.

August – Hydrangea paniculata

This shrub is very ‘on trend’ at present and is a medium sized plant with panicles of white, green or pink flowers which persist as attractive brown seed-heads all winter.

September – Japanese maple

November – Rowan tree

There is nothing like the autumn colour of a maple. Choose one with maroon, red or bright yellow leaves to provide autumn colour. Some favourites are Acer ‘‘Red sunset’ or ‘Osakazuki ‘

October – Liriope muscari

This is a favourite native tree with red, pink or yellow berries in autumn and lovely white blossom in spring. Choose one for the colour of the berries or go for the native rowan which is a very nicely shaped tree with lots of bright red berries in autumn.

December – Winter flowering jasmine

This shrub always flowers when the weather is at its worst with bright yellow flowers on lax green stems. Prune it hard to prevent it becoming too tangled.

January – Cyclamen coum

This is a surprising little plant with grass- like evergreen leaves and bright blue autumn flowers. Grows best in moist shade. A favourite with the end of season bumblebees.

This is another winter surprise with wonderful, marbled leaves and pink or white flowers. If it likes the spot, it will spread quickly by sending out its sticky seeds across the surrounding area.

SARAH’S GARDEN JOTTINGS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 56

February – Snow drops

Burge and GunsonPage 59

Cannon GardensPage 35

Capel Tree SurgeonsPage 58

These are everyone’s favourite. Try and get some from a neighbour this month and plant ‘in the green’. They will soon form a good clump which you can then divide every year to spread out across your garden.

Churchill ExecPage 45

Dave Ford Tree CarePage 9

So that is my recipe for year-round interest in your garden.

David W LeggPage 4

Drift Bridge VWPage 2

Fine & CountryPage 60

Garden LightcraftPage 23

Inspired VillagesPage 5 JP Electrical Page 33 Kennedys Page 49 Kingswood Lawn Tennis Page 51 Kingswood Village StorePage 17 Kingswood WinesPage 47

12/WaterhousePage 11

If you would like to come and look at our garden at Shieling, do pop in on Easter Monday, when you can have a stroll round, have some delicious tea and cake and maybe buy some plants for your garden. All proceeds are going to the National Gardens Scheme (NGS) and The Children’s Trust. I look forward to seeing you! Happy gardening!

Page 39 Palmerston AccountantsPage 29 Remedial

THE KINGSWOOD

53

Roxley Models Page 29 Saunders Estate Ag’tsPage 37 Sleeping BeautyPage 41 Stoneman Funeral S’s Page 33 Taurus WastePage 54 The Memory BookPage 57 The New KyhberPage 31 Total Security SystemsPage 7 VSL Nail & Beauty SalonPage 55

Please contact Juliet Quartermain on 07775 901719 or email: jqemail@icloud.com sfii^dbslf`b

Editorial & Advertisement

Sarah Wilson

All aspects of tree surgery undertaken l Stump Grinding l Tree Felling l Planting l Reshaping/Reduction l Fencing l Site Clearance Fully Insured - Free Estimates Contact Brad Sheehan on 07775 727121 Est 1983 24 Hr Emergency Call Out

LOOKING FORWARD TO SPRING

The station gardens have stood up well to the freezing weather with the only casualty being the large Hebes, which we managed to preserve from the original planting scheme.

This is not a real problem as I’m told that if we cut them back and remove all the brown foliage, they will probable re-shoot. The other plants all seem to be doing well but are once again getting engulfed by weeds, so our weeding team will need to get going again once the weather warms up. I hope that once the weather gets warmer all the shrubs will grow well and gradually, we will have complete ground cover over the beds. Hopefully the daffodils we planted last year will be coming up soon. We will try again to make a wildflower bed, maybe this time we will be more successful than last year.

The banks by the village hall have shown

some sign of life with the bulbs we planted last autumn, making an appearance. There is still an opportunity to introduce some attractive, spreading ground cover plants in the spring.

We are still hoping that you will come up with some more ideas for decorating the green metal storage container so that we can change our ‘eye sore’ into a thing of beauty! If you have any ideas, please let Bob know. You can email him on kvcachair@gmail.com or text him on 07504060758

Sarah Wilson

DON’T PROCRASTINATE!

In my line of work, I’m all too aware of our human mortality. This week, while away with family, I’ve seen so many advertisements on the TV about taking out health insurance or buying funeral plans. “Do it now while you can,” they all seem to say “and save your loved ones the trouble.” Worse still, there are the adverts for Direct Cremations with no funeral service. I wonder how many people realize what a fundamental part of the grieving process they are depriving their families of when doing away with a service and the planning of it. However, I am an advocate for not procrastinating.

All too often I’ve seen people who have had such great plans for later life, or their retirement, only to have them thwarted by lack of mobility and ill health. I suppose I’m trying to learn from other’s mistakes. So, I take the opportunities I have to travel and see the world, to experience things I’ve never done before. We all make plans and some folk attempt to put their affairs in order when they feel they don’t have long left. My philosophy is to do it all now, for our own sake, not only for the

family. Not just legally and financially, not just practically and domestically; we should also put our lives in order spiritually: making firm our relationship with God and looking to the future beyond our life here on earth. Of course, that’s perhaps where I can help. Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today, as the saying goes, and have fun while you’re at it. With every blessing, Rev’d. Chris Colton.

Kingswood Village Store and

Store opens 7 days a week

providing essential services for the community.

We offer you:

• Full banking services (incl. Coutts)

• Postal services

• Local collect

• Free personal and business banking

• Cash withdrawals and deposit

• Cheque deposits

• Moneygram

• Postal orders

• Euro & US dollar on demand (other currencies pre-order)

• Travel Money Card

• Phone top-up

• Bill payments (Council Tax, British Gas etc)

• Intant photos for Passport/ID & Visas

OPENING HOURS

POST OFFICE

Monday-Friday 9am to 6pm

Saturday 9am to 12:30pm (Temporary hours changed due to Covid-19 situation)

SHOP

Monday-Friday 6am to 6pm

Saturday 7am to 5pm

Sunday 7am to 12pm

Kingswood Village Store has fresh fruit and vegetables, a ‘freshly baked’ bakery, hot food, Costa coffee, a grocery for daily essentials, frozen foods, wines, beers and spirits.

We have a wide range of gluten-free, sugar-free and vegan products including ciders, wines, biscuits, cakes and fresh products.

Look out for special promotions on various products.

We also offer:

• Dry-cleaning service which is proving popular

• Newspaper and groceries home delivery service in and around Kingswood

• Box office for KVCA and KADDS events

• Collection point for Food Bank

Pop in and experience our friendly service!!

AGATHA CRUSTY AND THE VILLAGE HALL MURDERS

Agatha Crusty (pronounced Croosty) is a crime novelist who’s also pretty adept at solving crimes. Lucky, because when her sister-in-law Alice invites her to spend a few days in the village of Chortelby, it’s not long before she gets caught up in a series of murders which seem directed at members of the All Saints Village Hall committee.

From Toby the vicar and Eleanor, chair of the committee, to Harry Knott, the hall caretaker and identical twins Olivia and Oliver TruscottPratt, there are plenty of suspects. And with an investigating officer as incompetent as DI Twigg, there are plenty of laughs amid the mayhem even while the body count racks up. Packed full of wit and very funny scenes, this is also a genuine murder mystery, with an ingenious plot which will certainly tax the little grey cells of the audience right up to the end.

Performance dates at The Riddell Hall, Dean’s Lane, Walton on the Hill, Surrey KT20 7UA are at 8pm on Thursday, 27th, Friday, 28th and Saturday, 29th April, 2023

Box: office: 01737 812 703 Tickets: £12.50

Agatha Crusty and the Village Hall

Murders by Derek Webb directed by Lesley Crowther-Smith an amateur production by arrangement with Stagescripts.

NEW CAPTAINS’ DRIVE IN

A wet, blustery Sunday afternoon in January didn’t stop a great turn out from the membership of Kingswood, for the Captain’s ‘Putt Out’ and ‘Drive In’. The formalities began at 1pm as the outgoing Captains of Tom Knopek and Jamie Reid said farewell by ‘putting out’. Catherine Ellis couldn’t be there as she was away travelling.

Next the main event, just as the heavens opened, to fully challenge Kingswood’s new Captains!! First up, Chris Honeywill, after addressing the crowd, lined up and swung, striking an exploding ball! A proper ball was quickly produced, and a fine hit was made, straight down the middle with a well held finish. Alfred Duke, with his fluid action, stood up to drive in as Junior Captain. An impressive strike was witnessed to a round of applause. And finally, Chris Burley, the new Lady Captain, wowing the crowd with her outfit, after a couple of practice swings struck the ball beautifully sending it nicely down the middle of the fairway.

After the drives and back in the warmth, Vice-Captain Doug Coull who was on ‘master of ceremonies’ duty and introduced Sarah Salvage who read a message from Catherine Ellis. Tom Knopek presented the cheque to The Children’s Trust. An impressive amount of £21,704 had been raised by the membership throughout the year. The new Captains were officially introduced, and the opportunity taken to say a few words and introduce Vice Captains (Doug Coull (Vice -Captain), Loretta

Barnett (Lady Vice- Captain) and Harry Dunn (Junior Vice- Captain). Jacket, pin and photos were presented, followed by words from the Club President Colin Griffith and Chairman Jeff Hilliard. The 2023 Captain’s Charity was announced to be the Lucy Rayner Foundation (https://thelucyraynerfoundation.com/ and Jenny Rayner spoke about the charity and the important work they do.

Ashley Northridge General Manager

Parties, Events, Celebration of Life, and Weddings

Kingswood Club boasts a selection of rooms to suit groups of all sizes.

From intimate occasions, to the most memorable family party, our dedicated team are on hand to ensure that your event runs seamlessly.

THE GOLF

Kingswood is a challenging 18-hole Surrey classic golf course designed by James Braid and opened in 1928. Play as a visitor, or join as a member to enjoy a full calendar of golf competitions.

JOIN THE CLUB

The Club membership is our social category and is a great way to save with us. Join for £150 per year and receive a £100 bar or food tab, plus enjoy 10% off each time you dine with us.

PLAY TENNIS WITH US IN 2023

Happy New Year to all our members! The club hopes that 2023 will be a happy and healthy year for you all, with fewer injuries and much more court time for every player.

for the tennis club’s pockets, saving on our electrical bills. It’s a winwin situation for all, as the club takes a giant stride to become more ‘green’.

The Club Championships

W ith Christmas behind us, the days are now starting to get longer and we can look forward to warmer, drier weather. If that thought doesn’t bring you down to the courts, then surely the Australian Open which had us glued to our screens, will get your tennis mo-jo up and going! Don’t miss out, there are social tennis sessions, set 4’s, team practice sessions, coaching sessions, league matches, tots tennis, junior blocks, so there is plenty to get involved in, whatever your level of play. New members are always welcome, coach Valentin would be delighted to meet you, have a knock with you and give you the rundown on the club.

Club Improvements

The eagerly awaited update of our court flood lights from halogen to LED will take place in early February. We are anticipating a greatly improved playing experience with better distribution and quality of lighting. Great for our evening players and even better

Our 2023 Club Championship has recently been launched. There are numerous sections our members can enter with Open and Vets sections as well as a specific event for the juniors. The Championship will take place on 2nd July. If you love tennis and enjoy the adrenalin of competition, why not join our club and sign up for Championship which is a very friendly and sociable event.

Teams Update

We currently have 14 teams entered into the Winter Surrey league. This enables us to cater for all different levels of players who want to compete. We have leagues for various ages, which include veteran leagues and junior leagues. Valentin, has entered 5 junior teams to ensure the junior members are also catered for. The results of the winter leagues will be available for the next edition.

The summer teams are being finalised at the moment and we will have teams in the Surrey, Dorking & Leatherhead and Chaucer leagues. If you would like to play in a tennis team let us know.

Jessica Emberson receiving most improved Junior award

Last Friday of the month (LFM)

The Last Friday of the Month drinks evening is becoming very popular and our fabulous bar area is getting well used at last! We specifically invite new members to come and ‘break the ice’ with members, who are always ready to chat about the club, the tennis and everything else in between! Members of the club and their visitors are always welcome, so make a note in your diary for 6:30 pm on the last Friday of every month.

In November the evening centred around the Football World Cup where we watched the England-USA game. The clubhouse was full and delicious fish and chips were on sale and, despite a rather disappointing match, an entertaining evening was had by all.

Most improved Junior

At our AGM each year we present the “Kennedy’s Cup“ for the most improved junior at the club. Peter Kennedy (right), who sponsors our club, together with our coach

Coronation Weekend

We are currently discussing having an event at the club to celebrate the King’s Coronation. All members, as well as the broader community will be welcome. More details will be made available over the next few weeks. There will be something for all, so come down and have a lovely day celebrating this momentous event.

As Chair, I’d once again like to thank my committee for the support they have given and the numerous hours they have dedicated during this very busy period. Great teamwork makes KLTC a great club for all.

Valentin Pusnava (left) awarded the trophy to Jessica Emberson. Well done Jessica!

Paul Hawker Chair

A TASTE OF SPRING

Spring is battling to banish winter from its path but there are days when winter seems to have its last gasp, bringing gales and squally showers or even flurries of snow. Other days spring triumphs, with clear blue skies and the cheerful sound of birdsong in the air. Nature carries on regardless, buds are swelling and leaves are opening. Pale drifts of primroses peer shyly from the hedgerows and bulbs are pushing through the earth.

Cauliflower cheese soup makes a warming lunch served with a wedge of wholemeal bread. The pretty pink forced rhubarb is a tangy filling for little parcels of crisp filo pastry.

• 1 medium cauliflower • 25g butter

• 25g flour• ½ teaspoon mustard powder

• ½ pint milk • 100g Cheddar cheese, grated

• Finely sliced spring onion

Bring a pan of water to boil. Cut the cauliflower into florets and cook for about 5 minutes until it is just tender. Drain, reserving ½ pt of the cooking water. Melt the butter, stir in the flour and mustard powder and cook very gently for a few minutes. Gradually stir in the cooking water, followed by the milk. Bring to a simmer, stirring all the time until you have a thin, smooth sauce. Add the grated cheese. Tip the cooked cauliflower and the cheese sauce in a blender and blend until smooth. Reheat and serve with a sprinkling of finely sliced spring onion to add colour and an extra kick.

• 800g rhubarb • juice of an orange

• 2 tablespoons runny honey

• 8 sheets filo pastry about 20cm/8” square

• a little vegetable oil or melted butter

• caster sugar

Heat the oven to 180/gas 4. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Wash and chop the rhubarb and place it in a pan with the orange juice and honey. Cook for about 5 minutes until soft. Drain the rhubarb, reserving the juice, and allow to cool. Cut the filo into about 20cm/8 inch squares. Paint one sheet with oil, place a second sheet on top at an angle and add a quarter of the rhubarb filling. Now paint the edges of the pasty and fold up like an envelope. Paint a little oil over the top. Repeat with the other three parcels. Sprinkle with caster sugar and bake for about 15 minutes until bronzed and crisp. Boil the reserved juice until it is syrupy. Serve the parcels warm or cold with the reserved juice on the side. Note: there was a typo in the December issue. It should have read 4 rashers of streaky bacon – not 14! - in the recipe for chunky vegetable soup.

CAULIFLOWER CHEESE SOUP for 4

RHUBARB PARCELS FOR 4