Worcester Park Life
KT4’s ONLY FREE Independent Community Magazine and Business Guide October 2021 Issue 151
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Welcome to YOUR Worcester Park Life So my office for this editor’s letter is a ram packed train (standing room only) from Preston to Glasgow central. Feeling claustrophobic and slightly nauseous – lady opposite wearing a slightly .offensive (to me) perfume and there is, literally, nowhere to go. Ouch. Bright side – have seat and table so shouldn’t grumble. We were at a fantastic Indian wedding reception last night in Manchester and also dropping off all the stuff daughter no1 didn’t pack when we dropped her at Uni only 2 long weeks ago. Very little social distancing or mask wearing on train or at party. Time will tell how safe it’s all been and whether worth it but it was fantastic to celebrate last night with hundreds of others and finally feel normal
& Since ‘08
from jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk
again. I really hope that you are also enjoying similar experiences and finally able to visit friends and family who live further away. Our high streets also are feeling like normality is returning. So many of us have relied on, and got into the habit of, online shopping. With the lead up to Christmas we can now enjoy to chat to a real live person when shopping and if lockdown taught us anything, has it not made us appreciate the value of face-to-face communication? So I for one will do what I can to shop local and support local businesses. Let’s hope further incarceration is off the cards. I am just really grateful I’m still running my magazine business, mainly through the support of all you lovely readers for the advertisers, and look forward to be able to return to printing details of local clubs, events and news – so send them in! And if you’d like to find out more about advertising, just give me a call.
Jenny Since ‘05
Deadline for our November editions is 20th October
Published by Malden Media Ltd Editor Jenny Stuart jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk 020 8336 2915 www.maldenmedia.co.uk 36 Rosebery Avenue KT3 4JS
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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.
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uk
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Worcester Park History A road that changed its shape by David Rymill This month’s article is prompted by a postcard which turned up last year showing a house called Little Firs in Hemingford Road. Strictly speaking the road is outside the KT4 area, but in some early sources it was counted as part of Worcester Park, so I thought it could squeeze into this column. The postcard, which is reproduced here, is a proof, stamped ‘on approval’, dated 18 October 1933 and produced by a Wimbledon-based photographer, A G Sharpe. It lists the prices charged by Mr Sharpe for postcards made from the negative, from 2s for 6 copies to 15s for 100 copies –indicating how householders could affordably obtain a small stock of postcards showing their own home. This prompted me to investigate the history of Hemingford Road (occasionally spelt Hemmingford in earlier records). Today it is a straight road, running from Malden Road nearly opposite Cheam Leisure Centre (but a little nearer the Queen Vic crossroads) and including a cul-de-sac section after it crosses
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Wordsworth Drive, but on the first Ordnance Survey map which shows it, the 1894 revision, it is an L-shaped road, without the cul-de-sac section, but including what is now the northern part of Wordsworth Drive, linking to the London Road. The 1894 map (see over) shows only one house in the road, and only two are listed in the 1901 census. Robert Blake Yardley who (at least by c1902)
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lived at The Birches, on the corner of Malden Road and the London Road opposite the Queen Vic, sold a number of plots on the right-hand side for development, between 1900 and 1908, so it is likely that he laid out the road. I have not yet found any link between him and the name Hemingford, so I don’t know how the road got its name (suggestions welcome). The Ordnance Survey map of c1910, and the 1911 census, both list six houses on the right going from Malden Road, later the site of Yardley Court. There isn’t a house listed under the name Little Firs in 1911, but the map shows one pair of semi-detached houses, and it appears Little Firs was the right-hand one, listed in the census as The White Cottage; it was home to William Dowson, a bank clerk, with his wife Kate, three children, a general servant and a sick nurse (two of the other houses also had one or two living-in servants). Mr Dowson had bought the house, or the land where it was built, in 1900.
In 1911 Dr John Switzer Owens and his wife Kate were living two doors away at Hurst Cottage, the only house shown on the 1894 map. He was a consulting engineer and a pioneering researcher into air pollution, and she established the Cheam detachment of the Red Cross in 1915; in the 1920s a Red Cross Hall was built nearby in Malden Road, and this hall, or its successor, was later named the Owens Memorial Hall (subsequently replaced by Busy Bees Day Nursery). The name Little Firs appears in October 1912, by which time H J Brough had moved in. From other sources it appears he was Harold Brough, a journalist, who lived there with his wife Mary and later their son Derrick. The family were still there in 1936, so presumably it was they who commissioned the postcard from Mr Sharpe. In c1926-7, 34 new houses were built on the south side of Hemingford Road (left side from Malden
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Road), and around a new cul-de-sac section, a continuation from the angle of the original L-shaped road. On the right-hand side there were now seven houses, or eight if one includes Daphne Cottage, around the corner (now replaced by Auden Place), to which Dr and Mrs Owens moved in 1925/6.
1910
In June 1928 Sutton and Cheam Urban District Council approved plans for development on ‘Mr Yardley’s land’, described as the ‘North Cheam Estate’, and he undertook to donate some land to the Council as a public open space. The Recreation Ground, between Wordsworth Drive and Palmer Avenue, is called Yardley Recreation Ground after Robert Yardley. The New Cheam Estate Ltd was given permission later in 1928 for the construction of houses, and the names Wordsworth Drive and Kenley Walk were approved for this estate. The 1933 Ordnance Survey revision shows houses in these roads, with Wordsworth Drive now forming a crossroads with Hemingford Road. Our illustrations, in addition to the postcard, show the 1894 and 1933 maps. At this point the name Hemingford still continued round the corner, but anyone coming from Wordsworth Drive could have been confused at finding portions of Hemingford Road going in three directions from the crossroads. The logical step was to continue the9name Wordsworth Drive across the crossroads as far as the London Road, which was done in c1935/6.19 The 1939 Household Register provides names and occupations of those who lived in the road. Occupiers of the older houses included a retired schoolmaster, commercial traveller, retired civil servant, electrical engineer, and display manager for a firm of military tailors. Little Firs is not listed, so was perhaps vacant when the register was compiled. The
1933
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second house on the right from Malden Road, Well Hill, was home to Joseph E Freeman, owner of a soft furnishing business, with his wife and two of his sons, a soft furnishings manager and a traveller in (not on!) carpets; I presume this was the J E Freeman whose drapery and furnishing shops were a prominent feature of Central Road in the 1930s-70s. Elsewhere in the road, residents included local government officers, a retired gas engine attendant, retired drapery buyer, fruiterer, and master shoe repairer. In c1960 the original houses were replaced by Yardley Court. More recently redevelopment has continued around the corner, with most of the houses in the portion of the road that became Wordsworth Drive replaced by houses or flats. The photograph reproduced here is the only one I have seen of any of the old houses on the Yardley Court site. If any readers have any old photographs of Hemingford Road, or title deeds which might fill in the gaps which I have left in its history, or if anyone can share memories of the Red Cross detachment and the Owens Memorial Hall, I should love to hear from you. Finally, a date for your diaries: St. Mary’s Church, Cuddington, at the top of The Avenue, is holding a Christmas market in its car park on Saturday 4th December from 11 am till 2.30 pm. Christmas gifts, mulled wine and mince pies, plants, crafts and decorations will be among the stalls. Lunches and refreshments will be served in the hall, where there will also be children’s activities.
rymilldavid@outlook.com 01962 868976.
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WORCESTER PARK DRAMATIC SOCIETY PRESENTS
FRANK19E3N0STEIN BY FRED CARMICHAEL
NOVEMBER 25 - 27 ADRIAN MANN THEATRE NESCOT
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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SHOUT
about your business in your local magazines in 2021 from just £28 plus vat a month Be seen and heard by the your local market in the Village Voice and Worcester Park Life.
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020 8336 2915 12 or go online www.maldenmedia.com Call jenny on
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Could you be our next Glynne? Changing professions was the best thing I ever did. I joined Home Instead in June 2018. After my training I was introduced to my first client, whom I still visit. She is such an interesting person and has done so much in her 90 years. In September 2018, I met another client. The first time I met Jack I was very impressed. I could not believe this man was 100! This was the start of an amazing friendship and journey that has taught me so much about myself and what a difference I can make in someone else’s life. Through our time together, Jack has become a valued friend and a big part of my life. It is a great joy for me to see what a difference I have made and how appreciative he is. I help Jack with lots of his daily needs including help with his showering and dressing, to making him meals or simply reheating the heating pad to ease his back pain or accompanying him to his various appointments.
Jack keeps on saying how lucky he is that I came into his life, but it is me who is the lucky one.
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Craft for the Planet! We all know that we need to do more to help the planet but it can sometimes feel that our attempts to recycle our rubbish and make better buying choices seems futile.
Frustrating Fact: It’s taking too long for supermarkets and politicians to sort it out. Plastic bags are still blowing in the wind and choking the whales. Happy Fact: Making morsbags will help, with immediate effect.
Have you heard of MORSEBAGS? The idea is to get together with people in your local community, eat cake and make reusable morsbags and then give them away for free. They are handmade from recycled material, meaning each bag is completely unique. Fact: Globally, over 1 million plastic bags are consumed per minute. Gut-wrenching Fact: Marine wildlife mistakes plastic bags for food and dies.
Morse bags is a now a worldwide phenomenon with 436,773 bags been made so far! If you would love to get involved, why not join your local Morse Bag Pod at Craft My Day Wednesday 10am-12midday each week and find out more! Be part of something bigger than yourself, see the impact both in your local community and across the world, and get all the benefits of crafting together!
Each word to be three letters or more (but no plurals), and all must contain the central letter. There’s at least one word which uses all of the letters. Target: Excellent: 8 or more words Good: 6 words Fair: 4 words
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LOOKING BACK
AND FORWARD
September 2021 draws a line under both the furlough scheme and stamp duty incentives which were brought in at the start of the pandemic, so a turning point has been reached. Exactly what is on the next page of our journey through this decade is unclear, but we remain both cautious and optimistic.
It seems likely that for many the daily commute is a thing of the past. The rush to the train stations is subdued and was anticipated by the rail companies who have reduced the number of trains operating on some local routes. So, although the beginning of September heralded the start of a new school year and a suggested return to the office people are not flocking back. If people are not going to return to the office full time, then their home and its location are going to assume a much greater role in their future. Homes that have been ‘just’ fit for purpose in locations chosen for convenience are now lacking their previous appeal and space is often under pressure due to a new rise in multigenerational living as young adults and the elderly alike have been absorbed back into the family home.
Over the last 16 months we have experienced a market that has always been busy and at times frenzied. Despite a temporary, and significant, reduction in stamp duty the total received by the treasury is estimated to be 3% higher, about £200m, than that received in the same period in 2019, underlining just how active the market has been. In addition, some second homeowners have taken the opportunity to sell which is also likely to have yielded a sizeable tax bonus for the chancellor. For some years we wrote this article along one main theme, the pent-up demand caused by political uncertainty associated with referendums, elections, and Brexit. The effect of that demand finally releasing, combined with a sudden change in living requirements and a tax stimulus, has been seismic but what will drive the market going forward? For the answer you need only look at the significant changes to our lifestyles over the last 18 months and determine whether the once enforced changes have been embraced and become part of our new normal or will be rejected at the earliest possible opportunity.
The solution to a lack of space is either to expand the house or divide the household. While some will take the opportunity to build extensions or convert lofts, it isn’t a solution for all. It therefore comes as no surprise that we are talking to a significant number of homeowners, and buyers, who have decided that moving home, and often area, is the practical answer to finding a space that is fit for both today and the future. Demand currently outstrips supply and homes are being sold and rented quickly, often even before the details are available. We expect that to continue for some time yet.
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Pandemic Puppies the socialisation situation It’s no secret that a by-product of national lockdown was an increase in puppy ownership. We were stuck at home, so what a perfect time to get a dog - better yet, a pup - to engage our kids and give us an excuse to exercise. And while we were shut in, our new best friends revelled in our 24/7 companionship and became masters of their little worlds. However, as we gradually return to normality, lockdown pups are encountering things they simply haven’t come across yet… leading to an increase in unwanted behaviours like on-lead reactivity and aggression towards visitors. Like us, they simply have not been ‘socialised’ in the past 18 months! In truth, the term ‘socialisation’ is a misleading one, though. It’s not just about introducing your dog to other dogs, it’s about introducing your dog to everything – dogs, cars, horses, the Amazon delivery man, people of all genders, races and ages. So, if your dog is ‘reactive’, you have go back to introducing these things slowly and creating positive associations with them. Building their confidence is the key, so work on strengthening your bond with your dog by teaching “Eye Contact” at home – hold treats in a closed fist for
your dog to sniff and only praise him and release the treats when your dog looks at you. It may seem silly, but focusing on you and getting that “hey buddy, I got this” vibe from you will mean they are less nervous and so less likely to react out of fear, which 9 times out of 10 is the cause for aggression. Practising lead walking in your garden where you have no distractions and praising and rewarding them when they give you eye contact on the move will help on-lead reactivity in the long run, or, if your dog is reactive to visitors, have a patient friend ring your doorbell and treat your dog on their bed when it rings – your dog will soon think “doorbell means good things” and your postman’s nerves will thank you! Mastering any reactivity is all about giving your dog the confidence they need to deal with the world, so start small and build gradually. It may be your dog needs a little more help –get in touch with a trainer if you feel your, your family’s or your dog’s well-being is suffering. However, remember that any training is a process, and it should always be a positive one - for your dog…. And ultimately for you too!
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FRANK19E3N0STEIN BY FRED CARMICHAEL
NOVEMBER 25 - 27 ADRIAN MANN THEATRE NESCOT THU - FRI 8.00PM SAT 2.30PM TICKETS £12
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AN AMATEUR PRODUCTION BY PERMISSION OF SAMUEL FRENCH
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The best apps for managing your money
Emma Emma is ‘your best financial friend’ and the app will help you avoid using your overdraft, track your debts, get rid of wasteful subscriptions and save money. You can use it for budgeting and analysing your spending, and it creates regular reports to show how well you’re managing your money.
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Chip Chip can automatically analyse your spending, work out how much you can save without missing it, and put it away in either a savings account or a fund that you can access when you need a treat or some rainy day money. It’s automatic, effective and the cash quickly adds up.
Unidays Designed specifically for students, Unidays makes it easy to access all the different student discounts on everything from takeaways to tablet computers and trainers. The savings can be significant, with double-digit percentage discounts amounting to hundreds of pounds off items such as computers.
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Clubs How COVID has affected grassroots rugby COVID has had an impact on the lives of everyone in the UK and grassroots sport is no different. In many ways, it has been affected even more given their existence owes much to volunteers, supporters and patrons using the facilities; as the facilities were closed, the money to run these organisations dried up. In this article, I want to give you an understanding of how my amateur sports club, Old Emanuel Rugby Club based in New Malden, was affected by the pandemic and how we are trying to rebuild its sporting community. From the outside, Blagdons – home ground of Old Emanuel Rugby Club – looks unaffected and ready for the new season. The grass is nicely cut, the corner flags are up and the doors to the clubhouse are open. But COVID had a damaging impact behind the scenes that will take years to recover from both financially and socially. Our finances from the bar and subscriptions were hit significantly given we had nearly 18 months of no rugby. We had to drastically reduce every cost we had in lockdown….even the TV subscription had to be turned off! We are only now starting to get people back in the bar and training that will increase our revenues However, it’s the impact on players that will take time to recover from. We have lost a lot of older players that would have played for a few more years that have decided to hang up their boots. At the same time, we have not been able to get into schools to recruit new Lions for our Under 5-6s We need to rebuild a new generation of players. And rebuild we are. The 1st XV team played their first league match of the season with 9 debutantes – all under 23 – and 5 of them came through the mini/ youth rugby setup. “We are lucky that we now have teams from under 5 all the way through to Colts (under 18) and these players are starting to play for the senior teams. The future of the club is with the 400 kids we have training every Sunday morning and are inspired to play rugby. We have started getting the age groups creating a ‘guard of honour’ for the 1st XV to give them their first taste of watching senior rugby.
in South West London’. If you wish to join either one of the 3 senior teams (both social and competitive standards) or the Lions (Under 5-18), please go to www.oldemanuelrfc.co.uk and click on ‘Fancy Joining the Club?’. Alternatively, you can email me at OERFC@ oldemanuelrfc.co.uk
Simon Parley, Chairman - ‘Lions’ Mini/Youth rugby section, Old Emanuel Rugby Club, based in New Malden
Old Emanuel Rugby Club still want more players joining what we like to call ‘the friendliest rugby club
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Magic 1.
2.
3.
According to the lyrics of the 1989 hit single The Magic Number by De La Soul, what is the magic number? In a TV series first broadcast in 1997, who worked as a creative consultant to a stage magician called Adam Klaus? What sport do Orlando Magic play?
4.
Who would often tap his magic wand to perform magic when he heard the catchphrase “izzy wizzy, let’s get busy”?
5.
What was the title of the 2015 sequel to the 2012 film Magic Mike?
6.
In the story of Ali Baba And The Forty Thieves, a cave full of treasure was sealed by magic. What two-word phrase allowed access to this cave?
7.
In the Harry Potter novels, what magical object can change all metals to gold, and can also be used to make a potion called the elixir of life that makes anyone who drinks it immortal?
8.
In the fairy tale Jack And The Beanstalk, what does Jack exchange to get the magic beans that cause the beanstalk to grow?
9.
Who recorded the album 24K Magic, which won seven awards in total at the 2018 Grammy Awards?
10. On the TV show The Magic Roundabout, Zebedee would often close the show by saying what three-word phrase?
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Parkin’ some thoughts Smoke (and Mirror, Signal, Manoeuvres) by Nick Hazell My Father was a smoker. Rarely was he seen without one of Benson and Hedges finest hanging from his mouth. He once convinced my Mother he was giving up the habit. His cover was blown after the third month of his decorating a downstairs toilet no larger than a small postage stamp. Curious as to why it was taking so long, she found him leaning out of the window reading the Sun and puffing away without a paint brush or for that matter any paint in sight. He said it helped to keep him calm which was probably why he got through at least 20 when he agreed to administer my first driving experience. It was a brief affair. It started (and ended) with several attempts to reverse my Mother’s aged mini up a driveway of Kilimanjaroan proportions. Frankly, I would have had more success reversing a camel up an iceberg. The combination of a temperamental clutch, lack of instruction and the inability to see through the cabin smoke led to all hands abandoning the vehicle before something was struck other than the garage door. I was reminded of this formative driving “adventure” while watching eldest child negotiate her own first time behind the wheel, that is if we ignore her single handed obliteration of the Lego Driving School track in 2011. The venue this time was Kempton Racecourse although the only horses on display were powering a selection of Vauxhall Corsas. These were being steered around, through and on frequent occasion, over a variety of traffic cones and markers laid out as an optimistic guide for the days’ under aged drivers. Safe from the distraction of chain smoking instructors or reverse hill starts up sheer cliff faces, the drivers of tomorrow were free to kangaroo jump, stall and propel themselves at frightening speeds (both high and low) whilst marking their turns with a liberal distribution of screen wash rather than application of indicators. To my mind, the new heroes of this post pandemic age are the instructors putting their life on the line during each hour on this particular highway to hell. Thank the Lord for dual controls.
Once home from this terrifying mix of the Fast and the Furious meets Driving Miss Daisy crossed with Wreck it Ralph, I felt the need to consult the inter web as to the likely cost of getting to the conclusion of the exercise we’d just embarked upon. The expense is endless. License fees, lessons, test, more lessons (all good drivers pass second time around), another test and insurance all need accounting for and then there’s the car. In that regard I was alarmed to discover that more than three quarters of us Brits buy or contribute towards their child’s first car. Then again, the thought of lending your car to a teenager is not one that allows for too much contemplation. Totting it all up came to £4,961 according to the RAC. Hopefully that’ll include an ash tray. After all, it’s enough to make you start smoking.
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51 The Broadway - Stoneleigh - Epsom - Surrey - KT17 2JE Office 9.00am - 5.00pm Tel: 020 8393 7117 Fax: 020 8393 5535 Email: classichomecare@btconnect .com Website: www.classichomecareservices.co.uk To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915
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Don’t suffer in silence with women’s health Women’s bodies go through a lot. That’s why at Spire Healthcare, we’re committed to looking after your health from the word go. We offer a range of preventive and innovative treatment options for conditions including: – Bladder problems and incontinence – Endometriosis – Fibroids – Gynaecological cancers – Menopause – Menstrual problems – Ovarian cyst management – Pelvic pain disorders
Book to see an expert today Search ‘Spire St Anthony’s Hospital’ Call 020 8337 6691
To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915
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Garden trends – what’s hot and what’s not by Caroline Knight
Passion for gardens has probably never been greater. Thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions that we were all obliged to follow, outside spaces have taken on a whole new vibe. The trend for utilising even the tiniest of outdoor areas is probably here to stay – at least for the next few years. This fact is borne out by estate agents who have noticed that at least a quarter of potential property buyers are seeking more green space. Flats with gardens are now hugely popular, whereas a few years ago most people purchasing an apartment weren’t interested in owning outdoor space. Working from home has encouraged people to use every room in their house and to value their garden equally. Many will continue to use their home office rather than commute, because it makes perfect sense. In line with our new appreciation for gardens, many of us have created garden ‘rooms’, where the inside flows into an outdoor kitchen and dining area. The lines between indoors and out have been blurred. It is no longer unusual for people to install outdoor fridges, cookers, storage, food-preparation surfaces and, of course, seating. The latter will probably include a dining table with chairs but also an outdoor lounge with comfortable furniture. Sometimes this can take up most of the garden, but hopefully there will be some attractive planting to provide screening, perhaps a soothing water feature and definitely a firepit so that everyone can stay outside during the evening. Gardens need life Treating a garden as an extension to the home is a developing trend for those who can afford this impressive display of luxury. But is it good for gardens? Paving over lawns and restricting planting to very limited zones isn’t great for biodiversity. Beware of creating a desolate, cheerless space with little life to be found. Most people love the softness that plants bring to hard landscaping, therefore every opportunity should be taken for prioritising plants over paving. Aim to develop a passion for the right plants in the right places. We can all learn from the experts. The re-scheduling of RHS Chelsea Flower Show invigorated people at a time of year when interest is generally waning. We were wowed by the array of plants that look stunning, even though summer had passed. The show exemplifies the
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very best combination of hard and soft landscaping and this is what we should aspire to. A garden can, indeed, perform many functions and a seating place amongst the planting enables us to enjoy it to the full. Above all else we should make provision for wonderful plants that will attract pollinators, provide structure, movement, scent, colour and soak up the excesses that the sky deposits. Plants absorb pollution, they clean the air and produce oxygen. Just relax by some lush planting and see how it makes you feel – plants really are good for us. Allow a little rewilding in your garden and consider it a compliment when spiders and insects populate your space. Don’t be tempted to prune your hedge every time it grows beyond the picture-book rectangle. Try to change the way you see things and avoid the concept of a tidy garden. These can be hostile places in terms of nature. The greatest garden trends during the last two years •Al fresco dining, often with built-in appliances and heating and even a retractable canopy.
Tunes’n’Tea Once again, come and enjoy an afternoon of live music, tea, coffee, cakes and conversation. Hear a selection of Rock, Pop, Jazz, Country, Folk and Standards – great tunes, old and new for you to enjoy and join in with if you wish. There’s a live band of seasoned musicians making a fun afternoon in a relaxed environment of friends. Every second Thursday of the month. Doors open at 1pm. Music from 1.30pm-3.30pm St John’s Church Hall, Station Approach, Stoneleigh, KT19 0QZ (next to Stoneleigh Station, West Side) Entrance: £4.00. Enquiries to 020 8224 1351, leave your name and details on the answerphone and we will call you back.
All Welcome!
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are all increasing in popularity. These contemporary features combine style with function and they provide wonderful nooks and crannies that are valuable for wildlife. • Porcelain garden paving is the surface of choice for a growing number of householders. It’s a rapidly rising trend. Porcelain can look like stone but is less porous, therefore it doesn’t turn green quite so easily. It’s longlasting, tough, slip-resistant and contemporary. • Sowing seeds and planting for wildlife. There has been a record demand for wildflower and other seeds over the last eighteen months, with sales increasing more than 600 per cent.
• Extending interior decor into the garden. People now decorate gardens with lanterns, ornaments, colourful accessories, rugs and cushions. Some even sacrifice kitchen dressers, sofas and throws in a bid to make a bold outdoor statement that creates a cosy space. • Grow-your-own is a growing trend. At least fourteen per cent of adults in the UK are following a meat-free diet. Almost half the population now grows fruit and vegetables at home. Not only is it fun and rewarding, but it can be completely chemical-free too. •Dry stone walling, gabion walls using wire baskets filled with stones, and rocks, boulders and pebbles
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R.J. Tree Services providing excellence locally for 15 years. Our qualified & professional staff are dedicated to the highest levels of service in every instance.
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Diploma qualified NPTC licensed Tree Reductions / Crown Thins Tree Felling Stump Removal Hedgeworks Tree Surveys & Reports £10 million insurance liability cover
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R.J. Tree Services, Berrylands, Surbiton Visit our website for information and videos on all aspects of our work www.rjtrees.co.uk To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915
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10% OFF on collection
10% OFF on the whole bill with this advert Our Opening Times : Monday to Friday: 4.30 pm till 11.00 pm Saturday: 3.00 pm to 11.00 pm Sunday: 12.00 pm to 9.00pm Contact number:
0208 616 2100 Order online: www.smokingrillandbar.com/menu SmokinGrillSteakhouse
Smokin’ Grill Steakhouse & Bar 20 Cheam Common Road, Worcester Park, KT4 8RW Email: info@smokingrillandbar.com www.smokingrillandbar.com
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LET’S CREATE THE LAWN WE BOTH LOVE
SAVE UP TO
30% WHEN YOU PAY BY DIRECT DEBIT*
Our endless determination to improve our Lawn Treatments has resulted in the creation of our exciting, innovative new programmes being released from 2021. We’ve introduced our new ‘Spring Ready’ treatment which can be applied from January to March, so that you can enjoy your beautiful lawn for longer. We’ve added an application of our fantastic water conserver, Oasis, to our ‘Summer Ready’ treatment, now featuring a unique seaweed extract for even better results.
We now feature a ‘Summer Long’ treatment from July to September and an ‘Autumn Long’ treatment from October to December, designed to nourish and strengthen your lawn all year round. Join our popular Ultimate and Standard Direct Debit Programmes. *Save 30% with our Ultimate Programme and 18% with our Standard Programme
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Contact your local branch at epsom@greenthumb.co.uk or on 0208 661 0121 for your FREE lawn analysis To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915
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Puzzle Time fairly easy
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not so easy
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Codeword Codeword Each letter of the
Eachalphabet letter in this puzzle has beenis represented by a different number replaced by a number between 1 and 26. The codes for in the grid,Once withyou the threeshown letters are shown. havefirst filledfew these throughout the grid entered for you. you can start guessing words and reveal1 other letters. 2 3As you 4find the letters enter them in the box below. 5
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To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915
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Develop and improve techniques quickly with friendly, professional cricket coaching. 1to1’s and group sessions in New Malden and Tadworth for juniors / adults with ECB qualified cricket coaches.
For more info & bookings
Tel: 07855 123 579 info@michaeljacobscoaching.co.uk
SPORTS CLUBS SCHOOLS DISABILITY 1 TO 1 COACH MENTORING
LEARN
P L AY
ACH I E V E
Pictograms Pictograms Pictograms 3 Words
5LBC 5LBC 5LBC
Struggling Suffragettes Saturday October 9 1pm—2.30pm Meet a suffragette and decide if you wish to join her fight to get the vote for women. Listen to her arguments and learn why some women at the beginning of the twentieth century were driven to drastic measures to get their voices heard by the Establishment. Understand the different methods used by these pioneering ladies, from peaceful protest to more militant tactics
5 Words DROLL DROLL IROLL DROLL IROLL CROLL IROLL CROLL EROLL CROLL EROLL EROLL 4 Words
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LOVE WWW.GOOGLE.COM WWW.AMAZON.CO.UK LOVE WWW.GOOGLE.COM WWW.FACEBOOK.COM LOVE WWW.GOOGLE.COM WWW.AMAZON.CO.UK WWW.AMAZON.CO.UK WWW.FACEBOOK.COM WWW.FACEBOOK.COM
Discover how the determination and bravery of the Suffragettes changed the way our country is today and learn how Epsom was thrust into the national headlines by the death of Emily Davison at the Derby in June 1913.
Cost £5 per child Cost £5 per child Further information is available from David Brooks, Bourne Hall Museum, Spring Street,
Ewell. Surrey, KT17 1UF. Tel 0208 394 1734, Email dbrooks@epsom-ewell.gov.uk
Please remember to mention Worcester Park Life when you speak to our advertisers Further information is available from David Brooks, Bourne Hall Museum, Spring Street,
Forward thinking teenager invests in property Preston born and bred, Hamza was in a school run car accident at just 11. After a drawn out investigation, further complicated by Covid, his fiscal compensation was finally awarded when he was 18. He was immediately advised to invest in a pension. Hamza had a think about that, sought counsel from his parents and was inspired to seek out an alternative, less stilted direction. His mind drifted to thoughts of bricks and mortar… His mum and dad agreed, but were anxious. They encouraged him to look up north –they were familiar with the neighbourhoods and could even be his tenants. Hamza wasn’t so sure, and after a swift consultation with Mr Google up popped Buy to Let Hunter. Hamza met Adrian and Alex and found them relatable, trustworthy and they spoke the same language. Hamza tentatively asked for some advice and with some sensible guidance, he investigated all of his options with his new chums. “I was sold.” He sighed with relief. There were a few struggles finding a mortgage broker, a scuffle with solicitors but eventually a loan was secured, an offer made and accepted, walls painted, furniture purchased and his two-bedroom semi was ready for the first guest.
pension and take his place on the first step of the property ladder instead. “I can always sell it in a few years if my situation changes – or if I get married…” he added, eminently sensibly, understanding the flexibility of his choice. Asked if he had any advice to anyone else considering speaking to the team at Buy to Let Hunter, Hamza said: “Adrian and Alex were very responsive to all my phone calls and emails throughout. Trust the process – even though other people might doubt you.” Hamza felt very supported throughout; a student studying PPE, Hamza plans to use the income from his property to help pay his tuition and living expenses. It will enable him to go on and pursue a master’s degree in environmental consultancy. “Working with the BTLH team was a very positive experience. I cannot imagine doing this on my own – but look! Now I am on the property ladder and a lot of the credit goes to Adrian and Alex!” Unlike most of us twice his age, Hamza has a clear view of his future, and has eschewed the usual options for a young lad with money in his pocket. We are so proud to have assisted him and can attest that Hamza is the very embodiment of aspiration; is this the beginning of his empire? Can BTLH help you find the perfect property? Get in touch and have a chat: 020 7550 9396 or hello@ buytolethunter.com. For more information check out www.buytolethunter.com Quadrant Road, Richmond, London, TW9 1DH
Buying his little house in Hitchin was a great move for Hamza: “I realised that I don’t want to buy up north: the returns are too low and anyway my parents would be able to reel me in on a thread if I bought near them.” His father argued that the money Hamza spent in Hitchin would buy him a mansion closer to home – but Hamza, his eye focussed on the future, stayed strong! Hamza feels confident in his decision to eschew a
To advertise email jenny@maldenmedia.co.uk or call 020 8336 2915
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Solutions Quiz
CodeWord
1. Three 2. Jonathan Creek 3. Basketball 4. Sooty 5. Magic Mike XXL 6. Open Sesame 7. The Philosopher’s Stone 8. A cow 9. Bruno Mars 10. Time for bedg
Sudokus Pictograms
1. Wait And See 2. Last Roll Of The Dice 3. Love At First Sight
Wordwheel BESIDE
JUST GARDENS & LAWNS Your local complete garden and specialist lawn care service
CALL US NOW! 10% DISCOUNT FOR OVER 60’s Please call us for a free quote: TEL: 0800 043 2454 or Email: justlawnslondon@gmail.com www.justlawnslondon.co.uk
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Able 2 Build & Sons Ltd
LOFT CONVERSION & EXTENSION SPECIALISTS • • • • • • • • • • • •
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0800 566 8198 07889 255 097 www.able2build.co.uk
info@able2build.co.uk
Constructing Your Future 36
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