The Yateley Magazine June 2014 by The Yateley Online Magazine

1â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

June 2014 4

A Note From The Editor

Pride of Yateley Awards

The Pride of Yateley Awards were designed to recognise and thank our dedicated community volunteers, those who so freely gave their valuable time to help the community in many ways.

Fleet Food Festival

Sunday 25th May saw the first ever Fleet Food Festival. Described by the organisers a culinary feast of fabulous food, cookery demonstrations as well as family activities and live music.

Come Die With Me

Are you planning a dinner party or event? Why not try something a little different, and issue an invitation to murder?

Yateley May Fayre

While our own stall was very busy, we did manage to slip into the crowd now and then and catch some of the brilliant acts in the central field, as well as chat to some of the lovely stall holders.

A Visit From The Flower Fairy

See how this local business encouraged the younger residents of Yateley to engage their creative side at this years May Fayre.

Barclays Yateley to Close

Barclays Bank has been one of the cornerstones of Yateley community life for over 50 years. However, the Bank has decided to withdraw from the Town, outraging many. 31

Aspire Gymnastics

Find out a little more about the organisation that received your generous donations at the May Fayre.

Sean Deveraux Park

Yateley Sports CIC secures the future of Yateley sports for generations to come.

Recipe of the Month - Oriental Prawn Salad

Local Walks - Horseshoe Lake

Photo of the Month - Simon Smith

Student Journalist - A Glimpse Into the Past

Max Woods, student writer from Yateley School gives us a brief look at the history of our town. 47

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s On, Clubs & Societies and our Business Directory

A Note From The Editor Hello and welcome to the June issue of The Yateley Magazine! The last month saw our launch issue hit the internet, and it’s been a busy month since! In this issue we give you an exclusive review of the first ever Fleet Food Festival and the fabulous culinary feast it was, along with a roundup of the highlights from our own Yateley May Fayre, including where the donations to our own stall went. We take a look at the wonderfully generous purchase of Sean Deveraux Park by the Yateley Sports CIC for the local sports clubs, and take a sneak peek into our latest town council meeting to bring you the latest local news as it happens, while shining a spotlight on a few volunteers who have made huge contributions to the Yateley community over the last year. Our latest winner of the Photo of the Month competition is revealed, and one of our young aspiring journalists gives us a brief history of our town, so much happened this month that we weren’t sure how we would fit it all in! But somehow we managed it, and I am incredibly happy to bring you our June issue, packed full of stories just waiting to be read. If you have a story to share or an event to promote, we are keen to help, so please send us an email to submit to the next issue. So on behalf of The Yateley Magazine we welcome you, and hope you enjoy reading the magazine as much as we did creating it! Get involved in the conversation! Follow us on Twitter: @YateleyMagazine

4 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

5â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

Pride of Yateley Awards Celebrating Outstanding Contribution to the Community At this monthsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; recent Yateley Town Council Annual General Meeting, The Yateley Magazine were invited along to witness something quite special - the Pride of Yateley Awards ceremony. This is the first time these awards have been in place, and they were introduced by our Town Mayor Gerald Crisp, who was recently re-elected as Mayor for another term. The Pride of Yateley Awards were designed to recognise and thank our dedicated community volunteers, those who so freely gave their valuable time to help the community in many ways, and who are, in effect, the heartbeat of our town, giving years of selfless service, without the expectation of thanks. For its inaugural year, the Pride of Yateley Award was given to 7 outstanding members of the community - each one of whom have improved our town in a range of ways. The first award was given to Margaret Claydon, who has served Yateley for over 28 years in many ways, including her contributions to The Yella Bus, Yateley Neighbourhood Watch, and her work with the hospital. She 6â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

Margaret Claydon

Rita Jenkins

Peter Bradley

Charles Lych

Graham Foxwell

Nikki Mann

modestly said ‘I couldn’t do it without my assistants’ who were in the crowd watching her receive the award. The next went to Rita Jenkins, who has served with the Yateley Council since 2003, and was highly praised for her work with both the youth and the elderly of Yateley. The third award was given to Peter Bradley, who turned up in full uniform, medals and all, for the occasion. Peter has spent years working with the local air training cadets, encouraging our young people to get involved and taking on the responsibility of running the group. Peter dedicated the award to his wife, and thanked everyone for the pleasure of both this service, and the award. 7 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

Next up was the lovely Nikki Mann, who took on the amazing task of running a youth centre in her home for several months. Praised by councillors as one of Yateley’s biggest unsung heroes, Nikki has given countless hours to both official and unofficial work with the youth community of Yateley. Ray Bunce received the next award, recognising his long term contributions to both children’s and young people’s groups in Yateley, as well as multiple contributions to the community as a whole. Unfortunately Ray was unable to make the ceremony. Following that, the next award went to Charles Lych, a well known local man who led the Town Council for a number of years. There were fond comments and recollections in the room of his service, and his ability to be able to interrogate councillors on tough issues - a skill aptly demonstrated later in the meeting! And last, but certainly not least, came the Mayors nomination for a Pride of Yateley award. This went to a man that the Mayor has known for a very long time, and is the idea behind Yateleys youth movement efforts, including a dedicated youth centre. Graham Foxwell has been working with the youth of Yateley for 30 years, leading the efforts to establish a dedicated youth centre, along with many other activates. Thanks to his ideas and efforts, along with those of several other community member, we now have a temporary youth centre for Fruition Central - a local youth charity, and this time next year a permanent youth centre will be opened. Between them these 7 people have dedicated 150 years of experience to improving Yateley, and the honour of receiving this new award is just one of the ways this town can say ‘Thank you’.

8 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

9â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

Fleet Food Festival A Culinary Wonderland May 25th this year was quite a special day for the local community of Hampshire. While slightly outside of our own town, the lovely people of Fleet held a unique event for all to enjoy - Fleet’s first ever Food Festival, held on The Views in Fleet. Thankfully the weather was in their favour, and the smell of fresh foods from all over the world (but sourced and made by local people) drifted across the town. The day was kick started with talks in the various feature marquees. In the cookery theatre, Dan Dobbs made everyone’s mouth water by showing us how to perfectly prepare a cannon of lamb for any occasion. He was followed by the Flavours of Italy, featuring head chef of Peppones Restaurant, Guiseppe Reitano. He helped the crowd learn about traditional Italian cuisine with a more modern twist, showcasing such delicious dishes as saffron risotto arancini filled with gorgonzola and pistachio di Bronte, showing you how 10 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

to bring a pinch of Italy to your cooking. These were just the first of 6 live cookery demonstrations that kept people in the marquee all day. Other fantastic talks in the cookery theatre included Sushi Made Simple, Let’s Go Gastro, Baking Choux with Beca (With Beca Lyne-Pirkins, Great British Bake-Off Finalist 2013) and finishing with a big curry cook off between Hook Tandoori and Monsoon Restaurant. If you weren’t hooked by the amazing demonstrations tent, then you could wonder Head chef of Peppones Restaurant, Guiseppe through the fields and explore the 50-plus stalls, all selling Reitano and his Flavours of Italy demonstration. or demonstrating their wares. A particular favourite was a stand selling fruit smoothies, but in a quite unconventional way. You see, instead of just handing over money and getting a smoothie, buyers had to cycle their way to a smoothie. No, we don’t mean 20 laps around the field! Instead, Hampshire County Council donated a smoothie bike, Sainsbury’s donated various fruits and juices, and for each smoothie these ingredients were combined in a mixer and put onto a blade system, mounted on the front wheel of the bike. When the pedals were turned, so were the blades. So the faster you cycle, the smoother your smoothie! Children and adults alike flocked around it, and councillor Sue Tilly described it as one of the most popular stalls in the festival. As you make your way around the field, sampling everything from olives to chocolate, from pickles to fresh and spicy Rwandan chilli sauces, you find yourself at the other main attraction of the day - the food and wine talks marquee. In this tent, Fleet Food Festival had gathered a range of specialist speakers to give some incredibly interesting talks on all sorts of topics. It kicked off with an insider look at the Art of Beekeeping, before moving on to A Beginners Guide to Keeping Chickens. A local nutritionist (in association 11 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

with Hart District Council) gave some nuggets of wisdom about how to Stay Young and Vibrant by Eating Yourself Healthy, and the owner of Hampshire’s Wine School shed some light on New Zealand’s Most Popular Wine Export. The day was rounded off by another talk from Great British Bake-Off finalist Beca Lyne-Pirkins on her time on the Great British Bake-Off, and the Hampshire Wine School helped us re-discover some Spanish Wine Gems. All through the day you could entertain your children with a visit to the Mad Hatters Marquee, where the fun never ended. A Mad Hatter Hunt kept everyone roaming around the stalls searching for clues, while back at the tent you could get creative by designing your very own mad hat. To keep with the feel of the day, you could experiment with food with Science in Wonderland, making vinegar volcano’s and coke bottle rockets to make learning about food fun - and fun it definitely was! The Mad Hatter Family Marquee was hosted jointly by Buttons Parties, with crafts like painting sun catchers and designing your own ‘Mad Hat’, and Minding the Garden, who helped children learn how to plant seeds - and then take them home to watch them grow. For the adults, there was a dedicated Pint ‘N’ Pimms tent, showcasing a variety of local breweries in a mini beer festival. The tent was dressed just like a traditional beer festival, and the Food Festival even invited some good friends from local breweries, giving you the chance to ‘meet the brewer’ while you enjoyed their beer. Placed next to the main stage, you could enjoy the wonderful live music from the front row, while enjoying a new pint and the lovely sunshine. Who’s Behind the Fleet Food Festival?

Although the day was incredibly bustling and busy, The Yateley Magazine managed to catch 2 of the organisers from the festival and find out more. 12 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

‘This year is the first Fleet Food Festival, and we hope there will be many more in the future.’ says volunteer Jenny Anderton. ‘We wanted to bring The Views back into the public consciousness, and a big event like a Food Festival seemed perfect.’ The idea was born in a meeting of Fleet Future, a dedicated town regeneration team who are constantly working on ways to improve and expand Fleet and it’s community. They were behind the Christmas Festival this year, and following on from its success, a new team for Fleet Future banded together to bring a summer event to Fleet. The whole amazing day was brought about thanks to the efforts of a group of volunteers, and their efforts, along with the help of a few sponsors (who can be found on their website) raised over £13,000 to make it happen.The first ever Fleet Food Festival was a massive success, but it wouldn’t have happened at all without the valiant efforts of the Fleet Future committee. A thanks goes out to everyone who attended - there was a massive community turnout that brought tears to some eyes on the day. The support of the Lions Club and the local schools in helping promote the event with posters and programmes, reaching more parents and 13 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

families for the day. The support of Hart District Council was also phenomenal, with Councillors Tilly and Wheale getting special mentions from the organisers for their support and commitment. Fleet Food Festival hopes to return to The Views next year, bigger and better than ever - so keep an eye out for more details, and if you can, get involved! Over the course of the day, the sun shone brightly and over 7,000 people came to the festival to enjoy the day, and one thingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s for sure if people didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know where The Views was before, they certainly do now! Please mention The Yateley Magazine when responding to advertisers.

Come Die With Me An Invitation to Murder Are you planning a dinner party or event? Why not try something a little different, and issue an invitation to murder? This week sees the debut of a new and unique app to the iTunes store - and it has been launched by one of our own local businesses. On the 30th of May, Yateley based company TConsult uploaded its latest app, titled ‘Come Die With Me’. This app is quite different from anything else on the app store. It is the first app to transform the traditional paper-based, dinner party role-playing games into a digital format. Having a passion for murder mystery dinner parties, the idea came about when the local family business ran out of traditional games to play. Home to a software programmer and a host of writers, Come Die With Me quickly took shape. Murder mystery dinner party games traditionally take on a theme, like a certain time period or a pastiche of a well-known TV format. They are often based on ideas like Agatha Christie’s crime novels or successful TV comic or drama series. They allow people to dress up and have a fun, themed dinner party while they act in character to try and figure out ‘who dunnit’. Come Die With Me takes all that fun into the 21st Century, by substituting the paper based game with a host application that runs on an iPad, and free client apps for guests that run on any iOS device. The guests still get to dress up and enjoy the evening, but without pages of notes to keep track of. 15 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

The game’s host application, which costs £4.99, runs on an iPad to give you full control of the evening. The app allows organisers to allocate guests to their characters, and manage the email invitations. In a unique twist on traditional murder mysteries, there are two possible endings to each story, instead of just one, but you’ll have to play the game to find out what they are. The host app includes links to recipes and playlists, to equip you with everything you need to create a fully themed and atmospheric dinner party. Guests are able to download the client app for free at the iTunes store and get involved in the fun. The game includes full video and audio (complete with blood curdling screams when the murder is discovered) to help create atmosphere, as well as hints, evidence and clues to help players in their quest to unmask the murderer in the midst of their fellow guests. Guests are encouraged to get into the spirit and dress the part - with tips and ideas for your costume included in their character assignment. Test runs of the app have been incredibly successful, with marked interest from the UK, America and Australia - helping this local company expand its reach beyond the local area. We interviewed some of the Come Die With Me team, to get a sneak peek behind the scenes. Product Manager and Lead Writer, Rob White said “While the first storyline is set in Victorian London at the home of the wealthy Sir Arthur Winslow, we are looking to take a major departure from the more traditional historic settings of these games. We are already developing the next series of exciting murder mysteries set in the future to make the idea more attractive to a more digitally native generation.” Developer, Richard Pitkin says “The key issue was to get all the guest applications communicating in real time with the host application across the host’s wifi network. The host can see who is connected at all times and make sure that everyone has a good time.” The Come Die With Me app from TConsult is now available on the iTunes store for just £4.99, and is a fantastic way to transform your dinner party into a fantastically fun evening of good food, wine and murder. For more information please contact: Ross McGill +44 7515 356050 info@comediewithme.net www.facebook.com/comediewithme @ComeDieWithMe 16 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

17â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

who gave tours of their vehicles, a few climbing walls and the family favourite blow up slide, it was one of the most successful May Fayre’s yet.

May this year saw the conclusion of yet another highly successful Yateley May Fayre. Our own stall was well received and we were kept very busy, but we did manage to slip into the crowd now and then and catch some of the brilliant acts in the central field, as well as chat to some of the lovely stall holders. The day saw thousands of people from Yateley and the surrounding areas flock to the Green to take in the atmosphere, catch the shows and enjoy hundreds of stalls full of games and delicious food. Featuring regular appearances of the police, ambulances and fire department, 18 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

The main attractions, of course, were the 3 performances during the day. First off were the spectacular Knights of the Crusade. These are no ordinary re-enactors, bringing the spirit of the crusades to life as they lit their torches and brandished their swords. Dressed in full period costumes and ever armour, they delighted the crowds, who gathered around to watch their performances. They re-created two plays, ‘A Tale of Richard the Lionhearted’ and ‘The Legend of King Arthur’, and their performances were fantastic - combining heroic fighting with absolutely dazzling pageantry, the audience was transported back to the world of mythical England. In their second performance they encouraged the audience to get involved, capturing the magic of the legend of King Arthur. Children of all ages were invited to the stage to become Squires to the Knights, Village Maidens and even a special Lady of the Day to become their

Maid Marion. For the finale, children were even invited to attempt to pull the sword Excalibur from the Stone. The next performance of the day was given by the local Falconry School. A lot of people have seen bird of prey demonstrations at one point or another, so this didn’t attract much attention at first. But as soon as the beautiful birds were unleashed, the crowds surged for a front row view. Their selection of bids included a few from the raptor family, with the most exciting being the dashing Peregrine Falcon, which is rarely seen in public displays elsewhere. The Peregrine Falcon is the world’s fastest living creature, and can fly at speeds of up to 200 mph in a dive. Using a mix of ancient and modern methods of falconry, the crew showcased the beauty of these birds in impressive and exhilarating displays, while giving the audience nuggets of information about the birds and how they were trained. But it didn’t stop there - some adult audience members were welcomed into the ring to handle the falcons, parading them around to the crowds, while children were flying smaller falcons from hand to hand within the area. The demonstrations were definitely a once in a lifetime event. And rounding up the trio of star performers, the Murray sisters performed some stunning equine displays with the Stallions of Substance. Sisters 19 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

20â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

Siobhan and Anne Marie have been training with these stallions since infancy, and the bonds were clear to see. The four stallions (Rico, Simba, Spirit and Cheyanne) have been performing together for 8 years and d a variety of adaptable shows, their favourites being Wild West and Spanish themed performances. Our cover photo this month is taken from this fantastic display, and captures the essence of the show. The horses are incredibly well trained, co-ordinated and performed superbly, stunning the audience over their 2 shows. Between the three main acts, local dance and performing arts groups entertained the crowd with dance routines, drawing some large crowds in their own right. The Yateley Lions did a fantastic job arranging the Fayre, once again making it one of Yateleys most popular local events. There was a huge turnout of stallholders, from local businesses showcasing their wares, charities looking to raise awareness, or those looking to fill you with delicious food and sweets. We thoroughly enjoyed this yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; May Fayre, and we hope you did too! To show you the magic of the day, we have put together a pictorial round up of the highlights for you this month, including some more of our favourite moments.

21â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

22â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

Please mention The Yateley Magazine when responding to advertisers.

on raffles. So instead she decided to go a bit less traditional, and invited any youngsters who visited her stall to enter a colouring competition instead. Each child was invited to colour in a picture of a fairy - in whatever colour or styles they wanted. There were some absolutely beautiful designs by some very talented young artists, but only one could win the grand prize, with a prize for close second as well.

Following on from our coverage of this year’s hugely successful May Fayre, we would like to share a special story with you. At this years’ May Fayre we happened across a stall that was not only selling beautiful flowers, but also something a little different. Owner and proprietor of The Flower Fairies Yateley Lucy Clifton, used the May Fayre as a fantastic way to get the younger residents of Yateley involved and interested in more than just spending money 24 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

Once the May Fayre was over and all the marvellous entries had been gathered in, they were judged by Lucy herself, to see who our top 10 best young artists would be. Lucy made a shortlist of her 10 favourite, and then left it to the world of technology to decide the winner. All 10 finalists pictures were uploaded to her website and to Facebook, and local residents were invited to vote for their favourite by ‘liking’ it. The winner of the competition was announced on Friday the 9th of May. The Winner

The winner of the competition was this lovely young lady - 9 year old Aria Buck! Her picture of a beautiful fairy with pink wings and red dress

May Fayre competition winner Aria Buck pictured here with her prize alongside her winning entry to the Flower Fairies competition. won the hearts of the people of Yateley, and she won £25 of Toys R Us vouchers, and a £25 bouquet of flowers from the Flower Fairies. Aria loved her prize and was really happy to have won. But she has also generously offered to share her prize of Toys R Us vouchers with the second place winner, Katie Cooper. We think her picture, and the sharing of her prize is lovely, and we wish her every luck in the future. Congratulations to the winner Aria, and to second place Katie and third place Lilly Goswell. To keep in the spirit, The Flower Fairies are offering a special promotion - just mention ‘Yateley May Fayre’ when ordering flowers before the 10th of June to get 20% off your order!

25 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

26â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

Closure of Barclays Bank Sparks Outrage in Yateley Community Built in the 1960’s, Barclays Bank has been one of the cornerstones of Yateley community life for over 50 years. Often described as a branch that is ‘never quiet’, and sporting a staff of lively and friendly people, for a large percentage of Yateley this is now the main bank after the loss of one major bank from our streets a few years ago. But this bustling local facility is now in danger, as Barclays announced this week that they intend to close the Yateley branch in August this year. Needless to say this decision has not been received well by local Yateley residents, with the announcement of the closure at a recent town council meeting causing uproar among councillors and public alike. While complaints were made about the ambiguity of the notice and questions raised about the legitimacy of sending Yateley residents as far as Crowthorne for their banking needs, it has been widely noticed that the residents of Yateley are not happy about the bank’s decision. At the latest Yateley Town Council Meeting (which also happened to be the Annual General Meeting for the council) councillors debated the issue 27 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

for quite some time, assessing how the closure would affect Yateley residents. It was mentioned by one councillor that a lot of those who use Barclays bank are the elderly or disabled, due to its convenience and location in the centre of town. The same councillor continued by pointing out how outrageous the idea is that these residents are expected to make the journey to branches as far afield as Camberley, Frimley and Crowthorne. And with the local business population in Yateley growing fast, small business owners need the support of their local bank to help them make the next step forward and nurture them - a role Barclays has always taken on with pride. Anyone who banks with Yateley Barclays can tell you that the branch is always busy, and it is a rare day that you go in to find it empty - a very good sign of a thriving bank in high demand by the community. Shortly after the announcement by Barclays, loyal customer rallied for a protest outside the branch, challenging Barclays to defend the closure of such a popular bank. While the branch is always bustling with customers, the banks metrics show a ‘fall in customer usage’, prompting them to close the branch. One town councillor described this decision as ‘diabolical’ while Yateley residents were appalled by this reasoning. Arguing both sides, local resident Simon Smith commented: ‘Sad to see it go, but with online banking, high street banking is losing its relevance. Cheques can be paid in at the Post Office 100 yards away, cash withdrawn from the ATM all with no additional costs. Access to a manager or mortgage services will have to be carried out at the bigger branches like Fleet or Crowthorne. All very good for people happy with technology, but for the elderly, the technophobes or those with no transport, this will cause a problem. This last point is exactly what the regular users of the Yateley branch of Barclays are concerned about, and the removal of this community resource 28 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

will surely result in a loss of customers for Barclays, as many have expressed the intention to move across the road to Lloyds, which will be our only remaining high street bank branch. Responding to challenges on Twitter, Barclays only statement was that an official statement has been issued to the press regarding the closure, and would have no further comment. What Can We Do?

But calls were made for action, and the council are intending to rise to the occasion. There are talks of petitions and other actions that the community can take to make Barclays see that when it comes to the value of the branch, their metrics arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the way to decide whether to keep or close it. As soon as the issue was raised it sparked a lively debate among councillors and the public, and while there were a variety of opinions on action, there was one message running clearly through the discussion: we will not stand for this. As it was pointed out during the meeting, the public really can make a difference and fight against the closure of their local bank branches- even if they are big high street names. In fact the Lloyds branch in Blackwater is still open and trading today thanks to the support and action of the community - who fought against the branch closure and saved their bank, and the jobs of its employees. This can give the community hope- that even against a private, high street bank, a solid local community can win out. With Barclays refusing or unable to give further information on the closure past their sparse letter, the community of Yateley is left wondering what reasons they could have for closing such a busy branch in such a prosperous area. There is no decision as of yet how the council intent to act against this closure, but it has been proposed that a dedicated committee be formed to fight the closure and lead the community in action to save a busy and thriving bank. The council do intend to address this issue, and The Yateley Magazine will keep you up to date on the latest developments with Barclays and on the council actions, in an effort to let you know how you can make a difference to the future of your local bank.

29â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

30â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

A spire Gymnastics Fundraising to support Yateley Sports If any of you came by our stand at this years’ May Fayre, you may have noticed we were running a tombola. It was a donate what you like affair, and when we mentioned it was for local charity, the Yateley residents dug deep to donate to a good cause. In total we raised £115.49, which we donated to the Yateley Sports CIC to help support sports in the Yateley Area. From there, the Yateley Sports CIC requested we make the donation directly to Aspire Gymnastics Club, a fantastic gymnastics club who practice in our own Frogmore Leisure Centre. We spoke to Jo, founder of the club. Jo has always been involved in gymnastics, and growing up in the gym (as her Mum was a coach), gymnastics is a way of life for, and this is what inspired her to start. Now when Jo isn’t coaching gymnastics she teaches Science and PE at a special needs school. Aspire Gymnastics started back in 2010 with just 1 badminton court to practice in, 20 gym mats and 8 gymnasts. Over 4 years the club has flourished, and now they are home to over 70 gymnasts of varying abilities, and they run multiple sessions, including infants, juniors and even a pre-school group 31 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

affectionately names ‘froglets’. Jo still teaches today, and fondly refers to the club as ‘her baby’, and one that she doesn’t intend to abandon, even though she is expecting her own baby soon - it looks like Aspire will have a younger sibling! Practicing on Friday night and Saturday mornings, every month more aspiring gymnasts come to be trained by this great group. Indeed, so many have loved their time with the folks at Aspire, that they have returned to help out after they left, making a brilliant team of 11-16 Jo from Aspire Gymnastics year old Young Leaders. This group are always looking to move forward in their qualifications, particularly in the British Gymnastics ‘My Leadership’ qualification. From the age of 14 they are also able to gain coaching qualifications, with British Gymnastics offering excellent introductory courses for youngsters to learn how to teach gymnastics to future generations. Since they started, Jo and her team have trained 14+ coaches through the club, some of which are still with them today. Jo and the club have achieved a phenomenal amount in just 4 short years, but they aren’t quite there yet. We asked Jo to describe what her ultimate dream for the club: ‘The dream for us is to have our own, purpose built local gym for training. We need a building of industrial size with very high ceilings to accommodate what we need, so renting space isn’t really an option. The guys at Frogmore have been fantastic letting us use their gym.’ She went on to say: ‘We will be using the kind donation from The Yateley Magazine for a few things - although they haven’t been decided for definite yet. We would love to use some of it to buy new equipment for the club, and put some towards the qualification courses for younger gymnasts, to help them along the way.’ 32 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

Intrigued, we asked Jo what some of the equipment she would love to see in the club included. She was incredibly excited by the idea of the club owning their own Air Track (which to you and me is basically a horizontal bouncy castle), and this is used to help the gymnasts to learn somersaults and new tricks for competitions. The club regularly puts forward squads to participate in competitions, with their favourites being the Hampshire Under 8’s Conditioning League, which includes circuits, basic bars and basic floor routines, with the older gymnasts going forward for floor and vault competitions. Recently 4 of their 8 & 9 year olds passed their grade 14 qualification, which is the first rung on the ladder for the National Development Plan. This qualification has them performing on the bars, beam and floor, plus doing vaults, range and conditioning, which tests strength and flexibility. As for their coaches, Marina Osgood recently passed the UKCC Level 1 Pre School Gymnastics Coach qualification. Another member, Nigel Young, is set to take the UKCC Level 2 General Gymnastics Coach qualification at the end of July. We congratulate Marina on her achievement and wish Nigel the best of luck. Aspire will have a stall at our next big local event - the Gig on the Green, and while they won’t be showing off their skills on the turf, they will be selling pocket money toys, balloons, stickers and glow sticks for the evening for all those attending. Swing by for more information, or to show your support. Aspire wouldn’t be what is it today without the continued support of their Young Leaders, who show up to every session to help train the younger gymnasts and support the club. Their dedication and commitment to the club is inspiring, and Aspire will always welcome any young ex gymnast who wishes to help. But at the moment, they are looking for coaches. Jo would encourage anyone with an interest in gymnastics, no matter what your age or ability, to get in touch and give it a try. For more information, contact Jo at aspiregymnastics@gmail.com and quote The Yateley Magazine.

33 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

Please mention The Yateley Magazine when responding to advertisers.

Sean Deveraux Park Yateley Sports CIC secures the future of Yateley sports for generations to come.

Just a short time ago, a rather unusual purchase was made within Yateley. But this wasn’t a particularly impressive house or a vintage car, no, this purchase was larger still. In late April 2014, The Yateley Sports CIC signed the contract to purchase Sean Devereux Park for the exclusive use of the Yateley sports teams. Only 2 months on and already the Yateley football, cricket and hockey clubs have found a home there. Especially the Yateley United Football club, which comprises of 35 teams and over 350 players, including both an adult and a youth section. The 7.2 hectares of land can be found opposite the golf course on Chandlers Lane makes a perfect base for them. The funding for this generous purchase was raised through our own community events - particularly through the huge success of Gig on the Green. It has taken over 3 years to raise the money, but it has been well worth it - and the efforts will continue with this years’ Gig on the Green music festival on the 28th of June. 35 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

But who are the Yateley Sports CIC?

Now there are some in Yateley who might not even know who the Yateley Sports CIC are. They are some of the lovely folks behind The Gig on the Green, and they are a non-profit group all about supporting sports in Yateley. They are still a fairly young group, with their roots set back in 2011, August, to be precise. It was then that a group of local volunteers got together to discuss ways of raising money for sports in the local community. On the back of their success with Gig on the Green, the Yateley Sports CIC are now looking into launching another event, to be announced shortly. The funds from this will, again, all be going towards bolstering the CIC funds, which are used to contribute to local sports initiatives. Words from the CIC:

We managed to have a chat with Colin Ive, Chairman of the Yateley Sports CIC, at the May Fayre, who shared his thoughts from the time of the purchase with us: “We are delighted to be able to announce the purchase of Sean Devereux Park by Yateley Sports Community Interest Company. This purchase, and subsequent transfer of ownership of two packages of land to Yateley United FC and Yateley Cricket and Hockey Association, has enabled both organisations to own their grounds and so protect the use of the park by the community sports clubs for decades to come. Importantly it will further enable sports facilities there to be developed to a high standard and in turn provide good quality sporting opportunities for our children and our children’s children.” He then added, “I should like on behalf of the Yateley Sports CIC to extend our thanks to Yateley Town Council for their guidance and support and also give my personal thanks to the team of volunteers who continue to demonstrate what a small group of community focused dedicated people can achieve.” As it stands, Sean Devereux Park is still in its preliminary stages of an ambitious plan to completely redevelop the area as a sporting facility open to the local community. The next phase for the park involves raising the funds 36 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

for a clubhouse and floodlighting for the pitches, and the Yateley Sports CIC will be counting on the generosity of the community to help achieve their goals and realise this dream. This years’ show features a host of local talented bands and singers, with tribute acts representing the Beatles, One Direction, Bob Marley & the Wailers, Green Day, a musical extravaganza from Dirty Dancing and the excitement of the ‘Y’ Factor finals. Keep an eye out next month for a full review in the July issue. This is just a taste of what the community of Yateley can do when there is a common goal set - and we have achieved the luxury of a sports park for all Yateley residents to enjoy.

37 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

Recipe of the Month 38â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

Oriental Prawn Salad

This month’s recipe is brought to us by the good folks at Tilsmere Catering, who wanted to share one of their favourite summer meals. It’s the early days of summer, and we are all starting to move outdoors some sunshine (when it’s there!) and even the odd barbeque. To help you get in the mood, this delicious oriental prawn salad makes the perfect alternative to a hot meal on a warm day, or a fantastic salad to pick at through the afternoon. With a healthy helping of zing and a kick of spice, bring a wow to your table. Ingredients (serves 4)

Dressing

450g peeled, cooked prawns 1 bunch of spring onions 100g rocket leaves 2 papayas 2 avocados 2 pink grapefruits 8 radishes Seeds from 2 pomegranates

3 tablespoons light coconut milk 1 stalk of lemongrass 1, 1/2cm fresh ginger 1 red chilli 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint 1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander 2 limes

Preparation

- Peel the lemongrass and ginger - Peel, quarter and slice the papayas - Thinly slice the radishes Steps

1. Finely chop and mix together all the dressing ingredients and allow to stand for 1-2 hours in the fridge. 2. Halve the avocados, remove the stone and slice. 3. Segment the grapefruit and mix with avocados. 4. Lightly toss in all of the remaining salad ingredients and top with the prawns. 5. Top with some of the dressing and serve the rest separately.

39 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

40â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | May 2014 Please mention The Yateley Magazine when responding to advertisers.

Enjoy The View Walks Around Yateley

41â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

Horseshoe Lake In this month’s walking section we take you around one of our favourite walking trails. Located beside the horseshoe lake water sports centre, this scenic route is perfect for families. Let the kids enjoy the centre’s activities while you escape into the woods and enjoy the views. This walk is one of the shorter lake walks in Yateley, at just over a mile. There is virtually no incline on this trail, though it can sometimes get a bit muddy - so bring wellies if it’s raining! At a leisurely pace this walk can take up to half an hour. The walk boasts spectacular views of the lakes, the Serene river Blackwater, surrounded by willows and an ideally placed picnic spot. A very popular route with dog walkers, if you want to walk off that Sunday lunch, there is no better place to go.

42 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

Photo of the Month This month our winner is one of our regular correspondents and avid hobbyist photographer, Simon Smith. We first met Simon over Twitter, and we just fell in love with this photo. We asked Simon to tell us a bit about himself. I have always been interested in photography, and even at this time in my life I still have the camera I had when I was 8. Indeed I still have some photographs of Ford Mustangs I took with it in Amsterdam when I was a little older! Career wise I have a background in Marketing Communications, and I became involved with the Internet in 1995 when I built my first web site. I used my film camera to photograph the products and got them processed by Pinewood Stills as jpegs over at the film studios. I got my first digital camera in 2001 when a whole new world of photography opened up where you werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t encumbered by the limitations of film. I am a member of Yateley Camera Club. Before I joined I considered myself 43â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

to be a good snapper but not a photographer, but through competitions, lectures and practical sessions I now consider myself a much better all round photographer. The photograph chosen by The Yateley Magazine this month is of my wife sitting by the pond near the Tythings building on a glorious spring afternoon. It was exhibited at the Yateley Camera Club exhibition where it was Simon Smith, winner of the June Photo of awarded the Mayor’s Cup the Month Competition. by the Mayor of Yateley as the best photograph of Yateley. In due course it will be framed and hung on the wall of his office. Join the Yateley Photo of the Month Competition

We are always looking for new photographs that document the beauty of Yateley and the surrounding area. If you’re a keen photographer in Yateley and would like a chance to have your work published in our magazine please get in contact. To enter next month’s competition, tweet your photos to @YateleyMagazine or email them to charlotte@theyateleymagazine.com

44 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

Student Journalist - A Glimpse Into the Past Max Woods, student writer from Yateley School gives us a brief look at the history of our town. Yateley hasn’t always had parks, schools and shops lining the roads. Around 25 years ago, where Waitrose now stands was all farmland, and in the beginning, Yateley was just a gate in a field. But let’s skip ahead a few centuries to when things started to take shape. There is an infamous tale that almost everyone in the United Kingdom knows about; The Gunpowder Plot. However, not many people know that Lord Monteagle, one of the members of the House of Lords and the man who helped discover the plot to assassinate King James I of England and VI of Scotland, lived in Yateley on the Monteagle farm. Lord Monteagle discovered the plot when his brother-in-law sent him a letter warning him about the assassination attempt. This is why there is a road named Old Monteagle Lane up by the Highwayman pub. Speaking of the Highwayman pub, there is another local legend about a famous man who lived in the early 19th century. 45 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

His name was Parson Darby, and he was a parish priest. However, caring for the souls of the deceased wasn’t his only occupation; legend says that he was also a Highwayman. Parson would use what is now the Reading road to stop and rob his victims. However, Parson was eventually caught and executed - hung on the Darby Green, which is named after him. Whether this is true or not is up to you to decide. Around 1865, a new building was constructed on what is now Old School Lane. That building was Yateley’s first school, even though it was only the size of a small house. Sometime later on, the school was moved to School Lane. About 35 years later, a woman named Flora Thompson was working in the post-office in Yateley. This post office could be found where the pharmacy next to the Dog and Partridge pub is now. Flora was inspired by her job as a post-mistress to write a book based on her time working in the post office. The book was incredibly popular and eventually was made into a successful BBC drama called “Larkrise to Candleford”. Skipping ahead in time again, we find ourselves in a devastating war where men from every city, town and village, including Yateley were sent out to fight for our country. Countless lives were lost, but those who did survive but were injured returned home to a makeshift hospital in Yateley. A house named Glebe House on Vicarage Road was turned into a military hospital at the time of the First World War. This hospital cared for many injured soldiers through the war, and is located across the street from a war memorial on the Reading road, which has all the names of the men who died during the war on it. Since then Yateley has played host to a myriad of events, both happy and sad. In the last few years, Yateley once again lost a loyal soldier in the Afghanistan war - but the community rallied to the support of his widow. Adam Brown had always dreamed of a beech hut, and in loving memory, his widow set up a fundraising campaign to raise the money to buy one in Mudeford, Dorset. On the 13th of May, the community hit 84% of their £160,000, showing that the people of Yateley will always love and support our own. 46 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

What’s on in Yateley 22nd June | Yateley Community Pre-School Summer Fete - Sunday 22nd May, Cranford Park Primary School

Mickey and Minnie will be bringing a bit of Disney magic to Yateley when they open our fete, and people will have a chance to have their photograph taken with the Disney stars. There will also be pony rides, a car boot sale, barbecue and refreshments, Little Kickers are attending to organise a penalty shoot out and do some free play sessions, and many more fete stalls and activities. For further details please see our website www.yateleycpreschool. co.uk or ‘ like’ us on Facebook. 25th June | Yateley & District Gardening Society Visit to Watercroft Wednesday 25th June

Join members and guests for a most interesting afternoon garden visit, at the home of Mr & Mrs Paul Hunnings, (TV’s Mary Berry). Spend time and enjoy the mature 3-acre chalk and clay garden, large weeping Ash, rose walk with 350 roses and the large natural old pond with diving ducks! A vast va47 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

riety of major interests can be found in these exceptional gardens. Afternoon tea and cake, which will be enjoyed in the beautiful garden or the glasshouse, is included in the admission price of £6.50p per head. 28th June | Yateley Choral Society Concert - Saturday 28th June, St Peters Church

That’s all Folk! Join the Yateley Choral Society for an evening of folk songs from around the British Isles, including arrangements by Hoist, Vaughan Williams, Grainger, Chilcott and Britten. Tickets are £12, visit www.yateley-choral.org.uk for more details. 28th June | Gig on the Green, Yateley Green - Saturday 28th June, The Green

A full day of excitement, local music and fun at our own yearly music festival. Book your tickets now from £20 to come along and be a part of this great Yateley tradition. Yateley Cricket Club

Yateley Cricket Club will be hosting various matches over the month. Check out their website for more details. Yateley 10k Race Part 2 - Wednesday 2nd July, Yateley Centre, 7.30pm

The Yateley Road Race Series consists of three 10k road races, held every year on the first Wednesday of June, July and August at 7:30 pm from Yateley Centre. The races start and finish in the Yateley Centre - on the fields adjacent to Yateley Comprehensive School in School Lane, Yateley, Hampshire GU46 6NW. See this map . The nearest railway stations are Sandhurst and Blackwater, which is approximately 4 miles away. Further away are Farnborough and Camberley stations, from where you can get a taxi. If you are hosting an event in Yateley and would like to have it featured in the ‘What’s on in Yateley’ section of the magazine and on our website, please contact Charlotte.

48 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

Clubs & Societies Music in Yateley:

Flute Salad - The ‘Salads’ offer flautists of any age and ability the chance to play a wide variety of music in a fun, friendly and safe environment. Vivace Cantamus - We are a ladies choir based in Hawley. We sing a varied repertoire form Mozart to Show Tunes and everything in between. We rehearse in the Hawley Church Hall on Sundays between 5.30 and 6.30, and are now recruiting new members for the choir, all abilities welcome. Yateley Sports Clubs:

Yateley Cricket Club - Established 1881 and now located at Sean Devereux Park. Catering for players of all standards, with four teams in between divisions 1 & 9 of the Thames Valley League and Sunday friendlies with 16 ECB qualified coaches. Sean Devereux Park, Chandlers Lane, Yateley, GU46 7SZ – enquiries@YateleyCricketClub.co.uk Yateley United FC - YUFC was created by the merger of local football clubs: Beaulieu Football Club, Beaulieu FC, Yateley Green Football Club, Yateley Green FC, Yateley Football Club Adults and Yateley Football Club Youth Contact: chair@yateleyunitedfc.com Activities in Yateley:

Yateley Camera Club - The club now has an ongoing membership of between 60 and 70 individuals and provides both beginners and more experienced photographers a place to meet and exchange ideas. All types of photography, from traditional to digital, are used. New members are very welcome and current members are always willing to give help and advice to beginners. If you would like more information, please visit our website. Frogmore Dance School - With nearly 40 years of proud history in providing dance and musical theatre training to both children and adults, Frogmore Dance School is the areas premier teaching centre fit to meet all your needs. Contact: info@frogmoredanceschool.com 49 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

Yateley & District Gardening Society – The Yateley and District Gardening Society (YDGS) was established in 1967 by a few local amateur gardeners who were keen to get together and share gardening knowledge and experiences. Yateley Charities:

Yateley Conservation Volunteers - Join us for 3 hours conservation on the last Sunday of every month. The groupmeet at 10am at Wyndham’s Car park, off Cricket Hill lane, and help with practical tasks such as scrub clearance, boardwalk building and path maintenance. This is a great opportunity to get involved and help maintain the town’s natural beauty. The Ranger’s House, Cricket Hill Lane, Yateley, Hampshire GU46 6BB - tel: 01252 870425 - northern.sites@hants.gov.uk Happy Hedgehog Rescue - We are a small, self funded, local animal rescue in Yateley on the borders of North Hampshire, West Surrey and South Berkshire. Our work is funded entirely from the kind donations of website visitors and friends of the rescue. Vulcan to the Sky Club – The ‘Vulcan 558 Club’ was launched in May 1997 in response to the public’s continuing interest in the conservation of XH558 – the last Avro Vulcan to be retired by the RAF. Contact Jo Ayres – joayres.ayres@gmail.com Camberley Cats Protection - The Branch is run by cat mad volunteers who are dedicated to helping make the lives of cats and kittens in our area better. Our webpages are updated regularly to make sure we provide up to date information on our cats and the activities going on in the charity to help the welfare of cats and kittens. Yateley & Yateley Green WI – Contact: Sheila Farmer – sheila.farmer3@ ntlworld.com Yateley Townswomen’s Guild – Contact: Robyn Kent – bob.robyn@btinternet.com

50 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

Yateley Scouts / Guides etc:

Yateley District Guides – Contact: Susan Brennan – 01252 665250 – aw10340@yahoo.co.uk 3rd Bramshill Scouts - Scouting in Yateley has been part of the local community now for 100years. However in the seventies Yateley was experiencing growth with families moving to the area with young children. Scouting was to prove so popular that the existing Yateley Scout Group, now called the 9th Bramshill, could not accommodate all those boys wanting to join. Every night of the week was used for some meeting and the Group had three Cub Packs, two Scout Troops and one Venture unit. 2407 Sqn Air Cadets - Are you up for fun, adventure, incredible experiences and making new friends? Are you looking for something to give you the edge in life? Then welcome to the Air Cadet Organisation (ACO). Better known as the ‘Air Cadets’, we’re a UK-wide cadet force with more than 40,000 members aged between 13 and 20 years. Contact Flt Lt Lynda Bradley: oc.2407@aircadets.org The information above is provided by the clubs and societies of Yateley. The Yateley Magazine is not responsible for the accuracy of this content.

51 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

Yateley Businesses Bluebella - Bluebella is an award-winning and fast growing social selling Company that creates fabulously fun and flexible earnings opportunities for women. Our mission is to give every woman the means to confidently enjoy her sensuality and our beautiful collection of lingerie and lovestuff does just that. The collection is available exclusively through our fast growing team of Bluebella Consultants and online. Boolean Computer Services - Based in Yateley, Hampshire and providing an honest and reliable service whatever your computing needs, home or business. More than 25 years IT experience, we come to you which saves you the hassle of unplugging your computer and taking it into a repair centre. Come Die With Me - Come Die With Me is the next level of murder mystery party dinner experience. Using your iPad and your guests’ iPhones, you can play a new breed of fun and compelling role playing murder mystery game. Charlotte McGill Writing Services - Need a writer, editor or proof-reader? Look no further! Charlotte McGill Writing Services offers high quality writing, editing and proof-reading services to individuals and businesses alike. With over 4 years of experience writing in both corporate and creative environments, I can help you create and perfect the words that represent your business Chris Haye Photography - Chris Haye is a commercial corporate photographer based in Yateley. He specialises in photography for business, still life and product photography as well as corporate headshots. Chris is known for producing beautiful advertising and editorial images for web and print. Prestige Wigs - Prestige Wigs, mobile wig specialists, serving Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire. Offering a professional wig service for hair loss due to Alopecia or Chemotherapy, and the chance for our clients’ to restore their confidence and self esteem from our caring and sympathetic wig consultants.

52 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

Pastelesta – Drawings and paintings of the people and pets you love made to order with pastel, pencil or paint. You just need to send a photo. We also sell paintings and greetings cards from our original art. Prints Charming - Photobooths are becoming incredibly popular in the UK party scene having seen success in the wedding/engagement, birthday, club and corporate event areas for a few years.These portable booths enable you to pick a venue of almost any size and capability and have a record of your “do” like no other! Tilsmere Catering - High quality executive catering for private and corporate functions. Tilsmere has been catering to the local Yateley community for over 18 years, providing delicious food for weddings, birthdays, parties and more. Contact: catering@tilsmere.com, 07976513765 The information above is provided by the businesses of Yateley. The Yateley Magazine is not responsible for the accuracy of this content.

53 The Yateley Magazine | May 2014

54â&#x20AC;&#x201A; The Yateley Magazine | May 2014