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November 2020 November 2020 Issue 24 Issue 24
FREE to 9000 Homes and Businesses in Walton on Thames FREE to 9000 Homes and Businesses in Walton on Thames
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Welcome!
Welcome to the November edition. The clocks went back on 25th October and we once again turn our thoughts towards Christmas. 2020 however, is continuing to throw us a “curve ball�. At the time of writing, quite what Christmas will look like this year, is really unknown. One thing for sure, is that it will be different. For all of us, I do hope that some sense of normality might return. This year has been exceptional for all of us, with lives affected in so many ways. One of those ways is cancellation of events with crowds, and this has unfortunately affected Remembrance Sunday 2020. Please do find a way to pay your respect on the 8th. Our traditions do need to survive.
November 2020 Bonfire night on the 5th will clearly also be affected. All I can say, is please stay safe and once again look after each other. I have great faith that we will overcome.
Contents
Published by:
Village Matters Ltd Walton Director: Paul Chard Telephone : 07946 494288 Email : paul@villagematters.co.uk Website :www.villagematters.co.uk Cover Photo : Poppy by Pexels
The Walton Hop Walton Business Improvement District The Great Exhibition Remember Remember Light Up Elmbridge Festival Xcel Sports Hub Elmbridge Literary Competition In a Pickle Recipe of The Month Garden View Dominic Raab Index of Advertisers
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The Walton Hop 1958 witnessed a piece of Walton history. A few years earlier, a resident of Bermuda, Deniz Cordy came to England together with a production company in tow. However, unable to obtain his equity card he took a job at another
Thus began what was to be known as the Walton Hop. It was so successful that the doors usually had to shut almost as the first music played. It was only a matter of time before live acts also began to perform. Two notable bands that did just that were the Bay City Rollers and the Moody Blues. Local resident Jimmy Pursey also played there with his band. The boys, local Hersham lads began by miming to the Rollers. They soon started writing their own material, and the band that is Sham69 was born.
Do you have memories of the “Hop”? If you do, I would love to hear from you. Email me at: paul@villagematters.co.uk
ex-icon of Walton, Birkhead’s, a record shop. It was while working at Birkhead’s he came up with a plan. Why not play some of the records he liked in front of groups of people who could not only enjoy the songs but also dance! With his plan in plan he spoke to the Playhouse and booked up Saturday nights for the project.
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Walton Business Improvement District countdown to launch
The Walton-on-Thames Business Improvement District (BID) moved a step closer to its launch with Elmbridge Borough Council approving £44,000 in advance funding to help the BID hit the ground running from day one of its launch on 1 March 2021. The BID was developed by businesses for businesses to help deliver new investment and footfall into the town centre. It will provide up to £1million of new funding over 5 years to build on what makes Walton special and to provide a new energy to reinvigorate the town ahead of the challenges that lie ahead. The BID will be a key part of the safe reopening of our high streets as the council works with businesses and our local trading associations to make sure our town and village centres can continue to adapt and thrive. The BID Task Group Chairman, Peter Beggan, Assistant Director for New Business at Paragon Asra (PA) Housing said: “The advance funding agreed this week is another fantastic sign of the partnership between the council and businesses that will help make the Walton Business Improvement District a success. We were delighted to get such a positive result in the BID ballot in March with businesses backing the bid with 77% voting ‘yes’ by number and 90% voting ‘yes’ by rateable value.” “Our Task Group rightly took the decision to delay the BID launch as our high streets went into lockdown shortly after the ballot, but with the safe reopening underway we think the BID has an important part of making sure
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Walton continues to be a great place to shop, live and work. This advance funding will help us to deliver for the businesses from day one of our five year business plan” Councillor Christine Elmer, Portfolio Holder for Corporate and Community Development at Elmbridge Borough Council said: “We are pleased to be able to support the Walton Business Improvement District with £44,000 in advance funding to help the BID set up and get to work supporting Walton town centre. The support for the Walton BID is a great example of how the council continues to work in partnership with our high streets and businesses. Together the BID will help raise and invest up to £1million over five years as we work together to ensure a bright future for the town. “This commitment to support the BID complements our wider offer to businesses. This includes grants for independent retailers to help them sell online, support for shop front improvements, free parking offers, investment in our public realm, temporary pavement licenses and much more to ensure our town and village centres can come through the difficult times we all face together.”
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Remember, Remember the 5th of November by Georgina Broadhurst of Just Shutters It will soon be Bonfire Night and you could be looking forward to getting wrapped up and heading out to watch the explosion of beautiful colours in the sky (in a socially distanced way of course). Fireworks are a magical and striking addition to the dark night sky and its also possible to create similar interest in your own home décor. There is no need to resign yourself to dull décor and uninteresting spaces. Here are a few ideas on how to create some Fireworks in your interior spaces. Lighting plays an important part of interior design. It helps to create the perfect ambiance in your room and can also be a show-stopper; providing some stylish sparkle with a warm cosy glow. Wall décor from stickers to pictures can set your room alight. Bold patterns or an
explosion of colour can instantly transform your interior spaces. A cosy fire for Bonfire Night is a must, whether its inside or outside, with is welcoming amber glow. And finally don’t forget to close those shutters and cuddle up! Visit JustShutters.co.uk or call 01932 500270 to book your no obligation design visit today Please mention Walton Matters when responding to adverts
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The Great Exhibition By local resident and contributor John Taylor Prince Albert, together with Henry Cole a member of the Society of Arts, approached the government in 1850, with the idea for the exhibition. A Royal Commission was established to investigate, and initial doubts from the authorities were soon replaced by enthusiasm. A self-financing event, The Great Exhibition, took place in Hyde Park, London from the 1st of May to the 15th October 1851.It was the first in a series of World’s Fairs that became
popular in the 19th century. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert conducted the first ever royal walkabout on the opening day. The prime motive for the event was to show that Britain was the world’s industrial leader. Europe had just struggled through an era of political and social upheaval and now Britain wanted to show that technology was the route to a better future. The Crystal Palace was built to house the show. It took the form of a massive glass house, 563 metres long by 124 metres wide. Constructed from cast iron frame components and glass, and designed by Joseph Paxton. The interiors enormous size was emphasized with trees and statues. Large trophy exhibits were shown in the Central Avenue, generally art or raw materials, also printing machines, folding pianos, ceramics, kitchen appliances, tinned foods, a stuffed elephant, and steel making displays, together with steam engines, railway locomotives, and early versions of bicycles. Visitors could also watch the entire process of cotton
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production from spinning to finished cloth. Scientific instruments, including electric telegraphs, telescopes, microscopes, musical and surgical instruments could be seen. There were over 13km of display tables. P The western half of the building showed exhibits from Great Britain, whilst the eastern o half was filled with displays from other parts of the world. i The Koh-i-Noor diamond, meaning the ’Mountain C of Light’, was the world’s largest known, and it was one ofi the most popular attractions of the Indian p exhibits. Canada sent a fire engine with painted panels,G showing Canadian scenes. The f American display was headed by a massive t eagle, and France exhibited sumptuous tapestries. From Russia, huge vases and urns, and from Switzerland gold watches. Chile showed a single lump of gold weighing 50kg. There were over six million visitors, and from the 24th May one shilling entry tickets were available. Guests were catered for with refreshment courts and the novel public lavatories which cost a penny to use. Among visiting celebrities of the day were Charles Darwin, Karl Marx, Charlotte Bronte, Charles Dickens, Lewis Carroll, George Eliot, and Alfred Tennyson. The event made a surplus of £186.000 which was used to establish The Victoria and Albert, The Science, and The Natural History Museums. The great spectacle proved to be successful, and became one of the defining moments of the nineteenth century. A memorial to the exhibition, is located behind The Royal Albert Hall. Following the closure of The Great Exhibition, The Crystal Palace building was taken down, and rebuilt at Sydenham Hill, London. Tragically on the 30th November 1936 the palace was destroyed by one of the greatest fires ever seen in the capital. p The cause remains unknown. Thousands came to P Sydenham Hill to watch the blaze, among them Winston Churchill, who declared ”This b is the end of an age”. e
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Remember, Remember, the 5th of November Gunpowder, Treason and Plot Fireworks can be seen all over France every July 14th as the nation celebrates Bastille Day. Across the USA some ten days earlier on the 4th July, Americans celebrate their Independence Day. So who was Guy? And why is he remembered so fondly 400 years after his death? It could be said that the story started when the Catholic Pope of the day failed to recognise England’s King Henry VIII‘s novel ideas on separation and divorce. Henry, annoyed at this, severed ties with
Rome and appointed himself head of the Protestant Church of England. Protestant rule in England was maintained and strengthened throughout the long and glorious reign of his daughter Queen Elizabeth I. When Elizabeth died without children in 1603, her cousin James VI of Scotland became King James I of England. James had not been long on the throne before he started to upset the Catholics within his kingdom. They appear to have been unimpressed with his failure to implement religious tolerance measures, getting a little more annoyed when he ordered all Catholic priests to leave the country. A group of Roman Catholic nobles and gentlemen led by Robert Catesby conspired to essentially end Protestant rule with perhaps the biggest ‘bang’ in history. Their plan was to blow up
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the King, Queen, church leaders, assorted nobles and both Houses of Parliament with 36 barrels of gunpowder strategically placed in the cellars beneath the Palace of Westminster. The plot was apparently revealed when the Catholic Lord Monteagle was sent a message warning him to stay away from Parliament as he would be in danger, the letter being presented to Robert Cecil, James I’s Chief Minister. Some historians believe that Cecil had known about the plot for some time and had allowed the plot to ‘thicken’ to both ensure that all the conspirators were caught and to promote Catholic hatred throughout the country. And the Guy? Guy Fawkes was born in Yorkshire in 1570. A convert to the Catholic faith, Fawkes had been a soldier who had spent several years fighting in Italy. It was during this period that he adopted the name Guido (Italian for Guy) perhaps to impress the ladies! What we do know is that Guido was arrested in the early hours of the morning of November 5th 1605, in a cellar under the House of Lords, next to the 36 kegs of gunpowder, with a box of matches in his pocket and a guilty expression on his face! Under torture Guy Fawkes identified the names of his co-conspirators. Many of these were the relations of a Catholic gentleman, Thomas Percy. Catesby and three others were killed by soldiers while attempting to escape. The remaining eight were imprisoned in the Tower of London before being tried and executed for High Treason. They experienced that ‘quaint’ British method of execution, first experienced almost 300 years earlier by William ‘Braveheart’ Wallace. They too were hanged, drawn and quartered.
F J D o I w a s f V H
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Light Up Elmbridge Festival 27 November to 6 December
‘Light Up Elmbridge’; is a new online festival hosted centrally on the Riverhouse Barn Arts Centre YouTube Channel as well as on other social media sites and media outlets to maximise the reach of the performances. Light Up Elmbridge aims to bring together the borough’s cultural sector in an exciting and dynamic celebration of music, theatre, dance, the visual and literary arts. It is an opportunity to show that the arts are one of the most powerful agents of reflection, recovery and renewal, even more so in these unprecedented times. This project is run in partnership between R C Sherriff Trust, Riverhouse Barn Arts Centre and Elmbridge Borough Council. The festival will feature original content - productions/readings/recordings, archive performances, virtual exhibitions, literary submissions – that can be presented as part of an online programme. Riverhouse Arts Centre now has a broadcast quality 3 camera set up capable of streaming performances and is looking forward to partnering with performers and artists who would like to utilise this technology. Pete Allen, Director of the R C Sherriff Trust, said, “Over the last few months, local art organisations, performers, musicians and artists have come up with incredibly imaginative solutions to bring entertainment into people’s homes and provided solace in periods of isolation. It has been uplifting to see how they have responded to this crisis and come together to engage with the public. The Light Up Elmbridge Festival is about celebrating the wealth of artistic talent in the borough by showcasing works and performances in an innovative and powerful way”. Emily Boulting, Director of the Riverhouse Barn Arts Centre: “We have been missing our audience & visitors during lockdown and have implemented new ways of keeping in touch with them. Thanks to our new streaming facilities and camera equipment, we have been able to continue offering a varied programme of arts, performances and music. We To advertise email paul@villagematters.co.uk
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are now ideally positioned to give opportunities to artists to stream their work and ensure they reach a wide audience. I encourage artists to come forward to discuss how we can help them to support their work through the Light Up Elmbridge Festival”. Janet Turner, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture at Elmbridge Borough Council, said, “In times like these, arts play an important role in our lives. They contribute to our wellbeing, especially when having to stay confined at home. We are very lucky to have so many arts groups and such an active arts community in Elmbridge. We want to celebrate their talent and resilience with the Light Up Elmbridge Festival. They are a beacon of light in the present troubled times”.
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Find out more information at rcsherrifftrust.org.uk or elmbridge.gov.uk/culture.
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Ground-breaking project tackling ‘late birthday’ disadvantage at Xcel Sports Hub. In academic school years, children can be almost a year apart in age, and this represents challenges for the child with the ‘late birthday’. The sporting disadvantage to the younger child is called ‘Relative Age Effect’. 45% of children in professional football academies are born September - November, just 10% are born June - August. Football clubs, through scouts, will often choose players when they're six to eight years old, and at that age they're
picking the biggest, fastest, strongest and loudest players. Then once they are in academy system, those children get more coaching, development and opportunities. Younger, smaller players often do not get the same chances to enter the system simply due to their birthdate disadvantage. Late Birthday Project, with a centre at Elmbridge Xcel Sports Hub, is tackling ‘Relative Age Effect’ through their unique To advertise email paul@villagematters.co.uk
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programme, by only accepting players born January to August in the U6 – U14 age groups. The set-up allows younger players to flourish without the influence of the older, bigger players. Dozens of the project's attendees have since gone on to trials with professional football clubs. Late Birthday Project delivers success to players at all ability levels however, some players just want to get from their B team to their A team, or get into their school team, or just have fun. "We get a lot of parents who say their child is not enjoying their football, not being passed to by his teammates, and helping in those cases is often what gives us the most satisfaction.” said LBP’s Richard King. Late Birthday Project, founded in 2016, has grown to 500 players in 10 centres across Surrey and Sussex. LBP are holding free taster sessions/ trials to players at all their centres, the Walton centre at Xcel Sports Hub train on Wednesday evenings. For more information: email hello@latebirthdayproject.co.uk www.latebirthdayproject.co.uk
In al ch da Th ch ch ar bo sc si
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16th Elmbridge Literary Competition celebrates Royal Albert Hall’s 150th Anniversary The Royal Albert Hall, a venue that has seen every style of music performed beneath its iconic done, will turn 150 years in 2021. To celebrate the occasion, the 16th Elmbridge Literary Competition has chosen ‘Music’ as its theme. Music plays a big part in our lives. “What music do you like?” is the question asked on every first date or “That’s not music, that’s just noise!” Every parent’s review of their children’s favourite band. Oscar Wilde said, “Music is the art which is most nigh to tears and memory.” Indeed, literature and music have always gone hand in hand. Poets and authors, from Shelley to Shakespeare and Keats to Austen have woven it as themes through their works. We are looking for poems and short stories. The Elmbridge Literary Competition is open to all ages. Entry for adults is £5 with under 18s free. There are prizes for each age category. As the competition has attracted national and international interest in the past year, it now includes the ‘Elmbridge prize for the best story or poem in the adult category submitted by an Elmbridge resident’. The Competition runs in partnership between the R C Sherriff Trust and Elmbridge Borough Council and with publishers Sampson Low, who will publish the winning entries as a Chapbook. (Small and affordable forms of literature, Chapbooks historically were sold on the streets, and covered a range of subjects from fairy tales and ghost stories to news of politics, crime or disaster.)
Pete Allen, Director of the R C Sherriff Trust, said, “We are pleased to see the Elmbridge Literary Competition going from strength to strength and reaching a wider audience. Last year, we received entries from across the UK and overseas. We thought that this year’s theme was particularly fitting to mark the big anniversary of one of our most iconic landmarks. We hope the theme will ‘resonate’ with you and inspire you to write fabulous stories and poems”.
Th ev Janet Turner, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, said, “Who would have known ic that the Elmbridge Literary Competition would capture such a wide audience! We are ce looking forward to receiving many entries from all age groups. We hope this year’s Li theme is music to your ears and will cheer you up a little in these difficult times”. its The closing date for entries in Friday 5 February 2021. Full details, terms and conditions are available at rcsherrifftrust.org.uk or elmbridge.gov.uk/culture: or by contacting 01932 229996 or emailing arts@rcsherrifftrust.org.uk or arts@elmbridge.gov.uk EXPERIENCED PAINTER Interior and Exterior Conscientious, Quick and Clean Excellent references available Free and Fair Quotes Contact Andrew 07867 424030
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Why do we wear a poppy?
Scarlet poppies grow wild all over Western Europe wherever the soil has been disturbed. The battles of the First World War churned up such vast areas of earth that millions of poppies germinated and bloomed, often around the bodies of the fallen soldiers.
which called for a two-minute silence. These days Armistice Day is known as Remembrance Sunday and is a chance to honour the fallen soldiers of all conflicts.
A Canadian surgeon called John McRae wrote the poem In Flanders Fields in which the poppies symbolise the deaths of those who fought. It is a haunting memorial to those soldiers who have died in any war. Why do we have a two-minute silence? It was on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month that the guns of World War I fell silent. Four years of fighting and devastation finally ended. The following year ceremonies of remembrance took place on what was known as Armistice Day. An Australian journalist, Edward George Honey first proposed a respectful silence to remember the dead. He wrote a letter to the London Evening News which was brought to the attention of King George V. The king then issued a proclamation
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In a Pickle
Quick pickling is the new big thing in the kitchen
When I was a child, family get-togethers involved Wash and dry the vegetables then prep them. Peel buffet lunches. One of the highlights were the big any carrots, trim the end of beans etc. Cut vegetables into evenly sized pieces. jars of 'quick pickles' that my father, aunts, and uncles had been taught to make by myWhen grandmothAdd any flavourings to the jars. You can I choose er. Quick pickles are vegetables pickled in a soludifferent flavours for each vegetable jar. lu buffet tion of vinegar, water, salt and sometimes sugar, then kept in the fridge. These are notjars deeply pickPack the vegetables as tightly into the jars as you ' of led onions, nor fermentation. Quick pickles taste can without damaging them, leaving a couple of uncles h light, fresh and crunchy. centimetres space at the top.
er. To make the Quic brine, place the vinegar, water, salt, and any sugar into a small of saucepan. Heat on high tion v to bring to the boil. Stir to dissolve the salt and then kep sugar. Pour the hot brine over the vegetables, filling each jar to within 2cm of the top. You'll get led onio better at judging how much brine to make as you light, repeat the process. Gently tap the fre jars against the counter a few times to remove all the air bubbles. Top up with more brine if needed. Seal the jars tightly. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 48 hours. The pickles improve with flavour as they age. They can be stored in the fridge for about 2 months. Flavours for Quick Pickles
My Grandmother pickled fresh veg from her garden during the Second World War. Veg needs to be super-fresh and undamaged. It can be cut to any shape. I like to boil green veg such as green beans and asparagus for two or three minutes then plunge them into ice cold water to preserve their bright colour, but it’s optional.
Fresh herbs: dill, thyme, oregano, and rosemary hold up well Dried herbs: thyme, dill, rosemary, oregano, or marjoram Garlic cloves: smashed for mild garlic flavour, or sliced for stronger garlic flavour Fresh ginger: peeled and thinly sliced Whole spices: mustard seed, coriander, peppercorns, red pepper flakes, chilli flakes Ground spices: turmeric or smoked paprika are great for both colour and flavour
To make the basic brine use equal parts light vinegar and water. By light vinegar I mean white, apple cider, white wine, or rice vinegar. Don't use pickling vinegars or balsamic. To the brine add whatever spices you like. Dill seed, chilli flakes and garlic are nice. Coriander, ginger, turmeric, and thyme Vegetables for Pickling work with carrots. Classic combinations include Cucumbers, summer squash, ginger, red onion green beans with garlic and fresh dill, and cherry thinly sliced tomatoes with black peppercorns and garlic. We My Gran grew some squash this year and quick pickled Carrots- Peel - cut into batons or rounds some of the little ones with onion and den garlic. duri Green beans, asparagus - blanch to preserve colour Wide-mouth large jars are the bestsuper-fre containers. Wash them and their lids, and rings in warm, soapy Cherry tomatoes - pickle whole shape. I water and rinse thoroughly. Allow to dry completely. and Byaspa Sally Harris
them int colour, b Please mention Walton Matters when
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Recipe of The Month Jambalaya
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes + 10 minutes Prepar resting time. Serves: 4-6 Ingredients
Cookin resting
½ tsp white peppercorns Serves: ½ tsp black peppercorns 1 tsp paprika Ingredi 1 tsp cayenne (or more if using a very mild sausage) ½ tsp w 1 tsp dried thyme and cook until golden. Remove to drain on 2 bay leaves ½kitchentsp bl paper. Add the chicken and cook until ½ tsp salt golden brown, remove and place with the 1 sausage. tsp pa 2 tbsp neutral oil 1 Add tsp 2 smoked pork sausages e.g. Chorizo the onion, green pepper, the ca white parts 4 bone-in chicken thighs of the spring onions, and garlic to the pan. sausage Cook until soft and translucent, then stir in the 1 onion, finely chopped 1 spice tsp dr mix and cook for another couple of 1 red pepper, finely chopped minutes. Return the chicken back into the pan 1 celery stick, finely chopped 2 and bay le pour stock and Tabasco over everything. 4 spring onions, chopped, green and white ½Lower tsp the heat to allow the mixture tosa simparts separated mer for about 15 minutes until the chicken is 3 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tender. tbsp n Stir in the rice and simmer for a fur800ml chicken or pork stock 10 minutes. Stir everything once then 2 ther smoke 1 tsp Tabasco or other hot sauce, plus extra to cover with a tight lid, reduce the heat and serve 4 steam bonegently for 15 minutes. Remove the 300g long grain rice chicken. Add the prawns and sausage, stir 1 again, onion then replace the lid and leave to rest for 300g large raw prawns 10 minutes. 1 red pe
shred the chicken then fold into 1 Meanwhile, celery the rested jambalaya, season to taste with salt Method more Tabasco. Garnish with the spring 4 and spring onion greens Turn the heat to high and in a smallparts dry pan se toast the peppercorns, paprika and cayenne. Grind them in a pestle and mortar 3 until garlic smooth. Add the thyme, bay leaves and salt 800ml c then set one side. Lower the heat to medium and heat1 the oil in tsp Ta a lidded frying pan. Add the sausage slices serve 300g Please mention Walton Matterslo when www.villagematters.co.uk responding to adverts 24 300g la
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ELMBRIDGE U3A – STILL OPEN FOR BUSINESS Elmbridge U3A has been providing educational and social activities for older people in Elmbridge since 1989. We are part of the Third Age Trust, a national body whose aim is to give older members of our community the physical and mental stimulation that is so important for health and general wellbeing. Like every other ‘people’ organisation, we have suffered badly from the Coronavirus restrictions on social contact, but we have not let it put a stop to our activities. From the beginning, many of our study groups discussion, language, music, Bridge etc.- have been meeting online using Zoom and other interactive gizmos, and since the summer our monthly speaker meetings have taken the form of webinars, streamed on YouTube to reach as many of our members as possible. As the physical restrictions have eased, outdoor activities such as walking, cycling and new members’ get-togethers have resumed (under Covid-safe conditions of course) as well as sport and other activities at local venues. At present around 45 of our groups are operating in these various ways and are being thoroughly enjoyed by our members. We are also planning ahead for the day when restrictions are fully relaxed, so that we are ready for the ‘new normal’ and can again give our members the range and quality of activities they have come to expect over the past 30 years. In the meantime, we are very much open for business and have a lot to offer new members, even in the present difficult times. Why not give us a try? Full details on what we do and how to join can be found on our website www.u3asites.org.uk/elmbridge or by contacting our Chairman, Roy Henderson, chair@elmbridgeu3a.org We would be very pleased to hear from you.
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Garden View
This month - Rhubarb Rhubarb Rhubarb is a reasonably easy trouble-free plant to grow. It is also a handsome plant, with large leaves and striking red stems, and who doesn't love a rhubarb crumble?
The trick is to choose the right spot. Ideally it needs to be planted in full sun but if your garden is very sheltered it will tolerate partial shade. Don't plant it anywhere where it might be in the way, disturbed, or need to be moved from. Rhubarb has an extensive root system and prefers to stay put, for at least a decade, so give careful thought to the spot. Rhubarb dislikes wet soil, so make sure it's well-drained. Dig in plenty of organic matter a month or so before planting. It’s generally easier and more productive to grow rhubarb from crowns (divided plants) rather than seed, and from now until Christmas is the perfect time to plant. Dig a hole a little wider than the rhubarb crown in your prepared ground. Plant so that the growing tip is about an inch /2.5 cm below the surface. Firm the soil well around the roots to removed air pockets. Water well and mulch with organic matter, avoiding the growing tip. During the growing season keep the area around the plant free of weeds and give an occasional good soaking in prolonged dry periods. Remove any flower heads that appear
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By Rachael Leverton
in the spring. Flowering will weaken the stems. If the crown rots, your soil was too wet, but following all the advice R I've given p earlier should prevent this happening! Harvest time is May until July, but rhubarbw is a longterm investment so don't harvest it during the w first year. It needs that full first year of growth to establish a strong root system. Second year leave at least five strong stems when you harvest. After that you can leave three or four stems each time. You should get 2-3 crops per season. Remove only the largest stems when picking and wait till the leaves have fully opened. Pull gently from the base with a slight twist. The leaves are poisonous but can be safely composted.
Once your rhubarb is established you might want to try a forced crop for sweeter more tender stems. Rhubarb is forced by growing it in the absence of light in a microclimate slightly warmer than the outside temperature. You can start forcing in January for best results. Remove dead leaves and weeds from around the crown and add a layer of straw or T shredded paper to warm the emerging shoots and to protect them from frost. Thenn cover the d crown with an upturned dustbin or large crock pot to cut out all the light. The rhubarb should s be ready for harvesting 8 weeks later. Happy gardening.
b f a s
R w a e f a ti
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Age UK Surrey - Supporting older people in your neighbourhood The Coronavirus Pandemic has changed life for everyone and as a local community based charity we are aware that older people are some of the hardest hit. Find out how we can support you and your loved ones. Information and Advice Service – experts in older people’s issues We provide free, confidential and impartial information, advice and support on all issues that impact older people, for example: care, housing, money, benefit entitlements. We help you to maximise your income and maintain your independence. Check in and Chat Calls One of the best ways of helping someone during this unsettling time is by just keeping in touch. We match friendly supportive volunteers with people who would like a regular chat over the telephone. It really can make all the difference to a person’s life. Get Online Staying home and staying safe has given rise to lots of new initiatives and ways to virtually access shows, art collections, nature and open spaces – all from the comfort of your home! If you need digital
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help to take advantage of this online surge our volunteers are offering a free telephone service arranged at a time and day that is mutually convenient. Every Monday and Thursday at 2pm you can enjoy a virtual coffee and chat with Catherine our Information and Advice Manager. Everyone over 50 years old are welcome, as well as carers. Volunteer Shopping Service This service is available to older people who are not able to access online food deliveries or go to the shops because they are staying home to keep safe. The service is for people who need essential items. We can also help with collecting prescriptions. We match people who need support with a volunteer who lives nearby. To find out more about any of our services and ways we can help you please: Telephone: 01483 503414 Email: enquiries@ageuksurrey.org.uk Visit our website: www.ageuk.org.uk/surrey To donate: Donations to support our services are gratefully received and can be made online: www.ageuk.org.uk/surrey/donate or by sending a cheque made payable to Age UK Surrey to: Rex House, William Road, Guildford, GU1 4QZ
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Dominic Raab Our Local MP
Reforming the planning system is a key priority for this government. At the national level, the current complex system is a barrier to building the homes that the country needs, where they are needed. The government recently consulted on long-term reforms to speed up and modernise the planning system, alongside some quicker changes to increase its effectiveness While I support the government’s aims, there is concern across Walton about the proposal to change the formula which calculates the minimum number of homes that councils should plan for. In Elmbridge, the proposed changes would increase this number from 623 to 774 homes per year. In my view there are some technical issues with the Dom And James Browne outside Elmbridge Borough Council proposed changes. For example, they do not adequately take into account the physical constraints on the availability of land in places like Elmbridge, where 58% of the borough is Green Belt. I have made these points in my response to the consultation, in my capacity as a constituency MP and on behalf of local residents. Equally, the simplest way to protect our area from higher housing numbers is to have a Local Plan in place. Unfortunately, the current coalition of Liberal Democrats and Residents’ Association groups at Elmbridge Borough Council has made little progress on this front, despite being in control of the council for three of the previous four years. They have also failed to rule out building on the Green Belt – something the Conservative Group of councillors recently re-affirmed its commitment to. For my part, in recent weeks I have been working closely with local residents and councillors from all parties on these important issues. I will continue to do so over the coming months.
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Index of Advertisers Bathrooms Bathrooms Sanctuary Bathrooms Sanctuary Bathrooms Building Building Aldridge and Sons Aldridge W Brownand andSons Sons W Brown and Sons Cars Cars Ashley MOT and Service Ashley Care MOT and Service Alina Homecare Care AmilyHomecare Homecare Alina Surrey Homecare Age UK Amily The Civil Surrey AgeCelebrant UK Cleaning The Civil Celebrant Time For You Cleaning EstateFor Agents Time You HarmesAgents Turner Brown Estate Feet Harmes FootHelpTurner Brown Feet Finance FootHelp Access Equity Release Finance Harvest Financial Mgmt Access Floor Equity Release Harvest ProFloorFinancial Restore Mgmt Floor Funeral Services ProFloor Restore Alan Greenwood Furnishings Funeral Services John Miller Alan Greenwood Garage Doors Furnishings Garolla John Miller Gardening Garage Doors Squires Garolla
Gardening Squires
Health/Fitness One 2 One 15 Health/Fitness 15 One 2 One Kitchens Ashford Kitchens 23 Kitchens 23 MobilityKitchens 28 Ashford 28 Mobility Shepperton Mobility Mobility Painting/Decorating 16 Shepperton 16 Painting/Decorating AK Painting and Decorating Pharmacy 28 AK Painting and Decorating Trio 20 Pharmacy 28 Plumbing 31 Trio 20 Response Plumbing 25 31 Plumbing PropertiesPlumbing 25 Response Hewett Home 19 Properties Tennay Home Properties 19 Hewett Schools/Education 36 Tennay Properties Halliford School Schools/Education 36 30 Hampton Prep Halliford Hampton School School Hampton Prep 30 29 U3A School Sell for Cash 23 Hampton 29 U3A J C Stamps for Cash 23 Shutters 26 Sell JJust C Stamps Shutters 26 Will Writing 13 Shutters Harvest Wills Just Shutters Windows/Doors 25 Will Writing 13 House ofWills Surrey Harvest Village Windows 23 Windows/Doors 25
House of Surrey 27 23 Village Windows
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