VantagePoint Magazine November 2015 - Farnham & Villages by VantagePoint Magazine

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Farnham & Villages • November 2015

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

Fabulous local colours

Inside: HOPPA IN FARNHAM WINDFALL APPLE RECIPES THE FUTURE OF MOTORING IT’S PANTO TIME! - WHAT’S ON IN OUR LOCAL AREA WIN FAMILY TICKETS TO THE PANTOMIME AND WINTERSHALL’S NATIVITY

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

Sales: 01252 415142 Editorial: 01483 421601

VantagePoint is published by Vantage Publishing, a Godalming based local magazine business which was first established in 2009 when we launched our first community magazine. We now publish five community magazines which are delivered monthly by Royal Mail to 108,193 homes across the South East, which gives us the largest local circulation in the areas we cover, all with guaranteed delivery by your postman. Please visit www.vantagepointmag.co.uk or contact any of us below if you need any more information.

YOUR LOCAL TEAM Great news for us at team Vantage. Barbara Maddison has rejoined us to work with Marcus and Liz in sales. Barbara ﬁrst joined us in 2011 and left us after over two years to take on another challenge. We kept in touch and we are delighted to have her back on board! Now that autumn is ﬁrmly here, there should be some great opportunities to see some marvellous tree colour similar to what’s featured on our front cover, which was taken by the Seven Acres Lake at RHS Wisley. There are so many places in the local area to see similar colours that we cannot name them all but we have worked with the National Trust to come up with a list of their local landscapes which are well worth discovering over the next couple of months.

Stefan Reynolds Editor & Publisher

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It feels like Christmas already, given we are already publicising local pantomimes and all manner of festive events, such as school fairs, Christmas markets and the lighting of town lights. Please support them if you can. We will feature all that we get sent in our Jottings and if you know of any more, please let us know. In fact, with so many boutiques, butchers, farm shops, food producers, tree growers, vineyards and many other independent producers and retailers in our area, why not see how much you can buy locally this Christmas? From gin to sparkling wine, cheese and condiments to beef and turkey, you can purchase many things made within 20 miles of your home. Keep it local! Contact the editor: stefan@vantagepublishing.co.uk

Marcus Atkins Sales Director marcus@vantagepublishing.co.uk

Liz Godfrey Sales liz@vantagepublishing.co.uk

Contributors: Andy Goundry, Beth Otway, Kirstie Smillie

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

Barbara Maddison Sales barbara@vantagepublishing.co.uk

Cover: Metasequoia glyptostroboides by Seven Acres Lake at RHS Wisley: Clive Nichols

November 2015

Print: Buxton Press

CONTENTS

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The local magazine produced by local people for the local community

Rugmart

"The Place to buy Rugs"

6 Jottings Your local community noticeboard

8 Outdoors The colours of autumn

14 The Future of Motoring Andy Goundry looks at the options

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Christmas pantomimes in the local area

24 Bees and Honey Celebrating last month’s National Honey Week

28 Farnham Town Council News 36 Fashion

Large/Oversize Rugs

Afghan Rugs

Persian Rugs

Tribal Rugs

Traditional Rugs

Runners

Contemporary Rugs

Designer Rugs

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Kirstie profiles Catwalk in Godalming

38 Gastro Latest food and drink news

42 Gardening Beth talks to a great local garden designer

46 Recipes Windfall apples

50 Walks Autumn colour with the National Trust

Underlay provided for all types of ﬂooring

Brighten up your Home this Autumn

52 Profile The Samson Centre for MS

53 Business Cards Small ads for trades and services

55 Competitions Win one of three great prizes

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

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JOTTINGS YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD To spare us all, I’m not mentioning England’s World Cup result. Instead, I’ll mention the glut of apples this autumn. There are enough on the trees and in boxes outside houses to see us all through the winter months with crumbles, sauces etc and there’s no excuse now for not knocking up the delicious tarte tatin recipe featured in this month’s edition. Enjoy Guy Fawkes night if you’re venturing out and if you’re having your own bonfire night – stay safe. You are all invited to go along and enjoy a sing-along to the old time music hall songs on Monday 2nd November at 3pm at The Vineyard Centre (Church House), Union Road, Farnham. Tickets are £5 and include an afternoon tea. For more details or tickets call Farnham ASSIST on 01252 717710 The Crondall Support Group are running their annual Christmas Fair on the evening of Monday 2nd November from 6.30pm - 8.30pm and on Tuesday 3rd November from 10am - 4pm at the Village Hall, Croft Lane, Crondall GU10 5QG. Go and enjoy this ever popular Fair. Shop at their great festive stalls, even more this year, as they have expanded! Plus, hospice Christmas cards. Tickets: £5 on Monday evening includes fizz and canapés. £2 on Tuesday includes a raffle ticket. Join them for elevenses, light lunch or tea and help them raise much needed funds for the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice. Farnham Humanists have teamed up with Guildford & Woking Humanists to bring you a riveting evening with TV’s Dr Philip Hammond, on Tuesday 3rd November. Phil Hammond is an NHS doctor, campaigner, health writer, investigative journalist, broadcaster, speaker and comedian. He has been an NHS doctor for over 20 years and presented five series of ‘Trust Me, I’m a Doctor’ on BBC2. As a comedian, Phil was half of the award winning double-act Struck Off and

Die. He has done three solo UK tours and has appeared many times on Have I Got News for You and Countdown. Phil is a patron of the British Humanist Association and in his talk, titled ‘How to get the Most From Your One Wild and Precious Life’, Dr Phil argues that most lives need living not medicalising. And for 90% of symptoms, you’re better off with a dog than a doctor! The talk will begin at 7.30pm at Trinity Hall, Trinity Churchyard, High Street, Guildford GU1 3RR. Tickets are £8 (£4 for students) and can be bought online at www.farnham. humanist.org.uk or ring Sue on 01252 726684. On Wednesday 4th November, Grayshott Flower Club will be holding a workshop to prepare for later in the month when they will be making the seasonal arrangements and wreaths for their stall at the Grayshott Christmas Market on Saturday 5th December. The meeting will be held in the Studio, Grayshott Village Hall from 7pm with sales table and refreshments. For further information, telephone 01428 651956. The Free Apprenticeship Workshop is aimed at 16-24 year olds who are applying for, or wanting to become an apprentice. The concept arose from the large volume of CVs and application forms that were being rejected by employers because they were inappropriate. Many of the applicants had good qualifications and skills, but their CVs were not reflecting these, subsequently these applicants were not being considered. Applicants also had a poor knowledge of Apprenticeship Frameworks. The 3 hour workshop will cover all of these points, to help them to understand what is required of them. The workshop will focus on: Apprenticeship specific CVs, Apprenticeship Handbook, Apprenticeship Applications, Right to work documents and Interviews. For information and details of the next workshop, ring Richard Pepper or Denise Flaxton, Waverley Training Services, on 01252 725872.

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

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

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www.vantagepointmag.co.uk Next Copy Date: 9th November 2015 Next Copy Date: 10th November 2015 6

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The

colours of autumn

As day and night synchronise, the equinox heralds the beginning of the autumn. The summer has come to a close and the shadows begin to lengthen. However, the show is far from over and the change of the seasons can be enjoyed to its fullest at RHS Garden Wisley. Autumn is a fantastic time of year to be outside, wherever you are, the garden is full of sights, sounds and smells. It is a time when our trees and woodland collections can really be appreciated. Many of us at home may curse our trees for raining down their spent leaves into our gutters and onto our lawns but this is an essential process for a deciduous tree in its preparation for winter as the drop in temperatures would eventually damage their leaves’ fragile photosynthetic cells. The trees are withdrawing energy from the leaves in the form of amino acids and in turn, certain pigments remain in the leaf before it falls. It’s these pigments that give us the autumn colours. Such delight can be found for us in this because as the temperature drops, the trees respond with vibrant and colourful hues from the warm spectrum to ease us into winter. At RHS Garden Wisley, the deciduous tree collection is made up of an array of native, exotic, European and American species with many cultivars of each bringing their own colourful autumnal display. On Battleston Hill, a woodland garden, the North American maples such as Acer rubrum and aptly named scarlet oak (Quercus coccinea), start to burn a bright red from midSeptember. As you walk through the warren of pathways among the under planting of hydrangeas you can’t escape the Japanese katsura trees’ (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) fallen leaf 8

odour. This burnt sugar smell is like candyfloss at the fair, which is given off as the leaves decompose and is particularly strong in the damp misty morning air. Out on the lawns of Seven Acres, a huge American sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua) turns a deep plum colour, not dissimilar to the Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica) which turns out in a multi coloured display of purple, yellow and tints of orange sometimes all on one leaf. Here also is the Nyssa sylvatica ‘Wisley Bonfire’ whose colours are so vibrant they are reminiscent of the firework displays we enjoy in early November. All around Wisley and in the greater landscape our important native species; oak, birch, hornbeam and beech turn a bright sunny yellow, with the beech most favourably turning again to a beautiful russet brown during leaf fall. If too much looking up in the canopies of trees strains the neck, then autumn colour can be appreciated up-close and at eye level on the Bonsai Walk. Here the miniature trees are no less striking than their larger counterparts. It’s not just the deciduous trees that should draw you into the garden. Walking through Wisley’s Pinetum, the evergreen conifers and vantagepointmag.co.uk

OUTDOORS pines give us year round interest. The rusty orange stems of the Scots pines (Pinus sylvestris) planted together in a grove stand out with the low autumn sun shining through them. Underneath, the carpet of cyclamen merrily flowering away punctuates the contrast of size in the plant kingdom. Not all conifers are evergreen, there are two particular species which drop their leaves and give an incredible splash of orange and brown; the swamp cypress (Taxodium distichum) and the dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides). Let’s not forget during autumn that we see the most fungal fruiting bodies. Mushrooms, essentially the flower of a fungus, spring up in lawns, borders and from the wood of the trees themselves, showing us there is more beneath our feet than just soil and rock. A whole ecosystem exists, of which fungi are the main players. Many fungi spend their lifetime in symbiosis with a tree’s roots in an energy sharing co-operation. Some even lie dormant in a trees wood, springing into action when the tree finally succumbs to old age or wind and falls. They play an essential role in decomposing the falling leaves and in the trees’ health. All this to take us from a summer full of sunshine and flowers to the bright lights and frosts of Christmas. Doesn’t sound too bad to me, a garden full of colours, whatever the weather.

Some autumn events at Wisley 6th November - Free day Friday Enjoy free entrance to the garden and take a walk to see the autumn colour throughout the garden. Visit the Late Fruit and Vegetable Competition in the Glasshouse, including apple identification – bring your mystery apples! 6th - 8th November - RHS Late Fruit and Vegetable Competition See fabulous produce in more than 60 classes of fruit and vegetables, and get your mystery apples identified by our experts. To enter the competition, please email: georginabarter@rhs.org.uk. Normal garden admission, runs from 10am – 4pm. 25th - 29th November - Craft and Design Fair Browse and buy from more than 150 of the finest craftspeople in the country for original and unusual Christmas gifts. The Craft and Design Fair is held outside the garden. See rhs.org.uk/wisleywhatson for more details and ticket prices.

Images from top:Seven Acres Lake with trees in autumn colour at RHS Garden Wisley. (RHS / Clive Nichols). Children play with leaves in autumn at RHS Garden Wisley (RHS / Adam Duckworth). Family look at a Liquidambar tree by the play area in autumn at RHS Garden Wisley (RHS / Adam Duckworth)

November 2015

2nd December at 5pm - Christmas Glow light switch-on Watch RHS Ambassador and author Mary Berry switch on the Wisley Christmas lights, and then enjoy a late-night Christmas shopping evening until 8.30pm. There will be sparkling seasonal decorations, and unrivalled RHS gifts, plants and books for sale to make Christmas shopping a pleasure. The Wisley Christmas Shop will be open until 24th December. Normal garden admission. For more details and to buy garden tickets online, visit www.rhs.org.uk/wisley

JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

Grayshott Decorative and Fine Arts Society continue their autumn programme on Thursday 5th November at 2pm in Grayshott Village Hall when Dr. Janet Robson’s subject will be ‘Not just Giotto: Re-assessing Art in Florence c1280-1348’. Giotto’s style revolutionised the art of monumental narrative painting but some Patrons preferred Sienese artists and Pisan sculptors. Her lecture will explore the dynamic inter-change of ideas between each city’s artists as they competed to outdo each other. Then, on Thursday 19th November they have a London visit with a guided tour of The Banqueting House and a preliminary lecture at The National Gallery before visiting the Goya Exhibition. Their last lecture of 2015 on 3rd December has a very seasonal focus. Alan Read will explore ‘The Inventors of Christmas’. For more information about the society and these events contact Caroline on 01428 714276 or visit their website www.grayshottdfas.org.uk. Elstead Afternoon WI will hold its next meeting on Thursday 5th November at 2.15pm in the super improved Elstead Village Hall. This is their A.G.M. meeting when a new president and committee are elected for the next 12 months. A summary of the past year’s activities is presented to the members and there will be a quiz to keep you entertained. Next year’s activities will be revealed plus renewal of membership. Why not become a new member and join in the fun? All visitors and new members will be made very welcome, and they offer a delicious tea. Contact Helen White on 01252 710039.

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Farnham and District Museum Society holds its series of evening talks on alternate Thursdays from September to April. They are held at the United Reformed Church in South Street, Farnham (please use side entrance) at 7.30pm for 7.45pm start. On Thursday 5th November Karen Rex, whose talk last year on Richard III was very well received, will be returning to speak about Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry Tudor and the ‘Red Queen’ of Philippa Gregory’s novels. On Thursday 19th November, Philip Jacobs will talk about the project to conserve 95,000 of the oldest and most valuable photographs in the Aerofilms collection in ‘Britain from Above’. Non-members are very welcome at a charge of £3 per visitor payable at the door. Full details of their programme and other activities are given on their website www.farnhammuseumsociety.org.uk. There will be a concert in Tilford Village organised jointly by Grayshott Concerts and Tilford Bach Society. It takes place on Friday 6th November at 8pm in Tilford Church GU10 2DD. Star cellist Natalie Clein will play Bach Cello Suites 1, 2 & 6. All welcome, tickets cost £15/£10. Full information on www.tilbach.org.uk or call Sue on 01252 613130. RHS Garden Wisley is holding a ‘Free Day Friday’ on Friday 6th November from 10am to 4.30pm. This is a chance to enjoy Wisley as they offer free garden entry to everyone on this day. See the autumn colour, feast on seasonal food in the

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catering outlets and get your Christmas shopping started with some unique gifts and inspiration in the Gift Shop and Plant Centre. RHS Garden Wisley, Woking GU23 6QB. For more information, call 0845 260 9000, or email wisley@rhs.org. uk. More information at www.rhs.org.uk/wisley. The Museum of Farnham is pleased to announce their latest exhibition will be opening on Saturday 7th November. The Bridal Fashion Exhibition will trace the history of the wedding dress from the nerves and excitement of the big day to the symbolism and mythology behind a cultural icon. The exhibition is a rare opportunity to see costume from the Marion May collection. Marion has been collecting costume for over forty years and has amassed a fascinating collection of clothes which are a testament to the whims and tastes of the women who wore them over the centuries. A health and fitness organisation called Tribe has organised a 10km trail run at Hampton Estate in the Surrey Hills. It will take place on Saturday 7th November at 11am. The run, through ancient woodland on forest tracks, will be followed by brunch in the beautiful Myrtles Courtyard. For more information go to (https://wearetribe. co/runfree10k). They will be supporting local charity, The Simons Trust who are raising money to build a home for young adults with severe autism, near Cranleigh. Tickets: ÂŁ25, reduced to ÂŁ15 for Tribe subscribers from: https:// GODALMING 40 HIGH STREET GU7 1DY 01483 418020

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wearetribe.co/runfree10k. Includes a free Tribe tea shirt and Tribe Pack. The Royal Surrey County Hospital is running their knitting fundraising ‘Knot for Profit’ again, this time for St Luke’s Cancer Centre. There’s three ways you can get involved: 1) Donate knitted/crocheted items which will be sold to raise money; 2) Pop along to one of their pop-up stalls to buy handmade goods - Manns of Cranleigh on Bonfire Night on Saturday 7th November, Church St for Godalming Christmas Festival on Saturday 28th November and the Artisan Market at Weyhill, Haslemere Thursday on 10th December; 3) Enter the ‘Yarnathon’ - sponsored knits being held on Wednesday 18th November and Friday 11th December in Guildford. Call 01483 464146 or email eleni.bainbridge@nhs.net for more details. Grayshott Folk Club has two gigs coming up in November. The first is the return of brilliant Canadian Folk-Country band Fish & Bird on Saturday 7th November. They have been asked back to play at The London Folk Festival and GFC are chuffed to bits that they are coming back to Grayshott again. You can get a glimpse by going to https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=eO6N73pO9e8. Do note that this gig will be at Grayshott Social Club not at the Village Hall. In support they have talented young Grayshott couple Joe Boon and Bryony (aka ‘People’) who supported Fish & Bird last time round in January. Advance Adult Tickets: £12 or £14 on the door.

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Theof future

motoring

Petrol or diesel, electric or hybrid? Andy Goundry takes a look at the options Selecting a new car used to mean simply deciding on budget, make and model. Today, however, we face an additional, much less clear-cut choice: whether to opt for petrol, diesel or one of the supposedly greener alternatives of electric or hybrid power.

manufacturers fuel consumption, or expect the present Government incentives of low taxation to continue, though.

Diesel cars have increased in popularity hugely over the last few years, thanks to good fuel economy and the perception of being cleaner than petrol power. However, there has been a growing realisation that exhaust emissions of most diesels are hazardous to health, with several cities around the UK, including London, proposing to ban pre-Euro 6 diesels.

Modern petrol engines are ﬁghting back, with real-world fuel economy now an impressive 20-30% better than for engines launched only a few years ago.

In recent weeks this anti-diesel sentiment has been fuelled by the news of VW Group having apparently cheated on emissions tests for their new models, resulting in sales of diesel cars falling dramatically. If diesel power is off the menu for most of us, what is the alternative? There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution, but to help you make the right choice when faced with an array of often over-enthusiastic advertising claims, we offer some observations drawn from experience of testing a range of cars of all sizes and prices, from superminis to luxury 4x4s.

Diesel – once the hero, now the villain of the piece

Petrol – a rising star

One way in which manufacturers have achieved this is to reduce engine capacity, with family car engines now shrunk from 1.6-2 litres down to 1.2-1.4 litres or even less. Traditionally, this would have been expected to shorten the life of the engine dramatically, but these fears have been resolved by improved technology. For example, the Nissan Qashqai is offered with a 1.2 litre turbocharged engine with which we achieved around 45mpg overall – not too far from the figures expected from a diesel. As with diesels though, don’t expect to achieve the manufacturers claimed fuel consumption – around 75% of the manufacturers combined figure is more typical.

The VW saga may turn out to be just a small part of the debate over diesel. Even more significant, although less widely publicised as yet, is that the mandatory European emissions test, with which every new model needs to comply, is so unrepresentative of real-world driving that even current diesel vehicles pump out levels of the most damaging emissions of up to ten or more times greater than when tested. This means that even the very latest Euro 6 diesels could be affected by low emission zone bans. Is there still a place for diesel cars? Probably only if your motoring involves almost constant motorway running, where the diesel engine is at its most effective in terms of both emissions and fuel consumption. Just don’t anticipate anything like the claimed

Top: Tesla Model S Above: Nissan Qashqai, available with an effective 1.2 litre petrol engine.

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Full electric – horses for courses Electric cars can be very cost-effective to run, if you discount the usually fairly steep initial purchase price which is only partly offset by the present £5,000 Government subsidy. Indeed, since many public charging points are effectively free to use, your miles can often be covered at zero cost. Even if you charge your electric car exclusively from your domestic supply, this still gives cheap motoring, with electricity costing typically 3-4p

per mile for say a Nissan Leaf, against 10p upwards for the fuel to power a similar conventional car such as a 1.2 petrol Nissan Note. ‘Range anxiety’ is a well-aired comment about electric cars, and trust me – it exists. Most electric cars can travel only a limited distance before needing recharging: whilst most manufacturers claim well over 100 miles is possible on a fully charged battery, a more realistic range is probably around 80 miles. Manufacturers will improve on this range over time, but this will not happen overnight, so don’t hold your breath waiting. Nevertheless, if your daily driving covers no more than say 50 miles with lots of stop/start traffic, then a purely electric car such as a Nissan Leaf could be entirely practical. Longer journeys are an issue, though, for even if you are fortunate in having conveniently located charging stations on your route, charging is not quick, taking at least 30 minutes and possibly a lot longer. Longer journeys therefore, whilst not impossible, are certainly slow! Nissan recognise this, and purchasers of a new Leaf can borrow, currently free of charge, a conventional car from Nissan for a couple of weeks a year for added flexibility. The current exception to this is the Tesla range, with some models able to travel up to almost 300 miles between charges. Tesla claim to have developed radically different battery and charging technology to other manufacturers, making their products significantly more effective for everyday transportation. Teslas are however not cheap, with the Model S range starting at around £51,000, although this buys you a sophisticated luxury saloon on a par with, say, a Jaguar. The ability to charge a Tesla completely free – and reasonably quickly – at one of their ‘supercharger’ charging stations being rolled out around the country, must also be offset against that high purchase price. The maximum range of an electric car is massively affected by the type of driving. Motorway cruising will give little opportunity for brake energy regeneration, unlike stop/start town driving where much more regeneration is likely. Heavy use of electrical loads such as air-conditioning will also significantly reduce the available range.

From top: Nissan Leaf, one of the first full electric cars to be sold in the UK, and ideal for town motoring. Nissan have recently increased the maximum range by some 25%, a step in the right direction; Tesla Model S, a handsome executive saloon, shown here at one of the latest Tesla Supercharger points at Edinburgh Airport; The Toyota Prius, the hybrid that started it all in the UK. Now at last also available in plug-in form.

November 2015

Other than range anxiety and the need for frequent recharging, electric cars are easy to live with, being fully automatic and with nimble performance, particularly in town traﬃc. And let’s not forget the huge tax beneﬁts to company car users. Is an electric car for you? Quite possibly, but only if you are happy that you can live with the limited range and frequent charging.

Hybrid – good for some people Since the introduction of the Toyota Prius into the UK some 15 years ago, the world’s motor manufacturers have been jumping

aboard the hybrid bandwagon with increasing alacrity, and a wide range of models are now available. Are hybrids worthwhile? Well, as with conventional petrol or diesel cars, the difference between manufacturers claims and real-world running costs can be substantial. The type of driving is critical. Like full electric cars, hybrids get their increased efficiency from regenerative braking. So, if you do a lot of stop-start driving, a hybrid could probably give you 20-30% better fuel consumption than a conventionally-powered car. However, if your days are spent cruising the motorways, fuel consumption will be little if any better than an equivalent conventional car. The Toyota Auris hybrid we tested returned around 50mpg: not bad for a mid-sized estate car, but far from the 71mpg claimed by Toyota. Most hybrids claim the ability to cover 20-30 miles on battery power alone, although once again these claims need to be taken with a big pinch of salt: around half that distance is probably more realistic. Once the battery charge has been exhausted by that stint of zero-emissions motoring, it can only be replenished by recharging using the car’s engine, which of course takes fuel, so whilst this recharging is taking place the fuel consumption is no better than for an equivalent petrol-powered car. So for most people, a hybrid’s fuel economy benefits are unlikely to be realised to anything like the extent of manufacturer’s claims. Indeed, a full electric car may make more sense – although of course the hybrid is free from range anxiety as it can achieve a decent range driven on the petrol or diesel engine alone, albeit not particularly economically.

Plug-in Hybrids – a win/win for almost everyone So full electric cars suffer from severely limited range for many people, whilst normal hybrids can be of minimal benefit in the real-world economy stakes. Should we all play safe and stick with a conventional petrol car? Maybe not: increasingly, manufacturers are introducing ‘plug-in’ and ‘range-extender’ hybrids, which offer the best of all worlds. As with normal hybrids, realistic electric-only range is generally limited to a true 15-20 miles, however, these electric-only miles

can then be repeated whenever there is an opportunity for an external recharge. So for many people whose daily commute is less than this, overnight charging at home would provide electric-only commuting for the whole working week, just like a full electric car. Unlike the electric car however, the plug-in hybrid is also available for longer-distance travel at the weekend free from range anxiety worries. A plug-in hybrid, then, offers the electric car’s potential for low or no cost electric-only driving, but with freedom from range anxiety. Of course, as with a normal hybrid, once the batteries have been discharged, until external recharging is available the car reverts to being powered solely by the petrol engine, so fuel economy will suffer. Some manufacturers now also offer performance plug-in models where the conventional engine and electric motor work together to deliver sparkling performance when desired, without the fuel consumption penalties of an equivalent conventional performance car. For example, Volkswagen’s Golf GTE plug-in hybrid delivers performance levels not far short of their flagship Golf GTI. An incredible 166mpg is claimed for the Golf GTE, although real-world economy is likely to be closer to 45-50mpg – still impressive and far better than the 35-40mpg of the petrol GTI. Plug-in hybrids are now also becoming available as 4x4s, notably the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, offering attractive green credentials at a staggering claimed 148mpg – although we recorded a more typical 45mpg. Plug-in hybrids may not be perfect, but the absence of range anxiety coupled with the benefits of being able to use free or cheap electric power for local driving means that for most of us, a plug-in hybrid could make a great deal of sense. © Andy Goundry 28th September 2015

THE AUTHOR

Volkswagen’s Golf GTE plug-in hybrid – all the fun of the Golf GTI, but probably much cheaper to run. 16

Andy Goundry spent his working career in vehicle design and development, with almost twenty years in senior engineering and management roles. Since retirement he has continued a close involvement with vehicles, writing for specialist magazines and websites, as well as producing his own motoring website. www.autonews.uk.com vantagepointmag.co.uk

Christmas Craft Fair at RHS Garden Wisley Craft In Focus is returning to RHS Garden Wisley from 25-29 November to stage the UK’s leading popular Christmas craft and design fair. The craft fair will be held in ﬂoored and heated marquees in front of the main entrance and features around 160 of the UK’s ﬁnest professional contemporary craftworkers and artists working in wood, glass, metal, textiles, ceramics and more. The UK has a wealth of individual and talented designer makers and artists who produce wonderful original items that simply cannot be found amongst the mass-produced and imported goods on the high street. Craft In Focus has selected the best of these to show at the Christmas event.

will enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and breathtaking creativity from an exciting range from both emerging British talent as well as more established designer makers. This event really is a refreshing alternative to Christmas shopping on the predictable high street. This year the event incorporates a new Food Pavilion for a “Taste of Christmas”. Delicious food on oﬀer includes olive oils, handmade chocolate, Christmas cakes, sausages, truckle cheeses and a selection of English preserves and chutneys. Throughout the event there will be live music from the smooth and captivating sounds of the saxophone by Pink Champagne, the classical guitar sounds of The Corcovado Project and Aquillo, an instrumental guitar duo.

All exhibitors at Craft In Focus events The craft fair opens from 9 am each day. design and make the work that they Admission is £9. RHS Members and display and are selected for their individuality and innovation in contemporary design, accompanied under 16s free. For further information as well as outstanding technical ability. The event is a contact Craft In Focus 01622 747 325 or visit: www. must visit for anyone seeking something unusual and craftinfocus.com. Venue address: RHS Garden Wisley, original and produced by an individual business that Nr Woking, GU23 6QB CIF_Wisley_Xmas_15_92x147_CIF_Wisley_Nov_15_92x147 07/10/2015 15:42 Page 1 has a real passion for the work they create. Visitors ADVERTORIAL

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November 2015

JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

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Under 16s: £6/£7. Call Des O’Byrne on 01428 607096. Then on Friday 20th November at Grayshott Village Hall, they will be putting on their first ever Barn Dance. It will be a nonthreatening, gentle affair for those who are not expert dancers and will give everyone a chance to lose their inhibitions and get to know each other whilst swinging their partners! If you’ve never been to a Barn Dance before, then this is your’ Chance to Dance’! Advance Adult Tickets: £12 or £14 on the door. Under 16s: £6/£7. Call Des O’Byrne on 01428 607096. Remembrance Sunday is on Sunday 8th November. I gather that The Ghurkha Durbar, the Nepalese Restaurant in Grayshott is putting on a special Remembrance Sunday Buffet Lunch. Mani, the proprietor served in the army for 42 years and always places a wreath at the service and the restaurant will donate a percentage of their takings to the Royal British Legion. Why not book a table; I’m told the food is delicious. Remember The Bay City Rollers? Well believe it or not, they’re still going strong. They were a huge phenomenon in the 1970’s and even had a No1 hit in the USA. The Bay City Rollers starring Les McKeown, their original front man, will be playing at The Princess Hall in Aldershot on Sunday 8th November at 7.30pm.Tickets are priced at £20.50 and are available from the Box Office on 01252 329155 or via www. princeshall.com

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JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD Choral Evensong and more at St Thomas-on-The Bourne! The choirs of St Thomas-on-The Bourne, Farnham, maintain a long tradition and high standard of choral singing. Choral Evensong is regularly sung at 6pm on the second and fourth Sundays of the month, with music by Stanford, Parry, Byrd and many others. On 8th November (Remembrance Sunday) there is a reflective Eucharist for Peace, incorporating several extracts from Faure’s Requiem; evensong on 22nd November; and on 29th November the Advent Procession. This is just the start of the build up to the usual Christmas services at St Thomas’, including the Nine Lessons and Carols on 20th December. For further information visit www.thebourne.org.uk. The newly formed Hale Chapels Trust has been set up by the Hale History Project Task Group. The Task group are working in conjunction with Farnham Town Council with the object of saving the Historic Chapels in the Hale cemetery by converting them into a single meeting room suitable for small local groups. The Project goes before the Farnham Town Council at its September meeting. The Trust is seeking suitable and willing people who have the necessary skills to become a trustee. The Trust is also seeking a secretary who would be able to take minutes of meetings and handle some correspondence. Anyone willing to help or would like further details please contact the chairman Geoff Wallis on 01252 711993 or email wallis_geoff@hotmail.co.uk.

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November 2015

Oh yes it is! Panto time is shortly upon us. We list what is on in the local area this Christmas

Jack and the Beanstalk

Jack and the Beanstalk on Ice

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Millbrook, Guildford, Surrey GU1 3UX. Tel: 01483 440000. 4th December 2015 to 3rd January 2016 Fascinating Aida star, the brilliantly funny cabaret artist, Dillie Keane leads a fabulous cast including Kit Hesketh Harvey, Eagle Radio’s Peter Gordon and Jamie Brook in this year’s traditional magical family panto. www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk

Guildford Spectrum Parkway, Guildford GU1 1UP. Tel: 01483 443322. 11th December to 13th December Spectrum will be home to a big, bad giant, a golden goose and a magical beanstalk this Christmas as the popular pantomime ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ takes to the ice. This classic fairy story adaptation combines all the ingredients for a great show, including ice. www.guildfordspectrum.co.uk

Aladdin Camberley Theatre Knoll Road, Camberley, Surrey GU15 3SY. Tel: 01276 707600. 7th December 2015 to 3rd January 2016 Camberley Theatre is producing a brand new interpretation of Aladdin. Come and join us on an action packed adventure full of pantomime pandemonium! Mark Slowey returns as the wonderfully wacky Widow Twankey. Tickets on sale now. www.camberleytheatre.biz

Aladdin The Harlequin Warwick Quadrant, Redhill, Surrey, RH1 1NN. Tel: 01737 276500. 11th December 2015 to 3rd January 2016 It’s a jewel encrusted family pantomime set to dazzle and delight so fasten your seat belts for a magical ride of mystery, sparkling romance and dazzling adventure with this year’s lavish production of Aladdin. www.harlequintheatre.co.uk

Dick Whittington The Leatherhead Theatre 7 Church Street, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 8DN. Tel: 01372 365141 16th December 2015 to 24th December 2015 London needs a hero but is young Dick Whittington the right man for the job? Follow his story as he is joined by his feline friend Tommy the cat to battle the evil King Rat. www.theleatherheadtheatre.org

Cinderella Prince’s Hall Princes Way, Aldershot, GU11 1NX. Tel: 01252 329155. 10th December 2015 to Sunday 3rd January 2016 Accept your royal invitation for this brand new, actionpacked panto that is fun for all the family! Will Cinderella make it to the ball? Do the ugly sisters use polyﬁlla in their make-up routine? Does any local shoe store stock glass slippers? All will be revealed so book your tickets now. www.princeshall.com

Little Red Riding Hood Haslemere Hall Bridge Road, Haslemere, Surrey GU27 2AS Tel: 01428 642161 8th January 2016 to 16th January 2016 Whose afraid of the big bad wolf? The Haslemere Thespians, famed for their high quality traditional pantomimes, will be bringing the best gags and plenty of audience participation. Oh yes they will! www.haslemerehall.co.uk

WIN PANTOMIME TICKETS We have family tickets to give away for Jack and the Beanstalk at Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud, Cinderella at the Dorking Halls and Treasure Island at the Ben Travers Theatre, Godalming. Please visit www.vantagepointmag.co.uk to enter. vantagepointmag.co.uk

It’s behind you... Oh no it isn’t!

Cinderella

Sleeping Beauty

Dorking Halls Reigate Road, Dorking, Surrey RH4 1SG. Tel: 01306 881717 19th December to 28th December 2015 Dorking Halls is showing the most magical pantomime of them all. The cast includes Bucks Fizz Legend Jay Aston as Fairy Godmother and CBBC’S Gabrielle Green as Cinderella. www.dorkinghalls.co.uk

New Victoria Theatre The Peacocks Centre, Woking GU21 6GQ. Tel: 0870 060 6645 11th December 2015 to 10th January 2016 Woking are delighted to announce that Katie Price and Anita Dobson will be sharing the role of the Wicked Fairy in this year’s spectacular panto adventure, Sleeping Beauty. Featuring traditional pantomime ingredients to delight audiences of all ages with glittering costumes, sensational songs, dazzling dance routines, and bags of audience participation guaranteed to keep you awake this Christmas! www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-victoria-theatre

A Christmas Carol

Chichester Festival Theatre Oaklands Park, Chichester PO19 6AP. Tel: 01243 781312 18th December 2015 to 2nd January 2016 Miser Ebenezer Scrooge lives for money; the cold hard currency of gold, and cares not for how it is obtained or how it has crushed his own human spirit. People are worthless; family is a nuisance, employees ungrateful and all no more so than at Christmas when the insanity of love and forgiveness is allowed to run amok. Except, this Christmas Eve is going to be diﬀerent. Dickens’s tale of one man’s search for redemption is brought to life by the Chichester Festival Youth Theatre. www.cft.org.uk

Treasure Island

Ben Travers Theatre, Charterhouse School Hurtmore Road, Godalming GU7 2DX Tel: 01483 425556 13th December 2015 to 20th December 2015 Ahoy there, me hearties! Godalming Theatre Group brings you a swashbuckling tale of skulduggery upon the high seas, treasure on a desert island, a Guatemalan crimson parakeet going by the name of Cap’n Haddock, Dame Ladd’s ﬁsherman’s pies and death by chocolate! Godalming Theatre Group’s Christmas production is an absolute must for anyone addicted to either pirates or pantomimes! www.gtguk.com Directed by

Bob Good

and Choreography by

Polly King & Katie Luff

d Lloyd By Richar

13th - 20th December 2015 Tickets: £12.50

Book online at www.gtguk.com or call 07402 484 484 (see reverse for booking details)

This amateur production of “Treasure Island: The Panto” is presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, LTD.

November 2015

Chichester Hall Petworth Road, Witley GU8 5PL Tel: 07583 048084 27th to 30th January 2016 The kingdom is in trouble! Giant Blunderbore and his partner in crime, the evil witch, Poison Ivy, are blackmailing the royal family. All that stands between the royals and the giants dinner plate is a collection of misﬁts. Can this motley crew beat the Giant and the wicked Witch? What can Fairy Beansprout do to help them.And there is a bean in there somewhere!!! www.witleypanto.co.uk

Cinderella King’s Theatre, Portsmouth Albert Road, Southsea, Portsmouth PO5 2QJ Tel: 023 9282 8282 8th December to 3rd January 2016 Throw on your glad rags and dust oﬀ your glass slippers as your pumpkin awaits to whisk you away to the world of our fairytale princess, Cinderella. With lavish sets, wonderful costumes, a surprise or two and all the cheers, jeers and jokes you would expect from a classic pantomime – you will not be disappointed! www.kingsportsmouth.co.uk

Santa Claus and the Night Before Christmas

Eddie & Polly King

with Choral Direction by

Sponsored by

Jack and the Beanstalk

Affiliated to the National Operatic & Dramatic Association

GLIve London Road, Guildford, GU1 2AA Tel: 01483 739040 9th December to 24th December It’s Christmas Eve and whilst most children are hanging up their stockings, there are a few boys and girls in Guildford who are not. They don’t believe in Santa, and with Christmas morning fast approaching, cheeky elves Charlie and Kara must help Santa prove that he is indeed real! With magic tricks, songs and stories this interactive show is a must see. www. GLive.co.uk

JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

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What do Waverley Dowsers do in the winter? Well depending on members particular area of interest they will attend the regular meetings or go on field trips. Have a look at The Waverley Dowsers website www.waverleydowsers. co.uk which gives meeting dates and information on activities. The healing of animals is on Waverley Dowsers learning agenda on Tuesday 10th November, when Gaynor Davenport will give a most moving account on how she found her dowsing skills led her to helping horses. For further information, contact Michael Haxeltine on 01252 541639. Farnham Afternoon Townswomen’s Guild’s next meeting is on Tuesday 10th November starting at 2pm in the Methodist Church Hall, South Street, when Liz Wright will speak about Surviving Patent Medicines in the time of Jane Austen. The members of the Guild are busy as usual; besides the monthly meetings and those for scrabble, discussion and knitting, there are theatre visits, and activities with Mid-Surrey Federation, including a Christmas card workshop. The Amblers meet every Monday morning and ladies meet every Thursday at 10.30am in the Bishops Table for coffee and a chat. For more information phone 01252 726015 or 712503, email zelbob@aol.com or just go along on the second Tuesday of the month to the Methodist Church Hall for 2pm or any Thursday morning to the Bishops Table.

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The Grayshott Stagers next production is ‘Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime’ at Grayshott Village Hall. It runs from Thursday 12th to Saturday 14th November and starts at 7.30pm. Tickets at £10 each can be purchased online by visiting the website www.grayshottstagers.co.uk and following the links (There are no fees for using this on-line service) or by phoning 01428 605464. Alternatively, they will be available at Hill & Co Home in Headley Road from Monday 2nd November. On Friday 13th November there will be a Quiz Night at The Woodlarks Centre, Lodge Hill Road, Farnham. If you would like to join them for a fun, varied and challenging evening, get together with some friends and get in touch with them! Tickets will be £10 each and a hot meal will be provided. There will also be a raffle. Starts at 7.30pm. Call Gill on 01252 714041 or email fundraiser@thewoodlarkscentre.org. Surrey Christians are joining forces to call for a new deal on climate change as world leaders from more than 190 nations prepare to meet in Paris for crucial climate talks. The Church of England, Christian Aid, CAFOD and Tearfund have come together to organise a Pilgrimage2Paris, starting in London on 13th November and staying in Surrey churches en route to Paris where they will arrive on 27th November ahead of the talks. Inspired by their faith, Surrey Christians will join others from across the UK to call on world leaders

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Bees and Honey It was National Honey Week in October, which culminated in the National Honey Show which started on 29th October. To celebrate, we’re taking a look at how honey is made and how you can help these vital pollinators. A honey bee will make on average about a twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime; plus about a million flowers will have been visited to make just one pound of honey. Honey bees are the only type of bee where the workers stay alive through winter. They cluster together in the hive to feed the queen and keep her warm, and so need a store of honey to consume through the winter, which they have collected over the summer months. A good beekeeper will always make sure that there is ample honey for the colony to feed on over winter, usually at least 40lbs left in the hive, taking only as much as can be spared for humans to eat. Bees make honey from nectar. They gather this sweet sticky substance from flowers and mix it with enzymes in their stomachs, storing it in the wax, hexagonal honeycomb. In a good year, honey bees will make far more honey than they need for themselves. Beekeepers take any spare honey from the hive collected in frames, and cut off the wax so that the honey can be extracted. Runny honey is honey just as it comes out from the comb, while set honey has been stirred so that it crystallises slightly. Honey will taste differently according to the flowers the bees have been feeding from, such as heather honey, and it can have different colours too. If the bees have been collecting honey from horse chestnut or conker trees, for example, this can produce a very dark coloured honey. Honey bees can only fly out to gather nectar when it is warm enough, and not raining or too windy. Because this has been the UK’s windiest year for two decades, beekeepers are not expecting a very good honey crop this year. The British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) conducts an annual survey of its members and last year this recorded an average crop of honey of 32lbs per hive. Stuart and Lorraine Hobbs, members of Reigate Beekeepers Association, live in Horley and have been pleasantly surprised with the honey crop this year.

lucky with the warm spell in September and the bees have been very active collecting stores for the winter. Extracting the honey is always a family affair and all hands are willingly on deck to help; our three children all like to take turns at uncapping the comb and turning the spinning handle.” For people who want to learn more about beekeeping, or to help the honey bee in other ways, the BBKA has its “Adopt a Beehive” scheme where members of the public can adopt a beehive from one of ten different regions in the UK, including the Hobbs’ bees in the South East. It costs £30 plus p+p to adopt a beehive for one year, and in exchange you receive a welcome box of bee related goodies, as well as two updates throughout the year from your beehive and beekeeper. All the profits from the scheme are ploughed into research and education programmes to help save the honey bee, so it is a very positive scheme to be involved with. For more information, visit www.adoptabeehive.co.uk.

WIN AN ADOPT A BEEHIVE SET We have one free Adopt a Beehive set, plus this lovely gift set from Burts Bees, to give away to one lucky reader. Please visit www.vantagepointmag.co.uk to enter.

“It has mostly been a good year for the bees and honey here in Surrey, even though it wasn’t the best summer. We’ve been

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5 Dental Care are a finalist in the 2015 Private Dentistry Awards The Private Dentistry Awards are one of the most prestigious occasions in the dental calendar.

at ease, with the entire team focused on providing an engaging and positive dental experience.

The awards provide an opportunity for teams and practices to be recognised for progress, eﬀort and enterprise in general practice dentistry.

Chosen not only for their specialist skills, but also for their caring and fun personalities, our team members love what they do and strive every day to create a warm, friendly and welcoming environment for all.

The winners and shortlisted, epitomise practices and teams that are providing a higher calibre of patient experience. Their ideas and developments also serve as an example and inspiration to the thousands of dental professionals in the UK. At No. 5 Dental Care our ethos is simple - to offer first class patient care in an all-inclusive, luxurious and progressive environment. We believe in putting the patient first; we believe in customer service; we believe in clinical excellence; we believe in cutting edge technology. Our newly refurbished surgery is a luxurious oasis of calm and comfort that immediately puts any patient

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JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

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to agree a fair, ambitious and binding climate change deal to limit greenhouse gas emissions from 2020 when current commitments run out. In addition, they are having a prayer vigil on November 28th at Guildford Cathedral from 4-5pm. Anyone wishing to join the pilgrimage (for the Banstead– Crawley leg or more) can do so by signing up on the website www.pilgrimage2paris.org.uk. Please sign up even if you are walking only part of the route. To find out more and to liaise about timings contact Lesley Crawley on 01252 820537 or revdlesley@gmail.com. Bells Piece is a thriving community providing support for adults with learning disabilities and they will be holding their annual Christmas Fayre on Saturday 14th November from 10am till 3pm at Hale Road. There will be stalls selling gifts for Christmas, jams and chutneys made at Bells Piece, gifts made in Simply Unique, winter bedding plants and wreaths, plus many other stalls selling gifts. Homemade soups, pastries and cakes will be on sale all made and prepared in Bells Piece’s training kitchen. A date for your diary! For further information call 01252 715138. West Street Potters’ Winter Exhibition, ‘Feat of Clay’ will take place at the Daniel Hall, Hart’s Yard, Long Garden Way, Farnham, on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th November, between 10am -4pm. Their community of makers welcomes you to their showcase of new work from Could you use some help with your Cleaning, Ironing or both?

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JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD beginners and experienced potters. They make and fire work at their workshop based at the Farnham Pottery. Why not take this opportunity to see what they do, talk to their potters and perhaps buy something unique and individual. www. weststreetpotters.co.uk Farnham & Bourne Choral Society will be singing Rossini’s beautiful Petite Messe Solennelle, accompanied by piano and organ, at 7.30pm on Saturday 14th November, in the church of St Thomas-on-The Bourne. The four young soloists will be headed by soprano Alison Langer, who performed so impressively with the choir in two of their recent concerts. F & B’s ever popular Christmas Concert with the Bourne Brass ensemble will be in the same church on Saturday 19th December. Tickets for both events are priced at £13 in advance from choir members or by phoning 01252 721075, otherwise £15 at the door, if still available. Do you know about the amazing ‘Wildlife on Your Doorstep’ (depending on where you live)? Local wildlife and photography enthusiast, Geoff Lunn, will enthral the audience with his pictures of Surrey’s birds and wildlife found in other parts of the UK in the first of two talks. After the interval we’ll be closer to home with wildlife in ‘My Neck of the Woods’. His previous talks for the RSPB North East Hants Local Group have been described as “fabulous” and “best evening I have been to”. If you would like to enjoy this one, be

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November 2015

News Remembrance Sunday parade

Farnham’s formal Remembrance Sunday parade, which is organised by the Royal British Legion, will take place on Sunday 8 November. The Mayor of Farnham, Cllr Mrs Pat Frost and dignitaries will process from the Council Offices in South Street before assembling at the war memorial in Gostrey Meadow for a service at 10.45am. All members of the local community are welcome to attend. A two minute silence will be observed at 11am and Reveille will be played by a bugler from Alder Valley Brass Band. The Mayor, guests and members of the public will be invited to lay wreaths.

The service will be followed by a parade, which will include representatives of the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment who are based in Farnham, members of the armed forces, uniformed services and local scout and guide groups. The parade will end at St Andrew’s church for a service at 11.30am. Other Remembrance services will take place around Farnham including at the war memorials at Badshot Lea, Hale, Rowledge, St Thomas on the Bourne, St Peter’s at Wrecclesham and Weybourne.

Local schools take part in two-minute silence On 11 November, local school children will gather around the war memorial in Gostrey Meadow to take part in a two-minute silence. Some of the children will lay a wreath while others will lay a wooden cross on the memorial. After the service, the children will join the Mayor for a civic tea in the Council Chamber.

Quietly going about our business

A new vehicle that is quieter, cheaper to run and more environmentally friendly is helping to make Farnham a better place to live. Farnham Town Council is the first council in the country to have ordered a Goupil hybrid electric utility vehicle. The vehicle will be used to assist with the delivery of a variety of services such as cemetery and allotment maintenance and setting up events. The vehicle can accommodate a 500 litre water tank and being very quiet, Farnham Town Council will be able to water the town centre hanging baskets early in the morning without disturbing residents or causing an obstruction to other road users.

Apply for Funding

The deadline for submitting an application to apply for a community grant is 11 December 2015. Farnham Town Council has over £50,000 to award grants of up to £2,000 to local organisations seeking money to fund projects that improve the environment and/or community life. To apply, visit www.farnham.gov.uk/grants or call 01252 712667 for an application form. 28

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Farnham’s Christmas Lights Switch on

Saturday 21 November 1pm – 6pm in Gostrey Meadow Christmas in Farnham will begin on Saturday 21 November with the switching on of the Christmas lights.The free event, which is sponsored by Specsavers Farnham and organised by Farnham Town Council, will take place at Gostrey Meadow. From 1pm local schools, theatre groups, bands and pantomimes will entertain the crowd in the lead up to the switching on of the Christmas Veridas Gerikas lights at 4.30pm. Children will be able to meet Father Christmas and there will be a live nativity, face painting and fairground rides. The cast of Cinderella from the Princes Hall, Aldershot will give out goodies before taking to the stage for their exciting show. From around 4.15pm it will be the turn of the cast of Aladdin from the Harlington in Fleet to entertain the crowd. At 4.30pm the Christmas lights will be switched on. To find out who will be switching on the lights and the running order for the entertainment, visit www.farnham.gov.uk/christmas. If you are coming to the Christmas lights switch-on, remember to take a walk around town and visit some of Farnham’s fantastic independent retailers.

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Farnham in Bloom, which was sponsored by BBS Ltd supplier of Magimix products, won two Gold awards and the title of regional category winner in South and South East in Bloom 2015.

Farnham received Gold and Best in Category for its Large Town entry and Gold for the Town Centre category. This is the fifth consecutive year that Farnham has won Gold for its town centre, the fourth time it has achieved Gold for the Large Town category and the third year running that it has won the Large Town regional category. Anybody who would like to get involved in next year’s Farnham in Bloom should contact Lara Prior at lara.prior@farnham.gov.uk.

Farnham Town Council

Town Council Office, South Street, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 7RN Telephone: 01252 712667 Email: customer.services@farnham.gov.uk Web: www.farnham.gov.uk Twitter: @farnhamOfficial Facebook: Farnham Town Council Town Clerk: Iain Lynch. Farnham Town Mayor: Cllr Mrs Pat Frost. November 2015

JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

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at the church hall at St. Philip & St. James, Kings Road, Fleet GU51 3AR on Saturday 14th November at 7.30pm. Entrance for non- group members is £3. Free parking at the hall. A map of the venue can be found at www.northeasthntsrspb. org.uk. On Saturday 14th November, Crondall Village Hall will become a curious musical place where certain elements of 1930’s Berlin Cabaret, Hot Club de France, Nuevo Tang o& Gypsy Campfire meet, have supper and a few to drink and stagger arm in arm into the darkness of the night. Moscow Drug Club provides an intoxicating and intimate musical experience. You are cordially invited to share a wry smile with them as you enter the darkly comic world of Moscow Drug Club…..this way please for ticket information, call 01252 850787 or email crondallvillagehall@gmail.com. Surrey Artists Open Studios have started up a website so that you can buy original artwork gifts from their online shop. The site is www.surreyopenstudios.org.uk and is up and running from Monday 16th November to Monday 21st December. You can also visit their free art fair on Saturday 28th November which is being held at East Surrey College in Redhill. The West Surrey Wine Society’s November meeting will take place on Monday 16th at The Conservative Club, Ivy Lane, Farnham GU9 7PQ. Phill Humphries of Vine Horizons Farnham’s Best Kept Secret

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and Great Wines Direct will give a talk entitled ‘Amazing Wines from Surprising Places’. This will include tasting wines from Greece, Lebanon, Japan, India etc. while finishing with a dessert wine from Thailand! The wines will include some made from classic grape varieties and some made with native varieties. The West Surrey Wine Society is a wine appreciation society that meets on the third Monday of the month in central Farnham. Many, if not most, of the 60 or so members joined with little or no knowledge of wines, just a liking for the product! The meetings start at 7.30 pm with a glass or two of ‘Welcome Wine’ and the meeting proper starts at 8pm, generally taking the form of a tutored tasting. For further information on the society contact the membership secretary, Frances Hackemer on 01252 793684. If you know of anyone who suffers with poor eyesight, please encourage them to go along to the next meeting of the ‘Williams Club - Helping Sight Loss in Farnham’. This friendly club meets monthly and offers a warm welcome and entertainment followed by tea and cakes and a raffle. At the next meeting, there will a talk about the Rural Life Centre in Tilford. The venue is the Gostrey Centre and the date is Monday 16th November from 2.20pm to 4pm - get there early to get a seat! Transport can be arranged if necessary. For more information call David Lambert on 722161 Dickern’s Abridged is a high-speed comic journey through Dickens’ Greatest Hits, including Oliver Twist, Great Expectations (complete with flaming bride), David Copperfield, Bleak House in less than sixty seconds, A Tale of Two Cities featuring a fully functioning guillotine, Nicholas Nickleby, The Old Curiosity Shop, and, of course A Christmas Carol. The tour will be at The Maltings, Farnham on Monday 16th November. For more information, call 01252 745444 or visit www.farnhammaltings.com. Farnham DFAS will hold their next meeting on Tuesday 17th November at 10.30am in the Maltings, GU9 7QR. The talk is entitled ‘The Other Side: Germany’s post WW2 culture of Memorials and Counter Memorials’ by Angela Findlay. Little is known about Germany’s complex post-war process of remembrance which, very different from ours, had to embrace apology and atonement. With her AngloGerman roots and years of research, Angela gives an insight into Germany’s on-going efforts to find artistic forms for remembrance. Non-members are warmly invited to attend. Phone the membership secretary on 07918 883515 to book your ticket for £5 or, for more information, consult the website, www.farnhamdfas.org.uk Surrey Border Movie Makers meet on the first Friday of each month. They are a film making club whose members consist of retired professionals, experienced film makers and complete beginners. They share a love of making films which they do to the best of their ability including holiday films, drama and documentary. They always welcome new members. vantagepointmag.co.uk

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LOCAL Your guide to hoppa The number of households in the borough of Waverley that have a car or van is higher than the English average. While this gives independence to the vast majority, what happens to the one in ten households that do not own a vehicle? One service that is providing a lifeline to people who live in and around Farnham is Waverley hoppa Community Transport. Hoppa aims to provide a friendly community transport service for people who live in areas that are not supported by public transport. In 2014/15 hoppa made 64,000 journeys and demand continues to grow. Hoppa services The main hoppa services available in Farnham include: Dial-a-Ride – The hoppa bus picks up passengers from their home and drops them oﬀ at their choice of destination such as the supermarket, library, town centre, garden centre or day centre. Passengers are taken home at an agreed time and from a pre-arranged location. Booking is required. The Ranger – This is for people who wish to travel to a local place that is not covered by the Dial-a-Ride service. The fare is charged on a per mile basis. Booking is required. Group travel – Buses can be booked for group travel at competitive rates.

The services offered in Cranleigh, Godalming and Haslemere vary slightly according to demand. This may also be because hoppa has secured funding to support a particular service. For example, in Farnham, hoppa was running one Dial-a-Ride bus on five days a week and a second bus on Thursdays and Fridays only. A financial boost from Farnham Town Council meant the service could be expanded and the second bus now runs from Monday to Friday. How to use hoppa Anybody who would like to use hoppa will need to register his or her details. This is very straightforward and involves the completion of a short and simple form. The details required include: • Name and address • Date of birth • Emergency contacts • Reason for using hoppa, and • Mobility information. The form can be completed online at www.hoppa.org.uk/ register or phone 01428 681701 to receive a paper copy.

How to book Call 01428 681701 to book your journey. Please book as far in advance as you are able. The booking line is open Monday to Friday 8.30am to 12.30pm and 1pm to 4pm. What passengers say about hoppa Two regular passengers on Farnham’s Diala-Ride service are Margaret and Kathleen. Margaret first started using the service four years ago and recommended it to Kathleen. Margaret describes the service as ‘marvellous’. She says: “We both use hoppa to take us shopping. The door-to-door service means I am able to do my shopping in one go, as I do not have to carry lots of heavy bags to and from the bus stop. “We know most of the drivers and they are really good. They will help to carry my shopping to my front door – this is a big help.” One added benefit of the service that is perhaps not so well known, is that it provides valuable social interaction. Both Kathleen and Margaret have become acquainted with new people who use the bus and live close by. After they have finished shopping, the ladies from the bus meet for coffee. Speaking about the social contact, Margaret says: “We have a good laugh. The trip is a treat and if it wasn’t for this we probably wouldn’t see anybody during the week.” Asked what she thinks about the service, Kathleen said: “I love it and I would definitely recommend it to others.”

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For more information, visit www.hoppa.org.uk or call 01428 681701. vantagepointmag.co.uk

JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

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Interested in seeing what they do? Visit their website www. surreyborder.org.uk. They meet at the St Joan’s Centre, 19 Tilford Road, Farnham GU9 8DJ. There is plenty of parking and your first visit is free. Contact secretary@surreyborder. org.uk. A new Oil Painting Course is starting on Tuesday 17th November from 11am-1pm, during term time. It will be held at The Sands Village Hall, nr Farnham. Run by a professional artist and qualified teacher, the cost is £10 per class, paid per half term. Contact Clare Oakley Bowen at clarebowen.art@ gmail.com or call 07813 320066. The ‘Farnham Ukulele Jam’ now takes place once a month at The Lamb in Farnham. Upcoming dates at The Lamb, Abbey Street, Farnham are Wednesdays 18th November and 16th December. They run from 8pm to 10pm and entry is free. It is open to ukulele players of all abilities and other acoustic instruments are welcome to join in. Songbooks are provided and there is a great social atmosphere. No need to book; just turn up on the night – great fun! There is a Facebook group called Farnham Ukulele Jam or contact Vic Cracknell for more information on 07917 4030352 or email vic.cracknell@btinternet.com. Steve Sansom who so actively ran Farnham Library for a number of years has written in to say that he is hosting a coffee morning at the library on Wednesday 18th Bourne Buildings May 14_Layout 1 11/05/2015 14:51 Page 1

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November. It is for people with dementia and their carers. I don’t know the start time but do give the library a ring on 0300 200 1001. ‘Sunflowers et Lumière’ is the evocative title of a lecture to be given on Friday 20th November by the Right Reverend Dr Christopher Herbert, on the life and paintings of Vincent Van Gogh. Van Gogh is a painter who needs no introduction, as his portraits, self portraits, landscapes and wheatfields are so well known, especially the ‘Starry Night’ and ‘Sunflowers’ but his short life ended very sadly with mental illness and an untimely early death. Dr Herbert is an old friend of Farnham, because he was Vicar of St Thomas on the Bourne in the 1980’s. He was made a Canon of Guildford Cathedral and Archdeacon of Dorking, and in 1995 he became Bishop of St Albans. When he retired in 2009 he returned to Farnham, and under the title of Three Abbeys he offers a long list of lectures on literature and the arts. His lecture is organised by the Farnham Public Art Trust, and it will be at the St Joan’s Centre in Tilford Road, Farnham GU9 8DJ. Doors open at 7.30pm with time to enjoy a drink before the lecture starts at 8pm. All are welcome, tickets are £6 (students £2) payable at the door. For more information visit www.farnhampublicarttrust.co.uk or ring 01252 702449. Less tension/ more energy? The Alexander Technique can improve your health and wellbeing on a physical, mental THE LARGEST SHOWSITE IN THE UK OVER 200 BUILDINGS, 5000 STONE ORNAMENTS & 100 FURNITURE SETS ON DISPLAY

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JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

and emotional level, by helping you to learn how to release tensions that can literally ‘get you down’. To find out how the Technique could help you, and for details of a free introductory workshop, contact AT teacher Jenny Goodwin on 01252 795326 or visit www.jennygoodwin-alexandertechnique. co.uk. How about some early Christmas shopping! On Saturday 21st November from 10.30am to 12.30pm the West Surrey National Trust Centre will be holding their annual coffee morning. Due to the tragic events at Clandon Park the event this year will be held at Ripley Village Hall but all the usual stalls will be there including ladies fashion, jewellery, Christmas cards, books and homemade cakes as well as a grand raffle. Entrance is £3 which includes coffee and biscuits. Do go along and take your friends. All proceeds from this event will be for Clandon Park. Enquiries to Sara Graham on 01252 810708. The Probus Club of Farnham was formed in 1969 initially as a luncheon club for men of retirement age from professional and business backgrounds. Lunch is often followed by an informal talk, often supplemented by a contribution from an outside speaker on a non-political subject of general interest. Social outings, such as a recent visit to the BMW Mini factory in Oxford, and visits to theatres and other venues are undertaken from time to time. If08:30 you DJK_Electricians_A5_landscape_ad_p1b_AW.pdf 1 30/10/2012

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should be interested in joining the club, contact the Hon Secretary at 12 Shortheath Road, Farnham GU9 8SR. ‘The Unseen Artists’ : Art from the Community shows at The Long Kiln Gallery at Farnham Maltings on Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd November from 10am-4pm. Grab a coffee from the Riverside bar and go up and join them. Farnham Art and Design Education Group, FADEG, fresh from presenting their seventh Big Draw event at The Maltings in October return for their first community art exhibition. With financial support from the Town Council they will explore and present work from the soldiers of ‘Combat Stress’ to the clients of ‘ Creative Response’ while photographs of local ‘Comicon’ enthusiasts and a child’s study of a Farnham garden full of sculpture will challenge our very idea of what art can be. Over twenty local groups and individuals will be showing. Pax Hill Care Home in Bentley, near Farnham, will be holding their annual Christmas Bazaar on Sunday 22nd November from 2pm-5pm. There is a vintage theme to this pre-Christmas event held in a heated marquee in the home’s central courtyard. There will be mulled wine, cake stalls, crafts and gift stalls, music, entertainment, hot food and Santa. Everyone welcome. More information at www. paxhill.co.uk or call 01420 525880.

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Catwalk returns In the second of a series profiling local independent clothing businesses, Kirstie Smillie takes a look at Catwalk in Godalming. I love a good refurbishment. Fresh and newly painted makes me feel all excited and optimistic for the current season. Fashion boutique Catwalk is celebrating its 15th year in Godalming having recently reopened in October following their reﬁt. A bright and shiny layout, ﬁlled with contemporary brands including modern prints by Save the Queen, easy daywear layers by InWear and Sandwich and practical but stylish rain coats by Ilse Jacobsen.

cashmere maybe, or a detail I know I will love for more than one season.

Liz’s top picks for this winter follow the trends of the season but they are pieces that will last. Gorgeous cashmere by Cocoa (washable thankfully) over the knee boots by Cara Eastwood (with a back stretch panel for ultimate fit), and a fur trimmed pom-pom hat for cosy chic, priced at £39. Liz has increased her accessories including this timeless, perfectly proportioned leather bag by Owner Liz Trendle, who also owns Rino & Pelle for under £70. The Gate in Guildford, has a strong Now with four grown up children, Liz connection with Godalming’s High Liz Trendle right wearing one of her puts in the hours to run her business Street. In her early 20s after studying popular Moray cashmere ponchos, but has great back up with her ‘girls’ in £189, with staff member, Annie. beauty therapy, Liz came to the area store - they know the fit and drape of and opened The Curiosity Shoppe, each piece, so always ask for top tips only later to find her passion in fashion, opening to help you choose. Catwalk at the top of town, and then relocating to its present address, 29 High Street, proudly Successfully running a fashion business is not a opening its doors to customers aged 17-70 (and simple task and, as Liz remembers, she learnt the above). hard way, but after 15 years, with two thriving businesses under her (stylish) belt she has lots of exciting future plans ahead. “I wanted to offer something unique

to Godalming - special but not out of reach.” Godalming oﬀers a thriving melange of fashion which needs the balance of unique boutiques like Catwalk. Most labels are sized from 8-16 and if you are in need of jeans, you will probably drop a dress size with the popular NYDJ’s. Priced from £129, they will be an investment but all wardrobes ideally need a healthy mix of quality items to work with every day pieces. If you are going to invest in one thing, make it an item you will wear on multiple occasions. I always look for an emotional attachment to a garment. The feel of the fabric, 36

Catwalk 29 High St, Godalming, Surrey GU7 1AW. Tel 01483 527634. Keep up to date www.facebook.com/catwalk.godalming FIND OUT MORE

Kirstie Smillie is a Personal Fashion Stylist. Contact her at kirstie@kirstiesmillie.com, call 07773 234947 or follow her new blog on www.kirstiesmillie.com. vantagepointmag.co.uk

FASHION How to wear... this winter

For wider legged jeans - you need to keep the top half slim ﬁtting to show oﬀ your waist - even with a longer line cardigan over the top, keep your under-layer tucked in. Heels are best to elongate the leg, although sneakers work for casual. Decide on height and alter hem to suit. If you are sticking with your slim jeans this winter, invest in the over the knee boot. Keep the heel low and the tops oversized ponchos and man-sized cardigans, best layered over crisp white shirts for day or simply over a cami for evening, to show a little shoulder. Centre top: Cocoa Cashmere sweater, £169; centre middle: NYDJ jeans, sizes 8-16, £149; above left and middle: pom pom hat, £39, and leather bag, both by Rino&Pelle, £69.95; above right: Cara Eastwood boots, £189. All available at Catwalk, 29 High St, Godalming GU7 1AW Tel: 01483 527634. Style images, top left and top right, courtesy of www.pinterest.com. November 2015

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Rother Valley Organics produces and sells a range of organic and free range meats including beef, lamb, pork chicken, turkey and venison.

Since they opened in June, Orchard Barn have been growing steadily busy and would like to thank everyone who has visited.

For that warming winter casserole or cottage pie why not try their special oﬀer. Buy 2 packs of organic beef braising steak or beef mince and receive one pack free.

Their cooked breakfasts are proving to be popular and they have enhanced the menu to include more hot choices to start the day. As we have now moved into the changing weather, they have added homemade soups complemented by individual miniloaves which they bake in the barn using their own recipe. They have had some very busy days and are working hard to keep up with their home-made cakes and tasty treats to complement the popular coﬀee. Why not pay them a visit?

Order online at www.rothervalleyorganics.com or phone 01730 821062.

A Raymond Blanc mystery... What was the world’s most famous chef Raymond Blanc up to on his visit to the Silent Pool Distillery in the Surrey Hills? Secrecy surrounds the project, but he is understood to be co-creating a special spirit with Silent Pool’s master distiller Cory Mason inside his wizard’s kitchen for a launch sometime in November. More anon!

Bel and the Dragon news There is a new autumn menu at Bel & the Dragon which has branches in Churt and Godalming. New dishes include Hampshire partridge and they have introduced a Feast Menu, which oﬀers parties of six people or more the opportunity to taste and share a variety of mouthwatering dishes. Feast on their fabulous paired menu, which oﬀers delights such as our signature Spit Roasted Suckling Pig, Half Grilled Atlantic Lobster & Jack O’Shea Chateaubriand of Beef. You can also sample one of their signature cocktails, the Bloody Caesar, with their compliments and tuck into the extensive Brunch and Weekend Lunch Menu. Enjoy this most satisfying simple pleasure at any of their country inns on Sundays between 11:30am - 12:30pm, up until the end of December. For more information and to see their Christmas menus, visit www.belandthedragon.co.uk.

Orchard Barn Cafe, Hale House Lane, Churt GU10 2LU. Tel: 01428 608602

New menu at the the Exchequer Hibernating is for hedgehogs, so get out and about this autumn for a lovely walk along the canal and delicious bite to eat at The Exchequer. The new Mid-Week Lunch menu includes sandwiches, lighter bites and 2 courses from just £13.50. With yummy food, a roaring ﬁre and a warm welcome, there’s no need to huddle up and stay in this autumn. www.exchequercrookham.co.uk. Tel: 01252 615 336

Gin Festival is a hit It was very quietly marketed but last month saw the ﬁrst Guildford Gin Festival at the Cathedral and I managed to get a ticket along with Auntie Gin and we had a great time. Around 100 gins were availabe for tasting and it was quite amazing how diﬀerent they were. I hope it will be repeated and if it is, we will let you know! SR

Send your food news to gastro@vantagepublishing.co.uk 38

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‘Paintbrushes at Dawn: the World’s Greatest Artistic Feuds’ by Barry Venning. Farnham DFAS are holding a study morning on Tuesday 24th November from 10.30am to 1.30pm in the Barley Room at Farnham Maltings GU9 7QR. Tickets £18. Barry Venning looks at artistic feuds over the centuries, from early Renaissance artists, Brunelleschi and Ghiberti, to the feuds between Constable and Turner, Salvador Dali and the Surrealist leader, André Breton, in the 1930s and most recently Hockney and Hirst. If you are not a member and would like to attend this event, email studydays@farnhamdfas.org. uk or phone Sarah Ann Hallett on 07949 483166. The Farnham Society is holding an illustrated lecture on Tuesday 24th November. It’s entitled The Geology of Farnham and will be given by Graham Parlett. It starts at 8pm at South Farnham School, Menin Way, Farnham GU9 8DY. Ample parking. Members £3, Non-Members £6, Students £1.50. Pay at door. Includes Welcoming drink from 7.30pm. For all enquiries please call 01252 702449. RHS Wisley, GU23 6QB is holding a Christmas Craft Fair from Wednesday 25th to Sunday 29th. It’s a chance to find that unique Christmas gift as you browse and buy from some of the finest craftspeople in the country. It is open from 10am – 5pm. Please note the Craft Fair is held outside the garden. Free entry for RHS Members; RHS Member’s family guest entry £6. Accompanied under 16s free. Canine Partners, a registered charity, is specifically looking for volunteers, known as puppy parents, who can take a pup into their home from the age of eight weeks until they are 12-14 months old. They will need to have time, commitment and a sense of humour, and be able to attend a regular training class. A trainer will be on hand to support them in their key role at classes and at home in one-to-one sessions. Puppy parents teach the assistancedogs-in-training basic obedience, social skills and core tasks that are essential before they move on to advanced training, where their skills are refined specifically for a disabled person’s needs. Although previous experience with dogs is not required, a puppy parent will need to be home most of the day, have a secure dog-friendly garden, enjoy the fun of classes and outings and have the stamina to manage an active young puppy. Canine Partners will provide food and equipment for the puppy and cover all veterinary costs for the duration of the puppy parent relationship. If you would like to play a vital role in training an assistance dog, please call their office on 01730 716017 or email puppyoffice@ caninepartners.org.uk. For many, a day out to a National Trust house and garden is already a Christmas must do. Over the festive season, National Trust properties will be decked out with Christmas sparkle, Father Christmas will visit special grottos, there’ll be wreath making and Christmas crafts, and atmospheric estates will be packed full of festive traditions to bring Christmas to November 2015

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life through the ages. Have a look at their website www. nationaltrust.org.uk/events and find out what’s going on. It really is a nice day out and gets you in the Christmas spirit. Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice Care, Frensham and Dockenfield Support Group are holding a Christmas Fair on Wednesday 25th November from 11am to 5pm. It is being held at The Aldridge Theatre, Frensham Heights, Rowledge, Farnham GU10 4EA, by kind permission of Frensham Heights. There will be over 40 stalls selling gifts for the home, scarves, cashmere jumpers, toys, floral arrangements, paintings, candles and jewlery to name but a few! Entry is £3 and parking is free. It’s a great opportunity to get going on the Christmas shopping and at the same time help our wonderful local charity Pyhllis Tuckwell who will benefit from 100% of the profits. Farnham’s evening DFAS’s next lecture takes place on Wednesday 25th November. Mike Higginbottom will explore ‘The Big Apple: The Architecture of New York City’. New York City, particularly Manhattan Island, is home to some of America’s most famous and iconic buildings. This lecture surveys New York’s built environment from the comparatively ancient 19th century to the skyscrapers of the first half of the 20th century and the most modern additions to the famous Manhattan skyline. Cobbett’s Wey meetings are held in Farnham College, on Morley Road, on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Drinks are served from 7.15pm and lectures start at 8pm. For more information about their lectures, visits and study days, refer to www.cobbettsweydfas.org.uk or contact them at farnhameveningdfas@gmail.com.

! ! ! !

Professional counselling and psychology in Farnham The Eaves Counselling and Psychological services in Surrey has 20 specialist counsellors, psychologists and psychotherapists working from our practice in Downing Street, Farnham. We are open 6 days a week, 9am until 9pm and have immediate availability to help individuals, couples and families with a wide range of issues. Low cost counselling is available for those on limited income.

Telephone 01252 820225 theeaves.org.uk The Eaves also has a large practice in Godalming

Cross Barn Art, Odiham are having their Affordable Art Fair on November 28th from 9am to 4.30pm. This is the ideal opportunity to purchase that one off unique piece of art at reasonable prices. Local artists from the Farnham area and villages take part. It has become a popular annual event due to the fact it supports local charities. Entry is free and scrumptious refreshments are available. The event is held in the historic Cross Barn, Palace Gate Farm, Odiham RG29 1JX. You could help to raise much needed funds for your local charities by buying your gifts at the Charities Market which takes place on Saturday 28th November from 10am to 3.30pm at Farnham Maltings. Enjoy the fun of the British Heart Foundation’s Tombola. Purchase your 2016 calendars from the Hedgehogs; buy Christmas cards from the many charities present. Christmas puddings, edible gifts, jewellery from Partners Schools Worldwide, cakes, handmade goods from Animals Asia. Christmas gifts from Canine Partners, Marie Curie and Phyllis Tuckwell with new goods from PDSA. A selection of Fair Trade goods, with DEBRA supplying crafts and accessories. Not forgetting the scarves, jam, books, china, stocking fillers, glass, bric-a-brac, marmalade and much more. Heartstart Farnham Lions will be demonstrating emergency life support skills. Do go along and have a go or book onto one of their courses. The event vantagepointmag.co.uk

JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD is organised by Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund (Farnham branch) Tel: 07778 120402. Entry is free. A warm welcome to all Scottish Country Dancers! There will be an ‘Apprentices’ Dance’ on Saturday 28th November at Courtmoor School, Fleet from 7.30pm to 11pm. All the dances will be walked through or recapped, so it is especially suitable for less experienced dancers. There will be a supper interval and raffle. Take soft shoes and a plate of food to add to the supper table. Full details from Fleet Scottish Country Dance Society’s webpage http://fleet.rscds-bhs.org.uk or from Morna Partridge on 01252 711992.

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Equine Surfaces Fencing & Shelters

Design, Build & Maintenance

For the fourth year Farnham Lions are inviting better-off senior-citizens to forgo some or all of their Winter Fuel Payments in favour of local people who are in serious Fuel Debt or chronic Fuel Poverty. Last winter, thanks to the warm-heartedness of some 220 donors, they distributed £20,000 in Farnham and Haslemere. This sum enabled them to clear all the Fuel debt cases on the books of both Farnham and Haslemere Citizens Advice Bureaux and also to make a large number of discretionary grants of £100 to needy families who were identified by Sure Start and School/Home Link social workers. Every payment was made direct to a fuel utility company on behalf of the clients thus ensuring that all the money was spent on fuel. Donations for 2015/16 are invited to www.justgiving.com/lions-wenceslas or cheques may be sent to ‘Lions Club of Farnham’ (and endorsed “WFP” on the back) to Lion Treasurer, 2 Birdhaven, Sandrock Hill Road, Farnham, GU10 4PB. St Andrew’s Parish Church in Farnham has asked us to publish their list of events as the festive season approaches. The beginning of the Christian year starts with Advent Sunday on Sunday 29th November at 6.30pm with a service, Darkness to Light. Then: Wednesday 2nd Sunday 6th, Christmas Tree Festival; Tuesday 8th December, 1.10pm ‘Music while you Munch’ 35mins of entertaining organ music; Sunday 13th December, 3pm St Francis Church Carol Service; Sunday 13th, 7.30pm Farnham Youth choir; Tuesday 15th, 1.10pm ‘Carols over Lunch’ 45mins of popular Christmas music, refreshments available or bring your own. Enjoy singing or just listen; Tuesday 15th, 7pm Farnham Town Council Civic Carol Service; Sunday 20th, 6.30pm Traditional lessons and carols; Thursday 24th, 3pm Christingle for younger children and families; 4.30pm Christingle for older children and families each lasting about 35mins; Christmas Eve, 11.30pm Midnight Mass; Christmas Day, 8am said Eucharist, 10am Festival Eucharist. St Andrew’s remains open during the day for prayer and quiet reflection. You are most welcome to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the beautiful building. www.StAndrewsFarnham.org. On Monday 30th November, local Hospice Care charity Phyllis Tuckwell will be holding their annual Light Up A Life service, to remember those close to our hearts who have died, and November 2015

• Arena Construction & Surfaces • Stables & Shelters • Fencing • Paddock Maintenance • Equestrian Landscaping

www.boardman-gelly.co.uk 41

GARDENING

With Beth Otway

A great local garden designer We are fortunate to have skilled and talented garden design and construction specialists with a wealth of experience, working in our local area, project managing, designing and building beautiful private gardens. NealeRichards Ltd are garden design, construction and plant specialists based in Guildford, and working in London and throughout the South East, both on residential and commercial garden and landscape commissions. Company directors David Neale and Leigh Richards have over 18 years’ experience between them, including a Gold Medal from the Royal Horticultural Society Judges at the RHS Hampton Court ﬂower show – quite an amazing achievement. I was thrilled to meet David and ﬁnd out more about his work and his company’s plans for the future. David has always had a creative talent. He studied art at Godalming College and went on to achieve an art degree at Farnham, specialising in sculpture. Having always been interested in gardens, David took over the development of his parents’ 10 acre garden. Finding he enjoyed working outside, being hands-on, David spent the following eight

years working for a professional landscape designer, where he met his now business partner, Leigh Richards. David studied garden design at Merrist Wood. His initial foray into working on show gardens was showcasing his own garden, which he both designed and built at the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show in 2010. The ‘Urban Serenity’ garden was awarded a gold medal by the RHS judges. David and Leigh then went on to team up with other garden designers, focusing on garden construction. NealeRichards returned to Hampton Court in 2011, working with KLC student Anoushka Feiler, building her silver-gilt medal winning garden ‘Excuse Me While I Kiss the Sky’. The following year NealeRichards built Anoushka’s ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ garden, which swept the board with a gold medal, best-in-show, and the People’s Choice award. In 2013 NealeRichards built Mathew Childs and the main show sponsor, Ecover’s Show Garden, which also achieved a gold medal and best-in-show. Since then NealeRichards Ltd has worked with many other high-profile designers, including Fiona Lawrenson, Sarah Price, Tom Harfleet, and this year Catherine Chenery & Barbara Harfleet. Away from the public spotlight of building show gardens, David enjoys the process of designing and building client gardens, from the first meeting with clients, finding out about their needs and requirements, the first design, a blank canvas, right through to the final touches of planting and landscaping. A lot of the private gardens NealeRichards Ltd work on, are designed in an older style, with plenty of York stone and dry walling, which is one of the specialty skills that they offer. Client gardens can bring their own challenges – such as a new swimming pool built in an awkward kidney shape. David paved the pool area and surrounded it with box and lavender to soften the edges. He also brought in three parasol trees each around 2.8m high and weighing around a ton - with a wide canopy growing on a bamboo frame, using trees instead of conventional sun parasols. These intuitive and inspiring ideas really set David apart as a designer. Asked about his plans for the future, David would love to secure sponsorship to design and build a Show Garden, on Main Avenue, at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show - it would be a dream come true for NealeRichards Ltd to produce an inspiring and award winning garden, with the sponsorship and backing of a local company. David Neale pictured in one of his recent gardens, shown being built below.

FIND OUT MORE

For advice of what to do in your garden or at your allotment this month, plus much more besides, please visit www.pumpkinbeth.com

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Feel right at home with Bushey House Beaumont Care

with Worplesdon View Care Home

Call to book your Respite Break with us now With the winter months approaching there’s no better time to think about care options. From expert care to delicious home-cooked food and engaging activities, our staff pride themselves on making everyone they care for at Worplesdon View feel at home. Nursing care • Residential care • Dementia care • Respite breaks

To discuss care options and short-term stays at Worplesdon View, call me on:

01483 238 010 Lynda Garner General Manager Worplesdon Road, Guildford, Surrey, GU3 3LQ

www.barchester.com

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JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

to celebrate their lives. The service is always a special and poignant one, and last year was attended by around 800 people. The service, which will be held in the grounds of the Hospice building (situated on Waverley Lane in Farnham), will start at 6.30pm. Readings, carols and prayers will help those who attend to remember the good times they had with their loved ones and reflect on fond memories. If you would like to attend the service, Phyllis Tuckwell advises that you bring a torch and wrap up warm. Parking will be available at the nearby South Farnham School but it is limited, so please car share if possible. After the service, all those who have attended are invited to South Farnham School for tea and mince pies. A lovely Christmas Tree Festival will take place from Wednesday 2nd to Sunday 6th December at St Andrew’s Parish Church, Farnham. It will feature decorated trees of all shapes, sizes, imaginative, modern, traditional and most of all fun. Exhibits from more than 60 local charities, organisations, individuals, flower clubs and Farnham businesses. Opening times: Wednesday, 9am -5pm. Thursday, 9am-7pm. Friday and Saturday, 9am-5pm. Sunday, 12noon-5pm. Refreshments available and there will be musical entertainment. Free entry. Any donations for the upkeep of St Andrew’s Church will be most gratefully accepted. Information about who is buried in the churchyard at St John’s, Hale is coming to light and is being published online for the first time thanks to work by the Parish of Badshot Lea and Hale. Among those whose graves are now mapped and documented in a churchyard that dates back 175 years are John Henry Knight who built the first petroleum carriage for two people in England, and Bishop Sumner who lived in Farnham Castle and built 200 churches in the area. However, there are still some gaps in the information and the parish is asking for help to fill these. The Reverend Alan Crawley, Joint Rector, says, “This has been a harder task than you might imagine, but it has reached a point where some information is now available to view on the web. It is far from complete, and may be inaccurate in places, but it is a work in progress and needs someone with time to volunteer to finish the task. Could you help build this up, or make it more accurate? If so, please get in touch”. You can contact Alan by email - reverend.alan@gmail.com or by calling him on 01252 820537. The map can be found online through their website,

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http://badshotleaandhale.org by choosing from the ‘funerals’ menu at the top. On Friday 4th December, students from eleven school and community dance groups in Guildford, Farnham and Cranleigh will perform Winter Move, which is an interpretation of The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. The celebration of community dance is being led by The Dance Movement, which is a resident company at the Farnham Maltings. Professional dancers have been working with students since September to devise a number of dances. The show will be an opportunity for all the students to come together and perform their individual dances as part of one production. The skills of The Dance Movement’s choreographers will help to ensure an exciting and seamless performance. Winter Move will be held at the Farnham Maltings. For more information, visit www.thedancemovement.co.uk. Tickets are selling fast for Phyllis Tuckwell’s annual Christmas party, which this year promises a night of indulgence, illusion and intrigue at the Royal Masquerade Ball. So book your table now for the perfect way to end the working week and get into the festive mood! Held at FIVE in Farnborough on Friday 4th and Saturday 5th December, you will marvel at how the venue has been transformed as you arrive in Venice’s St Mark’s Square, complete with ancient stone foundations, impressive colonnades and the famed Bell Tower. Glimpse the gondolas as you cross the Rialto Bridge on the way to a sumptuous threecourse dinner, served amidst the palatial splendour of the silk drapes, gilded mirrors and Venetian chandeliers of the Doge’s Palace. The evening will start at 7.30pm, and finishes at 1am with a survivors’ breakfast. Tickets cost £37.50 each – book now by visiting www.pth.org.uk, calling 01252 729446 or emailing fundraising@pth.org.uk Christmas isn’t Christmas without a good old fashioned panto so I was delighted to see that Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre is putting on one of my favourites, Jack and The Beanstalk. Leading the cast is the very talented Dillie Keane who has starred in the hugely successful Fascinating Aida. Dillie plays Fairy Fairway and playing opposite her is Kit Hesketh- Harvey who plays Dastardly Dick. They are joined on stage by Surrey and Hampshire’s favourite breakfast show host, Eagle Radio’s Peter Gordon, bedecked in a brand new array of astonishing frocks and ready to present the delightfully ditsy Dame Dolly Trott. It promises to be huge fun and the great thing is, as far as I’m concerned, is that it starts before Christmas so we can all really get into the Christmas spirit! It runs from Friday 4th December to Sunday 3rd January. Tickets for Jack and the Beanstalk are on sale now. You can book yours by calling the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Box Office on 01483 440000 or by visiting the website at www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk. All Saints Church, Grayswood will be holding its Christmas Fayre on Saturday 5th December between 11.30am and 1.30pm. Stalls will include raffle, bottle tombola, cakes, gifts, brocante, bulbs and plants, bran tub, toys and games, cards, books and DVDs and much more. Soup and bacon butties will be served from 12.15pm to 1.30pm. Entrance £1 adults (includes tea/coffee and a biscuit!), children under 10 free. Go

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PHYLLIS TUCKWELL HOSPICE CARE, FRENSHAM & DOCKENFIELD SUPPORT GROUP

CHRISTMAS GIFT FAIR WEDNESDAY 25TH NOVEMBER 11AM - 5PM

At The Aldridge Theatre Frensham Heights Frensham Heights Road Rowledge, Farnham, GU10 4EA

Don’t miss our annual Christmas Gift Fair with over 40 quality stalls selling NEW gifts for the home, scarves, cashmere jumpers, toys, ﬂoral arrangements, paintings, candles, jewellery …and many more

ONLY Y TR £3 EN Join us on

or follow us on

100% of the proﬁts will go to Phyllis Tuckwell

With convenient FREE parking, and coffee, cakes and paninis, you can do your Christmas Shopping in comfort, in the beautiful grounds of Frensham Heights, and support local Hospice Care. Frensham Heights With many thanks to F for donating their fantastic venue FREE to help raise funds for Phyllis Tuckwell. @PTHospice

Phyllis Tuckwell, Waverley Lane, Farnham, Surrey GU9 8BL Reg Charity No. 264501

Windfall apples One of the problems with apple trees is that they are prone to produce so many apples that you start wondering what to do with your wonderful harvest. I often pass homes with boxes of apples outside their gate and a sign imploring you to help yourself. We have previously featured a company that will take your windfall apples and turn them into cider, which strikes me an admirable solution, but if you would rather find a culinary use for them, our recipes this month should help. Our thanks to Secretts of Milford, to David Gillott from Four Gables Cookery School in Ashstead and to Bel & the Dragon of Godalming and Churt for their recipes. The Tarte Tatin is something I have, as a non-pudding lover, eaten in thier restaurants quite a few times now, so it really must be delicious! The soup is taken from BBC Good Food magazine (Nov 2014).SR

David Gillott’s Cameralised Apple Chutney Ingredients 700g cooking apples, handful of raisins, 2 red onions, 50ml white wine vinegar, 60g sugar, 1tsp cinnamon Serves 12 Method: 1. Peel and cut the cooking apples to a 1cm dice. 2. Dice the onion and place in a pan with the vinegar over a low heat until softened. 2. Add the apples once the onions are soft and add the sugar, raisins and cinnamon. 3. Cook over a low heat, stirring regularly until a chutney consistency is reached. 4. Place in jars and store in the fridge.

Curried Lentil, Parsnip and Apple Soup Ingredients 2 tbsp sunﬂower oil, 3 tbsp medium curry paste, 2 medium onions, roughly chopped, 500g parsnips (around 5 medium parsnips), peeled and cut into chunks, 140g dried red lentils, 2 Bramley apples (about 400g), peeled, cored and cut into chunks, 1½ litres vegetable or chicken stock, made with 1 stock cube. Serves 6-8 Method: 1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Fry the curry paste and onions together over a medium heat for three minutes, stirring. Add the parsnips, lentils and apple pieces. Pour over the stock and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat slightly and cook for 30 mins, stirring occasionally, until the parsnips are very soft and the lentils mushy. 2. Remove from the heat and blitz with a stick blender until smooth. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Heat through gently, then ladle into deep bowls. 46

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RECIPES Secrett’s Pork Burgers with Apple and Chilli Relish Ingredients For the burgers: 200g pork mince, inch of dry oregano, sea salt and black pepper, 1 tbps olive oil, two ciabatta rolls. For the relish: 1 apple peeled, cored and chopped, pinch smoked paprika, pinch chilli ﬂakes, pinch ground cinnamon, 2 tbsp golden caster sugar, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar. Serves 2 Method: 1. For the relish place all the ingredients in a pan and cook over a low heat gently for approximately 10 minutes. Once the apples have softened and the relish has thickened set aside to cool. 2. To make the burgers simply combine all of the ingredients and then shape with your hands into two patties. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the patties for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden and completely cooked through. 3. To serve cut open the rolls and insert burger patties topped with a generous dollop of the apple relish. Add fried onions, lettuce and tomato if you like.

Bel & the Dragon’s Tarte Tatin Ingredients 3 apples (B&D use Pink Lady), peeled quartered and turned, 50g of butter, 100g caster sugar, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 star anise , 1 puff pastry disc. Serves 2 Method: 1. Spread the butter into the bottom of a heavy based 15cm sauce pan. Evenly spread the sugar over the butter. Place the cinnamon stick and star anise across the middle of the pan. Tightly pack the apple pieces in the pan, placing the cored end of the apple in the centre. 2. Put the pan onto a stove and at high heat let the sugar caramelize until it’s a light golden brown colour. Take off the heat and let cool slightly before placing a 4mm puff pastry disc on top, pushing it in round the apples at the edge of the pan and spiking the pastry a few times to let steam out. 3. Place in the oven and bake at 200 degrees C, for about 25 minutes, when the pasty will be a nice golden colour and crispy. The caramel in and around the apples will be a nice dark caramel colour. 4. Let it rest for a while then turn out onto a plate and serve with vanilla ice cream. November 2015

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JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

along and join the fun! For more information contact Di on 01428 654303 drdcook01@gmail.co.uk or Shirley on 01428 653285 shirley1941@btinternet.com. There is a Christmas Market for Phyllis Tuckwell Hopsice from 10am-12.30pm on Saturday 5th December at St Thomas-on-the Bourne Church (opposite the Bourne Club), Frensham Road, Farnham. Lots of stalls including Christmas gifts, stocking fillers, garden stall, homemade preserves, cakes and savouries, tombola, raffle, toys, books, woodland Santas, a silent auction and much more. Entrance donation £3 includes refreshments (Children free). Please come, all proceeds to the Hospice. Aldershot Floral Design Club will be holding its annual Christmas Show entitled ‘All Spruced Up’, this December. The Event will take place at Normandy Village Hall, Glaziers Lane, Normandy on Saturday 5th December from 1pm-5pm, and on Sunday 6th December from 10.30am-4pm (prize giving at 3.30pm). Admission of £5 will include a drink. There will also be sales table, refreshments and a raffle. Join in the fun of a festive Santa Cruise on board a beautifully decorated boat and travel along the Wey & Arun Canal and through a restored lock. Children under 12 years will receive a gift from Santa who will board the boat at the lock whilst adults enjoy mulled wine and mince pies. The boat departs from The Wharf next to the Onslow Arms on the B2133 in Loxwood (free car parking). The trips take 45 minutes and depart at 11am,

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12noon and 2pm on Sunday 6th, Sunday 13th, Sunday 20th, Monday 21st, Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd December. Tickets cost £9 per person (under 12 months are free). Booking in advance is essential. 50 minute festive boat trips, with light refreshments on board, will run on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day at 11am, 12noon and 2pm. Tickets cost £5 for adults and £2.50 for children. Booking in advance is advisable. Call 01403 752403 or email office@weyandarun.co.uk. More information at www.weyandarun.co.uk/tripboats Squire’s Garden Centres have spectacular Christmas Grottos at all their locations this Christmas, but there are some very special interactive adventures available at Squire’s in Badshot Lea and Milford. Take the whole family along for an adventure like no other, followed by a visit to see Santa! If your children have been very good then they will receive an early Christmas present! Visit www.squiresgardencentres.co.uk for more information and see our Competition page this month for your chance to win a family ticket to the 4D Grotto Experience at Milford. Due to the tragic fire at Clandon Park, the West Surrey National Trust Centre will be holding their Christmas Music at St Nicolas Church, Bury Street, Guildford this year on Monday 7th December at 8pm with all proceeds going to Clandon Park. As before, The Epsom Chamber Choir will be singing and giving a wonderful start to the Christmas season. Tickets are £12 each and will include a glass of mulled wine or fruit juice and a mince pie. Tickets are available from the Guildford Tourist Information Centre, 155 High Street, Guildford GU1 3AJ www.visitguildford.com or Mrs. G. Duckworth on 01252 836857, or email giselawsntc@outlook.com. Voices Together Community Choir will be holding their Christmas Concert at 7.30pm on Wednesday 9th December at St Thomas on the Bourne Church. All welcome – go along and get into the spirit of Christmas with their festive programme with refreshments in the interval. No tickets but they will hold a retiring collection in aid of Farnham Assist. The Farnham Fundraising Group for Marie Curie presents ‘Christmas Cheer’ with Shuffletunes on Friday 11th December at Farnham United Reformed Church, South Street, Farnham GU9 7QU. This special musical evening starts at 7pm, (doors open 6.15.) Join them for a medley of music, songs, readings and carols, performed by the wonderful Shuffletunes choir and help raise money for Marie Curie, the charity that offers care and support through terminal illness. There will be seasonal refreshments and a raffle. Tickets are priced at £5. For more information and tickets, please contact Jill Channing on 07768 107571 or email jillm.channing@gmail,com.

www.architecturesurrey.co.uk

Celebrate Christmas with the Wessex Chamber Choir at St Andrew’s Church, Farnham on Thursday, 17th December at 7.30pm. The programme will include ‘People look East’ by Will Todd. The first performance was last year in Wells Cathedral and the choir is welcoming the composer to this performance. William Whymper will give readings and the evening will finish with seasonal refreshments. Tickets at £12.50, £5 for under 16s, vantagepointmag.co.uk

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

T: 01252 560780 / 07967 778232 or www.smart-pro.co.uk Have you ever returned to your car and found it to be damaged? Maybe a small, but annoying dent, caused by a door being opened against it? A scrape from another driver’s parking error? A vandal scratch on the paint work? Or maybe you have misjudged a gateway, brushed a kerb with an alloy wheel, or scuffed a bumper corner? Smart Pro offers a mobile dent removal and paint repair service, specialising in small to medium area repairs, to body shop standard, at your home or place of work. Most repairs take only a few hours to complete and cost less than your insurance excess! The customer of this Honda Jazz was facing an insurance claim, which would have resulted in the bumper being replaced and the loss of their £250 excess. Smart Pro was able to repair the damage for much less than the excess and with no insurance claim on their record!

Autumn colour with the National Trust Autumn colour starts from mid-October – red, gold and orange colours will start to cover the breathtaking landscapes at this time of year, and can go on late into November. Autumn colour is produced as deciduous trees and shrubs move from active summer growth to winter hibernation. The green pigment is where a plant produces its energy. As autumn approaches, this green pigment is recycled into the plant, and as it breaks down it reveals other coloured pigments such as orange, yellow, red and purple, which form the vivid autumn colours. Whether you want to admire the myriad varieties of trees and plants you’ll find in picturesque local gardens and countryside, set out on an exhilarating walk followed by a seasonal treat in a café or a pub, or simply celebrate autumn with a stroll as you hunt for conkers and chestnuts, there are plenty of reasons to explore National Trust landscapes this autumn. To help you decide where to visit, we’ve come up with our top autumn colour hotspots in Surrey and West Sussex: Winkworth Arboretum, near Godalming The National Trust‘s only arboretum, near Godalming, is one of the best places in the country to see the fiery hues of autumn. Witness a magical transformation as the lush greens blaze into glorious autumn colour. Viewpoints dotted around higher points of the Arboretum offer some of the best places to experience the full beauty of the orange, gold and red and yellow leaves. The Japanese maple leaves provide a red carpet walkway and the plant life turns golden. Walk downhill to the boathouse and see the colours reflected in the lake from a picturesque wooden veranda. Open daily from 10am to 5pm.

Surrey Hills At Box Hill and Leith Hill you can see whole hillsides turning golden as the oak, beech and chestnut trees go from ﬂame red to yellow. The Rhododendron Wood at Leith Hill is lovely in autumn. The azaleas and acers turn beautiful copper, bronze and reds. The heart shaped leaves of Cercidifolius in burnt purple and crimson are a delight and the dawn redwood in the car park turns a lovely foxy russet.

Polesden Lacey, near Dorking The views from the South Lawn at Polesden Lacey, across to Ranmore Common on the opposite hillside, are stunning in autumn, with flashes of autumn colour. The garden team this year have also planted hundreds of pumpkins in the apple orchard for the first time. Whilst the changing colour of the trees on the drive make for a special welcome. There is an exhibition of amateur photographs this autumn, taken by visitors to Polesden Lacey. Ten finalists have had their images printed as large scale photographic installations in the grounds and one winner will be crowned Polesden Lacey’s ‘Photographer of the Year’. Garden open daily from 10am to 4pm. House open daily from 11am to 3.30pm until 29th November.

Hindhead Commons and the Devil’s Punch Bowl have sweeping purple heather and golden grasses at the start of autumn and dramatic conifers remaining at the end. Countryside open daily from dawn to dusk. Free entry. Leith Hill Tower open 10am to 3pm, 9am to 5pm weekends.

Walking across the parkland to Leith Hill Place, you will pass the spectacular liquidambar tree shot through with ﬁery reds, purple and oranges. Flocks of ﬁeldfares and redwings will be arriving from Scandinavia for the winter to feast on the bountiful fruits of our hedgerows and woods. Explore the bird hide on the edge of the Rhododendron Wood meadow for blackbirds, bramblings and thrushes feeding on apples.

Hatchlands Park, near Guildford This is a special place to come in autumn for peaceful walks around the estate and garden. There is a huge range of tree species because of the three soil types at Hatchlands Park. On the chalk there are beech woodlands with leaves that turn vibrant yellows and oranges. Out in the parkland around the house where the soil is sandy there is an interesting collection of ornamental trees and on the long walk there are a number of Wild service trees, which really stand out when they change colour as they go a lovely red/orange colour. Wild service trees are relatively rare in Britain and are an indicator of ancient woodland. Park walks daily from 10.30am to 4pm.

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WALKS Petworth House and Park Petworth House and Park has so many veteran trees that it has its own downloadable Ancient Trees walk, dotted with sumptuous autumn colour from magnificent oaks, limes, beeches and chestnuts. “The early autumn landscape at Petworth can be quite breathtaking,” says senior gardener Martin Sadler. “The native oaks and limes have wonderful shapes as well as colours, and they’re interspersed with ‘exotics’ such as yellow swamp cyprus, flaming yellow and orange acers and vibrant red oaks; it’s an incredible sight.” The park open daily from 10am to 5.30pm. Free entry but parking charges apply. Uppark House and Garden, near Petersfield When visiting Uppark House and Garden, head straight for the south side of the house where you’ll be met with a panoramic view over thousands of tree tops on the South Downs. This is a wonderfully tranquil place, and a great spot to enjoy a cup of tea from the nearby restaurant. Uppark’s pretty woodland is transformed into a canopy of yellow and orange foliage from native trees such as beech, ash and hazel. You’ll spot plenty of quirky fungi too. Garden open daily from 10am to 5pm. House open weekends from 12 noon to 3pm. Slindon Estate, near Arundel Slindon Estate is 1,400 hectares of woodland, downland, farmland, and parkland. With countless historic landscape features and its unspoilt Sussex village, there is something for every visitor. Take in far reaching views and the famous golden beech woodland, where hedgerows are bursting with pink spindle, red hawthorn and blackberries. Countryside open daily from dawn to dusk. FIND OUT MORE

Unless otherwise stated, all properties only offer free entry to NT members. For details on charges, directions and all opening times, please visit the website at www.nationaltrust.org.uk.

Images from top: Polesden lacey (Eddie Hyde, NT); The boat house at Winkworth (NT Images); Rutting deer in Petworth Park (NT Images); Slindon Estate (NT Images). 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.

November 2015

PROFILE The Samson Centre for MS The recently opened physiotherapy suites will for the ﬁrst time enable people using the Samson Centre to have one-to-one physiotherapy sessions within the privacy of individual treatment rooms. Until now such treatments have only been available within an open plan setting which has not been ideal. With these rooms come greater dignity and more sensitivity to meet the needs of people living with such a chronic and debilitating condition.

The Samson Centre is located on the outskirts of Guildford and provides free practical and emotional support for people living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in Surrey and surrounding areas. MS is a debilitating disease which attacks the central nervous system. It is both permanent and progressive and is the most common neurological condition among young adults today. They are a totally self-funded charity with operational costs in excess of £200,000 per annum. With no funding from the NHS, National or Local Government these running costs are met from numerous fundraising activities and generous donations. With these funds they are able to offer physiotherapy, exercise, neuro health classes and gym sessions including adapted rowing. These are all fully supervised by three neuro-physiotherapists, two physiotherapists, one physio assistant, three fitness instructors and a volunteer coach for the adaptive rowing. In addition to this they also provide Baric Oxygen Therapy sessions as endorsed by emeritus professor of hyperbaric medicine at the University of Dundee and run by a wonderful team of fully trained volunteers Exercise and fitness are essential to people living with multiple sclerosis as they help to keep muscles moving and maintain a level of mobility. However, along with the oxygen therapy sessions, these facilities are not available from other sources, including the NHS, to those affected by multiple sclerosis. With approximately 150 people currently using the facilities they are often at full capacity. Knowing that demand will continue to grow by 10-15% annually they have a keen eye to the future to ensure that we can meet the needs of that growth. 2015 has already witnessed the opening of our new physiotherapy suites. They also have plans for the not too distant future which include providing counselling quarters together with the ability to significantly increase the number of oxygen therapy sessions the centre is able to offer. 52

They are also proud to say that we have a very strong social element at the Centre. Social interaction is important, perhaps even more so when people are living with a disability or caring for someone who has one. Lifelong conditions can bring about feelings of isolation and problems that can only be fully recognised by fellow sufferers. The centre offers an ideal opportunity to share experiences, knowledge and information all over a cup of coffee in a welcoming and friendly environment which gives true meaning to the word self-help. Once again they are fortunate to have a lovely team of willing volunteers to make the refreshments. The centre is a self-help group annually providing over 3,500 physiotherapy sessions, almost 4,000 exercise classes, over 2,500 gym sessions and approximately 2,500 oxygen therapy treatments to people who are living with multiple sclerosis. This support and facilities offer practical solutions that assist in managing this most debilitating of conditions. In a number of cases these same solutions also facilitate increased personal independence and greater self-sufficiency leading to higher self-esteem and both physical and mental wellbeing. They are certainly doing what they can to enable people of all ages who are living with this lifelong autoimmune disease to enjoy the best quality of life possible, for as long as possible. Image: HRH The Countess of Wessex talking to members when she opened the new physiotherapy suites in July 2015

FIND OUT MORE The Samson Centre for MS, Waterside Centre, Riverside, Guildford, Surrey GU1 1LW. Phone 01483 459120 or Email info@samsoncentre.org.uk. More information is available online at www.samsoncentre.org.uk. vantagepointmag.co.uk

JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

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available from kkm.partington@polarimaging.co.uk or on the door. In 2016 the choir are looking forward to 5th March when they will hold a Come and Sing day of choruses from The Messiah at St. Lawrence Church, Alton. Looking for the perfect treat for your loved ones this Christmas? Then look no further than G Live where the Saint Petersburg Classic Ballet will be performing two great Christmas classics, The Nutcracker and Swan Lake, both with exquisite music by Tchaikovsky, from Boxing Day. Saint Petersburg Classic Ballet has won plaudits across Russia, Scandinavia and the United States, and now audiences in Guildford have the opportunity to experience the superb artistry of this acclaimed company on its first UK tour. Performances on Boxing Day, Saturday 26th December at 7.30pm, Sunday 27th December at 2.30pm and 7.30pm and Monday 28th December at 2.30pm and 7.30pm. Tickets: £29.50, £34.50, £39. Children and Groups 8+: Save 10%. Concessions and Friends of G Live: Save £3. I think the usual booking fee of £2 applies to most purchases. Book at www.GLive.co.uk or call 01483 369350 (10am-6pm, Monday-Saturday). On 16th September a truly wet and miserable day a number of Churt members joined many other Surrey WI members for a delicious Centenary Afternoon Tea at Painshill Park. Not even the rain could dampen our afternoon or spirits as we listened to a very interesting talk by Painshill’s Park Head Gardener Andy Mills, ‘Growing Fruit & Vegetables in the 18 century’. Do go and join them, new members are always welcome. Please call Marion on 01428 712265. Next year’s Farnham Beerex at the Maltings will be the 40th. Initially planned as a one off event in 1977 it has taken place every year since and has the proud record of the being the longest running Beer Festival to take place at the same venue each year. With over 70 ales, 40 ciders and perries, live entertainment and food on offer the plan is to make the 40th Anniversary event a festival to remember. The ticket price of £10 includes entry, a programme and a 40th Anniversary commemorative glass. Entrants must be aged 18 or over.The dates for next year are 21st

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to 23rd April. Tickets will be on sale for all four Beerex sessions on a first come first served basis at the Maltings Farnham from 8am-10am on Sunday 28th February. Any remaining tickets will be available from 10am on Tuesday 1st March via the Maltings Box office. For more details please see: www.farnhamlions.org. uk/farnhambeerex.html. Local Hospice Care charity Phyllis Tuckwell has launched an exclusive range of Christmas cards, featuring scenes from local towns. Farnham, Fleet, Guildford and Haslemere are all included in this year’s range, designed to appeal to local shoppers and visitors alike. The range of cards also includes a host of traditional and contemporary designs, such as Mother and Child, the Twelve Days of Christmas, Our Angels and Reindeer Party. Priced between £3.95 and £4.25, the cards are available in packs of 10 from Phyllis Tuckwell shops throughout West Surrey and North East Hampshire, as well as from the Hospice in Farnham and the charity’s online shop www.shop.pth.org.uk Alternatively you can order yours by calling 01252 729446. As well as preparing for Christmas, don’t forget to plan ahead for the New Year! Three bright, practical diaries in blue, yellow and cerise are also available, priced at just £2.99 each. And if you are feeling lucky, why not take a gamble with their Tuckwell Chase Lottery scratch cards? They are the perfect stocking filler and can also

be used as a festive addition to table place settings! 100% of the profits from the sale of Phyllis Tuckwell’s Christmas cards will go towards caring for people affected by a terminal illness across West Surrey and North East Hampshire. To find out more about the charity, visit www.pth.org.uk – or to browse their range of Christmas cards please visit www. shop.pth.org.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.

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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 FAMILY TICKET TO YVONNE ARNAUD’S JACK AND THE BEANSTALK FRI 4 DEC - SUN 3 JAN DILLIE KEANE KIT HESKETH-HARVEY

Creator and star of Fascinating Aida, the incredibly talented and brilliantly funny cabaret artist and actress extraordinaire, Dillie Keane leads the cast as the Good Fairy in this year’s magical family pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk at Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre. Playing alongside Dillie are Guildford favourites, the terriﬁc cabaret performer Kit Hesketh-Harvey, Eagle Radio’s Peter Gordon and Jamie Brook.

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Book your tickets now for some fee-ﬁ-fo-FUN this Christmas. Call the Box Oﬃce on 01483 440000 or visit www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk. It would be a GIANT mistake to miss out! To win a family ticket (2 adults, 2 children) for Wednesday 9th December at 7pm, please answer the following question:

Q: Who is playing the Fairy Godmother? Please enter online at www.vantagepointmag.co.uk by 27th November 2015.

WIN A FAMILY TICKET TO THE WINTERSHALL NATIVITY The Wintershall Nativity Play will be performed from 16th-20th December 2015 both inside and outside of Holly Barn at Wintershall, Bramley near Guildford, with two performances per day. The play brings the story of Christmas to life and begins with Mary and Joseph’s diﬃcult journey to Bethlehem, the appearance of the Angel Gabriel to the shepherds in the ﬁelds. Songs and music accompany the arrival of the Wise Men on horseback. The play is performed by 50 volunteer cast in wonderful biblical costumes, assisted by sheep, donkeys, horses and a sheepdog. To book the Nativity please call 01793 418299 or book online at www.wintershall-estate.com. Performance times are 16th-18th December 4.45pm and 7.30pm, 19th-20th December 2.30pm and 5.30pm. Performances are 90 minutes long and there is free parking. To win a family ticket (2 adults, 2 children), please answer the following question: Q: How many volunteer cast members are there? Please enter online at www.vantagepointmag.co.uk by 23rd November 2015.

WIN TWO BOTTLES AND MATCHING STEMMED GLASS FROM HOP ART Hop Art is the fulfilment of a long held aspiration to bring a genuine craft beer brewery to the Farnham area. The founders, Erik and Tony share a passion for beers that deliver real character and flavour and they will do anything to ensure that all the Hop Art beers produced stand out form the crowd. Their goal is to make beers that go beyond traditional real ale. They have started with seven very distinct beers ranging from light but flavoursome blonde ale through to their dark, rich roasted espresso of a porter. Each of these beers holds true to the type but has enough of a unique hoppy twist to make it a Hop Art original. They like to think of them as classics remastered but always with finesse and some extra new world or US hops. For more information call 01252 364436 or visit www.HopArtBrewery.com To win, please answer the following question: Q: How many different beer styles are there in the Hop Art range? Please enter online at www.vantagepointmag.co.uk by 27th November 2015. 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 nontransferable 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.