Sunbury
Matters
Your Award Winning Community Magazine
December 2019
Issue 105
Delivered FREE to homes in Lower Sunbury
Sunbury Christmas Market - December 5th
Welcome!
Festive greetings to you all! To get you in the spirit please remember to pop down to the Lower Sunbury Christmas market on December 5th. It should be a lovely community evening. Go along to see the Surplus to Supper stand. For every hot meal you buy from them, they will donate the same to someone who is going hungry. What a brilliant idea. The Salvation Army will be playing at the Christmas market, but they are also inviting the community to candle lit carols the following week at Sunbury Court. It promises to be a lovely festive evening. On a more serious note please do read the LOSRA newsletter you will have received recently. Also the Spelthorne Bulletin when it comes through the door. You need to be aware of the plans for extra
December 2019 housing to be built in the borough. Know how it might affect you and make your thoughts known if you are not happy with the plans. Even the leader of the council Ian Harvey has told the government the figure Spelthorne is expected to build is too high. For now, we wish you peace and Christmas and see you in 2020.
Reader Offers Garolla Roller Doors - Save £459!!! Ivory Tusk - 20% off food this month
The Flower Pot - Lunch deal Kudos Stairlifts - £250 off Paice Motors - £5 off MOT Lodge Brothers - £100 off will or LPA Village Windows - 20% off repairs
Contents
Published by:
Village Matters Ltd
The War of the Worlds 4 Community Foodbank and Lunch 6 Blooming Lovely Gardens Celebrated 8 Update on Recycling Initiatives 10 Salvation Army Candlelit Carols 12 Friends of Sunbury Park News 15 Dennis Brock Meets .. 16 Cutting it at Shepperton Studios 21 Local Plan-Bad News for Greenbelt 22 River Thames Scheme. I am not a Fan! 26 Spelthorne Pushes Back on Housing 28 Recipe of the Month 34 Children Lead Way to Green Future 37 WI and Sunbury Neighbours Tea 40 LOSRA Says 42 Christmas Window with Difference 47 Youth Speaks Intermediates 48 Allergen Free Food in Sunbury 50 Gardening Matters 55 What s On/Noticeboard 58/61 Ad Index/Prices/Deadlines 62
Advertising / Editorial : Monica Chard
Telephone: 07979 808991 Email: monica@villagematters.co.uk Web Site: www.villagematters.co.uk Front cover - Little Snowmen by Philip John
Passey with thanks Please send any hi res photos for consideration to info@villagematters.co.uk
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The War of the Worlds By Nick Pollard With the new BBC adaption of the War of the World s by H.G. Wells being released, I thought it would be interesting to look at the local places mentioned in the original novel, first published in 1898. To summarise, the Martians invade earth by means of cylinders fired by a giant gun from their planet, the first of which lands at Horsell Common, near to where H.G. Wells was living in Woking. The Martians unleash giant tripod war machines from these cylinders, armed at first with a heat ray, but later with even deadlier poison gas (a foreshadowing of the use of gas in warfare in The Martian felled by artillery at Shepperton the First World War). The unnamed narrator of the novel lives in Woking, but flees the destruction of rator drifts downriver to Halliford and Walton the Woking area towards the direction of Lon- in an abandoned boat without oars: Halliford don, reaching the Thames at Weybridge by it seemed was quite deserted, and several of the mouth of the River Wey. In Chapter 12, the houses facing the river were on fire and a worryingly entitled What I saw of the de- little later At last, as the bridge at Walton struction of Weybridge and Shepperton , he was coming into sight round the bend, my writes: On the Shepperton side was an Inn, fever and faintness overcame my fears, and I with a lawn, and beyond that the tower of landed on the Middlesex bank . This would Shepperton Church -it has since been re- clearly be at Thames Meadow. He then falls placed by a spire - rose above the trees . in with a curate from Weybridge who has had Wells was clearly taking a slight liberty with a breakdown after events there, and they geography here – he would have been looking make their way towards Sunbury. As they towards Dunton s boatyard (now Nauticalia) hurried wearily and painfully along the road from this location, and of course there was no that runs northward out of Halliford (i.e. Inn there. He was probably thinking of the Upper Halliford Road), the two Martians King s Head at Church Square, further down- halted, the nearer to us standing and facing stream, which had a lawn stretching down to Sunbury . the creek at the time. Next the Martian war After a long series of setbacks for humanity, machines appear from the direction of Chert- the Martians are eventually defeated – but no sey Meads, and one is destroyed by a battery more spoilers from me! of cannon on the outskirts of Shepperton: It There is no lecture meeting in December, but struck the tower of Shepperton Church, The Making of the Feature Film 1917 (due smashing it down as the impact of a battering out in January and partly filmed at Shepperton ram might have done, swerved aside, blun- Studios) will be the subject of the Sunbury & dered on, and collapsed with a tremendous Shepperton Local History Society meeting at impact into the river out of my sight. After 8pm on Tues 21st January at Halliford School. escaping the Martians at Shepperton, the narPlease mention Sunbury Matters when responding to adverts
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Community Foodbank and Community Lunch By Monica Chard, Editor We have carried several articles about the Community foodbank at St Saviours over the 3 years since it started. But it is only recently that I went to see for myself what an incredible asset this is to the community. Although based in Sunbury, it covers the community across Shepperton too for now I arrived as there was a huge buzz and bustle in the hall. Surplus food which had been donated from many local supermarkets (Aldi Chertsey and Feltham, Lidl, Tesco Sunbury Extra and Express, Co-op Shepperton, M&S, Bookers and Costco) was being laid out for people to take home. It was staggering how much there was. This is just one day s donation said Claire Hopkins who runs the service and who has been instrumental in getting it all up and running. It is of course a lucky dip, but I could see fruit and veg, all perfectly useable, pasta, prepared dishes and lots of bread. There were even flowers.
Much of the produce was selected and put into shopping bags, then lunch was served. Both hot and cold options with cakes, tea and coffee available too.
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There were clearly many regulars attending. It is a lifeline to many. Claire told me that in Sunbury it is estimated that 1/9 households have one person at least who goes hungry every day. With this amount of surplus food it is just not right. Come down and get fed! She told me of a shoplifter in Tesco who, when being cautioned, was told get down to St Saviours Community Foodbank and was walked over Sunbury Cross. This is a much better way of solving a problem. We must stress though, that the surplus food is for anyone. For those of you who do not like food waste, this is for you too. St Saviours are always looking for volunteers. Also corporate sponsorship or involvement. Do get in touch: Claire Hopkins, Social Transformation Pastor & Food Bank and Surplus Manager Monday, Tuesday & Thursday 8.30am – 3.30pm St Saviour s Church 205 Vicarage Road, Sunbury-on-Thames, TW16 7TP claire.hopkins@stsaviourssunbury.org.uk 07549 952161
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Blooming Lovely Gardens Celebrated As always, Spelthorne in Bloom brought out the best in the borough which was fitting for this special event, the 30th anniversary. In attendance at the dazzling event held in the Orangery at Shepperton Studios, were the Mayor of Spelthorne, Mary Madams, and the Chairman of Surrey County Council, Tony Samuels (pictured flanking Leslie Grimes).
Spelthorne in Bloom encourages residents and businesses to take pride in the borough, planting out gardens to delight residents. Gardening is known to be good for mental health, and seeing beauty in our every day can only be a good thing for all.
It was great therefore to see many new entries as well as some very well known faces! Leslie Grimes of Manor Lane, Sunbury, has been a long time winner of these awards. He Please mention Sunbury Matters when responding to adverts
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has demonstrated his dedication and knowledge and his front garden is always a delight. In recent years he has had help from Fernando who does the heavy lifting of the baskets, but Leslie is very much the mastermind. This year is his last awards as he has decided that at 87, maybe he should withdraw from competition. He received both second place in Best Front Garden and first in Best Hanging Basket (see photo bottom left). Very well deserved! In other categories, Sunbury was not well represented this year sadly. Best Kept Small Pub went to The Feathers in Laleham which was only taken over by a new landlady earlier this year. They were also awarded Best in Show to their delight. Thanks was given also to Nick Wood Dow (photo below with Ian Harvey, left) who has done a fabulous job as MC of the awards over many years and has been involved in the committee pretty much from the start.
It was only fitting also to thank the team who have cared for the hanging baskets throughout the borough during the heat of this summer. Altogether there were 658 baskets to be cared for. We thought they looked fabulous again in Lower Sunbury where the baskets are paid for either by private donation or by the Lower Sunbury Business Community. www.villagematters.co.uk
Local Author - Christmas Gift Idea Currently available at Sunbury Post Office/Skinners is; DORA ANNIE, a short book written by local authors Patricia Stone and Brian Bone. Principally for children, but also very interesting for adults, it has charming illustrations and is based on true stories told to Patricia by her grandmother, Dora Annie. The book describes Dora's remarkable early life, at home and 'in service' , in rural Gloucester during the late 1800 s.
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Update on Recycling Initiatives By Monica Chard, Editor Last month we brought you news of new recycling initiatives which mean you can get rid of more things than you realised, in a sustainable manner, and raise money at the same time. Quality Fruit on Shepperton High Street have set up recycling bins at the back of the counter for a variety of items. It seems many of you are already finding them and 10 boxes of recycling were collected in just one week. As well as crisp packets of all brands you can now recycle the following: Biscuits and Snack Bin
Electric toothbrush heads Floss containers. Any brand
Biscuit wrappers (non savoury) of ALL BRANDS Cracker wrappers of ALL BRANDS Cake Wrappers of ALL BRANDS Also the clear plastic trays biscuits and crackers are in Air, Home & Laundry Bin Plastic air freshener containers Plastic air freshener cartridge caps Flexible wipe packaging from home cleaning Packaging for flexible laundry washing capsules Tinted fabric conditioner bottles and caps Oral Care Recycling Bin
It is obviously still a bit of a minefield and it will take a while to get us all understanding what and where we can recycle. There is plenty which is NOT accepted but it is worth taking the items above, putting them in the appropriate bin and then read what is not accepted too. Poor Fiona Povey has had to go through and discard things that are not recycled. It is a huge waste of her time so please take a moment to read what is OK and what is not. Well done to all of you who are wanting to make a difference. If we all do our little bit then we really CAN make a difference. To put it in perspective money raised from recycling crisp bags alone is set to reach ÂŁ1000 in a year. That money is being reinvested in Saxon School in Shepperton. So what can we achieve in Sunbury? Keep an eye on what is happening with recycling initiatives via the Facebook group Plastic Free Shepperton to be inspired. We would love to share your schools initiatives and help spread the word about any good tips on saving energy, saving money, creating less waste. So do get in touch. Drop us a line at : monica@villagematters.co.uk.
Toothpaste tubes and caps ANY BRAND Plastic toothbrush outer packaging. All Brands Plastic toothbrushes. All brands Please mention Sunbury Matters when responding to adverts
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MERRY CHRISTMAS from everyone at the Holiday Inn London Shepperton
2020 TRIBUTE ACTS January 17th - Freddy Mercury January 24th - Soul & Motown February 14th - Michael Buble March 13th - Soul & Motown April 3rd - Take That Enjoy a 3 Course Meal, Tribute Act & Disco From £30.95 per person
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Salvation Army s Candlelit Carols The Salvation Army at Sunbury Court (Lower Hampton Road) plans to hold an evening of Carol Singing by Candlelight on Friday 13th December commencing at 7.00pm. We love having visitors and, following the success of several Sunbury Court Open Days in recent years, we thought we might hold a slightly different event - this time in the build up to the Christmas Season. Many people still love to sing the traditional Christmas Carols, and we hope that this will be an opportuni- in readiness. We have parking facilities ty to join with others of similar mind to for around 50 cars, otherwise park nearby enjoy some of the most loved and remem- and walk. bered Christmas Carols. Our hope is that Our hope is that this will prove to be a it will be a pleasant and happy evening welcome addition to the various inspiring running up to Christmas. events already firmly established within Our intention is to provide an evening the Lower Sunbury area. We hope that you where all visitors can sing some of the might come along and enjoy the warmth most popular Christmas Carols, for around of our welcome, the opportunity to sing an hour. This will be held in the Confer- favourite Carols and round the evening off ence Centre, which can accommodate with some refreshments. around 250, and the Conference Room will be aglow with Candlelight. The Staines Salvation Army Band and a Thinking of group from the Songsters will be supportSelling your Stamp ing us with their music. The evening of Collection? Carols will conclude with a short period of reflection and a prayer and will be followed with refreshments in the Conserva- Cut out the commissions and sell direct to tory Dining Room. the dealer! Home visit valuations. Immediate We are unable to keep our external gates payment, however large or small. permanently open, but we will alert the Call 01932 785635 security team to be ready to open the www.jcstamps.co.uk main gates to guests from around 6.15pm Please mention Sunbury Matters when responding to adverts
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Sunday 8th December 10am 4pm
BROOKLANDS WINTER FEST
Celebrate Christmas at Brooklands Museum with a day of festive fun
Christmas Carols Brass Band Brooklands Gifts
Festive Food & Drink Vintage Car Displays Make your own Decorations
Book your tickets online in advance and get 10% off admission
BROOKLANDSMUSEUM.COM
Brooklands Museum, Brooklands Drive, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 0SL
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Friends of Sunbury Park News By John Maxen
Bramble Bash On behalf of the Friends of Sunbury Park, a really big thank you to everybody that turned out to help recently at the bramble bash and mulch laying. We had a fantastic group of people of all ages and, after splitting into two groups managed to achieve all the aims we wanted to achieve. This was to a) lay some mulch to prevent the area around the entrance gate getting too muddy over winter and, b) clear the area by the gate of bramble, which, if left for much longer would have been difficult to deal with. The volunteers had a great time whilst carrying out such worthwhile activities. Even the weather stayed kind. New Signage in Sunbury Park Following our successful bramble bash the Friends of Sunbury Park are delighted to announce that we now have new signage in the park. The four signs (one by each entrance) , illustrate some of the nature (trees, birds, insects and flowers) that can be found in the park. Made of recycled material, the signs
have been placed at a height that will allow both adults and children to read, investigate and discover what can be seen. The signs are a result of collaboration between The Friends of Sunbury Park and the Parks Dept of SBC. Thanks go to Steve Price at the council and Members of FoSP for the writing, editing and installation of the new signs and we hope this enhances your experience and enjoyment of Sunbury Park. Litter Pick Finally, Friends of Sunbury Park held their litter pick on a lovely sunny morning and an amazing 15 bags of rubbish were collected from around Sunbury Park. Big thanks go out to all 14 residents who turned out to collect litter. In addition, big thanks to those dog walkers who, whilst just turning up to walk their dog, offered to take a bag and picker to help collect litter. It s great that we have so many residents who value Sunbury Park and want to help maintain a conserve it.
New signage is enhancing understanding and enjoyment of Sunbury Park. Right, the bramble bashers! To advertise call Monica on 07979 808991
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Dennis Brock Meets
.
Well Dennis Brock, the world s oldest serving bell ringer and Sunbury resident has just celebrated his 101th birthday. Many congratulations. The secrets to a good old life must be partly the lifetime of bell ringing which demands both physical and mental strength. Last month Dennis met Russell Grant at the St Mary s rendezvous (right). (If you have not yet attended one of these excellent evenings of talk and reflection, they are highly recommended by the way). Dennis also attended the Tower of London for his presentation of the British Empire Medal. The presentation was made by the Lord Lieutenant of London and in attendance were also the constable of the Tower and a Beefeater all in full ceremonial dress which was impressive to say the least. All this accompanied by his family of course. Daughter Lorna Doyle said the day was fantastic. Really memorable . Left; Dennis Brock received the British Empire Medal at The Tower of London on 15th November 2019
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The Lower Sunbury Business Community brings you:
The Sunbury
Christmas Market Thursday 5th December from 5pm to 8pm in Avenue Parade outside the shops
More than 30 stalls Kiddy Rides Stock up on gifts and treats and hot food
Gifts • Cards Jewellery • Snacks Drinks • Food stalls
Santa’s Grotto
at Laura’s Hair & Beauty 5-7pm
Come and sing carols with the Salvation Army (6.30pm) Big Community Raffle
Top Prize: Mercedes Benz Driving Experience Tickets from Laura’s, Van Wonderen, Skinners and Tony’s Hair Salon in Vicarage Road
Stock up on Christmas Gifts at The Sunbury Christmas Market
Jewellery • Cakes • Cards & gifts • Food stalls
The Sunbury
Community Christmas Raffle
PRIZES:
Mercedes Benz Driving Experience (Donated by the Lower Sunbury Business Community)
Giant Teddy And many more prizes……
Raffle Tickets £2 for 1 or 5 for £5! from Laura’s Hair & Beauty, Van Wonderen Flowers, Skinners and Tony’s Hair Salon in Vicarage Road.
Raffle to be drawn after the Christmas event and winners to be notified afterwards.
BUY ONE AND GIVE ONE FREE St Saviour s Foodbank will have a strong presence at the Sunbury Christmas Market being held on the Parade in Sunbury on Thursday 5th December between 5.00pm - 8.00pm. For Christmas, the familiar Buy one and get one free slogan has been changed to Buy one and give one free. If you purchase any meal from the Foodbank stall, a similar meal will be given to a Foodbank client, with no charge to you. It will all be made from donated fresh and surplus food, and there will be tea and coffee, and a wide range of hot and cold meals available for purchase on the night. Hot food on offer will include hot dogs, turkey and stuffing rolls, as well as Shepherd s Pie, Lasagne and Bread & Butter Pudding to reheat or freeze later.
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Cutting it at Shepperton Studios By Monica Chard, Editor
We have previously had a behind the scenes look at various aspects of Shepperton Studios: CGI, wig making, props to name a few. So when we had the chance to find out more about costumes we were very excited. Ian Frazer-Wallace (pictured), currently living in Sunbury on Thames grabbed a cuppa with me to tell me about his role in the costumes. He has been working almost non stop on a succession of films at the studios. Films include Mary Poppins Returns and The Favourite and most recently on Cruella staring Emma Stone. All these films feature stunning costumes created by an immensely dedicated team of creatives. It starts with the costume designer. Ian has worked with numerous over the years and they all have their particular ways of working. Sandy Powell for example, is an multi-award winning costume designer who likes to push the envelope. She needs to know she can rely on her team of talented cutters to accurately bring her vision to life in minute detail. That is where Ian comes in. Ian has always had a love of creating. He started his career in fashion, designing for a range of fashion companies from evening wear to extreme clubwear. He had a love of corsetry and was fortunate to be mentored by a leading metal couturier and corsetiere, Manuel Albarran. But Ian settled into a long term career at Selfridges heading up a large team of master tailors and seamstresses. An eye to detail and a flair for managing many different types of people saw his career flourish. His time at Selfridges gave him a great insight in couture and its construction. But ultimately Fashion does not offer the same advantages that Costume presents and Ian was lucky to get the chance to work on the film Maleficent. Having demonstrated his skills, this was a
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spring board into costume and he has never looked back. His passion for craftsmanship has been a driving force in his career. There is nothing Ian can t make and he has passed on some of his knowledge teaching an MA course in Clothing Construction at Kingston Uni. His creativity has taken him to the world of pop, glamour, celebrity and fantasy. He tells me he wakes up every morning excited about the day ahead. How many of us feel that way about our job? Working on costumes in the film industry demands more than the ability to cut and sew. You need to be able to understand and please multiple clients ; the film director and the costume designer not to mention the actors. In a job that is extremely demanding you need to be calm under pressure, not mind working very long hours when it is needed and remain patient at all times. Not delivering is not an option and the teams that work together need to embrace that concept. But every day is different. Every film has its own challenges and finding solutions is part of the thrill. The budget for The Favourite was not huge. The costumes had to look fabulous, but not cost the earth. Sandy Powell hit on the idea of using African headdress fabric from Brixton market and Ian and team then created amazing costumes from it. Sandy was so pleased with it that she had her own outfit for the BAFTA s made from the same fabric. Unlike the fashion business, the career path in costume is clear and not exploitative. Start as a trainee and you will already earn a decent wage. Prove yourself and you will be in demand and rise through the ranks. Look out for trainee vacancies. Or approach the costume supervisor or cutters. Passion is everything. If you want it, find a way of making it happen.
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Local Plan - Bad News for Green Belt Jan Doerfel, Green Party
Spelthorne Borough Council has now released its draft local plan that will have a wideranging impact on the Borough. Despite its significant impact, the consultation period is short (it ends on 7th January 2020), a paper summary of the draft plan will only be sent to residents in the December Bulletin and the whole consultation falls into a General Election/Christmas and New Year period when most residents will have other plans than to trawl through documents to study the impact of the local plan. But the contents of the Local Plan are worrying: even though residents stated unequivocally during a previous consultation in 2018 that they opposed building on Green Belt, SBC is nonetheless proposing the release of 19 Green Belt sites across Spelthorne covering a total area of 53 hectares. The release of the Green Belt will represent a significant change to the character of the areas where they are located and will have a significant impact on local residents as these plots of land have an amenity, biodiversity value, a visual benefit and/or carbon capture value – which is now more important than ever during a time of Climate Emergency when more (not less) green spaces and rewooded areas are required to counteract carbon emissions. These sites fulfil their purpose as Green Belt land – they are not weakly performing . In Sunbury, there are 5 green belt sites identified for building purposes, the biggest of which is between Stratton Road and Bishop Wand School (7.5 hectares), a beautiful green area with grazing horses. Releasing this to build 260 homes will not only deprive the area of its rural character and lead to loss of habitat for mammals, birds and insects but will lead to increased traffic and further pressure on services. Releasing green belt now (moreover based on outdated census figures of 2014 which require the building of 603 rather than 322 houses yearly if calculated on the most up-to-date Please mention Sunbury Matters when responding to adverts
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This view, or 260 houses with associated traffic?
figures of 2016) will also undermine the integrity of the remaining green belt and will leading to more and more Green Belt loss in the future. I believe that our green spaces are inextricably linked to ongoing quality of life in Spelthorne and require protection for generations to come. Once the Green Belt is built on, it is lost forever. In particular at times where green spaces are as vital as ever, the loss of any green belt should be strongly resisted. If you feel similarly, please sign our petition at https://38d.gs/SaveOurGreenBelt and/or respond to the Local Plan by 7th January 2020 (by writing to local.plan@spelthorne.gov.uk).
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Christmas Themed Coffee Morning with Live Music & Entertainment Wednesday 18th December 10.30am – 12:00noon
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Fun and Dancing with Ashford Folk Dancers
Ashford folk dancers (AFD) had a lovely evening celebrating Halloween on Wednesday 30 October. Some members wore costumes to make it more special. A few dances had a Halloween theme and were nicely executed thanks to our Chairman, Tony, who was calling on this occasion. Callers change every week, so they can call a variety of dances. All had great fun. Tony made sure to keep calling over the music so that the moves were all synchronised. We had live music played by Peter on the accordion – which was a treat as usually we dance on recorded music. The club meets every Wednesday evening at St Mary s Parish Hall (with a large carpark) in Sunbury from 8pm to 10.15pm. It costs £2 for members and £2.50 for non-members. It is excellent value for money, which includes tea or coffee and biscuits during the break. Special Halloween cakes and biscuits were offered that evening. We dance with friends, with great music on a lovely wooden-floor. Anyone is very welcome whether you are a novice or experienced. The first night is free anyway, so why don t you try? Please bring soft shoes and wear comfortable clothes explained Annie Sugrue, a dancer.
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Distinctive Indian Food Open 7 days Lunch noon - 2.30pm Dinner 6pm - 11.30pm
78 High Street, Shepperton TW17 9AU Tel 01932 246993 / 01932 246899 Or book online:
www.theivorytusk.co.uk
VALID UNTIL DECEMBER 30TH 2019 To advertise call Monica on 07979 808991
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River Thames Flood Alleviation Scheme Funding -Why I am not a fan of the scheme Having seen footage of the devsignificantly better off, the astating floods in the north renew channel will bring water cently, we should rejoice when around Wraysbury, Staines we hear that funding has been and Chertsey and straight found for a major flood project back in at Desborough, in our own community. In this above Shepperton and Suncase it is for the River Thames bury. Having seen the effect Scheme. But the thing is, as a of the Jubilee River on vilresident of Sunbury on Thames, lages down from its ingress and having lived through the and having seen EA charts dreadful floods of 2013/14 I am showing that AT BEST Sunnot a great fan of the plan. bury will experience the Some of the plans will be of same levels of flood, not an help. Some, not in my opinion. improvement, I am rather Surrey County Council's cabinet sceptical. has agreed ÂŁ270 million of funding for long term flood risk The good news at least is management work across Surthat the management of the Wheatley s Ait 2014 rey to protect homes and roads. river seems to be much betThis includes a contribution to the River ter than it used to be. Even the latest flood Thames Scheme, which will reduce flood risk warnings on our stretch of the river were nothto 15,000 properties and tens of thousands of ing to worry about. The water did not even get people living and working near the Thames. into our garden, which it used to do regularly Costing ÂŁ640 million, the scheme represents 10 years ago. The widening of the weirs at the largest investment in flood risk in the UK Sunbury, Molesey and Teddington will also to date. Tim Oliver, Leader of Surrey County allow water to flow more efficiently. But I still Council, said: "The floods in 2014 were devwonder why dredging is not something that astating for Surrey and ever since then it's could be considered. Sometimes the old ways been clear we need to do all we can to make are the best. sure our residents and their properties are protected from such risks in the future. The River Thames Scheme will create three flood alleviation channels alongside the River Thames and improve capacity at three weirs. It will run from Datchet in Berkshire, through Surrey to Teddington. So, as a resident of one of the riverside dwellings in Lower Sunbury, and having lived through the hugely stressful experience of the 2013/14 floods, why am I not more excited at this news? I was orchestrator of a community flood meeting and was interviewed on BBC news about the proposed River Thames Scheme. My point was that whereas the indications are that communities upstream will be Please mention Sunbury Matters when responding to adverts
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HAMPTON COURT HOUSE
cultivating a lifelong love of learning
INDEPENDENT SCHOOL FOR BOYS AND GIRLS AGED 3-18
Contact Rachel Bowles, Registrar, to book a tour on 020 8614 0857 or visit our website at www.hamptoncourthouse.co.uk
Spelthorne Council Urges Rethink on Excessive Housing Need Spelthorne Borough Council
This would appear to be good news from residents point of view. Even the council is trying to contain some of the requirements put upon it by government to contain excessive housing targets. The Leader of Spelthorne Borough Council, Councillor Ian Harvey, has met senior officials from the Ministry of Homes, Communities to ask for a rethink. At the meeting, Councillor Harvey expressed the Council's deep concerns to the Ministry over the very high housing figure calculated for the Borough using the Government's standard method for calculating 'need'. Using this method, the figure for Spelthorne is 603 homes per year. Like many local authorities in Surrey, it is incredibly challenging to find sites to meet that need. Spelthorne is 65% Green Belt and 17% is water. In fact, 26% of our Green Belt is made up of the reservoirs. Much of the remainder of land is at risk of flooding or subject to other planning constraints which make it unusable. The scale of development demanded will irrevocably change the face of Spelthorne. Leader of the Council, Cllr Harvey said: "We need a Local Plan that protects our Borough from development of our most important green spaces but have been left with no choice as a result of the Government imposed target but to propose releasing some of these sites in order to help meet the demand it has identified. We will continue to push the Government to bring this figure down so we can deliver a Plan that is acceptable to our communities." Our Green Belt is precious to us and our residents, and we have always fought very hard to protect it from development. As part of our Local Plan we have commissioned a review of the Green Belt that has identified some land that is 'weakly performing' against the purposes of the designation. Whilst officers will understand that Please mention Sunbury Matters when responding to adverts
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a weakly performing Green Belt site without any overriding planning constraints means it should be considered for development, our residents will see this as the obliteration of its open spaces, its 'green lungs'. This is in combination with pressure from airport development related to Heathrow Expansion and further urban intensification of our towns and villages means we are being pressed from all sides. Spelthorne is urging the Government to think again about how it calculates housing need and to reduce the figure that Local Plans have to aim for. A letter setting this out will be handed to the Ministry at the meeting on 5 November 2019. The Local Plan consultation runs from 5th November 2019 to 7th January 2020. All aspects of the Local Plan will be communicated in a manner of ways to ensure all residents have the information available to them. The Bulletin, distributed to residents (some 45,000 households) the first week of December, will be a bumper edition with 8 pages of Local Plan news. Copies of all the documents will be available at our local libraries as well as at the Council Offices in Knowle Green and also available online www.spelthorne.gov.uk Make sure you know what the plans might mean to you.
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Shared private and small group swimming lessons for children Luxurious and warm private indoor pools December Intensive Courses available
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The Man Behind the Walled Garden
Do we often pause to think who we have to thank for the beautiful places we can enjoy in the area? Probably not. Take the Walled Garden which is the heart of Lower Sunbury. It was of course the walled garden of Sunbury House and until the 1970 s was overgrown plot. Ex council officer Pat Stancliffe is the reason the garden looks as it does today. He had the vision of what the garden could become and when the land was bought by the council he had his chance. He started the project from nothing other than an area full of weeds until he created the garden. In recognition of his legacy the council wanted to mark his achievement and make sure visitors Pat Stancliffe with family, stands in front of his special plaque know who was behind it. The council has recently put up a plaque in the gazebo in the garden, with Pat and his family in attendance. Next time you walk around the beautiful space, spare a thought for the man who made it all possible.
Sudoku 3
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DECEMBER 2019
A little sprinkle of glitter to end 2019 There is no denying that 2019 has been a challenging year nationally for the housing market. The ongoing uncertainty of Brexit, political turmoil and the more recent general election has resulted in further fall back in values brought on by indecision by both buyers and sellers. However, many buyers and sellers have taken the conscious decision to move on with their lives and we have seen local transactional levels increase by 11.4% with a marked increase in the first half of the year, compared to 2018. In fact, Curchods Shepperton has sold more properties during 2019 than either of the previous two years Curchods have always advocated that there will always be a need and desire for people to move, as long as they observe the key factors: •
that the purchase is not going to financially over stretch them
•
that their employment is secure.
Now is a great time to be thinking about finding your next home with property values at a 3 year low, mortgage rates remaining very competitive and transactional costs having been reduced. We are confident that once the country gets a positive resolution to the current uncertainty that we will see a bounce back in the market, as those buyers who have been waiting to see what happens, take action.
A new home for the New Year Traditionally the run up to Christmas is the quietest period in the housing market with many buyers and sellers turning their thoughts to festivities. However, the end of the year is a pivotal time when many families get together and plans are made for the forthcoming year. Confirmation of this is born out by the significant spike in
online activity on the property websites over the Christmas break. Therefore, don’t write off the holiday period, as this is an excellent time to showcase your home to the New Year’s crop of potential buyers with a launch on Christmas day. In readiness, we will agree a marketing strategy and get photos taken before the Christmas decorations go up and life gets too hectic. But don’t panic thinking that you will have buyers viewing your home whilst you are sitting down to
Christmas lunch, as we will arrange to accompany appointments at times that are convenient to you. For professional advise on all property matters please contact Owen Miles, Partner, and his friendly, experienced team at Curchods Shepperton.
OWEN MILES M NAE A PA RT NE R
01932 230033
Recipe of the Month Orange Cake
The Community Café @Riverhousebarn in Walton on Thames continues with recipes showing how you can use leftovers. They create wonderful food from surplus, donated by a local supermarket. Go and try their surplus lunch for £5 and they will donate the proceeds to local charities feeding those on low incomes and who are struggling.
This very simple easy cake is our best seller in the café – if you stick to the original recipe, it is Gluten free and dairy free but without compromising on taste. Oranges which escape from their net bags always end up in our box of surplus goodies at the beginning of the day, so it s another excellent use of ingredients. We ve even experimented with supplementing the ground almonds with breadcrumbs (another staple of ours) and guess what? .it works! And is obviously much more economical. Give it a go.
2 large oranges 200 g ground almonds 225g caster sugar 5 eggs 1tsp baking powder Put the oranges in a pan of water and bring to the boil – simmer for at least one hour, until the whole orange is soft. When cool enough to handle, chop the whole fruit (skin and all) roughly and put in a food processor and blend to a thick pulp. Then simply add all other ingredients and whizz until blended. Put mixture in a cake tin (20cm) and bake for 40 mins at 180°. Leave to cool in tin before turning out. Tastes even better after a day or two
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Children Lead The Way to a Greener World We have run the story of the tenacious 9 year old Rosie Gurney the past month and in this issue. She wants to be able to walk to school and not have her mother unnecessarily drive her and create more pollution. Rosie is now at Chennestone but was at Beauclerc infant and nursery school which has had a Green Team for many years now. Teacher Katy Colclough told Sunbury Matters more. Rosie was part of the Green Team when she was in Year 2 at Beauclerc. Its part of the Eco Schools initiative and Beauclerc has done so well that it has achieved the highest Green Flag award for years now. There are 10 topics to cover Just a few of the things the school take part in/do: They take part in the annual Switch off fortnight – reducing energy waste within school and home. School power rangers have secret missions to check which classes are switching appliances off and they are awarded green tokens (plastic milk lids). The class who gains the most at the end of every half term get to keep Power the Polar Bear in their classroom. This has proved very popular with pupils. Beauclerc also has a litter patrol, a rota of children to collect litter within the school grounds. The big Beauclerc clean up takes place annually too and the school has links with the Keep Britain Tidy campaign. The school has a qualified Forest school teacher in Biodiversity who has introduced bug hotels, plants which attract bugs and wildlife, feed birds etc Then there are the Waste Watchers. This year s focus for the school is reducing food waste, encouraging children to eat their lunch and fruit. This links in with the continued focus of recycling and using less. The schooldonate surplus milk to the sunbury ReStore a programme and donate at harvest too. Golden boot/walk to school, encouraging greener travel and healthier lifestyle. The school takes part in this every year This year Beauclerc held their second Wear it wild day, raising funds for and awareness of endangered animals supporting WWF. The big battery hunt encourages collection and recycling of used batteries. Every child gets a battery collection box and they empty them into our To advertise call Monica on 07979 808991
recycling pots in the foyer The marine initiative looks at reducing plastic usage and waste. The school raises awareness through the curriculum, with one class studying turtles and how plastic waste can harm them. Learning about this had a major impact. The school has a school Eco code which is a reminder to all about what we are doing and why. Year 2 children complete pedals training each year to encourage more children to come to school on their bikes and scooters. All in all sustainability and green issues are planned into many of the topics and the children have a really good understanding, and passion for 'saving the world'. It is so encouraging to hear about instilling green values into children at such an early age. They can help their parents also make good choices. Between us all we can make a difference.
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Rosie s Takes Crossing Case to Council
Rosie Gurney is so determined to get a safe crossing so she can walk to her school that she has been invited to address Surrey County Council. At 9 years old she wants the right to walk to school (not be driven and create unnecessary pollution) and she wants to have a safe place to cross the Avenue to get to Chennestone. Following a meeting with Councillor Tim Evans, Rosie will be presenting her case to the Spelthorne/Surrey Joint Committee on December 16th and in advance has created an online petition. Please help her case by signing, (https://petitions.surreycc.gov.uk/SafeRosie/) it states: 'We the undersigned petition Surrey County Council to review road safety at the junction of Manor Lane and The Avenue, Sunbury, to provide children at Chennestone School with a safer and more environmentally friendly route from home to school.' What an effort. We wish you every luck and we have signed for you Rosie. Read about the efforts made in primary school which have inspired Rosie, in the article about the Beauclerc Green Team on page 37.
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2 Disentangle, release (5) 3 Abhorrence, disapprobation (12) 4 Increase, improve (5) 6 Sandra _______, Speed actress (7)
Across 1 Outskirts of a city (7) 5 Follow orders (4) 10 In good physical shape (3) 11 Rotor blades that power a plane (9) 12 Ogle (3,2) 13 Clothes-maker (6) 15 Rounded paving stone (6) 17 Gentle bell-like sound (6) 18 Castle tower (6) 20 Ceremony, celebration (5) 23 Skittish, highly-strung (9) 24 Admiration (3) 25 Celtic stringed instrument (4) 26 Spotty infectious disease (7)
7 Woollen thread (4) 8 Crime, infraction (7) 9 Unhesitating, resolve (12) 14 Small falcon (7)
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Solution on p 49
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16 Nightclub doorman (7) 19 Chart, diagram (5) 21 Delete, abolish (5) 22 Netting, tracery (4)
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Sunbury Neighbours and WI Join Forces to Spread Cheer
A pledge by the WI is to help alleviate loneliness. Sunbury WI, in association with Sunbury Neighbours, has just put on their third afternoon tea. What a fantastically positive afternoon it was too. Sunbury Matters was delighted to be asked along. Over 80 guests sat down to copious amount of sandwiches and cake, all home made by the WI members. Friendships had been forged through these tea parties and the church hall was full of chatter and bonhomie. Sunbury Neighbours, the voluntary organisation which is on hand to drive those unable to do so, to appointments or shopping locally, had been out in force bringing the elderly to the church hall for tea. The drivers sat down to tea too and very well deserved it was too. Have more cake the WI ladies tempted us. There was so much that we were sent home with bags of it and any shop bought cake left over was destined for the food bank. Surplus to Supper, a branch of the food bank at St Saviours, had provided assembled guests with chocolates as a special treat. Discarded by an export company as they were only 6 weeks from best before date they boxes of chocolates would have ended up in landfill. They made guests and volunteers happy instead! Every guest was also given a raffle
ticket and 3 lucky winners received a hamper of donated food. To cap the afternoon off, the WI choir performed some cracking numbers, pitting a smile on our faces and a good tune in our heads. It was a fabulous afternoon, so gratefully received by so many who may have spent another day without any company. Well done to you wonderful volunteers, the bakers, servers, drivers, singers...you made a lot of people very happy! For Sunbury Neighbours call the Duty Officer - Monday to Friday between 09.30 and 11.30 on 0795 682 2546
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January issues close on December 11th Sunbury Shepperton Walton Molesey
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LOSRA Says . Make your views known! By the time you read this you should have received your copy of our Autumn Newsletter. If not, it can be viewed online at www.losra.org. It s a heavy but important read so please persevere. Most will already be aware that the preservation of the Green Belt is one of our primary objectives and this remains undiminished. However, we have to recognise that the consultation on the draft policies is a Borough-wide exercise as, indeed, was the consultation on the Issues and Options which concluded that Releasing some weakly performing Green Belt land for development where its release would not adversely affect the integrity of the strategic Green Belt . 65% of Spelthorne is Green Belt. 26% of the GB is reservoir. In the draft plan 1.6% of the GB is allocated for development on which 18% of the theoretical housing required will be built. Understandably we are expected to take our share of the pain. We urge you to make your personal views known to the Council (closing date 7 th January). In this connection, please look out for the special Council bulletin which will be delivered to all households during the month of December. In the meantime, we look forward to seeing the reply from the Council Leader s letter to the Ministry of Communities and Local Government asking for a reduction in the 603 dwellings pa. target. Regardless of the outcome, the Council is to be commended for its clarity and transparency throughout this tortuous Local Plan revision.
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Sunbury Nursing Homes
Thames Street, Sunbury-on-Thames TW16 6AJ
Family run nursing home now in its 85th year Located opposite a beautiful stretch of the River Thames A home where the resident really IS the most important person “Just a word of thanks for all your kindness and care for my mother. We had almost given up hope of finding a nursing home of excellence which we felt she deserved and our experience with you was so heartening and reassuring."
expert 24 hour personalised nursing care for older people warm, homely and reassuring 'family' environment a home that is vibrant as well as caring and compassionate daily activities we don’t use agency staff
"I liked SNH more than other homes I looked at mainly because the residents and staff all looked so happy."
01932 785414 email: enquiries@sunburynursinghomes.co.uk
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Father Andrew s Festive Cheer If you have attended the children s service at St Mary s you will be familiar with Father Andrew and his festive garments. Who can forget the snowman with the carrot nose, Father Andrew astride his shoulders?! It is a sight to behold. So make sure you get down to get in the festive spirit and enjoy both a service, a proper start to the festive period and the enviable Christmas fashion of our vicar. There are two crib services for the youngsters. One at 3pm and one at 5pm on Christmas Eve.
Tree Wardens are now Planting
We highlighted the need for tree planting in an issue this autumn. Now is the time for planting trees and the Spelthorne Tree Wardens are already out there greening the borough. We must thank them for 3 trees planted in our garden in Sunbury. A whitebeam, a cherry tree and a cotoneaster. They will all grow and thrive. The berries will attract birds and other wildlife, they will help the air and they will of course provide some privacy for our little garden. If you have a space in your garden for a tree, the Tree Wardens will come and dig the hole, provide and plant the tree of (within reason) your choice. So why not give them a call and get a tree planted:
Dave Woods 01932 786806 djwoods@talktalk.net To advertise call Monica on 07979 808991
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PATRICK STONE Clean & Efficient Vacuum Chimney Sweeping Service Oil & solid Fuel Flue Cleaning
A MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHIMNEY SWEEPS
0208 979 1670 Mobile 07733 895213 38 WESTON AVE, WEST MOLESEY KT8 1RG
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Christmas Window with a Difference By Monica Chard, Editor
This festive season you can see an alternative take on a Christmas window display. Local Shepperton resident and TV/film set designer Rebecca Morton has been working with Two Rivers Shopping Centre, Spelthorne Borough Council Leisure Services and a selection of Spelthorne primary and Secondary Schools to create a magical and meaningful Christmas display on Staines High Street. The installation, themed on Charles Dickens famous story A Christmas Carol will be created from The ghost of Christmas past and Marley s ghost in preparation materials we would usually throw away, to deliver a powerful message about recycling and climate been used to create a Miss Haversham figure change. and donated, unwanted shoes create The art installation will be on display between sculptures. Sunday 1st December and Monday 6th The ghost of Christmas present is a large January in a vacant shopping Unit under The Christmas tree as a giant who shelters the Premier Inn Hotel on Staines high street. children of Ignorance and Want by his side. Rebecca has worked on many art projects with This illustrates food waste. It is arguably the local schools, creating murals and running art brightest and most Christmassy window, but and craft workshops for children (see website carries the message of food poverty and https://www.sensorymurals.co.uk/). The waste. Primary school children have created Christmas project has involved children from decorations for the tree from discarded pasta, across the borough who have been creating sweets and food packaging. decorations for the display as well as some of The ghost of Christmas future is the darkest the main figures for the windows. of all. A giant reindeer skull lies amongst a The Christmas Carol story will feature four landfill scene made of wrapping paper, much key messages: of which we learn cannot be recycled. Marley s ghost carries the message of plastic Amongst the discarded paper however, waste, featuring an underwater scene of a flowers and plants will be planted to give a figure weighed down by chains, covered in message of hope for the future. plastics and netting which we are seeing Many of the ideas have come from school polluting our seas. children themselves. It is an innovative and The ghost of Christmas past will carry the impactful display. Do go and see it for yourmessage of textile waste. A wedding dress selves. December 1st-January 5th. Premier from one of the Shepperton charity shops has Inn, Staines High St. To advertise call Monica on 07979 808991
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Intermediate Youth Speaks Won by Sunbury Manor This year s annual speaking competition for Spelthorne secondary schools, organised by Shepperton Aurora Rotary Club, saw several changes to the usual format. Firstly, the competition was in the form of a debate with each team having a Chairperson, Proposer and Opposer, secondly, after last year, with 11 teams competing, it was decided to hold the intermediate and senior competitions on two separate evenings. In light of the changes to the competition, this proved to be a very wise decision. Thirdly, the Riverside Arts Centre in Sunbury was the choice of venue and this change was also very successful. Four secondary schools were represented on the evening; none of the competitors were fazed by the new format and all the teams gave presentations of a high standard; this did not make an easy job for the adjudicators who, this year, were Pauline Hedges, Ross Ferguson and Ron Enticott; all three commented on how much they had enjoyed their evening. The winning team was Sunbury Manor School (pictured with Mayor) with their debate on Is it smart for teenagers to own a Smart Phone?
The Best Speaker was Isabella Abbey from St Pauls s Catholic College (see top right). She was the Opposer in her team s debate on The government should abolish university tuition fees and blew the panel away. Please mention Sunbury Matters when responding to adverts
The Best Chairman was Daniel BottleWilbram from Halliford School (below). His team debated Homework should be banned!
There were a huge number of supportersteachers, family members and Rotarians -who all enjoyed the new format. Next month we will bring you results of the senior Youth Speaks. Editors note; Congratulations to all the winners but also to all those who participated. Being able to debate is a life skill and we have many talented youngsters in the borough. 48
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Crossword Solution O F F E N C E M E S H
S U B U R B S N N O P R O P I T I O S T A Y E U P U T O B B L E O A T U R R E T N I A X C I T A B L E Y L A R P M E A
O B U L L L L O C N K
D E C I S I V E V E N R A E S S S L E
E Y A E R N R K L E S N T R W E L S
Solution to December Quick Crossword
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Allergen Free Food Producer in Sunbury You may have seen Greg Wallace on TV in his various programmes on food production wearing the hair net and white coat. That was me last month! (No there are no photos!) I was visiting the newly taken over business Big Oz which is on the industrial estate behind Tesco. It is a different world! Big Oz specialises in allergen free foods. Food allergy has been much in the news and there seems increasing intolerance of various ingredients. So this Sunbury based producer is set to make an impact. Big Oz fell on hard times earlier this year and was bought out by the London Food Corporation. The four directors have put their own money into rescuing the business and are passionate about seeing it succeed. Lalit Premchandani, the CEO, says, With Big Oz, London Food Corporation has entered into a fast growing segment of British food manufacturing that allows us to further the cause of healthy living, choice of an increasingly growing number of consumers. The company has been a pioneer in gluten free cereals in the UK since its inception in 1999. It uses organically and ethically sourced grains to produce puffed grains, crispy and soft flakes, oats, granola, porridge, snacks and a variety of flours. It was fascinating to see the processes during my visit. These are produced under their own brand and for private labels (You may recognise the Co-Op Berry Granola which is pictured). Its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Sunbury is one of the only exclusive production facilities that processes and packs cereal grains free from all 14 allergens published by the FSA. The Free From food market is growing rapidly in the UK. A staggering 25% of UK households have at least one allergy sufferer and Coeliac sufferers are on the rise as well. At present, 81% of UK households follow Please mention Sunbury Matters when responding to adverts
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some kind of Free From diet with 1.3m households having chosen to go gluten -free. In 2018 the Free From market grew by 37% valuing it at ÂŁ837m and 39% of adults regularly purchase Free From Food and Drinks (Source: Mintel). The rise in this market sector is not only driven by allergies and health conditions, but also by the preference of consumers to find alternative foods that are more nutritious, contribute to healthier living, and are friendlier to the environment.
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A Battle Won. But Not Yet the War By Alan Doyle One Draft Sustainability Appraisal, one Strategic Highways Assessment and two Green Belt Assessments later, and we now have recognition from the Council that Kempton Park is unsuitable for a housing development of 3000 homes. (3000 homes? That is likely to be just the start ) The Jockey Club is now calling their plan Kempton Park Garden Village , it seems. But calling something by a nice cuddly name doesn t make it so. The following are some of the conclusions from the Council s Sustainability Appraisal, one of the documents that forms part of the latest consultation on our new Local Plan. Reject [the Kempton Park Garden Village] alternative. This option is likely to have significantly negative impacts on the environment and transport given the proposed scale of development concentrated in one location. The majority of the Kempton Park site is currently open and grassed, therefore development would result in the loss of permeable surfaces. Replacement of this with hardstanding would increase risk of surface water flooding. Would need to include permeable surfaces and SUDs but unlikely to fully mitigate compared to undeveloped land. This option seeks to develop urban SLAA sites, a number of which are in flood areas so would increase the number of properties at risk. This option would reuse Previously Developed Land in the urban area and would also result in the redevelopment of some PDL at Kempton Park, however this is only part of the site. Development of Kempton Park would result in the permanent loss of a substantial area of greenfield land. The likely significant increase in vehicle use at Kempton Park is expected to exacerbate transport impacts and worsen air and noise pollution, particularly over time with a significant concentration of development. Please mention Sunbury Matters when responding to adverts
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Development of Kempton Park will result in a substantial amount of land take and will significantly alter the landscape character, urbanising the area. Many thanks to the Spelthorne planners and their consultants for coming to these conclusions. We won t say we told you so . This is a very important bridgehead, which has taken six years of campaigning to achieve. The racing correspondents of the national press, however, tell us they cannot get a statement about it from Redrow or The Jockey Club. Most unusual, because they haven t been such shrinking violets in the past. But we don t think for a minute that they have given up. The prospect of more than ÂŁ100 million in profit is still dazzling their eyes. We can t be complacent about it, because they will counterattack. We have raised a substantial amount towards the defence of Kempton Park at the Examination in Public of the new Local Plan scheduled for late next year, entirely due to your overwhelming generosity. Importantly, we would not be where we are without our lobbying and legal arguments which have been kindly supported by you all. But we still need more. You can help through PayPal reference keepkemptongreen@hotmail.co.uk ; by bank transfer to Barclays Bank, Sort Code 20-42-76, Account Number 5326 5943; or by cheque, made out to Keep Kempton Green, to 20 Green Street, Sunbury-onThames, TW16 6RN . And in the meantime, visit www.spelthorne.gov.uk/localplan where you can comment on this latest consultation, which runs until 7 Jan 2020. And put 21 June 2020 in your diaries, when we plan to open the secret gardens of Sunbury to the public.
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Call Andy Scott for a quote: 01784 462928 07796 542788
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Gardening Matters The Holly & The Ivy The holly and the ivy, when they are both full grown, of all the trees that are in the wood the holly bears the crown. There s no doubt that holly and ivy are synonymous with Christmas. This dates back to preChristian era when pagans used evergreen decorations in their mid-winter celebrations. It s not hard to see why they were attracted to these beautiful plants which offer a promise of better times to come during the most barren time of the year. Early Christians adopted them too and imbued holly particularly with Christian symbolism. In the carol, ivy isn t actually mentioned again until the last verse which is a repeat of the first. It has a cameo role because of earlier songs, such as The Contest of The Ivy and The Holly, in which the attributes of holly (male) and ivy (female) are compared. Our ancestors lived close to the earth and the seasons and were open to symbolism. As modern gardeners we might be sceptical of the symbolism, but we can embrace the glory of these seasonal plants. Ivy (Hedera) comes in many sizes, from the tiny-leaved Spetchley to the hand-sized leaves of Maple Leaf . It also comes in a beautiful variety of colours from the rich green, crimped leaves of Parsley crested which makes great ground cover, to the gorgeous red-stemmed yellow leaves of the climber Sunrise . For winter baskets I d recommend the limegreen Ursula and her grey-leaved friend Frederick .
By Rachael Leverton
dening friend. Holly (Ilex) is pretty easy-going too. It will grow almost anywhere except really waterlogged soil. It s tolerant of pollution, salt and wind and grows really slowly, so it s great for small gardens in the city and by the sea. Protect it from rabbits if they frequent your garden as they love to eat the bark. Trim it in August if you have to and remove plain green shoots on variegated varieties. Take cuttings in the late summer or autumn. It does resent root disturbance once it s established so make sure you plant it in the right place first time. Hollies are male or female but not necessarily named to help you distinguish. Silver Queen is actually male and Martin is female! You ll need both for berries so talk to an expert at the nursery or garden centre to be sure or google the answer on your phone! If you only have room for one holly bush, grow a self-fertile variety such as J C Van Tol . Merry Christmas and Happy Gardening!
Ivy is a doddle to grow. There are only a few things to remember. Cut it back in spring to encourage new growth and take cuttings between October and March when the growth is woody. Yellow varieties need sunshine and don t let any of it grow into your eaves. Other than that, it is your undemanding garTo advertise call Monica on 07979 808991
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Sunbury Remembrance Day Parade 2019 The Royal British Legion Sunbury Branch would like to say a huge thank you to 862 (Sunbury) Sqn Royal Air Force Air Cadets, to this year s new parade committee members and all those involved from the community for their help with this year s Remembrance Day Parade. The parade committee included RBL Branch members Jim & Dawn Gazzard, Mel Searle, Malcolm Morris, John Abdy and myself, FS Dean Humphreys & FO Alison Johnston for 862 Sqn, and Nick Mercer, Kath Sanders, Tom Fidler and Alison Griffiths from the community. We would also like to give our heartfelt thanks to: Fr Andrew, Rev Carole, Fr Simon and Phil Sanders; the organist & choir from St Mary s Church; St Paul's Catholic College for allowing us to muster in their grounds; Spelthorne Council and Surrey Police;
Max Brown for coming with his wonderful PA system and the tech team from 862 Sqn; Kaye Lennon, Stephen Searle and all the extra volunteers who helped with the poppies and wreaths; All the marshals on the day who made the parade possible; Monica Chard from Sunbury Matters; The Admiral Hawke; the residents on and around Green Street for their grace during the traffic disruption; and all the uniformed groups, local organisations and individuals who support the parade every year. As a branch, we are extremely grateful for all the support. This year it truly felt like a parade by the community for the community and we hope we can do it all again next year! Best wishes Mrs Brockey, Secretary Royal British Legion Sunbury Branch
Tree Wor k
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• Pruning, Felling & Reducing • Reshaping & Thinning • Hedge Maintenance • 24 Hour Emergency Service • Dangerous Tree Removal • Stump grinding • Neighbouring Tree & Hedge Issues • Operated wood-chipper hire • River tree work workboat available • Seasoned logs delivered. Log splitting
Contact Clive:
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Solution to December Sudoku
01932 886524 or 07941 031759 (Eves) surreyarborist@gmail.com Please mention Sunbury Matters when responding to adverts
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What s Happening Locally? If you want your event listed please email 50 words to email info@villagematters.co.uk Sunbury Working Artists Exhibition. Friday to Sunday 1st-3rd November. 11am – 5pm Squires Orangery, Halliford Road, Shepperton. Free entry Spelthorne Natural History Society. Wednesday 13th November at 8pm, St Peter's (Small) Church Hall, Laleham Road, Staines, TW18 2DX. Before Roots, Shoots and leaves: The early evolution of plants. A talk by Dr Paul Kenrick, Research Scientist, Department of Earth Sciences at The Natural History Museum. Plants evolved from green algae over 470 million years ago transforming life on land. This talk will present results of recent research on remarkable fossils that shed light on the nature of these early ecosystems focusing on the plants and the crucial roles played by cyanobacteria, fungi, arthropods and protists. £3 charge for non members. Refer to www.snhs.org.uk for more info Chennestone School Christmas Fair. Friday 22 November from 5.30 to 8pm. Santa s Grotto, games, tombolas, mystery bags, Christmas gifts, stalls, raffle, silent auction, books & toys, bar, snacks & refreshments. The fair raises a significant amount of money funding projects at the school that directly impact all the kids. Come along & support the fair – all welcome! Adults £1, kids free. St Mary s Christmas Fair. Saturday 30th November from 10.30am onwards. St. Mary s Parish Hall, Green Street, Sunbury. Parking available. There will be the usual refreshments, mulled wine, cakes, nearly new, toys, Sunbury Library Coffee Time. The Friends of Sunbury Library invite you to a Coffee Time on 1 November and 6th December between 10 and 11:30. Coffee or tea, biscuits and a general knowledge quiz for 50p. NEWS: Local History Exhibition at Library on Sat 9 Nov! Sunbury Library, The Parade, Staines Road West, Sunbury
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Sunbury Christmas Market 5th December 5-8pm The bottom of The Avenue will be closed to traffic from 3-9pm. The market will be open from 5-8. stalls galore, food to indulge in, gifts, Santa s Grotto, the big community raffle. The Salvation Army will be playing carols from around 6.30pm. All raising money for good causes. Come and sing Christmas Carols with the Salvation Army - Friday evening 13th December at Sunbury Court. 7.00pm - gates open from 6.15pm. Followed by refreshments. Staines Christmas Events; Sunday 1st December, or December 7th. 11-16.00. meet Santa and his Elf at the Elmsleigh Shopping Centre, Staines. Or have tea with Santa at the restaurants at the Two Rivers Shopping Centre Monday December 2nd. Launch of Recycling Christmas window Premier Inn Staines High Street (see p 47) Saturday December 7th. Salvation Army Band will be playing at Two Rivers, Staines and you can grab breakfast with Santa at the restaurants at the Two Rivers.
SHEPPERTON BIG TREE NIGHT Wednesday 11th December.
Join us from 5.00pm for fun, Santa, stalls and lots of community fun! Get in the festive spirit with Zodiac Musical Society's latest production called "IT'S CHRISTMAS" at the Riverside Arts Centre in Sunbury which features festive songs, Christmas carols and a mini Pantomime. Performances are Friday 13th December at 7:45pm and Saturday 14th December at 2:30pm & 7:45pm. Tickets are £10 - which includes a mince pie and a glass of mulled wine - and are available from the Box Office 01932-220167 or online at Zodiac Musical Society event tickets from TicketSource.. Wonderama Picture Palace. .bringing nostalgic movie magic back to the Riverside Arts Centre for the first time in over 100 years! Come along to our first candlelit screening for company and conversation over refreshments from our tearoom before enjoying old favourites. Some Like it Hot , Wednesday 18th December, doors 10am film starts at 10.30am Tickets £6. wonderama.cloud Thurs 2nd January. The Old Stones-Megalithic Sites in Britain a talk by Andy Burnham to Spelthorne Archaeology and Local History Group, at Staines Methodist Church, Thames St, Staines, starting at 8pm. All welcome, admission £2 for non-members Laleham Camera Club Q4 programme. We are a small and friendly club and welcome new members. We meet weekly at Laleham Village Hall. www.lalehamcameraclub.uk. Call Paul our chairman for more information on 07825 165974 Tuesday 3rd December -Film Noir Hollywood stills Large hall 7:30pm Tuesday 17th December -Mulled wine and mince pies Large hall 8pm Please mention Sunbury Matters when responding to adverts
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THE NUTCRACKER
Image © Tristram Kenton
Tuesday 17 December 2019 - 7.15pm Royal Opera House (Filmed Live) Tchaikovsky’s much-loved music accompanies a magical adventure on Christmas Eve for Clara and her Nutcracker doll. An enchanting Christmas treat for all the family. Tickets: £16.00 (£13.00 concessions)
The Sleeping Beauty
Cyrano de Bergerac
Thursday 16 January 2020 - 7.00pm Royal Opera House (Live Screening) Set to Tchaikovsky’s glorious music, journey to an enchanted world of princesses, fairy godmothers and magical spells in this landmark production of Petipa’s classic ballet. Tickets: £16.00 (£13.00 concessions)
Thursday 20 February 2020 - 7.00pm National Theatre (Live Screening) This new adaptation tells the story of Cyrano, who is fierce with a pen and notorious in combat. He almost has it all - if only he could win the heart of his true love Roxane. Tickets: £12.00 (£10.00 concessions)
La bohème
Fidelio
Wednesday 29 January 2020 - 7.45pm Royal Opera House (Live Screening) When Rodolfo, a penniless poet, meets seamstress Mimì they fall instantly in love. But their happiness is threatened when Rodolfo learns that Mimì is gravely ill. Tickets: £16.00 (£13.00 concessions)
Tuesday 17 March 2020 - 7.15pm Royal Opera House (Live Screening) Combining the ingredients of domestic intrigue, determined love and the cruelty of an oppressive regime, Beethoven’s only opera is an uplifting story of risk and triumph. Tickets: £16.00 (£13.00 concessions)
Tickets available online at thehammondtheatre.co.uk For enquiries please call 020 8783 4418 The Hammond Theatre, Hanworth Road, Hampton, TW12 3HD Free parking on site, bar & disabled access available
@HammondTheatre
Index of Advertisers Bedrooms Ashford Interiors 5 Builders W Brown & Sons 57 Car Body/Repair Chips Away 50 Chip & Paint Repair 53 Paice Motors 46 Care for Elderly Alina 41 Sunbury Nursing 44 The Burlington 23 Carpenter George Scott Woods 53 Carpet Cleaning Nick Lewis 51 Children s Courses Aquarius 49 Chimney Sweep Patrick Stone 46 Chiropodist Shepperton Chirop. 43 Computer Services My PC Helper 9 Curtains/Blinds Decorama 26 Decorator SDS 53 SJ Harris 41 Domestic Cleaning Time for You 41
Electrician Boss Electrics 53 Equity Release Harvest Financial 30 Estate Agent/Property Dexters 64 Curchods 32/33 Events/Social Holiday Inn Tributes 11 Brooklands Trust 13 Sunbury Xmas 18/19 Hammond Theatre 61 Riverside Players 63 Sunbury Golf Centre 16 Rotary Santa Sleigh 20 Squire s Shopping 14 Florist Van Wonderen 31 Floor Restoration ProFloor 25 Fruit/Veg/Flowers Quality Fruit 36 Foot Care Magda June 28 Garage Roller Doors Garolla 24 Garden Services DH Gardening 54 Easicut Mowers 54 Lawnmaster 54 Rose Landscaping 57
January 2020 Issue
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Surrey Arborist 56 Gutters Star Guttering 53 Handyman i-Handy 42 Fixit & Mendit 51 Health & Wellbeing Physical Health 9 Sports Generation 29 Kitchens Ashford/Neff 5 Mobility Services Kudos Mobility 43 Pharmacy Trio Pharmacy 38 Plumber Pete Game 46 Restaurants/Pubs The Flower Pot 17 Ivory Tusk 25 Roofing Aldridge & Sons 53 Platinum Roofing 49 Schools/Education Hampton Ct House 27 Hampton School 35 Hampton Prep 7 Sell Stuff for Cash JC Stamps 12 Shutters Decorama 25
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If you think all Estate Agents are the same, you haven’t worked with Dexters. We are different. Everything we do will give you an altogether better experience of selling or letting your property. Dexters Sunbury Sales: 01932 781 100 Lettings: 01932 787 788