VantagePoint Magazine May 2015 - Dorking & Villages by VantagePoint Magazine

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Dorking & Villages • May 2015

VANTAGEPOINT The local magazine produced by local people for the local community

MAGAZINE

Bumblebees of the South East

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TO THE POINT Humphrey writes... As I write this, the sun is shining and it feels like summer is visiting us early, although by the time you read this all could have changed. It has been lovely seeing young children out playing with balls and other things for me to chase or steal. A new favourite is to go and seek out the ﬁshermen on the banks of the River Wey or at Frensham Little Pond, with their packed lunches not so well hidden in their small tents. Not so sure about those wiggly yellow things they have lying around however.

Humphrey Chairdog

Martha’s and Newlands Corner. The Ed is also promising me a trip to the seaside, either the Witterings or Climping, both within easy reach. Sounds like there might be lots of children to play with there too I hope and the odd picnic lying around, although I’m not sure I fancy the summer salads in this edition...

On that note, the Ed and I are writing a feature on best places in the local area to walk dogs safely and pleasurably, so please email and let Stefan Reynolds us know your favourite walks for all seasons Editor & Publisher and and we will try and incorporate them in the article. If you can recommend any dog Now the weather is getting better and the evelocal magazine friendly pubs, the Ed would also love to hear nings are lighter, we have lots of excursions The produced by local planned now that I can walk a bit further. Box people for the local from you! Hill and Blackdown are certainties as are St community, Contact the editor: stefan@vantagepublishing.co.uk

VantagePoint is published by Vantage Publishing, a Godalming based local magazine business which was first established in 2009 when we launched our first community magazine. We now publish five community magazines which are delivered monthly by Royal Mail to 107,714 homes across the South East, which gives us the largest local circulation in this area, all with guaranteed delivery by your postman.

Vantage Publishing Limited 2 Chestnut Suite, Guardian House, Borough Road, Godalming, Surrey GU7 2AE.

Please visit our website or contact any of us below if you need any more information. For more articles and Jottings, visit it us online at

Sales: 01306 776679 Editorial: 01483 421601

vantagepointmag.co.uk THE VANTAGEPOINT TEAM

May 2015

Marcus Atkins Sales Director marcus@vantagepublishing.co.uk

Liz Godfrey Sales liz@vantagepublishing.co.uk

Carol Martin Sales carol@vantagepublishing.co.uk

Nick and Angie Crisell Jottings jottings@vantagepublishing.co.uk

Contributors: Sarah Bain, Jack Hebden, Bob Moores Beth Otway, Kirstie Smillie, Kendra Smith Print: Buxton Press Cover: Red-Tailed Bumblebee by Amanda Slater

CONTENTS Rugmart 0315_Layout 1 06/02/2015 14:34 Page 1

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"The Place to buy Rugs"

6 Jottings Your local community noticeboard

8 Bumblebees of the South East A sadly declining species

13 Haslemere Educational Museum

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• Rugs in Finely Woven Silk and Woollen Pile • Natural Cotton & Jute Dhurries • Modern & Contemporary Rugs • Plain Wool & Shaggy Rugs • Nursery & Playroom Rugs • Kitchen & Utility Mats & Runners

• Visit our Rug Showroom and be inspired by a Treasure trove of Rugs spread over 4 ﬂoors & 7000 sq ft • The Largest Selection Of Handmade, Modern & Contemporary Rugs in the UK

We profile a local jewel

18 Fashion Mother of the bride

22 Collectibles

Large/Oversize Rugs

Afghan Rugs

Persian Rugs

Tribal Rugs

Traditional Rugs

Runners

Contemporary Rugs

Designer Rugs

Modern Rugs

Bob Moores on early English Toby jugs

26 Growing Asparagus 28 Garden A couple of book reviews

30 Food Seasonal spring salads

34 Walk Bepton, Chilgrove and the South Downs

Underlay provided for all types of ﬂooring

Brighten up your Home this Spring

37 Profile The Brigitte Trust 30th Anniversary

38 Business Cards Small ads for trades and services

39 Win Enter our competitions

Visit us for a wide choice of Modern & Contemporary Rugs

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The contents of this magazine are protected by copyright and nothing can be reprinted without prior permission of the publisher. The publisher has tried to ensure that all information is accurate but does not take any responsibility for any mistakes or omissions. We take no responsibility for advertisments printed in the magazine or loose inserts that might be delivered alongside it. © Vantage Publishing Limited.

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Visiting families facing life-threatening illness Sadly, many of us are touched by cancer - it can be a family member, a friend or business colleague and the news can be devastating. The Brigitte Trust offers a free volunteer service of emotional support and practical help at home. Practical issues like driving, shopping and getting to hospital for treatment can sometimes be hard to manage, and our volunteers can make a real difference. The Trust offers a volunteer who will visit weekly and build up a relationship with patient and carer, offering respite, company and time to listen to many of the feelings and concerns serious illness can bring. Our next free training courses run in Woking and Epsom and we ask for a commitment of four hours each week to visiting. Call Sharon today on 01306 881816 or visit our website www.brigittetrust.org to find out more

GOLF CLUB OPEN DAY – SUNDAY 17th MAY Come and sample what Betchworth has to offer in May Trial Lessons & Free Golf Assessments Enjoy practice on one of the finest practice areas in Surrey Junior Taster Session Callaway & Titleist Demo Clubs with Professional advice Buffet lunch available all day in our excellent function room 9 or 18 Holes of Golf Book your place online at: www.betchworthparkgc.co.uk or call one of the professional team on: 01306 882052 All visitors on the day will be entered into a draw to win two four-ball vouchers worth over £400.00 A warm welcome will be extended to all …

Betchworth Park Golf Club, Reigate Road , Dorking RH4 1NZ Tel: 01306 882052 www.betchworthparkgc.co.uk May 2015

Jottings

- YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

We’re really enjoying the longer days and, at last, the warmer weather and are looking forward to having the first BBQ. It’s only a couple of weeks to go until the General Election; but I shan’t be sorry when it’s all over, whichever way it goes. Many thanks for all your jottings and for sending attachments in the ‘Word’ format, which has really helped. With half term and two Bank Holidays coming up in May, there’s quite a lot going on for us all to enjoy. St Martin’s Church and Christian Centre’s annual plant and cake sale will be held on Saturday 2nd May from 10am to 12 noon at the Dorking Christian Centre. Do go along and bag yourself a bargain; there will be many lovely flower plants and vegetable plants on sale. Not to mention lovely home-made cakes and scones! With spring flowers in full bloom, warmer weather on the way, Bank Holiday weekends and half-term school holidays to look forward to, May is the ideal time to get outdoors, discover new locations and try new things. This May there is a raft of activities for all the family with the National Trust as well as plenty of ‘50 things to do before you’re 11¾’ adventures like kite-flying, den building and rock pooling. Find out more and take the 50 Things Challenge at www.50things.org.uk. For more information on National Trust events, visit their website at www. nationaltrust.org.uk/events. Brooklands Radio is a not-for-profit on-line digital radio station run by a group of volunteers. It is made up of media and other broadcasting professionals with a passion to improve the quality of radio for our

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Surrey based listeners. They have been broadcasting on the Internet since 2008 and aim to provide a distinctive and entertaining digital radio station using a multimedia platform offering a variety of high quality, entertaining content that showcases and brings together Surrey’s communities, associations, businesses and charities. They encourage people to get involved in what they do via the website and through the use of social media. The station delivers a unique blend of popular music from a variety of personalities primarily aimed at a more mature Surrey based audience. They pride themselves on highlighting local stories and positive entertaining features and actively seeking out and supporting the best local unsigned musicians. They will soon be undertaking a trial DAB Digital Radio broadcast from Saturday 2nd May – Sunday 31st with a 24 hours service from five Digital Radio transmitters covering the whole of Surrey. Find out more about them on www.brooklandsradio. co.uk or get involved and email the studio at studio@ brooklandsradio.co.uk. You can also follow them on twitter @brooklandsradio. May is a very busy month at RHS Wisley. The Spring Craft Fair runs from Thursday 30th April – Monday 4th May, 10am – 5pm. Meet some of the finest craftspeople in the UK and browse a range of contemporary and traditional crafts, which have been inspired by the beauty of the garden at this time of year. These include jewellery, wood craft, glass, pottery and ceramics, clothes and art. It’s free once you have entered the garden. There is an Early Photography Morning on Saturday 23rd May from 8am. Capture the garden as it comes alive in the early morning light with early summer blooms in May.

Jottings is your community noticeboard for local events and information, edited by Nick and Angie Crisell

To feature here, please email us at jottings@vantagepublishing.co.uk

DORKING & VILLAGES DELIVERED TO 19,259 LOCAL HOMES Like us on Facebook at Vantage Point Magazine

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Next Copy Date: 11th 10th May 2015 6

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May 2015

Bumblebees Bumblebees are endearing and familiar insects. Their animated behaviour and deep buzz as they fly from flower-toflower makes them a delight to watch, says Jack Hebden.

quite untroubled by them as they zoomed about their business. They happily ignored me completely.

Sadly though, our bumblebees have been declining because of changes in agricultural practices that have largely removed ﬂowers from the landscape, leaving the bumblebees with little to feed upon. Most UK species have declined greatly in recent years, and two have become extinct in the UK since 1940.

I think that ‘my‘ decking bumblebees were Buff-tailed bumblebees which are apparently quite common. I hadn’t realised until recently just how many different bumblebees there are and some are quite rare and threatened. There are 250 different species worldwide but there are six or so that we are likely to see here in the South East.

Last summer, to my consternation, I discovered that I had obviously got a bumblebee nest under some decking and another nest in the front door porch roof. In both places there were frantic comings and goings all the time. As it turns out I needn’t have worried and I found sitting outside watching the action fascinating and entertaining; it was like a non-stop miniature Heathrow. Those taking off quickly climbed away to a good height, at least house roof height, and then they seemed to get their bearings and head off to their chosen pollen source. I thought that their flight paths would be random but no, there seemed to be two distinct directions and they were quite different. Some went one way and some the other but they didn’t just fly around aimlessly. The hive under the decking had prompted my interest because I could sit there almost on top of them watching and yet be 8

If you look at the following pictures you will, I hope, be able to identify the bees in your garden. They are so busy gathering pollen that they won’t trouble you at this time of year, but they may become a bit more of a bother in late summer when they have less work to do and are looking for mischief. Our ﬂower and fruit gardens are becoming increasingly important to wild bees as the necessarily commercial management of farmland makes that less and less attractive to them. Take the time to look at the bees in your garden. They are really worth it. vantagepointmag.co.uk

Bumblebees of the South East – 6 Common Species Buff-tailed bumblebee, Bombus terrestris Queens are very large and common in early spring. Workers have a largely white tail, but usually with a hint of buff at the front margin. Yellow bands are slightly darker/dirtier than in the White-tailed bumblebee. Early bumblebee, Bombus pratorum A small bee, often nesting in bird boxes for tits. The yellow band on the abdomen is sometimes missing in females. Colonies are very short-lived producing males as early as May. Rarely seen from July onwards. Common carder bee, Bombus pascuorum Abundant everywhere, the only common all-brown bumblebee. Can generally be distinguished from the much rarer Brownbanded carder by the presence of some black hairs on the sides of the abdomen. White-tailed bumblebee, Bombus lucorum A common bee, often nesting under garden sheds. Distinguished from the similar Buff-tailed bumblebee by pure white tails and lemon yellow bands.

Red-tailed bumblebee, Bombus lapidarius Very common on chalk downland, frequently found in gardens. Distinguished from the much rarer Red-shanked carder bee by black hairs of pollen basket on hind legs.

Garden bumblebee, Bombus hortorum A very long-tongued species preferring deep ﬂowers (such as foxgloves, delphiniums, honeysuckle). Distinguished from the generally smaller Heath bumblebee by much longer face when viewed from the front.

For more information do visit the Bumblebee Conservation Trust website at www.bumblebeeconservation.org. Membership of the Trust costs £20 for adults.

May 2015

Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

Book in advance on 0203 176 5830 (weekdays 9am5pm), at no extra cost. Normal Garden entry applies. For further information and full details of what’s on, call 0845 260 9000 or go to www.rhs.org.uk/wisley. The summer season at Horsley Choral Society started on 27th April and was held at St Martin’s Church, East Horsley (8-10pm) This is not their usual venue but will be for the first two rehearsals of the season on 27th April and 4th May. After that they are back in their usual venue, East Horsley Village Hall. The Summer Concert ‘Torrents in Summer’ will be on Saturday 13th June at 7.30pm at The Chapel of St John’s School in Leatherhead and is a joint concert with Oxshott Choral Society. Ticket Office: 01483 280756. The Autumn Season starts on September 14th at East Horsley Village Hall (8pm-10pm). New members always welcome! www. horsleychoralsociety.com. Wotton & Abinger Flower Show are holding Cream Teas at Wotton Village Hall on May bank holiday (4th May) from 2pm to 4.30pm. Delicious homemade cakes, scones with cream and jam, savouries too, with teas, coffee and soft drinks. So, go and enjoy the view over Hatch Meadows while eating scrummy afternoon tea!

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The Teddy Bear’s Picnic at Abinger Hammer (RH5 6QX) will be on Bank Holiday Monday 4th May from 12 noon to 4pm. It’s in aid of Peaslake School and Surrey Hills School. There will be lots of stalls and attractions for the entire family, with a range of refreshments including the ever-growing barbeque stand, gorgeous homemade teas in the Abinger Cricket Club pavilion, and a Pimm’s stall. Family favourites include the popular teddy bear fancy dress classes which this year has the theme of Star Wars, a coconut shy, the pooh stick championship and duck racing on the Tillingbourne Stream. There will be face painting, a bouncy castle, pony rides and both an adult and children’s tombola. All children will have an opportunity to take part in some fabulous arts and crafts on the day. Don’t forget to take a picnic blanket and some cushions with you to make yourselves comfortable on the green, and remind your children to bring their Teddy Bears for the picnic! Entry to the event is free, however there will be a parking charge of £2 per car. Watermill Jazz meets every Thursday evening at the Friends Life Social Club, Pixham Lane, RH4 1QA, with a diﬀerent group of talented performers each week. Tickets range from £12 - £18, students half price. If you would like to become a member, it’s only £15 a

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Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

year and you get £5 oﬀ the full price of any ticket. To order tickets call 07415 815784 or go to www. watermilljazz.co.uk for more information. Residents can look forward to investment from Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) to develop new play facilities in Bookham, North Holmwood and Dorking in 2015/16. The funding was agreed at MVDC February budget meeting. Residents will be invited to contribute to the design of new play equipment at the three sites later in the year. The sites to be developed are Dorking Football Ground, The Lower Road Recreation Ground in Bookham, and two sites in North Holmwood at the King George V Playing Fields and Holmwood Park. Work on these sites is expected to start after the summer holiday break. As part of Clandon Park’s craft season, the members of the West Surrey Spinners will be exhibiting and demonstrating their crafts there from Tuesday 5th to Sunday 17th May. There will also be the opportunity for you to try your hand at spinning ﬂeece into thread and weaving thread into cloth! Normal admission applies. See www.nationaltrust.org.uk/clandonpark or call 01483 222482 for details. Also look out for the new special craft workshops coming in June –calligraphy, bookbinding and screen and block printing. More details can be found on the website.

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Dorking Walking Club has a list of walks planned for this spring and summer. If you fancy trying them out, they walk on Tuesdays and/or Thursdays and meet at the following car parks on the dates shown. 5th and 7th May- Denbies car park (CP) off A24 just north of Dorking, 4.5 miles; 12th and 14th May - top of Woodlands Rd Effingham off A246, 5 miles; 19th and 21st May – Betchworth Church CP RH3 7DW (lunch at Dolphin PH); 25th and 29th May – half term; 2nd and 14th June – Hurtwood CP no. 9 on B2126, 4.5m; 9th and 11th June – Wotton Village Hall CP(behind Wotton Hatch PH),4.5m; For more details, meeting times and membership information, speak to June Letheren on 01737 842084. This month’s screenings at Dorking Halls include the ballet La Fille mal gardée, live on Tuesday 5th May and repeated on Sunday 10th May. Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance live from the English National Opera will be shown on Tuesday 19th May, and Show Boat on Sunday 31st May, in a recording from the San Francisco Opera. Tickets are all £17, except Show Boat £14. Call 01306 881717. The Three Bridges spiritualist church, holds a service every Wednesday evening at 10 New Street, Three Bridges, Crawley RH10 1LW. Their doors open at 7pm, the service starts at 7.30pm till 9pm and everyone is welcome. It’s £4 on the door, which includes a raffle ticket that is drawn at the end of the service and a lovely cup of tea or coffee. They are holding one to one reading evenings throughout the year as well as special clairvoyant evenings. They are currently fund raising for a new church roof and you can purchase a roof slate for £5 each with a picture and message in memory of a loved one. Contact Tina Monday - Friday 3-5pm on 07518 303618. Dates for May are as follows: 6th, Ann Mills. 13th, Steve & Elaine Brame. 20th, Jan Dayton. 22nd, Psychic Surgery demonstration with Peter Langhorn (£6 on door). 27th, Lynn Probert. More information can be found at www.threebridgesspiritualistchurch.co.uk. Dorking Folk Club at Friends Life, Pixham Lane, RH4 1QA, has been supporting live, local and guest folk artists since 1976. Go and help them support their traditional music whilst having a great time. As well as local folk on Wednesdays 20th and 27th May, the following guest evenings are coming up: 6th May, Bob Fox - fresh from his recent theatre performances in ‘Warhorse’, and an unequalled master of song. 13th May, Cloudstreet - a versatile folk trio from Australia touring the UK and a welcome return to the Club. 3rd June, Said the Maiden - all-female young musicians/vocal harmonies making waves. 10th June, Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman - exceptional vantagepointmag.co.uk

Haslemere Educational Museum

Sarah Bain, a Trustee of Haslemere Museum, reﬂects on the Museum’s contribution to the local area and the challenges of running it. Haslemere Educational Museum, now over 125 years old, was founded in 1888 by Sir Jonathan Hutchinson FRS, an eminent London surgeon who lived in Haslemere. By travelling widely and purchasing at auction, Sir Jonathan built up an extraordinary collection of artefacts. Having some very progressive ideas on education for the time, he was convinced that the best way people could learn was by seeing and handling objects, and wanted to make his collection Above: A view through the Natural History Gallery Below: Haslemere Educational Museum from the High Street

accessible to as many people as possible. His first museum was in an outbuilding at his private home, but his Sunday afternoon guided tours became so popular he had to move it to a dedicated site, originally on Museum Hill. We have occupied our imposing Georgian building on Haslemere High Street since 1926, and our collections, started by Sir Jonathan and now drawn from all over the world, are so extensive that we are sometimes, rather flatteringly, referred to as a mini-British Museum. But if to you the very word ‘museum’ conjures up an image of somewhere children need to be on their best behaviour and adults quiet, knowledgeable and rather earnest, then read on and perhaps you will think again. Our Collections and Special Treasures: For a start, our collections really are extensive with a staggering 400,000 objects. It is unusual for a provincial museum to hold important collections unless their origins are local. But Haslemere Museum holds three broad categories of significant merit: Natural History, Geology and Human History: each has its own dedicated gallery. Our Natural History collection is the largest in South East England and includes some outlandish taxidermy specimens. These include a 3m crocodile, our mascot, a Siberian Brown Bear known as Arthur, and a Giant Japanese Spider Crab, pictured overleaf, which is 3ft high and very scary. Just as captivating, but less alarming, is our fabulous butterfly collection with specimens from all over the world. Our Geology collection is largely of minerals and fossils. The gallery is organised on a timeline explaining topics such as the

May 2015

solar system and formation of fossils. Prize exhibits include a meteorite, a Burgess shale fossil, a Moa skeleton (an extinct New Zealand bird) and, closer to home, an intriguing 3-D model of Haslemere’s Black Down hills. A star feature of the Human History collection is the Ancient Egyptian collection which includes a genuine Egyptian mummy. We also have an extensive archaeological collection which includes Stone Age tools and an important European Peasant Art Collection which was the inspiration for Haslemere’s Peasant Art industry based along King’s Road in the late 19th century. This gallery is also organised on a timeline. But it is not just our extraordinary collections that make Haslemere Museum so special. Education at our Heart: Our educational programme, particularly for schools, sets us apart. Actually, the clue is in our name: Haslemere Educational Museum. It reflects the importance Sir Jonathan Hutchinson placed on education and it is education which is at the heart of all our work. So we not only have a large, dedicated Education Room but also a full-time, qualified education officer. Drawing inspiration from the collections, we have developed a diverse range of interactive educational programmes. Our schools programme supports the National Curriculum and includes sessions on the Egyptians, the Romans, rocks and fossils, dinosaurs and modern-day invertebrates. In addition to having 3-5 visiting school groups almost every week of term-time, our education officer organises children’s activities in the school holidays and half-terms as well as regular groups designed for the under 5’s, for children aged 5 to 11 and for those over 12. ‘Early Years’ children, accompanied by a parent, meet fortnightly, while the ‘Museum Explorers’ 14

group, for children aged 5-11, learn through imaginative craft activities linked to key museum exhibits. For the over 12’s our HYPE (Haslemere Young People’s Exhibition) Team meets monthly. Participants run their own curating and research projects and learn diverse creative skills such as music-mixing and animation. Activities for families include quizzes, trails and puzzles with magnifying glasses and torches available to show those extra details of our collections. We are enormously proud that our wide range of family activities and welcoming atmosphere won us the accolade of most ‘Family Friendly Museum’ in 2012. A Gold Mine for Local Historians: For anyone interested in local history our local archive is a real treasure trove. It has wonderful collections of photographs dating back to the mid 19th century, countless old maps of the area, archive copies of local newspapers and parish magazines and extensive records of local societies. Our library has a huge collection of books, mostly now out of print, many of which were written by or about people who lived here or in the area. As the arrival of the railway, in 1859, brought an influx of writers, artists and academics, such as Lord Tennyson, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the renowned physicist, Professor Tyndall, our archive is a particularly rich source of information. So it is not surprising that we receive inquiries not only from local people, wanting to find out more about the history of the town or their houses, but also from academics. The library is open on Tuesdays when our volunteer librarians and archivists can help with research and find photographs. Reproductions of photographs are available to order. For those more interested in the present day, we are also home to Haslemere Visitor Information Centre which is fully funded by Haslemere Town Council. Information officers are available to advise during our opening hours on local events and amenities. Exhibitions and Events: Formerly a beautifully proportioned private home, Haslemere Museum has retained much of the building’s vantagepointmag.co.uk

old-world charm, making us an excellent location for meetings, exhibitions and events in the centre of town. We have two exhibition rooms, the Haslemere Room for major exhibitions and the Waverley Room for smaller ones. Exhibitions are either museum-curated to show objects not on permanent display, such as our recent Polynesian exhibition, or external exhibitions put on by artists or groups. Our Lecture Hall, with its minstrels’ gallery, is the perfect venue for local clubs and societies to hire for lectures or public meetings. As it adjoins the Waverley Room and opens onto our gardens it is also ideal for private parties and wedding receptions. Making Ends Meet - a Perennial Problem On his death, Sir Jonathan Hutchinson left his museum to the town and it has been run by townsfolk ever since. But, as an independent museum, we receive virtually no public funding: it is only through the generosity of generations of Haslemere people that our museum still exists. Although we have a full-time curator and education officer, other staff are part-time and we could not offer a fraction of the exhibitions, events or services we put on without the efforts of a small army of hard-working volunteers who give their time extremely generously. Almost everything we do, from manning the reception

Events in May Plant Sale - May 9th 11am – 2pm: Don’t miss our superb Spring Plant Sale sponsored by Transform Landscapes. All types of plants from trustees’, volunteers’ and Museum Patrons’ gardens will festoon the Lecture Hall from 11am, with a splendid array for both rare plant and bargain hunters alike. Entry free, café open. Haslemere Festival - 15th -31st May: Haslemere Museum will host Haslemere Festival lectures and the Haslemere Art Society’s festival exhibition. Lectures include topics such as this year’s anniversaries – 1215, Magna Carta, 1815, Battle of Waterloo - the History of Haslemere and the archaeology of Black Down. www.haslemerefestival.org.uk Box oﬃce: 01428 642161. Book on-line: www.haslemerehall.co.uk or email boxoﬃce@haslemerehall.com May 2015

Images from far left: A giant Japanese Spider Crab; a line drawing of Arthur, the Siberian Brown Bear, by local artist John Davis, and a design extract from the Ancient Egyptian mummy coﬃn lid.

desk and shop, to running the library and archive, to cataloguing our collections is dependent to some degree on volunteer help. Yet despite our constant vigilance on costs, and the amazing support of local people and businesses, every year there is a stubborn gap between our income and our outgoings, partly because, for all it offers, our building is expensive to run. So fund-raising is crucial to us. In February 2013 we launched our ‘Museum in a Million’ appeal to raise a £1.5 million endowment to plug our funding gap. To date we have raised almost £1.0 million, which is a fantastic achievement, but we still have a way to go. But while we grapple with completing our appeal, there are many easy ways you can support us, from something as simple as attending events, or becoming a member or a volunteer, to organising a small fund-raising event for us or making us your chosen charity next time you run a marathon! However modest, all contributions are very gratefully received and help make sure our museum, which has so much to offer, is safe for future generations. More a museum for Haslemere than a museum of Haslemere, we are also a centre for education, for exhibitions, for meetings and for research, located in one of the finest Georgian buildings on the High Street: Haslemere Educational Museum is probably Haslemere’s finest gem.

FIND OUT MORE

Haslemere Educational Museum, 78 High Street, Haslemere Surrey GU27 2LA 01428 642112 www.haslemeremuseum.co.uk. Opening hours excl bank holidays: 10am to 5pm Tuesday – Saturday. Admission by donation. Disabled access to public areas. 15

Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

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entertainment from folk ‘royalty’. Full details at www. dorkingfolkclub.org.uk - a warm welcome always awaits you.

r.lindsay339@btinternet.com or the membership secretary, Terry Lazenby, email terrylazenby@ terrylazenby.plus.com.

The WHIPS, based in West Horsley, will be staging the comedy ‘Pullin’ The Wool’ by Frank Vickery on Wednesday 6th, Friday 8th and Saturday 9th May at West Horsley Village Hall. Performances start at 8pm. Friday is a Supper Night. The action in this hilarious comedy of the strains and stresses of property buying and selling alternates between two locations and will be familiar to anyone who has experienced house buying! Tickets are available from www. horsleyamdram.ticketsource.co.uk or from Wills and Smerdon on 01483 284141.

The Dorking Chamber Orchestra’s concert on Saturday 9th May has a very attractive programme. The music includes Copland’s lively and tuneful music for the ballet Appalachian Spring, celebrating the American pioneers, plus Schubert’s ﬁfth symphony and Delius’ La Calinda, from his opera Koanga. The orchestra’s leader, Clair Kennington, will play Beethoven’s second Romance for violin and orchestra. It takes place at St. Martin’s Church in Dorking and starts at 7.30pm. Call 01306 877176 for tickets although some should be available on the door.

Horsley Garden Society holds ﬂower and produce shows, meetings, lectures and visits that bring together those with an interest in gardening. Their Plant Sale, which is open to the public, takes place on Saturday 9th May - entrance 50p or three plants. In their three shows members compete for awards and trophies with their ﬂowers, fruit and vegetables, homecrafts and handicrafts. All activities take place at the West Horsley Village Hall. Anyone interested in membership at the modest cost of £8 per annum should contact the chairman, Roger Lindsay, email

Several events are being held at Leith Hill Place, the childhood home of Ralph Vaughan Williams, situated high on the side of Leith Hill and now in the care of the National Trust. On 10th May at 2.30pm, there will be a fun family music session for children aged 0 to 5, led by Jane Newberry. No booking required, just turn up and join in the fun! Also for families and children is a performance of Prokoﬁev’s delightful fairy tale Peter and the Wolf, given on 30th May at 5pm by the Chamberhouse Wind Quintet with narrator Jonathan Butcher. You are invited to

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May 2015

MOB - Mother of the Bride or Moment of Bewilderment!

For mother’s of the bride or groom, choosing ‘the outfit’ can be a very stressful experience with the worries of warmth, size, colour and comfort...

Great boutiques for special Occasions:

A lot of the doubt stems from trying on styles that are alien to our every day life. ‘Posh’ clothing, these days, has fewer outings. Unless you are a regular at the races or have plenty of dressy evening ‘dos’, most of us are so comfortable in jeans and jumpers that tailored pastels just feel wrong. Then there’s the hat!

Select collection of sophisticated dress and jackets or dresses with chiﬀon layers. Blush, 2b High Street, Haslemere, GU27 2LY. Tel: 01428 656412

So, here, from experience, are the most frequently asked questions from anxious MOB/ MOG’s and a few answers to help.

Designer boutique with luxury collections including stunning scarves by Mala Alisha. Courtyard, 5-6 Angel Gate, Guildford GU1 4AE Tel: 01483 452825

“I’m worried a guest will have the same outfit” This is a concern, but there are ways to avoid it. Visit independent boutiques for your outfit as they often only buy one per size to keep it unique. They would also know who bought the other dresses to double check with your guest list. Shops like Blush in Haslemere, have beautiful exclusive brands so they are unlikely to be duplicated. If you are buying from a high street, try and mix it up. A dress from Phase Eight, a jacket from Hobbs, shoes from LKBennett and bag from Anthropologie. All great brands but aim to make one piece your statement, maybe the hat or shoes. Just avoid buying the whole look from one place, even though it’s the easy option sometimes.

Classic dress and jacket collections, including Gina Bacconi and Condici. Serendipity, 52 New Road, Chilworth GU4 8LU. Tel: 01483 577475.

Stunning alternatives to the classic MOB looks, including soft suiting by Isabel de Pedro. The Gate, 57 North Street, Guildford GU1 4AE. Tel: 01483 453466 Modern designer, including dresses by Milly and divine cocktail hats by Layla Leigh. Sloanes, New Street House, New Street, Petworth GU28 OAS Tel: 01798 343747 Beautiful, feminine dresses with sleeves or cropped jackets, tailored plains or pretty ﬂorals. Ordri Boutique, 38 Downing Street, Farnham GU9 7PH Tel: 01252 891555 Huge range of upper end brands, tailored separates and dresses: MaxMara, Hauber, Bernshaw. Mulberry Silks, 14 Downing Street, Farnham GU9 7PB Tel: 01252 714171 For wear-again dresses and separates by brands including Josef Ribkoﬀ. Ben Vestito, 1 The High Street, Dorking, RH4 1AR Tel: 01306 898040 Superb range of accessories for that ‘wow’ factor. Luigi, 50 High Street, Haslemere GU27 2LA Tel: 01428 651250

“Do I choose a hat or a fascinator?” If you are comfortable in a full-brimmed hat, then the overall look will be very striking. Otherwise consider a fascinator that can stay on all day and during the meal, but avoid the very small comb and feather decoration. Guests can get away with it, but not the head table - enjoy an excuse to be more flamboyant. It’s much easier to choose your outfit first and then your hat, making an appointment with shops like The Mad Hatter in Guildford, which have a changing area for you to try on the full ensemble. Decorated pillbox styles work well as they are dramatic but not overpowering. This style pictured by Beverley Edmondson can be made in many different colours to work with your outfit and is neat enough to stay on all day. The Mad Hatter, 12 Castle Street, Guildford GU1 3UW. Tel: 01483 566845 Beverley Edmondson Millinery, 27B the Borough, Farnham, Surrey GU9 7NJ. Tel: 01252 715039 18

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FASHION FOOD

“Should I change in the evening?”

This all depends on the venue. If you are staying at the venue, changing for the evening is a great idea to feel fresh and also dazzle the guests a second time around. You can also have a change of shoes for comfort and decide if you can really wear heels any longer. If you are not staying at the venue, a tailored jacket could be exchanged for a little bolero (www.edenblu.com), a change of shoe and new clutch. If you are beginning to feel the pinch (toes more than purse) buy a backup pair of ballerina pumps that roll up in a little bag (Kurt Geiger, Mia £25 or check out www.rollasole. com for lots of colour choices from £10 and even a boxed multi-pack for guests)! Sleek bolero, £49 Edenblu

Roll up sparkle ballerinas, £19.95 Rollasole

What’s your look…? Think out of the box. - Try not to fall into the same looks you think a MOB/MOG should wear. - If you end up with an outfit you are not comfortable in, you won’t enjoy the day. - Think about trouser suits or soft separates in luxury fabrics, or try a jumpsuit or culottes. - If you are not so confident, go for a simple silhouette but have fun with the accessories. - Start with heels but have a backup comfort shoe for later on. - Avoid a full-on linen outfit, a jacket yes, but the dress ideally shouldn’t crease too much or you will regret it later on. - Remember, for those with a tighter budget, a little creativity can make a huge difference: changing the buttons on a high street jacket to contrast with the dress or adding a fabric corsage to a classic clutch can make all the difference and add a unique twist.

MODERN Culottes by Tibi Net-a-Porter

CLASSIC Rafell coat and dress Ted Baker

“I don’t often wear much make-up, is it that important?” “A little make-up is definitely worth it for the big day”, says celebrity hair and make-up artist, Hanna Wildman. “A light foundation and eye definition will make you look fresh in the photos. A soft pink on the lips is often enough with a layer of shine. My favourite is L’Oreal Glam Shine 6 Hrs, perfect on occasions when you want your make-up to stay put all day and available in lots of nudes and brights.“ Hanna offers make-up on the Day, £60 and oneto-one lessons from £95. Email hanna@hannawildman.com Tel : 07831 353317

TAILORED DRAMATIC Ocean suit in Oyster Larna lace dress Reiss Monsoon

“I never photograph well in photos, how can I look my best?” Photographer, Anna Saverimuttu, suggests some top tips: - Turn your body about 45 degrees from the camera - it’s much more ﬂattering than facing it squarely. - Don’t forget that a natural smile starts with the eyes and that it’s not all about showing your teeth for the camera - if you’re enjoying yourself, then your smile will be genuine! Learn more from Anna at www.annasaverimuttu.co.uk Tel: 01483 571119

Kirstie is a fashion stylist and can advise you on all areas of image with wardrobe edits and shopping days, email her on kirstie@kirstiesmillie.com or telephone 07773 234947. May 2015

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Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

arrive from 3pm and to bring a picnic. Tickets £9.50, call 0844 249 1895. Finally, on 16th May at 6.30pm there is a concert entitled Ralph Vaughan Williams as a student, in which the Vasara quartet will play two early works by the composer, introduced by Prof Colin Lawson, director of the Royal College of Music. Tickets £15, call 0844 249 1895. The National Trust has a lot to celebrate this year. From the 250th anniversary of the construction of Leith Hill Tower, to one of nature’s most beautiful delights – the dawn chorus. Forming one of the highest points in the Surrey Hills, Leith Hill is a great tapestry of rich ancient woodland and open heathland, both of which entice migratory and local birds, all of whom sing to their heart’s content at this special time of year. May mornings are especially glorious at Leith Hill as dawn comes early; its sounds echoing through the beautiful rhododendron glades and bluebell-carpeted woodland. This year the National Trust is inviting guests to join them for an early start to witness this spectacle for themselves with keen ornithologist and National Trust Ranger, Sam Bayley. Sam, Lead Ranger for Leith Hill says “Although the dawn chorus can be heard all year round, early May is when it’s at its peak. It’s the beginning of the breeding season and our resident birds are in full song and they are joined by our returning summer visitors from Africa, all keen to

stamp their claim on the variety of habitats that Leith Hill has to offer. In the Rhododendron Wood we are likely to hear and see the majority of our woodland birds such as woodpeckers, warblers, finches and thrushes, whilst up at Leith Hill Tower we may get lucky and see red kites and ravens. This time of year is very exciting for me as we wait with baited breath to see if all of our hard work over the winter months to improve habitats encourages our wildlife to thrive”. Join Sam for a dawn chorus walk, and hot breakfast roll, on Sunday 10 May. Both events start at 5am and last until 8am and cost £15 per person. Tickets need to be booked in advance by calling 01372 220644. Dogs on leads very welcome. Why not visit the Oddfellows Hall, Dorking High Street (opposite Hampton’s) on Monday 11th May and hear all about the interesting history of the Oddfellows in an informal talk. Just go in the door, take the stairs and two left turns at the top and you will find them. The talk will start about 8pm and refreshments will be provided afterwards. All are welcome. Future events include beetle drives, quizzes, competitions, fish and chip supper, mulled wine with mince pies etc. They meet on the 2nd Monday of most months. Contact 01306 500140 for more details. First Capel Guides are holding monthly Bingo and Bite to Eat evenings in Capel Village in aid of the local Girlguiding group. They take place in Capel Memorial Village Hall and include a fantastic supper and raffle. Meet at 7pm for 7.30pm, entry is £10 and payable on the door. Soft drinks available to purchase. For more info, please contact George on 01306 713247 or email george@nightlesscopse.co.uk. The National Vegetable Society Surrey District Association’s next meeting will be held on Thursday 14th May at 8pm in the Lovelace Room at East Horsley Village Hall, Kingston Avenue, East Horsley KT24 6QT. Geoff Hawkins, who retired in 2012 as Head Gardener of Mill Court, Alton, will be joining them for a talk entitled ‘Growing Vegetables in a Small Garden’. The talk is free for NVS members, £3 for visitors or guests and £1 for members of affiliated societies, guests and visitors are always very welcome. For more information contact Beth Otway (beth@otway. com or 01483 420989). The Mary Frances Trust is a Charitable Company established in 1994 by carers, service users and professionals to support local people with any kind of emotional or mental distress to get back on track with their lives. They provide services across Mole Valley which include but are not limited to;

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Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD groups and activities; local café; advocacy, advice and support; courses, workshops and training; volunteering opportunities; self-help groups and many more. For more details of all that is on offer contact Mary Frances Trust on 01372 375400 or look at their website, www.maryfrancestrust.org.uk. The Southdowns Group of the 7mm Narrow Gauge Association are pleased to announce the Swing Model Railway Exhibition. It takes place on Saturday 16th May from 10am to 4.30pm at Felpham Community College, Felpham, Bognor Regis, PO22 8EL. (On the A259, east of Bognor Regis). Adults £4.50. Kids Go Free (under 16, with fee paying adult). Association members, (7mm NGA, 009 Society and Gauge O Guild) £4. Refreshments will include homemade cakes, Westbourne sausage rolls, Buffers bacon rolls etc. Free parking and disabled access. New larger venue, 18+ layouts, hands on demonstrations, ‘have a go’ shunting puzzle layout, Ride on railway, weather permitting (small extra charge). Specialist model railway manufacturers and traders and society stands, 7mm NGA sales and second hand. LGB sales, Squires tools, Standard and narrow gauge model railways. For information contact Richard on 07970 556651 or go to www.swing.model-railway.org.uk Dorking Choral Society is hosting an Auction of Promises at the Dorking Rugby Club on Saturday 16th May. Some amazing and must-have items are up for sale! Go along and join the fun at the club house and bar of the highly successful ‘Red and Whites’ at Kiln Lane, Brockham. The evening starts at 7pm. There will be plenty of time for socialising and enjoying the facilities of the friendly atmosphere, good parking and club prices as well as the fun of joining in the bidding. Some of the fascinating selection of promises on offer are; a sideboard with historic provenance; a painting by a nationally known artist; use of a holiday home; lift to the airport in a Porsche; a musical walking tour in London; an afternoon tea for four; two golf promises, one of which is a round of golf at Betchworth Club plus lunch. There are many more to wonder and delight at in the company of friends at a very congenial location. Would you like to learn original Jive? Basic 50’s rock and roll and American 40’s / 50’s style. (Not Lindy Hop or modern jive). Lessons are on Mondays from 8-10pm at South Holmwood Village Club, Warwick Road, South Holmwood, Dorking RH5 4NP. Learn to the music of the era. Lessons, practice time and free tea and coffee (bar available if preferred). All welcome. The cost is only £6 on the door, no course fees to pay upfront. Call 07854 621522 for more information or email vintagejive@hotmail.co.uk. May 2015

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Mole Valley District Council is calling for enthusiastic walkers to get involved with the national Walking for Health scheme by volunteering as a walk leader or assistant. Volunteers are trained to support groups of residents who want to take up walking as a gentle, fun and free exercise to improve their health. Leading groups for up to an hour, walk leaders and assistants motivate participants to burn calories, lower blood pressure, exercise joints and muscles and improve their happiness. No previous experience is needed and volunteers receive full training, on-going support from the Walk for Health coordinator and access to useful resources and equipment. Committing only a few hours a month, walk leaders and assistants have the opportunity to develop leadership and people management skills, whilst getting the chance to discover new walks in Mole Valley. If you are interested or would like to find out more about the Walking for Health scheme, contact Estelle Holmes on 01306 879 292 or email estelle.holmes@molevalley. gov.uk. The final concert of the season for the Dorking Concertgoers takes place on Saturday 16th May at 7.30pm at the Yehudi Menuhin School, Stoke d’Abernon. This has been an excellent season as usual, with three particularly outstanding concerts by the Dante string quartet. The final concert is a violin Could you use some help with your Cleaning, Ironing or both?  Regular hourly rate only £10-£11/hr (area related)  Price quoted includes agency fee (no hidden extras)  One off spring cleans available. Call for price details  Times and hours to suit you (min. 2 hours per week)  Maid2Clean registers workers only after vetting  550+ Reliable, honest, suitable workers – why pay more?  Ease of replacement if you wish to change your worker  Worker sickness replacement cover provided if required  Insurance provided

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TOBY JUGS Bob Moores, from NestEgg Antiques in Petworth, takes a look at early English Toby jugs. A brief history When you hear the words ‘Toby jug’ you may well think of the thousands of 20th century character jugs produced by numerous potteries, most notably Royal Doulton. Whilst these are widely collected and can be very attractive, our passion is for the earlier late 18th century and early 19th century Toby jugs produced primarily in Staffordshire and the North of England. Whilst no-one is absolutely certain, it is likely that the first Toby jugs were produced around 1750 by John Astbury. These were the group of ‘Midshipmites’ including the tailor, soldier, fiddler and Lord Rodney. Charmingly naïve, the creamware bodies are decorated with translucent running glazes in the limited palette of ochre, manganese, green and cobalt blue. There was no black available until around 1800 and thickly applied manganese was used for the colouring of hats and shoes. My thanks to Bonhams for this picture left of the Tailor Toby jug which sold in 2009 at their Bond Street saleroom for a record price of £36,000. Although few of this group were produced, it is clear that the affection for Toby jugs was established and by 1790 numerous potteries in Staffordshire were producing a wide variety of different jugs. This golden period continued up to around 1820 and included potteries in Leeds, Scotland and Yorkshire.

see they were made in many variations. From left to right: a Neale & Co c.1790, Ralph Wood Long Face c.1780, Ralph Wood Shield c.1780, Yorkshire c.1810 and Pratt ware (this refers to the colours) c.1780. Values on these are between £1-2,000 with the Shield Toby being in excess of £8,000. The addition of a potter’s impressed name (rare on 18th century pottery) or some unusual feature such as the shield, a raised pipe or perhaps a dog between his feet can raise the value of a Toby considerably – eg the Shield is a lovely Toby which might normally (without the applied shield) sell for £2,500! The more unusual Toby jugs – see Plates 2 and 3 Apart from the Ordinary Toby there are many quite diﬀerent and often rare Toby jugs. Plate 2 below shows, from left to right: a Lord Howe c.1790; Hearty Good Fellow c.1800; Squire c.1780; Ralph Wood Sailor c.1790 and Martha Gunn c.1780. Martha Gunn found fame in bathing the young Prince of Wales at Brighton. Values on these vary between £750 and £4,500.

Production of Toby jugs declined after 1820 but as the earlier Toby jugs became more highly regarded many potteries began copying them. These later copies (c.1850 onwards) were of relatively poor quality The ‘Ordinary’ Toby jug – see Plate 1 The traditional Toby jug is called the ‘Ordinary’ and as you can 22

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Plate 3 above shows, from left to right: the Thin Man c.1780; Step Toby c.1770; Drunken Sal by Davenport c.1850; Large Pratt ware Postillion c.1790 together with a smaller (rarer) Postillion c.1800. Values on these vary between £1,800 and £4,500. Continental Toby jugs – see Plate 4 Many countries followed England’s example and produced their own Toby jugs – copying our designs but also creating new versions. Below from left to right: medium sized Dutch delft c.1880; naïve 18th century Delft; large Portuguese Hearty Good Fellow c.1820; Portuguese Reading Toby c.1820; Dutch delft c.1800 and centrally a tin-glazed money box Toby, probably Dutch early 19th century. Values on these vary between £120 and £3,500. The Reading Toby is one of several ﬁne Toby jugs which for many years were regarded as English and very rare. Examples sold in both London and good provincial auction houses were catalogued as English. Wonderful Toby jugs but these were in fact Portuguese! Wilkinson WW1 Toby jugs – see Plate 5 We rarely sell Toby jugs made after 1850 but make an exception for the excellent set of

11 Toby jugs depicting the WWI political and military leaders made by Wilkinson’s between 1915 and 1920 and designed by the eminent cartoonist Sir Francis Carruthers Gould. Most of these were produced in limited runs of between 250 and 500 and sell for approximately £700. However, General Louis Botha was deemed to be the least popular and only 150 were made – ironically this is now the rarest and a collector wishing to complete the set will have to pay £4-5,000 for him. A similar set of Toby jugs depicting 12 WWII allied leaders has just been launched in a limited edition of 100. They are priced at £300 for each Toby and Nestegg Antiques have been appointed UK distributor. Collecting can be addictive! Many collectors start by acquiring attractive post 1850 Toby and character jugs and quickly amass quite a number - then they buy a late 18th century Toby jug and their beloved collection is put to shame! Our advice is to start with fewer but better early Toby jugs as these are much sounder investments. Whilst some early Toby jugs are costly, it’s perfectly possible to acquire good 18th century Toby jugs for just a few hundred pounds. Once you have acquired your ﬁrst early Toby jug you may develop a strong desire to buy others and even reach the stage where you need to hide each purchase from your spouse. This is quite normal so don’t be alarmed! In addition to collecting being a source of great enjoyment (often for your spouse as well), it is also potentially an excellent form of investment – the value of good early Toby jugs continues to increase. FIND OUT MORE

Bob Moores and his wife Debbie Serpell run NestEgg Antiques, the leading provider of early English Toby jugs and work with collectors and museums around the world helping them to enhance their collections. Please have a look at the website and you will ﬁnd approximately 150 early Toby jugs. Feel free to contact them as they are very happy to meet both existing and new collectors and oﬀer advice where necessary.- www.nesteggantiques.co.uk. May 2015

Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

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recital given by Adelia Myslov with pianist Craig White. Their programme will include Brahms’ beautiful and lyrical first violin sonata and Bach’s great chaconne for solo violin, plus music by Beethoven and Respighi. The concert will end with a brilliant Fantasia on Porgy and Bess by the virtuoso Russian violinist Igor Frolov. Tickets at £16 from 01306 740619. West Horsley Parish Council meetings take place in The Cedar Room, West Horsley Village Hall and start at 8pm. All meetings are open to the public. At the chairman’s discretion, the formal meeting may be adjourned temporarily to enable visitors to put forward their questions and points. The next meeting is on Tuesday 19th May (AGM). For more information see www.westhorsley.info or contact clerk@westhorsley.info. The Dorking & District U3A’s AGM is on Wednesday 20th May at 2pm in the Christian Centre beside St Martin’s Church in Dorking. Following the AGM the U3A’s Singing for Pleasure group will entertain and local U3A member Bill Hill will give a short talk on art. Admission is free. For more information on the range of activities offered by the Dorking U3A visit www. dorkingu3a.org.uk. The Horsley Floral Decoration Group (affiliated to NAFAS) is a friendly afternoon flower arranging club. They meet at East Horsley Village Hall on the 2nd Tuesday of each month (except August) at 2pm. They have a varied programme of demonstrators/speakers/ in-house entertainment, trips, internal competitions (optional), sales table, refreshments, etc. Visitors and new members are very welcome (February/AGM members only). You are invited to join them (first visit free) for Fun, Flowers and Friendship. For more details phone Yvonne on 07976 281060 or Beryl on 01483 831422. I want to mention this again as it would be great to raise as much as possible for a very good cause. Over

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300 musicians, inspired by a very special little girl, are coming together on Saturday 23rd May at Guildford Cathedral to raise money for local charity the Rainbow Trust. Rowan Todd, who lives in Guildford, was diagnosed with a brain tumour when she was just ﬁve years old and she and her family have been supported by the Rainbow Trust throughout years of treatment at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Rowan’s dad, Will, is an internationally-recognised composer, whose Mass in Blue has been performed all over the world and is a well-known ﬁgure in Guildford. Under conductor Jeremy Backhouse, it will be a concert full of toe-tapping jazzy music with the power of massedgroup singing. It will be an evening to remember and the organisers are expecting a full house, with all proceeds going towards the valuable work of the Rainbow Trust. Tickets, priced from £16 to £28, are available from www.vivacechorus.org and the Guildford Tourist Information Centre on 01483 444334. Dorking Choral Society is entering four members to take part in a fund raising cycle ride. It is organised by the Leith Hill Musical Festival on 24th May taking in all of the twelve towns and villages who regularly compete in the event and then come together to produce three splendid evening concerts during three days in April each year. Sponsors are welcome to help support LHMF which is a registered charity run entirely by the members and relies on concert tickets sales, members’ subscriptions and donations. To sponsor the cyclists please visit www.lhmf.org.uk. As part of the National Trust’s 50 things to do before you are 11 ¾, go along to Clandon Park this May halfterm and see how many activities you can complete to claim your prize. Takes place from Monday 25th to Thursday 28th May and also Sunday 31st May, from 11am to 4pm each day. Normal admission plus £2 per child. ‘How the Koala Learnt To Hug’ is Coming to the Harlequin Theatre on Wednesday 27th May at 2.30pm. Based on the bestselling book by Steven Lee and written especially for parents to enjoy with their children, it is a charming tale about the magic of family and the importance of a nice, warm hug. So join Steven and a host of wild characters including Natascha the Witch, the Reggae Beavers and Karen the Koala for some great stories, sing along songs, superb games and first class hugging. Steven will be available to sign copies of his book, How the Koala Learnt to Hug and Other Australian Fairytales which will be on sale at a specially reduced rate after the show. Tickets priced from vantagepointmag.co.uk

 Bumper Scuff Repairs  Dent Removal  Paintwork Scratches & Chips  Alloy Wheel Scuffs

T: 01306 400060 / 07967 778232 www.smart-pro.co.uk Have you ever returned to your car and found it has been damaged? Maybe a small, but annoying dent, caused by a door being opened against it? A scrape from another driver’s parking error? A vandal scratch on the paint work? Or maybe you have misjudged a gateway, brushed a kerb with an alloy wheel, or scuffed a bumper corner? Smart Pro offers a mobile dent removal and paint repair service, specialising in small to medium area repairs, to body shop standard, at your home or place of work. Most repairs take only a few hours to complete and cost less than your insurance excess! The customer of this Honda Jazz was facing an insurance claim, which would have resulted in the bumper being replaced and the loss of their £250 excess. Smart Pro was able to repair the damage for much less than the excess and with no insurance claim on their record!

If you are determined to have a go, you will need to prepare the bed well by digging in lots of well-rotted farmyard manure and removing all weeds. Once the soil is prepared, dig a straight trench approximately 30 cm wide by 20cm deep, then pour soil into the trench to form a mound the length of it that is around 10cm high. Position the asparagus crowns so that they are perched on top of the mound with the roots spread out either side. Set the crowns roughly 30cm apart and then cover with about 5cm of riddled soil.

Growing Asparagus from the team at Secretts Farm Shop, Milford According to Queen Nefertiti it is the “food of the Gods”…. and to the peasants in ancient England it was known as ‘Sparrow Grass’. Regardless of whether you rank as royalty or pauper, there is little disputing that asparagus is an utterly delicious and highly sought-after vegetable. The short harvesting season typically runs from 1st May until Father’s Day in June and this only goes to heighten the excitement and desire to enjoy it while it lasts. In fact, amongst the more passionate foodies, there’s a deﬁnite tendency to gorge on it! And why not? Perhaps the earliest reference to the crop can be found on an ancient Egyptian frieze dating back to 3000BC. There are also records of Roman Emperors commissioning Asparagus Fleets to gather the ﬁnest spears and deliver them back to the royal kitchens.

As the young plants begin to grow, you will need to keep covering the shoots with more riddled soil until the autumn, by which time the entire trench should be full. Keep the plants well watered and resist the temptation to harvest any succulent young spears that might peep through the soil. Now the hard bit - you must continue to resist the urge to harvest for a further two years. Instead allow the plants to form lots of ferny foliage. Each autumn cut this foliage back to around 5cm above the ground. As you nurture your precious crop you must also keep an eye out for the pesky asparagus beetle. These little critters are 6-8mm long with red and yellow bodies. Left unchecked they can cause a great deal of damage to the plants by stripping the outer skin from the spears which in turn causes the plant to turn yellow and brown. In the third year you can ﬁnally harvest your long awaited bounty. Cut the spears when they are about 12cm long, with a sharp

In modern times most of the world’s asparagus is produced in Peru, Mexico or the United States and in many ways it is rather a shame that it can now be found on the supermarket shelves for all 12 months of the year. Having said that if you really want to enjoy the very best ﬂavour and the excitement of the ﬁnest asparagus straight out of the ground and on your plate within minutes then why not have a go at growing it yourself? A word of warning though. You will need a fair bit of space in your vegetable plot or at the allotment and a good deal of patience before you see the fruit of your labours. 26

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serrated knife just below ground level. Rush indoors to cook and eat as quickly as possible.

Montgomery Cheese & Asparagus Tart

If this all sounds like it requires far too much effort and the patience of a saint, then visit Secretts Pick Your Own Farm in Milford and you can experience the same wonderfully fresh asparagus without all of that hard work. The Secrett family have been growing asparagus on the farm in Milford for 27 years. Greg Secrett, the Farm Manager says: “Asparagus is one of our favourite crops as it creates such a buzz in the Farm Shop and at the PYO where it heralds the start of the season. Despite having an area of 9 acres set aside for the crop and producing a whopping 4,000 kilograms of the crop every year, the demand always outweighs supply”. He goes on to say: “We supply many of the top London restaurants with our other produce and they are always desperate to get their hands on our asparagus, but we never have enough for them. Surrey’s discerning food lovers and local chefs take every spear we grow”. The varieties grown at Secretts Farm are Franklim, Boomlim and Jersey Giant, all known for excellent flavour and consistently good yields. When asked how he enjoys his asparagus, Greg Secrett recommends boiling it for five minutes, adding lashings of butter and a good grind of black pepper. Serve on a thick slice of granary toast with parma ham and a lightly poached egg. Greg’s father, Charles Secrett, has a simpler approach, preferring to sauté in a hot pan with a generous knob of butter, a splash of water and lots of seasoning. This method allows you to stop cooking at just the point when the spears are perfectly tender with just the right amount of crunch.

VantagePoint Reader Offer For those that want the true field-to-fork experience, there is nothing that comes close to visiting Secretts PYO and harvesting the spears yourself. Secretts are offering a special offer to VantagePoint readers of £1 off per kilo of PYO asparagus. Simply bring along your copy of this article to get the deal. May 2015

Ingredients: • 140g plain flour • 85g cubed butter • 185g Montgomery cheese (finely grated) • 5 eggs • 175ml milk • 300g asparagus, trimmed and cut in half Method: Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas Mark 4. Put the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter until it resembles bread crumbs. Add 85g of the cheese and 3 tablespoons of water and mix until the pastry forms a ball, wrap in cling film and chill for five minutes. Grease a 20cm loose-based tart tin and line with the rolled out pastry. Chill in the freezer for a further 20 minutes then line with parchment and baking beans and bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove parchment and beans and pop back in the oven for a further 10 minutes. In a jug whisk the eggs and milk together. Sprinkle half the remaining cheese and the asparagus into the pastry case and then pour over the egg mixture and the remaining cheese. Bake in the lower half of the oven for around 35 minutes until the egg is set and golden brown. Serve with a green salad and boiled new potatoes. FIND OUT MORE

Secretts PYO is open for asparagus picking on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9am until 1.30pm and the Farm Shop is open seven days a week. The start of the asparagus season does depend on the weather so it is always worth checking the Secretts website for updates before making a special trip www.secretts.co.uk. 27

GARDENS

A couple of

book reviews

With Beth Otway

Straw Bale Gardening by Joel Karsten

deners all the information and guidance they need to create a successful SBG, whatever their circumstances.

This is Joel’s second book on Straw Bale Gardening; an updated version of his 2013 edition containing additional information for potential straw bale gardeners. Straw bale gardening (SBG) is a revolutionary gardening method which Joel has enthusiastically perfected and trialled over the last 15 years; his passion for the subject, as well as the beneﬁts of gardening using this technique are truly inspiring and exciting to read. Joel promises that straw bale gardeners will not need to weed their straw bale gardens – this in itself will be quite an incentive for many gardeners to give this method a try! Other beneﬁts of SBG include greater harvests, extending the growing season, saving money; it’s an easier non-dig technique for gardeners to try.

Joel’s passion and enthusiasm for straw bale gardening is evident throughout the book, and you can’t help but feel inspired to ﬁnd a local farmer, order some straw bales, and give it a try!

(Cool Springs Press, £15.99, paperback)

I love making gardening accessible to everyone and this is certainly true of SBG. The bales create immediate raised beds that can be easily arranged to suit the gardener. The height of the bales allows room for those gardening in wheelchairs, making gardening easier for disabled or elderly gardeners. A SBG can easily be created on top of concrete or hard standing, giving gardeners without direct access to the soil a new way to garden. Straw Bale Gardens Complete is a comprehensive book, which details everything you need to know about how to create, maintain and design your own SBG. Every aspect is covered – from sourcing the bales, how to set them up in your SBG, conditioning the bales, and even making your own bales if you can’t ﬁnd a straw bale source locally! There are clear instructions on planting, outlining which plants will thrive using the SBG technique, and which crops aren’t as well suited to it. There are plans and designs as well as photographs of successful gardens. This book gives potential straw bale gar-

Epic Tomatoes by Craig LeHoullier (Storey Publishing, £14.99, paperback)

The author of this book, Craig LeHoullier, is a tomato adviser for Seed Savers Exchange. This is an American non profit organisation, established to save and share the seeds of heritage varieties of seed with the aim of conserving and promoting America’s culturally diverse, garden and food crop heritage through future generations. Don’t let this put you off. Although you couldn’t purchase every tomato variety suggested at your local garden centre, you might be surprised to find that a quick internet search will help you find many of your favourites online with UK suppliers. The ‘problem solving’ section of this book would have been greatly improved by the addition of photographs or illustrations to clearly depict every tomato problem the author identifies. Additional images would have made this section far more informative, interesting and useful for the reader, I felt. Both seasoned tomato growers and beginners can learn a great deal from this book. With a lot of the information centred around heritage, and American varieties that aren’t as well known here, it gives a real and welcome opportunity to expand the tomato varieties we grow and the flavours we enjoy. This book has certainly inspired me to grow some of the tomatoes the author recommends. I can’t wait to try them!

For more book reviews and monthly gardening advice, visit Beth’s website - www.pumpkinbeth.com. 28

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Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

£8.50 from The Harlequin box office on 01737 276500 or book online at www.harlequintheatre. co.uk. May means bluebells and many people look forward to their annual pilgrimage to their favourite bluebell woodland to see these delicate beautiful flowers. This year at Hatchlands Park, they are holding special Bluebell Evenings every Thursday throughout the peak bluebell season. This is your chance to enjoy the sweet evening scent of the glorious English bluebells after hours and without the crowds. Places are limited so booking is essential. £8 per person (tea and cake included). To book, call 01483 222482. Also, on Thursday 28th May between 8-10pm, Hatchlands Park are organising a Bat Walk. Enjoy a guided walk at dusk through the parkland and see how many bat species you can spot. £5 adult, £2.50 child. To book your place call 01483 222482. Have a look at the Hatchlands website to find out what else is on during May, especially around half term. www.nationaltrust. org.uk/hatchlands. Home-Start Guildford is a family support charity covering the whole of the Guildford Borough plus Bookham and Fetcham in Mole Valley. They provide home-visiting volunteers with parenting experience to support families who are struggling to cope, with at least one child under five. Examples of difficulties might be: post-natal depression, illness/disability (of parent or child), multiple births, family breakdown, and financial worries. They believe that parents are key in creating a secure and happy environment for their children. They may need emotional or practical support to give their children the best possible start in life. That’s where they come in – and you could too! Can you spare a few hours each week to help a family with young children? Are you interested in learning new skills on their friendly, free, volunteer training course? The next Volunteer Preparation Course starts in September 2015 and they are recruiting now! If you are interested, please call Harriet on 01483 511181, or email office@hsguildford.org.uk for more information. Brooklands Museum has been awarded a grant of £200,000 from Arts Council England’s Museum Resilience Fund, towards the Museum’s ambitious Brooklands Aircraft Factory and Race Track Revival Project. Coming on top of the recent grant of £4,681million from the Heritage Lottery Fund, this latest contribution means that the project is 95% funded, leaving the Museum with around £370,000 still to raise. Good news indeed. May 2015

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Guildford Choral Society celebrates its 175th anniversary this year and their programme culminates in a performance of Berlioz’ ‘Te Deum’ at the Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday 3rd June at 7.30pm. Founded in 1839, at the start of Queen Victoria’s reign, under the Patronage of Lady Noel Byron and the Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey, the Earl of Lovelace, Guildford Choral Society is one of England’s oldest established amateur choral societies with an unbroken history . It is proud to be sponsoring this magnificent work with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Jonathan Willcocks. Written originally to celebrate Napoleon Bonaparte, the ‘Te Deum’ was ultimately dedicated to Prince Albert, the Queen’s Consort. For their performance in June, Guildford Choral Society (numbering over 150 singers) has invited The Chichester Singers, Portsmouth Choral Union and the City of London Choir to join its celebration. The children’s choir will be composed of young people from Francis Holland School, The Royal Grammar School, Guildford and the children of the Guildford High School Junior Choir, numbering some 200 young people in all. The choir performed the St Matthew Passion at Guildford Cathedral in March and it was a truly memorable evening, which Angie and I enjoyed enormously. I expect that this concert will be equally as thrilling. Tickets are available from the Royal Albert Hall box office (www.royalalberthall. com/tickets/royal-philharmonic-orchestra/berlioz/ default.aspx), www.royalalberthall.com and from Guildford Choral Society’s Ticket Master on 01494 675571 or boxoffice@guildfordchoral.org. Guildford Choral Society will also be running coaches to London. Inclusive coach packages (including transport from Guildford, ticket and programme) will be from £45 and coach only fares will be £20. More details are available on the choir’s website: www. guildfordchoral.org. ‘Dan Cruikshank: The Recreation of Lost Buildings’ is coming to the Harlequin Theatre in Redhill on Friday 5th June at 7.30pm. Architectural wonders that define a people or place have been lost and recreated. Warsaw old town, parts of Dresden, the palaces of St. Petersburg and the schloss in Berlin. In the UK, the Euston Arch – completed in 1837 and the first great monument of the railway age and one of the finest pieces of Greek Revival architecture ever built, was demolished in 1961. After years of search most of the stones of the Arch have been recovered from a river bed in East London, and the government has recently decreed that the Arch should be rebuilt. After the talk, there will be Q & A and book signing with Dan Cruikshank. Tickets from £13, contact The Harlequin Box Office on 01737 29

Seasonal spring salads With hints of warm weather appearing, what better time for a lovely salad made with the best seasonal ingredients that May has to oﬀer.

Asparagus and Feta Salad Ingredients 1 tsp sesame seeds, 150g asparagus, 50g cooked peas (cold), 200g sliced courgettes, 1 tsp sesame oil, couple of handfuls of Secretts rocket leaves, 30g feta cheese and grated zest of half a lemon.

May is the time for the best English asparagus and this recipe comes from Secretts in Milford. Look for the oﬀer on Pick Your Own asparagus on page 30.

1. Lightly toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan and set aside. 2. Steam the asparagus for 3-4 minutes then drop into a bowl of iced water to cool. Drain and then dry using kitchen paper. Cut spears to 5cm lengths. 3. Heat a griddle pan until very hot and brush with the oil, cook the sliced courgettes until striped with dark brown. 4. Combine all the above ingredients along with the rocket leaves, feta and lemon zest. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle with oil just before serving.

Jersey Royals with Hot Smoked Salmon and Watercress Salad Ingredients 500g Jersey Royal new potatoes, 100g crème fraîche, 1 tsp creamed horseradish, juice of 1 lemon, 2 spring onions, finely sliced, 2 hot smoked salmon fillets, skinned and flaked, 1 bunch watercress, rinsed

If you can’t ﬁnd hot smoked salmon use local smoked trout from Tillingbourne Trout Farm, or you could also use smoked mackerel, smoked salmon and even roast beef. This recipe is from www.jerseyroyals.co.uk and serves 2.

1. Bring a pan of water to the boil. Add the potatoes and reduce the heat to a simmer and cook the potatoes for about 15 minutes or until tender 2. Mix together the crème fraiche and creamed horseradish. Add enough lemon juice and black pepper to taste. 3. Drain the potatoes and leave to cool slightly. Add the spring onions and salmon. Stir in the crème fraîche mix until all the ingredients have a light coating. Toss in the watercress and serve, either slightly warm or cold. 30

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FOOD Broad Bean and Bacon Salad Ingredients 250g shelled broad beans, 1 tbsp olive oil, 175g pancetta or bacon, 1 tbsp chopped parsley, salt and pepper.

This dish is simple and easily prepared and makes for an excellent supper dish. You can however turn it into an excellent salad side dish by adding a simple sherry vinegar dressing and serving it warm. The original recipe comes from Elizabeth Luard’s Tapas: Classic Small Dishes from Spain and serves 2 or perhaps 4-6 as a salad side dish.

1. Blanch the beans in boiling, salted water for 2-3 minutes, unless they are old ones in which case they will need 6-10 minutes to become tender. 2. Warm the oil in a small pan. Add the chopped pancetta or bacon and fry for a few minutes until golden. 3. Stir in the parsley and the beans. Put a lid on the pan and cook gently for 5 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper as required.

Chilli and Lime Crab Salad with Ciabatta Toasts Ingredients 4-6 ciabatta slices, cut diagonally from a small loaf, 75ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing, juice of 1 lime, plus lime wedges to serve, 3 spring onions, finely chopped, 2 tbsp good quality mayonnaise, handful each fresh chives, deseeded and finely chopped , 1 red chilli, finely chopped, 300g fresh white crab meat, any shell discarded (from your local fishmonger or supermarket), mixed baby salad leaves, to serve.

To make this light crab recipe into a more substantial meal, toss through 400g cooked and drained pasta. This recipe is taken from www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk and serves 6.

1. Preheat the grill to medium. Put the ciabatta slices on a large baking tray, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and brush all over with the extra olive oil. Grill for about 1 minute each side, until golden. Set aside on a wire rack to cool. 2. In a bowl, mix together the remaining 75ml oil, lime juice, spring onions, mayonnaise, fresh herbs and chopped red chilli. Season to taste and set aside to infuse for 5 minutes. 3. Put the crab meat into a large bowl and gradually mix in the herb and chilli mixture to combine. Season to taste. 4. Place a handful of the salad leaves onto 4-6 serving plates and spoon the crab mixture alongside. Serve with the ciabatta toasts and extra lime wedges.

May 2015

Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

276500 or book online at www.harlequintheatre. co.uk. A schools presentation has been launched to educate youngsters about life-saving charity Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance. Primary and secondary pupils can learn about how the helicopter is called out, types of missions, landing sites and major developments of the service such as night ﬂying and blood transfusions. They can also hear about where the charity’s income comes from and obtain fundraising packs which provide a fascinating study subject for pupils, learning about the infrastructure of the charity from the operational side and the way in which fundraising can have a huge impact on saving lives. If you would like to register your school to receive a schools support pack please contact the air ambulance’s Community Team on 01622 833833 or email veronicaw@kssairambulance.org.uk. For more information about the school presentation please visit http://www.kssairambulance.org.uk/involved/ atschool. While you don’t actually have to bring your dancing shoes, your toes will certainly be tapping along to the polkas, waltzes and much more on oﬀer at the Ladybirds Choir’s summer concert, The Joy of Dance:



A Celebration in Song, on Saturday 6th June at 3pm in the United Reformed Church Hall, Dorking. As well as Shall we dance?, the classic song from The King and I, you will hear I could have danced all night from My Fair Lady, the beautiful Merry Widow Waltz, the delightfully nostalgic Kerry Dance and many other songs with dance associations both wellknown and not so familiar. The 100th anniversary of Frank Sinatra’s birth will also be celebrated with a performance of some of his most popular numbers, along with a poem marking 800 years since the signing of the Magna Carta. This year we are pleased to be supporting Dyscover, a small charity based in Walton-on-the-Hill which offers long-term support and opportunities to sufferers of aphasia. Aphasia is a language disorder caused by brain injury, usually a stroke, and affects a person’s ability to speak, read, write and understand language. This can be extremely isolating and frustrating, but Dyscover offers a supportive environment and stimulating programme of activities that help people to maximise their communication skills, build up their confidence and re-engage with life. Tea and cake will be served after the concert. Tickets are priced at £7.50 and are available on the door or in advance from Jenny on 01737 843662.

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Mobile Bicycle Servicing No more loading bikes in the car Servicing at your home Cheaper than bike shops

Book now! Call or text

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Horsley Decorative & Fine Arts Society meets at East Horsley Village Hall on the second Wednesday of the month from October to July for lectures on a wide variety of subjects. The lecture on 10th June will be Posters of the Belle Époque: The Great Age of the Poster by Charles Harris. Coﬀee 9.45am to 10.15am. Lecture from 10.30am to 11.30am. Visitors £5 and new members welcome. For more information and the full programme visit their website www. horsleydfas.org.uk or phone Chris on 01483 280021.

with a peculiarly tricky military crisis. The music is arranged for a nine piece chamber orchestra, of top professional players. The intimate Nomad Theatre is an ideal setting for this unamplified show. Young and dynamic director and musical director, Nathan Farrell and Joanna Bywater will ensure this is a fun filled and high energy performance. Tickets are Adults £16, children/students £12, and can be booked by calling the box office on 01483 284747 or online at www. nomadtheatre.com/book-online/.

The Mandarin’s Dilemma by Joe St Johanser is the latest production from the Nomads in East Horsley. It runs from Wednesday 10th to Saturday 13th June at 7.30pm.The Nomads have presented many plays and musicals written by members or local writers and composers and here is the latest world premiere. Subtitled ‘Made Knaves by Duty’ this musical black comedy in two acts is Joe St. Johanser’s sixth full length stage work. The plot and witty dialogue, which is best summarised as ‘Dr.Strangelove meets Yes Minister’, is interspersed with thirty clever but accessible musical and dance numbers. Joe’s melodies are moving and memorable and will certainly stay with you. The story is set in the United Kingdom of the near future. Senior civil servants (the ‘Mandarins’ of the title) and the top army brass are wrestling

Mole Valley residents, Parish Councils and Community Organisations will now, thanks to an inclusive policy approved by Mole Valley District Council’s (MVDC) Executive, have the opportunity to decide which events are given permission to be held in parks and open spaces in their local community. The new Open Spaces Policy sets out how individuals and groups can apply to use parks in the district for events, such as weddings, funfairs and ﬁlming. For the ﬁrst time, residents and community associations will be able to decide which events are suitable for their local area. The intention is to promote community participation and devolve decision-making to local communities. Residents and community associations wanting to take a more active role in this decisionmaking process should email paul.anderson@

Text Dorking1 to 60222 Or call Graham now on 01306 406 506

May 2015

Bepton, Chilgrove and the South Downs A Norman church, a secret orchid hillside and a Bronze-Age burial site are among the surprises of this lovely walk, along with two excellent country pubs. Although this walk can be done with good walking shoes in the drier months, you will be glad to be wearing boots on two or three of the tracks. Since the few stiles on this route have left a gap, your dog can come too and can run free for much of the way. I did this walk in late February and it was muddy in places but the views from Linch Down were spectacular and well worth the trip you might make to do this walk. Both pubs also heartily recommended. Ed. This walk is supplied with thanks from www.fancyfreewalks.org, from where you can download this walk with larger and more detailed maps.

The walk 1. From the side of the car park, follow a wooden rail and a little tarmac path to go through a wooden swing-gate past a bench with views, reaching the side entrance to the church. This little church is usually open and is definitely worth visiting. Continue down a path from the side entrance to exit through a wooden swing-gate onto the approach lane. Turn right, going past a small pond, and turn left at a T-junction onto Bugshill Lane. You pass the Old Rectory and a farm and reach a junction in 400m with Bepton village on your left. Instead turn right on a signed byway. Follow this stone-lined path for 500m. If you encounter some mud here it should soon be gone and should not return until just before the end. As the path curves left into trees you come to a marker post on your left. 2. Turn right at the marker post, as indicated by the blue arrow, steeply uphill, in 30m going under a tall beech and a yew tree. After the yew tree you need to measure exactly 100m (150 paces). The path rises for 60m, then flattens out under ash trees. After 25m, it rises a little, zigzagging slightly left-right over roots. Immediately look for a faint path very sharp left. (In fact it is a crossing path.) The path runs straight up a long gently rising contour. Take this path, almost reversing your direction. The path becomes clearer as you proceed, although you will need to step over the debris of small fallen branches. After 170m, your path comes into a lighter area of shrubs and curves right up to a small metal gate. Go through the gate onto Bepton Down. Keep ahead up the sloping meadow on a faint path, but keeping just to the left of the brow of the hill so that you get the best advantage of the fine views to your left. You pass a solitary round beech about 30m on your left. The views are of Black Down and Bexleyhill. Keep following the path into the far corner where there is a large 34

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  metalgate. Go through a wooden swing-gate beside it and turn   very sharp right on a broad track.   3. The grassy slope of Bepton Down, with fine views beyond, is   now on your right, with steep woods on your left. Stay on this   chalky path, soon avoiding an unmarked path on your left. The   path curves left, flattens out and runs between fields, leading to a 4-way fingerpost. The crossing track here is the South Downs   Way. Cross straight over on a grassy bridleway and, in 350m, at  a 3-way  fingerpost, turn right. In 25m, turn left on a horse track    slightly downhill. In 150m, go straight over a wide forestry track  on what may be a rather muddy patch. In just 20m, leave your straight downward path by forking right on another wide forestry track through Bepton Wood. You shortly pass a 2-way fingerpost,   confirming that this is an official bridleway. Your path descends gently, then more steeply and afterwards suddenly up again between plantations. You reach a junction of several paths by a 3way fingerpost. 4. Turn left on a signed bridleway and follow this stony path for 450m where the bridleway goes over a crossing path near a wooden gate on your left. You shortly pass notices for Sussex Wildlife Trust’s West Dean Woods and a rather worn picnic corner. On your left is a long wattle fence. After an inspirational walk, you emerge by open fields with views ahead. Tall oaks and ash trees are your escort along a narrower grassy path. Finally our path ends at a

vantagepointmag.co.uk

WALK

wooden gate beside a large metal gate. Turn right here on a tarmac lane. 5. At a road junction, veer right, signposted Chilgrove, passing Staple Ash Farm and its thatched farm house. At a sharp left bend by a drive and wooden gate, keep left, staying on the lane. Just before Yew Tree Cottage, ignore a footpath on your right. Your undulating lane goes under grid lines and curves right: avoid a footpath on the left here. At a 3-way fingerposted junction ignore a drive on the right for Brooks Farm and keep left passing several picturesque houses and cottages with their gardens. Soon the lane zigzags leftright and reaches the White Horse in Chilgrove, which is a lovely, if slightly upmarket pub. 6. After a refreshment break, continue to the main road and turn right, using the grass verge where possible. In a short distance, go over a stile on your right and turn immediately left on the grass parallel to the road. As the meadow opens out, veer slightly right to go over a stile and straight across a crop field. An avoidable stile, a drive and another stile lead you along the right-hand side of a pasture. After a line of trees, you are walking beside another pasture similarly. At the other side, go over a stile by a fingerpost and veer right onto a bridleway. At a fork with two large wooden gates, take the left fork as indicated. After a pleasant 500m, keep ahead at a diagonal crossing path by a 4-way fingerpost. Eventually, 1km after the fork, you reach the hamlet of Hooksway opposite the Royal Oak. The Royal Oak is one of the celebrated pubs of the area, more rustic than the White Horse. As well as food and drink, it has quite a history. 7. After your break, facing the pub, turn right and keep straight on avoiding a bridleway through the car park on your left. There are now three possible routes ahead. Avoid the footpath by the wooden gate on your right and the track curving off to the left and take the middle option, passing a sign for a restricted byway uphill. DISTANCE: 10 miles OS MAPS: Explorer 120 (Chichester) STARTING POINT: The walk begins at Church Farm, Bepton, West Sussex, postcode GU29 0HX. This is approached from the village of Cocking just south of Midhurst and the day’s adventure really begins here as you follow a narrow country lane under an old railway bridge and through the best Sussex farmland to an ancient village hidden beneath the

Your path continues on a straight course, gradually uphill. After more than 1km, you reach a 4-way fingerpost: keep straight ahead, thus joining the South Downs Way (SDW). You will be following the SDW for most of the rest of the way. Soon there are meadows visible on either side as you go under large beeches. Soon, on your left is a sign for the Devil’s Jumps, a Bronze Age monument and a short diversion not to be missed. 8. Continue along the SDW and shortly ignore a stile and footpath on your left. You are now on a beautiful wide path through a luxurious woodland of tall ash trees. The path curves right imperceptibly. Suddenly you are out of the woods with terrific views on both sides. At the end of the long meadow on your left, ignore a bridleway sharp left. The path rises with a view of Linch Down ahead. At the end of a fence, just after a 3-way fingerpost, turn left on a path that curves right down into trees. The path makes a shallow descent down the side of the hill with Didling Hanger on your left. The path becomes sunken under all beeches and ash. At a junction of paths near a meadow on your left, keep straight on downhill. The path continues between banks and you finally arrive at a drive in front of Linch Farm, through a large metal gate. Turn right and veer right on a tarmac lane, Bugshill Lane again. After some houses, the church comes into view on your left. The lane bends left under maple and beech. Turn left on a cul-de-sac lane leading back to Church Farm where the walk began.

South Downs. Bepton’s 12th-century church is at the end of a short branch lane. There is a large space provided by the farm for visitors to the church and they welcome walkers. REFRESHMENTS: Both these pubs are on the route. The White Horse, Chilgrove (01243 519444) and The Royal Oak, Hooksway (01243 535257). Image: Linch Down © Copyright Dave Spicer

Neither the publisher nor the author can accept any responsibility for any changes, errors or omissions in this route. Diversion orders can be made and permissions withdrawn at any time.

May 2015

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Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

molevalley.gov.uk. Anyone wanting to use the district’s parks and open spaces for an event should contact tony.wynn@molevalley.gov.uk. The Hub Dorking is located in the front office of The Point. It is one of a network of local centres, The Surrey Hubs, which provide information and support to help people stay independent. Hub Dorking offers advice and signposting services for disabled people, older people, carers and families. It hosts a number of drop in sessions – such as Benefits Advice, Sight for Surrey, Advocacy and ESRA (employment advice) and also offers a hearing aid battery replacement service for NHS customers. They can provide information about Telecare, equipment, leisure activities, and services in the local area. The Surrey Hubs are run by volunteers, many of whom are disabled people, older people or carers themselves and therefore understand the issues customers are facing. A new initiative came to The Hub, based at The Point, Lyons Court in Dorking in April. On the 2nd Wednesday of each month from 10.30am to 12.30pm, TG Fitness will be offering a free health check including Body Mass Index; metabolic rate/daily calories advice; blood pressure check together with advice on diet and exercise. It’s available to all, but particularly for those with a disability. For further information on the services they provide, or on volunteering at The Hub please ring the Hub on 01306 886280 or email n.lau@surreyilc.org.uk. Dorking Choral Society will, following their competing in the Leith Hill Musical Festival, be putting together a delightful programme of ‘easy listening’ American and English Folksongs for their summer concert. The concert, ‘Crossing the Atlantic’ a selection of some well known, unusual and always attractive pieces, will be at St James’ Church, Abinger on Saturday 13th June at 7 pm. In the hopefully balmy evening following, you are welcome to ‘bring your own picnic’ and join the choir in scoffing on the green - all are welcome. It’s also the day of St James’ Church Summer Fair with stalls and sideshows and entertainment, so why not make a long afternoon of it for a really relaxing day. Watch out for the posters in town and around! Julie Barham, Becca Clegg, Louisa Sullivan and Lillian Spibey will be holding their Open Studio at the Treacle Gallery, Shere, from 13th – 21st June. The group will showcase ceramics, paintings, glass work and photography. More details about their studio (no. 130) is on the website www.surreyopenstudios.org.uk. Dorking Lawn Tennis and Squash Club will be hosting an Open Day on Sunday 14th June from 10am to 36

3pm. Go along and choose from tennis, squash, table tennis, ball machine or a fastest serve competition. You could even give them all a try! There will be free coaching sessions for all abilities and ages (from 4 years upwards). Racquets, balls and equipment will be provided – all you need is a pair of trainers and any suitable clothing. This is a perfect family day out, where everyone from age 4+ will be able to take part and try something different. A barbecue will be on offer, soft drinks, licensed bar and tea with homemade cakes in the afternoon. There will also be other activities for children, including a craft table. Dorking Lawn tennis and Squash Club is situated in Roman Road, Dorking RH4 3ET. Everyone will be given a very warm welcome! For further details, contact Rachel Halton, club administrator, on rachel.halton@gmail. com. The Rotary Club of Leatherhead has its 24th Annual Charity Golf Day in aid of ‘My Time for Young Carers’ and ‘Wherever the Need’ on Friday 26th June. It is from 12noon onwards at Effingham Golf Club. Entry fee £75 per person or £300 per team of four including sandwich lunch and buffet supper. Many prizes to be won throughout the day! Further information and entry forms from: Gary Zabel (01372 800810 or garyzabel@ntlworld.com) and Chris Pelley (01372 450615 or chrisandjoanpelley@gmail.com). If you are over 55 and live in the Mole Valley area, you can use Age Concern’s free computer course based in Leatherhead. The course runs once a week for five weeks with the option of additional weeks to reinforce and build on what you’ve learned. Topics covered will include: browsing on the internet, basic keyboard and mouse skills, using an ipad, setting up and using your own email or skype accounts (making communication with faraway family and friends a breeze!) and how to shop on the internet as well. Those who already own a laptop or an ipad are encouraged to bring that to learn on but computers will be provided as well – it’s up to you! They always begin each session with a chat, a cuppa and of course a biscuit creating a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. The tutor works at the pace of the class and where possible, they also have volunteers on hand to provide further support. To find out when the next course is running, telephone 07442 017169 or by email to ageconcern.molevalley@yahoo.co.uk. FIND OUT MORE

Visit www.vantagepointmag.co.uk to see more Jottings from our other areas online. To send in an entry, go online or email us at jottings@vantagepublishing.co.uk. vantagepointmag.co.uk

PROFILE

The Brigitte Trust – 30th Anniversary 2015 Supporting people at home facing life-threatening illness

In partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support the service has grown into North Surrey and West Sussex with its ﬁnal expansion into Guildford Borough in January 2015.

It seems that nowadays so many people are touched by cancer - a family member, friend or business colleague. It can be a wearying and lonely time and sometimes very difficult for those concerned to share the many feelings and fears a serious diagnosis can bring. The Brigitte Trust was founded 30 years ago by Dorking resident Brigitte Watkin who saw three friends die in hospital unsupported, when their wish was to end their lives at home. Brigitte set up a volunteer service, initially named Hospice Home Care, offering respite to carers and emotional support for the whole family. After calling a public meeting to explore the idea Brigitte was overwhelmed when over 100 people came along to find out more.

Volunteers receive full training and support and visit for four hours each week. They have full discolsue and barring service (DBS) clearance and visit the same client each week so a relationship is built up at this most sensitive time. Visits can consist of sitting with a family member whilst a carer takes a break, transport to hospital for treatment or to medical appointments, shopping, preparing a meal or picking up children from school. Bereavement support for up to six months is also oﬀered. “I truly felt that on the days my volunteer visited I could take a tiny step back and be myself – me – for an hour or two. This gave me a little bit of normality in what was a roller coaster of a time. The support I received made me feel less isolated too” “…the freedom to pop out, either to do some shopping or to meet up with a friend for coﬀee, knowing my husband was in safe hands” The Brigitte Trust is celebrating its 30th year in the community and is proud of its service and its volunteers. Free training courses are taking place in Epsom this September and Crawley in November. Once trained, Volunteers will visit locally.

Today the service has spread well beyond its Dorking base with over 100 volunteers in place. At the end of last year 31 volunteers received service awards ranging from 5 to 30 years - including two founder volunteers.

Above: The Dorking Deepdene Rotary Swimarathon team 2015 who raised over £700 in March. FIND OUT MORE

Call Sharon Sillitoe on 01306 881816 today to ﬁnd out more, or visit the Trust’s website: www.brigittetrust.org.

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We can’t teach your child to walk on water… …but we can teach them a life-skill they’ll never forget. Swimming lessons from 4 months upwards. Quote ‘V515’ for a free trial lesson. Call us today! DORKING SPORTS CENTRE Reigate Road, Dorking, RH4 1SN

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Operated by Places for People Leisure Ltd in partnership with Mole Valley District Council.

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