Molesey Matters April 2021

Molesey Molesey

Matters Matters

Molesey

Putting Local Business First

Putting Locala Business First Keeping Community Togethe Putting Local Business First Keeping a Community Together Keeping a Community Together April 2021

April 2021 April 2021 Issue 52 Issue 52 Issue 52

FREE to 9000 Homes and Businesses in East and West Molesey FREEtoto9000 9000Homes Homesand andBusinesses Businessesin inEast Eastand andWest WestMolesey Molesey FREE

Christopher Vil ers : Plowtlaw.nvildagsematers.co.uk

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Welcome!

Welcome to the April issue.

The clocks have gone forward and the evenings are starting to get lighter.

More importantly, at the time of writing, lockdown is beginning to be eased. I had my first vaccination on 24th March , second one booked in for June.

Let’s look forward to summer.

Weather please be kind. I am so looking forward to a pint!!

Great front cover this month.

“Apollo in the Garden” at Hampton Court by Eric Drewery of the Molesey Art Society. Thank you Eric.

In this issue we learn of Christopher Villiers, we are updated by both the

April 2021 MRA and Dominic Raab, and our roving reporter Della Reynolds talks of the “greenbelt”.

Take care and see you next month.

Contents

Published by:

Village Matters Ltd

Christopher Villiers Affordable River Dwellings Elmbridge Business Boost Where The Wild Things Are Molesey Resident’s Association Hard Times Dominic Raab Lay a little Egg for me Molesey Matters Roving Reporter Garden View Recipe of the Month Friends of Fleetside Green Corridor Index of Advertisers

Molesey Director: Paul Chard Telephone : 07946 494288 Email : paul@villagematters.co.uk Website :www.villagematters.co.uk Cover Photo: “Apollo in the Garden” by Eric Drewery, member of the Molesey Art Society

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Christopher Villiers, 1st Earl of Anglesey Christopher Villiers, 1st Earl of Anglesey (c.

1593 – 3 April 1630), known at court as Kit Villiers, was an English courtier, Gentleman of the Bedchamber and later Master of the Robes to King James I. In 1623 he was ennobled as Earl of Anglesey and Baron Villiers of Daventry.

the bedchamber, the king denied it, saying, he would have no drunkards of his chamber” In December 1628 Villiers gained the position of Keeper of Hampton Court Palace, and in March 1629 he became also Keeper of Bushey Park. He was believed to have bought the reversion of the office of Chancellor of the

The Villiers Family by William Greatbach, after George Perfect Harding line engraving, probably mid 19th century

He was known to have a great fondness for alcohol, and shortly after the death of James I on 27 March 1625 he disappeared from the royal court, with the rumour going about that the new king, Charles I, refused to have him because of his drunkenness.

Joseph Mede wrote to Sir Martin Stuteville on 23 April 1625: “There was talk here that the Earl of Anglesey (Kit Villiers) was banished the court. The ground of the report, as I heard yesterday, was, that when there was suit made by some great ones, that he might be again sworn of

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Exchequer from Edward Barrett, 1st Lord Barrett of Newburgh, but he died at Windsor on 3 April 1630. On 12 April he was entombed there in St George's Chapel.

At the time of his death, Villiers was living at Ashley Park, Walton-on-Thames

Source : Various

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Affordable River Dwellings From the Beginning of The Last Century Since 1900 improved road and rail links with London and a growing appreciation of countryside values have stimulated the demand for housing on the Thames riverbank (and islands) between Thames Ditton and Staines-upon-Thames. Two background factors produced a supply of riparian building land, sold-on in small parcels, to create a ‘plotland’ landscape: firstly, the break-up of landed estates following a doubling of death duties and the

slaughter of male heirs during World War I; and, secondly, in the interwar years, the supply of cheap farmland from bankrupt owners hit by the economic recession.

Active websites, political commentaries and planning texts on metropolitan sprawl in the 1930s confirm the character and scale of self-build activity within the early plotlands. They model selfreliant plotlanders erecting tarpaulin tents, flimsy Summer-houses, and makeshift-huts and sheds using re-cycled timber and metal sheets. Included are imaginative owners occupying redundant railway carriages, scrapped buses, disused vans, derelict boats and even massive water tanks. Sometimes, in Middlesex, speculative builders had acquired larger land holdings and built riverside estates for more affluent home seekers. Such higher density developments contrast with occasional and well-positioned Victorian houses set in spacious riverside grounds.

Without doubt, the demand for plotland housing benefited local builders and allied trades. Amongst these would have been W.Gardam & Sons Ltd, a sawmill (founded in 1860) operating at Staines Bridge wharf.

Gardams specialised in pre-

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fabricated wooden bungalows and sleeping chalets (‘both plain and picturesque’) designed for permanent or holiday occupation. A fully-illustrated adSinc vertisement in Exchange and Mart (25th September don 1911) added timber-framed portable offices, ‘sanitoria’, sports pavilions/club-houses with vevalu randahs, billiard rooms, Japanese tea houses, aviarthe ies and beach-bathing huts to its product range. It Tha also built caravans. Clients were invited to discuss back modifications to standard housing designs. Three straightforward up-grades were promoted: the subbuil stitution of corrugated iron for weather boards ‘plo (surcharge of 15%); an option to line inside walls esta with poilite fireproof sheets; and, with foresight, a plan to convert its popular coach house and stables

slau seco into a garage for two motor cars. Examples from far m the press give the typical dimensions and costs of standardised units. Since World War II, most firstic re phaseAct plotland dwellings have been greatly transformed. Recently, the last of the original timberning framed (and bramble-covered) bungalows have been con demolished and the sites reclaimed. Meanwhile,ty Spelthorne Borough Council has tailored w policies to guide development and protect the iconrelia ic character of local plotland landscapes. If you Sum live on a plotland, Molesey Matters would love usin to hear from you are [I acknowledge the assistance of Chris and Joan Gardam who provided the catalogue for way W.Gardam & Sons Ltd] lict

By Robert Gant time quir Please mention Molesey Matters when responding to adverts tate den

Elmbridge Business Boost Launched Elmbridge Borough Council has launched a new package of support measures to help boost businesses, support local high streets and plan for the future.

During the pandemic the council has helped payout over £30 million in direct support to businesses, awarded over 100 grants to help our independent retailers adapt to social distancing, supported over 25 shops to sell online with our digital high street grant, helped launch over 20 new businesses in the past 12 months and backed our high streets to continue to evolve and adapt in the future with the launch of the Walton Business Improvement District (BID) in March the first step toward a £800,000 investment in the town over the next 5 years.

The next phase of support has been developed in partnership with our local business groups is now available with our package of start-up, business, high streets and skills boosts that will help our residents and our town and village centres survive, and be well placed to thrive again in the future.

Business boost • Up to £1,500 available in grant support for independent retailers in our town and village centres to help them sell online • Up to £2,000 available in grant support to help our businesses improve the shop front or signage of their property • Free membership of the Elmbridge Business Network to connect you to over 1,200 local businesses, the latest updates and business masterclasses • New discretionary grant scheme launched to help support those impacted by the pandemic who may be working from home or who don’t pay business rates in shared spaces High street boost

• Up to £1,000 available to help residents set up a new business in the borough Skills boost • Over 25 Kickstart Placements (including a placement within the council) agreed in the borough providing a fully funded 6 month job experience for 16-24 year olds on Universal Credit or at risk of long term unemployment • Support to cover the cost of apprenticeship training, allowing local businesses to take on and train new staff, boost skills and open up new opportunities for residents Councillor Christine Elmer, Portfolio Holder for Community and Corporate Development said: “Elmbridge Borough Council has always backed our high streets and businesses with over £1million of investment through our grants programme supporting over 300 projects with direct support to businesses, improvements to the look and feel of our centres and ideas that drive new footfall to our high streets.

Businesses can find out more about the support on offer by visiting: www.elmbridge.gov.uk/business/ support-for-businesses/

• Up to £2,000 in support available to bring an empty shop back into commercial use • Up to £1,000 to help town or village wide projects to drive new footfall, investment or sustainability • Funding awarded to Cobham Chamber of Commerce to understand the potential for a Business Improvement District Start-up boost

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E p n f

o e e o s i t t D £ y

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I am the fundraising coordinator for Molesey Juniors FC ( www.moleseyjuniors.co.uk ) who are based at The Wilderness in East Molesey just off Molesey Park Road.

We’re a community spirited club offering organised football for all in Molesey and the surrounding area. We have approximately 250 boys and girls playing football and regularly have more than 300 visitors to The Wilderness over the weekend during the season.

My team the U9 Falcons are looking for a sponsor for next season.

There are different levels of support depending on age group, starting from £350, which includes your businesses name and logo appearing on your team’s shirts and training wear including coaches kit. You would also have a link on our website and we would encourage the possibility of looking at any incentive schemes, such as discounts or referral fees, where we could drive business in your direction from the 300+ families in the area currently on our mailing list, or visiting our newly relaunched website.

We have some very big plans for the future of MJFC and with your support we can realise these ambitions, to provide an increased and improved level of football for the community for years to Please mention Molesey Matters when responding to adverts

come.

Thanks in advance for your cooperation and please do get in touch with queries or offers of support you can give. If you would like to speak to me talk through the possibilities, please call me on 07765858717.

Best wishes Daniel Crews MJFC

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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. Each month I conduct walks around the reserve introducing folks to the local wildlife.

The relaxing of Government restrictions around Covid now allow us to resume our fortnightly walks. The meetings for April are already full so I’m now takings booking for May. I’ll be running two walks in May; the first one at 9.30am on Saturday 8th and the second one at 9.30 am on Saturday 22nd.

If demand is high I’ll put on additional walks in the afternoon from 2pm. If you fancy joining me in May please get in touch as soon as you can!

April is a thrilling time. Everywhere you turn on Molesey Heath life abounds. There’s an abundance of flowering plants and trees to admire and identify and we’ll compare White and Red Deadnettle, see how they differ from Stinging Nettle and discuss their relative culinary and medicinal properties. Hogweed is a plentiful and useful wild food plant and we’ll compare it to its dangerous relative Giant Hogweed. We may also look at the deadly duo of Hemlock and Hemlock Water Dropwort (the most poisonous plant in Britain) and its benign cousin Cow Parsley. All are

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abundant on Molesey Heath.

April is a great time to discover the flavoursome plants that make up a wild spring salad such as Dandelion, Ground Elder, Herb RobW ert, Garlic Mustard, Hops, Hawthorn, Nipplef wort and Cuckoo flower.

Speaking of Cuckoos; will we catcho a glimpse or hear the call? They were regular w visitors last Spring. Birdlife in general is bustling this month as nest building and chick y raising continues and migrants come in from w the continent. Warblers are especially abundant. We’ll need to listen closely to separate a the rich songs of Garden Warbler and Blackcap. More easily identified are Whitethroatl as they practice their song flights from every o available bramble bush and Cetti’s Warblers M sing out their distinctive song from riverside vegetation.

And was that the first Swallow of the year that just swooped overhead? 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 further details.

Birds are feeding on growing numbers of insects such as the plentiful St. Marks Fly. Perhaps we’ll see Brimstone, Orange Tip, Red Admiral and Speckled Wood butterflies.

I post regularly on the subjects of plants, wild food, medicinal recipes, birds, butterflies and all things wildlife related.

You can find me here: Twitter: @WildBenWest Instagram: wearewherethewildthingsare

o Facebook: Ben West a f Drop me a line at: ben@wherethewildthingsare.co.uk t t Please mention Molesey Matters when I responding to adverts i

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NEWS FROM THE MOLESEY RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION

May 2021 Local Elections The government has confirmed that the 2021 local elections will go ahead as scheduled on Thursday 6th May. This year there will be more to think about than usual because there will be elections, for: Elmbridge Borough Council (postponed from 2020) Surrey County Council Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner Special measures will be taken to ensure polling stations will be safe. But if you're concerned about voting in a public hall at the current time then the simple solution is to apply for a postal vote. If you would like to do this please see the details on the Elmbridge Council website: https://www.elmbridge.gov.uk/elections/voting-by-post/ The deadline for receipt of application forms is Tuesday 20th April, but to be sure, you should apply well before that. There is also an option to vote by proxy (appointing a person to vote on your behalf at your polling station), and details about this are also on the Elmbridge website.

The key message is that there is no reason why concerns about coronavirus should stop you voting, so please make sure you use your vote.

Coronavirus Updates The news about coronavirus continues to be more encouraging, with the rapid rollout of the vaccination programme and falling infection rates, and we can expect regular changes to local and national information, and guidance about the lockdown rules. A reminder that Elmbridge Council publishes regular updates on its website, and you can access these at: https:// www.elmbridge.gov.uk/news/coronavirus-covid-19-updates/ MRA Membership We are now into a new ‘subscription year’ but, with the coronavirus restrictions it will still be some time before we will be able to collect subscriptions door-to-door. The MRA is a purely voluntary organisation, and we need to keep your subscriptions coming in to cover our costs in representing Molesey on a long-term basis. If you have not yet paid your subscription for this year, it would be a great help if you could forward it to 20 Walton Road, 42 Beauchamp Road or 7 Mole Abbey Gardens or, if you prefer, you could make an online payment to Molesey Residents Association at our Santander account - number 86284805, sort code 09-01-28.

Please also send an email to mra.subs@gmail.com with your name and address – to make sure we know who sent the money! We will make sure you receive a membership receipt. The annual household subscription stays at only £3 per year or, to save having to subscribe every year, you can pay £15 for five years. If you could see your way clear to making the 5-year subscription it would be a great help to us as it reduces the amount of administration involved. A big thank you in anticipation of your support.

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Hard Times

A water softener might change your life You probably know that water can be rated 'hard' or 'soft’, but do you know what those terms actually mean.

Water has varying levels of hardness based on calcium carbonate concentration. Water with less than 60 mg/L of calcium carbonate is considered soft, 61-120 mg/L is moderately hard, 121180 mg/L is hard, and above 180 mg/L is deemed very hard.

The water from your tap is safe to drink whether it's hard or soft. Hard water may even have a few health benefits by fulfilling your dietary needs of essential minerals, such as calcium and magnesium. But while hard water is safe to ingest, the effect of hard water on hair and skin can be s different story. Hard water can leave behind a slight film making skin and hair feel less clean to the touch. It might cause dandruff in your hair and irritate skin problems such as eczema.

Washing clothes with hard water can cause the clothing fabric to break down more quickly over time, leave spots on dishes, and residue on your work surfaces and shower screens. Over time mineral build-up in your pipes may cause them to clog, and you'll likely see build-up on shower heads and taps.

A water softener solves these problems by processing the hard water to turn it into soft water.

Water enters the softener and passes into the resin or media tank where it goes through a simple process that removes calcium, magnesium carbonate and manganese, leaving only soft water to exit the softener and be used around your home.

Plumbing a good water softener into your household supply is an investment for your home. It will eliminate the limescale caused by minerals which build up and leave that white powdery residue which clogs shower heads and pipework, makes surfaces appear dirty and reduces the efficiency of your appliances.

Often, we don’t think about our appliances until

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they break down. The most common reason for early appliance failure is limescale build-up which corrodes the heating elements of your kettle, washing machine, dishwasher, coffee machine and heating system. By removing the limescale, you start to protect your appliances, they work better, live longer, and cost you less money over time.

Y

Another benefit is no stains and marks on dishes, glasses, and pans. Your bathroom remains clean and shiny too with less scrubbing and harsh chemicals. You need less detergent in your washing machine and less salt in your dishwasher. Shampoo, soap, and conditioners will also last longer.

Finally, over a period of time, your softened water will remove scale from the inside of your water pipes, hot water cylinders and shower heads…we all know how expensive an emergency plumber is, so arrange for a non-emergency plumber to fit a water softener instead and start enjoying the benefits.

By Kate McCarthy

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Dominic Raab Dominic Our LocalRaab MP Our Local MP

In the Budget last month, the Chancellor announced several important measures to protect businesses and last jobs month, in Molesey.

In the Budget the Chancellor announced several important measures to protect businesses and jobs in Molesey.

First, the furlough and self-employment schemes have been extended. These schemes have been for localand residents.

The furlough schemehave has been protected at least 17,500 local jobs, First, vital the furlough self-employment schemes extended.

These schemes have while thousands of residents through the self-employment scheme.

The been vital for local residents.have The received furlough grants scheme has protected at least 17,500 local jobs, extension of these and of the £20grants per week uplift Universal Credit,scheme. will ensure while thousands ofmeasures, residents have received through thetoself-employment The that residents will continue to and be supported the week coming months. extension of these measures, of the £20inper uplift to Universal Credit, will ensure that residents will continue to be supported in the coming months.

There was also welcome news for businesses in Molesey. The Chancellor announced an extension of the holiday, which isinsaving Elmbridge businessesannounced almost £31m in There was alsobusiness welcomerates news for businesses Molesey.

The Chancellor an extension ofuntil the business rates holiday, whichwill is saving £31m in 2020/21, 30 June. Eligible businesses receiveElmbridge 66% reliefbusinesses from then almost until April next 2020/21, untilto30 June.

Eligible will receive 66% relief from then until April next year, subject caps on the total businesses relief received. year, subject to caps on the total relief received.

In addition, there will be new In there will beofnew cashaddition, grants for businesses up cash grants for businesses of up to £18,000, and a new Recovto £18,000, and a new Recovery Loan Scheme launching ery Loan launching this month.Scheme Local businesses this month. businesses have alreadyLocal received over have already various receivedgovernover £26m through £26m through various government-funded grant schemes, ment-funded grantthrough schemes, and over £100m the and over £100m the Coronavirus loanthrough schemes.

Coronavirus loan Duty schemes.

Finally, the Stamp cut – Finally, the Stamp Duty cut which saves the average local– which saves the average homebuyer £15,000 – has local been homebuyer £15,000 – has been extended until the end of June. extended until thewill end of June.a These measures make These difference measures will make a real in Molesey, Dom visiting the local vaccination centre in The Heart real difference in businesses, Molesey, supporting local Dom visiting the local vaccination Centre, Waltoncentre in The Heart supporting localprotection businesses, continuing the for Centre, Walton continuing the protection for residents’ jobs and incomes residents’ jobs and incomes and helping homebuyers. and helping homebuyers.

Meanwhile, the vaccination programme continues apace. The latest data shows that 43,788 Meanwhile, vaccination The latest datais shows 43,788 people have the received at leastprogramme one dose ofcontinues a vaccineapace. in Elmbridge.

This thanks that to the hard people have received at least one dose of a vaccine in Elmbridge.

This is thanks to the hard work of NHS staff and volunteers at our local vaccination centres, which I saw for myself work of NHS staff and volunteers at our local vaccination centres, which I saw for myself when I visited the centres in Walton and Thames Ditton recently. This progress, and the govwhen I visited the centres in Walton andMolesey ThamestoDitton recently.

This progress, and the government’s economic support, is helping recover from Coronavirus. ernment’s economic support, is helping Molesey to recover from Coronavirus.

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Crossword 1

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Across 1 Agile, lithe (4) 4 Inferior cut of meat (5-3) 8 Devour, guzzle (6) 9 Rough, stormy (6) 10 ____-detached, a house (4) 11 Sailing (8) 13 ______ Loren, Italian actress (6) 15 ______ Hemmingway, author (6) 17 Dormer window (8) 20 Large brass instrument (4) 21 Poppycock (6) 23 Cared for, tended (6) 24 Distress, trouble (8) 25 Children's board game (4)

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2 Directory of names and numbers (5,4) 3 Rude, noisy, aggressive (informal) (7) 4 Dingy, sleazy (5) 5 Salvage (7) 6 Spectre (5) 7 Brief sleep (3)

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Epistaxis (9) Saintly, virtuous (7) Instinctive, innate (7) Even, equal (5) Forceps-like tool (5) Branch of the armed services (Abbr) (3)

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Lay a Little Egg for Me Are eggs good for us?

Easter is all products, but the majority of LDL cholesterol about rebirth in our diets is made artificially and found in which is the foods like margarines, snacks, and some deep reason that -fried and baked foods, such as pastries, eggs feature doughnuts, and cakes. Meanwhile, along with large. They are prawns, eggs are the only high cholesterol pretty amazing food which is correspondingly low in saturatthings, from the ed fat. Studies have repeatedly found that way they’re constructed to the way they taste, saturated fat increases blood cholesterol, and and this is doubly true when they are con- that there is no link between egg consumption wa y th structed from chocolate! But joking aside, an and cardiovascular disease. egg is something that has all the ingredients to Some cholesterol may actually beth and good for us. grow a chick, so it's nutrient dense.

If there structe High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was such a thing as a perfect food, the egg (also known as 'good' cholesterol) travels to egg is would be a candidate. Eggs are readily availa- the liver, where it’s broken down and regro w a ble, easy to cook, affordable, versatile, and moved from the body. HDL is thought to have wa s su packed with protein. They also have the effect a protective effect against cardiovascular disof helping our bodies absorb nutrients from wo uld ease by preventing cholesterol from building other foods better, so eating an ble, egg with a up in the blood. Cholesterol circulating ea in the salad, for instance, increases the vitamin E we blood contributes to heart disease but having a packed absorb from the meal. higher ratio of HDL cholesterol to LDL choof help Eggs have a controversial past because they lesterol reduces the risk. Healthy humans reg- f other contain cholesterol. The yolk contains around ulate their own cholesterol, so if they consalad, 185 milligrams of it, which is more than half sume dietary cholesterol, they make less choabsorb of the 300mg which until recently was the lesterol themselves. But some people struggle recommended maximum. Cholesterol is a to regulate, and they might be wise to limit yellowish fat produced in our liverEggs and intes- their egg intake...as well as their intake of h contain tines and found in every cell in our body. It's other foods high in LDL. actually a crucial building block in185 cell memm But it’s not all about cholesterol.

Eggs have branes, and the body needs it to make vitamin of the some great health benefits. They contain choD, testosterone, and oestrogen. recomm line, which may help protect us against AlzHumans produce all the cholesterol we need heimer’s disease. Egg yolks are also one of yello w on our own, but it’s also found in tines animal pro- the best sources of lutein, a pigment thata has duce such as beef, prawns, eggs, cheese, and been linked to a lower risk of developing the actuall butter. It's transported around our body by eye disease macular degeneration. Lutein acts branes lipoprotein molecules in the blood.

Every like a blue light filter, protecting the delicate person has a different combinationD, of lipopro- retinal tissue test teins, which play a role in determining our So do indulge in an egg for Easter, maybe risk of developing heart disease. Human don't eat lots our of them every day on Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol – though...especially the chocolate ones! duce s is often referred to as 'bad' cholesterol.

It's butter. responsible for clogging up blood vessels and

By Louise Addison increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. lipopro LDL cholesterol is found in some animal person

teins, Please mention Molesey Matters when

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Molesey Matters Roving Reporter Della Reynolds Local elections and the greenbelt agenda

On the 6th May you will be able to vote for your borough councillor, your county councillor and even for your Police and Crime Commissioner.

There are no hustings for local elections, so how do you decide, from a tickertape of names you may not recognise? If you vote according to the party, rather than the person, perhaps the ‘green agenda’ will sway your decision? Environmental issues, specifically, the threat to our greenbelt, has galvanised community groups to form the Alliance of Elmbridge Residents and Civic Groups (AERC) who have produced a position statement for prospective councillors, which clearly lays out their concern regarding over-development.

“We are an alliance of Residents and Civic Groups speaking for many thousands of residents right across Elmbridge. We are highly concerned that the current Government imposed housing target for the preparation of the Local Plan in Elmbridge, 633 new dwellings per annum (some 9,500 over the fifteen- year period), will destroy the character of our towns and villages. This number would result in intensification on a grotesque scale and/ or see the release of Green Belt land for development.”

You can read the full position statement here: https://elmbridgeinsightforum.com/alliance-ofelmbridge-residents-and-civic-groups/ The Alliance are keen to vote in those candidates who will best serve the public on this issue and look forward to hearing their responses. All the political parties promise to protect the greenbelt, but the houses still have to be built somewhere. Brownfield land is often cited as the solution, but inspection of the EBC ‘Brownfield Land Register’ shows that most of these urban infill sites will provide just a few additional units, with much disruption to the local community. For example, the proposal to convert

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10 Arnison Road into eight dwellings by making use of a large garden area. Such proposals quickly gather objectors who are becoming increasingly adept at understanding and using the law. The Weston Green, Merrywood Campaign have recently reported that following their concerted objections, EBC has refused to provide access rights over a strip of council owned common land in order to allow the development of land adjacent to Esher College. The proposal was to replace a single house with 26 new dwellings, but it soon attracted a large number of objections (590+) from residents who valued the space for wildlife. And herein lies the rub.

We value our open green space and our urban green space. More so since lockdown has focused our attention on the small area we are permitted to use for daily exercise. Somewhere a solution must be found, and new candidates may approach the conundrum with a fresh perspective. If you would like to hear what they have to say you may like to sign up to the Elmbridge Community Assembly online hustings to be held on Wednesday 21st April at 6:30 inviting all prospective candidates to answer key questions from the public. You can follow this link for details and entry is free. https://elmbridgeinsightforum.com/communityassembly/ Invitations go out to: Xingang Wang - Conservative - Molesey East Agnes Fuchs - Conservative - Molesey West Richard Flatau - Liberal Democrats - Molesey East Philip Knight-Stevenson – Liberal Democrats – Molesey West Peter Pope – Residents Association – Molesey East Mike Axton – Residents Association – Molesey West Laura Harmour – Green Party Candidate – SCC Lisa Howard - Green Party Candidate – Molesey East Labour Party candidates – TBC Independent candidates - TBC

On th borou even There do yo not re rathe will speci nised Elmb who spect conce “We Grou right that targe Elmb 9,500 the ch ber w scale Photo by Manny Becerra on Unsplash devel You https: Please mention Molesey Matters when elmb responding to adverts

Word Search

Can you find all of the circus-related words hidden in the grid?

I R K H V J M T O P H A T H H

J Y N N Z M U S I C Z Q X I H

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S A F E T Y N E T M S H R J B

A S E T I C K E T E W S R I H

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Applause Arena Big top Caravans Circus Clowns Costumes Highwire Hoops Horses Jugglers Knife thrower Music Parade Ringmaster Safety net Sawdust Sequins Sideshows Strongman Swing Tents Ticket Top hat

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Garden View

This month -- Hoe! Hoe! Hoe! This month Dazzling Dahlias Following on from last month’s list of essential garden tools for beginners I thought I’d explain about the humble hoe. When I first started gardening, I didn’t really understand how to use one. There are a couple of varieties of hoe and they are used in different ways, and they really are your friend at this time of year.

By Rachael Leverton

I prefer a hoe with a long handle because it’s better for preventing back pain. I also have a short-handled hoe known as an ‘onion hoe’ for closely planted areas. A shorted handle gives more control, so you don’t damage your prized plants.

Followi tial gar It’s important to note that hoeing only kills the explain annual weeds, not the deep-rooted perennial The hoe is actually one of the most ancient weeds, those need to be dug up by hand. started is also a tool how There to called a Dutch hoe.

This is used by of hoe sweeping it and the smoothly over the so that the year.soil surface is just ‘brushed’. If used correctly it slices the tops from the weeds. It’s actually simple to use but you do need to practice your technique. Slice the tops of weeds by bringing the hoe towards you, altering the angle to accommodate slopes. When you turn over a Dutch hoe you can use it to make a shallow trench called a seed drill to sow larger seeds, like peas into.

Larger seeds are better because they need to be covered well.

The

garden tools and came before the plough. It’s mentioned in Egyptian art, the Code of Hammurabi and in the Bible.

The reason spring is a great time to put your hoe to good use is because right now is when the annual weeds (the ones that self-seed freely and pop up all over the place every year) have started to germinate.

The aim when hoeing, aim to sever the top growth from the roots, just below the soil surface, then leave it in the sun to dry out and die. Hoeing is best done when the soil is dry as this creates a ‘dust mulch’ which inhibits the germination of new weeds.

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Your hoes need to be kept sharp and well maintained for maximum effectiveness. I use a metal file to both clean and sharpen, but you can buy sharpening stones reasonably cheaply and they are easy to use.

Happy gardening

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April Fool!

The origins of April Fools’ Day are lost way back in time but like many traditions it probably has a number of historical roots.

There was certainly a Roman festival called Hilaria which took place around the time of the spring equinox. There was also a Medieval ‘Feast of Fools’ although that took place at the beginning of the year. Throughout history there seems to be a tradition of transgressing boundaries during such celebrations: whether male and female, low class and high class, religious piety and impiety, people have enjoyed straddling society’s boundaries.

ing to celebrate New Year on April 1st.

These people were ridiculed and labelled ‘fools’ by the general populace and were often the butt of jokes and pranks. They were known as poisson d’avril, or April fish, possibly because a naïve young fish is easily caught.

Over the years the custom of prank-playing spread to the general population and eventually to Britain, where schoolboy pranks are still the order of the day, so watch out!

The most popular theory about the ‘modern’ April Fools’ Day is that it began to take shape in late 16th century France. At that time, there was a switch to the Gregorian Calendar under Charles IX. Prior to this there had been a New Year’s week (March 25th-April 1st), under the Gregorian system, New Year’s Day fell on January 1st.

As with any change (shhh no-one mention Brexit) there was some resistance, and many people stubbornly refused to accept the new system, continu-

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Recipe of The Month Spanish Baked Eggs

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Method

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Use a frying pan with an ovenproof handle. Heat the olive oil, then add the onion and chopped chorizo. Soften for 5 minutes. Add the peppers and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until they soften too. Stir in the crushed garlic and sweet smoked paprika, cook for another 1 minute. Pour in the tomatoes and add the capers, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, until the tomatoes reduce and thicken a little.

Serves: 2 Ingredients 2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, finely sliced 120g Chorizo, sliced 1 yellow pepper, finely sliced 1 orange or red pepper, finely sliced 2 cloves garlic, crushed ½ tsp sweet smoked paprika 400g can chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp capers (optional) 2 large eggs (4 if you’re really hungry!)

2 tbsp fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley 2 thick slices of bread

Make two or four wells in the thick sauce and gently crack an egg into each.

Place the pan into the preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny.

Prepar Towards the end of the cooking time, toast the bread.

Cookin Removes the eggs from the oven, scatter with the parsley and serve with the toasted bread, drizzled with a little olive oil.

Serves:

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S P H G O N S E B S O O S K

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G E N D H A O P P Y S T I N G O N E S T A E T U B A U L R S E D A E L U D O

I R K H V J M T O P H A T H H

Solution to April Quick Crossword

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J Y N N Z M U S I C Z Q X I H

J S I D E S H O W S Q C G O F

S A F E T Y N E T M S H R J B

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W L T T U S P J Q I E I G O G

D B H R Q H U U R S N T O C A

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S S O X G N I H M P S M C R P

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O Q E I R B S M E L R U R V A

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Friends of Fleetside Friends of Fleetside have busy clearing overgrown brambles and rubbish from along the path by the Dead River, they discovered a signpost buried amongst it all.

This has now been reinstalled with the help of volunteers.

So hopefully no one will lose their way. We found another one which unfortunately has lost some of its pointers, but we still managed to also resurrect it although very much shorter than the others. We were kindly donated some wood preservative and yellow paint. They have now been painted so hopefully they will last a bit longer. Thank you to the person who put some bricks down by the kissing gate and gravel on the Heath this made it passable during the very wet and muddy weather we had at the beginning of the year. We hope to put some more gravel on the paths soon and will be looking for volunteers to help, so do get in touch if you can, or have any spare gravel. The children have been busy painting wooden spoons with fruit and vegetables on so they can be used for identification labels in the raised beds at the community garden. Also, every week letters are hidden around the garden, these letters spell a word of something growing in garden.

Well done to all the children who have found the letters so

far. Find the word and send it to friendsoffleetside@gmail.com to get your name on the notice board. The daffodils are making a magnificent display, and the Fleetside Heart always puts a smile on your face as you enter Fleetside. First the snowdrops appear, then the daffodils in a shape of a heart. The blossom on Molesey Heath is looking very pretty. Do take time to listen to the bird song too. Lots of people are enjoying this local space, please don't forget to take your litter home and do clear up after your dog because unfortunately they can't. Thank you. The volunteers have been busy removing some of the dead trees that have fallen in the Mole and Dead River, this makes it easier for the wildlife to navigate. 3 pairs of swans are looking to nest along the Mole.

Ducks have been seen exploring the Dead River so much to see right on our doorstep.

We hope to be able to get back to our regular once a month working parties soon. We look forward to meeting you. More details from friendsoffleetside@gmail.com

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Green corridor verge trial on Hampton Court Way As a local authority, Elmbridge manages over 120 green open spaces including large areas of grassland for the enjoyment and use of the community.

As part of our climate emergency response and with increased pressures on resources, we are looking at different ways to manage our local green spaces and increase opportunities for biodiversity.

This means we might make changes to our grass cutting regime.

This year, we are trialling a new grass verge management approach on a section of Hampton Court Way between Thames Ditton and Molesey. We will leave the grass verges uncut until autumn to create a mini green highway. This will encourage new habitats and boost biodiversity. Grass verges will look a bit untidy while natural grass and local wildflowers grow. You won’t see a display of ‘landscape-style’ colourful wildflowers but instead native wildflowers in keeping with the ground and soil conditions. The area will be monitored to ensure road safety and measure success.

We know that about third of all species of wild bees, bumblebees and hoverflies are in decline due to habitat loss. They are important pollinators which play a key role in sustaining our local flora and fauna. Over the last years, we have been introducing wild meadow areas in local parks to sustain wildlife and insects. We are keen to extend these initiatives across the borough.

Councillor Janet Turner, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, said, “We are committed to supporting our climate emergency response. A way to reduce our carbon footprint is to look at how we manage green spaces. Changing our grass-cutting regime would work towards building biodiversity and also help to reduce our maintenance costs.

However, residents’ views on this matter are important to us as this will affect Elmbridge’s landscape. The trial on Hampton Court Way is only one example of how we could change the service while fulfilling our statutory obligations.”

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Councillor Mary Marshall, Portfolio Holder of the Environment, said: “I’m fully supportive of this initiative and trial and it will show how we can improve biodiversity, increase natural propagation and habitats for our wildlife. It’s exciting to see this idea coming to fruition and I very much hope it’s successful in promoting future corridors throughout Elmbridge.”

If the trial is a success, we will trial areas to test the feasibility management approach and to scheme can be extended across borough.

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Cruse Bereavement Care Surrey North Branch.

We are based in Chertsey but cover the Boroughs of Spelthorne, Runnymede, Elmbridge and Woking.

Cruse is a national charity that provides advice, information and support to adults, children and young people who have been bereaved, whenever or however the death occurred. The service is provided by fully trained, experienced volunteers and is confidential and free.

During pandemic restrictions we offer support to adults by telephone or zoom sessions and also Group support by zoom with a maximum of 6 people attending plus two group facilitators.

We offer support to Children and Young People by telephone or zoom, as discussed and agreed with the parent or carer.

If you need support or would like information please call our local support line and leave your name and contact details, speaking clearly or email us, details below.

You will receive a call back within 24 hours but please note our volunteer numbers will show as withheld.

For more information you could also visit www.cruse.org.uk/publications Local support line 01932 571177 Or email a few details and a phone number to surreynorth@cruse.org.uk

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