Worcester park life march 18 by jenny stuart

Worcester Park Life

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March Contents History by David Rymill Another novelist in The Avenue 6 Ruth Jemmett Writes Simnel Cakes, Sunshine And Skimmia 9 View from the City 12 Cake & Bake 14 Codeword 18 What’s On 20 Quiz 23 Sudokus 26 Voice for Wildlife 28 Gardening Getyour soil into shape 30 Clubs 34 Recipe - Cajun Meatballs With Herb And Tomato Couscous 40 Parkin’ some thoughts 42 Kids Play 44 Solutions 46

Published by Malden Media Limited Editor Jenny Stuart jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk 020 8336 2915 www.maldenmedia.co.uk 36 Rosebery Avenue KT3 4JS Please note that the opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily represent the views of the editor. All advertisements are commercial and not indicative of any endorsement by the editor who accepts no responsibility for any loss suffered directly or indirectly by any reader as a result of any advertisement or notice published in this magazine. All in-house artwork and editorial presented in this magazine remains the copyright of Malden Media Ltd. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored on any retieval system, or transmitted in any form electronic, mechanical. recording, photocopying, or otherwise without prior permission from the Publisher.

Also publishing Malden’s Village Voice

Welcome to Your Worcester Park Life So it is was year ago that after pressure from the children I finally agreed to adding a puppy to the family. Arguments had been put forward and promises made that I would hardly notice his existence. Walks on cold, wet and windy days would all be taken care of by the children. Oh how gullible was I. There is an amusing cartoon where a dog owner promises not to let the dog on the furniture. He succumbs to that rule and progressively many more until the dog has complete rule of the house and it is the humans who have to live by the rules (google). And that is exactly the story of our house for the last year. We have no complaints though - we have ended up with a fluffy ball of fun - a standard issue urban Cocka-Poo. We have discovered amazing places to walk the dog including the commons of Wimbledon and Esher. And what a pleasure they are at this time of year with spring ever so timidly making it way into life. Joy! Anyway, remember that Worcester Park Life is YOUR magazine so if you are helping to organise an event and would like some FREE publicity then please do email details. Likewise if you are part of an organisation that could benefit from attracting new local members next year then why not send in an article. You may or not know that in order to deliver the magazine to most of Worcester Park, we split the distribution over a two month period. So if you have had this edition delivered you probably won’t get the April one. There are a limited number of copies available from Waitrose, the libraries, Manor Drive surgery, St Marys and also Christ Church with St Philip but don’t forget that it is also published online - you can get the link from our website.

Until next time, best wishes,

Jenny Jenny Stuart, Editor & publisher P.S. Please remember to mention the Worcester Park Life when replying to adverts, and get in touch by 17th March if you’d like your business, Club or event to feature in the April edition, and 17th April for May

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Worcester Park History by David Rymill

Another novelist in The Avenue I have written previously about some of Worcester Park’s literary connections, and I was pleased to discover another one recently. While browsing a catalogue of Victorian novels I spotted the name of the author Rose Piddington, and I wondered if this might be the Rose Piddington who had lived in Worcester Park. I knew little about the local Rose Piddington except that her full name was Rose Macqueen Piddington, and she appeared in census returns from 1881 onwards at Park House, later numbered as 21/23 The Avenue; the site is now occupied by Mowat Court (opposite Lansdowne Court). Sir Alexander Harris in his memoir of Cuddington in 1895 (published in 1945) wrote: ‘A well-known attendant at the services in the Iron Church [the predecessor to St Mary’s at the top of The Avenue] was Miss Piddington, with her friend Mrs Macrea – better known still to the locality by her typical pair of greys on afteroon drives.’ I found that the author Rose Piddington had written two three-volume novels. The Last of the Cavaliers, an historical novel beginning in early 1688, was published anonymously by Richard Bentley of London in 1859; you can find it on Google Books. It was followed in 1866 by The Gain of a Loss, published by T C Newby of London; narrated by a clergyman’s daughter, this recounts her relationship with the local titled family who return to England after some years on the Continent. I have recently started reading this one – and I’ve enjoyed it so far; my copy was published in 1869 by Leypoldt and Holt of New York, so presumably the first edition was sufficiently wellreceived to justify its republication in the US. This was described as ‘by the author of The Last of the Cavaliers.’ So, was this author the Rose Piddington who lived in The Avenue? Information at http://www. victorianresearch.org/atcl indicated this, but I wanted to make sure. Fortunately some of the archive of the publisher Richard Bentley is held in The British Library and I recently consulted a file of agreements and correspondence between Bentley and a rather spectacular collection of authors (Add MS 46617). This includes an agreement in 1858 for the publication

of her first book; the document quotes its working title Alice, but is annotated ‘Last of Cavaliers’. Profits would be divided equally between the author and publisher. Usefully, it confirms her full name, Rose Macqueen Piddington, and gives her address as The Limes, Forest Hill. In the census returns, I found that in 1861 Rose Piddington, aged 27, was living at The Limes with her parents John Piddington – an agent for the conveyance of parcels to and from the Continent, etc – and Elizabeth. By 1871 the family was in Thornton Heath, and in 1881 John, Elizabeth and Rose were at Park House in Worcester Park; they had perhaps arrived in 1877, when the house was leased to John Piddington. Rose was in good company as one of Bentley’s authors. The file includes two documents bearing Charles Dickens’s stylish signature, and agreements with Anthony Trollope for the publication of The Three Clerks (the closest I have come to finding a link between Worcester Park and one of my favourite authors!) and with Wilkie Collins for Rambles Beyond Railways. Elizabeth and John Piddington appear to have died in 1882 and 1891; Rose remained at Park House, with a cook and housemaid. By 1871 John had been described as a patent agent, but he had presumably continued to be involved in the parcels business, because it was only in 1902 that Rose, as one of his executors, withdrew from partnership in a continental daily parcels express known as John George Smith and Co in England and as L’Agence Continentale et Anglaise on the Continent. The business was continued by John George Piddington formerly Smith, apparently Rose’s nephew (a niece, Margaret Smith, was at Park House in 1891). Under JGP the firm was well-known for importing silverware.

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Rose died on 15th May 1928 aged 97. I have found no evidence that she continued her literary activities after moving to The Avenue, but I wonder if she enjoyed discussions with some of her neighbours about authors and publishers they may have known: the literary agent James Brand Pinker was next door but one at no. 27; H G Wells was briefly at no. 41 in the 1890s; and George Gill, who wrote and published textbooks, was at no. 10 around 1900. Worcester Court, on the site of Worcester Gardens, was originally the home of the novelist ‘Mrs Alexander’ (Annie Hector) and her husband, and was still owned by the Hector family although they may not have been in residence when the Piddingtons arrived. In 1922-3, when she was in her 90s, Rose might have seen the young Allen Lane, who later founded Penguin Books, and was lodging with an uncle and aunt at no. 35, walking to the station while working in the family publishing firm The Bodley Head. I haven’t found any photographs of Rose: the sepia photograph shows the Macey family’s forge, on the site now occupied by Poundland adjoining the Huntsman’s Hall (now The Brook), and according to a 1995 Surrey Comet article, drawing on recollections by Tom Parker of Malden Green Farm, this shows, on

the left, Miss Piddington’s carriage horses and her coachman Mr Healey. The colour photograph, from 1985, shows Park House, a three-storey yellow-brick villa similar to nos. 13 and 29 which still stand. To the right are the coach-houses for this house and Grafton House (later replaced by Squirrels Court); both coach-houses still exist (more about Park House, including another photograph, in my January 2015 article , available online at issuu. com/maldenmedia). Thank you to those who have been in touch in response to recent articles; I’m grateful for comments and contributions. If emailing, please look out for the combination of a double letter l immediately followed by a figure 1 in the email address. David.Rymill1993@alumni.aber.ac.uk (020) 8330 6563

Worcester Park, Old Malden and North Cheam: History at our Feet Published in 2012 and available at £10 (plus £2 towards postage if required) from the Rymill family. Ring 020 8330 6563 for more details. This 300-page book tells the story of Worcester Park from the Iron Age to the present day, and includes memories of local life from 1908 onwards, and over 150 maps, photographs and drawings - mostly never published before.

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Ruth Jemmett Writes Simnel Cakes, Sunshine And Skimmia By Ruth Jemmett March is often viewed as the first month of Spring, but in fact it straddles the seasons. The first twenty days, astronomically, belong to winter. It is a month know for being windy. It has often been said that it “comes in like a lion, and goes out like a lamb”. As we in this country know only too well, at this time of the year we can either welcome sunshine back into our lives, or don our snow-shoes! As the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow noted, when referring to March: “I shake the cities with my hurricanes, I flood the rivers, and their banks efface, And drown the farms and hamlets with my rains”.

about him, it is recorded that he founded several monasteries The date of his death is debateable, and is given as either 544, 589, or 601, which could have been confusing for those wanting to tend his grave! Some people like to wear a daffodil on their lapel in remembrance of him on this day. St David was said to have asked his soldiers to wear leeks on their clothing when they were in battle, so that they could be easily identified. No doubt their pungent smell could have made them easy to find! International Women’s Day will be on 8th of the month. Despite women’s hard fight to get the vote in western society, The Harvey Weinstein furore has highlighted the fact that far too many women still have to endure being treated as second-class citizens. Unwanted sexual attention from men is rife. In this country, the theory of The Equal Pay Act is wonderful, but misogyny often ensures that the right to receive equal pay for equal work, is still,

Let us hope we don’t experience anything that dramatic in the Home Counties! This last winter hasn’t been too punishing for those in the south of the country - so far! In my garden, Spring flowers have been striving to rise through the earth for a few weeks now, and my Skimmia shrub has looked particularly colourful, despite night frosts. (see pic). The greenhouse now has colourful hyacinths showing their heads, and, thankfully, we haven’t seen any more mice lurking behind flower pots! The nippy weather has inspired me to make hearty, warming soups, my favourite of the moment being made with Lentils Parsnips Onions and Potatoes. Yum! The name March originates from Mars (Latin ‘Martius’), and historically it was the month when military campaigns would begin after winter. An ancient name for March was once ‘Lide’, which came from Old English ‘Hlyda’, which was related to high winds. The AngloSaxons called this month ‘Lenetmonath’ (length month - a reference to the lengthening of the days.) which is related to the words Lenten and Lent. The 1st of March is St David’s Day. He is the patron saint of Wales. He was said to have been the son of a prince or chieftain. Although little is known To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915

for many women, a mere pipe dream. The horrendous practice of FGM, child brides, and marriage dowries in other societies, means that it will be a very long time before females all over the world won’t have the need to fight for parity with men on every level.

to the nature of light, and construction of telescopes.

Mothering Sunday falls on 11th of March, when good children everywhere honour their mothers with cards and gifts. Mothering Sunday is on the fourth day of Lent. Many years ago in this country, mothers would walk in a procession through their home towns to mark the day. As young people began to move out of their homes, and often go ’into service’, they were given time off to visit their mothers at this time. It was a common practice to present one’s mother with a Simnel cake or trinket on this date.

In recent days I have seen a few people jogging around local roads in preparation for The London Marathon that takes place on 22nd March. Rather them than me! I wasn’t a bad runner in my youth, and would happily jog around the streets of Leatherhead with my school friends, but the thought of doing a marathon was always a bridge too far! If participating in the marathon sounds a bit too energetic for you, perhaps you could support charities in other ways by doing something for Red Nose Day on 24th March? It is a shame that we have to rely so much on public donations so much to keep charities going, when millions of pounds are spent on sports events. Perhaps one day we will get our priorities right.

Families come in different shapes and sizes these days, but military people tell us that when soldiers are dying on a battlefield, they invariably cry out for their mothers. We must appreciate them while we have them.

On 24th of March we have to remember to put our clocks forward an hour, and on 25th British Summer Time officially begins. It is always cheering to have more daylight in our lives. The 24th is also the day of a grand British institution - the Boat Race.

St Patrick’s Day falls on 17th March, when traditionally one should sport some shamrock on their clothing. Not many people realise that St Patrick was actually Welsh. He moved to Ireland in 432, where he suppressed the power of the Druids. He is said to have banished snakes from Ireland - although that is a bit debateable I think! (I had enough trouble trying to banish one mouse from my greenhouse!). At the moment am very much in touch with an old school friend who lives in Ireland. Despite the vagaries of the Irish telephone system we usually manage to have a nice catch-up every week. I have known my friend - namely Barbara - since we both attended the same convent sixty years ago, and we still remember with clarity many of the people who attended the school with us - not to mention some pretty scary nuns! Talking of old friends - I was recently re-acquainted with another old school friend - Janet - that I first met when we were five years old at St Joseph’s Catholic Junior School - 66 years ago! As with my other friend in Ireland, Janet and I can reel off the names of a lot of former schoolmates. Nature plays cruel tricks on us as we get older, and conversely, we Golden Oldies aren’t very good at remembering what we ate yesterday or the names of people we met last week!!!

On 26th of October 1969 the M.P. Margaret Thatcher announced in The Telegraph: “No woman in my time will be Prime Minister or Chancellor of The Exchequer or Foreign Secretary - not the top jobs. Anyway, I would not want to be Prime Minister - you have to give yourself 100%”. History gave us a very different story, but we still have to ask ourselves, has women’s lot really improved that much over forty years later? Women M.P.s often receive trolling on-line, plus threats of rape or murder, for merely stating their own opinions. Even male fellow M.P.s have recently been heard to shout “Get back to the kitchen” during parliamentary stittings. We have a long way to go!

Spring officially begins this year 0n 20th March - the time of the Vernal Equinox. It coincides with the date that Sir Isaac Newton died, in 1727. He was born in Lincolnshire in 1642, and his most famous contribution to science was probably the discovery of gravity, inspired by seeing a falling apple in his garden. He also formulated three laws of motion, and did work relating

Whatever you do this month remember to keep warm clothing nearby, as in March we can often experience two seasons in one day. I am now off to enjoy some of that soup!

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View from the City Seven steps to a financial spring clean

Justin Urquhart Stewart, Cofounder and Head of Business Development 7IM Spring is about to…well…spring given the equinox takes place on 20 March and clocks get wound forward on 25 March. Let’s hope the weather’s paying attention to the calendar! Any promise of better weather also encourages us to give our homes a burst of fresh air, throw open the windows and treat the house to an annual spring clean…yes, and I have to do my bit too. It’s also a good time to sort out our finances ahead of tax year end on 5 April. The new tax year AGAIN sees quite a number of changes to being made allowances and taxes, so it’s worth a proper review of what you have and what you can do. But, apart from sorting through my sock drawer, what’s on my list of things todo? Well here’s three things I’m looking to check off:

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1. Put the paperwork in order Most people apparently still believe that you’re supposed to keep paperwork for seven years – a number that obviously chimes with me! In reality, it’s 22 months for personal tax matters and five years if you’re self-employed or run a business. As neither of these numbers are likely to lodge in my mind, I’ve taken to scanning in the paperwork and saving it all in a folder with the delete date as the filename. Then, I just have to go through my hard drive every so often and remove anything that’s past its delete date. The reduced amount of paperwork also means it’s easier to keep on top of everything. HMRC expects you to keep these records safe and takes a dim view if you haven’t. 2. Tally up your total spending This opportunity to package up all that paperwork on my financial affairs never fails to unearth something that I could happily do without. It’s usually a direct debit for a subscription to something I don’t actually use, or sometimes a service I’m convinced I’d cancelled. The discovery process may also mean that you determine quite how much you spend on everything from Amazon purchases to Zumba sessions. What’s quite remarkable is how much all of these small(ish)

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sums total up to – and you can question how much value they really represent. Could that money be put to work for you in a much better way? 3. Step up the saving and invest Saving money is often seen as deferred enjoyment. You intrinsically will not spend something now that you can enjoy. Instead, you would have something nebulous at some point in the (often distant) future. There used to be a rule of thumb that you set aside in savings a percentage that was half your age: i.e. a 25 year old would save 12.5%; a 40 year old would save 20%; and so on. Neither of these are actually realistic, so people procrastinate and don’t really start any proper plan to save. Instead, I prefer a reverse timeline. Work out what money you think you can comfortably live off in retirement and times that total by 25. This gives you an amount of savings that you should have looked to have set aside by the time you retire. While that number can often be quite daunting, at least it could prompt you into putting aside a regular payment – perhaps after the basics are paid out, but before any discretionary spending starts – and invest these amounts. Yes there are risks with investing, markets do go down as well as up, and you may even receive

less than you put in. However, with a suitable set of investments, spending time in the market really is your friend and can help you in your later years. Thinking back to that pension pot sum, remember that if it’s invested at an annualised 7%, you should have doubled your money over just ten years. On top of that, you can also count on your dividends compounding – it really is quite astounding how much they accumulate and you’re never going to miss a few pounds and pence while you’re still working. I personally don’t see that any of these are very difficult to do – although that’s probably easy for me to say – and many of you will have a handle on some or even all of these. But if you haven’t, perhaps you can try to break things down into smaller steps and tackle one thing at a time…what was that M.A. Stodart poem I used to be able to recite about individual steps being “a very good rule as many can tell”? Seven Investment Management LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Member of the London Stock Exchange. Registered office: 55 Bishopsgate, London EC2N 3AS. Registered in England and Wales No. OC378740.

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The first month of 2018 is now under our belt. January is always an informative month tending to be a good indicator of what the year ahead will bring. Our observations have been that the market got underway very quickly with viewing diaries packed from the first week, and acceptable offers coming in quickly thereafter. Confidence and enthusiasm had waned a little towards the end of 2017 but seem to be back on track in the early part of this year.

In November 2016 the government announced that it intended to ban tenant fees in a move that would mirror legislation already in place in Scotland. Tenant Fees are currently charged by many agents, and range from a few hundred pounds to just under a thousand, in respect of referencing, administration fees etc. Fees then continue throughout the life of the tenancy as well as at it’s cessation.

As often happens we had a few properties that received little attention towards the end of last year. Suddenly it’s like buses, nothing for ages and then several coming along together! It’s always hard to give somebody the disappointing news that the home they really hoped for is being sold to someone else, especially as had they just looked one week earlier they would have had no competition! The mix of local versus out of area buyers varies over time. When areas such as Wimbledon start to get pricey we find a lot of people look down the train lines for better value and subsequently buy in Epsom and Ewell. So far this year we are tending to find that buyers are coming from the local area rather than London. One trend we have noticed amongst locals is interesting. A number of current buyers are being assisted by their parents to help nudge up their buying power. As a result they can afford a property close by and slightly bigger, or with just one more bedroom, than they would otherwise buy.

At Jackson Noon we used to charge a small fee to cover referencing and administration however, when the draft bill was published in November 2017, we decided to adopt the legislation early and therefore no longer charge tenant fees. The eventual ban is likely to become law in early 2019. Moving can be very expensive for tenants and the timing of that move is often not under their control. Tenants will need to pay for the cleaning etc of their previous home, pay tenant fees, pay over deposit monies before they receive the deposit back from their previous property and cover the many incidentals of setting up a new home. They often arrive at their new home financially bruised and disgruntled which is not as happy a start to a tenancy as it might be. For our part we are losing a relatively small, but highly resented, amount of income. That has been more than made up for by the fact that once a prospective tenant has seen we offer no fees they, unsurprisingly, tend to prefer to find through Jackson Noon resulting in us having had a very busy start indeed to the year in the lettings department.

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Cake and Bake Banana and Walnut Loaf If you have overripe bananas in the fruit bowl then don’t bin them – just whizz up this delicious moist loaf cake instead. It will keep for up to 5 days wrapped in greaseproof paper or foil and stored in an airtight tin.

Ingredients: • 175g unsalted butter, softened • 175g light soft brown sugar • 225g self-raising flour • 2 tsp ground mixed spice • ½ tsp baking powder • 3 medium eggs • 75g walnut halves, roughly chopped • 2 large ripe bananas, peeled and mashed with 2 tsp lemon juice • Icing sugar, to dust

Makes 10 Slices Ready in 1 hour 45 minutes, plus cooling time

Preheat the oven to 170C, Fan 150C, Gas 3. Grease and line the base and the two long sides of a 900g loaf tin with baking paper.

Place the butter, sugar, flour, spice, baking powder and eggs in a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk until thoroughly combined - this will take about 4-5 minutes. Fold in the walnuts and mashed bananas.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake for 1hour - 1 hour 15 minutes until risen and golden and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

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Codeword Each letter in this puzzle is represented by a different number between 1 and 26. The codes for three letters are shown. Once you have filled these throughout the grid you can start guessing words and reveal other letters. As you find the letters enter them in the box below.

Join today and get your first three months half price! Join Join today today and and get get your your first first three three months months half half price! price! Unique pool with retractable Unique pool with retractable roof & sun Unique pool withterrace retractable roof & sun terrace roof and & sun terrace Sauna steam room Sauna and steam room steam room StateSauna of theand art gym and studios State of the art gym and studios State of thefitness art gym and studios Bespoke programmes Bespoke fitness programmes and weight-loss clinic Bespoke fitness programmes and weight-loss clinic weight-loss clinic advice Personaland trainers for specialist Personal trainers for specialist advice and motivation Personal trainers for specialist advice and motivation and motivation

Wide range of group exercise classes Wide range of group exercise classes for of mind andexercise body Wide range group for mind and body classes for health mind and body salon In-house & beauty In-house health & beauty salon In-house health & beauty Five outdoor tennis courts, 4 holesalon golf course Five outdoor tennis courts, 4 hole golf course & tennis 6 hole putting4green Five outdoor hole golf course & 6 holecourts, putting green & 6 hole green clinic Physiotherapy andputting rehabilitation Physiotherapy and rehabilitation clinic Physiotherapy and rehabilitation Complimentary Towels clinic Complimentary Towels andComplimentary Molton Brown cosmetics and Molton Brown Towels cosmetics and Molton Brown cosmetics

Call our friendly team to book a tour today on 020 8337 7788 Call team to 8337 7788 Call our our friendly friendly team to book book a a tour tour today today on on 020 020 8337 7788 or email enquiries@theriverclub.co.uk Call our friendly team to book a tour today on 020 8337 7788 & conditions apply. Bring this flyer into the Club for a free two day trial. Terms Terms & conditions apply. Terms & conditions apply.

Old Malden Lane, Worcester Park, KT4 7PX Old Malden Lane, Worcester Park, KT4 7PX Old Malden Lane, Worcester Park, KT4 7PX

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What’s On

Farmers Market

Wallington Farmers’ Market is held from 9am to 1pm every second Saturday of the month at the Old Town Hall and Library Gardens in Woodcote Road, Wallington. Established in 1999, it is the borough’s oldest Farmers’ Market and hosts around 26 local producers stalls every month.

Gift & Home Furnishing Fair

Tues 20th to Sat 24th March 10 am to 5 pm, 4 pm Saturday at BOURNE HALL, Ewell All “‘Under One Umbrella’” Come and find personalised items for your home or as gifts for your friends. From Design-led to Traditional Gifts, Homeware or Soft Furnishings FREE ENTRY

Nonsuch Park

Nonsuch Park is a link to Tudor England. The Palace that once stood here was a hugely expensive symbol of Henry VIII’s power. The Friends of Nonsuch offer guidance to a 7 feet model which has been created from contemporary documentation, paintings and an excavation of the Palace site in 1959. The model is on display in the Stable Wing of the much later Nonsuch Mansion in the heart of Nonsuch Park. The model is open from 11 am until 3 pm every Sunday in November and December Entry Free; cars via Cheam Gate. For further information please visit the website at www. friendsofnonsuch.co.uk

Epsom Playhouse,

Ashley Avenue, Epsom, Surrey, KT18 5AL

Psychic Sally - Kisses to Heaven Thursday 1st March World renowned psychic, television and theatre star and the UK’s favourite award winning medium Sally Morgan is back and better than ever with her phenomenal interactive stage show. The Carpenters Story Friday 2nd March This highly acclaimed concert-style production continues to captivate audiences across the UK with its spectacular re-creation of the classic songbook that made The Carpenters a legend in the world of popular music. The outstanding vocal talents of Claire Furley and pianist / artistic director Phil Aldridge take centre-stage, accompanied by Richard Carpenter’s original orchestral arrangements from LIVE musicians, and a stage-wide backdrop of state-of-the-art video projection. Lucy Porter - Choose Your Battles 3rd March Lucy Porter’s brand new stand-up tour. In these

combative times, it’s easy to be irritated, offended or downright enraged by other people. How do we know which causes are worth fighting for? Lucy uses her hilarious experiences to help you decide. Recent TV and radio appearances include: QI, Insert Name Here, Alan Davies’ As Yet Untitled, Room 101, News Quiz, The Now Show. GRIFF RHYS JONES: WHERE WAS I? Sun 4th March Join the star of Not the Nine o’clock News, Smith & Jones and Three Men In A Boat as he airs stories, anecdotes, reminiscences and outright lies – from forty years of travelling - down rivers and up mountains, into Africa, out of India, and across the arid wastes of the BBC canteen. It’s a career, if you mean bouncing chaotically downhill without a map. A Mid Summer Nights Dream Friday 9th March Join Ballet Theatre UK as we enter the enchanting and magical realm of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Following on from the company’s critically acclaimed production of Romeo and Juliet we present a ballet set to charm the whole family. Be transported to a fantastical world of dazzling dance, music and enchantment. Lovers, fairies,mischief and moonlight conspire in Shakespeare’s classic tale. The Jungle Book Saturday 10th March Immersion Theatre are thrilled to bring their trademark energy to their wildest show yet, a brand new musical adaptation of family favourite, THE JUNGLE BOOK! Filled with catchy music, a laugh-out-loud script, audience interaction, and the chance to meet the characters after the show, you are invited to join Mowgli and his friends Baloo the bear and Bagheera the panther on a madcap adventure in the jungle as they meet and attempt to outwit a slithering snake, some cheeky monkeys and the fierce tiger, Shere Khan! Mike Piggott Nils Solberg Quintet Monday 12th March The music of the Grappelli/Reinhardt and others of the era Just Joe - An evening with Joe Brown Thursday 15th March A real survivor and a mega musical talent, the musician’s musician Joe Brown has seen it all and, as his fans can testify, his tales of life on the road are, quite simply, hilarious. He has stories and jokes - and he knows how to tell ‘em. Friday 16th March That’s Life is a brand new production celebrating the life through music of one of the 20th centuries greatest icons, Frank Sinatra, from his first early recordings with the big bands, his rise, fall and the women, notorious connections and collaborations that assured his rise again to International Stardom, in a spectacular career spanning 70 years.

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You can find the right combination at Unilet All the best brands, in stock and available for demonstration. Give us a call.

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Offering luxury beauty treatments, located behind Joanne Chandler Hairdressers. Manicure - Pedicure - Brows - Lashes - Waxing Spray Tanning - Facials - Massage New Client Special Offer! Receive 20% off your first treatment when you spend over £20. Quote ‘MAG-OFFER’ Open Monday, Tuesday & Alternate Saturdays

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Trilogies 1. Who wrote the Tilly Trotter trilogy, consisting of novels called Tilly Trotter, Tilly Trotter Wed and Tilly Trotter Widowed? 2. What was the first film trilogy to have all three of its films nominated for a Best Picture Oscar? 3. Inspiring the name of the oldest daily newspaper in France, what is the name of the main character in a trilogy of 18th century plays by Pierre Beaumarchais? 4. In the 1980s, which British author wrote Berlin Game, Mexico Set and London Match, a trilogy of spy novels known as the Game, Set and Match trilogy? 5. In the 1970s, who collaborated with Brian Eno to record the albums Low, Heroes and Lodger, which became known collectively as the Berlin Trilogy? 6. Which trilogy of novels by Suzanne Collins is set in a nation called Panem? 7. Written by Eoin Colfer and published in 2009 on the thirtieth anniversary of the first book, And Another Thing is the sixth novel in which other author's so-called "trilogy of five parts"? 8. Which 2013 film was advertised as "the epic conclusion to the trilogy of mayhem and bad decisions"? 9. Published in 2002, what was the title of the first in a trilogy of books by Jennifer Worth that was centred around her work in the East End of London in the 1950s? 10. Dad’s Army was the first of what is regarded as writer David Croft’s trilogy of TV sitcoms set during World War Two. Name the other two sitcoms that make up this trilogy. To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915

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Worcester Park - £1,250,000 • Detached Home

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Independent Estate Agency at its best

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Sudokus

Song Title Pictograms 5 words

fairly easy

US.BEFORE USNOW US.AFTER

3 words

LET LET NIAGA 3 words

not so easy

existence

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T M O R E E You have two minutes to find all the words of three or more letters that can be made from the letters above. Plurals are allowed, proper nouns are not. The 6 letter word will always be just a normal everyday word.

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65 Parliament of World Religions, Yoga & Holistic Health Saturday 31 March 2018 & Sunday 1st April 2018, 9:30 am to 5:00 pm at Shiraz Mirza Trust Manor Park Hall, Malden Road, New Malden, KT3 6AU Join us for a joyful FREE 2-days parliament of world

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Voice for Wildlife by Carol Williams Shadbolt Park pond is very full just now, in mid- February, due to the amount of rainfall we have had so far this year. But it has been quite cold on many days, so at the time of writing, there is no sign as yet of courting frogs. Hopefully by the time you get to read this, warmer, more Spring- like weather will have arrived, and, with it, the amphibians. I wonder how many of you followed BBC Winterwatch? The cast of wildlife characters on that programme was amazing. I hope it inspired a lot more people to care about our wildlife. In mid January three foxes were sunning themselves in broad daylight on my back lawn. I took a photo and posted it on Facebook and it got hundreds of ‘likes’ and admiring comments. I hope this means that most people welcome them and enjoy seeing them. I wish all wild creatures were safe and respected. Alas, not so. I wonder how many people love grey squirrels, who are being culled in some parts of the country in an attempt to help boost and safeguard populations of Britain’s iconic, native red squirrel. The Woodland Trust’s latest issue of their magazine, Broadleaf, carries an article on this topic, from which I will gratefully borrow some text! So, I quote; “ Just as grey squirrels were arriving in the UK, their only native predator was being hunted to nearextinction by Victorian gamekeepers. By the early 1900s, the fierce little pine marten was common only in Ireland and parts of Northern Scotland. Aberdeen university biologist, Emma Sheehy was the first to spot a link between the Republic’s flourishing red squirrel population and the presence of pine martens. Now she’s hoping ot discover whether putting martens back might prove a natural and humane way to deter the grey invaders. Meanwhile in mind- Wales, the Vincent Wildlife Trust has released 51 Scottish pine martens as part of a pilot reintroduction programme - site include the Woodland Trust’s Allt Boeth, east of Aberystwyth.” Grey squirrels were imported from North America in the 1870s by rich Victorians to add variety to their estates, and in the 150 years since, nothing has halted their march. Heather Swift, who looks after many of the Trust’s remaining red strongholds in northern England, says that, for now, culling is the only way to protect them. I read that a contraceptive is being developed, with the backing of Prince Charles, which might be ready by 2023. It would be disguised in a tasty nut paste and left in traps weighted to allow in only grey squirrels. One lick would be enough to make males and females infertile for six years. Meanwhile the Woodland Trust is supporting the reintroduction of pine martens and the Long Forest project, which is setting out to plant 100,000 trees and improve

about 120k of hedgerow across Wales, The new hedges will give red squirrels shelter and extra food. Five places to see red squirrels: America Wood, Shanklin, Isle of Wight, Coed Cwry Pwll, Anglesey, Formby, Merseyside, Eltrngham, Tyneside and Glen Finglas, Trossachs. I doubt many people like the idea of killing grey squirrels to help red squirrels, but in fact, grey squirrels are often ‘culled. to protect woodland too -adolescent greys routinely strip bark from around the upper trunks of young, broadleaf trees. And, whilst reds live two or three to an acre of woodland, five times as many greys can occupy this space, stripping the habitat of nuts and seeds, leaving none for smaller creatures such as dormice and voles. I have never seen a pine marten - I long for the day when they might be common again across Britain. Will it ever be in my lifetime? And the only time I have seen red squirrels was in Spain. I’m very much hoping we can save the reds without persecuting the greys.No details of how grey squirrels are killed have been printed in the Woodland Trust magazine, of course - ‘cull’ is a word that hides a lot, but the usual method is to trap, put into a sack, and kill with a blow to the head. Some human beings like to kill animals, it seems to me. Any excuse will do. The badger culls have recently started up again - I hope nobody who loves badgers is still buying dairy produce? Blaming badgers for bovine TB is absurd and totally unscientific. The killing is condemned by the majority of the public and advised against by scientists, but the government goes ahead anyway, ignoring the wishes of the people as usual. It disgusts me that we cannot leave wildlife alone, that we always seem to discount their interests whenever land is being developed and are so quick to shoot, trap and poison wild creatures who we consider ‘vermin’ or who are in our way. I think the habit of eating animals from infancy is partly responsible for the callousness that is often displayed towards the wild animals. I firmly believe that in a world where people respected animals enough to not kill and eat them, abuse of our fellow creatures would be rare, and when and if it occurred, there would be penalties. In such a world ‘culling’ would be considered genocide. Many people will tell me they love animals, and yet they eat them. Who eats those they love? Are pigs so different from dogs and cats, cows and sheep so different to donkeys and horses? No,not at all. Pain, terror, joy and a love of comfort characterise them all. A world where nobody put tags into the ears of cows or cut piglets’ teeth without anaesthetic, a world without factory farming, vivisection, the fur and leather trades, and hunting and shooting for sport, would be a world where other animals finally had some rights to living space and freedom from being viewed as merely some resource for human use. I’m hoping that world will exist one day soon - before elephants, rhino and many more amazing creatures go extinct.

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Gardening Get Your Soil into Shape Pippa Greenwood A fundamental garden need is good quality soil; it is key to bigger flowers and heavier crops. And there is still time to shape up your soil before the gardening season really begins in earnest. Frosty weather can be useful, as it can save work with heavy clay soil. If you roughly dig or fork it over, the frost will act on the large lumps of clay and break them down somewhat, making them more manageable. Most soils can become badly compacted if you walk or stand on them when they are very wet, especially if the soil is clay or slightly heavy loam. If you can’t avoid walking on wet soil, use a few boards or planks as walkways to spread the load and reduce damage. Forking a heavy soil rather than digging with a spade will reduce compaction, but either way the soil surface usually ends up pretty lumpy. Re-forking, breaking up the large lumps, followed by a final raking will help you get closer to that ‘fine tilth’ often described in gardening books. Adding bulky organic matter such as leaf mould, well-rotted manure or garden compost helps feed the soil naturally and improves its texture, so that it holds the right amount of moisture for as long as possible – and there is still time to fork this in now. Create free organic matter by making a compost heap or bin, and turn autumn leaves into lead mould, a wonderful soil conditioner. Incorporating some horticultural grade grit or gravel will also help to improve the texture and performance of a heavy clay soil. Avoid builders’ gravel or grit – it can damage or kill garden plants. If you have lots of small stones or larger lumps of flint in your soil, remove them before planting your flowers and vegetables. Some stones are good, but even a lightly stony soil can result in forked or deformed root vegetables. Alternatively, invest in raised beds and fill them with stone-free soil. Manure adds both texture and food for your plants. It should be good quality, with few additives, and

free from weeds, especially troublesome ones like nettles, docks and couch grass. In recent years, manure contaminated by the weedkiller used to control weeds in pastureland has devastated plants. Try to buy from someone local who you can trust to tell you what chemicals have been used. Manure must be well-rotted – ideally it should have sat in a heap for about two years. Green manures are a great way to feed and condition your soil, and help suppress weeds and protect the soil from wind erosion. They work especially well on parts of the garden where plants are not grown year round – as when you use a green manure, you sow seed, allow the plants to grow and then incorporate them into the soil to rot down. Sow seeds later this year – there are lots to choose from, including red clover, mustard, field beans, phaecelia and field lupins. Yes, there’s potentially a fair bit of work involved, but you don’t have to do everything suggested and anything you do will make a huge difference! Visit Pippa’s website www.pippagreenwood.com and you’ll find some great gardening things: ‘Grow Your Own with Pippa Greenwood’ (where you receive your chosen garden-ready vegetable plants in the spring accompanied by weekly advice and tips from Pippa) plus Nemaslug, biocontrols, gardening tools, raised bed kits, Grower Frames,

Mobil FOOT Care (Toe Nail cutting service) • Therapeutic treatment for your feet

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A Comprehensive Range of Care Services

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Clubs

To feature in this section email info@wplife.co.uk

Mondays

Vibrant Ukulele Club meets most Mondays from 7.30-9.30pm at Christ Church with St Philip, Ruskin Drive, WP. Beginners and players all welcome. The club is aimed at adults learning to play the ukulele and singing a number of well-known songs in a fun and friendly atmosphere. Music is provided and also tuition for beginners. Sessions are FREE with a small donation towards music and refreshments. Contact Steve 07795 085600

New Malden Rotary Club Malden Golf Club,Traps Lane Monday evenings 6.15 for 6.45pm Barry Collins 07740 257 255

Worcester Park Civil Service Retirement Fellowship Group first Monday of the month at 2pm and finishing by 4pm. If the first Monday falls on a Bank Holiday the meeting takes place on the second Monday. Old Malden Scout Hall, 411 Malden Road, KT4 7NY. All retired civil servants and friends are welcome to attend and if you are interested in listening to one of our speakers please contact John Wright on 020 8337 8965 or johnandglenisw@gmail.com

mailto:johnandglenisw@gmail.com Do you enjoy listening to show tunes, big band music, jazz, light classics etc? Come along to an evening of live music played by top artistes. We meet on the second Monday of each month at our Banstead venue Banstead Organ & Keyboard Club Church Institute Hall, High Street, Banstead SM7 2NN Doors open 7pm for 7:30pm start.(Visitors £7) Visitors & new members are always welcome to our concerts. 020 8330 5795, or visit www.bansteadorganclub.co.uk

Worcester Parkers Women’s Institute meet on the 3rd Monday of every month 7.45pm to 9.45pm at Christchurch with St Philip Church Hall in Ruskin Drive, Worcester Park. For more information contact Sue Hostler on 020 8337 3756 wi.worcesterparkers@gmail.com

*There is currently a waiting list. Cheam Common Art Group Small friendly Art Group who meet at Christ Church With St Philip Ruskin Road, Worcester Park 7.30 – 9.30 p.m. Welcome new members just to draw and paint in any medium without tuition. If interested come down for an evening and meet us to see whether this is for you Brenda Banks 020 8330 0928 Worcester Park Over 60’s Welcome Club meet every Monday from 1pm to 3pm at Christ Church with St Philip Church Hall in Ruskin Drive. Worcester Park. All over 60’s welcome to join us for a cup of tea and a

biscuit or two, plus some outstanding entertainment in the way of singers and musicians. One Monday a month we have Bingo and every Monday we run a raffle. Days outings to the coast are organised throughout the summer months, and mid week holidays are organised two or three times a year. Come a little earlier and meet up with some friends and have a chat before the entertainment starts. We would love to see you. Contact Joyce on 020 8330 5065. The ladies After Eight Club 2nd Monday of every month from 8pm onwards at Christchurch with St Philips church hall. We have interesting speakers, outings and dinners and all are welcome for a small subscription to cover our costs. Just come along and join in. Carol on 020 8337 2452 St James Players If you enjoy acting do come or help backstage. Monday and Wednesdays 8pm New members welcome. St James Church Hall, Bodley Road New Malden. Mem Sec: linda@dunnz,net

Tuesdays

Music Lovers Wanted! - for “In the Mix” Singing Group. at Wesley Hall, Christchurch with St. Philip Church, Ruskin Drive, Worcester Park. Every Tuesday 1.30pm - 3.30pm. A weekly sing- along and social with pro

Music Lovers Wanted! for “In the Mix” Singing Group Established in 2012 in Cheam – join us in our new home at Wesley Hall, Christchurch with St. Philip Church, Ruskin Drive, Worcester Park. Every Tuesday 1.30pm - 3.30pm. See Tuesdays for more information

Group Singing Lessons

“Discover the high level of well being, strength and confidence which can be achieved when you learn to sing without effort.” .Weekly small group classes. Each session focuses on gentle physical and vocal exercises, breathing technique and song practice with individual advice and feedback. Call 07868 039 514 or visit www.skylarkvocal. co.uk for more info. Sessions Mondays at 11.30am and Thursdays at 7.30pm at Christchurch with St. Philips, Worcester Park. Suitable for beginners and confident singers.

Call 07868 039 514 or visit www.skylarkvocal.co.uk for more info.

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singer/vocal coach Sheila Daniels and pianist. New songs every week, from the 1920s through to the 1970s, covering all genres. £6.50 on the door plus tea/ coffee and home-made cakes. No booking required. Sheila 07868 039 514 or visit www.thesugarband.co.uk/In_the_Mix

Vegan Group - monthly bring and share buffet,. every second Tuesday. 7.30pm until 9.30 in Room 1,Christchurch with St Philip, corner of Ruskin Drive, WP. For vegans and anyone interested in learning more about veganism. Conquest Art Group inspires people living with disability or long term health issue to discover their creative energy and build self-confidence through art. Our art group meets every Tuesday at St Mary’s Cuddington, The Avenue, Worcester Park, KT4 7HL from 1:30 to 3:30pm. Anyone over 18 is welcome, all art materials and refreshments are provided. If you would like to come along and give us a try, please contact Carole on 020 8786 8534.

The Worcester Park Dramatic Society is a local amateur drama group of long standing. We stage two major productions a year at the Adrian Mann Theatre in Ewell, in April and November. We meet every Tuesday and most Fridays at 8.15 pm in the Elmcroft Community Centre in North Cheam, on the Sainsbury’s

site. Apart from play readings, rehearsals and set construction, we have quiz nights and various social events. We also arrange group outings to amateur and professional theatre productions. We welcome new members to help us stage future productions, anyone willing to act or work backstage. membership secretary, Trevor Payne on 07540 084430.

“Lunch Break” - a friendly lunch club for those retired, meeting on a Tuesday 12-2pm (term time only) at Worcester Park Baptist Church, The Avenue - free, but donations invited. Occasional speakers. Brian on 020 8224 6675 or Rowena 07837 941298

NHS Retirement Fellowship Are you retired or about to retire from the NHS? Why not join us on the 1st Tuesday of every month from 10am -12 at Christ Church Hall, Christ Church Road, Surbiton, KT5 8JJ. We have speakers, activities, coffee & chat.Other outings & activities are also arranged during the month. Lorna on 020 8337 4121

Wednesdays

Keep Fit Stay Fit every Wednesday 10.15-11.15am at Christ Church with St Philip, Ruskin Road. Come along and give it a try ! Jo Hamilton on 020 8786 3444. The Probus Club of Ewell Coming up to retirement? Just retired? Looking to make new friends? Why not join the Probus Club of Ewell? Since it was founded over 40 years ago, the

To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915

Probus Club of Ewell has been attracting businessmen from Worcester Park and its surrounding areas with a broad range of professional and business backgrounds. We meet on the first Wednesday of each month, usually at The Chalk Lane Hotel, Epsom for a Lunch followed by a Speaker. Anyone wishing to know more about us or wanting to make contact can do so through our website www. ewellprobus.co.uk or by email to secretary@ewellprobus.co.uk.In addition to two Ladies Lunches during the year, there is an active social programme for members and their partners with visits to places of interest and West End Shows. Talking Of Trains In Surbiton Programme of talks which take place locally at the Surbiton Library Hall each Wednesday evening throughout the winter months. The first meeting is free; the fee for the complete year is just £50. www.talking of trains.co.uk

Free Badminton taster session Come and enjoy playing BADMINTON with us! Wednesdays 7:45pm to 9:15pm at Stoneleigh Methodist Church, Stoneleigh Crescent, KT19 0RT Interested? Please contact Will Ward: willjward@gmail, 020 8393 9779 or 07874 896211 or just turn up on the night. N.B. Spare racquets available - if requested beforehand.

Thursdays

drop in for a free cup of tea and some company. 411 Malden Road (between Worcester Park station and The Plough). 213 Bus stops nearby. Sutton Mariners Sailing Club A local offshore sailing club founded in 1988 that meets at 8pm every Thursday evening at the Borough Sports Ground, home of Sutton United FC, Gander Green Lane, SM1 2EY. We are a small and friendly club of about 60 members and have about a dozen boat owners amongst us providing crewing opportunities during the summer months as well as enjoying meetings listening to interesting speakers and social nights. If you would like to get afloat come along and meet us – we’re sure you will enjoy the experience. www.suttonmariners.org.uk

East Surrey Family History Society For those who are interested in finding out how to investigate their family history the Sutton Branch of the East Surrey Family History Society holds meetings on the first Thursday of the month at St Nicholas Church Hall, Robin Hood Lane. Most months we have a professional speaker. March 2 Miss Anne Carter How life changed forever in 1914 April 6 Ian Waller: Village Crafts Finding out about the records of those who worked in rural industry. www.esfhs.org.uk Kingston Phoenix Road Club is a cycling club with members in Worcester Park, New Malden, Epsom and

Tunes’n’Tea An afternoon of live music, tea, coffee, home made cakes, conversation and dancing if you wish. Guest musicians perform for your delight! Relax and listen to a mix of songs and tunes, old, new and everything in between! It’s at St john’s church hall, Station Approach, Stoneleigh. 2nd Thursdays 1.30pm and finishing at 3.30. Group Singing Lessons -“Discover the high level of well being, strength and confidence which can be achieved when you learn to sing without effort.” .Weekly small group classes. Each session focuses on gentle physical and vocal exercises, breathing technique and song practice with individual advice and feedback. Call 07868 039 514 or visit www. skylarkvocal.co.uk for more info. Sessions Mondays at 11.30am and Thursdays at 7.30pm at Christchurch with St. Philips, Worcester Park. Suitable for beginners and confident singers. Ewell Badminton Club Meet every Thursday 9.30 11.30 am in hall in Welbeck Close, Ewell, KT17 2 BJ ( near Honda Garage, Ewell Bypass ). We have use of 3 courts, and are a very friendly group of players. New players would be most welcome. Elizabeth on 0208 393 3355 or e-mail libbymuscutt@ yahoo.co.uk

St. John’s Hall is open between 2.00 and 4.00pm for Tea And Chat. If you are on your own please feel free to

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Ewell. The club was founded in 1936 and currently has a membership of 85. New members are welcome to join us at the car park in Horton Country Park on Saturdays at 10am for either a road ride or an off-road ride. Our rides are usually between 20 and 35 miles and always include a cake stop before returning by 1pm. kingstonphoenixrc@gmail.com or see our website at kprc. org.uk.

Malden Emergency First Aid Society (Mefas) Members meet each Thursday evening at 7.30pm for First Aid training. New members required. Everyone welcome. Hall available for hire. Christine 07966661015 Breathe Easy (Merton & Sutton) Group Wheezy? Breathless? you are not alone, come and join us at your local friendly support & information group for anyone affected by a lung condition. We meet between 2-4 pm on the 3rd Thursday of every month at St. Bedes Conference Centre, St. Anthony’s Hospital, London Road, North Cheam. SM3 9DW George on 0208 647 7530

Thursday Fellowship Every Thursday at 2.30pm for men and women, finishing with a cup of tea and biscuits or cakes. A lively, friendly meeting at Worcester Park Baptist church in The Avenue. Well-known, familiar hymns and prayers, musical afternoons, and a variety of speakers on topical subjects, including help and advice. New members welcome. Church office 0208 330 1755

The Worcester Park Hello Club launched last November and is welcoming new members! We meet every Thursday morning from 10am – 12 noon. The club is aimed at anyone who would like to come and join in with board games, quizzes, cards, occasional craft sessions - or just to have a chat and a coffee. Adults of any age are welcome to come and get to know each other. The main aims of the club are: • To meet new people and build friendships • To become involved with the local community • To access activities, information and advice The club is very friendly and informal. Every month there will be a member of staff attending from the SCILL Information & Advice Service – they have information on most topics for all your needs and will be pleased to assist you. The drop in club was set up by Sutton Vision, Christ Church with St Philip and SCILL , working together in partnership. We are fortunate to be provided with a welcoming and comfortable venue at the Christ Church with St Philip Community Hall. There are accessible toilets on site. There is a small charge for coffee and tea at the church café. SCILL 020 8770 4065 Sutton Vision 020 8409 7166 Christ Church with St Philip 020 8330 7630

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New Malden Women’s Institute Shiraz Mirza Hall, Manor Park Hall, Malden Road, New Malden, KT3 6AV. 2nd Thurs of each month at 7.30pm Barbara 0208 546

The Association of Surrey Bookbinders - we meet on Friday mornings in the Scout Hut in Dell Lane, Stoneleigh

Fridays

Sunday

1495 or twocavs@googlemail.com

Quest a meeting place for people with physical disabilities between the ages of 20 - 60. However, once a member there is no age cut off. The aim of the club is to provide a welcoming, caring atmosphere for the members and allow the carers to have a regular break. Annual subscription. and £2.50 for lunch. We have various social activities and every second month we have a speaker. Christchurch with St. Philip, Ruskin Drive, Worcester Park. We meet the 2nd and 4th Fridays in the month from 12.45 to 4p.m

Roger@gmathews.co.uk 020 8330 2306

North Cheam badminton club meet every Sunday at the Elmcroft Community Hall North Cheam. We are a small mixed club looking for new members of reasonable club standard especially ladies. Contact Pat Odonnell on 02083938895.

General

Auriol Bowling Club Auriol Park, Salisbury Road,

Worcester Park. It is a mixed club of around 45 men and 25 women, who play outdoors from April to Sept with a busy fixture list of league and friendly matches against RSPB Epsom & Ewell Local group P U T Y O U R G A R D E N M A I N T E N A N C E I N other THE clubs, as well as internal club competitions. David 2nd Friday of every month at 7.30, apart from July H A N D S O F S O M E O N E W H O R E A L L Y C A RRegan E S ' 020 8337 8919 www.auriolbowlingclub.com. and August, at All Saints Church Hall Fulford Road, Cuddington Bowling Club Sandringham Road, West Ewell with guest speakers who illustrate their Worcester Park and we play on an excellent 6 rink green Tree surgery enthusiasm on a variety of natural history subjects. - One off Tidy that has been acclaimed by many of the club’s visitors this We also have several birding outings throughout the - Stump Grinding - Garden Maintenance year. We are a mixed club with about 60 members and year which is arranged to suit all ages. There is a small play a range of friendly and league fixtures catering for all - Strimming and Weeding - Decking and Lawns charge for non-members of the RSPB. rspb.org.uk/ abilities. Secretary Mike Ridley 020 8715 8326 Treasurer Garden clearance - Hedge Trimming groups/epsom. Mark Broughton 020 8337 9699 June Day, Club Secretary, on 02083301220

- Path and Patio Washing Social Dancing with Glitters at Bourne Hall, Spring Street, Ewell Village. 8.30 - 11 pm. Over 18s. Entrance fee £8. All standards of dancing. Friday 2nd March. National Trust - Epsom, Ewell and District Supporters Group Formed in 1971, we run a varied

- Landscaping

programme of social eventswhich includes Evening Lectures at Bourne Hall in Ewell, once a month from Oct. to June, Coach Outings which visit historichouses and ‘PUT YOUR GARDEN MAINTENANCE IN THE ypressgardenservices.co.uk Tel: 020 8330 7787 necessarily N.T.),Guided London Walks, and gardens(not HANDS OF SOMEONE WHO REALLY CARES’ other 727 trips272 to London e.g.The Magic Circle, The Royal w.cypressgardenservices.co.uk Mobile: 07958 Opera House (backstage tour).Other special events - One off Tidy include Coffee Mornings, Holidays and Christmas Lunch. - Garden Maintenance Newsletters are produced four times a year.If you would - Decking and Lawns like more information please visit our website: - Hedge Trimming www.epsom-ewell-district-nt.co.uk or telephone Paul on - Landscaping 020 87158486 - Tree surgery Malden Manor Bowls Club, Manor Park, Malden Road. New members will be made very welcome. Roll ups, - Stump Grinding league matches, internal and external competitions; we - Strimming & Weeding offer bowling for all levels of interest and ability. Men’s - Garden clearance Secretary Gerald 020 8949 4623 or Ladies Secretary 020 - Path & Patio Washing 8394 0877. THE IN INTENANCE ES' GARDEN MA EALLY CAR 'PUT YOUR ONE WHO R E M O S F O HANDS ery - Tree surg g - One off Tidy - Stump Grindin nance Weeding - Garden Mainte - Strimming and ns ce ran - Decking and Law clea den Gar g min shing Trim ge Wa - Hed - Path and Patio - Landscaping

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info@cypressga

Tel: 020 8330 7787 272 Mobile: 07958 727

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Recipe Cajun Meatballs With Herb And Tomato Couscous Mince always makes a great speedy supper – here lean pork mince is spiced up with Cajun seasoning and rolled into meatballs. Serves 4 Ready in 45 minutes For the meatballs 450g lean minced pork ½ red onion, peeled and finely chopped 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed 25g fresh white breadcrumbs 2 tsp Cajun seasoning (see TIP) Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp freshly chopped coriander 1 tbsp sunflower oil For the couscous 225g couscous ½ red onion, finely chopped 8 sun-blush tomatoes, drained and chopped 3 tbsp freshly chopped coriander 2 tbsp olive oil 1 To make the meatballs, place the pork, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, Cajun seasoning and coriander in a food processor. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper and process for a few seconds until thoroughly mixed. Alternatively, mix well with clean hands. 2 Shape the mixture into 24 meatballs. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and fry the meatballs for 1015 minutes until browned and cooked through. Shake the pan frequently to turn the meatballs. 3 Meanwhile, place the couscous in a large bowl and pour over enough boiling water to just cover the grains. Leave to soak for about 10 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed. Separate the grains by stirring with a fork. Add the onion, tomatoes, coriander and olive oil and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 4 Divide the hot couscous between four serving bowls. Thread the cooked meatballs onto metal skewers and serve on top of the couscous. TIP Cajun seasoning is a spicy blend of spices, chilli powder and herbs such as thyme and oregano. You’ll find it on the spice racks in the supermarket.

KING GEORGE FIELD INDOOR BOWLS CLUB

Learn to Bowl Free Coaching All Ages & Abilities Welcome Bar • Restaurant Social Events Large Car Park FUNCTION ROOM FOR ALL OCCASIONS Jubilee Way, Chessington KT9 1TR

Tel: 020 8397 7025

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Parkin' some thoughts by Nick Hazell

Home It’s the same every year. We get to March and I start thinking about moving. For the last few years I’ve been considering a move further afield. Maybe a fresh start in fresher air. Something by the sea. That would be nice. The other residents of Hazell Towers are less keen on the idea and whilst the thought of embarking on a new chapter somewhere completely different has its appeal, it would also bring its risks. I was reminded of this in the most unlikely of places. Whilst paying for admission to the Blue Reef Aquarium in Portsmouth, the man on the till pointed at one of the girls and said, quite passionately “that’s so true”. Thinking he was pointing at Anna, I looked at her tee-shirt and was somewhat confused as to how “Flamingos Rule” could prompt such a reaction and concerned that this man had spent too much time playing with fish. I then realised he was in fact pointing to Lara who, in a subtle protest at another of my Right Move research sessions had adorned a top with the slogan “Home is where your friends are.” It was this that had led to the moment of sensitivity that I had not, as a result of my unconscious bias, or rather full blown stereotyping, expected from the heavily bearded and even more heavily tattooed member of staff. Even the dog has done his bit to extoll the virtues of staying put. Imagine the scene. The house had been turned into an Hawaiian themed venue on which twenty teenage-ish girls descended in celebration of Anna’s 13th birthday. As a precaution against the destruction of the variety of inflatable props used to create our South Pacific fantasy island and general canine over excitement, Dudley von Schnauzer had been dispatched to our emergency dog walkers. Sporting a particularly garish shirt which complimented the occasion if not my complexion, I was placed in charge of the BBQ which I had painstakingly cleaned the afternoon before in the hope that pretending we were in a tropical paradise might somehow improve the weather. It did not. It was raining.

Shortly afterwards, my propensity for only partially completing cleaning tasks revealed its limitations. As the flames licked forth from the drip tray which I had forgotten to empty and which, as a result, had become highly combustible, I could feel the evening turning against me. At that moment we got a call to tell us that the mutt, displaying all the talents of a doggie Houdini, had slipped his collar and set off across Richmond Park, no doubt in search of a squirrel that had flicked him the V’s. Now, this was not good news. The party was in full swing. The kid’s couldn’t know about the escapee for fear of somewhat ruining the atmosphere, yet we had to join the search. This we managed to do through some slightly dubious excuses necessitating Victoria or my urgent attendance elsewhere, ultimately to no avail. Finding a black dog at night time in 2,500 acres of parkland it would seem is quite hard. The story ends well though with the animal being discovered 12 hours later by the Editor of this very magazine and her other half as part of an advance, early morning search party. As for Dudders, he was blissfully unaware of the trouble he had caused, returning home like an errant teenager after a night carousing, nonchalantly sidling into the kitchen, eating his breakfast and sleeping for rest of the day. Equally as important for our sanity is the fact the dog walking team have not thrown in the towel as a result of his wayward behaviour. In fact it was their reaction to the absconding animal and that of many others which made me realise that Lara’s clothing choice had made a fair point. The endless offers of help on the night, the amount of Facebook sharing, text messages promising assistance when sober and the swift assembly of a pet rescue squad made me think again about continuing my annual property search. Where the grass is greener, the water bill is invariably higher and after all, true friendship isn’t about being there when it’s convenient, it’s about being there when it’s not. Still, a goldfish would have been less trouble.

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Kids Play

Wednesday

Christ Church with St Philip Parent and Toddler Group 9.30 until 11.15am - see Monday Worcester Park Baptist Church 9.30-11.30- see Monday. we have vacancies on a Wednesday

There’s lots going on for pre-schoolers

Thursday

Monday

Worcester Park Baptist Church 9.30-11.30- a lively toddler group, where carers of any kind are welcome to attend and supervise their youngsters. Our age range is from young babies to 3-4 years. Sarah on 020 8393 7299 or email via the church’s website www.wpbc.org.uk Christ Church with St Philip Parent and Toddler Group is a very welcoming and relaxed place to meet new friends for yourself and your toddlers. We are open to all Mums, Dads, Grandparents and Carers. We meet in the Church Hall on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9.30 until 11.15am during term time

Tuesday

Toddling2Church, Christ Church with St Philip 2-3pm. Parents, carers and pre-school children are all welcome to join us for songs with percussion instruments, a Bible story simply and sensitively told, a story-related craft activity and, of course, drinks and biscuits.

WORDWHEEL

Using only the letters in the Wordwheel, you have ten minutes to find as many words as possible, none of which may be plurals, foreign words or proper nouns. Each word must be of three letters or more, all must contain the central letter and letters can only be used once in every word. There is at least one word that uses all of the letters in the wheel.

Carer and Toddler group for all families with twins and multiples. Come and meet other local families who understand all about having more than one of everything! We meet every Thursday at Worcester Park Baptist Church from 9.30- 11.30 am with toys, craft, songs, refreshments and stories during term time. Come along and join in - other pre-school siblings also welcome. There will be a minimal cost of £2 per family.

Friday

Christ Church with St Philip Parent and Toddler Group 9.30 until 11.15am - see Monday

Saturday

Men behaving Dadly, Grace Church - every 3rd Saturday of the month, 9.30 to 11 am, at Green Lane Primary School. For Dads and their pre-school children (0-4). The kids get to play with the toys, the Dads get a bacon roll and coffee, and Mums might possibly get a lie-in... £3 on the door. For more information & contact details, www.gracechurchworcesterpark.org Old Malden Library (Church Road, Worcester Park) Tuesdays, 10.30-11am, Rhyme time aimed at age 0-3 Tuesdays, 2.30-3pm, Story time aimed at age 3+

TARGET Excellent: 65 or more words Good: 55 words Fair: 50 words

A R 44

C M T

N E

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Solutions

CodeWord

Quiz

1. Catherine Cookson 2. The Godfather trilogy 3.Figaro (the French newspaper is called Le Figaro) 4. Len Deighton 5.David Bowie 6. The Hunger Games 7. Douglas Adams’ (The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy novels) 8. The Hangover Part III 9. Call The Midwife 10. It Ain’t Half Hot Mum and Allo Allo.

Wordwheel MISCREANT

Sudokus

Pictograms

1. Ain’t No Stopping Us Now 2. Let’ Twist Again 3. Circle Of Life

Crossword

Please note our new address Unit 2 Chancerygate Business Centre Red Lion Road Surbiton KT6 7RA

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