VantagePoint Magazine October 2014 - Dorking & Villages

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Dorking & Villages • October 2014

VANTAGEPOINT VANTAGE POINT YOUR COMMUNITY  YOUR VIEW

MAGAZINE

Also inside: ARTS ALIVE IT’S PUMPKIN TIME! MAKE YOUR OWN CIDER WALKING WITH THE NATIONAL TRUST

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Our local farm and food shops

King William IV, Mickleham Book now for your Christmas parties 2 Courses Traditional roast turkey and all the trimmings Just £19.95

The historic building was built in 1790 as an ale house for workers at Cherkley Court. Its stunning views have been enjoyed for over 200 years.

We strive to give our customers quality products and courteous service. All our food is prepared from scratch inhouse by our professional chefs.

All our ingredients are locally sourced wherever possible – meats from Nash Farm, breads from Westcott Bakery, and fruit and vegetables come directly from Covent Garden.

Eamonn and Anne wish you a pleasant visit and both hope that you agree that the King William IV is Surrey’s best kept secret!

Telephone: 01372 372590 Web: www.thekingwilliamiv.com The King William IV is situated directly behind Frascati Restaurant, 25 yards up Byttom Hill on the A24 between Leatherhead and Dorking

TO THE POINT It really is getting autumnal now, which is always a good reason to think about food, and that is why we have made this issue a bit of a foodie one. It does seem to be one topic that we regularly feature and one that almost everyone enjoys. Another is walking. I am always slightly surpised (and very delighted) when I see readers Stefan Reynolds out on their strolls with a copy of VantagePoint Editor & Publisher in hand doing one of our monthly walks.

This month we have teamed up with the National Trust (NT) who are running a national campaign called the Great British Walk. We are featuring a number of guided walks that the NT will be running throughout October. We also profile some NT owned areas locally that make for great walking; just what is needed after that

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

big Sunday roast. Given my imminent aquisition of a dog (Humphrey, pictured left), I’ll be needing some new routes before too long!

Another theatre tip for you. A while back I went to see The Play That Goes Wrong at the Yvonne Arnaud and I could not stop laughing. It was terrific and really is a must see. It has now gone back to the West End after a regional tour and is playing at the Duchess Theatre until February 2015. Don’t just take my word for it. “This hilarious spoof of a college theatre production is a cult hit in the making”, Charles Spence (Daily Telegraph). The perfect antedote to the arrival of the cold weather. 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 107,277 homes across the South East, which gives us the largest local circulation in the local area, all with guaranteed delivery by your postman.

Vantage Publishing Limited 6 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 VANTAGEPOINT CONTACTS Marcus Atkins Sales Director marcus@vantagepublishing.co.uk

Trish Soper Sales trish@vantagepublishing.co.uk

Carol Martin Sales carol@vantagepublishing.co.uk

Georgie Hales Sales georgie@vantagepublishing.co.uk

October 2014

Contributors: David Gillott, Matthew Pottage, Peter Sibley, Nevin Stewart, Jethro Tanner Print: Polestar Stones Cover: Godalming Food Company

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CONTENTS Rugmart June 14_Layout 1 15/05/2014 15:26 Page 1

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"The Place to buy Rugs"

6 Jottings Your local community noticeboard

8 It’s Pumpkin Time!

With Secretts Farm

13 Food for Thought Local farm and food shops

16 Sweep that Chimney 18 Arts Alive 20 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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Jottings We have just taken part in the GUTS Motor Tour for the first time. It was great fun motoring through Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire through the most beautiful countryside on back roads we had never travelled on before. There were over 40 classic cars taking part, from a Rolls Royce Silver Ghost to an E Type Jaguar.

Our goal was Brooklands Motor Museum where we had a picnic and time to visit all the attractions of this wonderful museum. Hopefully a lot of money will have been raised for GUTS, our terrific local charity fighting bowel cancer. A full report will appear in VantagePoint in due course.

Ever wondered about the people who have lived on and around Box Hill? Or what about the famous inventions and experiments that were conducted on the hill’s grassy slopes? As part of its year-long centenary celebrations, the National Trust at Box Hill are delighted to announce that they will be hosting free guided walks looking at these fascinating details. The free walks, which require no pre-booking to attend, are held every Wednesday at 2pm starting from the shepherd’s hut in the main car park. Parking is free to National Trust members, or

- YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

£4 for non-members. Dogs are very welcome. 2014 marks the 100th anniversary of Box Hill being given to the National Trust by Leopold Salomons “for ever as an open space for the recreation of the public”. To this day, Box Hill remains one of the most visited National Trust places in the country and is looked after by a team of dedicated volunteers and staff.

Beare Green & Newdigate Choral Society will be starting rehearsals in preparation for their Christmas concert on Wednesday 1st October.

If you would like to take part please go and join them at 7.45pm in Newdigate Village Hall. The concert will be on Wednesday 17th December in Newdigate Village Hall. The choir will also be singing Christmas carols in the Surrey Oaks Pub, Newdigate on Tuesday 9th December. No auditions required to join them and no need to read music! If you would like to find out just how friendly the choir is contact the secretary on 01306 631115 or join them for their Barn Dance in Beare Green Village Hall on Saturday 18th October at 7.30pm.

Dancing to the Silver Keys Dance Band. Tickets £12.50 to include a ploughman’s supper.

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The October lunchtime recitals at St Martin’s will be given by organist Paul Provost (2nd), soprano Debra Morley with Graeme Lodge at the piano (9th), organist Peter Wright (16th), and organist John Sharples (23rd). The recital on 30th will be given by Matthew Beetschen, the new organist and director of music at St Martin’s. The recitals start at 1pm and are free. For more information call 01306 742629.

The next Antique Collectors Fairs are on Thursday 2nd and Thursday 16th October at Cranleigh Village Hall, from 7am - 3.30pm. Entry is free and refreshments are available. The next Fairs in Shere Village Hall are on Sunday 12th and Sunday 26th October from 11am to 5pm. Free entry and car parking and refreshments are available.

Watermill Jazz continues to meet as usual every Thursday evening (next one on 2nd October) at the Friends Life Social Club in Pixham Lane, Dorking. There are some great acts lined up for October.

Doors open at 8 for 8.30pm start.

Tickets are priced at £17/£18; call 07415 815784.

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 19,112 LOCAL HOMES Like us on Facebook at Vantage Point Magazine

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Next Copy Date: 13th 10th October 2014 6

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It’s pumpkin time!

There is no getting away from the fact that autumn is well and truly upon us. The chilly evenings are closing in and the time has come for pumpkins, so say Secretts of Milford.

Aladdin, Cinderella, Black Forest and Wolf…..

Don’t worry, it’s not pantomime season quite yet; these are all varieties of pumpkin and squash. There are simply countless varieties of pumpkin, squash and gourd. With names as weird and wonderful as their diverse colours and shapes. Some of our favourites names are Baby Boo, Orange Dawn and Hooligan…. but never mind the random names. At Secretts Farm it’s the flavour that really interests us.

It was for food not decoration that pumpkins and squashes were originally grown.

Archaeologists and historians have strong evidence to suggest that pumpkins were grown by early Native American farmers along the banks of rivers and creeks, where the soil is rich in nutrients and naturally well-irrigated.

It is believed that a symbiotic growing method was used whereby crops of corn, beans and squash were all grown together in the same plot. The strong rods of corn served as a trellis for the bean vines, with the squash planted underneath to shelter the shallow roots of the corn and shade the ground to discourage weeds and preserve moisture. There is also evidence that a fish from the river was often buried alongside the seeds to nourish the soil.

How fascinating that so long ago growers were already practicing such careful crop planning so as to get the greatest yield from 8

the smallest areas of workable land.

The pumpkin crop is relatively new to us at Secretts. We’ve spent over 100 years growing a wide variety of root vegetables, herbs, salad leaf and fruit, so about five years ago we thought it was time that we tried our hand at growing pumpkins and squashes. We now set aside two of our larger fields for the crop and what a sight they are. On a misty October morning, row upon row of bright orange spheres laying on the moist earth.

It’s impossible not to be cheered by such a colourful crop.

But with so many fabulous varieties, shapes, sizes and colours to choose from it was hard in the beginning to know which ones to grow.

We know our customers love food as much as we do, so it was not simply a case of growing the perfect pumpkin to carve into a Halloween jack-o-lantern (although this is important).

We also wanted to be sure that the varieties we grew would be great to cook with and to eat. And of course we supply many of the top London chefs, so for them, flavour and quality is absolutely paramount. We have developed our range over the last few years and have now settled on a mix that includes traditional carving varieties such as Lumina as well as some tastier ones such as Turks Turban and Harlequin.

So, apart from carving a spooky face and setting it aglow with a candle, what else can you do with your pumpkin or squash?

Those early Native American growers simply roasted it over the campfire or dried it to provide a valuable food source throughout the vantagepointmag.co.uk

cold winter months. They may well have been onto something as simply drizzled with oil and generous seasoning roasted squash is sweet, nutty and quite delicious!

Jump forward to the days of the Pilgrim Fathers and early thanksgiving celebrations where pumpkins and squashes became an important part of the traditional feast.

Pumpkin Risotto with Crispy Pancetta Ingredients • 570ml chicken stock • Small onion, finely chopped • Handful fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped • 2 tbsp olive oil • 175g risotto rice • 250g pumpkin or squash flesh, peeled and cubed • 50g unsalted butter • 8 slices of pancetta Serves 4 Method • Heat the stock until boiling then keep it over a very low heat. In a separate pan heat the oil and soften the onions until they are translucent, add the sage (reserving a small amount for garnishing) and cook gently for another minute • Add the rice and mix well to coat in oil, add one third of the stock and bring to a gentle simmer. When the stock is almost absorbed add the pumpkin flesh and a little more stock • Gradually add the stock a little at a time, stirring at all times until all the stock is added and the pumpkin is soft and the risotto has a creamy consistency. Taste and season to your liking.

• Meanwhile place the pancetta under a hot grill for a few minutes until it is crispy.

•To serve, stir the butter through the risotto and divide into four serving bowls.

Top each serving with two pieces of pancetta and a sprinkle of chopped sage.

October 2014

In the early days the pilgrims would cut off the top of the pumpkin and scoop out the seeds and loosen the flesh. The cavity would then be filled with cream, honey, eggs and spices.

The lid would be replaced and the whole thing buried the hot ashes of the fire to roast. Once cooked, the pumpkin-flavoured custard would be scooped out and shared among the guests.

Doesn’t that sound good?

The pilgrims also fermented a rudimentary beer from pumpkin, combining hops, maple sugar and pumpkin flesh and making a rich orange brew to warm the heart on a chilly October evening.

Nowadays there are many recipes ideas to make excellent use of the crop when it’s at its best in early autumn. We’ve shared a couple of our favourite recipes here, but this vegetable is so versatile the options are endless. Simple roasted pumpkin soup can be given a warming kick by adding a touch of chilli or cayenne pepper. Why not use chunks of pumpkin flesh as the base for a hearty vegetable curry; you could add aubergines, courgettes and sweet potatoes - sounds like a perfect Halloween Supper!

Oh wait! Don’t forget the seeds. Pumpkin seeds are high in protein and packed with iron, vitamin B and zinc. They can be roasted in a hot oven for around 15 minutes and sprinkled with soy sauce while they are still hot.

Fantastic on their own or tossed on your salad or risotto for a bit of extra crunch.

FIND OUT MORE

Pumpkin Week at Secretts takes place during October Half Term (27th October to 31st October).

There will be lots of pumpkin inspired tasters in the Farm Shop and the ever popular tractor rides up to the fields to pick you own pumpkin. Full details will be on the Secretts website www.secretts.co.uk.

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Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD - NOW IN DATE ORDER!

On Friday 3rd October at 8pm, Mole Valley Scriptwriters present ‘Little Brother’ by Tony Earnshaw in the Green Room Theatre, Reigate Rd, Dorking, as part of Arts Alive. Ian has a problem; his sisters think they can help him fix it. Can they? Or will their own issues and entrenched sibling rivalry get in the way? A thought provoking and humourous exploration of love, addiction, guilt and family relationships from an award winning writer and team.

Admission is £11 (concessions £9).

Box office 01306 881717 www. dorkinghalls.co.uk.

I’m afraid there isn’t much time on this one but if you’re into fishing it will be of interest. A fishing day has been organised at Park Lake in the stunning Albury Estate, by kind permission of the Duke of Northumberland, on Saturday 4th October. They might still have morning tickets available where people can fish from 9.30am

onwards.

Bacon butties for breakfast and a delicious lunch is included, as is tackle and tuition if necessary. It’s a really super day out and is suitable for both novices and seasoned fishermen. The food is all home cooked. The price for the morning session is £45 per person and all proceeds go towards helping Kids for Kids projects in Darfur Sudan, helping children who face starvation in the villages. If you’re interested, don’t delay; call 07970 732995 or email debbie@ kidsforkids.org.uk The Guildford Astronomical Society will be holding another of their public outreach meetings on Saturday 4th October. It takes place at the Newlands Corner car park between 7pm and 10pm. They are calling the evening ‘A Night under the Stars’ and you are very welcome to join them to look through their telescopes at some of the celestial jewels visible that night. They

usually have about 20 telescopes targeted on various sights. The evening is free unless you want to buy a warming beverage available from the National Trust shop.

They cater for all ages and levels of expertise. All you need to take are wellies, a warm coat and an enthusiasm to witness some of the astronomical treats you normally only get to see on the Sky at Night.

For more information visit their website www.guildfordas.org Capel Choral Society is well into its autumn ‘term’ and has enjoyed a first ‘sing-through’ of the music it is singing during the 2014/15 season.

As well as music for the Leith Hill Musical Festival, the Choir will be learning music for its Christmas concert (on 15th December) – this will include Charpentier’s delightful Messe de Minuit, and Lauridsen’s O Magnum Mysterium.

The Choir will be holding a Coffee Morning on Saturday 4th October,

Dorking Halls Event Screenings Stephen Fry: More Fool Me Wednesday 1 October, 7.15pm National Theatre Encore: A Streetcar Named Desire Friday 3 October, 7.30pm Billy Elliot: The Musical Saturday 4 October, 1.30pm

Royal Ballet Live: Manon Thursday 16 October, 7.15pm Encore: Sunday 19 October, 2pm Bolshoi Ballet Live: Legends of Love Sunday 26 October, 3pm Royal Opera Live: I Due Foscari Monday 27 October, 7.15pm National Theatre Encore: Frankenstein Thursday 30 October, 7.30pm Friday 7 November, 7.30pm The Vatican Museums in 3D Tuesday 18 November, 7.30pm

Box Office: 01306 881717 Book online: www.dorkinghalls.co.uk 10

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Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD - NOW IN DATE ORDER! in the Memorial Hall, from 10am to midday. Please do go along and meet members of the choir, enjoy a cup of coffee and some cake, take part in a raffle, and of course buy some of the goodies on offer. Capel Choral will be celebrating its 110th birthday this month, and they are hoping to grow the choir this season. They would welcome new singers (it will be fairly easy to ‘catch up’ at this stage of the term) and especially MEN! Choral singing is an enjoyable and relaxing activity with proven health benefits, and few things beat the satisfaction of mastering a new piece of music!

See information about, and pictures of, the choir on their website, www.capelchoralsociety.com or contact the secretary at secretary@ capelchoralsociety.com or phone 01306 712365.

On Sunday 5th conjunction with charity, there will afternoon tea in the

October in the DropBy be a free glass pavilion

at Clandon Wood Natural Burial Ground. This event is for anyone over the age of 65 and living alone, who would like to meet new people.

Silver Sunday is part of a nationwide initiative set up by the Simon Milton Foundation to provide those over 65 with the opportunity to get out and about, meet new people and try new things. If you would like to join in, please call 01483 479614 to book a place. Places are limited so do book early. You can find out more at www.clandon.com.

On Monday 6th October at 7.30pm Mole Valley Poets present ‘Poetry Pub’, the annual and ever popular open mic night, this year at the Stepping Stones pub in West Humble. Go along and listen, or read your own poems, while enjoying a drink at the foot of Box Hill. Entry is only £5, on the door. It’s all part of Arts Alive.

The Horsley Floral Decoration Group (affiliated to NAFAS) is a

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friendly afternoon flower arranging club. They meet at East Horsley Village Hall on the second Tuesday of each month (except August) at 2pm. They have a varied programme of demonstrators/speakers/inhouse entertainment, trips, internal competitions (optional), sales table, refreshments, etc. Visitors and new members are very welcome (Feb/ AGM Members only). Go along and join them (first visit free) for Fun, Flowers and Friendship. For more details phone Yvonne on 07976281060 or Beryl on 01483 831422.

The Dorking and District U3A has its monthly meeting on Wednesday 8th October, when author Judy Davies will give a talk on ‘A Journey in Search of Convict Ancestors’. An expert in crime and punishment in Victorian Britain, she describes her talk as “a personal quest through the past and present - how far would you go in search of a skeleton

’Kingfisher’

Farm Shop info@kingfisherfarmshop.com

01306 730703 Watercress beds, Abinger Hammer, Dorking, Surrey. RH5 6QX

Growing watercress in spring water since 1854 We offer a healthy range of fresh fruit & vegetable, meats, bread cakes and an exclusive range of delicious watercress products; watercress bread, watercress pesto, watercress & pork sausages.

British grown & seasonal flowers and garden plants.

Farm Shop open Monday - Saturday 9am-6pm, Sunday & Bank Holidays 10am-4pm Flower Shop Tuesday - Saturday 9am-5pm October 2014

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Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD - NOW IN DATE ORDER!

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in the family cupboard?” The meeting takes place in the Christian Centre by St Martin’s Church in Dorking at 2.30pm and entry is free to members and non-members.

For more information contact the Dorking U3A on 01306 882534 or visit their website at www. dorkingu3a.org.uk.

Are you are Interested in the Arts, Heritage and Culture?

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 2014/2015 programme starts on 8th October with a lecture on Myth & Legend in Early Greek Art by Louise Schofield, an archaeologist and former curator at the British Museum. 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.

If you fancy singing yourself, go along and join in Dorking Choral Society’s Come & Sing where you can rehearse Haydn’s Nelson Mass in the afternoon and then take part in a concert performance of the piece. Or just go along to the concert! It’s on Saturday 11th October at 1pm and 6.30pm, at URC, Cost £15, Concert only £5, Call 01403 240093.

Kingfisher Watercress Farm in Abinger Hammer has been producing watercress for 160 years.

To mark the event they organised a three course watercress supper for 100 people in the Village Hall in May. It was so successful that they are organising another evening for Saturday 11th October. A History of Kingfisher Watercress talk and Watercress Soup Supper will be

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held at Abinger Hammer Village Hall at 7.30pm. Cost is £10 per ticket.

Barrie Arminson who has worked as a watercress grower since 1958 will give a talk on the history of R.Coe and Sons and Kingfisher watercress in greater detail. To book I would suggest contacting Kingfisher Farm Shop or Abinger Hammer Village Hall.

On Saturday 11th October at 7.30pm, there is a lovely concert at St Martin’s. The Dorking Chamber Orchestra will be playing a Mozart piano concerto with soloist Ursula Perks, a student at the Yehudi Menuhin School. Also Haydn’s London symphony (no.104) and Dvořák’s Czech Suite. Tickets are £12.

Goldenford Publishers Limited are taking a novel approach to helping others to develop their writing craft by organising two workshops in October as part of 2014 Mole Valley Arts Alive Festival. On

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT Back in April, we ran an article extolling the virtues of supporting local food shops after research had shown that for every £10 spent in a local food business, £25 was generated for the local economy. This compared with just £14 for each tenner spent at a multinational.

So what better way to support the local community than buying some of the wonderful local produce from some of our best farm and food shops? It is only by visiting these places than one realises the variety and quality of food that is produced locally. In addition to the growing number of shops, we have a number of regular farmers’ markets in the area, all of which showcase the best of local produce on a weekly or monthly basis.

Even pubs and restaurants are getting in on the act.

I see more and more menus with local ingredients proudly displayed. Paula and Jon Briscoe, owners of The Jolly Farmers in Buckland, have long supported smaller local suppliers and championed local foods. Says Jon: “We value the community and all the individuals that work together to make the local economic wheel turn. Working together and supporting one another brings opportunity and prosperity felt through the whole community and has never been so important in today’s economic climate.”

We are very fortunate in having a good selection of farm and food shops in the local area and have spoken to five of the best to find out more.

The Godalming Food Company 99 High St, Godalming GU7 1AQ. Tel: 01483 239891 www.godalmingfood.co.uk Opened in October 2012, the Godalming food Company likes to engage with both customers and local producers to bring the best local food and drink to Godalming’s High Street. They stock many unique items that you won’t find elsewhere and also have a thriving online shop that will deliver around the UK. It is also a perfect destination for foodie gifts (as the editor can attest) and their custom food hampers are popular all year round!

The range is always evolving, whether this is from customer recommendations, or seeking out new products themselves. They are currently building a takeaway (and eventual eat-in) offering, and are also looking to expand the tasting events in store.

They also do lunches and take-away coffees, made with their own house blend, roasted locally in Merrow. A donation is given for each cup sold to a locally based charity, Seeds for Development, who support the farmers in Uganda who grow their coffee beans .

Which products do you sell that are from local producers?

October 2014

For the second year running, they are a finalist for Independent Retailer of the Year, in the Surrey Life Food & Drink Awards, as nominated by customers. Well done!

“So many! Local food is our speciality – from cheeses to chocolates, cakes to coffee, wines and ales. If it’s local, we’ve tried it, and if it’s good, we sell it!”

What are your top three selling products (by volume)?

“Cheese (including local ones such as Norbury Blue), wine, and custom made gift hampers.”

READER OFFER VantagePoint readers will be offered a free cup of the house blend coffee to enjoy when they spend £10 or more in store in October. Just show this article.

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The Hungry Guest Lombard Street, Petworth GU28 0AG Tel: 01798 344 564 www.thehungryguest.com The Hungry Guest opened in November 2011 and it really is striking that so many of the goods sold here are their own. They have an artisan bakery and production kitchens near the Goodwood estate which produces bread, jams, sauces, handmade pies, ready meals, smoked fish, meats and more, seven days a week.

Look out in store for the good range of British unpasteurized goats and sheep’s cheeses in the self-contained cheese room.

They also have a separate café in Petworth which is a short walk away but who minds a wander through the streets of Petworth?!

They have won several awards since opening, including Great Taste Awards for many of their products and were also named by

Vogue as one of the top 100 shops outside London last year.

Which products do you sell that are from local producers?

“Aside from being our own local producer, we stock meat and game from the Goodwood and Leconfield estates, local honey from Duncton, our free-range eggs are from a local farmer situated within walking distance of the shop. Local dairy products such as milk and ice cream and our fruit and vegetables are sourced from local growers too.”

What are your top three selling products (by volume)?

“Number one is often our infamous chocolate brownies!

People travel for miles to buy

them! Our temperature and humidity controlled cheeseroom is unique to the south and is also extremely popular and of course our range of over 25 sourdough breads have gained a great reputation since we opened.”

READER OFFER VantagePoint readers will be offered a free hot drink to enjoy when they spend £20 or more in store in October.

Just show this article.

Secretts Farm Shop Chapel Lane, Milford GU8 5HU. Tel: 01483 520500 www. secretts.co.uk The Secretts business was established in 1908, moved to Milford in 1937 and the Farm Shop opened in 1979.

Secretts still grow many of the products they sell which are available for sale just hours after having been harvested. The newly re-designed Farm Shop is also packed with individual and unique products sourced from local artisan producers, as well as top quality world food from every corner of the globe. It is one place I can usually rely upon to find those elusive ingredients you can’t easily find elsewhere.

On site there is a pretty vintage style tearoom, offering a wide menu of delicious homemade light lunches and afternoon teas. There is also a butcher 14

specialising in high quality locally sourced meat, a flower shop and clothing shop. They also have a Pick Your Own open from April to September, and their asparagus is fabulous and justifyably popular.

Future plans include the introduction of cookery demonstrations, workshops and tastings and updating the shop even further.

Which products do you sell that are from local producers?

“We sell lots of our own homegrown vegetables, salads and fruit. Bread and bakery products, cheeses, handmade pork pies, pastries and scotch eggs. We also cook our own hams along with homemade quiches, tarts, soups and pork pies.”

What are your top three selling products (by volume)?

“Our own asparagus (during its short 8 week season), strawberries and cheese from our legendary counter which has over 250 cheeses to try and buy.”

READER OFFER On production of this magazine, VantagePoint readers will be able to purchase a half price pumpkin from Secretts Farm Shop throughout October 2014.

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Kingfisher Farm Shop Abinger Hammer RH5 6QX Tel: 01306 730703 www.kingfisherfarmshop.com Kingfisher Farm has been a watercress farm since 1854. It has always been a family business, with fourth and fifth generations working together at present.

The shop was opened in 1971 and the owners make routine weekly early morning visits to the London wholesale market to bring back the ‘first of the season’ quality fruit, vegetables and flowers.

The shop has a good range of products and also offers a wide range of watercress products using local producers. I was impressed with the selection of English wines.

Also on site is the Flower Shop which opened in 2003, with a

wide selection of fresh cut flowers ,with an emphasis on British grown blooms. Their bouquets reflect the changing seasons and cater for all, from parties to weddings.

Outside there are seasonal displays of herbaceous, perennial, and bedding plants and also herbs are also available. They endeavour to source a majority of these plants from local and British growers.

Which products do you sell that are from local producers?

“Seasonal vegetable, salad and fruit crops, cheese, bread, eggs, cakes, jams, chutneys, honey, wines, beers, some meats, meat

pies, chocolates, dressings, flowers and plants, charcoal and logs.”

What are your top three selling products (by volume)?

“Our top three selling products at the moment are watercress, cheese straws, and onions.

Obviously our stock is seasonal so in December we sell vast amounts of brussel sprouts and parsnips and in June and July we will sell hundreds of punnets of strawberries.”

Cowdray Farm Shop Easebourne, Midhurst GU29 0AJ. Tel: 01730 815152 www.cowdray.co.uk Opened in 2010, Cowdray buy from many different suppliers and producers in order to make their range completely unique. They always endeavour to find the best of the best in whatever category.

Sometimes it’s local, sometimes it’s organic but it’s always delicious and typically will have been made by people who really care.

I was impressed with the number of brands I had never heard of (Summerdown peppermint tea made by a Hampshire farm), jams and pickles made exclusively for Cowdray by Ouse Valley and Pump Street Bakery Chocolate (handmade in Suffolk).

There are also a lot of their own products, including the chickens who lay the eggs that they sell in the shop are their own. Pork pies, October 2014

quiches, sausage rolls and other prepared foods are all hand made from the finest ingredients by the team at Cowdray.

There is a fishmonger who calls on Tuesdays and Fridays called Andrew Johnson of Johnson’s Fish who comes up from Portsmouth.

There is also a café on site and if you enjoy a cake made by the chefs there, look out for it on sale in the shop. An added advantage is lots of car parking on site and a great setting.

Which products do you sell that are from local producers?

“Apple juice, jams and chutneys, pork, eggs, cheese, vegetables, fruit, fudge, curry sauces, beer, firewood, charcoal, bread boards, honey, candles…. it’s a long list!”

What are your top three selling products (by volume)?

“Cowdray made quiche, Cowdray eggs, and interestingly Amalfi grown lemons!”

READER OFFER On production of this magazine, VantagePoint readers will be able to receive a 10% discount in the Cowdray Farm Shop café.

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Sweep that chimney!

Fireplaces are going to start to get busy as the nights start drawing in and the cold weather starts to arrive.

With energy costs increasing, the use of stoves and real fireplaces is increasing, especially in this area, given the easy availability of wood to feed those fires. But how often do you check your chimney is in working order?

Your fireplace could be a hazard — and the problems are hidden from view.

Remember, it is the sweep’s job to clean the flue rather than the fireplace. To prepare for your chimney to be swept and to save time, it is important to clear the hearth space of old ash and debris, removing all fireside accessories and leave approximately one metre of clear space in front of the hearth prior to your chimney sweep arriving as this will ensure full access and promote a cleaner working environment.

Chimneys need to allow free passage of dangerous combustion gasses. Regular cleaning will remove soot and creosote, helping prevent dangerous chimney fires. Bird nests, cobwebs and other blockages will also be removed. Cleaning will increase the efficiency of some appliances. Every flue that burns solid fuel, and certainly every open fire or wood burning stove, needs to be swept regularly.

Some general tips:

The best time to have your chimney swept is now.

Waiting until late autumn means you might have to wait for an appointment, as that is the time when most people think of cleaning their chimneys.

It is always a good idea to have a small fire a day before the sweep calls, as most chimneys are not in use for the summer months and damp soot will soon accumulate. Damp soot left in the chimney is detrimental to the structure of the chimney. Older flues with brick/cement may start to rot as soot plus moisture produces an acid, which attacks the inside of the flue. Damp soot is more likely to be turned into mud and stick in the flue, eventually falling off when the fire is used again, perhaps leaving you with the impression that the sweep did not do a good job. Even the more modern stainless steel flues are susceptible to rotting from damp soot, so make sure you stay safe and get it cleared out.

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• It is better to burn hard woods than soft woods. Not only do hard woods burn slower, making them more economical, they also make the fire burn hotter. This reduces the amount of creosote deposited inside the chimney, which will help keep your chimney cleaner for longer. Reducing the amount of this flammable substance inside your chimney also has considerable safety benefits.

• Have a good stainless steel bird and rain guard fitted to your chimney pot. This will keep your chimney free from bird’s nests, protecting wildlife by stopping any bird entering your chimney and dying, or worse, finding its way into your living room. It will also keep your flue as dry as can be.

• The best safety precaution you can take is to have your chimney cleaned and inspected by a professional chimney sweep on a regular basis. There are, however, warning signs that you can look out for yourself. A fire that is burning more slowly than usual can be sign of a partially blocked chimney, as can the presence of strong odours or smoke in the room.

Jethro Tanner from Bramley Chimney Sweeps. Tel 01483 421771, 07920 774004 or email bramleysweeps@gmail.com.

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Saturday morning 11th October the subject of their workshop is ‘The Nosh in Your Novels’. The workshop is designed to help writers use food to enhance their fiction, giving delegates a chance to write their own pieces around the idea of eating. A fortnight later, on the morning of 25th October, the subject matter is ‘The Novel Approach to Weather’ and was inspired by the winter of terrible storms, a warm and balmy spring and the sunny summer. The team will demonstrate how weather affects us all, either psychologically or physically, and how that can be used in writing. Both workshops are held from 10.30am to 1.30pm at the Reeves Room, Parish Church Hall, Church Road, Leatherhead KT22 8AY. Admission: £12, Concessions £10 – includes refreshments – no disabled access. Tel: 01372 456778.

Come and browse stalls from Surrey’s finest wedding suppliers at the G Live Surrey Wedding Show on Sunday 12th October, from 11am-4pm. Sponsored by Simon Pure Jewellers, the show is perfect for brides who are looking to add a personal touch to their big day. You’ll be able to get ideas for everything you need, from the venue and your wedding cake, through to the photographer, florist and hair stylist. There will also be a catwalk showcasing the latest bridal wear from local designers. As well as established wedding venues, there will also be exhibits to help brides who are looking for a DIY and rustic style wedding including furniture and catering hiring, entertainment and serving staff companies and even fun for the little ones.

I’ve just seen the final lineup for The Guildford Book Festival which takes place between Sunday 12th and Sunday 19th October. There are loads of household names putting in appearances including BBC broadcaster Andrew Marr, cricketer Kevin Pietersen, best selling October 2014

author Kate Mosse and General Sir David Richards to name but a few.

Commenting, Jim Parks, Guildford Book Festival Creative Director, said: “Over the past 25 years, Guildford Book Festival has grown to become the premier literary event in the South of England. Once again this year, we look forward to bringing the very best of national and local literary talent to the town, for the benefit of all readers.” To see the full line-up and to book tickets go to www.guildfordbookfestival. co.uk. Tickets can also be booked at Guildford’s Tourist Information Centre and the Electric Theatre.

Join Discover the World for their series of travel talks taking place this autumn. These informative and interesting evenings are ideal for those who wish to learn more about the destination they’d like to travel to. The guest speakers are destination experts with valuable travel advice, tips and exciting stories that will help you prepare for your unique holiday. Visit www. discover-the-world.co.uk/events.

Coming up, ‘Volcanism in Iceland and the Bardarbunga events’ on Tuesday 14th October. Ari Trausti Guðmundsson is one of Iceland’s best known geologists and a former Icelandic Presidential candidate.

Focusing on volcanism in Iceland and more specifically the recent Bardarbunga events, Ari will be giving a comprehensive talk on Iceland’s interesting geographical make-up, what to look out for when you visit and where to go to witness Iceland’s constantly moving environment. To book, email them at events@discover-the-world. co.uk with the number of people in your party. Location: Discover the World, Banstead.

The new brochure of events from Surrey Libraries is out! Pop in to your local library to grab one today.

This season they welcome Surrey favourite Susan Lewis to West Byfleet library on 14th October; get

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the opportunity to tackle our nerves when it comes to doodling in their Fearless Drawing Workshop with Kerry Lemon and meet the gang at the school gate with Kerry Fisher.

They will be offering a number of free drop-in sessions with their health partners across the county, so you will be able to pop into your local library for information, support and advice on a number of issues. Health workshops deal with topics as varied as retirement, nutrition and chronic pain. This brochure really has something for everyone! Find all of the events, more information and tickets on the website at www.surreycc.co.uk/ writersbooked and www.surreycc. gov.uk/healthevents. Tickets are available to buy online, or by calling 01483 543599, or in any Surrey library. For all the latest news from Surrey Libraries, follow on Twitter @SurreyLibraries and like them on Facebook.

RHS Garden Wisley, Woking GU23 6QB, is putting on ‘A Taste of Autumn’ from Wednesday 15th Sunday 19th October, open from 9 am to 5 pm. Join in for an autumn celebration of tasty food, fresh air and glorious golden garden colour. Be tempted by food stalls galore selling everything sweet and savoury. Taste and buy lots of Wisley-grown apples; find out how to make juice and cider at home; plus fruit and vegetable displays, advice from the RHS Advice Team, RHS Seed Scheme information and family activities. The event is free once you have entered the Garden. There are lots of other activities going on including half term Family Fun from Saturday 25th to Sunday 2nd November.

Email wisley@rhs.org.uk or call 0845 260 9000. Also look at www. rhs.org.uk/wisley.

There is a drop-in session at Dorking library for anyone thinking of starting their own business. It is from 1pm-5pm Thursday 16th 17

ARTS ALIVE 20th anniversary Mole Valley Arts Alive Festival Arts Alive is as fresh and varied as ever, with well over 100 events now spreading into early November.

Music is here in all its rich varieties, with poetry, drama, art and laughter running right through the festival.

October is the month to bang down the lid on your laptop and go out to enjoy the interaction of real audiences with real performers.

Sensational soprano Natalie Coyle (right) is this year’s patron and will be making a guest appearance at the Dorking Street Party. Natalie has previously toured the UK with Classic BRIT Award winners BLAKE. She has since performed solo four times at Wembley Stadium to sold out crowds of over 85,000.

The events in this year’s festival will be filled with diverse home-grown acts, such as folk trio Heart String, Surrey Fringe Men’s Chorus and Brothers Broke. In the 20th anniversary of the blockbuster movie ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’, where St Michael’s Church in Betchworth is featured, residents can participate in Our June’s Wedding, an interactive play about love and tradition. Art lovers can view some of the 250 paintings of varying style and subject available for sale at the Dorking Group of Artists Annual Exhibition. There are also photography exhibitions at Dorking and Leatherhead library.

The Mole Valley Arts Alive Festival started from humble beginnings in 1994 as a two-week literature festival. Thanks to business and local government support and the involvement of the community, it has now progressed into probably the largest event of its kind in the South of England. Many of the Dorking events would not be possible without the grant kindly offered by Mr Stephen Cooksey, District Councillor and Councillor of Surrey County Council.

Children and young people will be able to take part in poppy making workshops, Big Draw events and talent competitions. The Charlwood community have written a play with music and song based on true events during WWI. This event involves community members and is one not to be missed. The Dorking based ‘Loud and Proud’ choir are launching their children’s choir, with free taster sessions throughout October. All of this alongside old favourites such as Le Roc, lunchtime recitals at St Martins Church, Surrey Barn Weavers and ShedArt.

The 2014 festival brochure cover was designed by 15 year old Amy Normal from Manor House School, an independent school for girls. Amy used dance and music to convey the essence of the festival and her competent and creative use of oils added a real feeling of movement.

For more details on the festival’s events visit www.arts-alive.co.uk.

The festival brochure, designed and printed by Jones’ Creative Services of Leatherhead, will be available to collect from Mole Valley District Council’s reception, local theatres, libraries and shops around the district.

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October on resources available from Surrey libraries if you are starting or running your own small business.

No need to book, just drop in.

squash and gourds. This year’s show is entitled THE IMAGINARIUM of DR FRANKENSQUASH and after the judging of exhibits the drawbridge will be lowered to the public from 12.30 until 5pm. Admission is free and in the centre’s café they will be serving a menu of squash related delicacies all day.

Further to our Cider article this month, Nevin Stewart will be demonstrating the ‘juice and strain’ clear apple juice/cider making method in action at the Taste of Autumn Festival, RHS Garden Wisley on Thursday 16th and Saturday 18th October. Go along and see for yourself how easy it is to make your own cider!

On Saturday 18th October at 7.30pm, you are invited to join the Martineau Singers at Mickleham Village Hall, Dell Close, Mickleham, for An American Dream. It’s an evening exploring the worlds of American gospel, close harmony and jazz with guest conductor Ed Blunt. The concert is part of this year’s Mole Valley Arts Alive Festival and will feature traditional spirituals and works from the classic American songbook right through to present day contemporary gospel.

They are delighted that the talented close harmony trio Emily Heuvel, Clare Kennington and Natalie Praed,

The Dorking Allotment Holders Association will be holding its seventh Annual Mole Valley Squash and Pumpkin Show on Saturday 18th October at the Christian centre, Church St. Dorking. This event forms part of the Dorking Arts Alive Festival which is supported by the Mole Valley District Council and has become an increasingly popular showcase of the weird and wonderful world of pumpkin,

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who are all from Mickleham, will also be performing at the concert, presenting a selection of songs in their own unique style. Tickets are priced at £12 for adults or just £6 for the under-25s and include a selection of nibbles. Wine and soft drinks will be available to buy at the bar. Space is limited so do buy a ticket in advance to be sure of a seat – please contact Kate Cowls on 01306 887275 or kate.cowls@ gmail.com.

On Saturday 18th October from 2pm to 4pm, The Performing Arts Library, housed at Denbies, is hosting an open day. You can browse the resources of this wonderful library, enjoy some music from local choirs, admire the Vaughan Williams exhibition, and enjoy tea and cakes!

Music by Vaughan Williams is also included in a song recital given by Alice Bishop at Mickleham - her programme will trace the seasons of the year, with songs by Schumann,

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October 2014

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What tale does your rug tell you?

Have you inherited a hand woven rug or bought one abroad on holiday? You may like its pattern or the colours but know little about the design or how it was made.

We asked husband and wife team Anas and Sandre from the Oriental Rug Gallery in Wey Hill, Haslemere to tell us more about the stories and symbolism the design motifs on your rug convey. So clear a space, unroll your rug and see if you can spot some similarities between the patterns on your rug and the motifs on opposite page.

Symbols on oriental rug weavings reveal an ancient language of metaphorical themes and allegorical elements drawn from the weaver’s world. These have been adapted over the generations, where the ‘woven word’ provided an enduring, pictorial form of recording ancestral traditions and family lineage.

Originally totemic and taslimanic in nature, rug motifs were deeply rooted in the natural elements and religious beliefs that afforded protection, prosperity, fertility and good fortune.

Anas and Sandre, fourth-generation Master Rug Craftsman and award-winning Decorative Woven Arts Creative respectively, have selected a range of characteristic motifs sourced from their rug collections at The Oriental Rug Gallery to help you as a guide to your own rug. These motifs might be found in the centre, or main field of the rug or on the borders. Your rug’s motifs may not look exactly like these pictures as styles and depictions vary widely but if you look hard you may start to unveil the hidden story behind your rug. And once you do you may find that you cherish your rug even more.

Rug weaving is one of the world’s most ancient crafts, combining durable usability with decorative artistic expression. Cited in the Old Testament and Homer’s Iliad, weaving skills have been passed down through the generations, where the world’s oldest known handwoven carpet is the Pazyryk Rug, orginally dating back to circa. 500 BC. A hand-woven rug involves many skills in its creation.

From those who rear animals through to shearers, carders, washers, spinners, and weavers - there are many people involved in the process of producing a unique piece of craftsmanship.

Hand-woven weavings are crafted with a warp and weft foundation on a wooden rug loom. The loom frame is constructed with a row of wooden pegs inserted top and bottom, to provide the correct tension and shaping for the proposed weaving. Next, yarn is vertically attached to the pegs across the width of the loom forming parallel warp threads, strung taut like a harp. The weaver then hand-weaves and/or rug-knots yarns vertically across these warp threads to form the weft rows of weave.

These interlaced warp threads and weft rows form the ‘foundation’ and create the pattern and design of the piece. Rug weaving materials include wool, cotton, mohair and silk yarns, as well as camel, horse and goat hair. Upon completion, the weaving is cut from the rug loom across the warp threads that now form the fringe ends.

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Rug weaving materials include wool, cotton, mohair and silk yarns, as well as camel, horse and goat hair.

There are two hand-woven rug techniques: flatweaves, also known as plain weaves, and piles, which are created with rug knots.

Depending on the style, yarns, size and pattern, a handwoven rug can take from a few months to several years to complete.

Hand-woven oriental rugs fall into three main weaving categories or styles. There are tribal weave designs which are woven from memory by nomadic peoples; village weaves woven by ‘settled’ master rug-weaving families on custmom-built static rug looms in their cottage homes and city weaves which are produced in professional rug workshops on looms using predesigned pattern templates.

Rug makers have used natural dyes for thousands of years for the colouring of weaving yarns. Colours are extracted from plants, insects and minerals. For example, reds are derived from madder root or the cochineal beetle, yellow from saffron, sumac and pomegranate rind, blues from the indigo plant, black and browns from the iron salt mixed with oak galls, walnut and acorn cups, orange from henna and ochre and green from moss and lichens. vantagepointmag.co.uk

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Boteh: the precursor to ‘paisley’ design in the West, this ancient fertility symbol details a seed shape often enclosing a plant or flower head within, symbolising life and renewal, where the whole exists within the part eg ‘from the acorn comes forth the oak’. (See fig: 1) Tree of Life: an ancient symbol of immortality, longevity and resurrection, where the trunk, branches and flowers or fruit signify the human journey of life and the proliferation of ancestry and is the origin of the ‘Family Tree’ diagram used today.

(See fig: 2) Star: can be five- six- eight- and sixteen-pointed, symbolising the sacred unification of the six universal directions and natural elements, the wheel of life, fertility and our human interconnectedness with the world in which we live. (See fig: 3)

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Phoenix or Peacock: an ancient symbol that is interchangeable and can be transposed with the sunbird totem, to represent wisdom, rebirth and regal power. (See fig: 4) Eye of protection: a popular talismanic symbol to ward off evil, death and misfortune, where the eye is also known as the ‘window to the soul’. (See fig: 5) Lion: courageous, regal, powerful (See fig: 6) Dragon: life-force, strength, courage, guardians of treasure. (See fig: 7)

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Mandala or Central Medallion: representing wholeness, continuity, unity, harmony and the wheel of life. (See fig: 8) Ram horns: power, heroism, masculinity and fertility.

(See fig: 9) Two birds: a pair either facing inwards or outwards symbolise love, harmony, joy and marriage (See fig: 10)

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The Oriental Rug Gallery Ltd is giving an Exclusive Offer: a 10 per cent discount on their vast selection of hand-woven rugs and rug services, available to all Vantage Point readers, when you bring a copy of this October 2014 magazine to the Rug Gallery. T&Cs apply.

Offer ends 25.10.14. Tel: 01428 656 657 Visit: www. theorientalruggallery.co.uk Written by Anas and Sandre of The Oriental Rug Gallery Ltd 2014.

Copyright of images and text held by The Oriental Rug Gallery Ltd 2014.

October 2014

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Brahms, Elgar, Debussy and Ravel.

It’s a free event, call 01306 875453 for more information. Half price annual group membership will be available to new customers who present the Mole Valley Arts Alive brochure during the open day. Visit the website www.surreycc.gov. uk/performingartslibrary for more information.

Tickets are now on sale for a gala charity concert, featuring the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines Collingwood, at G Live on Saturday 18th October at 7.30pm, in aid of Seafarers UK. Royal Marines Band concerts have been annual features on the Guildford music scene for over fifteen years. Every year we are entertained to a wide variety of music, excitingly performed. The talented musicians mix military music, classical pieces and band numbers and the Corps of Drums is always popular. Seafarers UK was founded in 1917 as King George’s Fund for Sailors. It is the main UK maritime charity, supporting those who are, or once were, in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, the Merchant Navy or fishing fleets and their families including widows and children. Concert tickets are available at £24, £21 and £18 and all proceeds go to Seafarers UK. Concessions are less £1. Groups of ten or more save 10%. Tickets are available from the G Live Box Office, London Road, Guildford, at www. glive.co.uk or on 0844 770 1797.

Horsley Garden Society holds flower and produce shows, meetings, lectures and visits that bring together those with an interest in gardening. They hold a plant sale which is open to the public, along with three shows at which 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.

The next meeting is on Wednesday 22nd October where the speaker 22

will be David Northcroft on ‘Fruit and Veg – Normal but better...’

Anyone interested in membership at the modest cost of £8 per annum should contact the chairman, Roger Lindsay, email sue.roger@virgin. net or the membership secretary, Terry Lazenby, email terrylazenby@ terrylazenby.plus.com.

As part of the National Trust’s Great British Walking Festival, there’s a chance to join the gardener at Hatchlands Park for an autumnal guided walk through the parkland.

It’s on Thursday 23rd October from 11am to 1pm. Normal admission applies + £4 adult, £2 child. More information at www.nationaltrust. org.uk/hatchlands-park or tel 01483 222482.

More choral music comes from Dorking Camerata. Under the title ‘For the Fallen’, they will present a programme of words and music commemorating the centenary of the Great War, with pieces by Purcell, Britten, Tavener and local composer Ian Assersohn. It’s on Saturday 25th at 7.30pm, at St Martin’s. Tickets £15, call 01306 881479.

Shere Bowls Club held their internal competitions finals day on Saturday 30th August and yet again the weather was kind to them.

The club has been in existence for 115 years and during that time many cups and trophies have been donated to be played for throughout the summer and the engraved trophies will be presented at the annual dinner on 29th November.

The next fund raising event for the club is the jumble sale to be held in Shere Village Hall on Saturday 25th October; doors open 2.30pm so go along with jumble in the morning or attend in the afternoon.

In the south of England for the first time! The Knitted Bible Experience is a half-term activity that will appeal to all ages. Thirty-

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four 3D knitted scenes will be on display daily from 10am until 7pm at St. Martin’s Church, East Horsley KT24 6RL from Wednesday 26th October until Wednesday 5th November. Admission is free and there will be children’s activities and refreshments available.

Visiting groups by arrangement, phone 01483 282038 or email: TheKnittedBible@ easthorsleychurch.org.uk. Further details of this and other planned events during the week are on the website www.easthorsleychurch. org.uk.

On Sunday 26th, Tuesday 28th to Thursday 30th October and Sunday 2nd November, Clandon Park present ‘Creepy Clandon’ which runs from 11am-3pm on each day. Enjoy Hallowe’en themed arts and crafts and take the spooky trail around the house and garden.

Normal admission applies + £2 per child. More information at www. nationaltrust.org.uk/clandon-park tel: 01483 222482.

The Dorking Concertgoers open their new season with an innovative concert of Indian classical music. Entitled ‘Sublime Sitar, this will be given by Vijay Jagtap, one of the finest sitar players in Britain, accompanied by players of the tabla and tanpura.

This is a rare opportunity to explore the music of a different and very rich culture, and a concert that should not be missed! It takes place on Sunday 26th October at 3pm at Dorking Halls. Tickets are £18, Call 01306 740619 TheatreReviver! is a young theatre company based in Leatherhead.

It aims to revive professional, home-grown theatre, and theatregoing in the community, by raising the profile of dramatic arts in Leatherhead, through performing great plays and comedies with “heart”, using local talent on-stage and behind the scenes. As part of vantagepointmag.co.uk

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Nature’s Autumn Bounty This is the season when nature is at its most bountiful, producing more than we can eat at one time, so the obvious answer is to preserve some for later on in the year when fresh fruit and mushrooms are scarce. Peter Sibley from Forest Foragers offers some recipes to do just that, some using wild ingredients.

Rowan Berry Jelly Rowan berries are prolific, so are easy to collect. They are packed with vitamins A and C. This is the traditional accompaniment to serve with venison or other game.

Ingredients: 4lb/1.8 kg rowan berries, washed and stalks removed 3 lb/1.4 kg cooking apples, peeled, cored and quartered White sugar Preparation: Put the apples in a large preserving pan and cover with water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 20 minutes or until the fruit is soft, then add the

rowan berries and simmer to a pulp. Allow to drip through a jelly bag. Measure the juice and add 1lb of sugar per pint. Add the juice and sugar to the cleaned preserving pan, and simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes until the sugar has dissolved.

Increase the heat and cook at a full rolling boil for 5 minutes, then test for setting. If it does not set, boil some more. When the jelly has reached setting point, pour into hot, sterilised jars, seal and label.

Mushroom Ketchup Mushroom ketchup is an old English favourite, though not often seen in the shops today.

Here is an original recipe, from 1728.

Preparation method: ‘Take a stew pan of the large flat mushrooms; set it on a slow fire, with a handful of salt; they will make a great deal of Liquor, which you must strain, and put to it a quarter of a pound of shallots, two cloves of Garlick, some Pepper, Ginger, Mace and a bay-leaf; boil and scum it very well; when ‘tis quite cold, bottle, and stop it very close.’

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I can’t do better than this, except to say that the bottle should be sterilised, either by heating in a low oven or using a sterilising solution. The mushrooms that the author, Kettilby, would have used in the 18th century would have been Horse Mushrooms (Agaricus arvensis), as this recipe dates from before the days of cultivated mushrooms, but you could use Field Mushrooms (Agaricus campestris) or Portobello Mushrooms.

Try it on your full English, or add it to stews or casseroles.

vantagepointmag.co.uk

Quince paste (called Membrillo in Spain) This recipe uses the large tree fruits, not the small ornamental quinces, which are not nearly so tasty. Windfalls are good for this, just cut away the bruised parts.

Ingredients: Quinces, washed, peeled, cored, chopped. Keep the peel and cores.

Vanilla pod, split Sugar, equal to the amount of cooked quinces Preparation: Place the quinces in a large pan. Add enough water to cover. Add the vanilla pod, put the peel and cores in a sheet of muslin tied with string and put this in the pan and boil. The peel and cores contain pectin, helping the jelly to set. Place a lid on the pan and boil for 30-40 minutes, until the quinces are very soft.

Heat gently, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves.

Simmer over a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 1-1½ hours, or until the quince paste has thickened and has become a deep orange colour.

Preheat the oven to 50C/120F. Pour the cooked paste out onto a greased and lined baking tray and smooth the paste out evenly to about a half inch thickness. Place into the oven for one hour to speed up the setting process.

Remove the vanilla pod and bag and discard.

Drain the liquid from the quinces and weigh them. Note the weight - this is the weight of sugar needed.

Remove from the oven and slice into portions.

Put the slices into sealed containers and refrigerate. They will keep for a long time if they are not allowed to dry out. Expect the slices to deepen in colour as they age.

Blend the quinces. Some people like the paste very smooth, others prefer it to have more texture. Return to the pan and add the sugar.

Serve with cheese; the Spanish like to have it with Manchego. It can also be used as a breakfast spread on bread or toast.

Sloe gin Making sloe gin is slow but not laborious. There’s no cooking required, just patience, as the sloes must steep in the gin.

Ingredients: 450g/1lb sloes 225g/8oz sugar 1 litre/1¾ pint gin Preparation method: Traditionally, you should prick the skin of the sloes with a silver needle after waiting for the first frost of the year to pick the sloes.

Alternatively, pick them as soon as they are ripe and put them in a bag in the freezer, this will

October 2014

split the skins and soften the fruit. Pour the sloes and sugar into a sterilised jar or a bottle and add the gin, seal tightly and shake well.

Store in a cool, dark cupboard and shake every other day for a week. Then shake once a week for at least two months, or as long as you can keep your hands off it.

If you are not a gin fan, this recipe works equally well with vodka.

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the 2014 Mole Valley Arts Alive Festival, local producer Graham Pountney of Screen Test Productions presents TheatreReviver! in Sir Alan Ayckbourn’s farce ‘Taking Steps’.

The play – “My only true farce” says Ayckbourn – will be performed inthe-round, in a 200 seat travelling auditorium on 4 sides of the stage, in an unusual venue: the Leatherhead Leisure Centre Tylney Room. There’s free parking and easy wheelchair access to this family entertainment.

It opens on 13th October in Brighton at the Emporium, and in Horsham, Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre on 20th October and finally at Leatherhead from 26th October.

For tickets and other information call 01372 372429 or email: contact@screentestproductions. com.

See website www. screentestproductions.com.

screening a performance of Verdi’s opera I due Foscari, direct from the Royal Opera House.! Tickets are £17, call 01306 881717.

The Oakwood, Ockley & Forest Green Flower Show and Summer Fair was founded in 1893 and on a sunny Saturday afternoon on 9th August this year Oakwood Hill cricket green was again transformed into a showground for this great community event. With around 2,000 people in attendance, this very traditional family oriented rural show has been an almost annual event and a high spot of the local calendar.

The heart of the show is the large marquee, with 200 classes for fruit, vegetables, floral displays, art, crafts, photographs, baking and preserves.

There were nearly 100 stalls, with wide-ranging appeal, from toys to clothes, collectables, books, music, On Monday 27th October at games, plants and crafts. Dorking 7.15pm, there’s an opera screening Deepdene Rotary Club once again atCrawley Dorking Halls. They will be 14:29 ran the popular fun dog show.

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Head2Head had a massive success with their production of ‘Toad on the Road’ a multi-sensory show for children with special needs.

Having read some of the comments, it had a really positive effect on the children who saw it. As part of Arts Alive 2014, Head2Head will visit The Dawnay School, Great Bookham, on Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th October with ‘Blackbeard’s Revenge’, so watch out for pirates on the High Streets of Surrey! Have a look at www.head2headtheatre. c o . u k /s p e c i a l - n e e d s / fa m i l yholiday-activities Half-term Hallowe’en Activities at Hatchlands Park run from Tuesday 28th to Thursday 30th October from 11am to 3.30pm.

Can you solve the mystery of the Howling Hound of Hatchlands?

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Cider made easy The ‘juice and strain’ method allows clear apple juice to be obtained from whole fruit in a single step synchronous process. This is in marked contrast to the sequential two step pulp and press method. In juice and strain, whole apples go into the juicer at one end and clear apple juice is drawn off at the other. It couldn’t be simpler and, with the benefit of a juice containment and delivery adaptor, aka hose, the whole process is relatively mess free.

Once in possession of your clear juice, simple yeast addition and storage in a vessel fitted with air lock, designed to keep air out, guarantees you a finished crystal clear cider in a matter of only a few weeks. Nevin Stewart, of Onslow’s Dry® fame, takes us through the process. Roughly speaking, eight kilos of cider will make one gallon of cider. Visit http://juiceandstrain.wordpress.com for more details on quantities and the equipment you will need.

1. Pick, clean, and prepare your apples.

Check for ripeness by cupping a fruit in your hand and twisting gently. If it comes away easily from the tree then it is ripe. Also if a number of apples have already fallen this is a good indicator of ripeness. (Do not use windfall fruit for making fresh apple juice. They may be contaminated with enteric bacteria that do not wash off.)

Take all necessary safety precautions if using a ladder to harvest your crop. I have found that a telescopic apple picker is much safer, and is a good investment.

Double wash your apples and throw away any bad ones. If not using commercially grown apples, check your fruit for codling moth, and other insect damage by cutting the apple in half and removing any detritus.

2.Clean your equipment Apple juice and cider are foodstuffs, and all appropriate food handling and safety measures should be followed.

Wash your hands, sanitise all surfaces.

Sterilise all equipment that will be in contact with fresh apple juice. I use a stock solution of four Campden tablets per gallon of water to soak all the relevant parts and buckets for a couple of hours before use.

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3. Set up the juicer and strainer.

Lay out a clean towel on the kitchen table, rinse off the juicer parts, and assemble your whole fruit juicer. Attach the ‘juice containment and delivery adaptor’, aka hose, to the juicer’s spout, and feed it into the straining bag, held within a straining bucket that has holes in its base. This assembly sits neatly in the open brewing bucket with a draw -off tap at the bottom.

Set up your strainer and fermentation bucket on a stool or box, high enough that you can fit your demijohn or carboy underneath the tap. Apples go in at one end, clear apple juice comes out at the other. It couldn’t be simpler.

4. Juice and strain It is important to note that domestic juicers are powerful machines and that all safety instructions should be read carefully and adhered to. Feed apples into the juicer with a steady, even pressure on the pusher. The higher the machine’s power rating, the faster you can go. When the pulp container fills up, empty it and discard the pulp.

After every 12 kg or so of fruit, dismantle the machine and clean the pulp off the centrifuge stainless steel mesh. You’ll find that the juicing work is done in a flash, although it takes a while longer for vantagepointmag.co.uk

all the juice to strain through. I obtain the last 5% of the expected 65% by weight of juice by wringing out the straining bag.

Scottish, you see!

What you’re left with in the bag is about 1% to 2% of the original apples. This very fine pulp can be used in apple muffins.

You don’t want it to end up in your fermentation.

5. Pitch the yeast.

While the last juice is draining, pitch the yeast into a measuring jug containing fresh, clear apple juice held at room temperature. This will allow the dried yeast to re-hydrate and kick-start your fermentation. Use a champagne yeast, a Saccharomyces bayanus, for simplicity and reliability. A 5g packet is enough to inoculate 5 gal (22.5 litres) of juice.

At this point measure the original gravity (OG) with a hydrometer and write it down. Later, this figure will allow you to estimate your cider’s alcohol percentage.

If the OG is low, top the bulk juice up with a little white sugar to reach 1.040.

After half an hour, stir the jug to disperse the yeast thoroughly, then pour it into your sterilised carboy or demijohns.

Fill these up nearly to the top with apple juice and put airlocks on top. Within the hour you should see bubbles coming out through the airlock.

6. Ferment Keep the fermentation vessel(s) in a warm place like the kitchen and after three to four weeks you should have a crystal clear cider ready to be racked and bottled. Check it with your hydrometer.

The reading needs to be 1.000 or less. If it’s still high, let fermentation continue.

October 2014

When the cider is finished, measure the final gravity and read off the alcohol content from an ABV chart or online calculator. For reasonably good storage, 5% ABV is considered the target minimum.

7. Bottle your cider Siphon your cider into recycled, sterilised beer bottles that will take a crown cap. If you want a still hard cider, just bottle as is.

If you want bubbles, then add ½ teaspoon of white sugar to a pint bottle, fill up with your cider, and cap.

After a few more weeks, a renewed fermentation should be complete and you’ll have some fizz.

8. Enjoy. your cider Your cider is drinkable once it has cleared. However, leaving your product to age in a cool outhouse, garage or shed over the winter will improve it. Ideally, you should aim to be drinking last year’s cider as you’re making this year’s batch.

Serve your cider chilled and take care when opening. If you’ve overdone the priming sugar, it can go off like a fire extinguisher. When serving, you can adjust the sweetness to taste by adding sugar cane syrup. But I don’t, because I prefer my cider as dry as it can be.

FIND OUT MORE

There is a short YouTube video on ONSLOWSDRY channel, entitled Cider making made simple. It shows this method in action. See: http://youtu. be/Qvc0cCh5r0c. More information is also available at http://juiceandstrain. wordpress.com.

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Three recipes from Four Gables Set in beautiful countryside at Ashtead, Surrey, Four Gables Food Academy is located on chef patron David Gillott’s smallholding, which allows the school to be proudly 25% self-sufficient. Here, David and his fellow chefs present relaxed, hands-on cookery tuition to people of all ages and abilities, in classes of just four to six.

From teens to grannies (and granddads!), these cookery classes are for people who want to learn to cook, improve their technique or prepare something new under expert guidance. Classes often start with a walk around the smallholding to select ingredients. Students enjoy lunch together and leave with delicious dishes they have created, along with a book of recipes.

For more information about Four Gables Food Academy, telephone 01372 275276 or visit the website at www.FourGablesFoodAcademy.com.

Braised lamb shanks with garlic and anchovy Absolutely perfect as the days get a bit shorter and a little colder, this is the easiest recipe. Chuck it all in the oven and it’s ready two hours later. Love rosemary, add a whole load more! What about serving the shanks with a minted mash – perfect!

Ingredients 4 x lamb shanks Freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp olive oil 2 onions, roughly chopped 1 clove garlic, sliced 4 anchovy fillets, chopped 2 sprigs rosemary 2 bay leaves 250ml chicken or beef stock 250ml red wine Handful of fresh parsley, chopped Serves 4

Preheat the oven to 160C. Season the lamb shanks with the pepper. Brown them in a casserole with a little olive oil.

When the shanks are slightly browned add the roughly chopped onions and garlic.

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Chop up two of the anchovy fillets and add to the casserole. Tear in the rosemary and bay leaves.

Then add the stock and the wine and bring to a simmer.

When simmering, put the lid on and bake in the oven for two hours, with a little turn of the shanks halfway through.

Remove the shanks to a serving dish and leave to rest in a warm oven.

Meanwhile tend to the sauce by adding two more chopped anchovies and a handful of chopped parsley.

Bring the sauce to the boil, check the seasoning and then pour over the resting lamb shanks and serve.

vantagepointmag.co.uk

FOOD Spiced Flatbreads These are a staple in my house, not just at work. I make them with lots of things, just on their own with some dipping sauce or maybe stuffed with sundried tomato and mozzarella. Love curry? Love making it at home – these are a great substitute for naan bread!

Mix the flour, salt, coriander seeds and paprika in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and add the olive oil and the warm water. Using a fork, start incorporating the flour with the water and olive oil, if necessary add more water. Once the dough starts to come together, use your hands to form a soft ball of dough.

the flat breads for two minutes on each side.

Serve as a starter with home-made dips.

Knead the dough for five minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic. Put the dough back into the bowl, cover and set aside for 15 minutes. (This dough is much firmer to handle than bread dough and will feel heavier.)

Ingredients 250g strong white bread flour 4tbsp Olive Oil 1½ tsp salt 100ml warm water Vegetable oil or spray oil, for oiling 1tsp cumin 1 tsp, toasted and ground coriander Serves 5

Divide the dough into five equal balls.

Roll them out. Heat a pan and cook

Apple Tarte Fine We want to avoid that “soggy bottom” so make sure you cook the puff pastry fully – it needs to be really crispy and flakey!”

Heat the oven to 220C. Roll out the pastry and trim to a round about 35cm across. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Dot the top with the butter and sprinkle with vanilla and caster sugar.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the apples are tender and the pastry crisp.

Peel, core and thinly slice the apples and toss in the lemon juice. Spread over the pastry to within 2cm of the edges. Curl up the edges slightly to stop the juices running off.

Warm the conserve and brush over the apples and pastry edge. Serve hot with vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche.

Ingredients 375g pack puff pastry, preferably all-butter 5 large eating apples - Cox’s, russets or Elstar juice of 1 lemon 25g butter , cut into small pieces 3 tsp vanilla sugar or 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp caster sugar 3 rounded tbsp apricot conserve Serves 3

October 2014

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GARDEN

What to do in

October

With Matthew Pottage, Garden Manager at RHS Garden Wisley

Packing the punch for autumn Now is a great time of year to be enjoying autumn colours on both deciduous shrubs and trees. If you haven’t been to Wisley in recent weeks, make sure you call in and take an energetic walk through the arboretum, one of Wisley’s best kept secrets! Some star plants to look out for are Acer rubrum ‘October Glory’, which turns a magnificent scarlet; the enormous avenue of Tilia tomentosa which turn a wonderful buttery yellow and finally the concentration of Liquidambar trees which turn all manner of reds!

While autumn is a super time to appreciate the turning colours, it is also good to observe how they are complemented by conifers and other evergreens. The reds and yellows are most effective when in front of greens and

greys, so whether you are just selecting shrubs such as Euonymus europaeus and Cotinus for colour, or larger specimens, remember to choose some evergreen friends for them – you’ll be especially glad of them in the winter.

New faces in the Spring Garden

Trees and shrubs for the future Autumn is such a splendid time of year for planting.

At Wisley we are currently busy planting in areas such as the arboretum and pinetum where we do not have any reliable irrigation, as autumn is the best time to establish root growth. This is because it is one of the few times of the year where we have the magical combination of both warmth and moisture in the soil which promotes good root growth, and while the plant may look inactive above the ground, everything below is still busy. Trees planted in the autumn have a much better chance at surviving a summer drought than those planted in the spring when they have a habit of drying out in their original rootball.

I would like to challenge you all to head for the bulb section of the Wisley Plant Centre this autumn and choose a type of bulb you’ve never tried growing before. Trying something a bit different always brings a thrill to gardening, and what easier topic than a bulb?

Last autumn I treated myself to some variegated crown imperials, which I planted in a lovely, slender terracotta pot, where their stripy, emerging heads brought about much interest – even to those who dislike variegated plants! Remember bulbs are great in pots, so if experimentation isn’t your bag, just try one pot of something, its good to try something new.

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However, a few things to remember when planting trees; always make sure the point at where the roots emerge from the stem is flush at ground level – never deeper. It is normal to sometimes have to pick apart the compost to find this level, but deep planting is a common cause of poor establishment, yet so many people seem oblivious to it. Finally, always buy fresh stock that hasn’t been hanging around in a pot for years – severely potbound plants are always slower to establish and in the case of a tree, sometimes never establish properly.

FIND OUT MORE

RHS Garden Wisley, Woking GU23 6QB. Visit www.rhs.org.uk/gardens/wisley to find out more.

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<26

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nationaltrust.org.uk/hatchlandspark or tel: 01483 22482.

For more information, visit www. mercure.com.

Up to 10 selected members of Surrey Guild of Craftsmen will be showing new work from Sunday 2nd to Sunday 30th November at Bourneside Gallery, Dorking RH4 1DN. Lots to go and see.

The Probus Club of the Horsleys, a luncheon club for retired professional and business gentlemen, meets on the second Monday of each month at the Leatherhead Leisure Centre. A three course lunch is followed by a speaker who can cover a number of entertaining subjects. Speakers include Peter Alliss, the famous golfer, the noted sports commentator Steve Rider and the Chief Constable of Surrey, who will talk about policing in Surrey. Other topics to be covered include the “Costa Concordia” tragedy, The Growth of Epsom Coaches, Early Flying at Farnborough and Guildford and Surrey Attractions. Ladies lunches are held twice yearly to include wives, partners or friends. Visitors and new members are welcome. For further information contact David Lush on 01483 280267.

Having reopened after a large renovation Mercure Burford Bridge Hotel, Box Hill has some interesting events lined up in the run up to Christmas. They are organising Mistletoe Masquerade Parties, on selected dates throughout November and December. Priced from £29.50 per person, including a three-course dinner, party goers can enjoy a night of mystery, charm and intrigue. Drinks packages are available and overnight accommodation is available from £65 per night. If you are thinking of going out for Christmas, they also have some interesting packages for Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

October 2014

36>

Dorking Choral Society is presenting its first concert under the baton of its new musical director Hilary Campbell. She will conduct the choir and professional orchestra and soloists in a double bill of Handel’s Dixit Dominus and Bach’s Wachet Auf in St Martin’s Church Dorking on Saturday 8th November at 7.30 pm. For further information contact Chris Beckley email peterchrisbeckley@tiscali. co.uk.

Would you like an opportunity to do some early Christmas shopping?

On Thursday 13th November the West Surrey National Trust Centre will be holding their annual Coffee Morning in The Marble Hall at Clandon Park from 10.30 until 12 noon.

Stalls will include ladies fashion, jewellery, Christmas cards, books and homemade cakes as well as a grand raffle. Entrance is £2.50 which includes coffee and biscuits. All are welcome so please

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Go on a Great British Walk with the National Trust The National Trust has unveiled some of its most colourful places and stories in Surrey as part of its annual celebration of walking: the Great British Walk. The Great British Walk encourages everyone to explore the outdoors and discover vibrant National Trust spaces on foot. A vast and varied selection of walks is available, from those chosen by the public to hand-picked walks by National Trust experts.

Running to the 24th October, this year’s Great British Walk has uncovered some of the region’s most colourful vistas, stories, characters and objects to see on a walk.

Claremont Landscape Garden, near Esher This landscaped oasis of trees and shrubs is famous for its green, grass amphitheatre and picturesque lake. As autumn progresses its trees turn from green to gold. Join expert Sara Shepley for a seasonal ‘Fungi Foray’ and learn how to identify the many different types of fungi growing around the garden. Or go on a guided walk to find the finest trees in their autumn colours.

Fungi Foray, Saturday 27th September and 4th October, 10.30am-12.30pm , £8 (£4). Booking essential 01372 467806.

Leith Hill The Rhododendron Wood at Leith Hill is lovely in autumn. The azaleas and acers turn red and copper colours and the heart-shaped leaves of Cercidifolius turn crimson. Walking across the parkland to Leith Hill Place, you will pass the spectacular liquidambar tree shot through with fiery reds, purple and oranges. Flocks of fieldfares and redwings will be arriving from Scandinavia to feast on the red rowan berries and bountiful fruits of our hedgerows. Visit the bird hide on the edge of the Rhododendron Wood meadow to see blackbirds, bramblings and thrushes feeding on apples.

Fungi fun day at Leith Hill Place, Mon 27th October, 11am-4pm. Craft and nature activities for all ages and specialist fungi walk with fungus expert, Vivien Hodge. £6, includes entry to the house and all activities.

Hatchlands Park, near Guildford Hatchlands Park has a wonderful collection of trees. One of the best native trees for autumn colour is the wild service tree, also known as the chequers tree. In the autumn the redbrown colour of the leaves shines out amongst the yellows and browns of the ash, hazel and oak. Wild service trees are relatively rare in Britain and are an indicator of ancient woodland.

Autumn Walk, Thurs 30th October, 11am-1pm, £4 (£2), booking essential 01483 222482.

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Autumn Colour walk, Saturday 18th and Sunday 26th October, 2pm, free, Booking essential 01372 467806.

Polesden Lacey, near Bookham Polesden Lacey has a vast 1400 acre estate including Ranmore Common. It forms a picture-perfect green backdrop to the country house. Explore it for real this autumn with a walks leaflet, available from Visitor Reception for only £1. Or follow the self-guided Surrey Hills Challenge and discover the secret walking routes that connect Ranmore to Surrey’s two iconic high spots: Box Hill and Leith Hill.

Nordic Walking Taster Session, 8th October, £10. Booking essential through Surrey Striders, 07837 130100.

Box Hill, Reigate Hill and Denbies Hillside The Surrey Hills are wide green landscapes with sweeping views of the countryside, but look down and you’ll see the white chalk vantagepointmag.co.uk

WALKS that makes up these hills. Called chalk-downland, these unique habitats are home to a variety of rare species of plants and butterflies. There are self-guided walks in beautifully illustrated leaflets available in the car parks or join in one of our events.

Walk the Chalk event from Denbies Hillside, Sunday 5th and 19th October, 2pm-5pm, £5, booking essential 01372 220644.

Campfire and Conkers walk from Denbies Hillside, Sunday 12th October, 10am-12pm, £6 (£4), booking essential 01372 220644.

The Japanese maple leaves provide a red carpet walkway and the plant life turns golden. Walk downhill to the boathouse and see the colours reflected in the lake from a picturesque wooden veranda.

Fungi Foray with expert Sara Shepley, Sunday 19th October, 1pm, £8 (£4). Booking essential 01483 208936.

Dawn Walk: a fantastic autumn colour photo opportunity, Sunday 19th October, 7am, £10 (£5) Booking essential 01483 208936.

Share pictures of your colourful walks and experiences with the National Trust this year on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook using #GBwalk.

For more information on National Trust seasonal strolls and downloadable walks visit www. nationaltrust.org.uk/greatbritishwalk.

Bookham Commons and Headley Heath These little-known commons in the Surrey Hills are the perfect place for an afternoon walk. The beech trees at Bookham Commons turn a deep gold colour in late autumn, whilst the bracken and waving grasses at Headley Heath go gold and russet.

Chequers Walk, Sunday 26th October, 2pm-4pm, £5, booking essential 01372 220644.

River Wey Navigations and Dapdune Wharf On a bright autumn day the River Wey glitters blue as it reflects the sky. Keep your eyes peeled for the elusive kingfishers that fly alongside the water in a blaze of blue. Choose a length of the river and walk along the tow path: Godalming to Guildford is a wonderfully rural stretch of water. Find out about the fascinating industrial heritage at Dapdune Wharf or simply enjoy a picnic by the water in a wonderful part of Surrey.

Winkworth Arboretum, near Godalming One of the finest displays of autumn colour in the country can be seen at the National Trust‘s only arboretum.

Witness a magical transformation as the lush greens blaze into glorious autumn colour. Viewpoints dotted around higher points of the Arboretum offer some of the best places to experience the full beauty of the orange, gold and red and yellow leaves.

October 2014

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Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD - NOW IN DATE ORDER!

go along and take your friends. For enquiries regarding this event ring Sara Graham 01252 810708.

The Next meeting of the National Vegetable Society Surrey District Association will be held on Thursday 13th November at 8pm in the Lovelace Room of East Horsley Village Hall, Kingston Avenue, East Horsley KT24 6QT. Jim Arbury, the renowned RHS Fruit Specialist will be giving a talk entitled ‘Fruit for the Small Garden’. The talk is free for NVS members, £3 for guests and visitors and £1 for members of affiliated societies. Guests and visitors are always very welcome.

For more information contact Beth Otway at beth@otway.com or telephone 01483 420989.

When a family member is diagnosed with cancer or another life-threatening illness it can be a lonely and frightening time. The Brigitte Trust, in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support, offers a free volunteer service of emotional support and practical help at home.

The service may also provide the family carer with a break, driving to medical or other appointments, shopping or just sitting quietly and listening. A training course for volunteers will be held at Surrey Community Action in Burpham this November and they are recruiting for this free training course now.

Through the programme volunteers will be equipped with the skills to provide emotional support to people and their families facing the huge challenges of life threatening illness. To express interest in becoming a volunteer or just to find out more call 01306 881816 or visit the charity’s website www. brigittetrust.org.

The Dorking Community Choir is looking for a choirmaster. It’s a small, friendly choir which meets on Thursdays during term time, in Dorking town centre. They sing a varied repertoire of pop, folk and 36

classical for the joy of it but would also like to sing in the community every now and then. If you have experience, maybe as a music teacher or have previously led a choir, and would like to take them on, they would love to hear from you. Please phone Nicole on 07905 589022. (New members are also very welcome).

The National Trust and Friends of Holmwood Common are celebrating the opening in September of a permanent circular trail around Holmwood Common near Dorking. The trail, which has taken four years of planning and over a year to lay, was the brainchild of Sam Bayley, Head Ranger for Leith Hill and Holmwood Common.

He says of this mammoth project “for much of the year, the common was pretty impassable because it was just so wet. Lying on a layer of clay substrate, in a lot of areas the soil never really dried up during the autumn, winter and spring – the more the common was used, the muddier it got!”

A large party is being organised on Friday 28th November at Mercedes Benz World in aid of the Princess Alice Hospice which should be a really good night out. It’s organised

by Best Parties ever and a 3 course meal, live entertainment, a casino and dodgems and all for an amazing £40 a head. Tickets are available at www.thewaterbabies.co.uk where you will also find more information and a menu.

I am writing this as it is a really urgent appeal, and I believe that that help will go direct to where it is needed.

If children in Darfurare to survive, families must have a successful crop. In many parts of Darfur the rains came too late to guarantee millet the three months it needs to mature. After that the sun is too hot and stunts all changes of further growth. Sorghum has a shorter growing period, and although it is

not as palatable, it would provide families with what they need to survive. Kids for Kids is determined to provide 3 kgs of sorghum seed for as many families as possible before the end of September.

Three kgs cost approximately £4 per family, including transport (but not administration). More details on 07957 206440 email: contact@ kidsforkids.org.uk. If you would like to make a donation by cheque: Please send cheques payable to KIDS FOR KIDS PO Box 456 Dorking Surrey RH4 2WS. Bank Transfer: Kids for Kids, Account No 31670636 Sort Code 60 07 02 National Westminster Bank 14 High Street Dorking RH4 1AX A life-saving charity providing a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) in the South East is appealing for more volunteers in Kent, Surrey and Sussex. Members of the public can help out in a number of ways including placing and emptying collection boxes, selling merchandise at fundraising events and representing the charity at cheque presentations. They can also help raise awareness of the service as public speakers by giving talks to local groups, clubs, schools, societies and other organisations.

Other roles at Kent, Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance include store and street collectors, drivers and couriers, and office administration.

The air ambulance’s volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and age groups and include former patients, bankers, teachers, pilots and a magician. To find out more about becoming a volunteer go to www.kssairambulance.org.uk/ involved/volunteering, call Amy Hamer on 01622 833806 or email amyhamer@kssairambulance.org. uk.

FIND OUT MORE

More Jottings are available online at vantagepointmag.co.uk. To send in an entry, go online or email us at jottings@vantagepublishing.co.uk.

vantagepointmag.co.uk

THE PROSTATE PROJECT APPEAL OctoBeardFest 2014 The Prostate Project, a Guildford prostate cancer charity, is asking men to grow a beard in October to raise funds to support research into the treatment of prostate cancer. It will also raise awareness of a disease which costs 11,000 lives every year in the UK. The Appeal, called ‘OctoBeardFest’ (OBF), is a repeat of a highly successful campaign run by the charity in 2013. Trustee and OBF founder, Tim Sharp (pictured below) said “We thought we would be lucky to raise £10,000 last year but ended up with an astonishing £64,000, despite the appeal being conceived and launched in only five weeks. This year we are hoping to treble our total.”

that our progress could stall through lack of resources.

This brilliant Prostate Project Appeal, which caught the imagination of so many last year, is the bright star on our funding horizon.”

OctoBeardFest is positioned quite differently to Movember which is mainly concerned with research and treatments for advanced prostate cancer.

Octobeardfest concentrates on early diagnosis. Men whose prostate cancer is discovered early have an 80% chance of a complete cure.

More information is available at: www.octobeardfest.co.uk.

The money is urgently needed to support Prof. Hardev Pandha’s world-class cancer research team at the University of Surrey. They have built an international reputation for their brilliant work in vaccine, genes and viral therapy. They have also discovered of a protein in urine (EN2) that can detect cancer cells 50% more accurately than the 30-year-old PSA test.

Winning grant funding is an increasing problem for research groups, particularly the smaller, more innovative ones such as the team at the University of Surrey. “Continuity of funding is so vital to us,” said Prof Pandha. “It enables us to recruit and retain the best scientific brains and removes completely the fear

LET IT GROW BRO GROW A BEARD IN OCTOBER AND HELP SAVE MEN’S LIVES Early detection can save most of the 11,000 lives lost in the UK every year to prostate cancer.

OctoBeardFest funds world class research in Surrey to make this a reality.

www.octobeardfest.co.uk

EARLY DETECTION IS THE CURE

The Prostate Project

Registered Charity Number: 1078523

October 2014

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WIN

WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO ‘HARDEEP IS YOUR LOVE’ Following a critically acclaimed Spring tour and a successful season at The Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2014, So Comedy are proud to announce the addition of an Autumn tour of Hardeep Singh Kohli’s debut stand up Comedy show. He will be appearing at G Live, Guildford on 14th November 2014.

Hardeep is a regular panellist on Channel 5’s hugely popular current affairs show, The Wright Stuff and has been a regular reporter on BBC1’s The One Show and a guest on BBC1’s Question Time, and This Week with Andrew Neil. For Channel 4 he has written and presented the BAFTA Award winning In Search of the Tartan Turban, the critically acclaimed and award winning Hardeep Does... and the seminal gambling series 50 Says You’ll Watch This.

To enter to win a pair of tickets, simply answer the following question: Q: Which BBC programme does Hardeep report for?

Please enter online at vantagepointmag.co.uk by 31st October 2014.

WIN £100 VIP DINING EXPERIENCE FOR TWO

VantagePoint has teamed up with renowned gastro pub The Jolly Farmers at Buckland near Dorking to offer a £100 VIP dining experience. The Jolly Farmers is a pub and deli/food shop and champions local food and local producers throughout their menu and in the shop.

Our winner and a guest will be greeted with an aperitif on arrival followed by their choice of sharing platter from the “Weekend Extra Special” range, which includes delicacies such as lobster, chateaubriand and local game, all washed down with a bottle of house wine. Then for a happy ending, there’s a fabulous choice of desserts or local cheeses and freshly ground coffee.

To win, simply answer the following question: Q: What is the Jolly Farmers in addition to a pub?

Please enter online at vantagepointmag.co.uk by 31st October 2014.

WIN A MEAL FOR TWO WITH RED MIST LEISURE The arrival of autumn brings with it some wonderful new ingredients and to celebrate our favourite season, we’re giving you the chance to enjoy a delicious meal for two at any of our five great country pubs.

With a passion for fresh, seasonal and local produce, real ales and great service, we pride ourselves on giving you a great dining experience, whether you’re enjoying a lazy weekend brunch at The Wheatsheaf, a family get-together at The Duke of Cambridge or a client meeting at The Exchequer. To find out more about our passion for pubs, please visit www.redmistleisure.co.uk.

To enter, please answer the following question: Q: Name one of the Red Mist Leisure pubs?

Enter online at vantagepointmag.co.uk by 31st October 2014.

Terms and Conditions Prize is one of two meals for two to the value of £40. Any further spend must be settled upon redemption of the prize. Prize cannot be exchanged or refunded. Booking required.

Please enter online at www.vantagepointmag.co.uk.

Postal entries can be sent to us at the address given on page three.

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF ENTRY: By entering these competitions you agree to receive periodic emails from VantagePoint Magazine,Vantage Publishing Ltd and the originator of the competition you are entering.You can opt out of receiving these at any time and your data will never be passed on for use by third parties.The prizes are non-transferable and have no cash alternative. Only one entry per person per competition and prizes will only be sent to homes with a GU, KT and RH postcode.

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