Love Local Spelthorne - WINTER 2022

Welcome to the Winter Edition. Contents

Christmas season has arrived once again. If you are planning to get more active, shape up and get fitter in 2023, why wait? The Thames Club has a fabulous offer for all our readers. Simply scan the QR code on the front cover to find out more about this amazing offer.

Visit Staines have plenty of festive events planned from now until Christmas, see the opposite page for dates and times. There will be a Christmas Community Event in Stanwell happening on the 4th of December hosted by Stanwell Events. Ashford Wide will also be hosting their annual Christmas Market on Wednesday 7th December. Please support your local events.

With the colder days upon us, the cost of heating your homes is on everyone's mind. Spelthorne Borough Council have opened up community centres in the area and from November 2022 until the end of February 2023, local community centres in Ashford and Shepperton will take it in turns to open on Saturdays, offering warmth, a hearty meal and good company for their members. The Salvation Army on Woodthorpe Rd in Ashford are also offering a Warm Space, please see inside for further information and be sure to share the details with anyone who you think may benefit.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our advertisers, readers and distributors. We wish you a very Merry Christmas with best wishes for the New Year, may it be filled with health and happiness.

Until next year!

Winter Planters

Even if you feel you won’t want to venture into your garden much this winter, creating a winter planter or two will create some encouragement. They will not only look gorgeous from the warm comfort of your house, but will also help to coax you outside from time to time.

Choose a larger container as it’s more likely to protect the roots on the plants due to the greater volume of compost. Avoid any container less than 30cm (12in) diameter if possible.

Any container will insulate the roots a little, but one made from thick wood (such as a wooden trough or window box, or a half-barrel) will be very effective. Good quality, fairly chunky plastic also works quite well. Try to avoid metal as this tends to conduct cold.

Warm undergarments are all the rage for winter planters. A lining of bubble-wrap polythene or even a few layers of old fabric or carpet, sandwiched between the sides of the container and the compost will help to keep both compost and roots warm.

If you live somewhere particularly prone to frosts, or simply want to decrease the risk of winter damage, try to position winter planters out of the windiest areas. Placing them fairly close to a house wall on the south or west side as this will help to provide a little extra warmth.

There are an amazing range of plants available at your local garden centre for adding winter colour and interest to pots and planters. Some of the best are the universal or other winter flowering pansies or even hardier smaller flowered violas.

For some seriously sturdy winter colour, try the winter flowering heathers as these make a good base for the display and you can then add trailing plants such as variegated ivies to help provide extra colour, texture and interesting leaf shapes. All these plants will last for years, not just the winter months.

At this time of year, garden centres may offer very tiny versions of shrubs such as skimmias, Pieris or hollies and many of the dwarf conifers.

They will provide good colour and interest in a container for a year or two and can then be planted in your garden to reach their full size. In warmer areas, you can add bright patches of colour to your display using the ‘winter cherry’ or solanum which has bright yellow and orange fruits. You could also use a few winter flowering cyclamen but these definitely need a very sheltered spot such as a window box on a protected wall.

Don’t forget to add in a few early spring flowering bulbs such as miniature narcissus, crocus and miniature iris. Hide them beneath the roots of your winter bedding plants; you’ll forget they are there until they burst out in spring.

The Local Magazine for Ashford, Laleham and Staines Upon Thames

for Ashford, Laleham and Staines

Nearly new baby and children's markets where mums sell to mums

Mum2mum market organise nearly new sales of second hand baby, children's and maternity clothes, toys, books and equipment. At our award winning baby and children's markets you can save a fortune on high street prices by buying secondhand.

SELL your quality second hand baby, children's and maternity clothes, preloved baby equipment or used pram at our nearly new baby and children's

market and keep 100% of the proceeds.

BUY nearly new baby and children's clothes, used toys and baby equipment at bargain prices, direct from the previous owner at our live events all over the UK.

It's a great place to buy a secondhand pram, clothes, cot, highchair, toys, books .....anything aimed at babies, children or pregnancy and in great condition.

We welcome you to come along to our next market.

The Local Magazine for Ashford, Laleham and Staines Upon Thames

Local Community Centres in Spelthorne

Spelthorne Borough Council will be taking the step of opening its Community Centres on Saturdays to help members who are concerned about the rising cost of heating their homes over the winter period.

From November 2022 until the end of February 2023, the Community Centres in Ashford and Shepperton will take it in turns to open on Saturdays, offering warmth, a hearty meal and good company for their members.

It is hoped that the six-day service offered by the centres will help those most concerned about increasing energy costs and other financial pressures. Currently members can visit the Community Centres every weekday but opening on Saturdays will mean they have one less day to worry about putting the heating on at home.

Cllr Maureen Attewell, Chair of Spelthorne’s Community Wellbeing and Housing Committee, said: “A lot of our elderly residents are facing a worrying winter, with a significant proportion of their pension being spent on energy.

“I am really proud that our staff have stepped forward to extend the opening hours of the Community Centres and offer a warm and welcoming place where members can have a good lunch and meet with their friends, without having to worry about the heating.

“We hope this will have a positive impact on members’ energy bills and reduce the risk of illnesses associated with living in cold conditions.”

The centres will open from 10am-3pm. Members are asked to book a place by calling the relevant centre:

Date

Which Centre is open to members?

Fordbridge Centre, Ashford 12 November Greeno Centre, Shepperton 19 November Fordbridge Centre, Ashford 26 November Greeno Centre, Shepperton

5 November

3 December Fordbridge Centre, Ashford

10 December Greeno Centre, Shepperton 17 December Fordbridge Centre, Ashford 24 December Closed 31 December Closed

7 January 2023 Greeno Centre, Shepperton 14 January 2023 Fordbridge Centre, Ashford 21 January 2023 Greeno Centre, Shepperton 28 January 2023 Fordbridge Centre, Ashford

4 February 2023 Greeno Centre, Shepperton

11 February 2023 Fordbridge Centre, Ashford 18 February 2023 Greeno Centre, Shepperton

25 February 2023 Fordbridge Centre, Ashford

Laleham

The Local Magazine for Ashford, Laleham and Staines Upon Thames

The Local Magazine for Ashford,

and Staines Upon Thames

Top tips for Christmas decorations

Have your festive decorations lost their sparkle? Here are some ideas to bring back your home’s Christmas cheer.

Choose a theme

Choosing a theme brings unity to the overall look. It should suit your house and the way your family celebrates the festive season, whether laid-back and relaxed, sophisticated or formal. For some, that might mean a traditional, living fir tree and a colour theme of red, green and gold. For others, a kitsch fake tree with fluorescent ornaments; or perhaps a minimal, modern style with pure silver and glass.

Dress the tree

Start by winding it with lights, making sure they’re evenly distributed. Next, drape your garlands, again aiming for evenness and an impression of generosity without overloading the tree. On small or slim trees, use slender garlands; on larger trees use heavier, fancier garlands. Last, hang your ornaments, with the largest first, filling in around them with smaller ones. Place some nearer the trunk for a sense of depth and interest.

Hang a wreath

For some, the making of a family wreath using foraged leaves, flowers, seeds, nuts and fruit is a significant part of the holiday season. Alternatively, ready-made examples are available in any style imaginable, from classic to contemporary, heart-shaped or circular, small or large, utterly simple or lavish and complex.

Make some decorations

Home-made Christmas decorations can be as elaborate or simple as you wish. Multicoloured paper chains are the ultimate in family favourites, as are cutwork paper stars and clove-studded oranges. How about pom pom snowmen, peg-doll angels or glitter-covered pine cones? Or mini stocking shapes cut out of felt and ginger biscuits to hang from the tree? It’s all great fun and will create happy memories for years to come.

Wrap your presents

Transform present-wrapping from a chore to a pleasure by taking a little extra time and trouble. When they’re piled under the tree they will look so much better if they’re colour-coordinated and criss-crossed with ribbons and bows. Even brown paper or newsprint looks lovely if adorned with a home-made label, while sequins, feathers, glitter, stamped designs and wired beads can all provide additional allure.

Sort out your cards

It pays to establish a system as soon as the cards start arriving. Clear a shelf or two, and arrange them close together, large at the back and small at the front, in neat rows. Smaller cards can be tucked around a mirror or picture frame. An alternative is to staple them to ribbons (weighted by a bauble or pine cones) to hang in rows from a mantelpiece or along the side of the staircase.

Create displays

Nothing says Christmas like poinsettias in pots, scented candles on the mantelpiece and ivy, holly and mistletoe draped over every available surface. Now’s the time to dig out that special table runner and your best crockery, glassware and cutlery for an eye-catching table display, finished off with a dish, tray or platter filled with greenery, candles and other festive decorations.

The Local Magazine for Ashford, Laleham and Staines Upon Thames

Ginger Christmas Puddings

These fruity mini puds flavoured with stem ginger are much lighter than a traditional rich Christmas pudding and don’t need to be made weeks in advance.

1 Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas Mark 5. Butter six small pudding basins (each about 200ml capacity) and line the bases with circles of baking parchment.

2 Place the butter, flour, baking powder, sugar, spices and eggs in a large mixing bowl and beat together with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes until pale and creamy. Fold in the dried mixed fruit and two-thirds of the cherries and stem ginger.

Ingredients

Makes 6

Ready in 1 hour 30 minutes

175g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

175g self-raising flour

½ tsp baking powder

175g light muscovado sugar

1 tsp each ground mixed spice and ground ginger

3 large eggs

100g dried mixed fruit

50g glace cherries, chopped

50g stem ginger, finely chopped

4 tbsp stem ginger syrup

Softly whipped cream or brandy butter, to serve

3 Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared pudding basins then cover each basin with a circle of greased and pleated baking parchment and secure with string. Cover each basin with pleated foil.

4 Stand the basins in a roasting tin and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the basins. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until risen, firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into a pudding comes out clean.

5 Leave the puddings to stand for 10 minutes then turn out onto serving plates. Mix the remaining cherries and ginger with the stem ginger syrup and spoon over the puddings. Serve with cream or brandy butter.

Tip

For a boozy flavour, gently heat the stem ginger syrup with 1-2 tbsp of rum or brandy then pour over the hot puds just before serving.

The Local Magazine for Ashford, Laleham and Staines Upon Thames

Recharge and Rejuvenate with Hot Yoga and Reformer Pilates

When did you last slow down and immerse yourself in mindful movement? Fitness leaders have long-advocated low impact, holistic workouts to boost your health, mood and well-being. At the Thames Club we offer pay-as-you-go Reformer Pilates and Hot Yoga classes, so you can rejuvenate this winter without committing to membership. Both offer a full body workout, leading to improved strength, mobility and posture, but many participants attend for the restorative benefits too.

Manager and teacher Laura Hedges explains: “So many people come to us with a 'dodgy knee', 'bad back' and injuries or ailments that they've been carrying around for far too long. We constantly see poor posture and a distinct lack of flexibility and mobility hindering basic everyday movements and quality of life. People genuinely come to us to ‘get fixed’ and reduce or eliminate pain by moving better.”

Reformer Pilates

Reformer Pilates is practised on a carriage – a supportive moving platform – with adjustable resistance for a tailored workout. Just like mat Pilates, workouts are low impact and focus on controlled movements to target large muscles as well as smaller stabilising ones. The all-important core is engaged and strengthened, which is great for athletic performance but also key for injury prevention, pain reduction and good posture and stability. Reformer Pilates is therefore perfect

for cross-training purposes, as a reintroduction to fitness, or a safe way to maintain muscle mass and reverse conditions such as osteoporosis and high blood pressure. A session on the Reformer can lower stress hormones and improve mental health and sleep quality, leaving you feeling restful and uplifted.

Hot Yoga

Hot Yoga Club Surrey is Staines’ state-of-the-art hot studio hosting over 30 classes a week – all heated to around 40 degrees with 45% humidity, or gently warmed (the candlelit class is divine). Through regular practice you’ll gain all the key benefits of yoga, including strengthened and lengthened muscles, plus a heightened sense of vitality and liberation from sweating! Hot yoga is inclusive for all abilities and age groups, and counteracts the strain from sport, daily life, physical work or hours sat at a desk, helping prevent injuries and iron out niggles. Sweating whilst moving your body into nourishing poses, using your breath to control the heart rate, is a natural way to shed stress and feel completely recharged. Sink into a slow flow, power through a cardio vinyasa-style class or pick up weights and sweat soulfully as you Sculpt.

Find mindfulness in movement

For more information about Reformer Pilates and/or Hot Yoga and how to book your first experience, visit thethamesclub.co.uk/ reformer, www.hotyogaclub.co.uk or call us on 01784 463100.

The Local Magazine for Ashford, Laleham and Staines Upon Thames

The Local Magazine for Ashford, Laleham and Staines Upon Thames

The Local Magazine for Ashford, Laleham and Staines Upon Thames

WIN a family ticket to Bocketts Farm

Experience a magical Christmas at Bocketts Farm, as Father Christmas returns from 24th November to 24th December. Hop onboard the Santa Express to to his traditional workshop where you'll have fun with the elves before meeting Father Christmas himself and receiving a golden coin to spend in his very own toy shop.

There’s more festive fun on the farm too with a Christmas trail to complete, reindeer food to make, Christmas crafts to create, baby lambs to meet, a giant snow globe, heated soft play barn and a full programme of farm activities.

Tickets to see Father Christmas must be purchased in advance. Visit www.bockettsfarm.co.uk for times and availability. Tickets from £19.00 - £36.50 per child.

To WIN a family ticket to Bocketts Farm - look out for our giveaway on Facebook!

www.facebook.com/lovelocalspelthorne

“The staff at Lodge Brothers have been sympathetic, understanding and supportive. They were with us every step of the way throughout a very difficult time and we are and will be forever grateful for their support.”

Mr Robinson

Robert, Chris, Andrew & Michael Lodge

The Local Magazine for Ashford, Laleham and Staines Upon Thames

Announcing the 2022 Spelthorne in Bloom winners

The winners of the 2022 Spelthorne in Bloom competition were announced at a celebration evening on 11 October at Notcutts Garden Centre in Stainesupon-Thames.

The competition celebrates the work of Spelthorne’s green-fingered residents and businesses who help to make the Borough a brighter, cleaner and greener place to live. The judging took place in July and August with marks being awarded for a range of criteria including design, colour, biodiversity and sustainability.

The Chairman of the Spelthorne in Bloom Committee, Nick Wood-Dow, said “We were delighted to receive so many beautiful and imaginative entries this year. These wonderful gardens, displays, memorials and allotments brighten our environment and simply make the Borough a better place to live. Thank you to everyone who entered the competition and all the volunteers and sponsors, without whom the competition could not take place.”

The Mayor of Spelthorne, Cllr Susan Doran, said: “It has been really lovely to be part of the Spelthorne in Bloom awards evening and to help celebrate the talented and creative gardeners we have here in Spelthorne. Their wonderful gardens and displays enrich the Borough for everyone and show Spelthorne at its very best. Congratulations to all the finalists and winners. All their hard work throughout the year was certainly worth the effort.”

Spelthorne in Bloom opens again in spring 2023. We are looking for new members to join the Spelthorne in Bloom Committee so if you are interested in encouraging others to brighten up the Borough and helping to judge entries for this next year’s competition, we would love to hear from you.

More sponsors are also needed, so please get in touch if you are looking for a great way to promote your company whilst supporting a much-loved community initiative. Please contact Emma Paver for more information by email at Spelthorne.inbloom@spelthorne.gov.uk or call 01784 446379.

The Local Magazine for Ashford, Laleham and Staines Upon Thames

Many congratulations to the winners and finalists:

The Local Magazine for Ashford, Laleham and Staines Upon Thames

Best in Show

Stanwell War Memorial

Tallest Sunflower

HC Manor Mead School

3rd Saxon Primary School

2nd Our Lady of the Rosary 1st Springfield Primary

Best Edible Garden

HC Laleham Primary

3rd Stanwell Fields Primary 2nd Hawkesdale Primary 1st Ashford Park Primary

Best School Garden

HC Echelford Primary

3rd Laleham Primary 2nd Stanwell Fields Primary 1st Ashford Park Primary

Best Kept Front Garden

HC Pauline Bartlett, Turner Close

3rd Linda Osborne, Manor Farm Avenue

2nd Leslie Grimes, Manor Lane

1st Susan Wells, The Drive

Best Container Display

HC Eve Bird, St Martins Court

HC Hazel Clarke, St Martins Court

Joint 2nd Bridget Clifford, Manor Lane

Joint 2nd Linda Osborne, Manor Farm Avenue

1st Leslie Grimes, Manor Lane

Best Environmental Planting Project

HC Staines Park

3rd Shepperton Village

2nd Ashford Park Primary School

1st Stanwell Community Allotment

Best Community Garden

HC Stanwell Moor

HC Stanwell Community Allotment

Joint 2nd Vinter Court, Shepperton

Joint 2nd Normanhurst, Ashford

1st St Martins Court

Best Riverside Garden

2nd Rosemary Lafferty, Sunbury

1st Guibin Chaworth-Musters

Best Kept Allotment

HC Suri Sokhi, London Road

HC Doug and Liz Gibson, Moor Lane

HC Lukasz and Karina, The Clumps

3rd Gavin and Katarzyna, Groveley Road 2nd Martin and Magda, Commercial Road 1st Gary Clements, London Road

Best Kept War Memorial

3rd Ashford 2nd St Mary Magdalene Church 1st Stanwell

Best Kept Place of Worship

1st St Marys Church, Stanwell

Best Kept Small Pub

HC Old Red Lion, Staines

3rd The Flower Pot, Sunbury 2nd The Harrow, Shepperton

1st The Feathers, Laleham

Best Kept Large Pub

HC The Kings Head, Ashford

3rd The Freemans Arms, Ashford 2nd The Rising Sun, Stanwell 1st The Three Horseshoes, Shepperton

Best New Entrant

Linda Osborne, Manor Farm Avenue

HC = Highly Commended

Come On In And Be ‘On Trend’

This Christmas With Squire’s

With Christmas not too far away, thoughts are turning to sourcing the tree, what decorations to go for and importantly, those special gifts for family and friends. This year more than ever sees a strong focus on making the home the heart of Christmas, as well as a desire for durable products and investing in quality, decorative pieces that will be around for years to come. Complete your Christmas at Squire’s Garden Centres, with ideas for the home as well as gifts for all.

Tree Trends

While real Christmas trees remain as popular as ever with many homes opting for multiple trees, there are also benefits in investing in an artificial treeand the ‘frosted-look’ is particularly ontrend such as the 6ft 6” Snowy Dorchester (£249.99) as well as pre-lit trees like the 6ft 400 LED Ontario Pre-lit (£279.99). Squire’s Christmas Buying Expert, Sally Lomax, comments: “Many people like to dress their homes with more than one tree, perhaps in different rooms or one in the house and one outside the front door. An artificial tree is an economical way to do this. But there is also a nod to the savvy-shopper, as customers see the artificial tree as a cost-effective investment that can be enjoyed over many years.”

Energy-efficient Christmas Lights

Christmas lighting is an essential element to get things sparkling and this year might be the year to check just

how energy efficient your lights actually are, as we are ever more mindful of electricity consumption. Sally continues: “Checking your Christmas lights could be a wise move this year by looking at how energy efficient old sets are. It might be timely to invest in a new, more energy efficient set. Take a look at the plug or transformer on your lights and look at the wattage.”

“We estimate for our best-selling 1000 LED compact bulb light set with a timer, suitable for covering a 6ft to 7ft tree and running for 8 hours per day for 30 days, will cost just 75p. This works out at about 2.5p per day.”*

Squire’s offers a comprehensive range of indoor and outdoor lights - whether you are looking for tree lights, window lights or lit Christmas decoration lighting. Of particular note this year is the trend for softer, stylish ‘rainbow’ lighting which creates a lovely warm colour glow such as 100 LED Multi Action Battery Operated Lights in Rainbow (£7.99) and 378 LED Micro Dense Lights in Rainbow (£19.99).

The ‘At Home’ Trend Christmas has always been about being ‘home’ for many, but more than ever this year there is a real desire for ‘being cosy’, ‘at home’ and ‘layering up’. Squire’s Garden

The Local Magazine for Ashford, Laleham and Staines Upon Thames

for Ashford, Laleham and Staines

Centres certainly has everything to complete a cosy Christmas.

From a welcoming statement front door, festively dressed that says “come on in” , decorated with striking outdoor oversized dazzling baubles (£4.99/£11.99 and 4-pack/£7.99) and potted Christmas trees, garlands and wreaths for the outside (Squire’s Imperial Front Door LED Collection - £129.99), to luxurious throws for adults (and children alike!), slippers and cosy socks perfect as self-treats or gifting ideas.

Light up the home with Squire’s extensive range of candles, festive and soothing, like the wonderful fragrances of The Country Candle Collection (NEW to Squire’s and British made, prices starting from £10.99) including Sugared Raspberry Pastel, Charred Amber Pastel and Blueberry & Goji Pastel to name just a few and hand-decorated with co-ordinated petals.

Perfectly packaged for gifts is the Wax Lyrical range, priced from £4.99 for tea light packs (or 3 packs for £10), and the ever-popular British made St Eval candles, ranging from an Advent Candle (£5.99), Scented Tealight sets (£9.99) and the

White Christmas Orange & Cinnamon Pot Candle (£14.99). For everyday instant glow, Squire’s has a wide range of Price’s everyday candles, from White Tealights (£5.99) to large Alter Candles (£9.99).

Shop locally, Sustainably and Support British Made Squire’s is the perfect destination for the mindful shopper who is looking to make thoughtful and re-usable choices this Christmas. Sarah Squire, Chairman of Squire’s Garden Centres, comments: “Squire’s prides itself on supporting local suppliers and stocking British-made products wherever possible and we know this is welcomed by our customers. Many are consciously looking to buy products that are considered an investment and that they can enjoy for years to come – this could be an artificial tree through to delightful Christmas decorations that are brought out year after year and become firm family favourites. We hope that shopping at Squire’s is a truly magical experience and surprises and delights families visiting us this Christmas.”

Stanwell