VantagePoint Magazine January 2017 - Haslemere, Midhurst & Petworth by VantagePoint Magazine

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Haslemere, Midhurst & Petworth • January 2017

VANTAGEPOINT YO U R B E ST V IEW OF W H AT ’S GO ING O N LO C ALLY

Happy New Year!

Inside: TURNER AT PETWORTH HOUSE RSPB BIG GARDEN BIRD WATCH FINANCIAL RESOLUTIONS FOR 2017 WIN A FABULOUS £100 FOOD HAMPER PLUS GRAYSHOTT FOLK CLUB TICKETS The local magazine produced by local people for the local community, delivered by your local postman

Happy New Year 2017! Did You Manage to get your Will and LPAs done last year? It is difficult to fit everything in but we can help with this important target. Our clients tell us that they are glad they have their documents in place. Without a Will: • A surviving spouse may not inherit everything. • A co-habitant has no inheritance rights. • A beneficiary may lose State benefits. • Minor children are taken into care. • The way the state distributes your assets might not be what you would have liked at all. • Unnecessarily high Inheritance tax may be payable. A Will can achieve all of the following: • Minimise tax. • Ensure that minor children are looked after by your appointed guardians. • Ensure that a young person does not inherit at the age of 18. • Ensure that your spouse has enough to live on but that your assets do not get swallowed up in Care Fees. • Ensure that your partner is provided for but your children inherit ultimately. • Ensure means tested benefits are protected. • Protect your assets from your children’s divorces or business insolvencies. A well written Will can achieve so much and is not a recurring cost.

LASTING POWERS OF ATTORNEY (LPAs) These are essential documents designed to protect YOUR interests during your lifetime.We should all have them because no one is immune to illness or accident. They are the best insurance you can have. Do you travel a lot? Do you enjoy hazardous sports? Do you run a business? If misfortune strikes and there are no LPAs in place your spouse or other relative cannot run your aﬀairs for you. Even a joint account can be frozen. The alternative to LPAs is an application to the Court of Protection .This is complex and expensive. It is best to have LPAs in place. Shaws Wills 3 We meet with you in informal surroundings and spend a lot of time making sure that we get everything right and you are happy. 3 We advise on the most tax eﬀective solutions. 3 Our clients tell us that the experience has been a pleasant one and they are extremely glad that they have the necessary documents in place. 3 We believe in plain English.

3 Please phone us now.

Susan Shaw LL.M 01428 712856 www.shawswills.com

Member of The Surrey Law Society and the Institute of Professional Will Writers. Associate of STEP The Society of Trusts and Estate Practitioners.

YOUR LOCAL MAGAZINE Vantage Publishing Limited 9 Chestnut Suite, Guardian House, Borough Road, Godalming, Surrey GU7 2AE.

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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 publish five magazines which are delivered monthly by Royal Mail to over 117,500 homes across the Hampshire, Surrey and West Sussex, giving us the largest local circulation in the areas we cover. Each of our magazines is specifically localised and tailored to its geographical area and hand-delivered by your postman. Please visit www.vantagepointmag.co.uk or contact any of us below if you need any more information. CONNECTSURREY

M e d i a supporter of:

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YOUR LOCAL TEAM First and foremost, all of us at VantagePoint wish everyone very Happy and Prosperous New Year. It does not seem 12 months since I last wrote this line but time goes so very quickly these days. I find it hard to believe that Humphrey, our chairdog, is now almost 2½, Marcus’s eldest daughter is now at university and the fact that we first started publishing these local community magazines eight years ago! It’s almost enough to turn one to drink, which gives me another opportunity to promote our new venture, the VantagePoint Wine Festivals, which take place this year in Farnham

January 2017

Stefan Reynolds Editor & Publisher

THE ONLY ROYAL MAIL DELIVERED

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COMMUNITY WWW.VANTAGEPOINTMAG.CO.UK

(April), Guildford (May) and Dorking (September). Tickets are already selling strongly, so please visit our website at www.vantagepointevents.co.uk for more information or to get advance tickets at special early-bird prices for what promise to be fun events for all wine lovers. A final plug also for our new website, which not only features all our five editions but also has more articles including our walks and some of the content that does not always appear in your own local edition. Please have a look at www.vantagepointmag.co.uk. Contact the editor: stefan@vantagepublishing.co.uk

Marcus Atkins, Sales Director 01483 420173 / 07702 132157 marcus@vantagepublishing.co.uk

Lauren Broughton, Sales 01483 661088 / 07852 041227 lauren@vantagepublishing.co.uk

Liz Godfrey, Sales 01483 661089 / 07788 748826 liz@vantagepublishing.co.uk

Jesse Boon, Sales 01483 418141 / 07542 710508 jesse@vantagepublishing.co.uk

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Contributors: Andy Church, Shelley McCarthy, Beth Otway Print: Buxton Press

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

RUGMART Surrey’s Biggest Rug Shop www.rugmart.co.uk

29 15

6 Jottings Your local community noticeboard

NEW YEAR SALE

9 Arts Petworth and the Age of British Watercolour

15 Travel An ideal holiday

Visit us for a huge range of Modern, Contemporary & Bespoke rugs

The results!

31 Property News We talk to some local agents about the year ahead

34 Gardening

STOC

K CL

RSPB Big Garden Watch

EARA

NCE

36 Recipes

- SAL

Hand Woven Oriental Rugs Traditional & Antique Rugs Large and Over Size Rugs Persian & Afghan Rugs Handmade Tribal Kilims Hall Runners & Hearth Rugs

Thai-tastic with Giggling Squid

38 Local Haslemere Local History Society

40 Walk

Frensham Great Pond to Thursley

43 Profile

Come and visit our showroom: 2-3 Woodbridge Road, Guildford GU1 4PU Be inspired by our treasure trove of rugs over 4 floors and 7000 sq ft!

01483 578874 4

23 Money Financial resolutions for 2017 28 Surrey Hills Society Photo Competition

Fernhurst Centre

45 Business Cards Small ads for trades and services

47 Competitions Win one of three great prizes

VANTAGEPOINT YOUR B E S T V I E W OF W H AT ’S G OI N G ON L OC AL LY

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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7 Petworth Road, Haslemere, Surrey GU27 2JB Opening Hours: Monday-Saturday 9.30am - 5.30 pm Tel: 01428 641 771 Email: info@woodieandmorris.co.uk

www.woodieandmorris.co.uk

Grand Winter Sale 50% off clothing and footwear

Starts 30th December Doors open at 9.30am

Local vineyard

situated on Blackdown Ridge, Haslemere

Beat those January blues with good local wines... Bring this advert to the vineyard and receive a free bottle of still wine with every 12 purchased. Please call or email to arrange collection. â&#x20AC;˘ Vineyard tours also available Blackdown Ridge Estate Blackdown Park Farm, Blackdown Park, Fernden Lane, West Sussex GU27 3BT T: 01428 656003 E: admin@blackdownridge.co.uk

January 2017

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JOTTINGS YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

JOTTINGS

Jottings is your community noticeboard for local events and information, compiled by Nick and Angie Crisell. To feature here, please email us at jottings@vantagepublishing.co.uk by the copy date shown below. Please note that space is limited and inclusion cannot be guaranteed.

Hope you all had a very Happy Christmas and New Year. Let’s hope we all have a really good 2017. It’s good to get such positive feedback on the jottings – it seems that you’re all getting out and about for walks, fetes, pantos, garden events, concerts, cinema etc. We look forward to continuing to mention your events throughout 2017, so keep the jottings coming in. Keep warm this month! Watts Gallery 200th Anniversary We are avid supporters of The Watts Gallery in Compton and 2017 marks the 200th anniversary of his birth. To mark this special event, the gallery is holding three special exhibitions and a number of other events throughout the year. The programme of events will be launched on Watts’s birthday, 23rd February. In his own time, G F Watts was widely considered to be one of the world’s greatest artists. He was not only an outstanding painter, but also a talented sculptor, proficient draughtsman and notable muralist. Yet for much of the twentieth century, Watts’s vision of a social role for art seemed old-fashioned and consequently his reputation suffered a decline. This was mirrored in the fate of Watts Gallery, the purpose-built picture gallery that he and his wife, the designer Mary Watts (1849 – 1938), established in the Surrey village of Compton in 1904. By 2005, Watts Gallery had fallen into such disrepair that it was placed on the English Heritage ‘At Risk’ Register. However, with contemporary artists once again seeking to engage with social and political issues, interest in G F Watts has renewed, and the Gallery and its collections have been saved for the nation thanks to the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund and many generous donors. Since reopening to the public in 2011 to great acclaim, the Gallery has been reunited with the artists’ studios, Watts Chapel and the former pottery to create Watts Gallery – Artists’ Village, a unique window into

the Arts & Crafts Movement and a source of inspiration once again. If you have never visited the gallery, I would urge you to go; it really is a fabulous experience and is right on our doorstep. We will keep you informed of events during the year but do visit the website, www.wattsgallery.org.uk. Belly Good Fun Every Monday at Haslewey! Following the huge success of their exotic Belly Dancing taster sessions, Haslewey Community Centre, opposite Lion Green, has announced that from January 2017, Belly Dancing classes will be running every Monday from 10.15-11.15am. Led by a professional instructor, these fun classes are just £5 per person, which includes use of a traditional, shimmering coin belt. All proceeds from the classes will go to the National Children’s Foundation, which helps to improve the lives of disabled children. Belly Dancing is a gentle type of nonimpact, weight bearing dance exercise, suitable for all ages and stages in life – at the very least you are moving gently for an hour to mood enhancing music! As well as being a unique exercise that is beneficial to the spine, Belly Dancing also improves flexibility of the torso and strengthens the tummy muscles. Dress code is elasticated or baggy trousers or, indeed long skirts and you can go barefoot or wear soft, comfortable shoes. For more information and to book your place on this fun activity session, call in to the Haslewey reception or call 01428 648716. Squires Milford Garden Centre – Craft Demo Wednesdays 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th January 2-4pm Squires in Milford offers free weekly craft demonstrations. There’s a different theme each week, such as die cutting, crocheting, knitting, decoupage and using spectrum noir pens. These free demonstrations also take at Badshot Lea and Washington, and on Sundays (10am-11am) at Squires in

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<6 JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD Shepperton. Simply drop in and watch between these times, there’s no need to book. See www.squiresgardencentres. co.uk for more details. Midhurst Camera Club Wednesday 4th January 7.30pm Nature My Way is the title of the January talk at Midhurst Camera Club. In it, Becky Hitchcock, who has travelled extensively from the arctic to the deserts of Africa, will be showing examples of her landscape and wildlife photography. When not crossing the world Becky travels this country in her motor home during the summer months photographing the great outdoors - so there will be something for everyone in this talk in Cowdray Hall, Park Way, Easebourne. Non club members are welcome to join the audience at a cost of £5. Grayshott Decorative and Fine Arts Society Thursday 5th January The talk for the first meeting of 2017 is ‘For the Inspection of the Public’ by Helen Hillyard who will explore the origins of the incredible collection at the Dulwich Picture Gallery. This will be an invaluable preliminary to their visit there in the spring. On 18th January, they visit The National Portrait Gallery for the Picasso’s Portraits Exhibition. Then in ‘Seurat … Dot … Dot … Dot’, on 2nd February, Eveline Eaton will follow the development of Seurat’s highly personal style. For

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more information about the society and these events contact Caroline on 01428 714276 or visit the website. Circle Dancing At the beginning of the New Year, when the days are beginning to lengthen slowly, why not make a New Year’s resolution to try something different. There will be a warm welcome for you at your local Circle Dance group. Circle Dancing (or World Dancing) is great fun, very relaxing, an enjoyable way to keep fit and an opportunity to make new friends. It is suitable for men and women of all ages and you do not need a partner. Lynn Frances is an experienced teacher of 33 years and has built a reputation for her ability to create a wonderful atmosphere to enable participants to relax, learn and enjoy themselves. She runs classes at: Pirrie Hall Brook on Thursdays in three ten-week terms, 7.30pm9.30pm. St Catherine’s Hall Guildford on the third Tuesday of the month, 7.30pm-9.30pm. WI Hall Hartley Wintney on the second Wednesday of the month, 7.30pm-9.30pm. Contact Lynn on 01420 474881. Fernhurst Centre They are running a course called Introduction to Using your iPad. It is on Mondays 9th and 16th January from 2.30pm4.30pm and costs £24. Help with Windows 10 is on Wednesday 1st February from 10.30am-12.30pm at a cost of £12. Check out their website www.fernhurstcentre.org.uk and download a

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Turner and the Age of British Watercolour A new exhibition at the National Trust’s Petworth House celebrates the age of British watercolour with works by JMW Turner and leading British artists of his generation. Turner and the Age of British Watercolour offers a rare opportunity to see a major dimension of British art not normally encountered at Petworth and to consider it alongside the property’s renowned collection

of oil paintings and sculpture from the same golden period, 1780-1850. Exhibition Manager Andrew Loukes, who has brought the show to Petworth, commented “Turner is the most celebrated figure associated with Petworth and also one of the most important artists in terms of British watercolour. We have a remarkable collection of oil paintings and sculpture, but very few watercolours, because the third Earl of Egremont didn’t collect them. So it’s fascinating to bring them together here and to tell the missing chapter in the story of both Turner and British art generally”. This unique exhibition features thirty-six outstanding loans from The Higgins Museum, Bedford – one of the finest collections of British watercolours, assembled through judicious purchases made in the post-war years. As might be expected, the collection is particularly strong in works from the golden age of watercolour painting (1750-1850) which highlight the English landscape tradition. For Turner and the Age of British Watercolour the loans from the Higgins are complemented by additional exhibits from the Martyn Gregory Gallery, London – a leading present-day dealer in the field. >>

January 2017

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Turner’s painting techniques This extraordinary work provides the ideal springboard from which to consider how Turner’s watercolours - and oils - were actually painted. For Turner and the Age of British Watercolour, Petworth have worked with two contemporary artists who have made special studies of Turner’s methods – Mike Chaplin and Charlie Cobb. Mike Chaplin worked with Tate Britain on their acclaimed 2010 publication How to Paint like Turner and for many years was the expert on Channel 4’s much loved Watercolour Challenge. In an upstairs room of Petworth House, overlooking one of Turner’s favourite views – the famous park, Chaplin explores Turner’s watercolour technique and exhibits some of the copies he has made after Turner, alongside other examples of his work which reflect a longstanding interest in the earlier artist. “If ever there was an artist who inspired in me the understanding of how great art not only tells a story but at the same time demonstrates the artist’s passion for handling paint, then JMW Turner is that example. There is not one fraction of the surface of his works which doesn’t show his almost obsessional commitment to working the paint until as if by magic we see storms, shipwrecks, savage landscapes and human narrative in all its intensity. Georges Braque quoted - ‘We can explain everything about art apart from the bit which matters’. Well, looking at a Turner painting gets pretty close in my book to seeing that magic bit which matters.” – Michael Chaplin RWS, pictured above. Charlie Cobb made the oil paintings seen in Mike Leigh’s 2014 film Mr Turner and has portrayed the works of many other painters on both the big screen and television. He has also recently been artist-in-residence at Leighton House and the Rye Arts Festival. In the Old Library of Petworth House, used by Turner and others as a studio in the 19th century, Cobb exhibits paintings from Mr. Turner alongside more recent work of his own with parallels to Turner’s art. Images - Overleaf top: JMW Turner - A First Rate Taking in Stores, (1818). Bottom: John Constable - Coal Brigs on Brighton Beach . (1824). From top right: Francis Towne - The Colosseum from the Caelian Hills (1799) and Thomas Girtin - Jedburgh from the River (17989). © Courtesy of Trustees of the Cecil Higgins Art Gallery, Bedford, England.

FIND OUT MORE Early booking is recommended for Turner and the Age of Watercolour, at Petworth House from 7th January to 12th March. Entry is by pre-booked, timed tickets only, which are on sale now from www.nationaltrust.org.uk/petworth or 0844 249 1895. £12 for National Trust members or £15.60 for non-members, ticket includes entry to the gardens, parkland and selected rooms in the house.

Loans include seven compelling watercolours by JMW Turner - famously represented by twenty oil paintings at Petworth - and iconic examples by such great contemporaries as John Constable, Paul Sandby, John Robert Cozens, Thomas Girtin, Francis Towne, Richard Parkes Bonington, John Sell Cotman and David Cox, none of whom are found in the Petworth collection. While the 3rd Earl of Egremont did not collect watercolours - in common with others of his rank in the 19th century - he did acquire major contemporary British prints for his library. Turner and the Age of British Watercolour also showcases important examples by James Gillray and David Roberts, on loan from the present Lord Egremont and never before publicly shown. Among the highlights of the exhibition is one of Turner’s greatest and best-known watercolours, A First Rate Taking in Stores, 1818. This remains the only example recorded by an eye-witness who saw it being made: He began by pouring wet paint on to the paper until it was saturated, he tore, he scratched, he scrabbled at it in a kind of frenzy and the whole thing was in chaos – but gradually and as if by magic the lovely ship, with all its exquisite minutia came into being and by luncheon time the drawing was taken down in triumph.

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<8 JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD leaflet or email them at ferncent@gmail.com. Places must be booked in advance either on 01428 641931 or email as above. New for 2017 - Learn to Play Bridge at the Fernhurst Centre: coming soon 6 x 1 hour sessions on a Monday evening. Details / dates for this will be published on their website as soon as possible – but do email or ring them if you are interested and they can keep you informed. Haslemere U3a Monday 9th January 2 pm Why not start the New Year with a laugh! In his hilarious, clean and highly-praised talk entitled, ‘My Life As A Freelance Comedy Writer’, Nick Thomas tells how he started writing humour by winning competitions in publications such as Punch before going on to write for the BBC. There he worked with stars such as Roy Hudd, June Whitfield and rock musicians 10cc and Justin Hayward as well as an assortment of weird and wonderful live performers. He also reveals how real life is often much funnier than a comedy writer’s inventions. Admission £1. Non-members welcome. Membership inquiries to Margaret Mowatt on 01428 652338. Meetings Don Stacey on 01428 644423. More information at www.haslemere-u3a.org.uk. Grayshott Gardeners Wednesday 11th January 7.15pm They start the New Year with a topical talk on ‘Snowdrops’

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by Gordon Rae, their Patron and former Director General of the RHS and Photographer Kathleen Bird. Gordon has specialist knowledge of these pretty white nodding jewels that appear when most other plants are still dormant. The meeting is in the Grayshott Village Hall and the doors open at 7.15pm with refreshments available and the talk will begin at 8pm. Visitors (£5) and new members (£15) are always welcome. For further information visit www. grayshottgardeners.net or call 01428 722000. Grayshott Community Choir Thursday 12th January 7.30pm-9pm It is the start of a New Year, so why not try something new. If you like to sing you would be made very welcome to go along for a ‘taster’ session with their friendly group of singers. (Ability to read music not a requirement). The new term starts on Thursday 12th January and continues every Thursday after that in the Sports Pavilion in Grayshott. For further information, ring Isobel on 01428 607973 or Suzanne on 01428 642690. Guildford Shakespeare Young Company Thursday 12th January – Sunday 23rd April Established in September 2016, GSC’s Young Company will begin rehearsals for a brand-new play, to be performed as part of their Birthday Bash season in April 2017. The Company devised the story and its characters inspired by We can help you with: Sleep Issues Generalised Anxiety Depression Bereavement Fears and Phobias Coping with Stress Weight Management Pain Control Confidence Motivation and more…

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<11 JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD three Shakespeare plays, The Winter’s Tale, The Comedy of Errors and Much Ado About Nothing. The result is an exciting mash-up of identical twins, disastrous weddings and public betrayals. Dates: Thursday evenings 5.30pm-7.30pm, 12th January - 30th March. Full Days, 11am-5pm, 4th – 6th April (During the Easter Holidays). Thursday evenings and Rehearsal/Performance Days, April 2017 (22nd-23rd April) The venue is Guildford Shakespeare Company, 14/15 Midleton Industrial Estate Road, Guildford GU2 8XW. Fee £550. To join the company, call the office on 01483 301590 or visit the GSC website www.guildford-shakespearecompany.co.uk.

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Julian Lewry Music Friday 13th January Acclaimed American singer-songwriter Tom Russell returns to St. John’s Church for his 8th headline show here which is testament to Tom’s popularity. One of just a handful or so of dates on his UK tour, this is a must-see show for anyone who loves great song writing. As usual this show is selling fast. £18 adv / £22 door. Later in the month there is a treat for lovers of Simon & Garfunkel music. On Saturday 28th January, it’s The Sounds of Simon from the UK’s leading tribute to Simon & Garfunkel. With a show that takes in the full range of the duo’s career together, as well as drawing extensively from Paul Simon’s solo career, this is live entertainment at its very best.

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JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD £14 adv / £17 door For full details / links on these and the many other fabulous shows coming in 2017 please see Julian’s website and/or the respective Facebook pages where you can catch all the latest news about the shows. Here are the contact details: Tel: 01483 421520 / 07769 592452. www.julianlewrymusic.com, www. facebook.com/farncombemusicclub, www.facebook. com/windleshamtheatre and www.facebook.com/ godalmingmusicfairs.

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RHS Garden Wisley - Butterﬂies in The Glasshouse Saturday 14th – Sunday 5th March Their exotic Glasshouse paradise is perfect for flamboyant butterflies from warmer climes. Go along and be entranced by their vibrant colours and magical flight, and learn all about them. How many different ones can you spot? Learn about the life of butterflies in their interactive education zone. Plus sculptor Alison Catchlove will return with her animal sculptures. Book your timed tickets for the busy times via the website. Normal garden admission applies. www.rhs.org.uk/wisley. Haslemere Natural History Society Saturday 14th January 2.15pm The society will be hosting a fascinating talk at Haslemere Museum. Heather Angel’s book ‘Wild Kew’ was the result of a year devoted to capturing Kew’s wildlife. Heather

tel: 07763329641 or 01428 643316 bespokewoodcraft@yahoo.co.uk www.bespokewoodcraft.co.uk

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St Ives School is a part of

Charity Reg No 312080 Company Reg No 724728

Abbeyfield Wey Valley Society

New Home Care Service

Opening 18th January 2017

The Abbeyfield Wey Valley Society have been delivering high quality care for older people within its care homes in Farnham for over 30 years. We are now pleased to announce our new Home Care Service. We offer a high quality person-centred home care service tailored to individual requirements. Whether you are looking for care and support for yourself or a loved one, we can help. We offer a range of care services for older people so they can remain independent in the comfort of their own home. Visits can last anything between thirty minutes a day to 24 hour care. Our home care services are delivered by a highly qualified and experienced workforce. For more information please phone Wendy on 01252 735522 or e-mail homecare@abbeyfieldweyvalley.co.uk

We can offer: • • • •

Assistance with personal care Assistance with general mobility needs Assistance with meal preparation and nutrition Assistance with medication and prescription collection

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An ideal holiday What do you want from a holiday and how do you get it? Andy Church offers a solution... It’s that time of year when many of us start to plan our holidays for next summer and beyond. In my day it was always in the depths of winter that you would hunker down with a brochure or two and dream of sun, sand and relaxation. Nowadays it’s just as likely that we’ll be hunkered around a laptop rather than a brochure – but there is nothing like looking at pictures of faraway warm places to make us feel better during the long dark cold nights. So, what is it that most of us want when we’re looking for a holiday? Certainly, sun is high on most people’s lists, as is good food and experiencing new places. Conversely, others want to return to places they’ve been to before with many opting to go back to the same place year after year – either because they love it, or because of apathy, or perhaps because they’re scared of the unknown. And whilst some of us will want to stay in one place, many others will want to visit as many places as possible – making the most of their precious time away from the day-to-day grind. One of the reasons why we go back to the same place is that we feel comfortable there

January 2017

– we know what we are going to get before we leave home – which means we can relax the moment we arrive. This is important because surely the main reason we go on holiday is to relax, and whilst there are those that can only relax sitting on a beach or lying by a pool, others relax by constantly being active. For many couples this is a big issue. One wants to sunbathe whilst the other wants to be out and about exploring the destination. Experiencing the arts and culture of a new place is another reason many people travel. It isn’t enough just to go somewhere, they want to immerse themselves in the people and their surroundings – the history, the architecture and the language.

For families there are usually two main holiday objectives – having a rest for the adults and keeping the kids entertained – two things that are certainly not mutually exclusive. Trying new food and drink is a mixed bag. This is the reason why some of us travel – to experience new tastes in exotic places and this drives us to look for new places to go. Even today, when we can try most cuisines in a 50-mile radius of our homes, there is nothing like having the same meal in situ with local ingredients and chefs. For others the idea of not being able to get fish and

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chips, a burger or a pie is a very good reason to stay at home – or maybe go to America! Experiencing luxury above and beyond our daily existence is vital to some holidaymakers. We want more than we’ve got at home which is why checking into a hotel carries the thrill of the unexpected. What will the bathrobes and toiletries be like? Will there be a bottle of bubbly in the room? Is the view spectacular? As someone once said, why would I have a burger when I can have steak at home!

Cruising has changed so much in the last 10 years. Once the preserve of the elderly and the wealthy, it is now very accessible and the average age is in the low 50s – note that’s the average. For families there are usually two main holiday objectives – having a rest for the adults and keeping the kids entertained – two things that are certainly not mutually exclusive. Finding hotels which offer such facilities is not always easy and as we all know, prices can rise exponentially in the summer holidays. There are of course countless other reasons why we travel. To see a sporting event, for adventure, to shop or maybe for the nightlife. All the above might lead you to think that’s all very well but there’s no way I can meet all of my holiday objectives with just one holiday? That may be so, but for those considering a cruise, meeting many of these objectives is not necessarily a pipedream, it could be a reality. Cruising has changed so much in the last 10 years. Once the preserve of the elderly and the wealthy, it is now very accessible and the average age is in the low 50s – note that’s the average. At the end of the summer, I was on a short cruise around the Bahamas and the average age was in the 30s-40s. Cruising is still for the retired (wealthy or not) but it is also for the young, for families, for romantic couples and for solo travellers. It is

for those who want to visit lots of destinations (without packing and unpacking everyday!), as well as those who want to just stay in the resort - because many ships today are larger and better equipped than any resort you will ever have experienced. It is for those who want to experience the culture just as much as it is for those who want to lie around a pool. Cruising is for those who want adventure; those who want to go to remote places – warm or cold. It is a must for foodies – the standard of inclusive food on board these days is amazing - but comfort food is always available. It is also for romantics – you don’t have to eat, or do anything with other people if you don’t want to. It is relaxing and exciting. The entertainment can be brilliant, often to West End or Broadway standard, and there’s always something for everyone. And as for the children, they will have a ball, and you can see them, and they can see you, as much as you all want. In fact, cruising can offer something for everyone, and later in the year we will offer more information and advice on different types of cruises, the cruise lines and why you might want to take your first cruise. The rebooking rate for those who have cruised is around 60% - an extraordinary figure which demonstrates why once many people have experienced a cruise they want to go again and again. FIND OUT MORE If you want to know more about ocean or river cruising call your local cruising specialists, Andy or Olivia at GoCruise, on 01483 808787.

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<13 JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD will show wildfowl babies appearing in spring; summer flowers attracting a host of insect pollinators; and how in autumn parakeets and squirrels raid chestnuts, while in winter swans court. Her most recent book ‘Pollination Power’, through her research at Kew, in her own garden and travelling to 20 countries, will show the fascinating ways flowers entice and deter their pollinators and the rewards they offer to lure them back. She will also show how many animals – besides honeybees – pollinate our flowers. Nonmembers are welcome but are invited to contribute £4. More information at www.haslemerenaturalhistorysociety.org.uk or email info@haslemerenaturalhistorysociety.org.uk. Fernhurst Films Saturday 14th January 7pm Their next screening in Fernhurst Village Hall is ‘Bridge of Spies’ starring Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance and Alan Alda. Duration 151mins, rated PG-13. In 1957, during the Cold War, an insurance lawyer, played by Tom Hanks, successfully defends a Soviet spy, played by Mark Rylance. Years later, the American pilot and spy Francis Gary Powers is arrested by the Soviet government. The CIA summons the lawyer to help in the negotiation to exchange the two spies. As you would expect from Director Steven Spielberg, ‘Bridge of Spies’ is a riveting thriller - all the more remarkable as it is based on a true story from the Cold War period. Doors open 7pm, film starts 7.30pm.

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Southern Pro Musica - New Year Concert Sunday 15th January 7.30pm Celebrate the New Year in traditional and high-spirited fashion with Southern Pro Musica! They will be performing Mozart’s overture, ‘The Marriage of Figaro’, music from Mendelssohn’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Johann Strauss’ waltzes and light-hearted romps such as the ‘Hunting’ and ‘Champagne’ polkas. Making a welcome return to the Yvonne Arnaud to perform operatic arias by Mozart and light-operetta composers Zeller and Kalman will be Soprano, Bibi Heal, who has proved so popular with SPM audiences. The performance will be conducted by the choir’s dynamic Artistic Director, Jonathan Willcocks. Book direct with the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, tel 01483 440000, or online at www.Yvonne-arnaud.co.uk. Haslemere Decorative and Fine Arts Society Tuesday 17th January 2.15pm The first lecture of 2017 is ‘the painted church’ and will take place at Haslemere Hall. NADFAS lecturer Roger Rosewell’s talk will describe and help you to understand the faded ghosts of medieval wall paintings which today give only a hint of their past glories. Examples from our local area will be included. There will also be an opportunity for members to book their first outing of 2017 to 18 Stafford Terrace and Leighton House London which will take place on Thursday 26th January. There’s a special interest day

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JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD on Thursday 9th February with a talk by NADFAS lecturer Nicole Mezey entitled ‘smoke, mirrors and sanctity: the Tudors and the arts of propaganda’. It will be held at Haslemere Museum. Visitors and new members are very welcome to join them for all their lectures. For more details contact HDFAS membership secretary Sue Wright on 01428 683578 or email membership@haslemeredfas.co.uk. Further information about all the society’s present and future activities can be found on www.haslemeredfas.org.uk. The First Hippo on the Moon Tuesday 17th to Thursday 19th January 2pm (also 11am on 18th January) The stage adaptation of David Walliams’ The First Hippo on the Moon will begin a major UK Tour in December 2016. The production, by Les Petits Theatre Company, will receive its world premiere at the Royal Hippodrome Theatre, Eastbourne, and will then visit G Live. Suitable for children aged three and up. Based on David Walliams’ original children’s book with illustrations by Tony Ross, The First Hippo on the Moon is an explosively funny space adventure which sees the enormously rich Hercules Waldorf-Franklin III and ingenious Sheila compete to be the first hippo to make it to the moon. Tickets: £15.50, Groups of 8+: £12. School groups: 1 free teacher ticket per 10 pupils. Call 01483 369350 or go to www.glive.co.uk.

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JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD The Unattached Group This group has enjoyed celebrating the festive season with a weekend in Switzerland, a dinner/dance and a Christmas meal at Hever Castle. They are now looking forward to a spring of new activities. The Unattached Group (TUG) is a Surrey based group of about 70 single professional people aged 49 - 69 who enjoy times together including informal weekly pub meets as well as meals out, theatre and cinema trips, walks, quizzes, bridge, opera and book clubs and the occasional leisure weekend away. New members are most welcome and information can be obtained at www. theunattachedgroup.co.uk or by calling Maggie on 07855 008897. Haslemere Gardening Society Wednesday 18th January 7.45pm They will be starting the New Year with the Annual General Meeting at the Catholic Church Hall in Weydown Road. The business of the evening will be followed by a talk by Paulo Arrigo of Seeds of Italy accompanied by his 90-year old accordion. After this there will be a wine and finger food buffet and a chance to catch up on post Christmas news. They love to welcome new and prospective members to this occasion as it preludes an interesting and fun year for anyone who loves gardening.

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<19 JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD Flog It Comes To The Gibbet! Haslemere Museum was recently part of the filming of BBC programme Flog It! The programme presenter Paul Martin and his team of experts travel to different parts of the country and invite members of the public to bring their antiques to be viewed and valued, with the option to sell at auction. During each episode, the presenter also explores the local area and its history. On this occasion, Paul Martin was visiting the Devil’s Punchbowl to discover the history of highwaymen and robbers in the area. In order to support the storyline, the show contacted the Museum about the piece of the Hindhead gibbet that is on display in the Human History Gallery. The gibbet was a gallows-type structure on which criminals were executed and their bodies hung on public display to deter other existing or potential criminals. During the 18th century the Hindhead area had an infamous reputation as a desolate spot prone to the criminal activities of highwaymen and thieves. The most notorious incident was the murder of the unknown sailor in 1786. The culprits were arrested and hanged on a triple gibbet close to the scene of the crime in Hindhead. Soon afterwards the place was re-named Gibbet Hill. It’s a pretty gruesome story, but fascinating none the less. The programme is due to air in the New Year so do look out for it. Free Pilates Try Class Do go along to Haslemere Pilates for a free try class!

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Seniors, beginners, neuro and advanced all welcome. Open Monday through to Saturday with morning classes and evening classes. For class times and more information see www.haslemerepilates.co.uk. Or you can contact them by email at pilatespresents@gmail.com or call Karol on 07958 944308. Yvonne Arnaud Theatre – Guildford Thursday 19th – Saturday 28th January There is a lot of very good entertainment at the theatre to start off 2017. One example, Alan Ayckbourn’s classic comedy ‘Henceforward’ introduces avant-garde composer Jerome, all alone in an isolated, derelict suburban tower block, as he struggles vainly to complete his life’s masterwork about love. With the help of a deranged android childminder, Jerome hatches a cunning plan to retrieve his source of artistic inspiration, his beloved daughter Geain, from his hostile estranged ex-wife. To book, call 01483 440000 or go to www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk . You can also download an online e-brochure at their website homepage. Secrets of the High Wood – A Talk at Haslemere Museum Thursday 19th January 7.30pm A recent Lidar survey and field work in the woods, archives and in oral history have brought alive the story of the people who have lived and worked here for centuries, creating the landscape many of us love today. This talk accompanies

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Financial resolutions for 2017 With so many people likely to be thinking about sorting out their personal finances in 2017, here are some top personal finance resolutions for you to consider from Chartered Wealth Manager and Certified Financial Planner Shelley McCarthy. Work out your budget It still amazes me how many people I meet who simply don’t know how much money they spend each month and where their money goes. Working out and sticking to a monthly budget is all about spending less than you earn. If you achieve this, month on month, you will be in a better financial position at the end of 2017 than you were at the start. If you reach every pay day with an overdraft or credit card debt to clear from the previous month, you are starting the new month on the back foot. Make it your personal finance resolution for 2017 to never spend as much as you earn each month. If you really want to buy something shiny and new but find yourself reaching for that credit card or store card, stop, think - do you really need it now or would you feel much happier if you bought it in a few months’ time with cash rather than debt? Get out of the red If you have short term debt (credit cards, store cards, overdrafts, etc) you will know that debt is a drag on your ability to save for future goals. It’s also an emotional drag on your attitude towards money and personal finances. Make clearing your short-term debt a priority before embarking on strategies to save for short, medium and long-term goals. Make a plan. This ties in closely with your monthly budgeting exercise. When you are working out what you are going to spend your money on each month ensure you prioritise debt over savings. Stop taking on more short-term debt. Mark a debtfreedom day on your calendar and stick to it. Celebrate your

January 2017

personal debt-freedom day; it’s something to be proud of. Look to the future Starting a pension is likely to be a big priority for many people in 2017. With all of us living longer, the availability of a State Pension in the future is under threat. We need to make our own provision for income in retirement. Calculating how much you need to save means making some careful assumptions about the future. Once you have made contributions to a pension plan you can choose how the money will be invested. Seek professional advice to ensure that your retirement plans are invested in a way that is in line with your attitude towards investment risk, as well as your capacity for risk and in line with your goals for retirement. You can choose from a wide range of investment options within modern personal pensions so there is no need to take unnecessary risk that you feel uncomfortable with. Pay less tax No-one enjoys paying tax but many of us fail to take the simple steps that enable us to pay less tax. Each and every year we waste £342m by not using our Individual Savings Account (ISA) allowances and a further £595m by not

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taking steps to reduce inheritance tax bills. There are some simple steps we can each take to maximise our available tax allowances. The new personal savings allowance offers up to £1,000 a year of tax-free savings interest for basic rate taxpayers. For higher rate taxpayers, £500 a year is available. Plan carefully by keeping savings in the name of the lowest earner to maximise this valuable allowance. Make sure you use your Individual Savings Account (ISA) allowances for this tax year and the next tax year. You have until April to maximise contributions into an ISA for the 2016/17 tax year. Every adult in the UK can contribute up to £15,240 in an ISA this tax year, with the option to split this total between cash and investments. The returns within your ISA are tax-free and can also be passed tax-free between married couples or civil partners on death. Review your mortgage It’s always a good time to review your mortgage, especially when interest rates are so low. If your mortgage is on your lender’s standard variable rate (SVR) you are likely to be able to make a reasonable monthly saving by switching to a more competitive interest rate or product. There are costs associated with re-mortgaging and it makes sense to seek impartial expert advice. This will also save you the time of trawling the high street to locate the best offers. Because mortgages are a dynamic market the rates available are subject to change on a regular basis and some deals will only be available through an independent adviser. Sort out your financial affairs If you don’t have a will, get one. You can write your own will but there are some major risks involved with this DIY approach. Getting something wrong when writing your own will could lead to significant legal fees to sort things out after your death. Find a professional to write your will from the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (www. step.org). If you die without a will, your estate will be distributed according to laws originally created back in 1925. It is no surprise that these laws probably do not reflect modern thinking on inheritance! Don’t risk dying ‘intestate’. Consider the What if scenarios Whilst we are on this rather morbid subject

you should also think about family protection. Run through a number of scenarios. What would happen to your family financially if you were to die? What would happen if you were to suffer a serious illness? What if you suffered an accident or illness and were unable to work for a long term? Re-run these scenarios but apply them to your partner this time. The impact of a non-earner dying or contracting a serious illness can often be as serious as if this happens to the main bread-winner. Check out your existing life assurance arrangements to ensure that they remain competitive. There are potential savings to be made here. Again, use an independent expert to review the entire market for you and ensure that the cover you are putting in place is suitable for your circumstances and objectives. At the same time make sure that your life assurance is written in trust. Writing these policies in trust can ensure that the proceeds are paid out quickly, to the right person or people and without liability to tax. Meet with an Independent Financial Planner Make 2017 the year that you carry out a comprehensive review of your personal finances and goals with an impartial professional who has access to the tools and knowledge needed to improve your current and future position. Many will offer a free initial meeting with no obligation so they can help you identify your main goals and you can grill them about their qualifications, experience and fees. When meeting an adviser, ask lots of questions to ensure that you have found the right one for you. Make sure that they hold the appropriate qualifications to deal with your situation. The entry-level qualification for a financial adviser is the Diploma in Financial Planning. This level of qualification is really only suitable if you are only seeking basic financial advice. It is better to work with a Chartered Wealth Manager or Chartered Financial Planner who has demonstrated their professional competence in an increasingly complex financial world. Also, check that the financial adviser is truly independent. Advisers either offer independent advice or restricted advice, which means they are not independent. In any case, remember that you as the client are paying for financial advice and you need to be confident you are getting value for money. FIND OUT MORE Shelley McCarthy is a Chartered Wealth Manager and Certified Financial Planner. She is financial planning director of Informed Choice, an award-winning firm of Chartered Financial Planners based in Cranleigh, Surrey. To discuss your Financial Planning, you can call Shelley on 01483 274566 or email shelley@icfp.co.uk. Shelley offers a first meeting at her expense and without any obligation to proceed. Call her today to arrange this free meeting and take control of your personal financial planning in 2017.

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<22 JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD the exhibition at the Museum and will be given by Anne Bone, Cultural Heritage Lead at the South Downs National Park Authority who led the project which was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. For more information, visit www. haslemeremuseum.co.uk. The cost is £6 which includes a glass of wine. Book in advance through the Museum office on 01428 642112. Chiddingfold Horticultural Society Wednesday 21st January 8pm They will be holding the Members’ Social when there will be light refreshments, games and a choir to entertain. It will also be possible for you to join the society for a fee of £10 which gives free entry to 6 garden related talks, 3 shows, a plant sale and a social. Why not go along to the Village Hall and join them? Grayshott Folk Club I can’t believe it, but the club has been going for six years and in that time they have brought some truly great live music to the local area. Already, there are quite a few excellent acts lined up for 2017. All gigs will take place at Grayshott Village Hall, Nr Hindhead GU26 6TZ, unless otherwise stated. If you would like further details you can always call the man behind it all, Des O’Byrne, on 01428 607096. For January and February, they have already confirmed the following performers and dates: Friday 20th January, Kit Hawes & Aaron Catlaw (Sheelanagig) https://

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kithawesandaaroncatlow.bandcamp.com/. Saturday 11th February, Breabach www.breabach.com. Scotland’s finest folk group bar none, pay a return visit. Friday 24th February, The Outside Track www.theoutsidetrack.com. Two Canadian girls, two Scots lasses and an Irish fella who spend their lives travelling the world and bringing traditional Irish/Celtic folk music to the people. If you haven’t seen them before, don’t miss them this time round. Saturday 25th February, The Christians https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=K0RD7yjWA9Y. Pop/Soul/Rock/Folk band from Liverpool play all their hits from their double Platinum selling album ‘The Christians’. Please note that this gig is at St. John’s Church, Farncombe, Godalming. We will endeavour to give details of all gigs throughout 2017. Tea & Talk at Haslemere Museum Tuesday 24th January 2.30pm Go along and enjoy the museum’s informal talks for adults. Join textile expert Freda Chapman for a talk and a very first look at the Horsnaill textile collection recently donated to the museum. It’s free to members, non members £1 - no need to book. For more information, visit www. haslemeremuseum.co.uk. Witley Pantomime Company Wednesday 25th - Saturday 28th January Their 60th Anniversary Production is ‘Once Upon A Panto’!

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<25 JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD - The Enchanted Storybook has ended up in the clutches of the evil Maleficent, causing mayhem in the Magic Kingdom. Can Buttons, Widow Twanky and Prince Eugene rescue the Princess... yet again, and reclaim their happy ever afters? Join them to find out! Show times are 7.30pm (earlier performance on Thursday 26th at 6.30pm) with a matinee performance at 2.30pm on Saturday 28th.Tickets are £8 for adults and £6 for children or a family ticket is available for £25 (2A & 2C). Tickets can be purchased through their website www.witleypanto.co.uk or by calling the box office on 07583 048084. Contact them via email at witleypantomimecompany@gmail.com for further details. Haslemere Flower Club Wednesday 25th January 1.30pm They will be holding a ‘Members (Fun) Meeting)’ at Haslemere Hall. Do go along to their first meeting of the New Year, 2017. The afternoon will end as usual with tea and biscuits. They look forward to seeing you. Girlguiding Girlguiding is the leading charity for girls and young women in the UK. Thanks to the dedication and support of 100,000 amazing volunteers, they are active in every part of the UK, giving girls and young women a space where they can be themselves, have fun, build brilliant friendships, gain valuable life skills and make a positive difference to their

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lives and their communities. Guiding is so popular in the local area that we have trouble keeping up with demand! They currently have around 500 girls waiting for a place in the Godalming and Haslemere area, most wanting to join Rainbows (5 – 7 years) or Brownies (7 – 10 years). With local groups full to capacity a lot of girls face a long wait and some may not find a place at all. This is where they need your help! Girlguiding is not only great for girls; it offers so much to adults too. There are lots of adventures and challenges, friends to be made and new skills to be learned. Every extra volunteer means they can offer more spaces to more girls. Why not make it your New Year’s Resolution to make a real change in 2017 and volunteer with Girlguiding. Find out more or register your interest at www.girlguiding. org.uk/get-involved/become-a-volunteer/register-yourinterest/. Watts Gallery – Curator Breakfast Tour Thursday 26th January 10 – 11.30am This sounds like a great way to get to know the gallery better. You can join a small group and discover the works intimately with an exhibition curator as your guide, also, learn more about curating the historic space of the Artist’s Village. This is the perfect opportunity to gain insight into the exhibition ‘Untold Stories; British Art from Private Collectors’, followed by breakfast in the award-winning Tea Shop. The cost is just £15 which includes breakfast. By the way do

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Let Our Young Musicians Shine! If you’ve ever struggled to master a musical instrument, spare a moment for the thousands of children who would love to perform with a professional orchestra. And now they can!

“The response has been astonishing,” says organiser Peter Harrison. “We’ve never tried anything as challenging as this before but we’re well on the way to reaching our target.”

Grayshott Concerts, in partnership with Hampshire Music Service, are inviting 30 of the district’s most promising young string players (grades 2-8) to Grayshott on 18th February for a musical workshop and evening concert with the illustrious London Mozart Players.

More information on how to apply to attend the day is available at www. hants.gov.uk/hms. The day will be spent in a morning workshop in small groups with professional players from London Mozart Players followed by an afternoon rehearsal preparing for the evening performance starting at 7pm at St Luke’s Church Grayshott GU26 6LF.

“Applications are flooding in,” says artistic director Vivien Harrison, “so we’re preparing for a very exciting and inspiring day.” To prove the popularity of the event, local supporters have been invited to ‘Sponsor a Young Musician’ by donating £50 for each youngster to raise funds to cover costs.

Tickets for the evening concert are free (with a retiring collection) and are available on-line from 15th January direct from the organisers at www.grayshottconcerts.co.uk.

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A world class musical education A foundation for continuing success An exceptional opportunity Generous scholarships

“We feel so blessed that our son is a chorister: he is happy and fulfilled, and we enjoy every minute of watching him grow and flourish” Lisa, chorister’s mum

PLACES AVAILABLE NOW FOR YEAR 5 BOYS PLACES AVAILABLE FOR YEAR 3 & 4 BOYS FROM SEPTEMBER 2017 Contact Charles Harrison, Director of Music, soon, either by phone 01243 812486 or e-mail organist@chichestercathedral.org.uk to find out more or to arrange a friendly informal audition. Open Day on March 4th – a chance for your son to have fun finding out what the Chorister’s Life is all about – save the date! See: www.chichestercathedral.org.uk/worship/cathedral-choir/

January 2017

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Photo Competition In June we launched the hunt for beautiful images of the Surrey Hills for a new set of Surrey Hills notelets in association with the Surrey Hills Society. The judge was Jane Thomas, who is a Surrey Hills Society member and on the Committee of Cranleigh Camera Club. The best eight photos have now been selected for the notelets and are shown here. The top three pictures have also been awarded a bottle of high quality local wine and will be framed to a value of ÂŁ100, thanks to Otters Pool Studio in Guildford. Congratulations to everyone!

The top three

Newlands Morning by Raj Saaj

Thursley by Julian Paynter

River Wey by Philippa Reed

The runners up Clockwise from right: Ranmore Common (Peter Bailey), Binscombe Poppies (Ian Macfadyen), St Marthas (Tim Hunt), The Chantries (Atifa Ismailmiya-Balding) and Box Hill (Ray Peacock).

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Readings and spiritual counselling www.radian.co.uk/life-link

01730 236900

Looking for inspiration or insight? I can help support you to find your inner strength and tap into your full potential. To book a reading, contact me at www.soulinsight.co.uk or call Amanda on 07391 988013.

A personal alarm to help you live safely and independently 24 hours a day

www.soulinsight.co.uk

ART CLASS STARTS SOON

CALL

ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS TO IMPROVERS WILL LOVE THIS COURSE!

the course we will explore four different media; pencil drawing & sketching, oil pastel painting and techniques, painting and blending with water colours and acrylics. Step by step tuition in the basic techniques and secrets needed to create beautiful pieces of art.

ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS TO IMPROVERS - JUST LIKE YOU! The course is designed to be fun for absolute beginners who have never picked up a brush before through to Improvers. STEP-BY-STEP GUIDANCE We adapt to each student’s needs and give them all the guidance and help they need to develop their artistic skills. The curriculum is fun, comprehensive and interesting. Over January 2017

01252 447 815

To advertise, please call 01483 420173

YOUR NEW ART CLASS PART-TIME 14 WEEK COURSE 3 HOUR CLASSES ONCE A WEEK

Step by step lessons suitable for absolute beginners or improvers. Acquire the skills you need to produce paintings you can be proud of!

Rowledge Club, nr Farnham STARTS SOON • LIMITED SPACES

CALL NOW FOR DETAILS

SA0358 16

GREAT NEWS for all our readers looking for something fun to do over the next few months! Our current class is full but we are now taking enquiries for our next parttime Art Class, which starts soon.

STILL LIFE TO LANDSCAPES By the end of the course, students have created a minimum of 8 pieces of their very own original art they can enjoy forever, from simple still life and flower studies to beautiful countryside landscape scenes. YOUNG AT HEART This course is a brilliant way to learn new skills you will be able to enjoy forever. It is also a great way of meeting new friends and to have a fun experience you will always remember and cherish! It is open to adults of all ages. LIMITED PLACES To maintain our high standards of tuition, classes are kept small numbers – so places available are limited! If you are interested you call us now for details. For information on dates, course fees and bookings, call now on

NOW EW YEAR FOR I NFOR COURSE BRING OUT MATIO N YOUR INNER ARTIST BEGINNERS TO IMPROVERS

01252 447 815 LEARN NEW SKILLS MEET NEW FRIENDS AND CREATE ORIGINAL WORKS OF ART

Therapy Rooms at Cowdray Three beautifully appointed Therapy Rooms available to hire within the heart of the Cowdray Estate. Conveniently located next to Cowdray Hall, a venue for inspirational workshops, events and weekly classes. Cowdray Hall and the Therapy Rooms offer a wellbeing community focusing on all areas of selfdevelopment.

The Cowdray Therapy Rooms accommodate a wide range of professional therapists including: Kim Lovelace who practices Shiatsu, a form of bodywork that uses pressure, stretches and joint mobilization to effect changes in the body. He uses the largest of the Therapy Rooms which is also suitable for small groups and talking therapies. Osteopath, Edward Cossart’s whose treatment ranges from ‘cranial osteopathy’ to ‘positive treatment’ such as the ‘clicking’ many associate with an osteopath. Edward adopts a patient-centred approach and all techniques are discussed prior to treatment. Registered Nutritional Therapist, Nicola Russell who uses Nutritional Therapy to help people suffering from chronic conditions and also those looking to enhance their general health and wellbeing. e: therapy-rooms@cowdray.co.uk t: 01730 812423 w: www.cowdray.co.uk

Three new beautifully appointed Therapy Rooms for hire on the Cowdray Estate. An accessible but private space for therapists, consultants and their clients. Available for use 6 days a week. Rentable by the hour, half day and whole day.

t: 01730 812423 e: therapy-rooms@cowdray.co.uk Cowdray Therapy Rooms, Parkway, Easebourne, Midhurst, West Sussex, GU29 0AW

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Property News We talk to a few local estate agents about the year ahead and its effect on the property market How do you see the future of the traditional independent estate agent, when we notice the increase of online estate agents oﬀering to sell a house at the fraction of the cost? “We see the future of the local estate agency with local knowledge and property experience absolutely key in a changing marketplace. As the market hardens, simply putting your property on the internet and hoping that it will sell itself will prove to be a diﬃcult and potentially stressful process”, says Richard Prynne from Pewleys, who are based in Bramley. “The need for careful and proactive sale chain management has never been more essential than right now. There is an unbelievable amount of hard work, phone calls, emails and negotiating required not only to agree a sale but as importantly to ensure the transaction which often will consist of numerous properties, progresses to an exchange of contracts”. This view is echoed by Scott Wishart, from Hills Clements in Guildford. “We consider that the traditional independent estate will always be required because of their intimate knowledge of their town and surrounding villages, the local property values and their history of sales that will have been racked up over their many years of trading. No other agent will know the area and the values better and many buyers and sellers will want to tap into that in depth knowledge.” Doing all the work yourself is very onerous and often ends in disappointment, according to Stephen Jenkins, from Andrew Lodge in Farnham. “If sellers are happy to carry out their own viewings, financially qualify potential buyers, liaise with solicitors, other agents, mortgage brokers, surveyors and deal with often complex problems in chains, then maybe online agents are for them. However, the regular instructions we receive from clients who have already unsuccessfully tried selling through an online agent tells me this level January 2017

of service and diligence simply doesn’t exist when a fee only amounts to a few hundred pounds.” Stephen adds that “It’s a known fact, you get what you pay for. Sourcing a buyer is only a small part of what we do. Nurturing a deal through to completion involves a huge amount of effort, time and resources if dealt with in a professional manner”. How do you see the residential property market transitioning through 2017? “2017 will surely bring more properties to the market, which will increase transactions, but we do not see a change in values”, thinks Scott Wishart. “Hopefully the London property market will rise from its slumber, which always fuels our market here in Guildford. We are 38 minutes from Waterloo, 40 minutes from each airport, and we have the very best schooling, which drives families down the main line to our lovely area.” Stephen Jenkins is not quite so positive however. “This area is sought after for many reasons and I don’t see this changing but market forecasters are predicting a slowdown in 2017 as uncertainty over Britain’s departure from the EU continues. London property prices are expected to remain flat next year, which potentially will have a knock-on effect in the home counties. However, weak stock levels in the local market should help soften any slowdown but sensible pricing, in line with comparable evidence will definitely be the key to achieving consistent results for clients.” Matthew Burns agrees that predictions for next year are not certain. “The backdrop of Brexit and an ever changing world political scene will make it an unusual year to predict. However, history has shown that regardless of outside influences, Guildford and surrounding villages always perform well through these periods, due to excellent schooling and

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communications all on our doorstep, combined with some of the most stunning countryside within immediate access. For these reasons we see the market continuing to flow well, but with a shortage of high quality property being available, there will be demand outstripping supply within certain locations and prices within these areas will see greater rises than general.” The term ‘Hybrid Estate Agent’ keeps popping up, is this the future of estate agency? Graham Faulkner, from EweMove in Dorking suggests “The term hybrid in estate agency was actually created when an interviewer didn’t really know how else to term it. Hybrid estate agency has been created by taking the full traditional sales offering, with truly local representatives, but without the need for the expense of high street oﬃces. Making it harder for brand awareness can mean less properties being on a hybrid agent’s books, but that then allows a very high level of customer service, as a client isn’t just lost in the numbers”. His own agency is one such agency. “A great example of an agency who started life as the hybrid model is EweMove, who have been sitting at the top of customer review site Trustpilot since they started using that site for customer reviews, and have a score of 9.9 out of 10. Such is the growth of the hybrid agent that 3 year old EweMove was acquired at the beginning of September by the Property Franchise Group as they realised the importance of getting into the hybrid agent market space and paid £15m to do so.” According to Scott Wishart, “the Hybrid Agent is a new term which has cropped up recently, but quite frankly it is a concept that we have been running for

absolutely years now! We are a smaller hands-on agency with exactly the same marketing tools as all the larger corporate agents, yet without all the expensive backroom staff, higher oﬃcials and bosses dictating the show, and the high running costs that go with all of that. The term hybrid agency really means – part hands-on, part internet and this exactly summarises what Hill Clements have been doing for years. We own our business, we own our oﬃce, we advertise on all the same portals as the big boys, but our overheads are so much lower, we can make a profit without charging the huge fees that others have to. This is what hybrid agents are now claiming that they do!” What single change in legislation would bring the biggest boost to the property market? A complete change in stamp duty for the residential market is one that Scott Wishart and others would wish to see. For the lettings market, things are a little different, given there have been many legislative changes in the last 18 months that have been brought in seemingly to either quash the buy-to-let sector, or make landlords and letting agents police it. “Phasing out mortgage interest relief, right-to-rent immigration checks, the need to have working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms at the beginning of any new tenancy, the need to supply current gas safety records, the energy performance certificate, and a Government guide on how to rent are some of the many of the changes brought in”, says Graham Faulkener. “And now the banning of tenant fees, which means agents will have to charge the landlord higher fees instead, which means that the landlords will increase rents, which they would be doing anyway to try and offset higher tax bills, and that means some benefits tenants will be evicted to make way for people who can pay more rent – it all makes you wonder if the Government look far enough into these things they bring in to be able to assess the true impact on the market.” So what is the single change in legislation that would boost the rental property market? According to Graham, “it would have to be a reversal or at least a tidy up of some of the above. The private rented sector is an important place, especially as the UK starts to become more generation rent, and yet the government seem hell bent on making it a tough place for landlords to thrive”. Hill Clements, Guildford Scott Wishart Tel: 01483 300300 www.hillclements.com

Pewleys, Shalford Richard Prynne and Matthew Burns Tel: 01483 304344 www.pewleys.co.uk Andrew Lodge Estate Agents, Farnham Stephen Jenkins Tel: 01252 717705 www.andrewlodge.net 32

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EweMove, Dorking Graham Faulkner Tel: 01306 406506 www.ewemove.com vantagepointmag.co.uk

<26 35> JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD have a look at their website www.wattsgallery.org.uk; there is lots going on throughout the month. The Allen Gallery Thursday 26th January 7.30pm They are holding a talk at the gallery at 10-12 Church Street, Alton GU34 2BW. Who was William Curtis? Five distinguished members of an Alton family, by Jane Hurst. From the botanist to Jane Austen’s doctor to the founder of the Curtis Museum, the Curtis family produced five Williams. The gallery is home to one of the greatest collections of ceramics in the South of England. It also offers regularly changing exhibitions and programme of events. Showing until 11th March they will be featuring work by W H Allen taking in the artist’s earliest visits to France and Italy up until the period between the wars and including paintings from Switzerland and the Channel Islands. Whilst you are at it, you could also drop in to The Curtis Museum situated in the High Street. They have a fine collection exploring 100 million years of local history. Haslemere Methodist Church – Quiz Evening Saturday 28th January 7.30pm The Church at Lion Green, Weyhill GU27 1LD, offers regular high quality community events which are certainly growing in popularity. The next one is a Fun Quiz Evening. The 2016 Quiz was well received but they aim to make this one even better! Teams of four players are needed or alternatively

January 2017

single players can be linked up on the night, in both cases, the more the merrier. Admission is by ticket in advance at £10 each, which includes interval refreshments of delicious hot dogs, tea and coffee. Tickets are on sale now during the church’s Open Door Coffee Mornings which are from 10am to 12 noon every Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. You can also order tickets through malcolmstravel@ hotmail.co.uk and by calling 01428 480360. 10% of the net proceeds from the Quiz will go to Macmillan Cancer Support at Midhurst and the rest to the church development fund. Put the details in your diary please and get your tickets soon as this could become yet another sell-out event. BadGuys at G Live Saturday 28th January 11.30am and 2.30pm Comedy Club 4 Kids & CBeebies Spot Bots stars the Three Half Pints will trip and stumble their way through a brand new comic misadventure at G Live. Derek, Ernie and Dick are really bored of being good. It’s just GOT to be more fun being a baddie. But being an evil scientist, pirate or cowboy is trickier than they thought. Can the bumbling brothers learn how to stay out of jail and be real Bad Guys? Tickets are £10.50 or £34 for a family of 4. Suitable for all the family but especially 5-11 year olds. Call 01483 369350. Vineyard tours at Blackdown Ridge Estate This beautiful wine estate is situated at the highest point in

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GARDENING

With Beth Otway

Life can be busy and stressful. It is not always easy to make time to stop, relax, and appreciate the beauty of nature. If you’re looking for some time out, a lovely and relaxing activity that you can take part in this month is the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch spending a restful hour watching and counting birds. The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch is a delightful activity to share. You could snuggle up by the fire and count the birds you see from your window, or wrap up warmly to count birds in the park, or at your allotment. The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch has been extended for 2017, to cover the weekend of the 28th and 29th January, as well as Monday 30th January. You’ll find lots of information on the RSPB’s website, including an online counting tool, and pictures to help you identify the birds you see. Please visit www.rspb.org.uk/ birdwatch for more. Hanging up feeders filled with peanuts, seeds, and other foods, and supplying clean water will encourage birds to your garden. Don’t forget that the plants in your garden, and how you tend them, will also encourage or discourage birds. Oaks are the most amazing trees, they’re a habitat for hundreds of species of insects, and provide food, shelter, and nest sites for birds. There are many other native trees, such as yew, silver birch, beech, hornbeam, and rowan that are perfect trees for large gardens. In smaller gardens, it’s important to remember to provide food, shelter, and perches for birds. If your garden is surrounded by bare fences, and features lots of paving and low-growing plants, you won’t be providing enough facilities to encourage birds to spend much time in your garden. Holly or yew clipped as topiary (choose female or self-fertile hollies for berries) will provide food, shelter and a nesting site for birds. Fruit trees grown on dwarfing rootstocks, which are carefully pruned, cordon-grown and other trained forms of fruit trees are great options for small gardens. Look out for ballerina apples that grow naturally as one upright stem with side shoots, they require little pruning and are a good choice for a small garden.

The guelder rose, Viburnum opulus, produces white flowers in springtime, followed by red berries in autumn and winter. The leaves of Viburnum opulus turn beautiful shades of orange and red before falling in autumn. This is a great shrub for wildlife, that provides year round interest. Growing to 5m (16ft) or more in height, and 2.5-4m (8-13ft) wide, it’s perfect for a woodland style garden. A dwarf form is available - Viburnum opulus ‘Compactum’ which offers the same pretty white lacecap style flowers, glossy berries, and other attractions, yet grows to 1.5m (5ft) tall and wide. Growing ivy, honeysuckle, or clematis over your fences will encourage insects and birds. Hedges outlive fences, as they aren’t likely to be damaged in a storm, and support a wide range of wildlife. You could plant an edible hedge and provide food for your family, or opt for Rosa rugosa, which provides beautiful fragrant pink roses, followed by large rosehips. Rosa rugosa ‘Alba’ is a white form (above); both grow well even in poor soil. Yew, holly, beech, and hornbeam produce beautiful hedges If you want to protect birds, avoid using slug pellets, insecticides, and pesticides. All levels of the food chain need to be present for a healthy balance in your garden.

The humble House Sparrow, which was the top 10 bird in last year’s Big Garden Watch (RSPB).

FIND OUT MORE For information on natural slug controls, gardening advice for the month ahead, information about snowdrops ‘in the green’, advice on growing orchids, and much more besides, visit my website www.pumpkinbeth.com. Robin and Rosa images by Beth Otway. To advertise, please call 01483 420173

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39> JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

the Sussex Weald overlooking the South Downs. They are holding tours of the estate to learn about the varieties and management of their vines throughout the year, the wine making process from vine to bottle, and then to taste their award-winning English wines. They favour a minimal intervention approach to viticulture; their grapes are hand tended and also handpicked. Along the way you will visit the winery where you will learn about the production process for their wines. The tour then finishes with a chance to sit down, relax and taste their delicious English wines. It is a chance to discuss and compare the vintages along with some local cheeses and crackers. Their full range is available to buy when you visit the vineyard, or from their online shop www.blackdownridge.co.uk. Tours are by appointment so you need to call Lucinda on 01428 656003 or email admin@blackdownridge.co.uk. The tour lasts about 2 hours and only costs £10; however, get together a group of 5 or more and you get a 50% discount. You can also get 25% off each case of 6 bottles of wine. The estate is situated in Blackdown Park, Ferden Lane, West Sussex GU27 3BT. Big Garden Bird Watch at Haslemere Museum Saturday 28th January 11am - 3pm Go along to the Museum and have family fun together! Make bird cakes, get hands on with some craft activities and discover all about the birds in both the Museum galleries and grounds. It’s free; no need to book, just turn up! For more information, visit www.haslemeremuseum.co.uk Wildlife through The Lens Tuesday 31st January to Saturday 25th February Haslemere Natural History Society will be holding a small (free) exhibition to illustrate the wonderful diversity of wildlife in the UK, captured in photographs by members of the Society over the last three years. There will be flowers, birds, mammals, butterflies and other colourful and fascinating insects. Takes place at Haslemere Educational Museum. More information at www. haslemerenaturalhistorysociety.org.uk. Haslemere Musical Society Saturday 4th February 2pm The Society invites all interested singers to join their widely popular community singing event. Their annual Come and Sing activity will take place at St. Christopher’s Church, Haslemere and will feature choruses from Haydn’s beautiful oratorio creation. The conductor will once again be Tom Lydon, who proved so popular last year with Messiah, and the piano accompanist will be well-known local composer Clive Osgood. The event will start at 2.00pm and singers will be joined by the society’s orchestra for a final performance at 6pm. The whole event will finish by 7pm. The cost of the event will be £12 (or £10 per person for groups of 10 or more) and the afternoon will include the justly famous tea and cakes provided by the society’s talented culinary team. January 2017

Farnham Wine Festival Friday 7th and Saturday 8th April 2017

Farnham Maltings, Bridge Square, Farnham GU9 7QR

Guildford Wine Festival Friday 12th and Saturday 13th May 2017

Guildford Cathedral, Stag Hill, Guildford GU2 7UP

Dorking Wine Festival

Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd September 2017 Dorking Halls, Reigate Rd, Dorking RH4 1SG

Book now at: www.vantagepointevents.co.uk Follow us @vpwinefestival and www.facebook.com/vpfestivals • Over 120 international wines • Champagnes and premium wines • Wine experts on hand • Local wine producers with their wines • Charity blind wine tasting and raffle Plus live music, entertainment, concessions, food, money-off wine vouchers and more.

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Thai-tastic with Giggling Squid On Friday 13th January, Giggling Squid will introduce its signature Thai cuisine to Farnham at 67/68 Castle Street GU9 7LN. Having established a loyal following throughout the country since 2002 with its brilliant combination of bold Thai flavours and authentic cooking techniques, Giggling Squid will open for lunch and dinner, with room for up to 140 guests, in its relaxed stylish setting. From lunchtime tapas to delicious curries, salads, rice and noodles, Giggling Squid’s menu lends itself to the distinct sharing culture of Thailand. Guests are invited to experience its rich tapestry of freshly prepared dishes prepared on-site by a team of talented Thai chefs. A dedicated “little tapas for little people” menu is also available and guaranteed to ensure smiles all round. Owned by Thai-born Pranee Laurillard and her husband Andrew, Giggling Squid - the nickname of one of their three children - was founded in the basement of a tiny fisherman’s cottage, now the Brighton restaurant, where dreams of replicating a little taste of home became a reality. www.gigglingsquid.com.

Stand Up Sea Bass

Ingredients

1 x tbsp. lemon / lime juice Sprinkle of chopped coriander

1 x fillet of sea bass ¼ diced lime (including skin) 1 x tbsp lemongrass (sliced thin) 1 x tbsp diced ginger 1 x tbsp diced onion Sprinkle of peanuts 2 x lime leaves (sliced thin) 1 x small red chilli (sliced thin) ½ tbsp. chilli oil Sprinkle fried shallot

Method: 1. Grind the garlic and chilli with a pestle and mortar before adding the rest of the ingredients for the seafood sauce.

Seafood sauce: 5 x tbsp fish sauce ½ tbsp sugar (palm or normal’s fine) 1 x small whole chilli (use less according to taste) 3 x cloves garlic

3. Dust the sea bass with self-raising flour, and deep fry the fish in enough hot vegetable oil for it to be submerged. It’ll take approx. 5 minutes to get crispy. Remove and arrange on a plate. Drizzle with the sauce and serve with plain rice.

Serves 1

2. Then mix with chilli oil and the rest of the ingredients (apart from the fish).

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RECIPES Thai Chicken Red Curry

Ingredients 3 x tbsp vegetable oil 1 x tbsp red curry paste (adjustable) 1 x can of coconut cream (this will make it lovely and rich!) 150-200 ml water 1 x medium size courgette- halved and sliced 2 cm thick 1/2 red pepper- cut in half-length-way and slice 12 x fine green beans cut into 4cm Small handful fresh basil leaves 2 x tsp salt 1 x tsp sugar 2 x chicken breasts sliced across 2 cm thick (next time, try with king prawns!) Serves 2 Method: 1. Put vegetable oil and red curry paste into a saucepan; then stir on a gentle heat for 10

minutes until the chillies start to release colour into the oil. 2. Add 1/4 of the coconut cream to the red curry paste and keep stirring for a further 5 minutes. This will bring out the coconut oil, and will give a shiny texture to the finished curry sauce. 3. Add the rest of the coconut cream and bring water to the boil. 4. Add chicken breast and simmer until breast is cooked through (10-15 mins) 5. Then add pepper, courgette and fine beans. Once boiled, turn gas off. Vegetables should still be crunchy. 6. Season with salt and sugar to your liking, and then finish with basil leaves which go in last to prevent them from over cooking and disappearing. Serve with steaming rice.

WIN A LUNCH FOR TWO AT GIGGLING SQUID WITH VANTAGEPOINT... To win lunch for two with a complimentary bottle of house wine at Giggling Squid in Farnham, please visit our competition pages at www.vantagepointmag.co.uk. Please enter by the 31st January 2017. Lunch must be taken by end March 2017.

January 2017

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LOCAL Haslemere Natural History Society There are occasional opportunities to contribute to surveys of local areas to help local or national conservation bodies.

Wild flowers, birds, butterflies and other insects, small mammals and reptiles – do you know what’s on your doorstep? Haslemere occupies one of the most beautiful parts of England with access to a huge range of habitats. The surrounding woodland, heaths and meadows are home to an exceptional number of wild creatures and plants. And not far away there is the Weald surrounded by the North and South Downs and access to the south coast. The pace of life these days means that the wonderful variety of local wildlife can be overlooked but it can be appreciated by knowing where to look, and this is where the society can help. The society organises field meetings throughout the year, led by friendly specialists. Birdwatching rambles are always popular, particularly in winter when there is little other wildlife to be seen. Venues include local woodland and heath for bird song or Chichester Harbour for sea birds and waders. Spring sees the beginning of walks on local heaths or the North or South Downs. In 2017 members will be looking for wild flowers, butterflies and moths, and small mammals. There will then be a batwatching evening and, in the autumn, a popular fungus foray. Guests are very welcome at these and indoor meetings – with a request for a donation of £4. Several indoor meetings are organised by the Society jointly with Haslemere Museum on Saturday afternoons during the winter. Expert speakers provide lively and colourfully illustrated talks on wildlife or environmental themes from all over the world. At these meetings members are encouraged to describe any particularly interesting wildlife events they have seen.

For a subscription of £12 a year (£18 for joint or family memberships) members can receive two attractive newsletters, an annual report summarising the activities of the past year, a calendar of winter field meetings, talks at Haslemere Museum and a summer field meetings programme. There is a website which is updated frequently with local sightings sent in by members (often accompanied with their photographs), HNHS news, links to other useful websites and a gallery of stunning photographs as well as a Stop Press page. An Annual General Meeting gives members the opportunity to contribute to the workings of the society. The society celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2013. In 1888 a small band of enthusiastic naturalists held their first “Microscope Class”. In 1889 it became the Haslemere Microscope and Natural History Society and had a succession of eminent presidents (its second being Jonathan Hutchinson, founder of the museum, and it has had close ties with the museum ever since). In February there will be an exhibition at Haslemere Museum, entitled Wildlife Through the Lens, illustrating the diversity of UK wildlife, captured in photographs by members of the society.

Images, clockwise from top left: Great Crested Grebe at Cutt Mill (Martyn Phillis); HNHS gathering at Levin Down (Hugh Searle) and Harebell at Levin Down (Alan Novelle).

FIND OUT MORE Further information and an application form for membership are available at www.haslemerenaturalhistorysociety.org.uk, email: info@haslemerenaturalhistorysociety.org.uk.

To advertise, please call 01483 420173

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JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

44>

Interested singers and groups wanting to book can contact Treasurer Kate McWhirter on 01428 609203 or go onto the society’s website www.hmsoc.org.uk .

25th February. Tickets at £25 (Under 16s £16.50, Concessions £21 Family Tickets £80) available from 01483 304384 or from www.guildford-shakespeare-company.co.uk.

Organ Coffee Concerts Saturday 4th February The Friends of Haslemere Parish have announced the following Organ Coffee Concerts in St Bartholomew’s Church, Haslemere. Coffee and biscuits are served from 10.30am in the Church and recitals begin at 11am. No tickets required but there will be a retiring collection. On Saturday 4th February, Katherine Dienes-Williams, Organist and Master of the Choristers at Guildford Cathedral will be playing and on Saturday 4th March, it will be the turn of Julian Cooper, Organist and Director of Music, St Thomas on the Bourne, Farnham. It is hoped that a further Recital will take place on Saturday 1st April.

Adult Education Courses at RHS Wisley If you are planning to learn a new skill for the New Year, RHS Wisley offers a wealth of courses and workshops – including a choice of brand new courses for 2017. Many of the 110 courses and workshops offer an opportunity to enhance your experience and understanding of plants and gardens and learn about Wisley. Their brochure can be downloaded from the RHS website, www.rhs.org.uk/wisely or email adultlearning@rhs.org.uk to request a pdf or posted copy. To book a course call 020 3176 5830.

Guildford Shakespeare Company Saturday 4th – Saturday 25th February 7.30pm Guildford Shakespeare Company’s first production of 2017 is Shakespeare’s political thriller Julius Caesar. Focusing on the cult of personality, a government founded on propaganda and the most famous case of political back-stabbing in politics, this production will, for the first time by GSC, be given a contemporary context to reflect the play’s timeless relevance. The venue is Holy Trinity Church, High Street, Guildford GU1 3RR. There are matinee performances at 2.30pm on Wednesday 22nd and Saturdays 11th, 18th and

Haslemere Museum Wins Prestigious Education Award Haslemere Museum has been awarded the prestigious Sandford Award for Heritage Education 2016. The award is given to museums and heritage organisations for outstanding formal education programmes and is a major recognition of the excellent work undertaken by Kay Topping and her dedicated team of volunteers at the museum. The Sandford Award is an independently judged, quality assured assessment of education programmes at heritage sites, museums, archives and collections across the British Isles. The museum now joins a select group of approximately 350 heritage education providers that have won the award since 1978. Julia Tanner, Museum Curator added “We are absolutely delighted to have won this award - it is a great

LIGHTING Open 9:00am - 5:30pm Monday - Saturday Elstead House, Mill Lane, Alton Hampshire, GU34 2QJ Tel: 01420 590510

www.elsteadlighting.com

WINTER SALE ENDS 28TH JAN

January 2017

10% OFF ALL CURRENT ITEMS • 30% OFF ALL MIRRORS EXTRA 20% OFF ALL CLEARANCE ITEMS

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WALK - Frensham Great Pond to Thursley This is an interesting walk through woods and heathland with some ups and downs. A good workout for your January health kick! The walk was submitted by Guildford Rambling Club (see guildfordramblingclub.org.uk).

The walk 1. Walk clockwise around the pond keeping about 100 yards in from the edge. You will reach a point where two fenced corridors stretch out ahead of you. Take the left-most one. At the corridor’s end, jink left to find a point where you can cross the road. Take the path opposite, straight out across the heath and up onto the ridge. Now turn left and walk a few hundred yards to find the wide track dropping off the ridge and down to the right (you can see Frensham Little Pond ahead and away over to the left). 2. Follow the track down and continue forward, ignoring lefts and rights, until reaching a junction with a barrier on your left and some houses ahead. Turn through the barrier and immediately fork right through a few bushes to reach the end of a road. Walk along this road, again ignoring lefts and rights until, about 200 yards after fording a stream, taking a wide track left. 3. Follow the signpost i.e. ignore the first, unsigned track left. Ignore a later track forking left and reach a T-junction by a blue arrow post and a house. Continue straight ahead along a narrow, fenced corridor passing two Nissen huts in a field. The corridor ends and again you continue forward,

following the track until eventually reaching a road. 4. Turn right and walk about ½ mile to a cross roads. Go straight over and forward along the short dead end road ahead. Pass a barrier and straight out onto the edge of Hankley Common Golf Club. A few yards in, take the wide track forking off right and follow it as it climbs up to the ridge. Turn right and walk a long way along the arc of the ridge. Down to your left is a large area of Ministry Of Defence heathland, used from time to time by film companies. Pass a WD marker stone and continue on. Pass a little hillock on the left-hand side and the track swings right to reach a junction where a red arrow points left along the “Red Trail”. 5. Follow this to a cross paths where another red arrow points left again but this one you ignore. Instead go straight ahead. The path drops down through trees to a T-junction with a wide track. Turn right and quickly reach a house, Houndmere. Climb up the path at the left-hand side of its garden to reach a road. Cross and walk about 150 yards along to the left to find a footpath heading right and away from the road. Follow this for about 400 yards to its end where it drops down to cross a small field and a stream to reach a lane. 6. Turn left along the lane to reach Dye House Road. Now, turn right and walk along this road to pass a cottage and quickly reach a track off to the right. Ignore the path climbing up straight ahead, take the one breaking off right and up a short steep slope. At the top turn left and quickly reach a few houses and the end of a lane. Walk up the lane to emerge by a tiny green and a “Thors Lea” sign. The excellent Three Horseshoes pub is to the right, the cricket green (a possible picnic site) to the left. 7. After lunch walk along the road to the cricket pitch and take a path out left, into trees, opposite the entrance to the parking area. The path goes down through trees the Dye House Road again. You will now reverse a section of the last part of the morning walk. Turn left and walk a few yards to turn into the side road (a sign says Haybarn). A little way along here turn right to go through a gate. Cross the small field and the little footbridge then follow the path up and through trees to reach a road. This time, go straight across and down the slope to the access road to Houndmere (the house which you passed earlier). 8. By the house turn right and go through a barrier to climb a slope. About 50 yards up this slope turn left onto a wide track. Follow this, gradually rising, continuing forward when you merge with a track

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WALK SPONSORED BY coming in from the right. The track then levels out. There is downward slope on the left-hand side and a hill on the right. The track swings around the hill to run parallel to a road which you can see down and across to the left. Continue forward, ignoring lefts and rights. Pass a small car park. Again, continue forward. Pass a wooden paneling fence and a house (on the left-hand side) and continue on. Ignore a track, left, which goes down to the road. The track you are on now swings a little to the right and starts to rise. Follow it up and then, at the top, fork left to stay close to a fence. 9. The path now drops down to join another path from the left. Continue forward, still parallel to the road. Reach a junction where two wide tracks join from the right and with a hill ahead on your right. A little further on you reach some MOD warning signs and, here, you take a short track left to reach the road. You emerge by the entrance to Rushmoor Lakes. Cross the road and go a little way left to cross the start of Sandy Lane, a side road heading right. On the far side, immediately take a footpath right, next to a telephone box. Quickly go past a barrier and follow a yellow arrow straight ahead across a wide, open area of heathland. The track swings left and you can see the Devils Jumps hill away to your left. 10. Continue to reach and go straight across a large cross tracks. Now you are walking along with a fence on your left. Continue forward and follow the track as it swings out across the heath towards trees. There is a small pond away to your right. In the trees you turn left and proceed along a permitted private track to reach a lane, emerging next to a house, The Point. Turn right. Now walk along the lane for some distance, eventually passing Crosswater House then Harolds Hill. The lane becomes a track. 11. Reach a multiway junction with a two-way signpost. Go straight on. The track eventually reaches a road. Take the path which runs to the right, just off the edge of the road. When you reach a yellow arrow pointing right (away up the slope you can see a small memorial), turn left to cross the road and drop down the bank to pick up a path anti-clockwise around the edge of Frensham Great Pond. Keep going until you reach the refreshment kiosk and the car park.

DISTANCE:10 miles OS MAPS: Explorer 145 Guildford & Farnham STARTING POINT: Park in the car park by the refreshment kiosk at the Pond, Bacon Lane, Churt, Surrey GU10 2QB. Image: Sailing on Frensham Great Pond ÂŠ Copyright Shazz Neither the publisher nor the author can accept any responsibility for any changes, errors or omissions in this route. Diversion orders can be made and permissions withdrawn at any time.

January 2017

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PROFILE New look revealed for the Fernhurst Centre When the centre first opened, relatively few households had their own computer or broadband, now the emphasis has shifted to making the most of new technology and superfast connection speeds. Courses on offer include ‘How to get the best out of your tablet or iPad’, ‘Find your way around an iPhone’, ‘Using your new Windows 10 software” as well as courses on selling on ebay, storing on the Cloud, Researching Family History and French conversation.

Supporters of the Fernhurst Centre, the internet café and computer hub in the heart of Fernhurst village, were amazed at its transformation when the newly redecorated centre opened after refurbishment last October. An army of local builders and tradesmen as well as the centre’s own volunteer team have been hard at work upgrading the centre’s facilities and providing the village with a very special meeting place. A larger coffee shop area has been created with comfortable seating, softer lighting and modern décor and the computers relocated for more user privacy. A new programme of courses is on offer on a wide range of subjects and all courses are taught in small groups with free refreshments in the break. The modernised kitchen boasts a bean-to-cup coffee machine, fresh locally made cake and an array of snacks and nibbles, all of which makes the centre an ideal meeting place for young and old alike. There’s a toy box, free computer use for children and free wifi for adults buying refreshments as well as a free book and DVD library and a choice of the weekly or local papers to read.

A key factor in the success of this internet café and coffee shop as a social focus of the village is its volunteer team who are involved in every aspect of the centre’s activity. Nearly 30 local residents volunteer at the centre, manning the counter, ordering refreshments, teaching the courses and maintaining and tidying the premises. There is even a free recycling scheme for unwanted IT equipment and printers, which means the centre is doing its bit for the environment as well. Enquiries about recycling are welcome, all personal data is removed from computers and destroyed in the recycling process. Anyone wanting to bring items in should contact the centre in advance using the contact details below. Particularly popular at this time of year is the Fernhurst 2017 Calendar with views of the village from the past, as well as the centre’s own greetings cards and notelets, which are perfect for sending to friends and family far away. Also on sale are an array of brightly coloured jute shopping bags which are ideal presents all year round. The centre, at 2 Crossfield, Vann Road in the heart of Fernhurst, is open 10am-5pm on weekdays and 10am12 noon on Saturdays and there is always a friendly welcome for visitors.

FORTNIGHTLY NETWORKING MEETINGS

THE GEORGIAN HOTEL, HASLEMERE VISITORS WELCOME!

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January 2017

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<39

JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

achievement that celebrates both the excellent quality of our schools programme and a credit to the hard work and expertise of Kay and her volunteer team.” Our heartiest congratulations to everyone involved! Jumble Sale Saturday 11th February 2pm A jumble and bric-a-brac sale will be held at Iping Church, Nr. Midhurst GU29 0PF. It will include furnishing, fabrics, costume jewellery, clothing, scarves, books, plants and cakes. Entrance £1 per person. Midhurst Garden Club Monday 13th February The club does not meet in January but their first meeting of 2017 is a talk on ‘The Life of Gertrude Jekyll’. For more information about the club please contact Denise Skinner on 01730 814194, email askinner3@sky.com or check their website www.midhurstgardenclub.org.uk . The Nuts Challenge Saturday 4th March 12pm Are you looking for a new challenge in 2017? Why not sign up to the 7km Nuts Challenge to raise money for the ‘One in Five appeal’. Taking place in Dorking, The Nuts Challenge is perfect for those of you that want to take on a fun challenge with little experience in obstacle racing whilst raising money for charity. It’s the perfect excuse to just have a go and try something new! The registration Fee is £45.99 (discounted

charity rate) and you are required to get at least £100 in sponsorship. The cost includes a Nuts Challenge T-Shirt and Medal. Register today at http://tinyurl.com/RoyalSurreyNuts .For more information please contact Katie Ledger at katie. leger1@nhs.net or call 01483 464146. Ward Thomas at G Live Friday 28th April I know it is still some way off, but Ward Thomas are coming to Guildford as part of their 2017 tour and tickets are available now. The Hampshire duo composed of twin sisters Lizzie and Catherine Ward Thomas produce modern country music with a British twist and are officially the UK’s most successful country act. Their new album, Cartwheels, reached number 1 in the UK album charts. For tickets, call 01483 369350 or go to www.glive.co.uk. The Bumpy Triathlon Sunday 4th June Overdone it at Christmas? Time to get back into fitness by signing up to train for The 2017 Bumpy Triathlon - part of next year’s Haslemere Festival. This is Haslemere’s very own Sprint Triathlon, a 400 metre swim (16 lengths), 20km Cycle and 5km Run and is suitable for all ages and abilities including absolute beginners! The bike and run courses through the South Downs National Park and some of the most attractive scenery in Surrey and West Sussex and the starting venue (and Transition area) will be Haslemere Leisure Centre off King’s Road in central Haslemere.The Bumpy Triathlon is organised by volunteers and is a not for profit event supported by The Haslemere Festival. Every competitor receives a free t-shirt and drinks bottle and you can take advantage of the Early Bird offer by registering before 28th February and saving on normal entry fees. For more information on The Bumpy Triathlon and how to register, train, get involved in fund raising or volunteer, go to www.haslemerebumpytriathlon.co.uk. FIND OUT MORE

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

PLANNING & DESIGN SERVICE Architectural drawings for Extensions, Alterations & New Build Free No Obligation Quotations

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COMPETITIONS

Please enter online unless otherwise stated. Postal entries can be sent to us at the address given on page three.

WIN A CIAO GUSTO HAMPER WORTH £100

Picking up all your favourite authentic Italian food and drink has become even easier with the arrival of Ciao Gusto at Ocado – www.ciaogusto. com. For the first time, a simple tab brings together over 30 of Italy’s most popular brands, so you can find exactly what you’re looking for. By selecting the Ciao Gusto tab as part of your shopping, you’ll be able to search recipes and add ingredients straight to your basket. Browse the delicious recipes according to ingredient, preparation time, course or occasion, and explore the joys of Italian cuisine through tips, advice and information about each product. You’ll be familiar with many products, such as Riso Gallo, Filippo Berio, Giovanni Rana and Cirio who are joined by products new to the UK such as Auricchio cheese and Negroni charcuterie – everything you find at Ciao Gusto has been specially selected for its reputation as an authentic Italian favourite. To win a wonderful array of Italian goodies worth £100, please answer the following question: Q: Name one of the brands you can get through Ciao Gusto? Please enter online at www.vantagepointmag.co.uk by 31st January 2017.

WIN AN 8 WEEK PILATES COURSE AT HASLEMERE PILATES

Karol House, a qualified physiotherapist and pilates teacher, is offering an 8 week pilates matwork course for free at Haslemere Pilates if you can answer the question correctly. Pilates stretches and strengthens multiple muscles at one time. It can also help reduce the risk of heart disease, reduce high blood pressure and prevent depression and anxiety. At Haslemere Pilates, we cater for all levels and age groups and aim to educate pupils about their bodies and how to use them to make them last. Visit www.haslemerepilates.co.uk for more information on class times and how pilates can benefit you. Haslemere Pilates, Watchers Hall, Linchmere Road, Haslemere, Surrey GU27 3QP, email haslemerepilates@watchershall.com or call 07958 944308. For your chance to win, simply answer this simple question: Q: Who invented Pilates? Please enter online at www.vantagepointmag.co.uk by 31st January 2017.

WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO BREABACH + ALDEN, PATTERSON & DASHWOOD Scotland’s finest folk group bar none pay Grayshott Folk Club a return visit on the 11th February. They last played there last March and their haunting twin bagpipe sounds are even now still ringing around the rafters... A few days after playing for Grayshott Folk Club, they were live in session on the BBC Radio 2 Folk Show. Megan Henderson (fiddle,vocals),James Lindsay (double bass), James Duncan Mackenzie (Highland bagpipe, flute whistles), Calum MacCrimmon (Highland bagpipe, whistles, bouzouki) and Ewan Robertson (guitar, cajon, vocals) are sure to delight visitors again.

+ Alden, Patterson & Dashwood-Norwich based folk/Americana trio A, P and D, weave rich vocal harmonies, fiddle, dobro, guitar and mandolin around beautifully written original songs and melodies. To win a pairs of tickets (worth £32) to see them on the 11th February, please answer this question: Q: Name one of the vocalists in Breabach? Please enter online at www.vantagepointmag.co.uk by 31st January 2017. 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.

Gym Swim Classes

ÂŁ20.17 Offer only available 1st - 9th January 2017

www.placesforpeopleleisure.org Haslemere Leisure Centre 01428 658484

Cranleigh Leisure Centre 01483 274400

Farnham Leisure Centre 01252 723208

The Edge 01428 644577

Godalming Leisure Centre 01483 410500

Terms and conditions apply. Nothing more to pay until 1st February 2017.

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