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Welcome!
Welcome to the February issue. 2020 has now long gone. It was a year that I personally will be glad to say goodbye to. 2021 has begun, and it appears that we are starting where we left off...another lockdown. There is some light at the end of the tunnel hope however. Vaccines are with us and I firmly believe we can now, over the next coming months return to some sort of normality. I hope that you are all keeping well and safe. A huge thankyou once more goes out to the both the NHS and all the keyworkers. In this issue we hear from the MRA, Ben West, our local wildlife expert, Della, our Molesey Roving Reporter and MP Dominic Raab. The Friends
February 2021 of Fleetside also tell us of how volunteers helped clear some of the pennywort in the Mole. Stay safe and well. See you in March
Contents
Published by:
Village Matters Ltd
Festival of Britain Capability Brown Are you a Leaper? Where the wild things are Molesey Residents Association Fat Tuesday Dominic Raab World Book Day Molesey Matters Roving Reporter Garden View Recipe of the Month Friends of Fleetside The Rise of Athleisure Index of Advertisers
Molesey Director: Paul Chard Telephone : 07946 494288 Email : paul@villagematters.co.uk Website :www.villagematters.co.uk Cover Photo: Yours Truly
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The Festival of Britain By local resident John Taylor Some readers, may recall with nostalgia the Festival of Britain, perhaps attending the main events at the South Bank London, or going to the funfair at Battersea. It was in 1951, just six years after the end of World War Two, that the event was held to celebrate the British contribution to civilization, past, present and future, in the arts, science and technology, and industrial design. Much of the city still lay in ruins after the war, and models of redevelopment were needed. The Festival was an attempt to give the country a feeling of recovery and progress. The Festival of Britain described itself as “One act of national reassessment and one corporate reaffirmation of faith in the nation’s future”. The first idea for an exhibition came from The Royal Society of Arts in 1943, which considered that a celebration should be held to commemorate the centenary of the 1851 Great Exhibition. Funded mostly by the government with a budget of £12 million, in 1947, cabinet member Herbert Morrison took charge, and a planning council was established. The main site was constructed on a 27 acre plot on the South Bank of the Thames in Lambeth, which had been left untouched since being bombed in the war. Old Victorian buildings and railway sidings were transformed into the new site. Following an official opening by King George V1, the festival opened for the public on the 4th May. The centre piece was the recently built Royal Festival Hall. The main ground site featured the largest dome in the world at the time, standing 93 feet tall, with a diameter of 365 feet. This held displays on the theme of discovery such as The New World, Polar Regions, The Sky, Outer Space, The Living, and The Physical World. Adjacent to The Dome was the Skylon, a vertical cigar shaped steel tower supported by cables. There was the Tele cinema,
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which showed films in 3D, and other displays to be seen were The People of Britain, Homes and Gardens, Health, Sport, and The Seaside. The event showcased the principles of urban design that would feature in the creation of new towns. Other exhibits included The Land of Britain, The Natural Scene, Power and Production, and Transport. A Festival of Science, was held at the Science museum Kensington, and a Festival of Architecture at the Lansbury Estate in Poplar. The Pleasure Gardens Battersea, were created a few miles from the festivals main ground. This included an amusement park, a miniature railway, foaming fountains, a wine garden, a pavilion with a stage, and an amphitheatre, seating 1,250 people, which was later changed into a circus. The Battersea Funfair closed in the mid 1970’s. Although the main site was in the capital, events were also held nationwide, including an Industrial Power presentation in Glasgow, and the Ulster Farm and Factory Fair in Belfast. Throughout the summer months, the ship Campania toured the coast of Britain with a smaller representation of the festival experience. The occasion had been a success, and there were over eight million visitors to the South Bank during a period of five months. At the closing ceremony in September, massed bands of the Brigade of Guards played as the Union, and Festival flags were taken down for the last time. The 2,900 seat Royal Festival Hall, is the only feature to remain from the festival and is now a Grade 1 listed building. It is still hosting concerts and other events to this day, and is an enduring reminder of the events that were held beside the Thames in that bygone summer of 1951.
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Lancelot “Capability” Brown Died 6th February 1783
Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown (b. 1716, d. 1783) is Britain’s most famous landscape designer, who codified the English landscape style and worked at over 250 sites, for a client list that included most of the House of Lords. Born in Northumberland in 1716, Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown rose through the ranks of Georgian society through a combination of professional talent and excellent connections to become King George III’s royal gardener in 1764; complete with the grace-and-favour Wilderness House at Hampton Court.
Wilderness House
This was an important appointment as it raised his status amongst the nobility. He is thought to have planted the great vine in 1768, which is still producing a crop of sweet grapes today (you can buy them from the shop in early September). Hampton Court Palace is of unique historical and horticultural importance. The park covers 750 acres of land, set by the River Thames. Stroll around the 60 acres of beautiful formal gardens where you will see The Privy Garden, Tiltyard Walls, Rose Garden and The Great Fountain Garden. But do not get lost in the maze! Another local garden laid out by Brown is Claremont Landscape Garden. It provides a
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wonderful hideaway from the rush of modern -day life. With nearly 300 years of history to its name, the gardens were once the country- n La side retreat of the aristocracy and even the 178 royals. Queen Victoria stayed with her Uncle Leopold atdes Claremont and delighted in the rare chancest of freedom, away fromy the public eye. list The estate has been created and shaped by Bo many of the key influencers in landscape de‘Ca sign throughout the years. Sir John Vanbrugh, Charles Bridgeman, William Kent, and Ge ‘Capability’ Brown all put their own distincpro tive stamp on the pleasure grounds, making it to into the gardens that visitors enjoy today. in There is plenty to discover on a walk-through Claremont,Wi whether it is the lake, the amphitheatre, the Camellia Terrace, or the Belvedere Tower. Brown’s landscapes were simple, uncluttered, and restrained. They comprised sweeping pasture bordered with tree clumps, perimeter shelter belts and screens of trees. The landscape was designed to encourage eighteenth century leisure pursuits including hunting, shooting, and carriage-riding. Lancelot Brown, nicknamed ‘Capability’, due to his habit of describing the great ‘capabilities’ of his clients landscapes, was the most successful landscape gardener of the eighteenth century. What Shakespeare has done for English letters, so Capability Brown has done for English landscape. His landscapes look so natural that it is hard to see the hand of the artist at work. Post lockdown and as we go into better weather both a worth a visit. T h
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Are you a Leaper? Imagine only having your birthday every four years or so? Yes, you would age chronologically just like everyone else, but if you are a “leaper”, aka someone born on February 29th, you rarely get to celebrate your real birthday on the date of your birth. In the United Kingdom and Hong Kong, when a person born on February 29 turns 18, they are considered to have their birthday on March 1 in the relevant year. In New Zealand, a person born on February 29 is deemed to have their birthday on February 28 in non-leap years. But what is a leap day or year? February 29, is a date added to most years that are divisible by 4, such as 2008, 2012, 2016, 2020, and 2024. The statistics behind the number are surprisingly simple: Four years is equal to 1,460 days, and the leap year rounds it up to 1,461. Assuming the odds of being born are the same for every day, your chances of being a “leaper” turn out to be one in 1,461. A leap day is observed because the Earth's period of orbital revolution around the Sun takes approximately 6 hours longer than 365 days (8,760 hours). A leap day compensates for this lag, realigning the calendar with the Earth's position in the Solar System; otherwise, seasons would occur later than intended in the calendar year. Since 1988, Anthony, Texas, has championed itself as the Leap Year Capital of the World: In 2012, the town’s three-day celebration included a car show, an ice hockey game, and a
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golf tournament. At the website of the Honour Society of Leap Year Day Babies (“spreading Leap Year day awareness” for 19 years), fellow “leapers” share tales of woe: children who thought their birthdays were taken away, parents begging and bribing doctors to fudge kids’ birth certificates to February 28 or March 1. A leap year conundrum is used in the plot of Gilbert and Sullivan's 1879 comic opera The Pirates of Penzance. As a child, Frederic was apprenticed to a band of pirates until his 21st birthday. Having passed his 21st year, he leaves the pirate band and falls in love. However, since he was born on February 29, his 21st birthday will not arrive until he is eightyfour, so he must leave his fiancée and return to the pirates.
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The last leap day was February 29, 2020. The next will be February 29th 2024.
Any readers who have a birthday on February 29th, Molesey Matters would love to hear from you! How do you celebrate? When do you celebrate?
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Choc ‘n ’Chilli Perfect for Valentine’s Day? The Aztecs valued chocolate so much their taxation was levied in cocoa beans! The hot frothy drink they made was reserved for warriors, nobility and priests and was said to confer wisdom and vitality. Emperor Montezuma, not one for moderation, drank 50 goblets a day.
Scientists have suggested that the antioxidants and flavonoids in chocolate with at least 70% cocoa improve verbal and visual memory, reaction times, balance certain hormones, help to relieve blood pressure and boost serotonin levels, our brain’s natural anti-depressant. All good reasons to indulge a little, especially this month. And what could be nicer on a cold Valentine’s Day than snuggling up with your romantic other and a cup of hot chocolate? Use high-quality cocoa powder, preferable organic and fair trade, and make a hot drink, sweetened with honey. Then cook the object of your affections an authentic Mexican chilli dish by adding cocoa to the sauce. The nutrient capsaicin, found in chillies, is a powerful antioxidant which helps to prevent many conditions such as high cholesterol, heart and lung diseases and cataracts. It also stimulates blood circulation which boosts the immune system and it even relieves pain.
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WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE CONNECTING WITH NATURE Would you like to identify the birds, butterflies and other wildlife you see out and about or in your garden? Have you ever wondered which wild plants and fungi are edible? Are you interested in making a deeper connection with nature? Maybe I can help. I'm Ben West, a Molesey resident, lover of landscapes, wildlife and the outdoors and a lifelong ‘student of nature’.
Molesey Heath is a local nature reserve and one of my favourite places to make contact with the sights and sounds of the natural world. This year I aim to continue with my natural history walks around Molesey Heath as and when Government restrictions allow. Last year the walks were conducted on a monthly basis. This year they will be fortnightly starting on Saturday February 13th. From then on they will be every other Saturday. So; February 13th and 27th, March 13th and 27th, April 10th and 24th so on and so forth throughout the year. Last year was frustrating as the Covid restrictions made it difficult to plan with any certainty. The early part of this year looks like more of the same. There is currently no fixed end to the existing lockdown so all we can do is stay abreast of developments and react accordingly. Therefore, I suggest keeping in touch with me through the various social platforms below or sending me an email to check if the walks are allowed to go ahead on the specified date. I can then reply and keep you up to date. So, if the walks go ahead in February what might
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we see? Yellow Browed warbler, a rare bird from Siberia, has been showing through the Winter and may still be around with other visitors from the North in the form of Redwing W and Fieldfare. There are also lots of other resident bird species to admire and the first territorial singingoth of the year is beginning. We’ll listen out for the drumming of Great Spotted ga Woodpeckers. Foliage of early Ha Spring trees and plants will be evident (some of them edible) and we should find, fu amongst others, the first flowering Willows, Alders, Coltsfoot, Lesser Celandine and Dead-nettles. Ar Can you tell the difference between Wild Garlic wi and Lords and Ladies? A bit of sunshine M might prematurely wake up slumbering Bumblebees and hibernating butterflies, hungry for nectar.I'm I post regularly onsc the subjects of plants, wild food, medicinal recipes, birds, butterflies and all things wildlife related. ‘st You can find me here: Twitter: @WildBenWest Instagram: wearewherethewildthingsare Facebook: Ben West If you have any wildlife related questions, would like something identifying or just want to make contact feel free to message me or drop me a line at ben@wherethewildthingsare.co.uk Whether you want to spend time outdoors in good company, discover new ways of getting your kids outside or simply improve your nature ID skills I would love to have you join me.
Meetings are held every other Saturday throughout the year. No dogs please. We meet at 9.30am at the main gates to Molesey Heath on Approach Road, KT8 2LL. Binoculars are useful but not essential. Please dress appropriately for the weather conditions. Do be aware that the paths around the site can get muddy and slippery with rain. The walks will typically last around a couple of hours depending on the level of interest amongst the group and the wildlife we see on the day. Please email ben@wherethewildthingsare.co.uk for M further details.
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NEWS FROM THE MOLESEY RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION
Vine Hall Elmbridge Council’s public halls, including Vine Hall, have been closed since March as a result of the coronavirus epidemic, and the Council has been assessing their condition to see what might need to be done to allow them to reopen. We were dismayed by their findings that significant expenditure would be needed to equip Vine Hall for regular use in the long-term, and by reports that it might not be viable to reopen it when the coronavirus crisis ends. Following these reports MRA Councillors pressed strongly for assurances about both the immediate future of Vine Hall, its position over the longer-term. In taking forward these discussions a petition arranged by the Save Vine Hall Action Group containing over 1500 signatures was very helpful in raising awareness of the strength of local support for the Hall, and the determination of the community to retain it. The Council agreed at a full meeting in December to engage actively with the residents of Molesey on options for enabling Vine Hall to reopen again when it is safe to do so, including the possibility of the hall reopening as a community-run facility. That consultation process is expected to begin shortly, and we will update residents via our website when there is more news. The Council also agreed that any consideration of options for the Vine Hall site in the longer-term must include a modern, replacement community facility, and must also protect the position of the 2nd Molesey Scouts Group, whose Scout Hut is next to the hall. Bushy Park – Changes to Road Access The Royal Parks have been trialling changes to the road access through Bushy Park which involved closing the through route from Hampton Court to Teddington. The Royal Parks ran a consultation on the proposals during November and December and will be considering the responses with a view to publishing their conclusions in February. The closure of the road through the Park has had a considerable impact on residents of Molesey who regularly travel to Teddington, and it has led to an increase in the volume of traffic going up to Kingston Bridge and round the Park, a route which is often logjammed at busy periods. We have established that, surprisingly, neither Elmbridge Borough Council nor Surrey County Council were formally consulted by the Royal Parks on these proposals. MRA Councillor Stuart Selleck has contacted the Royal Parks in his capacity as Leader of Elmbridge Council about the impact of the proposed changes on residents living in the surrounding area, and the lack of any consultation with the local Councils who represent them. He has called for them to defer any decision on any permanent changes, or the possible extension of the trial, to allow both Elmbridge Borough Council and Surrey County Council an opportunity to assess the proposals and their implications in detail. Local Planting MRA Cllr Ernest Mallett has once again completed Winter re-planting of the two gardens on the East Molesey Police Station Green, the Bridge Road Horse Trough and the flowers at the two Molesey War Memorials. He also arranged for the traditional MRA Christmas Tree to be placed on the Police Station Green and worked with the Molesey Business Association and Paul at the Molesey Pet Shop to put up the large Christmas Tree outside the Musicland shop, with the help of the shop owners who supply the electricity for the lights. We would like to acknowledge the grant of around £400 which the Business Association obtained from Surrey County Council to pay for the Christmas Tree and new lights. We also again used the delightful fairy made by a young girl in West Molesey.
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How to… ….argue with a conspiracy theorist We all have one relative or friend who believes everything they read on the internet and is convinced that COVID 19 is a hoax and the Government is using the vaccines to implant us with microchips. How do you talk to someone like that? First be kind. It's actually a very human response to look for patterns in events, and to develop and believe in conspiracy theories. We’re primed to be suspicious of things that can’t be easily explained. Be respectful, even if you think the other person is completely bonkers Almost no-one has ever been ridiculed into changing their mind. In the same vein, avoid publicly shaming them. Reach out and speak or message privately. This prevents embarrassment and implies a genuine
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interest in conversation. Ask 'What would it take for you to change your mind?' If they reply, 'Nothing will ever make me change my mind,' it's probably best to take them at their word and change the subject. Sometimes it’s not worth the effort. Use questions to help others probe their own views. This is often the best way to change someone’s mind. The way to do this is to engage, then gently and politely question, pointing out inconsistencies in their arguments and allowing them to respond, until you hit a dead-end. Research has shown that this tactic prevents people feeling attacked. Always evaluate your relationship with the person. If it's a misguided family member who you love dearly, it's often best to let it go. The relationship is the bigger prize. And even one little conversation might just be enough to get them thinking.
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Fat Tuesday
It’s pancake day this month I grew up near Olney, in Buckinghamshire. It’s a pretty little town with lots of lovely independent shops and a strange claim to fame; it is the home of the pancake race. On Shrove Tuesday, in a 500-year-old tradition, many of the Olney women (and the odd bloke in a dress), don aprons and head coverings, and race through the streets to the church tossing a hot pancake in a frying pan! It’s an entertaining afternoon, but how did it all come about?
keep coming back to fresh lemon juice and a sprinkling of sugar...irresistible. Here is my own recipe for perfect pancakes. Ingredients 115g (4oz) plain flour Pinch salt 1 large egg 285ml (half a pint of milk) 115g (4oz) butter, melted Juice from 2 lemons, strained Caster or Demerara sugar to taste.
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On m To make the batter: sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Beat in the egg and a little ofdr the milk until smooth. Gradually beat in the remaining milk and add 4 th tablespoons of the melted butter. Cover the bowl and leave to stand for one hour. ca In a small non-stick frying pan heat some of the butter until sizzling, but taking care not to let it burn. Pour enough batter into the pan to coat the base evenly. Cook over a moderate heat until the pancake is light golden-brown underneath and looks dry on top. Flip over (try to do this with style!) and cook the other side until golden. Continue until all the batter is used. The recipe should make 10-12 pancakes.
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Legend has it that in 1455 a woman cooking pancakes heard the shriving bell summoning her to confession. In her Christian haste she ran to the church, wearing her apron and still clutching her frying pan, complete with hot pancake, and so the tradition was born. The reason this 15th Century woman was cooking pancakes in the first place was due to a Christian dictate; that through the 40 days of Lent no person should eat milk, eggs, or butter. This was a pre-fridge era, which meant that if a housewife had stocks of these foods they would go off before the fast ended on Easter Sunday, so she had to use them up. The solution was to make pancakes and they became a symbol of self-indulgence before the fast. Indeed Mardi Gras, as the ritual is called in France and the USA, literally translates as ‘Fat Tuesday.’
You can keep the pancakes warm in the oven (Gas mark 1 / 140C) until they are all cooked, but in our house they’re barely out the frying pan before they’re scoffed. Serve with the lemon juice and sugar...Enjoy!
By Sarah Davey
Over the years I’ve tried my pancakes with fruit, maple syrup, and a variety of savoury fillings but I
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Dominic Raab Dominic Our LocalRaab MP Our Local MP
In recent weeks, I have been encouraged by how Molesey have once again In recent weeks, residents I have been encouraged by shown great resilience and community spirit how Molesey residents have once again during great the national lockdown. shown resilience and community spirit during the national lockdown. As residents will know, these restrictions became necessary to these the impact of a new As residents will due know, restrictions bevariantnecessary of Coronavirus thatimpact spreadsof50-70% came due to the a new faster. Rising case numbers hospitals unvariant of Coronavirus that put spreads 50-70% der more pressure from the put virushospitals than at unany faster. Rising case numbers timemore sincepressure the startfrom of the der the pandemic, virus than leaving at any no choice but to take firm action to save lives time since the start of the pandemic, leaving andchoice safeguard NHS no but tothetake firm action to save lives and safeguard the NHS
Dom will Cllr Steve Bax, seeing what can be done to improve road safety near St Lawrence Junior School. Dom will Cllr Steve Bax, seeing what can be done to improve road safety near St Lawrence Junior School.
I am acutely aware of how difficult these reare,aware particularly for businesses in Istrictions am acutely of how difficult these reMolesey which have endured so much disrupstrictions are, particularly for businesses in tion. With this have in mind, after lockdown Molesey which endured so the much disrupannouncement new tion. With this the in Chancellor mind, afterannounced the lockdown grants of up to £9,000 per property for retail, announcement the Chancellor announced new hospitality leisure per businesses, a furgrants of upand to £9,000 property and for retail, ther £594 million for councils to support hospitality and leisure businesses, and a other furbusinesses. In addition to theto existing grant ther £594 million for councils support other businesses. In addition to the existing grant
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support, this will help local businesses through the lockdown. support, this will help local businesses through the lockdown. Looking ahead, the accelerating vaccination programme offers route out vaccination of the reLooking ahead, the aaccelerating strictions, and overa 2.9 million people programme offers route out of the had rebeen vaccinated at the of writing. strictions, and over 2.9time million people Vachad cinations are proceeding at pace locally.VacWe been vaccinated at the time of writing. now have 25 vaccination sites in Surrey, incinations are proceeding at pace locally. We cluding Health Centre and now havethe 25 Emberbrook vaccination sites in Surrey, inThe Heart in Elmbridge, and a mass cluding the Centre Emberbrook Health Centre and vaccination centre at Epsom Racecourse. You The Heart Centre in Elmbridge, and a mass don’t need centre to askatabout getting a vaccine vaccination Epsom Racecourse. You– you will youacan receive don’t needbetocontacted ask aboutwhen getting vaccine – one. you will be contacted when you can receive one. Away from Coronavirus, it was good tofrom catchCoronavirus, up virtually with InAway it was spector Bert Dean, the Elmbridge good to catch up virtually with InBoroughBert Commander at Surrey spector Dean, the Elmbridge Police, in Commander early January.atThe local Borough Surrey police have doneJanuary. an exceptional job Police, in early The local in difficult circumstances during police have done an exceptional job the difficult pandemic, so I am grateful for in circumstances during theirpandemic, efforts. Isowas encouraged to the I am grateful for hear that we’ve seen a 50% reductheir efforts. I was encouraged to tion that in burglaries locally that hear we’ve seen a 50%and reducgovernment funding boosts tion in burglaries locally and have that seen 6 morefunding officersboosts joininghave the government Elmbridge team. This isjoining good news seen 6 more officers the for Molesey residents, with news extra Elmbridge team. This is good officers on residents, the streets for Molesey withkeeping extra crime low. officers on the streets keeping I also hadcrime a useful low.virtual meeting last month Tucker, themeeting headteacher of St Iwith also Damian had a useful virtual last month Lawrence Junior School. updated with Damian Tucker, theDamian headteacher of me St on the school’s to haveupdated road safety Lawrence Juniorcampaign School. Damian me measures introduced on Church where on the school’s campaign to haveRoad, road safety there have been some worrying accidents in measures introduced on Church Road, where recenthave years. I fully campaign there been some support worryingthis accidents in and amyears. working with Damian Surrey recent I fully support thisand campaign County see what can beand done. and am Council workingto with Damian Surrey County Council to see what can be done.
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Crossword 1
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Across 1 Celebrity, headliner (4) 4 No longer in use (8) 8 Teaching period (6) 9 Libretto, dialogue (6) 10 Pockmark, healed wound (4) 11 Single spot of precipitation (8) 13 Persistence, tenacity (13) 16 Going to ground (5,3) 19 Belongs to you and me (4) 20 Frail, ailing (6) 22 Joined (6) 23 Long-handled frying pans (8) 24 Effortless (4)
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Down 2 3 4 5
Wilful betrayal (9) Set aside, save (7) Proprietor (5) Period of sustained drinking (informal) (7) 6 Enticed (5)
7 Apex (3) 12 Without scent (9) 14 Small glamorous white dog (7) 15 Defeat decisively (7)
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17 Prizes awarded for peace, physics, literature etc. (5) 18 Home of Snowdonia National Park (5) 21 Large deer (3)
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World Book Day Thursday 4th March
By Sarah Davey
They are also well equipped to deal with the explosion of constantly changing information available through the internet and social media. TV and computer games take up so much of our children’s leisure time that the simple pleasure of reading can be overlooked. Yet reading is the only entertainment medium which is also a life skill and it’s one of the best gifts you can give to your child. So let’s all support World Book Day and...celebrate the power of a story. Share a few of your childhood favourites with your own children. If your memory needs a jog here are a few to start you off…
Every Saturday morning after we’d endured the Winnie the Pooh by A. A. Milne weekly shop my mother took me and my brother to the library. We’d flop down in the children’s secThe Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling Ever y tion and skim the titles, our heads tilted at ninety The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett degrees. Our card limit was three books each and it weekl y never seemed enough. My mother was an avid Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald the libr reader and instilled in both of us the love of a good Dahl tion an story. It’s why I’m delighted that World Book Day Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak degrees is here again, and that it's working even more s closely with libraries. For the first timenever in our lives The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. libraries are seriously under threat. reader Yet libraries a Grandpa's Great Escape by David Walliams level the playing field for families whostory. can't afford I to buy books. They are gateways tois a world of How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell here information and imagination. closely The Gruffalo By Julia Donaldson and Axel World Book Day is the annual eventlibrarie supporting Scheffler books and reading in the UK. Schools,level libraries and th How will it work during Lockdown? bookshops will be holding book related events, to buy activities and parties. It’s a great opportunity for World Book Day will continue to work informa everyone to get involved. with schools and nurseries to distribute the
£1 book tokens. We’re working with teachThe aim of World Book Day is to encourage chilWorld dren to explore the pleasure of reading. Your child ers to provide the printed token (for thosea books will be given a book token which can be exchildren still in a school setting) and a new booksh changed for one of ten specially published World single-use digital version, that can be printactivitie Book Day books. The theme this year is storyed at home or shown to booksellers on a ever yon sharing. phone or tablet screen. If you are a school
or nursery/pre-school and would like to Research has proven that keen readers:The ai m Read, write and concentrate better register for the digital token,to this option dren Process new information more easily will be available from 1st be February. Have many interests and do well in a will wide variety Please visit worldbookday.com/digital-book changed of subjects -token for more information. The token Book D Are more flexible thinkers and are more open to will also be on McDonald’s Happy Meal new ideas sharing boxes through February and March, and in Deal with personal problems better without their some children’s magazines. Researc schoolwork being affected.
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Molesey Matters Roving Reporter Della Reynold
‘Your Fund Surrey’ is giving away £100 million for community projects It’s time to recover from a decade of austerity and pandemic woes, helped by Surrey CC, who are putting up capital funds to see community projects get off the ground. During February, Your Fund Surrey is seeking proposals from the public, using an interactive map where pins can be placed to mark the location of your suggested project. https://yourfundsurreymap.commonplace.is/ comments/5fbe007625ff1b223c90daef
This fast-moving initiative will see the ‘ideas’ phase move to ‘full submission’ applications by March and the funding could be awarded as early as next spring. It is vital that projects receive community support, via ‘thumbs up’ clicks on the interactive map, if they are to be successful. So, let’s get clicking. A popular project is a suggestion from the Riverhouse Barn Arts Centre to create an accessible, riverside, zero carbon garden which would showcase eco-friendly solutions such as living walls, green roofing, sustainable food planters and solar sculptures. This project currently has 119 thumbs up supporters. Closer to home, the most popular proposal is the application to acquire the Jolly Boatman site as an extension to Cigarette Island park; which in a separate proposal, will have improved access from the road and much needed maintenance to enhance public access and enjoyment. The Jolly Boatman project, submitted by Hampton Court Rescue Campaign (HCRC), currently has 26 supporters with 7 for the renovation of Cigarette Island. Karen Liddell from the HCRC campaign is hopeful that with community support, Your Fund Surrey finance will finally restore an area which has been in various states of dereliction since 1988, back to the community.
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Follow these links to offer your support. https:// yourfundsurreymap.commonplace.is/ comments/5fd206779d963fd035581d4f https:// yourfundsurreymap.commonplace.is/ comments/5fb39b83c935990f111ffe83 Other Molesey projects include setting up enclosed 5-aside football pitches next to the tennis courts by Hurst Pool and the provision of a Molesey youth club. Neither of these have significant public support yet. More popular is the proposal to pave the riverbank between Molesey Lock and Hampton Court bridge and provide more benches. This has currently received 27 thumbs up votes. The newly formed Elmbridge Community Assembly is considering an application for funding of a community hub in the Walton Road. This would act as a dropin centre and gathering point where information could be shared, and support of all kinds offered free to the community. If you would like to know more about the Community Assembly, you can check them out here https:// elmbridgeinsightforum.com/community-assembly/ Capital funding could also be used to facilitate a monthly farmer’s market in the Walton Road car park in support of the Walton Road shops or provide infrastructure for a regular street market in Bridge Road by temporarily diverting traffic on market days. These are two ideas which are currently under consideration by Elmbridge Borough Council. According to Molesey Councillor Steve Bax, a funding request might be made to refurbish Vine Hall to ensure its continued use as a community asset. You may be aware that asbestos needs to be removed from this building, plus other costly renovation before it can be reopened to the public. As a teacher, I am aware that many parents are currently struggling to access resources for home schooling and an increasing number of families are choosing to home school permanently. Capital funding could be used to supply reading schemes and textbooks to all libraries across Surrey, making them the go-to resource centre for home-schoolers. So, what’s your idea? Get busy in your bubbles and check out the interactive map. The whole project relies upon your involvement, so share on social media, announce on zoom and shout it out to your fellow dog walkers and joggers. Your Fund Surrey is here to help our community. No time to waste.
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Word Search Can you find all of the love-related words hidden in the grid?
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adore adulation affection amour appreciation ardour cherish crave crush desire devotion fondness friendship idolise infatuation like love lust obsessed passion prefer respect tenderness yearning Solution on Page 25
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Garden View
This - Heavenly Hellebores Thismonth month - Dazzling Dahlias I fell in love with Hellebores a few years ago after an early spring visit to the Botanical Gardens in Cambridge where there are some beautiful displays. They provide a spring garden with elegant colour, and I admit to being quite excited when they appear.
By Rachael Leverton
carefully cut the large fingered leaves from the plant at ground level in January, taking care not to damage the buds. This somewhat brutal treatment has worked a treat and my hellebores are now flourishing.
I fell in after Hellebores like well-drained soil inan sun or dappled shade. My clumps are happily inThey are poisonous plants so are probably Gardens best avoided if you have young children. They creasing in size year-on-year. The stems shoot have a somewhat magical history.beautifu A mytho- up to 25-30cm high between late January and February and the flowers appear den at the top. wit Colours tend to be subtle: green-tinged white, yelquite ex low, oxblood red or dull purple but they glow in the more sub-
They a dued light at this time of year. They would certainly appear best avo washed-out in the bright sun of late spring and summer. The have a flowers are rich in nectar so provide food for early bees.
logical physician named Melampus was said to have observed the cathartic effect of hellebore on goats who munched on the plants. Melampus allegedly then used the milk of the same goats to cure the daughters of the King of Argos of their madness. The plant was used for its purgative properties into the Middle Ages and beyond. Personally, I would recommend growing them only for their attractiveness! The original species originated in the northern parts of Greece and Turkey, but they grow incredibly well in British gardens. Having said that, I was disappointed when my first hellebore plants didn’t thrive initially. They seemed to succumb to disease quite easily. I subsequently learned this this was black rot. Then I heard Alan Titchmarsh’s advice to
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There are many varieties of hellebore, with single or double flowers. Just note that not all of them are easy to grow. I have struggled to get the Christmas Rose Helleborus niger to survive, never mind flower, but I’ve had much more success with the Green hellebore, Helleborus viridis, the pretty pink Lenten rose Helleborus x hybridus, which self-seeds quite nicely, and also the Helleborus x hybridus Ashwood Garden hybrids, which come in a variety of colours but don’t seem to self-seed as freely, at least in my garden. Dig in plenty of mushroom compost before planting, and mulch after you’ve cut the leaves off. Dust with a blood, bone and fishmeal mix after flowering and mulch again with well-rotted leaf mould or compost. Dig up any small self-seeded plants and use them as gifts, or to increase your own colony. Happy gardening, Please mention Molesey Matters when responding to adverts
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Recipe of The Month
Valentine Jammy Dodgers
Preparation time: 30 minutes + chilling time Cooking time: 15-20 minutes Makes 6-8 Ingredients 175g plain flour Pinch of salt 75g icing sugar 125g unsalted butter, diced 1 egg yolk 1 tsp vanilla extract 75g raspberry jam 75g apricot jam Method
Preheat the oven to 170C / gas mark 3. Divide the chilled dough into two equal portions. Place one portion between two pieces of lightly floured greaseproof paper and roll the dough to approximately a 4mm thickness. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Remove the top sheet of paper. With a large biscuit cutter, cut the dough into an even number of discs. Using a small heart cutter, cut out and remove the centre of half the biscuit discs. Place all the discs on the baking sheets. Bake for 15–20 minutes until just firm and barely coloured. Don’t fully bake yet. Remove from the oven and place a teaspoonful of jam in the centre of each whole biscuit round. Spread to 1.5cm from the edge. Place the heart cutout rounds on top. Return to the oven and cook for a further 5–6 minutes by which time the biscuits will be evenly cooked and the jam sufficiently hot to stick the two halves of the biscuits together.
Prepara
Sift the flour, salt and icing sugar into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub it lightly into the flour mix, using your fingertips, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Cooking
In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk and vanilla extract lightly together. Make a well in the centre of the flour mix. Add the egg and vanilla and work together to form a soft, smooth dough. (You can use a food processor if you have one). Place the dough in a polythene bag and place in the fridge to rest for 30 minutes.
Leave the biscuits to cool for 5 minutes before
Makes transferring to a wire cooling rack.
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Ingredie
175g pla Pinch of Please mention Molesey Matters when www.villagematters.co.uk 75g icing responding to adverts 24
S T R L E A S C H D E R L Y
A R O B S O E W E S S O N S C E E S A R R A I N V O T E R M I N A A I N G L O W O T A F E E B L E L I L E S E S K I L L E T S
L E T E U O R I P T E D R O P D T I O N R U O U R S U L N K E D C S E A S Y
D E V O T I O N P N P L U S T
E V M C T G S D N O E A I E P
A F I X O S L O S N F D K X P
R R V N I J C R D D E U E Q R
N I A O F A O E S N R L O V E
I E N F C A R S I E V A B C C
N N V R F N T D I S B T S H I
G D U K E E O U O S M I E E A
A S J S V L C C A U U O S R T
H H S Z I G C T X T R N S I I
Q I O S F N E R I F I I E S O
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Solution February Word Search
Solution to February Quick Crossword
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Friends of Fleetside Friends of Fleetside were delighted that some new volunteers helped clear some of the pennywort in the Mole, a difficult task. Thanks to the M. R. A. for supplying the long-handed rakes, this does make the job much easier. All the thousands of daffodils that have been planted are now starting to come up and we look forward to seeing another wonderful display. We were delighted to be able to support Chandlers Field school with one of their projects as they visited the community garden, we look forward to forming links with other groups. We have a challenge at the community garden, each week some letters will be hidden round the garden, these letters spell a vegetable or fruit that is grown in the garden; find the word and send your answers with your name and age to friendsoffleetside@gmail.com to get your name on the notice board in the garden good luck. Henry age 7 has worked out that the first word was onion. The garden is open for all to enjoy. So, if you want to know more just contact Friends of Fleetside, we look forward to hearing from you. Some of our group have been undertaking litter picks on
the Heath and spotted a yellow browed warbler, this is an unusual visitor, so it was a joy to see it. If you see littler where you live, please pick it up safely if you can. Let us try to make Molesey a litter free zone. Please check to see if you have any overhanging shrubbery that impedes the pavement and cut it back so our neighbours can walk safely. Let us continue to keep Molesey a lovely place to live. Friends of Fleetside are always looking for new volunteers, you do not have to live on Fleetside to help. Just contact us at friendsoffleetside@gmail.com and we will let you know how you can join in, when the Government guideline permits.
Friend some
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The Rise of Athleisure Fashion for the COVID era
It's stating the obvious to say that COVID has changed everything. It's even changed the way we dress. With so many of us working from home there has been a surge in demand for comfy clothes, that don't constrict or constrain, but which still allow us to look professional on Zoom calls and in Team meetings.
petitive. Athletic brands have to stay ahead of the game by developing high-tech fabrics, with better performance and more comfort. The fashion industry, on the other hand, has always focused more on trends and less on comfort and functionality.
It's s chan way
But who doesn’t want to be comfortable in their clothes? We feel most naturally confident when our clothes are comfortable, and we know we look good. This is the beauty of athleisure wear – it isn’t just for sport; it can be worn anytime and anywhere. For this reason, it has attracted new fans during the age of COVID and homeworking. We can wear athleisure while lounging, walking the dog, hosting a meeting, or cooking supper. It's comfortable, durable, odour-resistant, and wrinkle-free. It’s becoming so popular it’s beginning to eat into the usually stable denim market: in recent surveys in the UK and the US more people now claim to prefer athleisure aesthetics over denim for their casual wear.
With has cloth whic Zoo
Enter athleisure wear Athleisure wear is a combination of sports, urban, and fashion wear, but it's more than the sum of its parts. It has grown as a trend because it blends the aesthetics from both the sports and fashion industries, with fashion offering credibility to the sports aesthetic, while the sports provides some functionality to the fashion. Athletic brands are always looking to improve the performance of athletes. This forces them to innovate. Comfort and feel are top priority for most athletes. The goal is to create better fabric and form to improve athletic performance. But parallel to the innovation brands are also looking to get the most out of their investment and being at the front of fashion allows them to reach a wider market.
Beyoncé and Rihanna were among the first celebrities to bring athleisure into the mainstream. We've all secretly enjoyed seeing 'behind the scenes' glimpses into celeb lives during lockdown. COVID has been a great leveller, and we feel that even though they are celebs, they've been on the same journey as us, not dressed in their usual sequinned designer gowns or skin-tight jeans and stilettoes but wearing laid-back and comfy athleisure wear. Dressing like our favourite influencers has never been more achievable. So, before your next Zoom meeting pull on those yoga pants and your oh-so-soft bamboo top, add a slick of lip gloss, and channel Beyonce like never before.
The sports clothing industry is fiercely com-
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Index of Advertisers Cleaning Nick Lewis Cleaning Estate Agents Harmes Turner Brown Feet FootHelp Floor ProFloor Restore Funeral Services Alan Greenwood White Rose Funerals Furnishings John Miller Health/Fitness Gameplan Garage Doors Garolla Garden LK Tree and Garden Care Kitchens Ashford Kitchens Pets Pawsome Doggy Daycare Pharmacy Trio Plumbing Response Plumbing
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