VantagePoint Magazine December 2014 - Farnham & Villages

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Farnham & Villages • December 2014

VANTAGEPOINT MAGAZINE

YOUR COMMUNITY  YOUR VIEW

HAPPY CHRISTMAS to all our readers from your local magazine

Inside: CHEESE AND PORT SEASONAL SPARKLERS WIN PANTOMIME TICKETS GROWING CHRISTMAS TREES PULL OUT CHARITY CHRISTMAS QUIZ

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s the days get shorter and the e v e n i n g s d a r ke r, we find ourselves increasingly retreating to our homes.

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Vantage Point.indd 1

03/11/2014 10:48:23

TO THE POINT

Stefan Reynolds Editor & Publisher

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:48:23

The local magazine produced by local people for the local community,

stefan@vantagepublishing.co.uk

VantagePoint is published by Vantage Publishing, a Godalming based local magazine business which was first established in 2009 when we launched our first community magazine.

We now publish five community magazines which are delivered monthly

by Royal Mail to 107,714 homes across the South East, which gives us the largest local circulation in the local area, all with guaranteed delivery by your postman.

Vantage Publishing Limited 6 Chestnut Suite, Guardian House, Borough Road, Godalming, Surrey GU7 2AE.

Please visit our website or contact any of us below if you need any more information.

Sales: 01252 415142 Editorial: 01483 421601

For more articles and Jottings, visit it us online at

vantagepointmag.co.uk THE VANTAGEPOINT TEAM Marcus Atkins Sales Director marcus@vantagepublishing.co.uk

Trish Soper Sales trish@vantagepublishing.co.uk

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Georgie Hales Sales georgie@vantagepublishing.co.uk

December 2014

Contributors: Jeremy Blood, Penny Kitchen, Louisa Mason,Viv Micklefield, Gill Potterton Print: Polestar Stones

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CONTENTS Rugmart 1214_Layout 1 07/11/2014 10:49 Page 1

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LE N A O S OW

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Rugmart

6 Jottings Your local community noticeboard

8 Christmas with the National Trust 14 Branching Out Viv Micklefield visits a local grower of Christmas trees

20 The Perfect Cheeseboard 24 Canny and Crafty Christmas Ideas

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27 Bumper Family Christmas Quiz In aid of the Dan Eley Foundation

33 Christmas in Farnham 38 Opportunity Knocks

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41 Seasonal Sparklers We revisit Greyfriarys Vineyard

44 Food Edible gifts for Christmas

48 Walk Farnham to Crondall

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The contents of this magazine are protected by copyright and nothing can be reprinted without prior permission of the publisher. The publisher has tried to ensure that all information is accurate but does not take any responsibility for any mistakes or omissions. We take no responsibility for advertisments printed in the magazine or loose inserts that might be delivered alongside it. © Vantage Publishing Limited.

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Jottings

- YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

We would just like to thank all those that have emailed us over the past 12 months and for the many kind comments. Please keep your jottings coming in, we do love hearing from you. We’d like to take the opportunity to wish all our readers a very merry Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year.

and Haslemere all have different shops to browse and cafes to visit, not to mention the supermarkets along the routes.” At this stage, it is envisaged that the new service will either be free of charge o for a nominal sum not exceeding £1. It is also seen as providing an opportunity for local businesses to attract shoppers with special offers.

Following the pilot community bus service between Headley and Hindhead for the Grayshott Market in October, plans are being drawn up for regular Saturday services for 2015. At this stage, the plan is to introduce two Grayshott community SHOPPA bus routes, to run every Saturday from March next year. One route will run between Beacon Hill and Liphook and the other between Linford and Haslemere. Both will route through Grayshott.

“Whilst the original idea was to run a SHOPPA service once per month to bring people into the Grayshott Market “ explains Tim Wickes, Market Organiser, “a community bus service between our local village centres will give more people the opportunity to widen their shopping vistas.

Grayshott, Beacon Hill, Liphook

Image of the Road exhibition explores the phenomenology of a route known as the E40, which extends from Calais in France to Ridder in Kazakhstan. Conceived by the United Nations to facilitate communication of goods, cultures, people, ideas, beliefs and inventions, the E40 is a transcontinental, long-distance trade route uniting these 10 nations and parts follow prehistoric ancient pathways and sections of the socalled silk routes. The exhibition is presented across two sites at UCA’s Farnham campus: James Hockey Gallery and the Elaine Thomas Library until 10th January 2015.

A Russian Fairytale: The Art and Craft of Elena Polenova is an exhibition at The Watts Gallery which opened on 18th November

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and runs to Sunday 8th February 2015. Elena Polenova was part of the generation of artists who rediscovered the folk traditions of the Moscow region – its wooden architecture, furniture and children’s toys; its icons and peasant decorations; and its vibrant tradition of folk stories and fairytales. She was the younger sister of one of Russia’s most famous artists, Vasily Polenov (1844 – 1927). During the 1870s and 1880s, Elena and Vasily spent time at Abramtsevo, an artistic colony located in a rural setting outside Moscow, that sought to recapture the quality and spirit of medieval Russian art. Showcasing furniture designed by Elena alongside her paintings of landscapes and folktale illustrations, the exhibition will demonstrate Polenova’s important role in the Russian craft revival of the 1880s. A visit to Watts Gallery is always a pleasure, and this exhibition will make it doubly so!

Do you play bridge? If so you can enjoy a guaranteed delicious tea between games of bridge at the well-equipped modern St Joan’s Centre, 19 Tilford Road, Farnham.

Jottings is your free community noticeboard for local events and information, edited by Nick and Angie Crisell. Please note that we cannot guarantee that all entries will be published.

To feature here, please email us at jottings@vantagepublishing.co.uk

FARNHAM & VILLAGES DELIVERED TO 21,937 LOCAL HOMES Like us on Facebook at Vantage Point Magazine

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Next Copy Date: 8th December 2014 6

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December 2014

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Christmas with the N Christmas is a time for customs, from those passed down through families and friends, to new discoveries that become part of your festive celebrations. Sending cards, decorating trees, singing carols, advent calendars, mince pies and mistletoe…there are some festive customs without which Christmas just wouldn’t be Christmas.

For many, a day out to a National Trust house and garden or a walk in the countryside is already a Christmas ‘must do’. Over the festive season, National Trust places will be decked out with Christmas sparkle, Father Christmas will pay a visit to special grottos and atmospheric estates will be packed full of festive customs to bring Christmas to life through the ages.

Every single visit this Christmas will support the National Trust’s work as a charity looking after special places for future generations to enjoy. There are plenty of activities on offer to help make your Christmas that extra bit special in these winter wonderland locations.

So whether it’s learning how to make a festive wreath, listening to carols or meeting Father Christmas, here’s a selection of top National Trust Christmas events:

rugs to magnificent fir trees, gilded baroque angels to a vintage nativity scene, Petworth House is dressed to impress this winter.

There are seasonal treats on offer too; visit the famous Servants’ Quarters to discover more.

There’s lots of fun for younger visitors to Petworth House this Christmas. Follow the quiz trail through the grounds, then write and post your very own letter to Santa. You can meet the man himself for a chat and a chocolate gift too. Work off some energy after Christmas by following the cook’s trail in the gardens; you’ll discover the recipe ingredients to make a gingerbread snowman at home.

A Country House Christmas: 6th December-2nd January, 11am-3pm (closed 24 and 25 Dec).

All I want for Christmas trail: 13th-24th December, 10.30am-3pm, £3.

Meet Father Christmas: 13th, 14th, 20th, 21st December, 11am-3pm, £5 (including treat).

Gingerbread trail: 26th December-2nd January, 10.30am-3pm, £3.

Information: 01798 342207, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/petworth-house

Sir Harry’s Christmas party at Uppark House and Garden Uppark was once the home of 19th-century party boy Harry Fetherstonhaugh, who loved to entertain. This winter, wander through rooms decorated for Harry’s Christmas party; the Dining Room is set for a sumptuous feast, whilse the Tapestry Bedroom is dressed for a children’s Christmas. Visit the servants’ quarters to find out what special ingredients go into a traditional Christmas pudding. Miniature festive decorations can also be glimpsed inside Uppark’s famous doll’s house.

A Country House Christmas at Petworth House Inspired by period issues of Country Life magazine, this magnificent 17th century mansion presents several rooms dressed for a vintage-style country house Christmas, with a quirky twist.

Outside, the stables have been transformed for an important visit from Father Christmas; children can make their way through a winter wonderland to meet him, and to receive a special gift.

Step into a welcoming atmosphere of log fires and wellingtons, evergreen trees and glamorous sparkle. The rooms are set to welcome guests for a luxurious evening of traditional entertainments and dinner. From warm tweed

A Victorian Christmas at Uppark: 6th, 7th, 14th, 21st December, 11am-3pm.

Meet Father Christmas: 6th, 7th, 14th, 21st December, 11am-3pm, adults £3.50, children £5.50, includes gift (normal admission fee applies).

Stir up Sundays: 9th, 16th, 22nd, 30th December, 11am-3pm, 50p.

Information: 01730 825415, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/uppark

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Kick-start some Christmas spirit with Stir Up Sundays at Uppark.

Stir a traditional Christmas pudding, make a wish and take home a bag of spices and a sixpence for your own pudding.

vantagepointmag.co.uk

he National Trust Carols and Candlelight at Clandon Park, near Guildford The beautiful Marble Hall at Clandon Park comes alive with Christmas carol concerts from the Oxford singers on 16th and 17th December (3pm-5pm and 8pm-10pm). Herald the festive season with mulled wine and mince pies in the interval.

Also,during December, there is the chance to explore the house by candlelight, as the Onslow family would have experienced it in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Booking essential on 01483 222482 or www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ clandon-park.

Animals in the stable yard at Hatchlands Park, near Guildford Visit the animals in the courtyard at Hatchlands Park on Sunday 14th December (1pm-3pm), solve the Snow Queen’s puzzle in a fairy tale trail, and meet Father Christmas. The shop and tea room will be open for some Christmas shopping, hot drinks and light refreshments. There is music and readings on 13th December by Ayres and Graces and Christmas carols on 14th December in the music room.

Booking essential on 01483 444334 or www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ hatchlands-park.

Seasonal concerts at Leith Hill Place, near Dorking Join in some festive fun on 6th and 7th December, with music and a last chance to visit the house before it closes for winter.

Enjoy a seasonal concert with Apollo5, ‘a cappella’ vocal group, the cosy fire in the Terrace Room and family activities upstairs.

Book for the concert at 11.30am or 2pm and join in with the festive atmosphere and sing-along carols in between, courtesy of Stef Conner and her Timeline Choir. Guaranteed to put you in the Christmas mood.

Booking essential on 01306 712711 or www.nationaltrust.org.uk/leithhill.

Edwardian Advent at Polesden Lacey, near Dorking See the house dressed as a magical living advent calendar, with 24 scenes and activities depicting the countdown to Christmas.

There are carriage rides, food tastings and Father Christmas who will be roving in the house and gardens. Polesden Lacey’s café offers a full three course Christmas lunch, the perfect way to meet up with friends and family in the festive season. From Boxing Day December 2014

to New Year try a game of Polesdenopoly in the gardens and play at becoming a millionaire like Mrs Greville, on a family trail.

Information: 01372 452048 or www.nationaltrust. org.uk/polesden-lacey.

A Solstice walk on the River Wey Navigations, New Haw to Walsham Walk from New Haw to Walsham lock along the River Wey Navigations, with two of our lengthsmen ojn the 19th December. Enjoy mulled wine and mince pies by the bonfire, followed by a minibus ride back to New Haw. Booking essential on 01483 561389.

Crafts and Christmas trees in the Surrey Hills Try your hand at making a Christmas wreath with a workshop and lunch at Bookham Commons (5th December) or the Witley Centre (7th December). Then on 20th December there is the chance to harvest your own Christmas tree at Hindhead Common. Bring a saw, sledge and pair of gloves and cut down your own tree.

There are also festive walks and children’s crafts at the Witley Centre on 22nd December and a guided Boxing Day walk at Bookham Common.

Booking essential on 01372 220644.

Wreaths and winter wonders at Winkworth Arboretum, near Godalming Join in a course to make a traditional Christmas wreath on 7th December with materials from the Arboretum. The Arboretum is open every day except Christmas Day for winter walks and there is a children’s trail available for just 50p.

Walk off the excesses of the season with a New Year guided walk, 1 January at 2pm.

Booking essential on 01483 208477.

Images from top far left: Ian Pearce, David Levenson, with the rest by John Millar.

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Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD - NOW IN DATE ORDER!

Surrey Artists’ Open Studios present ‘Art Online for Christmas’. Running from 10th November-23rd December, it’s an opportunity to buy original art and crafts from Surrey based artists, direct from their website www.surreyopenstudios.org. uk. The online shop offers a range of beautiful handcrafted artworks for sale, direct from the artist who made them, and all from the comfort of your own home! Browse through the work of over 30 artists, including paintings, limited edition prints, ceramics, metalwork, glasswork, photography, woodwork, woven crafts, textiles and sculpture.

There is a wide variety of work with gift ideas to suit all budgets.

Once selected, it is easy to buy your chosen piece, which will be carefully wrapped and sent to you. A perfect combination of online shopping and buying local!

Some SAOS artists will be opening

their doors as usual, in the lead up to Christmas, so please check their website for details of these and other events.

Grayshott Decorative and Fine Arts Society’s next meeting is on Thursday 4th December at 2pm in Grayshott Village Hall. This final lecture of the year usually has a winter and/or Christmas theme. They’re looking forward to welcoming Ann Clements who will trace how artists have responded to the challenges of winter. Whether it was C15th peasants drying their clothes, the C17th Frost Fairs on the Thames or C19th skaters on the Bois de Boulogne; her lecture, ‘In the Bleak mid-Winter’ promises to cover 500 years of artistic shivering! In the new year, they meet a week later than usual on 8th January when Yasha Beresiner’s ‘The Fascinating World of Playing Cards’ promises to be an amusing and intriguing

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lecture for avid players and those who don’t even own a pack!

There’s a house in Greenfield Road, Farnham GU9 8TQ that has for the past 25 years put on a huge display of Christmas lights and has raised a lot of money for charity. Their charity this year is Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice who celebrate their 35th anniversary this year. The display has become famous over the years and children who once came are back with their children /grandchildren and this year Eagle Radio are broadcasting live from the house with the switch on at 6pm on Friday 5th December. 25,000 lights will light the night sky and be seen from Crondall across the fields and also from the sky by planes taking off from Farnborough.

Lots of fun and moving lights and lasers and the display stays on until twelth Night.

I don’t remember yesterday But I know that I’m happy today Caring for those with dementia in a friendly, peaceful place

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There’s a Christmas Market at St Thomas-on-the-Bourne Church, Frensham Road, Farnham GU9 8HA on Saturday 6th December from 10am to 12.30pm. It’s in aid of Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice and entry is £2 to include coffee and biscuits. Children free. Lots of goodies to buy, excellent for Christmas presents. Also a tombola, guess the weight of the Christmas cake competition, raffle and silent auction.

RSPB North East Hants Local Group asks, “Why not forget the Christmas shopping and winter weather for a short while and enjoy what Bermuda has to offer?”. Pink sand beaches, coral reefs, clear water lagoons and lush tropical vegetation make this remote British dependency a colourful and attractive destination for the naturalist.

Bermuda is home to one of the world’s rarest seabirds - the

Bermuda petrel, also known as the cahow after its eerie cries which scared off early Spanish explorers believing that the island was inhabited by devils. Tropicbirds and vireos are amongst the other resident species and many exciting migrant birds from the USA also turn up on Bermuda. Andrew Cleave’s in depth knowledge, experience and photography of a wide variety of flora and fauna at home and abroad will ensure that the evening will feel like a holiday. It takes place on Saturday 6th December at 7.30pm in the Memorial Hall, Sandy Lane, Church Crookham GU52 8LD. Entry free to group members, £3 for visitors. There’s free parking.

Details can be found on www. northeasthantsrspb.org.uk.

The Waverley Singers’ Christmas Concert will take place on Saturday December 6th at 7.30pm in St Andrew’s Parish Church, Farnham. The programme

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will include Christmas readings and carols for the audience, and the choir will perform seasonal works, including On Christmas Night by Bob Chilcott, and three extracts from J.S.Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. They will also be singing two works by Will Todd, including The Mind That Lives, which was especially commissioned last year to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of William Cobbett.

The Singers will, once again, be joined by the Children’s Choir from Edgeborough School. Tickets at £12.50 (£5 for under 16s and students), are available from all choir members, at the door, or by calling 01252 792563. Full details are on www.waverleysingers. com.

Calling all would be Scottish Dancers. There is an Apprentices’ Dance on Saturday 6th December at Court Moor School, Fleet GU52 7RY from 7.30-11pm. All the dances will be walked through On slo wS t

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Branching Out From our homes to our high streets, the sight of a Christmas tree delivers the very essence of glad tidings at this time of year. Viv Micklefield visits one local grower to discover the mystery behind the magic Is it too big, or too small? Is it too bushy or too skinny? Traditionally the purchase of the allimportant Christmas tree marks the start of the festive season for many families, so down at Oxenford Farm in Elstead near Godalming, the pressure is on.

Anthony and Jo Baker are fourth generation farmers on the site, which sits in the shadow of a Pugin designed gatehouse; the farm’s history stretching back to when Anthony’s ancestors were originally tenants in the 1800s and the land was still part of the nearby Peperharow estate. Where once there was a dairy herd, now they rear beef stock and the market crops have been replaced by cereals. With around a tenth of the 500 acres here dedicated to growing Christmas trees, what’s interesting is how this particular diversification came about.

As we step out on a walk around the plantations, Jo recalls how 14

it all began during WWII. “Then there were so many Canadian soldiers based near here and at Witley. We had some Christmas trees growing wild in the woods, nothing formal, and the soldiers wanted them. So Anthony’s father began to grow trees properly almost 60 years ago. Originally a large number were sold to wholesalers and greengrocers, but with supermarkets coming along, it’s changed a lot over time.”

These days, the first trade orders can arrive at Oxenford from July onwards, with the bigger trees – anything up to an impressive 30 feet in height, being installed in shopping centres and government buildings. However, with several thousand sales to the public each year, this represents a growing part of the business.

Here they specialise in the four most popular varieties of Christmas tree. The Norway vantagepointmag.co.uk

Spruce with its deep pine smell instantly evokes childhood memories, although thanks to a (slightly unfair) reputation for shedding needles in our centrally heated homes, its popularity has dropped too. The new favourite is the Nordman Fir recognisable by its glossy needles which will still get thirsty and can lose their shine if not properly cared for once brought inside. For branches that are more spaced out, the Noble Fir comes out tops. Easiest to spot amongst the forest in front of our eyes, is the distinctive Blue Spruce, renowned for being a bit spiky but as Jo says, it’s a good choice if you want to stop inquisitive house cats taking a climb.

A potted history of the Christmas tree • Evergreen fir has been used to celebrate winter festivals for thousands of years.

Ancient peoples believed these warded off evil spirits and promoted good health, while early Romans celebrated the winter solstice by decorating their homes and temples; • Germany is credited with starting Christmas traditions in the 16th century when devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes and many of our associated customs began here; • In the 1840s Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their family appeared in a sketch gathered around a Christmas tree and the fashion for a decorated tree caught-on both in Britain and America; • During Victorian times trees were lit with candles to remind children of the stars in the sky at the time of the birth of Jesus; • Thomas Edison’s assistants reputedly came up with the idea of electric lights for Christmas trees; • Britain’s most famous Christmas tree stands each year in London’s Trafalgar Square – a gift from the people of Norway since 1947 as an expression of thanks for support during WWII.

And as she goes on to explain, how fast a tree matures depends on the variety. “Norway Spruce is the quickest growing at about a foot a year. We start with small plants known as transplants that we get from another grower.

It’s very important to get the right seed stock so there’s a really good provenance. The Nordman Firs grow about six inches a year but this depends hugely on the weather, and on the growing conditions.

“What we want is for it to be not too dry, not too wet, with some sunshine at the right time.

Actually, it’s the same as growing vegetables in your garden, you need a bit of everything. When planting the trees you need rain and especially here, because with the sandy soil it’s like the Savannah sometimes. We have to make sure they don’t dry out.”

By working the land in a 10-year rotation this ensures that trees can be offered in all shapes and sizes. And the good news is that this is a sustainable crop, which has a positive effect on the environment. In fact, the British Christmas Tree Growers Association claims that over 74,000 acres are currently given over to Christmas trees in the UK, each acre of which absorbs 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year.

Judging by the number of the birds around us these plantations also appear to provide a haven for wildlife. However, I’m curious as to why there are some areas enclosed by wire fences, while others not. “I don’t think people December 2014

Your local Christmas tree farm Above: Cutting trees at Oxenford Farm

Oxenford Farm Where: Milford Road, Elstead GU8 6LA When: 9am - 6pm daily (until 24 December) www.oxenfordfarm.com / 01252 702 109 Santa Fir Christmas Tree Farm Where: Guildford Road, Shamley Green GU5 0SQ When: 9am - 6pm daily (until 3pm 24 December) www.santafir.com / 01483 271 770 Wylds Farm Where: Warren Road, Liss GU33 7DF When: 9am - 5pm (until 22 December) www.wyldsfarm.co.uk / 01730 891 490 These farms are quality marked by the British Christmas Tree Growers Association, www.bctga.co.uk 15

realise that it’s not just a case of popping trees in the ground, and just leaving them,” says Jo. “We have problems here with deer, especially when the antlers are in velvet, they rub against the bark and completely destroy it; they also eat the new shoots. The rabbits munch the tiny trees and all you’re left with is a twig. Once they wiped-out an entire plantation which has a knock-on effect six years later, when they’d usually be ready to sell.”

Aphids pose a threat too and even when the trees become established, the care doesn’t stop there. “They’ve got to be pruned every year to make sure they grow into a good shape, and we need to keep an eye out for any disease they might get. You do need to give them a lot of attention.” And it’s become so labour intensive, that the Bakers now have a full-time member of staff dedicated to looking after their trees.

Once the Christmas season arrives, it’s all hands on deck with the help of several dozen extra helpers to keep up with the demand.

“The trees are cut on a daily basis. You can get very sophisticated machinery but we are a relatively small grower so, instead, use men with chainsaws. For public sales trees are wrapped using net funnels. But for the really big trees it takes a lot of manpower, even having mechanised balers we often have to pull these out with tractors.”

So otherworldly are the majestic boughs reaching to the wintery skies, you almost expect to see reindeers and a sleigh appearing any moment. And while there’s little doubt that it’s exhausting work running the farm, Jo and Anthony hope that at least one of their four sons will someday take over the reins.

Having seen the love that goes into making so many people’s Christmas special it’s definitely well worth supporting a local grower. Not only are you doing your bit for the planet, it’s the equivalent of buying something with zero food miles, and as these are freshly picked trees; if looked after, they will keep for longer. Just as importantly, who’d want to miss out on such a lovely shared community experience, even if it takes a bit of a ‘discussion’ when it comes to agreeing on the perfect tree?

Viv Micklefield is a locally based writer and can be reached at vivmicklefield@aol.com.

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Caring for Christmas trees • Leave the tree out of doors, or in cool, moist conditions until required for decorating; • Saw one inch off the stump and mount in a water holding stand OR plant a rooted tree in damp soil; • Water daily keeping away from direct heat; • If you decorate the tree with lights use a low heat producing type; • Avoid knocks by positioning near a wall or corner.

Recycling Christmas trees Unless you plan to plant out a rooted Christmas tree, the branches and trunk are biodegradable and can be composted for garden mulch. Alternatively, recycle a tree at your local garden waste collection point (Godalming, Haslemere) or at your local tip (Cranleigh, Dorking, Farnham, Guildford, Milford, Midhurst).

If you subscribe to a garden waste collection service, Christmas trees can usually be put out in the New Year. For more information on all local recycling services visit: www.waverley.gov.uk www.guildford.gov.uk www.molevalley.gov.uk www.chichester.gov.uk vantagepointmag.co.uk

Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD - NOW IN DATE ORDER!

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or recapped, so it is especially suitable for the less experienced dancer. There will be a supper interval and raffle, also an RSCDS shop for purchase of Scottish Dance instruction books and CDs. Scottish dancing continues on Saturday nights in January (17th and 31st) in Crookham Memorial Hall, Sandy Lane, Church Crookham GU52 7RY from 7.30pm -10pm. Full details of both events from Morna Partridge 01252 711992 and morna.partridge@ btinternet.com .

From December, the sumptuous state rooms at Petworth House will be styled to evoke an era of faded decadence and eccentricity. Inspired by period issues of Country Life magazine, this magnificent 17th-century mansion will present five rooms dressed for a vintage-style country house Christmas, with a Great Oxenford 2012_Layout 1 07/11/2014 Briti sh twist.

You’ll step into a welcoming atmosphere of log fires

and wellingtons, warm tweed rugs and evergreen trees. Even on the chilliest of winter days, Petworth House will be sure to leave visitors with a warm seasonal glow. £5 per adult (NT members and children free). 6th Dec to 2nd Jan, 11am3pm (closed 24th and 25th Dec).

There is much more going on, so please call 01798 342207 or visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ petworth.

It is of course a busy time in the Parish of Badshot Lea and Hale.

The fruit trees have been ordered for the community orchard in Upper Hale and the planting date has been set for Saturday 6th December at 1pm. Do go along to St Mark’s Church, Upper Hale GU9 0LT with your spades and help create a beautiful new community space! Messy Church is on 11th December at 3.30pm at St Mark’s Church, Upper Hale GU9 0LT. It 15:36 Pageof 1 church that includes is a form crafts, games, worship and FOOD.

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Please contact Alison Stickland at alisonstickland@sky.com or 01252 336059 to tell her you are coming for catering purposes.

Finally, The Parish of Badshot Lea and Hale have decided to bring a bit of Christmas Spirit to Badshot Lea this year and hold a Christmas Fayre on 13th December from 2pm-5pm at St George’s Church, Badshot Lea. Go along and enjoy the festivities - stalls, crafts, snacks, a raffle, tombola, prizes, tea and coffee ...and lots of festive cheer! Entry 50p.

A festive tasting day will take place on Saturday 6th December at Cowdray Farm Shop, Easebourne, Midhurst. Suppliers, including Neal’s Yard Dairy and local winery Upperton, will be on hand sampling out their delicious cheeses and sparkling wine. Hot mulled Hill Farm apple juice will be served along with other tasty Christmas fayre prepared by the chefs in the kitchen. Join them

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December 2014

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Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD - NOW IN DATE ORDER!

to get in the Christmas spirit – you can even buy some Cowdray Estate mistletoe! (Shop opening hours are Mon-Sat 9am-6pm, Sundays 10am-4pm). Call 01730 815152 or visit cowdrayfarmshop. co.uk.

As you can expect, there will be a feast of Christmas music at St Thomas-on-The Bourne, Farnham this month, for regular church-goers and visitors alike.

There’s a Christingle service for children on Sunday 7th December, Nativity service on Sunday 14th December, the traditional Nine Lessons and Carols on Monday 22nd December, Crib services and Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, ending up with a final celebration on Christmas Day morning – including Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus. A Christmas CD, recorded by the choir in 2013, is available. “I can promise you some great Christmas music at all of these services, sung really well,

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for all to listen to, join in and be inspired by” said Robert Lewis, the Director of Music. “You might enjoy it so much that you want to join us permanently!” Further details of services and music can be found at the parish website www.thebourne.org.uk . Anyone interested in joining the choir is invited to contact Robert Lewis at director@stthomaschoir.co.uk Join in the fun of a festive Santa Cruise on board a beautifully decorated boat and travel along the Wey & Arun Canal and through a restored lock. Children under 12 years will receive a gift from Santa who will board the boat at the lock whilst adults enjoy mulled wine and mince pies. The boat departs from The Wharf next to the Onslow Arms on the B2133 in Loxwood (free car parking). The trips take 40 minutes and depart at 11am, 12 noon and 2pm on Sunday 7th, Saturday 13th, Sunday 14th, Saturday

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20th, Sunday 21st, Monday 22nd and Tuesday 23rd December.

Tickets cost £9 per person (under 12 months are free). Booking in advance is essential. Also 50 minute festive boat trips, with light refreshments on board, will run on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day at 11am, 12noon and 2pm.

Tickets cost £5 for adults and £2.50 for children. Booking in advance is advisable. Call 01403 752403 or email office@weyandarun.co.uk Visit Www.weyandarun.co.uk/ tripboats.

Learn confidence through public speaking in a fun and supportive environment. Farnham Speaker’s Club meets on the second and fourth Monday of every month at the Farnham House Hotel.

For more information, please email Annie on annie.pritchard@ way-forward.co.uk or call 07866 086887.

Go along to the Royal Surrey

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The Perfect Cheeseboard

As the festive season approaches, buffets are set, dinner parties are hosted and hospitality ramps up. In all the festivities it’s easy to forget that a cheeseboard can be an easy-to-make, impressive addition to any celebration. Rather than leaving it to the last minute and simply grabbing whatever is nearest, Louisa Mason from Flavour Tastings gives us some top tips to create an impressive cheeseboard.

“Variety is the key to a perfect cheeseboard,” she suggests.

“Combine different styles, colours, shapes and flavours so there is something for everyone.” Start with a soft and creamy cheese like a brie or camembert. Find one that is unctuous and will be at the peak ripeness when you are ready to eat it. This means keeping an eye on it in the fridge and even taking it out a few hours before eating to finish its maturing process. French bries and camemberts tend to be stronger compared with British ones so choose the flavour profile you most enjoy. For something really British try Isle of White Soft a rich creamy cheese made with Jersey milk, or the rich and deep flavoured Tunworth from Hampshire.

Add to your board a hard cheese. The obvious choice is a mature cheddar but also consider less well known cheeses like Old Winchester, a cross between an Old Amsterdam, Parmesan and Vintage Cheddar produced in the New Forest.

Continental-style hard cheeses also go well such as an aged Gruyère. Whilste 20

many people just use Gruyère for cooking this is a deeply complex cheese, especially if you can acquire some Premier-Cru matured for 14 months. Of course, the nation’s favourite cheese is cheddar and this in itself comes in variety of flavours and styles. From the more earthy, farmhouse flavour of an unpasteurised Montgomery all the way through to the sweet, soft Godminster Vintage, there is a plethora of good cheddars to choose from. Barbers 1833 Vintage Cheddar is a good mix of savoury and sweet notes which will suit most palettes and is over two years old.

Often over looked are the semi-soft cheeses.

This includes soft delicate cheeses like Cornish Yarg and also the washed rind cheeses.

“Washed rind cheeses are seriously underrated in the UK”, Louisa tells us.

“They are much more popular on the Continent which is a shame considering how good they have become in the UK now.” She suggests looking further afield than Stinking Bishop too. “Sussex has an amazing washed rind cheese vantagepointmag.co.uk

called Burwash Rose. It’s creamy, rich in flavour and washed in rose water giving it a lovely floral aroma. If that’s not to your taste try a firmer washed rind cheese like Drunken Burt whose producers are winning numerous awards.”

Of course, no festive board would be complete without a Stilton, nick-named ‘King of English Cheeses’.

There are now six producers who can make Stilton under the Protected Designation of Origin Scheme. Under these rules the cheese must be made in Derbyshire, Leicestershire or Nottinghamshire and only from pastuerised milk.

This means the unpasteurised form cannot be called Stilton but is actually named ‘Stichelton.’

Stilton needs very little explanation but do try out the different producers. Colston Basset tends to be slightly lighter in texture while Cropwell Bishop has more tang. Stichelton can be very piquant and goes wonderfully with a glass of ruby port.

For a truly stunning board consider the colour and shape of each cheese and try to bring in some variety. The other consideration is to include at least one non-cow’s milk cheese, like an ash-covered goat’s cheese or square ewe’s milk cheese like Flower Marie. “I love Flower Marie,” writes Louisa. “It’s definitely on our board this year. Soft, lemony with a lingering tang this Sussex cheese is a gem.”

Finally presentation is everything so make sure you have a nice platter to serve it on. This can be wood, marble or slate and feel free to experiment with how you decorate it. Frozen grapes, walnuts, edible flowers, the list is endless. However, don’t get too carried away as sometimes less is definitely more!

Cheesy gifts

Natural Slate Cheeseboard £17.95 Handpicked Collection www.handpickedcollection.com

Camembert Cookware

£16.49 Steamer Trading Cookshop 168 High St, Guildford, Surrey GU1 3HS

Christmas Cheese Box £25 Flavour Tastings www.flavourtastings.co.uk

So what ever you decide to have on your Christmas cheese board, make sure you give it some thought.

FIND OUT MORE

If you want some more ‘cheesy’ advice or want to buy some hard-to find cheeses then see Louisa’s website at www.flavourtastings.co.uk or follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

December 2014

The Big Cheese Making Kit – For Kids £22.95 The Truckle Cheese Co www.victoriasdeli.co.uk

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Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD - NOW IN DATE ORDER!

County Hospital’s Fair on Tuesday 9th and Wednesday 10th December from 10am-3.30pm.

This year it will be held in the restaurant’s covered courtyard on Level A and everyone is welcome!

There will be stalls selling gifts, books, bric-a-brac and cakes plus a tombola and a Name the Bear competition. Wise Blue Owl Therapists will be offering FREE individual demonstrations of Reiki, Emotional Freedom Techniques and Hypnosis. Also, don’t forget the Royal Surrey County Hospital’s Charitable Fund’s Christmas Raffle tickets are currently on sale for £1 each and all funds raised will go to their Detecting Women’s Cancers campaign. First Prize - £1,000!

Contact the Fundraising Office at the Royal Surrey to purchase tickets or call 01483 464146/email rsc-tr.fundraising@nhs.net for more information.

On Tuesday 9th December the ladies of Farnham Afternoon

Townswomen’s Guild will be gathering in the Methodist Church Hall, South Street for their Christmas meeting. It will start at 1.30pm which is earlier than usual so that there is plenty of time for chatting whilst nibbling mince pies, etc, and for drawing the bumper raffle. Dick Elsey has been invited back to play some more recordings from the Golden Age of Wireless, and is organising a quiz. For more information phone 01252 722690 or 712503, email zelbob@aol.com or just go along.

A welcome awaits you at St. Andrew’s Parish Church Farnham at the festive season. Here are some details of events in December: Tuesday 9th, 1.10pm ‘Music while you Munch’ 35 mins of entertaining organ music; Sunday 14th, 6.30pm Farnham Youth Choir. Christmas words and music (Admission £10); Tuesday 16th, 1.10pm ‘Carols over Lunch’

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45 mins of popular Christmas music, refreshments available or bring your own. Enjoy singing or just listen; Sunday 21st, 6.30pm Traditional lessons and carols; Wednesday 24th, 3pm Christingle for younger children and families; 4.30pm, Christingle for older children and families each lasting about 35 mins; Christmas Eve 11.30pm, Midnight Mass celebrant Rt Revd Dr Christopher Herbert; Christmas Day, 8am Said Eucharist , 10am Festival Eucharist for Christmas Day. For more information, go to the website www.StAndrewsFarnham.org.

A reminder that Surrey’s biggest Christmas Fair at Farnham Maltings is taking place on Tuesday 9th and Wednesday 10th December. It will be open from 12 noon to 9pm on each day. Visit the bustling marketplace featuring over 150 stands specialising in bespoke gifts, handmade crafts and one-off stocking fillers. New

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CHRISTMAS IDEAS It’s not even here yet but do you already feel ‘bah humbug’ about the festive season? Is it the thought of all the expense, hassle and running around that’s making you dread the next few weeks? The VantagePoint team have pulled together some of their favourite money-saving, time-creating and stress- busting tips to share with you.

Making your money go further Reduce the number you buy for – if you’ve not already done your present shopping agree with your family to put all your names in a hat and draw out one each to buy for. You could all agree to set a price limit on gifts too.

Buy pre-loved gifts – a new twist on buying from charity shops, try buying nearly new items in pristine condition. Second Thoughts in Chiddingfold have toys and clothes for all ages and A Change Of A Dress in Godalming has lots of branded clothing. As Nicki Bartley from Second Thoughts explains “ We can provide you with perfect presents even without the original packaging – just nestle in amongst colourful tissue and place in an attractive box tied with ribbons”.

Make several outfits out of one - if you are spashing out on a new outfit to wear this season buy something that will see you through several social occasions rather than focusing

on buying that one special dress. Our fashion columnist and independent stylist Kirstie Smilie suggests opting for an outfit that you can dress up or down with a different jacket, shoes or accessory to make for a completely different look. She recommends asking for advice when shopping in boutiques like Blush in Haslemere as shop owners and assistants know their stock.

By adding a cardigan here or necklace there you can make more than one outfit. This makes your overall spend more value for money.

Edible gifts - can be quick and easy to make.

Turn to our food page for some ideas.

Recycle unwanted presents – but remember who gave them to you originally!

Give useful inexpensive items – like pens, toothbrushes and soap. These are guaranteed not to end up unwanted in the back of the cupboard.

Personalised gifts needn’t be dear - use family photos and frames from a charity shop or find out that person’s favourite song or a tune that you both remember and track down that single on CD or as a record (try Record Corner in Godalming). If you can find the original record you can frame it as a meaningful gift if the recipient doesn’t have a record player.

Use old maps or comics as wrapping paper Or brown paper and buy lovely ribbon to add a festive twist. You could also buy a Christmas stamp and ink and decorate your brown paper.

Arty Crafty in Godalming have a wonderful selection of ribbons and stamps. They also have a great display of Christmas card ideas if you have time to make your own.

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Get a free Christmas tree - you can harvest your own Christmas tree on Hindhead Common on the 20th December from 10am to 12 noon.

Bring along a saw, sledge and a pair of gloves to cut down your own tree. Car parking at GU26 6AB. Donations for the trees gladly accepted.

Creating time, experiences and memories Keep children busy making their own presents while you get on with the rest of the preparations!

C&H do a fabulous range of inexpensive kits.

These include making friendship bracelets, candles, soap, cards and paper beads. The nearest C&H store is in Guildford or you can buy online at www.candh.co.uk.

Offer your services - create a hand crafted voucher offering your time to help friends or family with gardening, cleaning or decorating for a gift that lasts beyond Christmas. Think this would only be of benefit just to elderly relatives think again! Skills like knitting, crochet and sewing are all in vogue. If you are a Nancy Birtwhistle you’ll have the grandchildren queueing up! Skills to offer but are on your own this Christmas? You could volunteer with Voluntary Action South West Surrey who would love your help. Contact them on 01483 565456 (Guildford) or 01252 725961 (Waverley) or see the website for details: www.voluntaryactionsws.webeden.co.uk.

Meet up with friends rather than buying them gifts - Make a date with a friend and do something festive as your Christmas present to each other. Try a Christmas wreath making workshop for example and you could even make a gift in the process. Some local ones include: Bookham Common - with the National Trust on 5th December, £25 per person. Telephone 01372 220644 to book.

Send (nr Woking) - with the National Trust on 10th December, £25 per person. Telephone 01483 561389 to book.

The Nationalk MTrust has other courses but further away. Check www.nationaltrust.org.uk for more information.

Reducing the hassle factor Bring a dish - if you are hosting Christmas you don’t have to do all the catering and entertaining yourself. Ask guests to contribute, whether it’s the crackers, a pudding or wine.

In fact if you don’t ask your guests might bring something anyway and you could end up with 10 boxes of chocolates instead!

Have homemade food but without making it yourself - The WI Country Market is a great place to buy cakes, sausage rolls and mince pies. You can even buy your entire Christmas lunch from a COOK outlet (and if you heat meals in their ceramic dishes you can pass them off as your own!).

Take a break and find sanctuary - if it’s all getting too much step inside any local church and sit in the silence. And if a traditional Christmas and New Year really isn’t your scene avoid it all and go on retreat (www.thegoodretreatguide.com).

Start early for 2015 - save your Christmas cards and cut them up to make gift tags for next year.

Buy your pudding and cards cut price after Christmas and put them by for next December.

However you prepare and spend Christmas this year we wish you a joyous time and a happy and healthy 2015 from all of us at VantagePoint.

Farnham - Made in Farnham on Sunday 7th December and Thursday 11th December 10am1pm, £45 pp at The Packhouse, Runfold. Contact Susanne Hales on 07721 770969 to book.

Milford - Squires in Milford on 10th December 10am and 6pm £20 per person. Ring 01483 324077 to book.

December 2014

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BUMPER FAMILY BUMPER FAMILY CHRISTMAS QUIZ CHRISTMAS QUIZ! Fun questions for ALL ages Funds will give disadvantaged young people vocational skills and support. For more details, visit www.daneleyfoundation.org.

Fun Questions For ALL Ages!!

Funds will give disadvantaged young people vocational skills and support.

OVER

OVER £600 IN IN PRIZES! PRIZES!!

£600

£200

£150

£100

£75

£50

£25

First correct adult entry

First adult entry drawn

First correct child entry

First child entry drawn

Best adult saying

Best child saying

£200

£150

- correct or not

£100

£75

- correct or not

£50

£25

Dan, from Surrey, was an aid worker with street children before a freak accident in the Amazon left him paralyzed from the1stshoulders down.Child He fought toBest survive and the generosity 1st Correct adult 1st Adult entry Correct child entry adult sayingBest child saying and kindness of thousands of people helped save his life. entry drawn – correct entry drawn drawn – correct or not

or not

He founded his charity so that disadvantaged young people can also be helped to overcome suff eringfrom and Surrey, despair and producti ve and llingchildren lives. 80% of all funds raised go in Dan, was live an aid worker withfulfi street before a freak accident towards our training programmes. the Amazon left him paralyzed from the shoulders down. He fought to survive and Charity No. 1146478. the generosity and kindness of thousands of people helped save his life.

Thank you for your support. Have fun and enjoy a loving Christmas.

He founded his charity so that disadvantaged young people can also be helped to overcome suffering and despair and live productive and fulfilling lives. 80% of all funds raised go towards our training programs. is delighted to be publishing this quiz in support of the Dan Eley Foundation.

Charity No. 1146478.

December 2014

Thank you for your support. Have fun and enjoy a loving Christmas.

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The Dan Eley Foundation Christmas Quiz 2014

Here is a Christmas Quiz for you to do with your family. Simply complete the phrase or title using the letters and word clues provided. There are even prizes if you don’t get all the answers correct. Good luck!

A. 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

To do with inanimate objects B A R A A Hard P ......................................................................................

T P C T K Black .........................................................................................

A D Edged S .............................................................................................

A P P A T Words .......................................................................................

T M A G T P O A Old F ..............................................................................

T A No P I S ..............................................................................................

A W P Never B .........................................................................................

L T Blue T P ...............................................................................................

B. 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

To do with animals A C I A H D B A Committee .......................................................................

A L C C Its S ...............................................................................................

D L A G H In T M .......................................................................................

L T C T G The C .........................................................................................

T P T C B The H .........................................................................................

L A L To T S ...............................................................................................

T S T B T C Back ........................................................................................

T Take T B B T H ........................................................................................

C. 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Botanical Section A S B Forth M F ........................................................................................

T A O M Eye ..............................................................................................

A R B Two T ..............................................................................................

A R S G No M ............................................................................................

T Nip I I T B ...............................................................................................

Y C M Bricks W S .......................................................................................

A F As A D .................................................................................................

A A A D Keeps T D A ..................................................................................

D. 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Relating to parts of the body T Point T F O B ..........................................................................................

T P T Wool O S E .......................................................................................

T Put Y F I Y M ...........................................................................................

A M T H Grow F ........................................................................................

A E F A E A A T For A T ..............................................................................

T W T A Man’s H I T H S ............................................................................

T H A F I Both C .........................................................................................

T W Y F T T Bone .......................................................................................

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vantagepointmag.co.uk

E. 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

To do with money H W H The G M T R ...................................................................................

A P S I A P Earned .....................................................................................

T T U L A Bad P .........................................................................................

N A B Nor A L B .........................................................................................

L See T C O Y M .........................................................................................

W There’s M T B .......................................................................................

M M T W Go A ..........................................................................................

T L Of M I T R O A E ..................................................................................

F. 1.

2.

3.

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Film Titles O F Over T C N ..........................................................................................

S O The L ..................................................................................................

H P A T C O Secrets ...................................................................................

S Private R ................................................................................................

T Years A S ................................................................................................

The K S .....................................................................................................

The L O T M ..............................................................................................

T Man W T G G .........................................................................................

G. 1.

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Difficult sayings (no words, but cryptic clues) F L W (star’s dying statements) ...............................................................

B Y H I T S (seaside internment) ..............................................................

A A A O N (large bird necklace) ................................................................

A D I T R (golfer’s sparkling find) ..............................................................

A F I T O (cream surprise) .........................................................................

B S O T F (Bo’s troublesome sibling) .........................................................

B B (Marilyn’s explosive device) ...............................................................

C A A A A L (expensive limbs) ...................................................................

H. Invent Your Own Proverb using these letters (Adult Section) A T T W T A L A N W S L …………………………………………………………………………………… ……………………..……………………………………………………………………............................... ..............................................................................................................................

I. Childrens’ Section 1.

G A T Three B .........................................................................................

2.

L Bo P .......................................................................................................

3.

H D Dock ..................................................................................................

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Three B M ................................................................................................

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T Three B G G ...........................................................................................

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T T Tank E .................................................................................................

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L Boy B .....................................................................................................

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B The B .....................................................................................................

J. Childrens’ Saying (in no more than 10 words) “ I love Christmas because…………………………………………………………………………........”

Please see overleaf for entry details...

December 2014

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BUMPER FAMILY CHRISTMAS QUIZ!

The goal of the Dan Eley Foundation is to help young people help themselves by giving them the skills and training to find legitimate employment in both Surrey and Colombia.

We hope your whole family enjoys doing our Christmas quiz.

Fun Questions For ALL Ages!!

When you have completed the quiz, detach it from the magazine and please send your entries either by post to The Dan Eley Foundation, Fieldview, Petworth Road, Witley, GU8 5QW with a Funds will give disadvantaged young people vocational skills and support. small donation to the work of the charity. We suggest £5 (cash or cheque payable to The Dan Eley Foundation) to accompany your completed quiz.

OVER £600 The Toy Box, 3 Wharf Street, Godalming GU7 1NN IN Café Mila, 1 Angel Court, Godalming GU7 1DT Enzorosario Hair Salon, 112 High Street, PRIZES!!

Godalming GU7 1DW

If you live in Godalming you may prefer to drop your sealed envelope off by hand at either:

Richmond Arms, 149 High Street, Godalming GU7 1AF

Name ………………………………..........................................................................................................

Address ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ………………………............................................................................................................................. £200 £150 £100 £75 £50 £25 Post Code ………….............................. Tel ......................................................................................

1st Correct adult 1st Adult entry 1st Correct child Child entry Best adult sayingBest child saying entry drawn – correct entry drawn drawn – correct enclose my donation or ofnot £ …….... and, as a UK taxpayer, I wish this donation to be subject to or not

I Gift Aid if applicable …… (please tick if Gift Aid is applicable and sign below).

Dan, from Surrey, was an aid worker with street children before a freak accident in Please the gift aid this donati on paralyzed from the Signature Amazon left him shoulders………………………………….................... down. He fought to survive and the generosity and kindness of thousands of people helped save his life.

Closing date is 6th January 2015. Winners will be informed by the end of January. The results foundedinhis that disadvantaged young people can also be helped to will beHe published thecharity charity’ssowebsite at www.daneleyfoundati on.org. overcome suffering and despair and live productive and fulfilling lives. 80% of all funds raised go towards our training programs.

Thank you so much for your support.Charity A veryNo. happy and loving Chrtistmas to you all.

1146478.

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Thank you for your support. Have fun and enjoy a loving Christmas.

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December 2014

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for this year’s fair, the Maltings Cellar Bar will be transformed into a food emporium, brimming with delicious sweet and savoury treats perfect for gifts and festive entertaining. You can take a break from shopping to enjoy a special Christmas Afternoon Tea in the riverside café. Also new for this year, visitors will be able to take part in pre-booked or drop-in craft workshops for all ages and levels.

To book a place on any of the prebooked events, visit the website w w w.fa r n h a m m a l t i n g s . co m or call the box office on 01252 745444.

Cobbett’s Wey Decorative and Fine Arts Christmas lecture takes place on Wednesday 10th December, at Farnham College, Morley Road. The subject is interestingly entitled ‘Great Tarts in Art: High Culture and the Oldest Profession’. In a mixture of arthistorical analysis and scandalous anecdotes, their guest speaker,

Linda Smith, takes a generally lighthearted look at changing attitudes to sexual morality down the ages, by examining the portraits and careers of some of history’s most notorious mistresses and courtesans. The talk will start early, at 7.30pm and will be followed by festive refreshments.

For more information browse through their lecture programme at www.cobbettsweydfas.org.uk.

That perennial favourite Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is this year’s panto at The Princes Hall in Aldershot. Fabulous sets, stunning costumes, fantastic dancers, a great script and wonderful cast come together to make this a truly magical production. Excellent songs, music and dance numbers, and an unforgettable friendly atmosphere all go into making the Princes Hall pantomime a great family Christmas tradition. It runs from Thursday 11th December

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to Sunday 4th January. Tickets start at £16.50 for children and seniors, and £17.50 for adults, plus discounts are available for groups. Tickets are already selling fast, so do not miss out! Call the box office on 01252 329 155 or visit www.princeshall.com to book or reserve your seats.

On Friday 11th December at the Maltings in Farnham, the Rushmoor Odd Fellows MVC will be ‘Singing For You’ in aid of the Prostate Project.Rehearsals are underway for this Christmas Concert where the choir’s special guest will be Emma Mabin, the popular local soprano soloist.

Do come and support the ‘Odds’ unique style of excellent singing and humour. Tickets are priced at £10 and can be obtained by emailing tickets@rushmoormvc. com or by phoning 01252 545859.

The choir have already raised more than £8,000 this year

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News Christmas 2014

Farnham Christmas Market

Sunday 14 December 10am - 4pm Castle Street and Mercure Bush Hotel Conference Suite On Sunday 14 December between 10am-4pm, Castle Street and the conference suite of the Mercure Bush hotel will be transformed into a festive Christmas Market, with the Farmers’ Market also taking place in Central car park from 10 – 3.30pm.

The Farnham Christmas Market will have something for all the family from special Christmas gifts, decorations and handmade jewellery to homemade fudge and seasonal produce; plus don’t miss Father Christmas in the Oak Lounge of the Bush Hotel!

Browse the stalls and fill your senses with the smells and sounds of Christmas, warm yourself up with a glass of mulled wine in aid of the Mayor’s charity, Post 19 and tempt yourself with some festive treats. Indulge in some of the fresh food on offer including festive burgers, hog roast and steaming soup served in a crusty bread bowl while enjoying the live music on offer.

Farnham Town Council would like to thank the sponsors of the Farnham Christmas Market 2014.

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Farnham Farmers’ Market Sunday 14 December 10am -3.30pm Central car park

Don’t forget to take the chance to visit your local Farmers’ Market. The Farmers’ Market will be in Central Car Park from 10am-3.30pm offering fresh and seasonal produce. All products at the Farmers’ Market are sourced from within 50 miles of the market, Farmers’ Markets enable the producers and growers to sell their products direct to the customer, which means fewer food miles are travelled.You can expect to find home grown chillies, variety of pies and fresh fruit and bread plus Christmas trees, hams and turkeys.

Civic Christmas Carol Service Wednesday 17 December 7.30pm

Farnham Youth Choir will perform at the service taking place at St Andrew’s Church in the centre of Farnham, sponsored by the Farnham Herald. For details on how to get hold of free tickets to this event please call 01252 712667. Unfortunately tickets will not be available on the door as they will have been allocated to community organisations and Herald readers.

December 2014

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News Christmas 2014

Other events for your diary Farnham in Bloom Winter Celebration Sunday 21 December 2.30 - 3.30pm Come along to Gostrey Meadow to join in singing carols around the Christmas tree with Farnham Brass band. Mulled wine and mice pies will also be available.

Christmas Shopping in Farnham There is no need to go any further than Farnham for your Christmas shopping. With over 200 shops, many of which are independent retailers you can find the perfect gifts for all your family and friends.

Farnham Town Council has invited retailers to stay open for late night shopping on Thursday evenings throughout December. To make your Christmas shopping even more convenient, take advantage of parking free of charge on Thursday afternoons between 3-7pm on these dates in the run up to Christmas.

Hunt for Nativity characters in Farnham Children aged between 5 and 11 are invited to take part in the return of the popular Christmas themed window competition. In previous years, children were challenged to find a variety of snowmen throughout Farnham. This year’s competition will be officially launched at the Farnham Christmas Market taking place on Sunday 14 December where you will be able to pick up an entry form featuring all the businesses taking part! The theme for this year’s competition is Nativity. Find as many characters from the Christmas story for a chance to win a prize!

Contact us For the latest details about Christmas in Farnham please visit www.farnham.gov.uk/Christmas.You can also follow us on Twitter @Farnhamofficial or on Facebook /Farnhamofficial E: events@farnham.gov.uk T: 01252 712667 With so much festive activity taking place in Farnham leading up to Christmas, Farnham Town Council has put together a guide featuring local fayres, events and church services available at the Council Offices and 34

on the brand new website. Farnham Town Council welcomes local businesses, schools and comunity groups to add their events on the new events calendar.

Farnham Town Council will be closed from 4.00pm on Wednesday 24 December to 9am on Monday 5 January.

For information about our services over the Christmas period please visit www.farnham.gov.uk.

Farnham Town Council wishes the residents of Farnham a Merry Christmas and wonderful New Year.

Where do you think new homes should go in Farnham?

Residents and people who have an interest in Farnham have until 5pm on 15 December to take part in a consultation that will shape the future development of Farnham. Everybody who completes a consultation survey will be entered into a draw to win an iPad Mini.

The consultation aims to find out people’s views on Farnham’s draft neighbourhood plan. The plan puts forward options for many of the elements that shape the town’s character such as the location and design of new homes, proposals for the town centre and local shopping centres, open spaces and many of the facilities that give an area its unique characteristics.

An information roadshow has been visiting the town’s communities so that everybody has the best possible opportunity to meet the neighbourhood planning team, have their questions answered and to find out more information.

On Saturday 6 December, the roadshow will be at the following locations: • Bottom of Castle Street from 10am to 4pm • St Andrew’s school fayre from 11.30am to 1.30pm • South Farnham Infants school fayre from 3pm to 5pm The survey and draft neighbourhood plan can be found at www.farnham.gov.uk/shapefarnham.

vantagepointmag.co.uk

News Christmas 2014

People who make a difference

A place to remember

Do you know somebody who deserves recognition for the work they do to serve the community?

This Christmas the seasonal memorial trellis will return to the cemeteries at Hale, Badshot Lea and Green Lane. The memorials offer visitors an opportunity to write and display a message in memory of a loved one.

Waterproof tags are available from Farnham Town Council or people can supply their own.

We are seeking nominations for the 2015 Services to Farnham awards. The awards are sponsored by Sir Ray Tindle of the Tindle News Group and are presented to people who provide an outstanding or crucial service to the community or the people of Farnham.

Individuals or organisations can put people forward for an award by filling in a nomination form, which can be found at www.farnham.gov.uk/servicestofarnham.

The deadline for submitting nominations is Monday 12 January 2014.

Locations of the cemeteries can be found at www. farnham.gov.uk/cemeteries

Grants for Arts Projects The South Street Trust is inviting applications from Farnham organisations who wish to apply for a grant for an art-based educational activity.

Grant application forms and the criteria for applying can be found at www.farnham.gov.uk. The deadline for submitting an application is 12 noon on Friday 23 January.

For further information email fsst@farnham.gov.uk.

Free listing Events, local groups and businesses can be advertised free of charge on our new website.Visit www.farnham. gov.uk to add your details.

December 2014

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for local charities and they are hoping to pass their target figure of £10,000 at this concert. They look forward to welcoming you to this festive occasion.

It’s a fun packed festive season for Farnham Music and Drama (FMD) with lots of opportunities to catch them in the community over the coming weeks. Jazz@ FMD will be playing at the REME charity Concert at the Arborfield Garrison on Thursday 11th December. Their adult choirs will be visiting Woodlarks on Friday 12th December and then they will be joining the Round Table at Farnham station on Friday 19th December for some carol singing to raise money for local charities. The FMD Christmas Concert this year will be in the Great Hall at Farnham Maltings on Saturday 13th December at 7pm, which will be a showcase of all FMD’s groups and performers from across the ages (as young as 5 upwards) including Junior Strings, Jazz@FMD, Centre Stage Minis, Company and Grads and both adult singing groups and orchestras. Tickets are available from the Maltings box office. More info at www. farnhammusicanddrama.com.

Grayshott Folk Club’s Christmas Special with The Churchfitters is on Friday 12th December at 7.30pm (www.churchfitters.com/ ehome.php) at Grayshott Village Hall. They are an Anglo/French

band who put the fun into folk.

With Chris Short’s brilliant fiddle playing, Rosie’s exquisite voice and showmanship and Boris’s barmy instruments they bring both humour and accomplished musicianship to the party. This summer they were a great success at Fairport Convention’s Cropredy Festival, playing in front of 20,000 people. An ideal band for a Christmas knees up.

Support is provided by Edwina Hayes (www.edwinahayes.com) who performed back in June to great acclaim. Adult Tickets: £14, Children under 16, £7. Call Des O’Byrne on 01428. Personal callers may buy their tickets for all Grayshott Folk Club events from: Magical Rooms, 2 Headley Road, Grayshott Call: 01428 608340 (opposite The Fox and Pelican pub). Grayshott Social Club, Hill Road, Grayshott Call: 01428 604041. Haslemere Bookshop, High Street, Haslemere Call: 01428 652952.

Get in the Christmas mood with Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice’s Santa and Rudolph Fun Runs, and raise money for the Hospice whilst dressed as Santa! These festive fun runs are fundraising events with a difference. All participants are issued with a Santa suit on the day – children wear Rudolph antlers and a flashing red nose – and complete the course dressed in their festive attire, along with hundreds of other Santas and Rudolphs! The first of the two fun

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runs will take place in Hindhead, at 11am on Saturday 13th December, where participants will follow a 3.5km route around the Devil’s Punch Bowl, with stunning views of the beautiful Surrey countryside. The second will take place at 11am in Aldershot, on Sunday 14th December, where the Santas and Rudolphs will complete two laps of the impressive Queens Avenue Playing Fields. Everyone is welcome to take part, and participants can walk, run or jog either of the courses at whatever pace they prefer. Registration costs £12 for adults and £5 for under 14s and everyone who completes the course will be given a medal and a selection of festive goodies! And this year you can still take part in the fun even if you don’t want to run, as the Hospice is inviting all spectators to come in festive fancy dress, with a prize for the best dressed!

Registration fees are higher on the day, so book your place now by visiting www.pth.org.uk, emailing fundraising@pth.org.uk or calling the Hospice’s fundraising team on 01252 729446.

The History of Hale Project’s October coffee morning was a great success with over 100 attending.

Remembrance Sunday turned out bright and sunny, after Saturday night’s rain, and more people than ever turned up. The Farnham Band played, and the children planted crosses in troughs of sand, each

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time not spent drinking port is a waste of time”.

So with thoughts not just of Christmas 2014 but also for next year here is the essential guide to port and what to eat with it.

Port is a fortified wine made by blending a variety of Portuguese grapes that grow in the harsh conditions of the Douro Valley. How harsh I hear you ask? Well workers have to dynamite the rocky ground in order to plant the vine, the roots need to grow down at least 25 metres just to get a drink. Furthermore, the vines are planted on such steep terraces that the grapes can only be harvested by hand. All this and we haven’t even picked a grape yet!

It takes three weeks to harvest the grapes as each variety ripens differently so workers need to climb the steep terraces time and again to get to ripe grapes. Once picked grapes are taken to Quintas (farms) where some are still crushed by foot treading. Foot treading is not just done for tradition or fun, it has been proved that treading grapes by human feet brings out the full concentration of flavour.

OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS Jeremy Blood from Surrey Wine School takes a look at a seasonal favourite Like it or not it’s now the time of the year when our thoughts turn to parties, socialising, eating and drinking. There is just so much to fit in even before the second week of December!

I often ask guests at Surrey Wine School what their favourite seasonal tipples are. Not surprisingly many say Champagne and wines from Bordeaux or Burgundy, but sadly Port and other fortified wines such as Madeira or Sherry are still regarded as the drink to leave out for Santa.

Port is a wine that some people enjoy just once a year, which is a real shame as it is far more that just the rich, sweet, taste of Christmas.

Get to know the different styles and you will be enjoying one of the world’s great wines all year round. As Percy Croft of Crofts Port said, “Any 38

While the juice is fermenting, a high alcohol spirit is added that kills the yeast and stops the sugar turning into alcohol, leaving the wine sweet. This process is called fortification and differentiates port, sherry and Madeira from other sweet wines.

So port is born in the Douro but its first steps are taken near Porto in Villa Nova de Gueia at the many port houses where it is blended. The ageing process is started during the following year.

The essential difference between styles of port is whether it is aged in wooden casks (such as ruby, tawny) or in the bottle (such as vintage).

Cask aged ports are ready to drink as soon as they are bottled and don’t improve with age. Bottled aged ports will get better as they mature. Depending on the quality of the year a vintage port may take 15-30 years to reach perfection.

Basic ruby and tawny ports have young fruity aromas, are aged in wood casks for twothree years and are ready to drink as soon as it is bottled. I love to drink these wines with chocolate mousse or strawberries. The best cheese match I have found is with a full flavoured goats milk cheese. vantagepointmag.co.uk

White port is made in the same way as ruby except that white grape varieties are used. It makes a great aperitif wine. Simply pour 1/2 white port and 1/2 tonic over ice and add a sprig of mint or basil and you’re all set. I love to match with hard crumbly cheese such as Cheshire, or Wensleydale.

Tawny ports can be aged in cask for 10, 20, 30 or 40 years (the year shown on the bottle is an average of the years in the blend) producing wines of real concentration. The colour changes as it ages from rich ruby to beautiful amber and golden hues. They also develop nutty and caramel flavours. Tawny ports are the most versatile, as they can be drunk chilled as an aperitif, matched with desserts or paired with sheep’s and cheddar cheeses.

Choose your pairing carefully with tawny port as the age can make a big difference. The older the port the more it will match with raisiny flavours.

I absolutely love a 20-year-old tawny such as Churchill’s matched with traditional Christmas cake or mince pies. If you prefer desserts such as crème brûlée or toffee puddings then try a 10-year-old tawny.

Late bottled vintage (LBV) is a port lovers dream come true. An excellent value port

December 2014

made from a single year and coming from high quality vineyards and does not need decanting unlike vintage port. This is the top match with chocolate. It also works very well with soft cream cheese like Brie de Meaux. Taylors created the LBV style and I am a real fan of these wines.

Vintage port is the pinnacle of all port production and is high on the list of the world’s greatest wines. Made with grapes from a single year, vintage port spends only two to three years in cask and is immediately bottled and released for sale. Although it can be drunk when released it can be a further 20 years before it reaches perfection. These wines leave a sediment in the bottle so it is wise to decant them before drinking. My perfect match with a vintage port is hazelnut and chocolate tart or the classic pairing with Stilton cheese.

FIND OUT MORE

Surrey Wine School together with Flavour Tastings run wine and cheese evenings throughout the year. Cheese and wine, cookery and wine with a professional chef, and all the other fabulous tastings are available to buy as gift vouchers. For more bookings and information visit www.surreywineschool.com, email info@ surreywineschool.com or call Jeremy on 01306 898569 or 07436 072518.

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cross had the name of someone named on the Memorial. It is truly a beautiful sight. The Christmas event is on Saturday 13th December; there will be two sittings, 10am-12noon and 12.30- 2.30pm. If you haven’t let Geoff know which one you would like to attend please get in touch with him as soon as possible. The Project has a busy year ahead and they look forward to seeing you all. Hopefully more residents will find their way to have a coffee, lovely cakes, and meet up with friends that they haven’t seen for ages.

The West Surrey Wine Society doesn’t have a formal wine tasting in December but are having a dinner instead. However, if you might be interested in joining them in the New Year for tastings, talks etc, I can tell you that they meet on the third Monday of the month usually at

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The Conservative Club, Ivy Lane, Farnham GU9 7PQ. Details can be obtained from the membership secretary Frances Hackemer on 01252 793684.

The Christmas Celebration of the Farnham & Bourne Choral Society will start at 7.30pm on Saturday 13th December at St Thomas-on-The Bourne church.

The programme will include choruses from Handel’s Messiah as well as a selection of carols, some of which will involve participation from a hopefully gutsy audience! Also performing will be a Brass Quintet formed by Will Spencer, whose trumpet making and playing achievements were recently featured in a Farnham Herald article. Concert tickets can be bought in advance for £12 from choir members or by phoning 01252 721075, otherwise for £14 at the door.

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Ho! Ho! Ho! Father Christmas is coming to Farnham Library.

The Friends of Farnham Library are planning a free coffee, cake and mince pie morning between 9.30am and 12.30pm on Saturday 13th December with Eliza and Tom’s Victorian Christmas at 10.30am. There will be a short film on how Victorian children enjoyed Christmas, a variety of Victorian toys and dolls on display and Father Christmas will arrive and give each child a typical Victorian Goody Bag of small presents. Everyone is very welcome and tickets will become available at the library very soon.

For enquiries ring 0300 200 1001 and ask to be put through to Farnham Library.

Tweseldown Artisan Market returns for December 13th for their Christmas event with fantastic new discoveries, alongside our regular top quality

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Seasonal sparklers Vines growing, wines flowing at Greyfriars. Penny Kitchen pays a return visit to the vineyard off the Hogs Back I could hardly believe two years had passed since my first visit to Greyfriars Vineyard. Firsttime visitors turning down the long drive off the A31 Hogs Back are amazed at the sight of the North Downs in all their glory rolling away to the south, and even though this time I knew what to expect, the view still made me stop the car for a moment to take it all in.

Neat rows of grapevines cover the slopes and even from a distance I could see the bunches of grapes ripening in the September sunshine.

My previous visit had been a winter one with 13,000 newly planted vines barely making an impression in the landscape. Two years on, what a different story. These vines, originating in Germany, are obviously thoroughly enjoying their home in the south-east of England.

It is now four years since Hilary and Mike Wagstaff bought the vineyard, with precious little knowledge of grape cultivation or viticulture. Together with their brother-in-law David who took on the role of vineyard manager, the three embarked on a steep learning curve, determined to make a commercial success of what had been a hobby vineyard under the previous owners.

Mike explained that of the 400 or so English vineyards only 35-40 are on a commercial scale and he was grateful that he’d had enough money to invest in new vines, fermentation vats, antiDecember 2014

deer fencing and innumerable other necessities involved in modern viticulture.

Today the vineyard extends to over 40 acres with another 10 acres they manage at Shere, and after a very disappointing showing due to the weather in 2013, the 2014 harvest looked set to produce some 80 tons of grapes. If only every English summer could be as good, mused Hilary as we walked up the hill past the serried ranks of neatly trimmed vines. (In fact, when I caught up with Hilary in October, she reported a record harvest of 8-10 tonnes a day, over 100 tonnes in total!)

She stopped to examine a bunch of grapes, explaining how the leaf cutter on the tractor takes leaves off the vines late in the season, allowing the last of the summer sun to do the final ripening for maximum sweetness in the grapes. “The weather has been fabulous this year,” she said, “perfect for grapes – calm, settled and sunny. This year we shall start picking early in October, whereas last year we were still picking into December to allow maximum ripening.

“Leading up to the harvest we do sugar readings on the grapes and when the time is right family and friends come to pick on the Sunday before 20 hired pickers arrive. Then the hard work begins with 300-400kg of grapes being processed by each picker each day for 10 41

days while we process them in the winery.”

The grape varieties are chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier, vines well suited to the English climate and the chalk downs. In fact, the Downs are blessed with similar geological and soil conditions to the Champagne region in France.

Because the English climate doesn’t normally enjoy months of unbroken sunshine, the grapes grown here are lower in sugar, suitable for dry sparkling wines.

At Greyfriars the clay/loam topsoil covers several hundred feet of free draining Cretaceous chalk. The chalk was originally deposited over a hundred million years ago when this entire area was submerged under a tropical sea.

Three awards On my first visit the couple explained that for the moment they had given up the idea of making still wines in favour of the sparkling champagne-type wine which has lower sugar levels and more acidity.

The first vintage produced entirely by the Wagstaffs since taking over Greyfriars in 2010 was their award-winning 2011 Sparkling Rosé Reserve. It was made from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes from mature vines planted by the previous owners in the early 1990s. A poor summer and extremely warm September yielded small volumes of very ripe grapes from which 450 bottles were produced. But this wine has won awards and put their name on the map.

In 2012 they decided to take advantage of the popularity of the rosé, producing Rosé Reserve 2012, another sparkling pink fizz. This wine is a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes partially fermented in used oak barrels and again produced using the traditional method.

So far, Hilary explained, Greyfriars are using local wine outlets such as Drakes in Ripley, Fleurie in Godalming and Olivos in Guildford, as well as selling from the vineyard itself. They have been carefully husbanding their supply with Christmas around the corner and their own 42

online shop due to open. “With this good summer our volume of bottles will increase exponentially and then we will begin the push to sell more. At the moment it is a juggling act – to release early and run out, or keep some back.”

Future plans to buy more tanks for fermentation had to be brought forward, adding another 30,000 litres to the current 50,000 litre capacity. They are also hoping to dig a storeroom into the chalk slope which will provide the perfect yearround temperature for the wine.

“We’re delighted with the way things are going,” Hilary told me. “We’ve rarely had negative feedback and we’ve now won three medals which means a lot to us. We entered our first wine, the 2011 Sparkling Rosé in a few competitions to see how it would fare against other wines.

It won a Silver Medal in the 2014 Sommelier Wine Awards, a Bronze in the Decanter awards and more recently a Bronze Medal in the International Wines and Spirits Competition.“ As more and more quality restaurants start to offer good English wines, there is no doubt that Greyfriars will soon join the Hogs Back Brewery as a local success story. I, for one, am waiting for the 2014 vintage to come on-stream. If the wines are anything like the great summer we’ve enjoyed this year, they should be winners.

10% DISCOUNT

FOR VANTAGEPOINT READERS

VantagePoint readers will receive 10% off the 2011 Blanc de Blancs and the 2012 Rosé Reserve (which both retail at just £20), saving £2 per bottle. At present all wine sales are cellar door only, so please call 01483 813712 or email info@greyfriarsvineyard.co.uk to arrange a collection. Simply present your copy of VantagePoint to qualify for the discount.

Greyfriars Vineyard,The Hog’s Back, Puttenham, Surrey, GU3 1AG. Tel: 01483 813712.

Email: info@greyfriarsvineyard.co.uk.

Website: www.greyfriarsvineyard.co.uk.

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favourites; all carefully selected to bring you the ‘best of local’.

Get that last minute vintage party dress from Pret-a-Vintage and buy retro and vintage games, books and toys from Knickerbocker Glory - great presents for kids (and big kids). Treat the kids to a Christmas themed children’s workshop with STUFF– let the kids get creative while you shop! Beeutiful bring their range of handmade boutique beauty products with natural beeswax and honey and make sure you stock up on Ildikos Chocolates gorgeous treats for the festive season. It’s your last chance to get that unique special gift that you can find on the high street and stock up the best local food available - plus a few treats for yourself too. Come along and peruse the beautiful stalls, refuel at the hot food stands, stock up on local treats and most importantly, discover something new. Tweseldown Artisan Market, Bourley Road, Church Crookham, Hants GU52 8DY Adults £1 Children under 16 free. Dogs welcome on a lead. 9am- 3pm.

Farnham Brass Band is in for a busy few weeks. They will be giving a concert on Sunday 14th December at 4pm at Rowledge School and will be joined by their newly formed Training Band section for part of the concert. Go along and join them for an entertaining and fun concert for all the family. Tickets are just £2 available from Lloyd & Keyworth or by contacting fa r n h a m b ra s s b a n d @ g m a i l . com. Then on Saturday 20th December, Farnham Brass Band will be entertaining shoppers in the Lion & Lamb Yard from 10am onwards - raising money for Woodlarks. Finally, on Monday 22nd December between 7pm8pm, join Farnham Brass Band and the village community of Rowledge as they play and sing carols around the Christmas tree.

December 2014

Farnham Decorative and Fine Arts Society are holding their next meeting on Tuesday 16th December at 10.30am. It’s being held at The Maltings and the subject is ‘The Christmas Tree - From Forest First To Festival Feature’ by Dr. Claire Walsh.

The fir tree, as an emblem of Christmas, has been with us for over five centuries. It was first adorned with Viking carvings before becoming an icon of our modern festival and it has brought the festivity from outside into the heart of the family. This lecture will explore its place in art and as decoration over the centuries and will be followed by Christmas drinks in the Maltings.

Non-members are warmly invited to join in. Phone the membership secretary on 07918 883515 to book your ticket for £5 or, for more information, consult the website, www.farnhamdfas.org. uk.

The National Trust has revealed some of the best places for exhilarating wintry walks in Hampshire. Many of their beautiful gardens and countryside spaces are open from Boxing Day onwards, offering the perfect opportunity for winter walks with friends and family in picture-postcard landscapes.

New life is already stirring in the ground at this time of year, so there’s plenty to see and enjoy, from gardens packed with scent and colour, to frost-rimmed woodlands and breath-taking vistas. A few examples are Hinton Ampner, nr Bramdean, The Vyne, nr Basingstoke, Mottisfont, nr Romsey and New Forest Northern Commons. Just go to www.nationaltrust.org.uk for information on these and other great places to visit.

Hart Male Voice Choir will present a lively Christmas Concert on Wednesday 17th December at

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Farnham Maltings. The Farnham Maltings is an ideal setting for another convivial Christmas concert from this great local choir.

This year will see a welcome return to the Maltings of special guest musicians Jubilate Brass, the superb classic brass quartet from Canterbury Cathedral, whose performance last year so delighted the audience. Jubilate Brass will play solo pieces and accompany the choir for some special Christmas songs and carols. There will be lively choir performances of popular seasonal favourites as well as a few surprise pieces.

During the evening everyone in the audience will have the chance to sing together with the choir and enjoy a really festive evening of Christmas music and song.

Doors open at 6.30pm and the concert starts at 7.30pm. Tickets at £12.50 are available from the Maltings on 01252 745444 or Gilbert Black on 01252 629157 – email nessandgilbert@hotmail. com. Free Souvenir Concert programmes will be available on the night. Visit www.hartmvc. org.uk and www.jubilatebrass. co.uk.

Surrey based film producer and director Gavin Hoare took a different creative direction earlier this year when he worked with a group of six and seven year olds at Potters Gate School, Farnham.

His usual genre is horror but instead he found himself creating a video to promote a community garden at the school. The short film, which can be viewed at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/gianttotem, was created in the format of a wildlife mockumentary. One of the dads at the school steps into the role of Attenborough and observes a group of young humans exploring their territory and imagining what the garden might look like. The school is also planning a very special centrepiece for the garden. Each class at Potters Gate is named 43

Edible Christmas Gifts

by Gill Potterton of Glorious Food

Here are some simple recipes for different festive sweet treats which are fun to make and give as rather special edible gifts. Plan to make them just before you intend to give them, if possible, although they do keep for several days in an airtight tin - but they never last that long in my house! Remember to set aside some time to package them in coloured boxes or gift-wrap them in shiny cellophane with sparkling ribbons. The last recipe is for an unusual chutney which serves beautifully with cold meats, especially gammon, and is very easy and quick to make, so collect some fancy jars for the Spiced Pineapple Chutney and decorate with hand-made labels.

As well as running her catering business, Glorious Food, Gill hosts regular cookery demonstrations, sometimes followed by a meal. Gift vouchers for these events make brilliant foodie gifts. A great supporter of local food, Gill is an approved member of LocalFoodBritain.com. Find out more about her on the Surrey section of the website and view the events noticeboard for information about her latest demonstrations. www.LocalFoodBritain.com/Surrey

Christmas Cookies 1. Pre-heat the oven to Gas 4/180C. Cream together the butter, syrup and sugar until pale.

Stir in the flour and the chosen flavourings, until you have a workable dough.

2. Roll pieces of the cookie dough into balls, arrange them on a baking tray, spaced well apart, and flatten slightly.

3. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden. Leave to cool on the baking tray before lifting off with a palette knife.

Ingredients 4oz/100g butter or margarine 4oz/100g soft light brown sugar 1 tablespoon golden syrup 6oz/150g self raising flour 2oz chocolate/marzipan/dried cranberries/nuts Makes 12-16

Brandied Date and Walnut Shortbread 1. Pre-heat the oven to Gas 5/190C. Cream the butter and sugar until very pale, then mix in the flour and almonds, to make a soft pliable mixture.

2. Press half of this mixture into the base of an 8 inch square tin, pushing down with the heel of your hand, to make it smooth.

3. To make the filling, combine the walnuts, dates and brandy in a food processor, to make a coarse paste, then spread this over the shortbread.

Chop the cherries roughly by hand and sprinkle them over the top.

4. Crumble the rest of the shortbread mixture evenly over the top, to cover 44

the filling and press down firmly, to make a smooth finish.

5. Sprinkle with caster sugar and bake for 30-35 minutes until pale gold.

Ingredients 7oz/175g plain flour 3oz/75g ground almonds 5 oz/125g butter 4oz/100g caster sugar 3oz/75g walnuts 2oz stoned dates 1 tablespoon brandy 1 ½ oz/40g glace cherries Makes 12-16

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FOOD

Brandy Snaps 1. Pre-heat the oven to Gas 6/200C. Line 2 or 3 large baking sheets with baking parchment.

2. Melt the sugar, butter and syrup together in a pan. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour. Add the lemon juice and ginger, stirring well until thoroughly combined. Place dessertspoonfuls of the mixture onto each baking sheet, spaced at least 4 inches apart, as the mixture will spread.

3. Bake one tray at a time (or you will not be able to deal with the hot brandy snaps) for 6 minutes.

The brandy snaps should go golden brown, but still be soft. Watch carefully, as they burn easily.

4.Cool for a minute or two then slide a greased palette knife under each

biscuit. If you work quickly, you can shape them while still hot. Roll each one carefully around a rolling pin or wooden spoon handle. If the biscuits cool too much and they become too brittle to shape, pop them back in the oven for just 10 seconds and try again.

Ingredients 4oz/100g caster sugar 4oz/100g butter 4oz/100g golden syrup 4oz/100g self raising flour juice of 1 small lemon large pinch of ground ginger Makes 12-16

Christmas Flapjack 1. Pre-heat the oven to Gas 4/200C. Weigh the butter, sugar and syrup into a saucepan and heat gently until everything has melted together.

2. Remove from the heat and stir in the oats, mixed spice and mincemeat.

Spread the mixture into a shallow 8 inch square tin lined with baking parchment and level it out with a palette knife, right into the corners.

3. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until

golden. Cool completely, remove from the tin and cut into bars or squares.

Ingredients 6oz/ 150g butter 2oz/50g golden syrup 4oz/100g demerara sugar 8oz/200g rolled oats 1 level teaspoon mixed spice 8oz/200g mincemeat Makes 12-16

Spiced Pineapple Chutney 1. Peel and quarter the pineapple, making sure all the ‘eyes’ are removed, remove the core and cut into bite-sized pieces. Peel, core and chop the apple. Peel and finely grate the fresh ginger.

2. Put all the ingredients into a large pan and stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 5 minutes.

3. Uncover and simmer for a further 10-20 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Discard the cinnamon and spoon into sterilised jars. Seal and keep in the fridge.

December 2014

Ingredients 1 large pineapple 1 large cooking apple 4 tablespoons cider vinegar 8 tablespoons muscovado sugar 1 inch piece fresh root ginger 1 cinnamon stick 2 teaspoons chilli jam/pinch of dried chilli flakes Pinch of salt Makes 2 x 1lb jars

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after an animal and the children were very keen to use these in the garden. When one of the Year Six girls came up with the idea for a huge totem pole, it captured everyone’s imagination. They are now crowdfunding for the costs of materials, installation and for a team of professional artists to come into school and support the children in designing and making the totem pole.’ If you would like to donate to the garden then you can visit the Potters Gate crowdfunding page at www. crowdfunder.co.uk/giant-totem.

Any amount, however small, is welcome and there are an impressive range of rewards to tempt you!

As you would expect, there are lots of Christmas events at RHS Garden Wisley, Woking GU23 6QB. One that struck the eye is the Rose Theatre Kingston presentation of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe Story Trail which runs from Saturday 20th December to Sunday 4th January 2015 (closed 25th and 31st December). Leap into the magical world of Narnia this Christmas ...

Meet in the Garden and discover a land inhabited by fantastical fauns and busy beavers. Only the most intrepid children can unlock the secrets and save Narnia from the White Witch’s spell. The event is free once you have entered the Garden. Also, The Christmas Display in The Glasshouse is another stunning display of seasonal plants and is open from Saturday 6th December to 4th January from 10am – 3.45pm.

More details at www.rhs.org.uk/ wisley.

We have been sent details of the Christmas Services in the Parish of Badshot Lea and Hale, so knowing that readers find them useful, here they are. St George’s (Badshot Lea - GU9 9LD); 21st December at 11.30am – Family Praise Carol Service; 46

21st December at 6pm – All Age Carol Service; 24th December at 3pm – Crib Service for Toddlers; 24th December at 5.30pm – Crib Service for all Children; 24th December at 11.30pm – Midnight Mass; 25th December at 10am – Family Communion.

St Mark’s (Upper Hale - GU9 0LT); 15th December at 6pm – Informal Carols by Candlelight; 24th December at 5pm – Crib Service (come dressed as your favourite nativity character); 25th December at 11am – Informal Communion. St John’s (Hale GU9 9RP); 14th December at 4pm – Nine Lessons and Carols

by Candlelight; 24th December at 3pm – Crib Service (come dressed as your favourite nativity character); 24th December at 11.30pm – Midnight Mass with Incense; 25th December at 8am – Holy Communion (traditional); 25th December at 9.30am – Sung Eucharist.

This spring, Petworth House hosts an exhibition inspired by Mike Leigh’s award-winning film Mr Turner. Petworth House played a starring role in the film having been the home of one of Turner’s greatest patrons, the third Earl of Egremont. The exhibition features over 30 works of art, mostly by Turner, and on loan from major collections including the Tate and V&A. Alongside is personal ephemera once belonging to the artist, such as his fishing rod and painting materials, some on show for the first time. Also on view are props and items of costume from the film, together with artworks by the actor Timothy Spall, created whilst he trained for his role as Turner in the film. A short documentary by Mike Leigh about the making of Mr. Turner at Petworth House features rare behind-the-scenes footage.

Visitors can also tour the Artists’ Studio, not usually open to the public, but once used by Turner and other artists as a studio in

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the 19th century. Mr. Turner: an exhibition – 10th January to 11th March. Tickets are £12, booking essential, at www.nationaltrust. org.uk/petworthturner or 0844 249 1895.

Vivace Chorus is holding another Come and Sing event on 24th January. It usually sells out and 2015 will be no exception because they are singing Mozart: the C minor Mass and the Solemn Vespers - (1780 version). It’s at Normandy Village Hall from 10am to 4.30pm, with music supplied and their now famous lunch: homemade soup and a ploughman’s. (Do some people go mainly for the homemade soup?)

To apply, download a form from www.vivacechorus.org and send a cheque for £24 to 30 Shepherds Way, Liphook, Hants GU30 7HF or, alternatively, book and pay online.

HCPT – The Pilgrimage Trust takes disabled and disadvantaged children on a trip to Lourdes every Easter at no cost to them or their families. The charity has a catholic foundation, though children and helpers come from all backgrounds.

All helpers are trained and DBS checked.

For more information please go to www.hcpt.org.uk see the HCPT youtube channel or email group1@hcpt.org.uk.

Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice is appealing to its local community for any unwanted furniture. For the past few weeks the Hospice has witnessed a sharp decline in donations, which has impacted on the amount of money raised by the charity’s two Furniture Showrooms. “Furniture donations are an extremely important part of the Hospice’s income,” says Peter Foxton, Head of Income Generation.

“Without the generosity of our local community we would be unable to continue delivering such an exceptional level of care to our patients and vantagepointmag.co.uk

hart dental Come here to find unique, handmade, British, arts and crafts. Gifts for the person who has everything!

Prices from £1 - £1000

Home Tooth Whitening for Christmas £150

Bunting, cards, socks, scarves, jewellery, santa mice, owls, pictures, clothes, pottery, bronze statuettes, buttons, aliens and much, much more! at

Jo Aylwin Studio and Gallery, 28 The Woolmead, Farnham GU9 7TT, Every Day Monday – Saturday – 10.00 am – 5.30 pm: Sunday – 10.00 am – 4.00pm

01252 811536 223 Fleet Road • Fleet Hampshire • GU51 3BN

www.hartdental.co.uk * non registered patients subject to £30 check up fee

December 2014

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Farnham to Crondall This is an easy, relatively flat walk which offers some interesting views and pleasant countryside. The walk was provided by Guildford Rambling Club (guildfordramblingclub.org.uk).

The walk Duck back into the park at the back of the car park and go right. Then take the path right, between the cricket pitch and the moat of the castle. (The castle dates from 1138.) At the road turn left and walk about 150 yards until you can cross right (caution, dangerous blind bend) and enter Old Park Lane. Walk along here for about 300 yards to the point at which the road ahead becomes a wide track. Take a footpath left, next to No 3 Old Park Lane. The track swings right and across a field with views down over Farnham, to the left.

At a sharp left bend in the track continue straight ahead on a narrow path towards trees.

At a three way signpost go left and immediately, at another three way signpost, go right. Walk along a corridor for a long way, ignoring lefts.

Cross the dead end of a road and continue straight ahead. At the next road, turn left and walk along until, by a phone box, you can cross

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and turn right, into Byworth Road. Go down here and look for a footpath right, along a track signed to ‘Blackbirds’. By the car port at the back of ‘Blackbirds’ fork right, off the track and along a path into trees. Follow this down over a little footbridge and across a crossing track into a field. Stay on its left-hand side for 100 yards than go up, left, through a hedge into a field.

Follow the path right, across the wide, open field until, about 150 yards before a barn, following a yellow arrow right and down to a road. Cross and enter a track opposite. Follow this, ignoring lefts and rights and running parallel to a concrete track (over the hedge on the left). At the entrance to ‘Burles House’, the path branches off right and reaches a road. Turn right and wind up the hill to pass ‘Lower Old Park’. Look, on the left 50 yards further on, for a white gate. There is a footpath and kissing-gate next to it, taking you into a field. Head out half-left across it to go through another kissing-gate into a wood. The path takes you down, across a footbridge in a more open area and up into a large field. Go straight across to Dora’s Green Lane. Turn right and walk about 200 yards to take a track left, signposted to ‘Meadow Cottage’ (see later).

vantagepointmag.co.uk

WALK

Just before the house at the end of the track, fork right and into a field. Immediately, at a three way signpost, turn left and walk along the left-hand edge of the field. Stay in the field, do not fork left into a new wood. At the far end take the narrow path out of the corner of the field into and along the edge of trees.

This path brushes the edge of a golf course and then enters another field. Head out half-right to go through a wide gap, left, and then straight ahead along the right-hand side of the next field to a road. Turn right and walk a quarter of a mile, into the edge of Crondall. Turn into the first road right, Heath Lane. After some 250 yards and immediately beyond ‘Doules Mead’, take a footpath left. This takes you alongside a stream on the left-hand edge of a golf course and then exits into a field (where you could picnic). On the other side of the field is a road and there is a pub, the Hampshire Arms, a couple of hundred yards along on the right.

After lunch, walk on past the pub and turn right into a narrow lane. Pass a few houses and then, by ‘Crondall New Surgery’, take a narrow path just inside the hedge on the right-hand side of the lane. Follow this for almost half a mile, paralleling and then swinging away from the lane and just on the edge of the golf course. Eventually, reach the club house and its car park. Look for a gap in the hedge in the left-hand corner and go through, down onto a road. Turn left and walk 200 yards to take a footpath right, immediately before some houses. The path runs along in the edge of trees and then out onto the golf course. Turn right and follow the right-hand edge until taking a wide track off right. Immediately turn left and follow the track under power lines and between fairways. When you reach Tee 14 and a bench, turn right and walk around behind the bench and the other side of the Tee. A little way further on is a two way

signpost and you go left and through a kissing gate into a field.

Quickly reach a gate and a footbridge, right, into another field. Now, walk half-left up a slight slope and then left along the tree line at the top of the slope. Reach a kissing gate, right, into another field and head out half-left. You will reach the gate by ‘Meadow Cottage’ (noted earlier). Retrace your outward route to reach the road by ‘Lower Old Park’. Now, turn left and walk along the road until, just beyond ‘Middle Old Park’, where the road turns sharp left, continuing straight ahead on St Swithun’s Way, a wide track. At a junction by a house, turn right.

At a three way signpost, turn right. Keep going to reach No 3 Old Park Lane and retrace your initial route back to the start.

DISTANCE: 9 miles

GRID REFERENCE: 4 840 1 479

OS MAPS: Explorer 145 Guildford & Farnham, Godalming & Farnborough and Explore146 Dorking, Box Hill & Reigate, Leatherhead & Caterham

REFRESHMENTS: The Hampshire Arms, Crondall, Farnham, Surrey GU10 5QU (01252 850418)

STARTING POINT: The car park by the Golf Club and the Castle (GU9 0AG) on Castle Hill in Farnham

Image above: Fields in Crondall Lane by Colin Smith

Neither the publisher nor the author can accept any responsibility for any changes, errors or omissions in this route. Diversion orders can be made and permissions withdrawn at any time.

December 2014

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their families. We accept most items - from wardrobes to sofas - so if you have any unwanted furniture please get in touch.”

You can arrange collection of any unwanted items by calling the Hospice’s dedicated team of drivers on 01252 710679.

Are you looking for beautiful Christmas cards which stand out from the crowd? Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice has 13 eyecatching designs available in its shops throughout West Surrey and North East Hampshire. The charity’s popular range is priced at £3.75 for a pack of 10, and there are cards to suit all tastes, with exclusive designs by Hospice patient, Linda Jackson and local Farnham artist, Charles Bone. A host of modern and traditional cards including ‘Santa Owl’ and ‘Robin in the Snow’ complement three funky diaries also available this year for £2.99 in indigo blue, lime green and silver. And if

you’re feeling lucky, why not take a gamble with some Tuckwell Chase Lottery scratch cards - the perfect festive table decoration!

Cards, diaries and scratch cards are available from the Hospice’s 18 charity shops, online at www. pth.org.uk/our-shop or by calling 01252 729446. 100% of the profits from the sale of the Hospice’s cards go towards caring for people affected by a terminal illness across West Surrey and North East Hampshire.

In the last couple of years, beekeeping has become a very popular pastime. If you have thought that you might like to learn about bees and beekeeping, or become a beekeeper yourself (and produce your own honey), read on! Farnham Beekeepers (a division of Surrey Beekeepers, a local charity and member of the British Beekeepers Association) will again be running introductory courses in 2015. The courses

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are aimed at people new to beekeeping who are thinking of starting with bees or who are just interested to learn more, and also at existing beekeepers who would like to take a structured course. The winter theory course covers the knowledge needed to get started with bees. It runs for 8 weeks at The Tilford Institute, Tilford, starting on Thursday 22nd January at 7.30pm. Sessions are a mix of tutor-led lectures, video, practical and hands-on demonstrations. No live bees, it’s winter! In spring there is a 5 week hands-on practical course at their apiary at the Rural Life Museum, Tilford. Small groups will have a chance to inspect and manipulate hives under the guidance of experienced mentors as they learn the skills and techniques necessary to safely handle and manage bees. For more information, fees and application see: www.farnhambeekeepers. org.uk.

DR NICK BAKER is joining our friendly team NEW PATIENT EXAMINATION WITH DR BAKER FOR ONLY £35!!

(Usually £65)

• Saturday appointments • Free examinations for children* • General and Cosmetic dentistry • 0% Finance available* Please call 01252 702 477 to speak to Heather or Jo to make an appointment *terms and conditions apply

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Elstead Dental Surgery, the Green, Elstead, Surrey, GU8 6HA www.elsteaddentalsurgery.co.uk - info@elsteaddentalsurgery.co.uk vantagepointmag.co.uk

PROFILE

The League of Friends of Milford Hospital Whenever the League of Friends is collecting outside stores or running a stall at the village fairs, there are still some people who say that they didn’t know the hospital had survived the threat of closure and thought the whole site was now going to be houses. How wrong!

Milford Hospital is the local centre of excellence for elderly assessment, day care and rehabilitation. Normally patients are admitted following a stay in an acute hospital. The broad spectrum of expertise amongst the staff enables a comprehensive assessment and care programme for elderly patients with complex needs. The day hospital gives advice and support to elderly patients who are to being cared for at home. An added bonus is that the out-patient X-Ray service is now digitalised (i.e. online) allowing doctors at Milford and The Royal Surrey County hospitals immediate access to results. The service is available for community use as well as for patients attending Milford Hospital.

The League of Friends raises public awareness and thus support for the hospital. It raises money to provide additional amenities that are not covered by the NHS. We have recently provided CD and cassette players for talking books, arranged for talking newspapers to be available weekly and bought I-pad software for the speech and language therapists to enable improved speech recovery in stroke victims.

We fund-raise through bucket collections outside stores such as Secrett ’s Farm Shop and Sainsbury’s, being nominated as a community charity by Waitrose, and by having stalls at both Milford and Witley Fairs. The award winning Rushmoor Choir is holding a concert for us on 25 April 2015 (contact Jacqui Robini on 01428653905 for £10 tickets) and we will be organising a quiz in the autumn of 2015.

New volunteers to help us fundraise are always welcome. We would especially welcome new committee members with accounting or banking experience who could assist our long standing Treasurer. Contact us through our website at www.milfordhospitalleagueoffriends.com if you would like to help us in any way. It is not an onerous commitment but the work we do is really appreciated by patients, their relatives and the staff of the hospital.

Please note that our AGM will be on March 20th 2015 at 3pm in the Seminar Room at the Hospital. All are welcome to attend and hear about what the hospital is doing and about the activities of the League of Friends.

Our main focus in 2014 has been revitalising the courtyard garden (pictured right), with muscle power provided by the Probation Service Community Payback Scheme who we hope will come back and repair the area outside the cafe so that it too can be a useful outside seating area. Colourful plants were donated for the garden and the money raised at the village fairs enabled us to buy an aluminium globe trickling water feature, a bird sculpture that moves in the wind, new umbrellas and stands and cushions for the furniture. The garden is now even more popular and used into the evenings, providing a relaxed and secure environment for patients and their visitors.

Next we will provide additional wheelchairs so all who want to can get outside. We organise several regular features for patients and staff including a weekly library round and a confectionary/ toiletries trolley round, a summer garden party with musical entertainment, a lunch for staff and volunteers at Christmas and a Carol service in the wards. Every in-patient receives a small present from the League on Christmas Day.

December 2014

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EAT

Burford Bridge Hotel and looked pretty on the plate. My main course was fillet steak which I asked for rare, and it was a huge slab cooked to pink perfection. Mr Carlos chose the rib-eye steak, rare again, also done just as he likes it.

Before ordering, we told the waiter what style of wine we liked and asked him to recommend a bottle to go with our steak. He chose a bottle of Argentinean Malbec that was absolutely spot on, full bodied and full of fruit. It was a fantastic bottle, and we savoured every drop.

The weather had just taken a turn for the autumnal when I was asked to write a review on the Burford Bridge Hotel and I was delighted at the prospect of a night with Mr. Carlos in a hotel with character, a good meal and a big glass or two of red wine.

I had looked at the hotel’s website and liked the look of the old building and the newly refurbished interior. When I looked on Tripadvisor the night before my stay, however, my heart sank a bit. The reviews were not good and my husband and I set off for our night away expecting something like Fawlty Towers without the humour.

However, to my surprise our experience of the hotel was really good. On arrival we checked in and were shown to our room. The room was impressive, large, clean, smart and very well appointed. It had in it possibly the largest bed I have ever seen; there would have been room for our four children (who we had happily left behind). It even had a Nespresso coffee machine and a minibar stocked with complimentary soft drinks.

We slept like logs in the enormous bed and in the morning enjoyed a real coffee in our room before going to breakfast. Breakfast was good, there was an excellent selection of buffet items to choose from, cereals, croissants, toast, sausages, bacon, scrambled eggs, baked beans as well as items cooked to order. I had kippers and Mr Carlos had eggs Benedict both of which were good.

All in all a very enjoyable stay, much better than expected and I imagine that the standards will increase week on week as the staff become more experienced. The hotel deserves a chance to succeed and I look forward to returning in the future.

Elizabeth Carlos

MERCURE BOX HILL BURFORD BRIDGE HOTEL At the Foot of Box Hill, Dorking RH5 6BX 020 7660 0684 www.accorhotels.com BOX HILL NORTH DOWNS

We then headed for the bar to enjoy a few proper drinks.

I was impressed with the new style decor, it was contemporary and smart while remaining cosy and comfortable.

The bar staff were very keen and enthusiastic, although some obviously quite inexperienced. I witnessed a manager showing one of them how to trim away the foil properly on the top of a bottle of wine before presenting it and pouring a glass for a guest.

We had a long chat with the new food and beverage manager Christian, who had only been there for 10 days but who was highly experienced in the business and clearly had firm plans for improvement. It looks as if the management understand the teething problems that they have suffered since reopening after the refurbishment, and are working tirelessly to get everything up to the correct high standard.

We had been told that there wasn’t yet a head chef in the kitchen, so we were apprehensive about what we were about to experience for dinner. We need not have worried.

For my starter I had salad Nicoise which was presented on a square slate plate, lovely rare seared tuna and soft boiled quails eggs, very good indeed. My husband ordered seared scallops with squid ink sauce which were cooked very well 52

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Connell & Todd combines a passion for great British places with an obsession for vintage prints, ceramics and textiles.

To view our complete range, please visit www.connellandtodd.com vantagepointmag.co.uk

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Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD - NOW IN DATE ORDER!

The Surrey Half Marathon will take place on Sunday 8th March.

Starting and finishing at Woking Leisure Centre the closed-road running event is the biggest in the county, and will take 6,500 runners through the country lanes to the South West of Woking before returning to the town for their big finish! The scenic course is flat and fast, so it’s a great place to secure your best 13.1 mile finish time! A kids race will take in a 2km closed road circuit in Woking hopefully inspiring the half marathon runners of the future. The running route will be lined with local live bands, and local club cyclists will lead the runners out onto the course.

The Surrey Half Marathon will be working closely with local charities.

Their official charity partners for 2015 are Shooting Star CHASE, WWF, Woking and Sam Beare Hospices and Harrison’s Fund.

They hope that runners will use the Surrey Half as an opportunity to fundraise for charity. Entries are selling fast, and prices will go up on 1st January, so ensure you enter before Christmas to secure your place on the start line. To enter, go to www.surreyhalfmarathon. co.uk . You can follow them on Facebook – www.facebook.com/ surreyhalfmarathon Twitter - @ surreyhalf. Download the app – Search “Surrey Half” in your app store.

Affinité, the Surrey singles social club for the over fifties, has finalised its winter programme.

Included are visits to the Comedy Store, a gallery and a museum, a carol concert, a Christmas quiz and a New Year Dinner at Clandon Regis Golf Club. Contact the club through www.club-affinite.co.uk/.

The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association is looking for people to be part of a Guide Dogs Support Group. Lots of voluntary roles are available from organising events, helping with December 2014

collections and raising awareness of the work they do. Roles are very flexible and can be suited to how many hours you are able to donate. There is something to suit everyone! Katie Smith, local Guide Dogs representative, says “Whatever you’re interested in doing, whether you have a little or a lot of time to spare, you will be guaranteed to meet new people and have some fun! At the same time you will be raising funds to enable Guide Dogs to create the special partnerships which can change the lives of people who are blind and partially sighted.” To find out more information, please contact Katie Smith on 07795 611 459 or email katie.smith@ guidedogs.org.uk. For more information on Guide Dogs, visit www.guidedogs.org.uk.

At their last monthly luncheon, the Probus Club of Farnham were treated to a fascinating talk given by Dick Norton, one of their members, whose father Teddy had been a member of the 1922 Everest Expedition and who was leader of the 1924 Expedition. Generally considered to be one of the finest climbers of his generation, in 1924 he reached a height of 28,126 feet without oxygen, a record that stood for 54 years. A few days later, Norton’s fellow climbers Mallory and Irvine disappeared high on the mountain, a mystery that has fascinated subsequent generations and remains a topic of fierce debate today. The qualities of leadership which Norton showed that year in the face of appalling trials have led to him being regarded as one of the greatest of all Everest expedition leaders. His official account of the expedition has since become a classic. Dick Norton’s talk, given with the authority that only his close relationship could engender, made the Probus members feel that they could virtually touch history. Interestingly, Dick’s son has recently edited a book called

Everest Revealed, soon to be published by The History Press, which details Teddy’s Private Diaries and Sketches. The Probus Club of Farnham was formed in 1969, primarily as a luncheon club for men of retirement age from professional or business backgrounds. Lunch is often followed by such an informal talk as above, occasionally supplemented by a contribution from an outside speaker on a non political subject of general interest. Social outings to both theatres and other venues are undertaken from time to time.

Should membership be of interest to others, they may care to drop a line to the Honorary Secretary of the Club at 12, Shortheath Road, Farnham GU9 8SR. Looking for new free activities in the New Year? Over 50 and want to get out more? Age UK Surrey offers Walking Football in Guildford, Men in Sheds (Ash) Walking and Cycling (all Surrey), home visits for those not able to get out (Waverley and Guildford) and even free benefit checks to ensure everyone has their full entitlement. You can of course volunteer for us - and as we are an independent charity – make a donation knowing that it stays in Surrey. See our website at ageuksurrey.org.uk or ring 01483 503414.

Finally, some sad news. Two groups of Great War (1914-1918) medals in frames where stolen on the 21 January 2014 from the HQ of The Royal Flying Corps Association.

The two medals were as follows: LT.E.BREWER and SGT.A.POLLARD (M.M 15110). Please ring 01306 711114 if you have any information.

There is a reward.

FIND OUT MORE

More Jottings are available online at vantagepointmag.co.uk. To send in an entry, go online or email us at jottings@vantagepublishing.co.uk.

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WIN WIN AN ORDNANCE SURVEY RUCKSACK AND PERSONALISED MAP Ordnance Survey produce over 650 recreational and leisure maps and you can win one of five Ordnance Survey rucksacks with a custom-made map.

The winners can create their own personalised map by selecting the area and adding their own cover image and title using the map builder at www. oscustommade.co.uk, and also receive an exclusive OS branded rucksack.

To enter, please answer the following question: Q: How many maps do Ordnance Survey produce?

Please enter online at www.vantagepointmag.co.uk by 31st December 2014.

WIN A FAMILY TICKET TO THE YVONNE ARNAUD PANTOMIME Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre and VantagePoint Magazine are very pleased to offer you the chance to win a family ticket to this year’s magical pantomime Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs!

The show stars Whose Line Is It Anyway? legend Josie Lawrence as the fabulously witty Wicked Queen. Joining Josie is top cabaret performer Kit Hesketh-Harvery and Eagle Radio’s Peter Gordon.

To find out more please visit www.yvonne-arnaud. co.uk.

A family ticket (4 seats) is available for the performance on Friday 2nd January at 7pm.

To enter, please answer the following question: Q: Who plays the Wicked Queen?

Please enter online at www.vantagepointmag.co.uk by 31st December 2014.

WIN A FREE LOCAL PRINT Do you love your local town? Look forward to your next walk up Box Hill? Are you proud of the local countryside? At Connell & Todd we design and hand select gifts that evoke special memories of your favourite places: from vintage travel posters and antique guides to maps and original works of art. All our gifts can be purchased via our website www.connellandtodd.com. We will also be selling our gifts at the local Christmas markets around Surrey and West Sussex this month.

We have just designed a new selection of prints of your favourite places which make the perfect Christmas gifts for friends and family and locals who have moved away from the area. To celebrate the launch of this new collection we are running a competition with VantagePoint Magazine and are offering one framed print each of Godalming, West Sussex, Box Hill, Haslemere and Hampshire. To enter, answer the question: Q: Name one of the prints you can win.

Enter online at www.vantagepointmag.co.uk by 31st December 2014.

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Please enter online at www.vantagepointmag.co.uk.

Postal entries can be sent to us at the address given on page three.

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF ENTRY: By entering these competitions you agree to receive periodic emails from VantagePoint Magazine,Vantage Publishing Ltd and the originator of the competition you are entering.You can opt out of receiving these at any time and your data will never be passed on for use by third parties.The prizes are non-transferable and have no cash alternative. Only one entry per person per competition and prizes will only be sent to homes with a GU, KT and RH postcode.

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