Walton Matters October 2018

Walton

Matters

Putting Local Business First Keeping a Community Together

October 2018 Issue 2

FREE to 8500 Homes and Businesses in Walton on Thames

To advertise call Paul on 07946 494288 Or email paul@villagematters.co.uk JWM Turner : Herbert Hoover : The Swan Hotel : Ashley Park : Halloween

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Welcome!

Welcome to our second issue. I really hope you enjoyed issue 1.

Thank you so much for all your emails of support and encouragement. Welcome to our new advertisers. We seem popular!

The best comment I received was It s just what our community needed . It makes me very happy, as that is exactly the point. We are a community magazine first and foremost. So please keep your comments, stories and events coming. We are here for you. My email address and phone number is at the bottom of many of the pages.

This month we look at Turners association with Walton Bridge, hear of a US President who was once a resident, and also look at the history of the Swan Hotel.

Halloween is almost upon us, so we take a look at the origins of Mary Shelly s Frankenstein, whilst also learning of the Mexican Festival The Day of The Dead .

October 2018 Last month s Great Stink article is followed up by learning of the Victorian solution. We look at the history of Ashley Park and review last month s Heritage Day. Della continues her Urban Wildlife blog, and our very own MP, Dominic Raab, updates us on all things Walton.

What a good sport he was too, abseiling down St Mary s!

Till next month

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Published by:

Village Matters Ltd Walton Director: Paul Chard Telephone : 07946 494288 Email : paul@villagematters.co.uk Website :www.villagematters.co.uk

Contents JMW Turner Herbert Hoover The Swan Hotel Walton Society Heritage Day Review Frankenstein Ashley Park From Stink to Solution Through The Keyhole Protect Your Cats Day of The Dead Urban Wildlife Garden Recipe of the Month Garden View Events Coming Up Dominic Raab Index of Advertisers

Cover : Riverhouse Barn Sculpture by Monica Chard Send any photos (300dpi) for consideration to: paul@villagematters.co.uk

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4 7 8 11 12 14 16 23 31 37 38 42 44 46 50 53 54

JMW Turner and Walton Bridge Sources : Various During Turner's sketching tour of the river Thames and Wey in 1805, he became interested in Walton Bridge. Turner sketched or painted the Thames in the Weybridge and Walton area on at least four occasions: 'The Thames at Weybridge' (c.1807-1810), 'The Thames near Walton Bridges', 'Walton Bridge on the Thames' (1829), and 'Landscape with Walton Bridges' (1845).

Turner s rented house was at Isleworth, near Richmond (both places were still little villages that time), and Walton is clearly not far away. This stretch of the Thames was idyllic countryside, though it s now effectively part of greater London s urban sprawl. Turners boat was really his mobile studio, making it possible for him to paint such a relatively large open-air sketch (72 cm wide). The paintings are on mahogany – a close-grained wood very good for painting on, but very heavy. On the boat, he could easily carry his painting equipment and didn t have to worry about smudging wet oil paint. He could put his sketch aside to dry. His boat opened up the possibility of painting in the open air in oil paints, with all their variety and flexibility of expression. He didn t need to rely on interpreting pencil outline sketches or notes in watercolour back in his studio. Memory and imagination were important to him, and so too was the inspiration of old master paintings.

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But capturing his immediate sensations in oil in the open air also had major significance for the growing naturalism of the way he depicted the light of landscape scenes in studio-painted pictures. Turner s own boat may have looked rather like the small boat on the left of this detail from an engraving of a view Turner painted very close to Walton Bridges. (As the print detail below shows, the two bridges were linked by an island in the river.) Like the small craft in the print, Turner s boat would have had a canopy to protect him and his equipment. He may have rowed his own boat, or hired a lad to do it for him.

The development of Turner's artistic style can be seen in his Elmbridge paintings. His earlier

After Joseph Mallord William Turner, Walton Bridges, on Thames, Surrey (detail), engraved

by J.C. Varvall, published 1830 Š Tate

works 'The Thames at Weybridge' and 'The Thames near Walton Bridges' display the detail and realism of traditional English landscape painting. However as we move forward nearly forty years, 'Landscape with Walton Bridges' devotes less canvas space to the detail of the Elmbridge landscape and more to the ethereal vista of the natural sunlight reflecting off the Thames, a hallmark of Turner's attempts to convey the spiritual nature of the world he lived in.

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The President of the United States A one time Walton Resident

Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874– October 20, 1964), mining engineer, humanitarian, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, and 31st President of the United States, was the son of Jesse Hoover, a blacksmith, and Hulda Minthorn Hoover, a seamstress and a recorded minister in the Society of Friends (Quakers).

made his fortune as an international mining engineer and financier. He travelled the world locating lucrative mineral deposits, and by the age of 27 he had become one of the firm s four partners. He left the company in 1908 and soon had profitable business interests on every continent except for Antarctica. The wealthy Hoover donated his presidential salary to charity. His net worth was $57 million in current dollars, according to an estimate by The Atlantic magazine.

In early 1902 he returned to England, writing in his memoirs that 'My wife searched out a small country house at Walton-onThames' It was known as The White House'. What a coincidence considering the position Hoover was to take on and the residence he would live in.

'The White House' was built in 1768 and appears on local maps from 1812. The property still stands today, on West Grove.

Herbert Hoover died on October 20, 1964. On October 29, his body was interred in a simple grave on an Iowa hill overlooking the cottage where he was born. Hoover was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize five times: 1921, 1933, 1941, 1946 and 1964.He also received eighty-seven honorary degrees; a world record during his lifetime.

Hoover was born in West Branch, Iowa, where he enjoyed fishing in the local creek and working in his father s blacksmith shop.

He graduated from Stamford University in the mid-1890s and came to England in 1897, when he was taken on by the mining firm of Bewick, Moreing & Co., a London based mining company. Over the next two decades he

Little known fact : On March 3, 1931, President Herbert Hoover signed a law that made "The Star-Spangled Banner," based on an 1814 poem by Francis Scott Key (1779-1843), America's national anthem.

Source : Various

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The Swan Hotel

By Nick Pollard

The Swan Hotel in Manor Road stands on a site which has been an inn since at least 1769, although the present building dates from the late 1870s. It is of brick and halftimbered construction, with a decorative spire at the eastern end. The photo above dates from c1910, and shows that in place of the current car park to the left of the building, were the premises of W. Clark, coal merchant, who also hired out motor vehicles, still quite a novelty at the time. A motor bus is parked opposite, although it is unclear if this belonged to Clark. The gates between the Swan and Clark s advertise the pub s garden lawn and landing stage, so clearly the pub had its own access to the river, alongside the old Walton wharf, where Mr. Clark s coal would probably have been unloaded.

Inside the hotel had a Public Bar, Private Bar and Lounge, and served food. Both before and after the First World War, film actors from the nearby Hepworth Studios came here for lunch. Two of them, Stuart Rome, who later went to Hollywood, and Lionel Howard, actually lived at the Swan for several years.

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There is another show business connection.

The famous American composer Jerome Kern dropped into the Swan in 1909 whilst touring the UK. He was very taken with the landlord s daughter, Eva Leale, so much so that they were married at St. Mary s church, Walton on 25th October 1910. Thereafter the couple stayed at the Swan whenever they were in the country. Kern was one of the most important theatre composers of the early 20th century, writing more than 700 songs, many used in shows or films, including such classics as "Ol' Man River", "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man", "A Fine Romance", "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes", and "The Way You Look Tonight". A blue plaque commemorating the connection with Jerome Kern was unveiled at the Swan in 2010.

The Story of the Queen Mary Reservoir by Nick Pollard is the subject of the next meeting of the Sunbury and Shepperton Local History Society. The meeting takes place on Tuesday 16th October at Halliford School in Russell Road, Shepperton, starting at 8pm. All welcome, admission ÂŁ2 for non-members.

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The Walton Society

(Walton Residents Association) I'd like to think that everyone who lives in Walton is familiar with the Walton Society.

Nevertheless, as this is our first article in Walton Matters , it is worth providing what I expect will be a reminder for many, but perhaps news to a few.

Graham Woolgar - Alan Palmer - Chris Sadler

The Walton Society was formed in 1975. It is a community-based group run by volunteers.

Its sole interest is to make Walton a better place to live and work, by protecting its environment; enhancing its amenities; and addressing the concerns of local residents. One of our major early successes was bringing back the cinema to Walton, after an absence of twelve years. We were also instrumental in rescuing the Riverhouse Barn on Manor Road, transforming it into a thriving Community Arts Centre. We lobbied successfully for the old Library, to be used to house the Citizens Advice Bureau, rather than see it redeveloped.

We have always championed our open green spaces and provided steadfast opposition to overdevelopment. We have opposed planning applications for town centre sites such as Auckland House, The Wellington and Bridge House and of course that for Drake Park.

Unfortunately, Council planning refusals are often over-ridden by Central Government.

We strive to keep residents informed of issues To advertise call Paul on 07946 494288

affecting them, primarily by distributing local news by e-mail but also by delivering newsletters to Walton households. In addition we hold public meetings from time to time to allow residents an opportunity to question our Councillors and Executive Committee members. The Society supports candidates in local elections and 2 out of 3 Elmbridge's Walton Central Ward councillors represent the Walton Society. With policies and actions allied to local matters only, the Society is independent of the national political parties and able to concentrate purely on local issues. However, it is allied to other Residents' Associations across Elmbridge, and as part of this group has held control of Elmbridge Borough Council on several occasions, the most recent ending in May this year.

The Society's Councillors are Chris Sadler and Alan Palmer. Graham Woolgar, a former councillor, will be standing for election again in May next year. We offer a Councillors' Surgery at Walton Library on the first Saturday of each month (10 - 12 a.m.).

The Society has approximately 700 members throughout Walton-on-Thames. If you share Walton Society values and want to support us, you can become a member of the Society for ÂŁ10 per annum. By doing so, you will help us maintain our efforts to improve life for all Walton Residents. We are also very open to offers of help, for example delivering our newsletters and other literature, keeping us informed of issues in your street or area, or any specialist skills you have and are willing to use to help The Society. To receive Walton Society e-mails covering local issues, offer help, or join as a member, e-mail walton.society@btinternet.com Finally, I'd just like to thank to Paul Chard for offering the opportunity to produce a column for Walton Matters.

Graham Woolgar 11

Or email paul@villagematters.co.uk

A Look back at Heritage Day

By Joanna Gordon

On September 11th Heritage Day was celebrated in Walton. It was our 21st year, but we achieved several firsts; the main Fair was hosted in Bridge Street, there was the fantastic inaugural 'Pull the 4x4 Competition', a free open-air concert was held in the evening, we expanded the event to include six sites and we were blessed with good weather!

Local residents turned out in force to support our most historical shopping area and continued the day by enjoying the other events hosted around the town, in an expanded event for 2018.

The Mayor of Elmbridge Councillor Shweta Kapadia kindly opened the event and we also had a popular visit from Instagram star #TeddytheShetland.

Radio Wey joined us to compere the event with their usual enthusiasm and flair.

WoTTA has a great collaboration with Surrey 4x4 Response, an amazing volunteer organisation who help us with road closures and traffic management for all our events. They sponsored the Pull the 4x4 Competition, which saw seven teams from local pubs and community groups compete to pull the cutest yellow 4x4. An engraved cup will be held for 12 months by the 2018 winners, The Bear Pub. Well done to everyone who joined in. Get practicing for next year! The new locations on offer included The Cecil Hepworth Playhouse, honoured in 2017 with a Blue Plaque commemorating it s status as

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the only remaining building from the first film studios ever built in Great Britain. The Playhouse showed old black and white original films made in the Walton studios in their heyday and visitors could also take backstage tours hosted by WWAOS (Walton and Weybridge Amateur Operatic Society).

The annual popular Dog Show was held at Walton Wharf, with Nelly and her owner Jess winning Best in Show, as well as the Dog the Judges Would Most Like to Take Home. Also at the wharf the Sunbury and Walton Sea Cadets offered boat trips up the Thames. Further up the towpath, Riverhouse Barn held dramatic performances of Families of the Fallen The most exciting action of the day took place at St Mary's church with daring participants varying in ages from 10 to 80 including the Rt Hon Dominic Raab MP and St Mary s Vicars Cathy and Jonny - abseiling down the church tower. They also had over 300 visitors to the church itself, learning about it s fascinating past and viewing the Registers.

WoTTA ran a competition you could enter if you visited all six sites, and the winner will be drawn shortly - receiving ÂŁ100 worth of gift vouchers donated by Coop Funeralcare.

Many thanks to everyone who got involved and special mentions to The George Inn who celebrated 130 years by providing the performers for the concert. Thanks to Luxfords of Weybridge for providing the truck/stage once again. And finally, a huge thank you to the team of volunteers who work tirelessly for several months to ensure this event continues to take place, evolving and improving along the way.

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Happy Halloween!

It s 200 years since the publication of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus , was written by English author Mary Shelley (1797–1851) that tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a grotesque, sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific experiment. Shelley started writing the story when she was 18, and the first edition of the novel was published anonymously in London on 1 January 1818, when she was 20. Her name first appeared on the second edition, published in France in 1823.

The story took shape during the year without a summer, as 1816 came to be known.

The 1815 eruption of the Mount Tambora volcano on the island of Sumbawa (part of modern-day Indonesia) had released vast amounts ash, rock, and sulfuric dust into the air, which dramatically lowered temperatures across many areas of the globe the following year. Reports of odd weather came in from all quarters in 1816: summer frosts in North America, red snow in Italy, and eight weeks of nonstop rain in Ireland.

The bizarre weather in 1816 also left an indelible mark on culture and literature. That year, a group of friends from England had been looking forward to spending the summer months together in a large house, Villa Diodati near Lake Geneva. The group included the poet Lord Byron, his personal physician John Polidori, the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Shelley s teenage lover, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin.

Mary had met the Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley in Britain in 1812. Mary was To advertise email paul@villagematters.co.uk

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in her mid-teens, and Shelley was a married man and father of two children. The two fell in love, and in 1814, facing opposition to their relationship from Mary s father, the couple

eloped to Europe. They would marry in 1818, after the suicide of Shelley s first wife.

Mary, then age 18, had little writing experience. A sensitive, highly cultured woman whose mother had died when she was a baby, her frequent bouts of depression fuelled a morbid fascination with death. At Villa Diodati, and in response to Byron s ghost-story game, Mary turned one of her nightmares into a yarn about a scientist who creates a monstrous creature. Later, back in Britain, she expanded this initial tale into a novel. At first, I thought but of a few pages, of a short tale, she wrote later, but Shelley [by then her husband] urged me to develop the idea at greater length. And so, the Monster was born.

Happy Halloween!

Source : Various

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Ashley Park

By John C Pulford th

Up until the end of the 19 Century and into Ashley Park was inherited by Sir Henry the early years of the 20th, Walton was sur- Fletcher, MP for the county of Cumberland, rounded by several country estates including in 1786 and he enlarged the estate in 1804 Ashley Park, Mount Felix and Apps Court. Of from its original 190 acres. It remained in the these, the closest to the townAll centre was Ashfamily forPalmer four generations and there are three Pictures courtesy of Ted www.phototed.co.uk ley Park, about 450 acres of land stretching Henry Fletchers buried in St Mary s Church south of the town, centred round an early and remembered there in monuments and Jacobean mansion built in the Tudor style. stained glass windows. The house was bought The estate boundaries extended from Station from the Fletchers in 1862 by the Sassoon Avenue to family, who maintained close links between the centre the house and the population of Walton, inof Walton cluding the opening up of the park for social and bor- and sporting events. The house was still in dered the the family when it was finally sold in 1923. It Oatlands was demolished about two years later.

Park es- Although most of the park was developed as tate. Part a residential estate, part of the gardens and of the es- estate buildings including some lodges, still tate wall ran along much of the western side survive. The building of greatest interest is a of Walton High Street with entrance gates house, once called Ashley Cottage, at the opening into the street at a point opposite the Walton end of Oatlands Drive, which is present premises of W.H. Smith and close to believed to have been a dower house when where the High Street entrance to The Heart the estate was owned by the Fletchers. Anothnow is. The carriageway from these gates, er building with close connections is the known as the Grand Drive, was lined on both building behind the frontage of what is now sides with trees, some of which still survive in Superdrug on the corner of High Street and Ashley Park Avenue.

Churchfield Road. This was a village hall Ashley appears as a place name in Walton as gifted to the people of Walton in 1879 on the early as 1294 although no mention is made in occasion of Joseph and Louise Sassoon s the Domesday Book of 200 years earlier. It marriage. It was in this building that, before became part of Henry VIII s hunting ground, the age of cinema, Walton film pioneer, Cecil the Honour of Hampton Court, in 1539 but it Hepworth, showed some of the earliest films was the trustees of Lady Jane Berkeley, wife ever made in this country. of the 7th Lord Berkeley, who had the mansion built between 1602 and 1607. Construct- John C Pulford ed mainly from locally-made bricks and timber from Surrey woodlands, it had a succes- References. of Ashley Park. Michael Blackman, Walton and sion of other distinguished owners including History Weybridge Local History Society, 1976. th st the 7 Earl of Argyle and the 1 Earl of An- A Short History of Walton-on-Thames. Michael Blackglesey. In about 1720, it was purchased by man, Walton and Weybridge Local History Society, Richard Boyle, Viscount Shannon, whose 1989.

Sassoons of Ashley Park, Michael Dane, 1999. military achievements are commemorated in a The Came the Dawn, Cecil Hepworth, Phoenix House, 1951. grand monument by Louis Roubiliac in St. Photo from a private collection.

Mary s Parish Church.

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Beginners Guide to Firework Photography I'm a keen amateur photographer but I always failed at firework photography until last year when I decided to get serious. I've put together this short guide.

Kit: camera, torch, tripod, charged battery (and spare), decent memory card, remote shutter release.

Location: Get to any display early, before the crowds to choose the right spot. You want somewhere which avoids obstacles such as buildings or trees, street lights, car lights, and bright signs.

Wind: Stand upwind of the fireworks (wind blowing away from you). If you're downwind smoke will probably block most of your shots!

Settings: I've finally mastered this! If you have a camera you can set to manual: Turn the flash off; Turn noise reduction on; Set ISO 100; Set Aperture Please mention Walton Matters when responding to adverts

to F11; Focus for landscape (slightly less than infinity - some cameras have a landscape setting); shutter speed - you need to experiment to find your preference - try everything from 1-15 seconds (NB. this is why you need the tripod and shutter-release cable, to avoid blurry photos) If you only have an automatic (point-and-shoot) camera: Look for a firework setting. If you don't have one, try the landscape setting and experiment. I found clicking as soon as I heard the 'whoosh' of the firework being launched meant I caught the firework more often than not.

Experiment: Try different settings, different shutter speeds and focal lengths. Use the torch to check and adjust settings. Enjoy the process and don't forget to share

By Tom Hancock

19

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WILL LIGHTNING STRIKE TWICE ON EMBER PLAYERS?

By Louise Addison

The Ember Players are about to raise the curtain on their 2018/19 season with David Tristram`s comedy A Bolt from The Blue . Director, Molesey resident Steve Clunn, said Edward Jones is just an ordinary guy, doing ordinary things – if you count scaling towering electricity pylons for a living as ordinary! Then, the day before his 40th birthday, he gets struck by lightning.

What happens next is, quite literally, incredible. It defies logic and the fundamental laws of nature.

It`s is a very funny and quite poignant story, says Steve.

It sets all the nerves tingling before reaching an extraordinary conclusion.

Actor Richard Lyons (pictured) plays the `electrified` Jones – and he`s hoping to avoid the `Ember Players Curse. ` On the opening night, exactly 25 years ago, Thames Ditton resident Tony Smith (A former Deputy Head of St. George`s College, Weybridge) was playing a leading part in Nightwatch . I was watching a rugby match that afternoon, he recalls.

Suddenly an electric storm hit – and I was, quite literally, struck by lightning. The metal handle of the umbrella I was carrying spat out an enormous, smouldering spark and the thing shot out of my hand. Fortunately for me, I was wearing rubber boots – or I doubt I`d have made it to the opening performance.

A lightning bolt carries twenty to thirty thousand amps of electrical current when it makes contact with the ground. That's about 2,300 times more electricity than that used to power an average washing machine. According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, between 30 and 60 people are struck by lightning each year in Britain and roughly three of those are fatalities.

Tony Smith said I`ve warned Richard not to play golf, use umbrellas or shelter under trees until the show is over and, if we do get a major storm over the next couple of months, to avoid attending any To advertise email paul@villagematters.co.uk

20

outside sporting events – especially rugby!

A Bolt from The Blue is at The Cecil Hepworth Playhouse, Walton on Thames from Thursday 15th – Saturday 17th November at 8 p.m.

Tickets from: www.ticketsource.co.uk/emberplayers 07752 655087.

Tony Smith

Further information from: Nick Handel, Publicity Office, The Ember Players.

020-8398-2789. Mobile: 07742-139004.

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From Stink to Solution From an article by Maev Kennedy Following our article on the Great Stink last month, we were contacted by reader David Ford who suggested we go from stink to solution. He wrote to us about Crossness, the huge Victorian pumping station which was at the forefront of developments in dealing with sewerage.

(Coincidentally you may have seen a recent episode of the Antiques Roadshow which came from the magnificent Abbey Pumping Station in Leicester).

These industrial plants are simply stuning. The astonishing building, described as a cathedral on the marsh , was the first of its kind in the world, designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette, chief engineer of the Metropolitan board of works, to awe and inspire visitors from across the UK and Europe. They came to marvel at his solution to the appalling problems caused by untreated sewage and contaminated water supplies in a rapidly expanding city, which led to epidemics of killer diseases including cholera.

His solution was to take sewage as far as possible from the city through gravity flow and steampowered pumping engines and then dump it untreated into the Thames far to the south-east of the city. When the tide was coming in, the sewage was held in a tank covering 2.6 hectares (6.5 acres), with rows of workers cottages and a cricket pitch on top: the workers apparently grew magnificent tomatoes.

The exterior of the building at Crossness is magnificent. Originally including a giant humbugstriped chimney it retains doorways modelled on Norman cathedrals and carved capitals including a portrait of Bazalgette looking down with satisfaction upon his work.

The four giant steam-powered beam engines – the real attraction for many of the engineering pilgrims who visit – are surrounded by a blaze of polished brass, and dazzlingly painted cast-iron columns,

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spiral staircases and screens ornamented with figs, included for their laxative qualities!

The engines were named after senior members of the royal family, including Queen Victoria and the Prince Consort. When they were finally decommissioned in the 1950s, the cost of dismantling them was so enormous that they were simply left idle.

The Crossness Engines Trust now holds them on a peppercorn lease from Thames Water. The restoration happened thanks to thousands of hours of unpaid work by volunteers united in a passion for the heroic Victorian engineering and architecture.

Bazalgette s cathedral was opened by the Prince of Wales in 1865. The guests included the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, and what contemporary newspaper accounts called an excellent déjeuner was served to 500 people.

By then at least 30,000 Londoners had died in successive cholera epidemics, but the main impetus to tackle the problem was the Great Stink of 1858, when during a steaming summer the fetid Thames was so appalling that MPs considered abandoning the Palace of Westminster and compromised by hanging deodorising chemical-soaked sacking over the windows.

Bazalgette may have been wrong about the cause of cholera. Like many of his contemporaries he believed the culprit was miasma – basically the stench. But his solution worked. The last epidemic was in 1866.

The Old Works, Thames Water S.T.W, Bazalgette Way, Abbey Wood, London SE2 9AQ http://www.crossness.org.uk

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Crossword 1

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Place of worship (6) Bushwhack, trap (7) Foolhardy (8) Expression of mild dismay (4) Singing group (5) Sports Brand (6)

Down

Across 1 Hypothesis, notion (6) 4 Happen (5) 8 Melody, tune (5) 9 Progress, develop (7) 10 Flyer (7) 11 Threesome (4) 12 Affirmative response (3) 14 Sparkly stones (4) 15 Part of the foot (4) 18 Ocean (3) 21 Simple (4) 23 Robert _______ , stage and TV Actor (7) 25 Pointier, more acute (7) 26 Eskimo dwelling (5) 27 Ate, consumed (5) 28 Festive drink (6)

7 Filthy (5) 13 Neglecting, rejecting (8) 16 Fifth letter of the Greek alphabet (7) 17 Stopped (6) 19 Panic, terror (5)

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20 Fictional being, part human, part machine (6) 22 Killed (5)

24 Slang for potato (4)

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Academic & All-round Excellence

Visitor events throughout the year

(by appointment, see website for details)

Scholarships and bursaries available Entry at 11, 13 and 16 22 route coach service 27 acre campus

Hanworth Road, Hampton, Middlesex TW12 3HD • 020 8979 9273 www.hamptonschool.org.uk • admissions@hamptonschool.org.uk

Valid until 31st October 2018

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2018 Santa Fun Runs for Princess Alice Hospice promise a festive treat for all the famiBIGGER and brighter than ever, the

ly. This year sees the addition of an outstanding venue – Painshill Park, the magnificent award-winning 18th century landscape garden in Cobham – as well as a second date in Bushy Park.

This brings to four the number of Royal Park runs – two each in Richmond Park and Bushy Park. There s a choice of dates spread over four weekends in good time for Christmas. All routes are 5km – you can run, jog, walk or just stroll – alongside the hundreds of fellow Santas expected to turn out to raise much-needed funds for your local Hospice.

Runs are scheduled on Saturday 25th November at Painshill Park; 1st December at Richmond Park and the 9th and 16th December at Bushy Park. Runners

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can be big or little, on four legs as well as two(!), in teams, or singles and family groups. Entry is £18 for 16s and over, which includes a free Santa Suit; £8 for five- to 15-year-olds which includes a free elf hat. Under-5s are free.

Book by 31st October for a 20% discount.

Our festive fundraisers always raise lots of smiles as well as vital funds – it s inspiring to see the turnout at these popular events, said Nigel Seymour, Director of Fundraising at the hospice which serves a population of around 1 million in Surrey, SW London and Middlesex.

We rely on fundraising and our community support to generate the £9.9 million we need every year to provide Hospice care free of charge.

We are so grateful to each and every fundraiser, as the money raised really does make an enormous difference to the care we can provide at Christmas. For details and to book, visit pah.org.uk/santafunrun

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R O EM N A LY IN 2 IN G For more information please call 01932 247777 or email walton@curchods.com

WARREN PLACE Walton-on-Thames KT12 3FA

QUIET CUL-DE-SAC LOCATION SELECT DEVELOPMENT Six stylish 3 and 4 bedroom homes with modern contemporary open plan living.

Much sought after location.

Prices from £795,000 to £875,000

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Through The Keyhole I don t know about you, but I am fascinated by seeing inside other people s homes. It satisfies my sense of curiosity, well, if truth be told, nosiness; but at the same time, it gives me a chance to take inspiration for my interior design Do s and Don ts. The everpopular formats for Property programmes on TV seem to echo my feelings, as we watch people move, improve, renovate, self-build, downsize, upsize and redecorate with gusto.

Here at Just Shutters we spend our time visiting customer s homes and conducting design visits and then installing stylish new shutters for them. From cottages to mansions and everywhere in between we get to see through the key hole at homes across Surrey, Middlesex and South West London. That said, we spend the most time in Walton on Thames, which is where our business is based and where we live.

you yearn for some colour in your life and are on the lookout for something new then check out the Dulux Colour of the Year 2019 - Spiced Honey. This caramel tone was inspired with optimism and comfort in mind, things I am sure we could all do with more of. But before you paint your living room from top to toe, a whole room of Spiced Honey might look a little too, well, brown. Dulux s Crea-

Over the coming months, in Walton Matters, we will be sharing some key interiors trends we have encountered in the homes of Walton on Thames.

First off let s talk about colour...we can t help noticing that Grey has been making an appearance everywhere. It is a versatile colour and can be used in a myriad of ways to suit almost every taste, it is adaptable and works in every room of the house. But if

tive Director Marianne Shillingford advises us to use it as an accent or pair it with another colour for optimum impact and luckily for the homes of Walton, Charcoal Grey makes a perfect pairing. High street brands are already getting their accessories and soft furnishings ranges up to date so harnessing this colour trend should be a simple process. We predict we will start seeing these golden tones in homes across Walton on Thames throughout 2019.

Georgina Broadhurst For a design visit Call 01932 500 270 or visit JustShutters.co.uk.

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First Saturday Safari!

Esher Café Bridge raises over £2,000 for Homeless Charity – Elmbridge Rentstart!

Esher s pavements and restaurants were alive once again on a bright Saturday in August with the participants of Safari Bridge as it hosted its third Café Bridge event! Building on the success of the previous events, teams of Hippos and Kudus descended on Esher on a sizzling August afternoon to enjoy duplicate bridge in some of its wonderful restaurants.

Putting on an event of this nature, which was held in aid of Elmbridge Rentstart, requires a huge amount of goodwill, and local restaurants and businesses demonstrated this in spades by generously providing not only space to play the bridge but also delicious food at lunchtime. Participating restaurants were The Bear, Brouge and the Siam Food Gallery.

A raffle was held in The Bear with prizes generously donated by many local businesses, including James Neave the Estate Agent in Walton-onThames. The afternoon was a great success, raising over £2,000.

Elmbridge Rentstart is the nominated charity of Mayor of Elmbridge, Councillor Shweta Kapadia.

Rentstart, based in Walton-on-Thames have housed 150 local people in the last year. Not only does the charity house vulnerable people, they also support their clients to move on in life and get back into work, training and education.

I have really enjoyed this Saturday Safari - Café Bridge event. Not only did I have a fun day out, but I was able to raise awareness of homelessness and the great work Elmbridge Rentstart does. I am delighted that the event has raised over £2000 for Please mention Walton Matters when responding to adverts

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the Charity which I have chosen to support in my Mayoral Year.

So many think homelessness doesn t happen here in Elmbridge, but it does and I am very proud to be leading the campaign of awareness about the Elmbridge Rentstart s work. I was delighted to see so many players supporting the raffle which has led to such a great donation to the charity. My thanks to the organisers, volunteers, restaurants and all who participated.

Elmbridge Rentstart Chief Executive, Helen Watson on hearing the total raised said: We are very grateful to the team of volunteers who made this event such a success: Louise Pilcher, Jenny Parsons and Jackie Waller and not forgetting Victor Lesk - the brains behind the event!

The total raised was beyond our expectation and will make a transformational difference to local people experiencing homelessness.

This donation of £2,000 could pay towards two local people who are currently sleeping rough to have a safe place to live and receive expert support to help them get their lives back on track. Last year Rentstart helped over 60 people to find work, transforming lives for the long term.

Café Bridge is a unique style of bridge, a concept devised on the continent, and which is taking off in the London area. Events of this scale are enabled by our phone app-based scoring system, BriAn , which accumulates results from all the restaurants and allows players to follow their position in real time.

The organisers, together with a small army of local volunteers (and assisted by Tracey Blandford, Community Fundraising Officer of Elmbridge Rentstart), are delighted once again to have brought Café Bridge so successfully to Esher, showing the town at its best!

Louise Pilcher, organizer of Esher Café Bridge said: It s a great way to enjoy a day of fun competitive bridge in Esher, having a super lunch and raising funds for a deserving local cause. We have held three Café Bridge events in Esher over the last 12 months and have raised £11,700. We ve all had a fun time and it s win win for everyone.

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T H E O R Y N E D E I M U S I C N K R P L E A F L E T R E Y E G E M S C S E A E A S Y L A L S A S H A R P E R E I U M D I N E D

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

Solution to October Quick Crossword

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CHRISTMAS PARTY Special Offer

Mad Hatters Christmas Party at Littleton House, Shepperton Film Studios Enjoy Prosecco on arrival, 3 course festive dinner, Mad Hatter paparazzi & DJ and disco until 1am Private, shared and lunchtime dates available

To receive 10% off your booking – quote: ‘OCTOFFER’

Contact the Sales Team on 01753 656744 www.genuine-events.co.uk

Princess Alice

Santa FunRun 2018

hospice r u o y r o f e Fundrais nds ie h family and fr Festive fun wit

Painshill Park New venue Sun 25 Nov, 10am Richmond Park Sat 1 Dec, 10am & 12:30pm Bushy Park Sun 9 &16 Dec, 10am

20 DISC % OUN for a ll e

Adults (16 and over): £18, children (5-15): £8, under 5s: FREE

Sign up at pah.org.uk/santafunrun 01372 461808 © 2018 Princess Alice Hospice. Registered charity no. 1010930 and a company limited by guarantee in England and Wales no. 1599796

T

n by 3 tries boo 1 Oc tobe ked r!

Protect Your Cats!!

By Monica Chard

We were contacted recently by the owner of a Honda Jazz who had their catalytic converters removed in broad daylight by thieves in the area. Owners are being left with bills of hundreds of pounds. Having shared this information on social media we realised that this is now a widespread issue. Vehicle owners are urged to be vigilant especially as the cost of repair can be very considerable. A recent report in the Daily Telegraph reports on the issue at a national level: Thieves are

cashing in on six-year highs in prices for the rhodium, palladium and platinum in the devices. The metals, which clean cars toxic gases, can be recycled for use in jewellery, dentistry and electronics and command prices of up to ÂŁ2,000 an ounce, twice the value of gold. The instance we were told about involved a white male aged between 20 and 30 years who was driving a black Vauxhall Astra (no registration number noted).

Neighbours reported seeing him loading his booty into the Vauxhall car but did not realise until later what was happening.

What s the attraction for thieves? Well, the catalyst itself is most often a mix of precious metals. Platinum is the most active catalyst and is widely used, but is not suitable for all applications because of unwanted additional reactions and high cost. Palladium and rhodium are two other precious metals used. Rhodium is used as a reduction cataTo advertise call Paul on 07946 494288

lyst, palladium is used as an oxidation catalyst, and platinum is used both for reduction and oxidation. Needless to say, catalytic converters have a scrap value! But apparently new legislation introduced 6 years ago made it illegal to sell scrap metal for cash. This, coupled with a fall in the value of scrap metal reduced crime for a while but this latest spate indicates the spoils are just too good to ignore as values have risen so sharply. The Telegraph reports 4X4s such as Shoguns have also been targeted by the gangs, because they have a high clearance off the road making their catalytic converters accessible. Honda Jazzes and Accords are also favoured because their older devices are particularly easy to reach and rich in the precious metals. A professional gang can jack up a car and use a battery-powered steel cutter or angle-grinder to steal the catalytic converter within five minutes .Police have advised etching security details into the converters, installing extra bolts or protective sleeves to make them

harder to cut out and defensive parking against a wall or by another lower-slung vehicle to make it more difficult to reach under.

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The Day of The Dead Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is not a Mexican version of Halloween. The two annual events differ in traditions and tone. While Halloween is a dark night of terror and mischief, the Day of the Dead festivities honour deceased family members. Revellers don amazing makeup and costumes, hold parades and parties, sing and dance, and make offerings to lost loved ones. It actually takes place over two days: November 1st and 2nd - All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Day of the Dead originated several thousand years ago with the Aztec, Toltec, and other Nahua people. These pre-Hispanic cultures considered death to be one part of life s long continuum. The dead were still members of the community, kept alive in memory and spirit, and during Día de los Muertos they temporarily returned to Earth. Over the years these traditions blended with Christian traditions.

At the centre of the celebration is an altar, or ofrenda , built in homes and cemeteries.

These are designed to welcome spirits back to the realm of the living. They are loaded with offerings: water to quench thirst after the long journey, food, family photos, and a candle for each dead relative. The altars are decorated with marigolds which are scattered in a pathway to the grave-site, to guide wandering souls back to their place of rest. The smoke from copal incense, made from tree resin, transmits praise and prayers and purifies the whole area.

In the 18th Century the term Calavera (which means 'skull') was used to describe short, humorous poems, often sarcastic tombstone epitaphs that poked fun at the living. In the early 20th century, Mexican political cartoonist and lithographer José Guadalupe Posada illustrated a calavera by drawing 'Death' dressed in fancy French clothes. It was a social commentary about the way Mexican society copied so-called European sophistication.

He captioned it, Todos somos calaveras, which translates as, We are all skeletons. He meant that underneath all our manmade finery, we are all the same. His stylised personifiPlease mention Walton Matters when responding to adverts

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cation of Death was appropriated by the artist Diego Rivera in 1947, in his most famous piece of artwork - Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in Almeda Park. He painted Death wearing a large feminine hat, and named her Catrina, slang for 'the rich'. She was adopted as a symbol of the day of the Dead and today this elegant skull is seen everywhere during the festival, especially in the beautiful make-up and costumes worn by revellers. People of all ages have their faces artfully painted to resemble skulls, and wear fancy suits and dresses.

Foods eaten included pan de muerto, or bread of the dead, which is a typical sweet bread containing anise seeds, and decorated with bones and skulls made from dough. There are also sugar skulls, in the style of the Catrina Calavera. These are part of a sugar art tradition brought by 17th-century Italian missionaries. They can be incredibly beautiful and complex. To drink there is often pulque, a sweet fermented beverage made from agave sap, the same sap from which tequila is produced.

Thanks to recognition by UNESCO and the global sharing of information, Día de los Muertos is more popular than ever—in Mexico, and increasingly abroad. It's possible to find Day of the Dead celebrations in America and even in the UK. Last year there was festivals in London, Leeds, Bristol and Bournemouth. Look around your local area and see if anything is happening near you.

By Tracey Anderson

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SHEPPERTON

Fantastic cocktails, great ales, craft beers, fabulous Saturday brunch & our ever popular Sunday roasts.

F O O D S E RV E D A L L D AY CHRISTMAS BOOKINGS NOW BEING TAKEN

The Red Lion, Russell Road, Shepperton TW17 9HX Tel: 01932 244526 | www.redlionshepperton.com

round to find a volunteer driver who is free to take the appointment. Volunteering for Care is extremely flexible, both for drivers and duty officers and very rewarding.

If you think you might be able to spare time to volunteer as a duty officer or a driver, please contact our secretary Pauline Lamb on 01932 222978 or email pauline.lamb_@tiscali.co.uk We would be delighted to hear from you and you will receive a very warm welcome.

Care in Walton and Hersham is a local independent registered charity serving the elderly residents of Walton and Hersham and celebrates its 30th Anniversary this year. The charity is completely self financing and has become a very valued help to the community. Clients are frequently telling us that they don t know how they would manage without us! Volunteer drivers use their own cars to transport clients to medical appointments, wait and return them home. Expenses are reimbursed at the current rate of 45p per mile. There is no pressure for a driver to be available on specific days. Duty Officers work from home between 9.30 - 12.30 Monday to Friday, again on a day to suit them- selves. No car is necessary for duty officers as the office in the bag can be delivered and collected by a coordinator if necessary. Nothing complicated, no computers for the office just our dedicated mobile phone to take the initial call from the client. A record is made on a card index and Day Book then the Duty Officer rings

To advertise email paul@villagematters.co.uk

Registered Charity No. 801804 www.careinwaltonandhersham.org.uk

In Walton And Hersham

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Solution September Word Search

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Urban Wildlife Garden

You don t need to live in the country to enjoy wildlife A Blog by Local Resident - Della Reynolds Throughout the summer months I was fortunate enough to live in the homes of my friends and neighbours escaping the mayhem of my house renovations. In early September I was offered a week in Kingswood looking after my friend s two dogs. Kingswood is on the edge of the Surrey greenbelt and I was excited at the prospect of observing the wildlife in her expansive countryfied garden. The land around Kingswood is made up of farmland, golf courses, the Downs and an expanse of open land attached to the old Legal and General building. All could be reached by walking through a series of small alleyways, like tributaries feeding into the ocean these pathways fanned out connecting the urban dwellings with the green space beyond. I lived surrounded by mature trees with gardens as big as football pitches rubbing shoulders with evergreen hedgerows. A potential wildlife haven. The next morning, as dawn cracked open a sleepy eye, I heard my first bird sing a welcome to the sun. I lay in bed with the window open and waited for the others to join in. Reluctant as I was to leave my Egyptian cotton sheets and super soft pillows eventually I went over to the window to see where they all were, for I barely heard a peep out of them. From the window I could see the green expanse of the golf course beyond and a fresh blue sky but not a single bird. In the whole week I saw no flocks on the wing as I do here .Observing the garden, I saw two magpies who came most mornings for a quick shifty round. I saw a female blackbird a couple of times and two robins fighting over a worm. These country birds must all be out in the fields I thought, enjoying nature s plenty. No doubt I will see them on my daily dog walks. Many of the public footpaths fell alongside agricultural fields.

In early September the crop had been cut and just stubbles of yellow sticks remained. I was pleased to see that the edges had been left for wild flowers and the Downs also contained much purple headed - bounty. No butterflies rose from the stems of the wild flowers as I walked by and I noticed only a few bees. I looked in particular for birds and thought I might see a bird of prey hovering on high, chasing down field mice, but I didn t. The only birds I saw were a few black crows who dotted the fields where the cows had been grazing making the most of the insect life attracted by the Please mention Walton Matters when responding to adverts

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cowpats. I saw no tiny sparrows or wrens darting between the hedgerows as they do when I walk in Cow Common. It looked on the surface to be a green and pleasant land but it was devoid of biodiversity. Now you could argue that out in the country the creatures have more room to hide and why would they be on paths where people walked when they didn t need to be. This could be a valid point. Alternatively, perhaps the country wildlife is moving into the urban areas because industrial farming methods are making their natural habitat inhospitable. As we squeeze the land for productivity, leaving no fallow time between crops and using more potent sprays to kill bugs, what do we leave for the birds to eat? Now I m no expert but Chris Packham is and on the 22nd September he organised a walk for wildlife through London to draw attention to the fact that 44 million birds have disappeared from the countryside since 1966.

A powerful video released to mark this event and called walk for the missing millions echoes my experience exactly. https://youtu.be/94cweSEFTi8

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Celebrate Christmas & New Year’s Eve at The Warren Lodge, The Anchor & Best Western Ship Hotels Celebrations include: • Christmas Party Nights • Festive Lunches & Dinners • Christmas Day Lunch • Boxing Day Lunch • New Year’s Eve Dining & Dancing To book your celebrations or for more information please contact our Christmas Coordinators Warren Lodge or Anchor Hotels Please call 01932 237652 Or email c&b@desboroughhotels.com Best Western Ship Hotel Please call 01932 848364 Or email mail c&bship@ ip@desboroughhotelss.ccom Warren Lodge or Anchor Hotels, Church Square, Shepperton, Middlesex TW17 9JZ www.warrenlodgehotel.co.uk • www.anchorhotel.co.uk Best Western Ship Hotel, Monument Green, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 8BQ www.shiphotel.co.uk

Recipe of The Month Stuffed Pepper Lanterns

Serves: 4 Preparation time: 20 mins Cooking time: 25 mins Ingredients 4 Orange peppers 200g Cooked brown rice 1 tbsp Sunflower oil 450g Minced beef or turkey 1 Medium onion finely chopped 225g Mixed mushrooms, chopped 350g jar roasted red pepper sauce 1 tsp Dried oregano Âź tsp Chilli flakes Salt and pepper to taste Method

Cook rice according to package directions. Lightly oil a baking tray. Arrange the peppers and their tops on the tray and cook in the oven for 20 minutes, or until peppers are cooked, but still are still firm. They mustn t collapse! Remove peppers from oven and allow to cool while you make the filling.

For the filling Heat 1 tbsp oil in large frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and mushrooms and sautĂŠ for 3-4 minutes, until the mushrooms have softened and reduced in size.

Increase the heat to medium-high. Add mince, herbs and chilli flakes and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until browned. Drain the excess oil. Reduce heat to low, then add the pepper sauce and cooked rice. Stir to combine and cook for 2-3 more minutes, or until mixture is heated through.

Fill each pepper to the brim, allow the mixture to spill over slightly. Place a top on to each stuffed pepper and serve with green salad.

For the pepper lanterns Preheat the oven to 180C / Gas Mark 4. Use a sharp knife to slice the top off each pepper horizontally. Don t discard these tops as they will ne the little hats for the pepper lanterns. Deseed the peppers. Rinse and pat dry with kitchen towel. Use a small paring knife to cut holes into the exterior of the peppers to make pumpkin-lantern style faces. If the peppers don't stand upright, slice a small amount from the bottom to flatten the surface.

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Garden View This Month - Lawn Love

By Rachael Leverton

There are times I threaten to astro-turf my entire garden, but then I remember the smell of freshly mown grass and how lovely it is to walk through the dew with the dogs in the morning, and I relent. Of all garden tasks I find lawncare the most tedious. I am not a lawn enthusiast, preferring plants. For me lawns are a necessary evil. I like sitting on them, walking on them, and they make my flowers look good, in much the way a frame enhances a picture. So, I feel I do have to give my lawn at least a little love and care. By October lawn growth has slowed so you can raise your mowing height by at least one setting until mid-spring next year. If like mine your lawn sprouts moss the moment it rains, raise the mowing height even more so that at least 1 to 2cm of grass shows above the moss after grasscutting. Damp grass builds up inside the mower so give the mower a good brush, scrape or hose down after every use. This necessary housekeeping prolongs the life of your mower. After the middle of October there is no point applying weed-killer, so if you haven't been diligent in weed control the only option will be hand-pulling them. I am rarely diligent about weed-killing, so you are in good company here! Moss becomes more evident as the weather cools but you're too late for raking by now. Probably best to embrace the lush greenness: moss lawns are all the rage in Japan anyway. On the other hand, if the weather is still warm and the ground is dry, apply moss killers, rake it out, reseed and water. You ll thank me next year. October is the best time for aerating the lawn. I used a fork for years until I bought a hollow-tine Please mention Walton Matters when responding to adverts

46

aerator three years ago, and now I'm a convert. You can't overdo it, insert them every few inches until you re fed-up. It s a great work-out. The hollow tines pull out little cores that look like fat worms. Leave them in place to recycle the nutrients. Aerating improves drainage and allows air, nutrients and rain to move down to the roots rather than sitting at the surface. Normally by now there has been enough rain to allow the tines to penetrate the soil making the job easier but who knows what the crazy UK weather will be doing when this article is published. It's best to fertilise the lawn after aerating if possible. This month is quite a good month for fertilising the lawn if you haven t already got around to it. Not only does fertilisation give you a fantastic lawn ready for the winter but also offers some protection from the ravages of winter temperatures and diseases. Make sure you collect fallen leaves weekly to discourage moss and disease. I know some gardeners like to discourage leatherjackets and worm-activity but frankly I like watching starlings poke around for leather-jackets, and I like worms, they are my little garden friends, so if the odd worm cast is the price I must pay for their help then I'm happy to put up with them.

Happy gardening.

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A local Company with Local Knowledge & Experience No pressure. No hassle. Just quality products and workmanship at honest prices We have been established since 1985.

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We understand that choosing your new home improvements is a huge decision that can take time to really settle on the best option for you. Our approved installers are there to help you make the best choice for your home and deliver the highest levels of value, security, style and energy efficiency to your home. We believe you deserve more than 'just another double glazing windows installer.

See what some of our satisfied customers think • 33 years established, local, independent company • Extensive range of quality products from Vevo • Great range of colours available • Windows, doors, bi-folds, casements, porches

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Tel 01932 228788 Info@houseofsurrey.co.uk www.houseofsurrey.co.uk select installer

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Events Coming Up Some we like...

"The Hersham Village Market will be holding their Christmas Market on Saturday 24th November at All Saints Catholic Church Hall , Queens Road, Hersham KT12 5LU (opposite Hersham Green). Open from 12.30pm - 3.00pm. Regular Friday markets will continue throughout the year (11.45am - 1.15pm).

Free entry and free parking A great evening of Blues music from Midnight Blues and guest band The Robin Bibi Band.

No Entrance Fee, No Membership required, Fully Air Conditioned. Music from 8.30pm.Friday 2nd November 2018 Surrey Blues Club Hersham Sports & Social Club 128 Hersham Road Hersham Surrey KT12 5QL Walton Voices A Remembrance of Things Past . One of the R C Sherriff Trust's 25th anniversary events, this concert is to mark 100 years since the end of The Great War, and Walton Voices will perform an original choral piece composed by Jack Hurst especially for the occasion. Friday 9th November 2018 at 7pm Christ the Prince of Peace Church, Portmore Way, Weybridge KT13 8JD £5 email arts@rcsherrifftrust.org.uk or call 01932 229996.

Half-term Hansel and Gretel Trail. Follow in the footsteps of Hansel and Gretel and help them to escape from the clutches of the wicked witch. Time: 10am to 4pm Price: Normal Admission plus £1 per trail. Claremont Landscape Garden, Portsmouth Road, Esher, KT10 9JG. Sat 20 Oct 2018 to Sun 28 Oct 2018 Contact telephone: 01372 467806 Brooklands Morgan Day. Sun 7 Oct 2018. Hundreds of Morgans are expected for this annual event. There will be action on Test Hill and club display Parking for Morgans only on the Museum site - access through the Campbell Gate off Brooklands Road (the B374). Visitor parking will be in The Heights off Wellington Way or in our usual car park at Mercedes-Benz World.10am to 5pm. Normal Museum admission charges apply. Brooklands Museum, Brooklands Road, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 0QN. Contact telephone: 01932857381 Cosi Fan Tutte. Following their sensational and much acclaimed Don Giovanni, INSTANT OPERA return to Normansfield with the third and final masterpiece in the Mozart / Da Ponte canon; COSI FAN TUTTE sometimes referred to by its intriguing alternative title The School for Lovers 13th October 7:00pm-9:00pm, 14th October 6:30pm-8:30pm Price: £22-£25 from 0333 1212 300 or online at www.langdondowncentre.org.uk. Normansfield Theatre, Langdon Down Centre, 2a Langdon Park, Teddington, Middlesex, TW11 9PS Storytime for Adults with actresses Rosalyn Landor & Geraldine Moffatt The event forms part of the first week of this inaugural Body in the Library : Crime Fiction Festival and both readers have chosen some delightful crime fiction short stories, to entertain, thrill and maybe even surprise you. Storytimes are not just for children Fri 2 November 2018 15:00 – 16:00, Walton Library, 54, The Heart, Hepworth Way, Walton-on-Thames, KT12 1GH Ali Cook Principles of Deception. Star of the West End magic spectacular Impossible, Penn & Teller: Fool Us (ITV1), Dirty Tricks (Ch4), and Monkey Magic (Five), Ali Cook returns with his own brand of awe-inspiring magic and off-beat comedy. Expect to be genuinely amazed.

The show is suitable for ages 8+. Show starts 8pm. Tickets: £15.00/£13.00. Riverhouse Arts Centre, Manor Road, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey KT12 2PF Sat 3 Nov 2018 Contact telephone: 01932 253354 The Watergardens - Open Garden for National Garden Scheme. Japanese landscaped garden originally part of Coombe Wood Nursery, planted by the Veitch family in the 1860s. Approx 9 acres with ponds, streams and waterfalls. Many rare trees which, in spring and autumn, provide stunning colour. For the tree lover this is a must see garden. Gardens attractive to wildlife. Sun 14 Oct (2-4.30). Admission £5, Children free. Times:14:00 to 16:30. Open for charity. The Watergardens, Kingston-upon-Thames, London KT2 7LF Sun 14 Oct 2018 Please mention Walton Matters when responding to adverts

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Or email paul@villagematters.co.uk

To advertise email paul@villagematters.co.uk

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Or call Paul on 07946 494288

Dominic Raab Our Local MP

.Whilst there is a lot going on up at Westminster and in Brussels on Brexit, as your MP I always stay grounded in local issues here in Walton. Back in January, I met with residents of Bowes Road to understand their concerns about the volume and speed of traffic along their road, and to take action with Surrey County Council.

Surrey County Council has listened, and has agreed to install traffic priority signs at two of the road s four pinch points by the start of next year. This will make traffic in both directions give way at some point during their journey along the road, which will slow cars down and increase road safety. More broadly, Surrey County Council has pledged ÂŁ720,000 to maintain and repair Elmbridge s roads this year, on top of the ÂŁ15.5 million they have already invested over the last five years. I appreciate how important this action is for improving quality of life in Walton.

As well as helping to fix local problems, I am also working to address concerns about the recent spate of illegal traveller encampments. On 7 September I met with Elmbridge Borough Council s (EBC s) Chief Executive Rob Moran to discuss the council s response to the encampments, in particular the one at Halfway Car Park in August in Walton, including the High Court injunction EBC have secured locally to prevent future incursions. Nationally, Housing Secretary James Brokenshire recently held talks with the Irish government to discuss their experience of introducing a new offence of criminal trespass, as the government prepares to put forward reforms to tackle the issue.

My turn came next

..Editor

I also enjoy taking part in the vibrant community life we have across the constituency. On 8 September I joined Walton Heritage Day to support local residents, businesses, charities and civic groups. I joined in with Joanna Gordon from the Walton on Thames Trading Alliance (WoTTA) who did an amazing job organising various stalls and activities, ranging from the screening of black and white films at the Cecil Hepworth Playhouse to the Dog Show down by the river.

Next, I abseiled down the tower of St Mary s church (see photo above) to raise money to support the church s maintenance and community outreach programmes which support retired people, teenagers and young families.

The local heritage day is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our civic spirit and pride, which help make Walton such a fantastic place to live.

MP for Esher & Walton

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Index of Advertisers Bathrooms Walton Bathrooms 5 Sanctuary Bathrooms 21 Building W Brown and Son 48 Business Networking Thameside Business Assoc.

48 Care Bluebird Care 10 Chemist Trio Pharmacy 24 Cleaning ProFloor 30 Cycling Hinton Cycles 45 Estate Agents Curchods 28/29 Harmes Turner Brown 56 Electrician DCM Electrical 46 Paige Electrics 49 Events Hampton Court Palace 9 Tribute Acts - Holiday Inn 17 Festive Cheer - Holiday Inn 22 Riverhouse Barn 51 Kempton Steam Museum 52 PAH Fun Run 36 Equity Release Harvest Financial Mgmt 20 Floor Care Profloor Restore 30 Funeral Services Alan Greenwood 10

Lodge Bros Garden Services/Supplies Longacres Glazing/Windows/Doors Village Windows House of Surrey Health and Fitness Hot Yoga Kitchens Ashford Kitchens Oven Cleaning Ovenclean Mobility Shepperton Mobility Restaurants/Bars/Pubs Cappadocia Littleton House Xmas The Red Lion Warren Lodge Schools/Education Hampton School Halliford School Hampton Prep / Pre Prep Thamesmead School William Perkins Sell for Cash JC Stamps Shutters House of Surrey Just Shutters Stoves Kindle Swimming Lessons Sports Generation

41 Tailoring Shepperton Tailoring 15 Upholstery John Miller 48 Weddings 47 Littleton House Will Writing 18 Harvest Wills 6 40 34 26 35 39 43 25 2 55 27 34

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November 2018 Issue Closing on 17th October paul@villagematters.co.uk Or call

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Part of the Hampton School Trust.

IAPS Independent Day School for boys aged 3 -11 & girls aged 3 - 7 years

Open Mornings Friday 5 October and Friday 7 December 2018

9.30am: Headmaster’s welcome – Prep School 9.45am - 11.00am: Tours – Pre-Prep and Prep Book your place via our website: www.hamptonprep.org.uk - ‘Visit the School’ page Assessment morning for Year 3, September 2019 entry: Saturday 10 November, 2018

Hampton Pre-Prep & Prep School is highly successful in meeting its aims.

The achievements of the pupils are excellent.

ISI Report 2016

020 8979 1844 admissions@hamptonprep.org.uk Hampton Pre-Prep & Prep, Gloucester Road, Hampton, Middlesex, TW12 2UQ

Walton on Thames, £1,450,000 • Private gated road • Approx 1/3 mile to station

• Four reception areas • Master suite with terrace

Walton on Thames, £825,000 • Private gated development • Four bedrooms • Stunning open plan kitchen • Bi-fold doors to garden

Esher, £1,375,000 • Five bedrooms • Scope to extend S.T.P.P.

• Kitchen/Dining room • Large Rear Garden

Molesey, £700,000 • Close to town centre • Period features

• Three bedrooms • Off street parking

If you are considering selling or letting we would be delighted to provide you with a free market appraisal.

Walton on Thames: 01932 222266 East Molesey: 0208 001 8385 www.htbproperty.com