VantagePoint Magazine January 2017 - Dorking & Leatherhead

vantagepointmag.co.uk

Dorking & Leatherhead • January 2017

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

Happy New Year!

Inside: AN IDEAL HOLIDAY RSPB BIG GARDEN BIRD WATCH FINANCIAL RESOLUTIONS FOR 2017 WIN A FABULOUS FOOD HAMPER WORTH £100 The local magazine produced by local people for the local community, delivered by your local postman

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

Sales: 01306 776679 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 publish five magazines which are delivered monthly by Royal Mail to over 117,500 homes across the Hampshire, Surrey and West Sussex, giving us the largest local circulation in the areas we cover.

Each of our magazines is specifically localised and tailored to its geographical area and hand-delivered by your postman.

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M e d i a supporter of:

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YOUR LOCAL TEAM First and foremost, all of us at VantagePoint wish everyone very Happy and Prosperous New Year. It does not seem 12 months since I last wrote this line but time goes so very quickly these days. I find it hard to believe that Humphrey, our chairdog, is now almost 2½, Marcus’s eldest daughter is now at university and the fact that we first started publishing these local community magazines eight years ago!

It’s almost enough to turn one to drink, which gives me another opportunity to promote our new venture, the VantagePoint Wine Festivals, which take place this year in Farnham

January 2017

Stefan Reynolds Editor & Publisher

THE ONLY ROYAL MAIL DELIVERED

MAGAZINE PRODUCED by

LOCAL PEOPLE

for

THE LOCAL

COMMUNITY WWW.VANTAGEPOINTMAG.CO.UK

(April), Guildford (May) and Dorking (September). Tickets are already selling strongly, so please visit our website at www.vantagepointevents.co.uk for more information or to get advance tickets at special early-bird prices for what promise to be fun events for all wine lovers.

A final plug also for our new website, which not only features all our five editions but also has more articles including our walks and some of the content that does not always appear in your own local edition. Please have a look at www.vantagepointmag.co.uk.

Contact the editor: stefan@vantagepublishing.co.uk

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

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

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

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

To advertise, please call 01483 420173

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

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

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

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32

6 Jottings

Your local community noticeboard

NEW YEAR SALE

9 Travel

An ideal holiday

15 Money Financial resolutions for 2017 22 Local

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

1916 and the impact on Dorking life

25 Property News

We talk to some local agents about the year ahead

28 Recipes

Thai-tastic with Giggling Squid

STOC

K CL

30 Surrey Hills Society Photo Competition

EARA

NCE

The results!

- SAL

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32 Gardening

RSPB Big Garden Watch

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

34 Walk

37 Profile

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

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Frensham Great Pond to Thursley

Surrey Taekwondo

38 Business Cards

Small ads for trades and services

39 Competitions

Win one of three great prizes

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

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

To advertise, please call 01483 420173

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JOTTINGS YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

JOTTINGS

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

Happy New Year to all! Another year, another diet, a depressed bank account and resolutions to ignore. But let’s be positive - another holiday to plan, the shortest day is behind us, spring on its way and you have three VantagePoint Wine Festivals to look forward to…

Dorking Museum exhibition: ‘Dorking 1916’ Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays until 21st January Here is a last chance to see the third of their popular special exhibitions commemorating the centenary of the Great War with a focus on the Home Front. Dorking 1916 highlights the impact of the Great War on the big houses and estates of the area – the loss of family and staff, their decline as big estates and use for army training, hospitals or convalescent homes. It also explores the changing role of women in wartime, from knitting and fundraising to taking over key local roles – head teachers or postal workers – and less traditional roles such as farm or munitions workers.

Displays include scrapbooks from a local nurse who served at the front, uniforms of a munitions worker and a nurse and a digital timeline of events at the front and in Dorking.

The Museum is open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 10am to 4pm, at 62 West Street, Dorking RH4 1BS. For more details, visit www.dorkingmuseum.org.uk. Enquiries to admin@dorkingmuseum.org.uk or please telephone 01306 876591.

Christmas Tree Recycling From Monday 2nd January You can dispose of your Christmas tree at your local Recycling Centre. If you are a garden waste collection subscriber, you can put it in your brown-lidded bin. You can recycle your Christmas tree at any of the following car parks from Monday 2nd to Friday 13th January: Ashtead Peace Memorial Hall, Bookham Lower Road, Reigate Road,

Dorking, Ockley Village Hall. Alternatively, Christmas trees can be taken to the Recycling Centre in Dorking and Leatherhead. There is no charge for disposing of Christmas trees or garden waste at these sites. If you are a garden waste collection subscriber, please ensure that you cut the tree up, so that the lid of your bin can be closed and the contents come out freely when their bin is tipped into the lorry. For more information about the garden waste scheme, please visit the garden waste collection page via www. molevalley.gov.uk.

Dorking Scrabble Club Every Wednesday at 7.30pm For a friendly game of Scrabble, come to The Roy Currie Room, United Reformed Church, West Street, Dorking. You will be welcome whether you are a beginner or an expert.

For more details please ring Priscilla on 01737 767072 or David on 01306 889308.

Free Computer Courses Dorking and Leatherhead If you are over 55 and live in the Mole Valley area, you can use Age Concern’s free computer courses based in either Dorking or Leatherhead. The course runs once a week for 6-8 weeks with the option of additional weeks to reinforce and build on what you’ve learned. Topics covered will include: internet browsing, basic keyboard and mouse skills, using an iPad/Tablet, setting up and using your own email or skype accounts, and how to shop on the internet as well. Those who already own a laptop or an iPad/Tablet are encouraged to bring that to learn on, but computers will be provided as well – it’s up to you! They are also looking for volunteer help with the Dorking course on a Thursday between the hours of 10.15am to 2.15pm. If you have basic skills in tablet and computer use, have clear communication

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JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD skills and a friendly and patient personality, then please contact them for more information on ways you can help.

Before coming to the course, you must register your interest by telephoning 07442 017169 / 01306 899104 or by email: info@ageconcernmolevalley.org.uk.

Horsley Garden Society Various events throughout the year Horsley Garden Society and its predecessors have encouraged the gardeners of the Horsley’s and surrounding villages since 1924. They hold flower and produce shows, meetings, lectures and visits to bring together those with an interest in gardening - from beginners to experts.

New members and visitors are always welcome. Anyone interested in membership at the modest cost of £5 per annum should contact the Chairman, Roger Lindsay via email at r.lindsay339@btinternet.com or the Membership Secretary, Terry Lazenby via email at terrylazenby@ terrylazenby.plus.com.

Cranleigh Antiques Collectables Vintage and Crafts Fair Thursday 5th and 19th January There will be many stalls at this long established popular fair. There will be antiques, Collectables, Books, Cards, Records and Vintage items. Entry is free with easy access and nearby parking. Freshly cooked refreshments will also be available. Held in Cranleigh village Hall, GU6 8AT. Contact Paul on 07980 384491 or David on 01483 274012 for further information.

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Vintage Jive From Thursday 5th January Vintage Jive are teaching jive again, now in Leatherhead.

Learn to Jive to the music of the era. Authentic 40s / 50s style. Thursdays 8-10 weekly from 5th January at North Leatherhead Community Centre, Kingston Road, Leatherhead KT22 7NX. £7, pay weekly. All welcome, fun and friendly. Bar available. Contact 07854 621522 for more information.

Music in Dorking at The Dorking Halls Various dates throughout January In January The Dorking Halls are delighted to welcome the Philharmonia Orchestra to Dorking, playing a programme of Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Dvorák. The Philharmonia is one of Britain’s leading orchestras, based at the Royal Festival Hall in London and currently celebrating 70 years of music making. Their programme in Dorking includes Beethoven’s dramatic overture Leonore no.3 and Dvorák’s eighth symphony - a very tuneful and colourful work, in which Dvorák shows his great love of his native Bohemia, its people and its folk traditions. The Dorking Halls offers a number of screenings this month. Opera lovers can see Verdi’s Il Trovatore live from the Royal Opera House, while for ballet enthusiasts and Tchaikovsky fans there is Sleeping Beauty live from the Bolshoi (22nd) plus a recording of The Nutcracker from the Royal Ballet (8th). The lunchtime recital at St Martin’s church will be given by the John Petters jazz trio, with a programme of spirituals and hymns. Watermill

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January 2017

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JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

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Jazz meets every Tuesday, with the following performers: Derek Nash’s Picante (10th), Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein and Bill Stewart (17th), the Back to Basie Orchestra (24th), and the Magnus Öström Band (31st). The doors open at 7pm so you can come and enjoy a hot buffet meal before the concert. The Nick Ross Orchestra will be playing Sounds of Glenn Miller, with music and songs from the 1940s, including the Moonlight Serenade. For information on bookings of the lunchtime recital on the 7th at 12.00 at St Martin’s, call 01306 884229. For the Philharmonia Orchestra on the 21st, call 01306 740619. For all other events please call 01306 881717.

Guildford Rambling Club Walks From Sunday 8th January Unless otherwise stated visitors are welcome on all of their walks, which normally start at 10 am. They are meeting on Sunday 8th January on Puttenham Common for a 10 mile circular walk through Godalming. Details from Alan on 01483 480168. There will be a 10 mile circular walk around the Devil’s Punchbowl from Elstead on Sunday 15th January. Call David on 07580 914207 for that one. On Thursday 19th January there will be a 5.5 mile circular morning walk from Ryka’s, below Box Hill. Contact Maria on 01306 644836 for details. Deborah, on 07957 803912, is your contact for the 10.5 mile circular walk from the top of Box Hill on Sunday 22nd January. Finally, on Sunday 29th January, Mick (on 07765 295353) will lead a nine mile circular walk through Swinley Forest from Bagshot. Guildford Rambling Club’s walks programme can be found at www. guildfordramblingclub.org.uk.

Recruiting Home Carers in your local area

“Based Carers in West Clandon, Guildford we are a family run ng Home Live businessin thatcare is committed to providing people with ocal “Based area friendly & reliable in Guildford we are a Carers family runwho genuinely care”

“care Based in Guildford we are family run home care business business that provides friendly,

Lucinda Kalupka, & Registered Manager landon,reliable, Guildford we areNurse a family run Dorking Museum: The Deepdene Trail trustworthy and competent that provides friendly, reliable, trustworthy Sunday 8th January and competent committed to providing people with carers who genuinely care” Group tours by appointment, individual walking tour on carers who Lucinda Kalupka, Nurse & Registered Manager 8th January and virtual reality tour Dorking Museum is From just an genuinely hour a day tocare" 24 hour support le Carers who genuinely care”

Live in care

very pleased to have worked alongside the MVDC Hope e & Registered Manager Springs Eternal team to bring the revitalised landscape of Lucinda Kalupka, Nurse & Registered Manager Good hourly + paid career A fullyRewarding managed live in care solution providing: the Deepdene alive. rates The Museum walks holiday team runs guided “Based in Guildford we are family run home care business walks on the Deepdene Trail. Tours last for an hour and a provides friendly, reliable, trustworthy and competent Paid day to 24that hour support half and take in the grotto, woodland walks, parterre and mileage Flexible •carers vetted,hours trained proven team of whomanaged genuinely care" AFriendly, fully liveand in care solution providing: temples, featuring spectacular views across the Weald. But carers Lucinda Kalupka, Nurse & Registered Manager Good hourly rates support + paid holiday er the real in highlight is exclusive to the grade II listed Work your local access community Comprehensive • 24/7 office support throughout the care family mausoleum, constructed by Thomas Hope on the Friendly, vetted, trained and proven team of carers Paid mileage A fully managed live in care solution providing: & training death of his young son. Group tours can be arranged by package through the Museum website and there is a Friendly,Work vetted, trained and proven team of carers in your local community support•• Companionship, 24/7 office support theappointment caretourpackage personal care, throughout cooking, special for individual bookings at 10.30am on January 24/7 office support throughout the care package • trips out, shopping 8th, £4 per person. For details and booking, visit www. personal care, cooking, trips out, shopping • Companionship, Companionship, personal care, cooking, trips out, shopping dorkingmuseum.org.uk/the-deepdene-trail or email •• Experienced in caring for those withMSdementia, Experienced in caring for those with dementia, & Parkinsons admin@dorkingmuseum.org.uk. Visitors to the Museum MSExperienced & Parkinsons in caring for those withitself dementia, & Tour Parkinsons can also takeMS a Virtual of the Deepdene estate in 1825, from the lodges to the mansion and out around the mation please call Matthew. gardens and Betchworth Castle, controlling the screen by For further information please call Matthew. means of a games controller.

• • • • • • • •• •• • •For further information please call Matthew.

Call us224 today on 01483 224 98501483 224 985 ay on 01483 985 Call us today on

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Capel Choral Society New Year Rehearsals Monday 9th January Capel Choral Society thanks all those who supported its two Matthew.

Christmas events; In dulci jubilo and Carols and Cakes and

Call us today on 01483 224 985 To advertise, please call 01483 420173

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An ideal holiday What do you want from a holiday and how do you get it? Andy Church offers a solution...

It’s that time of year when many of us start to plan our holidays for next summer and beyond. In my day it was always in the depths of winter that you would hunker down with a brochure or two and dream of sun, sand and relaxation. Nowadays it’s just as likely that we’ll be hunkered around a laptop rather than a brochure – but there is nothing like looking at pictures of faraway warm places to make us feel better during the long dark cold nights.

So, what is it that most of us want when we’re looking for a holiday? Certainly, sun is high on most people’s lists, as is good food and experiencing new places. Conversely, others want to return to places they’ve been to before with many opting to go back to the same place year after year – either because they love it, or because of apathy, or perhaps because they’re scared of the unknown.

And whilst some of us will want to stay in one place, many others will want to visit as many places as possible – making the most of their precious time away from the day-to-day grind.

One of the reasons why we go back to the same place is that we feel comfortable there

January 2017

– we know what we are going to get before we leave home – which means we can relax the moment we arrive.

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

For families there are usually two main holiday objectives – having a rest for the adults and keeping the kids entertained – two things that are certainly not mutually exclusive.

Trying new food and drink is a mixed bag. This is the reason why some of us travel – to experience new tastes in exotic places and this drives us to look for new places to go. Even today, when we can try most cuisines in a 50-mile radius of our homes, there is nothing like having the same meal in situ with local ingredients and chefs. For others the idea of not being able to get fish and

To advertise, please call 01483 420173

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chips, a burger or a pie is a very good reason to stay at home – or maybe go to America!

Experiencing luxury above and beyond our daily existence is vital to some holidaymakers. We want more than we’ve got at home which is why checking into a hotel carries the thrill of the unexpected. What will the bathrobes and toiletries be like? Will there be a bottle of bubbly in the room? Is the view spectacular?

As someone once said, why would I have a burger when I can have steak at home!

Cruising has changed so much in the last 10 years.

Once the preserve of the elderly and the wealthy, it is now very accessible and the average age is in the low 50s – note that’s the average.

For families there are usually two main holiday objectives – having a rest for the adults and keeping the kids entertained – two things that are certainly not mutually exclusive. Finding hotels which offer such facilities is not always easy and as we all know, prices can rise exponentially in the summer holidays.

There are of course countless other reasons why we travel. To see a sporting event, for adventure, to shop or maybe for the nightlife. All the above might lead you to think that’s all very well but there’s no way I can meet all of my holiday objectives with just one holiday? That may be so, but for those considering a cruise, meeting many of these objectives is not necessarily a pipedream, it could be a reality.

Cruising has changed so much in the last 10 years. Once the preserve of the elderly and the wealthy, it is now very accessible and the average age is in the low 50s – note that’s the average.

At the end of the summer, I was on a short cruise around the Bahamas and the average age was in the 30s-40s. Cruising is still for the retired (wealthy or not) but it is also for the young, for families, for romantic couples and for solo travellers. It is

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for those who want to visit lots of destinations (without packing and unpacking everyday!), as well as those who want to just stay in the resort - because many ships today are larger and better equipped than any resort you will ever have experienced. It is for those who want to experience the culture just as much as it is for those who want to lie around a pool.

Cruising is for those who want adventure; those who want to go to remote places – warm or cold. It is a must for foodies – the standard of inclusive food on board these days is amazing - but comfort food is always available. It is also for romantics – you don’t have to eat, or do anything with other people if you don’t want to. It is relaxing and exciting.

The entertainment can be brilliant, often to West End or Broadway standard, and there’s always something for everyone. And as for the children, they will have a ball, and you can see them, and they can see you, as much as you all want.

In fact, cruising can offer something for everyone, and later in the year we will offer more information and advice on different types of cruises, the cruise lines and why you might want to take your first cruise. The rebooking rate for those who have cruised is around 60% - an extraordinary figure which demonstrates why once many people have experienced a cruise they want to go again and again.

FIND OUT MORE If you want to know more about ocean or river cruising call your local cruising specialists, Andy or Olivia at GoCruise, on 01483 808787.

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JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

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hope you enjoyed them as much as the singers did. The Choir is now about a week away from its first rehearsal of the New Year, on Monday 9th January. From that date until the Leith Hill Musical Festival in April it will be concentrating on learning the set work for the Festival, Mendelssohn’s great oratorio Elijah. It will also be looking forward to the first of three combined rehearsals on 14th January with the other three choirs in Division 1 of the Festival, with which it will be singing in the evening concert on 7th April.

These rehearsals will be led by the new Festival Conductor, Jonathan Willcocks. This is a very good time for new singers to join the Choir as only a few passages of Elijah have so far been rehearsed, so there will be little in the way of ‘catching up’ to do. New singers in all four voice parts will be very welcome at the Capel Memorial Hall on 9th January. Please contact the Secretary if you would like to discover the fulfilling experience of choral singing. See information about the choir on the web site, www.capelchoralsociety.com or contact the Choir Secretary at sec@capelchoralsociety.com or phone 01306 889817.

Workers’ Education Association (WEA) courses From Monday 9th January The WEA begin their Winter to Spring Term Courses from 9th January with Current and International Affairs, followed

by Grand Houses and Stately Homes, Astronomy - The Modern Universe. Also, an Introduction to Dressmaking, First World Civilisation and the British Empire (Accident or Design?). In addition, for the Summer Term, from 4th

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May, Europe’s Royal Families. All courses are of 10 weeks duration with the exception of Astronomy, which is for 7 weeks and are either held in the Barn Hall, Bookham or the Leatherhead Institute. For further information contact Joy Tapping on 01306 713355, visit www. weafetchamandbookham.org.uk or email enquiries@ weafetchamandbookham.org.uk.

Leatherhead Community Association Events Various events during January and February With possibly the coldest part of the year still to come why not look at the programme that the LCA has planned for the next four months and go to the Institute and keep warm!

The Art and History Lectures start on 25th January with a talk by Jessica Saraga on Winifred Knights, who was singled out as the rising star of her generation in the early part of the last century. Jessica gives one further lecture on 1st February on Georgia O’Keefe and Paul Pickering completes the season with two talks in February covering the topic ‘An overview of still life painting from Caravaggio to Chardin’.

Tea and Talks begin in January with Nigel Arch talking about ‘Royal Marriages from the 18th Century’ and there are two further afternoons, which will cover John Betjeman and Georgian London. All the talks start at 2pm and are on the second Friday of each month. As usual Gwen Hoad will be having her recorded Music afternoons on the third Wednesday in the month when she will be playing ‘a few of my favourite things’. Don’t forget that there is now a social Bridge club twice a month on the 2nd and 4th Friday in

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January 2017

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<11 JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD the afternoon, Scrabble every other Friday afternoon, Table Tennis and Snooker every Monday afternoon and the Book Club meets in the evening on the first and last Thursday of the month. Visits have been arranged for the first four months of the year and they will be to the British Library, the Whitchurch Silk Mill and a distillery in Hampshire, The London Charterhouse and then a tour of Arundel Castle and Gardens, which will include their tulip festival. Peter Humphreys is planning his walks for the New Year, for full details please contact him on 01372 37834. Peter has also arranged a very special evening with Martin Hunka, the popular storyteller and London Blue Badge guide, who used to own the Mole Book shop in Leatherhead in the 1980’s.

He will be coming on Friday 3rd March at 7.30pm to retell the story of the homecoming of Odysseus (Ulysses) after a long and brutal war. This promises to be a fascinating evening, so please book early, tickets are £7 for adults and £3 for U18’s with free refreshments in the interval. Please contact their administrator, Sarah, on 01372 360508, lca2@ btconnect.com and she will give you all the information needed for booking for any of their events.

Basketball for Learning Disabled Young People Mondays from 9th January 6pm-7pm The Scorchers Foundation charity, who run alongside the Surrey Scorchers Pro Basketball team are delighted to announce that they are running Basketball sessions for young adults 16+ with intellectual (learning) disabilities.

They aim to get these young people active and to have fun in

Make the Wise Choice Is Your Roof Winter Ready?

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a team environment. There will be opportunities to become part of a Surrey Special Olympics Basketball team should they want to do this. The first session will always be free and then they will be at a reduced rate of £2 per person for the time being. The basketball takes place at St Peter’s School, Merrow on Monday nights. They would be delighted to see more young people coming along to join in and have some fun. For more information email foundation@ surreyscorchers.co.uk or call 07810 122389.

Watermill Jazz at Betchworth Park Golf Club Tuesday 10th January 8.30pm-11pm After the Christmas break, Jazz is back with Derek Nash’s Picante. Derek Nash is baritone, tenor/alto and soprano sax.

Dominic Ashworth on guitar, Neil Angilley on piano, Andy Staples on double bass, Marc Cecil on drums and Robin Jones on percussion. Arrive at 7pm and have a delicious hot buffet before the concert for only £9! Tickets for the concert are £22. Betchworth Park Golf Club, Reigate Road, Dorking RH4 1NZ. For more information visit www.watermilljazz.co.uk.

Dorking Walkers Tuesdays and Thursdays from Tuesday 10th January Looking for a New Year’s Resolution? How about walking regularly with a friendly local group. Their first walk of the year will start from Polesden Lacey car park. For more details on the walks please contact Ann on 01306 888745 or visit their website: www.surreycommunity.info/ dorkingwalkers.

Horsley Floral Decoration Group Talk and Events Tuesday 10th January 2pm Join them for a talk by Jill Fry on the Flowers and Butterflies of the South Downs. The Horsley Floral Decoration Group (affiliated to NAFAS) is a friendly afternoon flower arranging club. They meet at East Horsley Village Hall on the 2nd Tuesday of each month (except August) at 2pm. They have a varied programme of Demonstrators, Speakers, In-house entertainment, trips, internal competitions (optional), sales table and refreshments. Visitors and new members very welcome (Feb/AGM Members only). Join them for fun, flowers and friendship – the first visit is free. For more details please phone Beryl on 01483 831422 or email bjg317@virginmedia.com.

Dorking Folk Club Meeting weekly on Wednesday nights from 8.30pm Dorking Folk Club enjoyed a very successful first year at its new venue at Dorking Golf Club on Deepdene Avenue. It has proved to be a very popular venue with a well stocked bar, comfortable surroundings and great acoustics. The weekly program roughly alternates between booked guests and Singers’ Nights. The club’s Singers’ Nights showcase local non professional musicians and performers who get together and perform in an informal, friendly and supportive atmosphere. These evenings are open to all types of performance and acoustic music styles; musicians, singers, poems and monologues are all welcome. If you are not a performer please come along, join the audience and enjoy

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reg.charity 288923

Volunteers needed Emotional support and practical help at home Life-threatening illness can strike out of the blue and can be devastating for the family and it’s often hard to cope – not just with the routine of hospital visits and treatment but with the emotional strain and worry. Our trained volunteers can make a real difference. reg.charity 288923

Brigitte Trust volunteers offer respite for a carer and the chance to share some of the many feelings and concerns serious illness brings. Volunteers visit weekly, helping people facing any life-threatening condition when it’s increasingly hard to cope at home. Sitting and listening can be the most valuable help of all.

Join our next volunteer “taster session” and training course.

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PERU Train to Machu Picchu

Escorted or Private Tour 14 Nights from £2,795 • Comprehensive tour of Peru • Staying in characterful 4 & 5-star hotels • Direct flights with British Airways • Overnight train journey aboard the luxury Belmond Andean Explorer • Additional scenic train journey to Machu Picchu and stay overnight at the site ATOL 2815 • ABTA V2999

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Call Travel Dream on 01483 865970 or email holidays@traveldream.co.uk to book quoting VAN0117.

January 2017

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the evening. Kick starting the New Year with a Singers’ Night on Wednesday 11th January. There is a special offer of free entry for members and they will be accepting 2017 membership subscriptions on the door (£10 per year). On the 18th January they welcome accomplished singer and guitarist, Bob Wood. An engaging solo singer and performer with an easy going sense of humour, he is highly respected for his accomplished finger-style guitar style. They will be featuring the award winning folk duo Ninebarrow on Wednesday 25th January. Not only exceptional singers and musicians, they are equally passionate about the stories behind their songs, combining their music with history, folklore and storytelling. There is a lot to look forward to for the rest of 2017 including well known names such as Steve Tilston and Jez Lowe, Coope Boyes and Simpson, Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman and Martin Carthy.

For further details please check out their website www. dorkingfolkclub.org.uk. You don’t have to be a member of the club to come along or perform but members do get a reduced price for entry on Guest Nights. Entrance is £9 for Guest Nights and £3 for Singers Nights. Dorking Golf Club, Deepdene Avenue, Dorking, RH5 4BX.

rediscover the inspiring world of William Shakespeare and find out why his remarkable plays are still being performed 400 years on. Delivered by theatre professionals, Guildford Shakespeare Company’s (GSC) fun and practical evening classes are designed to help you discover The Bard in a fun and supportive environment. Over 10 weeks, they will explore Shakespeare’s great plays through close reading, group discussion and practical exercises in their professional rehearsal room. This is not an acting class and there will be tea and biscuits! Julius Caesar will be GSC’s first production of 2017, bringing Shakespeare’s timeless political thriller into a modern world of suits and PR campaigns, violence and fear. Explore the original text, its characters and the plot in the context of two vastly different times. No experience of Shakespeare or acting necessary. All ages are welcome.

Just bring yourself and a desire to learn. From 7pm - 9pm on Tuesday evenings at Guildford Shakespeare Company, 14/15 Midleton Industrial Estate Road, Guildford, GU2 8XW. The cost will be £160 for the term. To reserve your place call the office on 01483 301590 or visit the GSC website and fill in their online registration form. Email education@guildfordshakespeare-company.co.uk, with any queries and bookings.

The Bard’s Not That Hard - Shakespeare Evening Classes Tuesday 10th January to Tuesday 21st March Guildford’s award winning professional theatre company’s evening classes for adults, The Bard’s Not That Hard, returns for a new term focusing on Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.

The Bard’s Not That Hard is the perfect way to introduce and

Learn a New Skill for the New Year at RHS Garden Wisley Various dates throughout the year Choose from more than 110 adult education courses and workshops, including 25 new courses. Learn new skills including garden design, photography, creative crafts and horticulture. Learn how to weave willow bird feeders,

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patients’ care is funded thanks to gifts in wills Every gift, in every will, makes a difference to the care we provide.

TO FIND OUT MORE: t: 01293 447369 e: andyperry@stch.org.uk w: www.stch.org.uk Registered Charity No. 281362

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MONEY

Financial resolutions for 2017 With so many people likely to be thinking about sorting out their personal finances in 2017, here are some top personal finance resolutions for you to consider from Chartered Wealth Manager and Certified Financial Planner Shelley McCarthy.

Work out your budget It still amazes me how many people I meet who simply don’t know how much money they spend each month and where their money goes. Working out and sticking to a monthly budget is all about spending less than you earn. If you achieve this, month on month, you will be in a better financial position at the end of 2017 than you were at the start.

If you reach every pay day with an overdraft or credit card debt to clear from the previous month, you are starting the new month on the back foot. Make it your personal finance resolution for 2017 to never spend as much as you earn each month. If you really want to buy something shiny and new but find yourself reaching for that credit card or store card, stop, think - do you really need it now or would you feel much happier if you bought it in a few months’ time with cash rather than debt?

Get out of the red If you have short term debt (credit cards, store cards, overdrafts, etc) you will know that debt is a drag on your ability to save for future goals. It’s also an emotional drag on your attitude towards money and personal finances. Make clearing your short-term debt a priority before embarking on strategies to save for short, medium and long-term goals.

Make a plan. This ties in closely with your monthly budgeting exercise. When you are working out what you are going to spend your money on each month ensure you prioritise debt over savings. Stop taking on more short-term debt. Mark a debtfreedom day on your calendar and stick to it. Celebrate your

January 2017

personal debt-freedom day; it’s something to be proud of.

Look to the future Starting a pension is likely to be a big priority for many people in 2017. With all of us living longer, the availability of a State Pension in the future is under threat. We need to make our own provision for income in retirement.

Calculating how much you need to save means making some careful assumptions about the future.

Once you have made contributions to a pension plan you can choose how the money will be invested. Seek professional advice to ensure that your retirement plans are invested in a way that is in line with your attitude towards investment risk, as well as your capacity for risk and in line with your goals for retirement. You can choose from a wide range of investment options within modern personal pensions so there is no need to take unnecessary risk that you feel uncomfortable with.

Pay less tax No-one enjoys paying tax but many of us fail to take the simple steps that enable us to pay less tax. Each and every year we waste £342m by not using our Individual Savings Account (ISA) allowances and a further £595m by not

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taking steps to reduce inheritance tax bills.

There are some simple steps we can each take to maximise our available tax allowances.

The new personal savings allowance offers up to £1,000 a year of tax-free savings interest for basic rate taxpayers. For higher rate taxpayers, £500 a year is available. Plan carefully by keeping savings in the name of the lowest earner to maximise this valuable allowance.

Make sure you use your Individual Savings Account (ISA) allowances for this tax year and the next tax year. You have until April to maximise contributions into an ISA for the 2016/17 tax year. Every adult in the UK can contribute up to £15,240 in to an ISA this tax year, with the option to split this total between cash and investments. The returns within your ISA are tax-free and can also be passed taxfree between married couples or civil partners on death.

Review your mortgage It’s always a good time to review your mortgage, especially when interest rates are so low. If your mortgage is on your lender’s standard variable rate (SVR) you are likely to be able to make a reasonable monthly saving by switching to a more competitive interest rate or product.

There are costs associated with re-mortgaging and it makes sense to seek impartial expert advice. This will also save you the time of trawling the high street to locate the best offers. Because mortgages are a dynamic market the rates available are subject to change on a regular basis and some deals will only be available through an independent adviser.

Sort out your financial affairs If you don’t have a will, get one. You can write your own will but there are some major risks involved with this DIY approach. Getting something wrong when writing your own will could lead to significant legal fees to sort things out after your death.

Find a professional to write your will from the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (www. step.org). If you die without a will, your estate will be distributed according to laws originally created back in 1925. It is no surprise that these laws probably do not reflect modern thinking on inheritance! Don’t risk dying ‘intestate’.

Consider the what if scenarios Whilst we are on this rather morbid subject

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you should also think about family protection. Run through a number of scenarios. What would happen to your family financially if you were to die? What would happen if you were to suffer a serious illness? What if you suffered an accident or illness and were unable to work for a long term?

Re-run these scenarios but apply them to your partner this time. The impact of a non-earner dying or contracting a serious illness can often be as serious as if this happens to the main bread-winner.

Check out your existing life assurance arrangements to ensure that they remain competitive. There are potential savings to be made here. Again, use an independent expert to review the entire market for you and ensure that the cover you are putting in place is suitable for your circumstances and objectives.

At the same time make sure that your life assurance is written in trust. Writing these policies in trust can ensure that the proceeds are paid out quickly, to the right person or people and without liability to tax.

Meet with an Independent Financial Planner Make 2017 the year that you carry out a comprehensive review of your personal finances and goals with an impartial professional who has access to the tools and knowledge needed to improve your current and future position. Many will offer a free initial meeting with no obligation so they can help you identify your main goals and you can grill them about their qualifications, experience and fees.

When meeting an adviser, ask lots of questions to ensure that you have found the right one for you. Make sure that they hold the appropriate qualifications to deal with your situation.

The entry-level qualification for a financial adviser is the Diploma in Financial Planning. This level of qualification is really only suitable if you are only seeking basic financial advice. It is better to work with a Chartered Wealth Manager or Chartered Financial Planner who has demonstrated their professional competence in an increasingly complex financial world.

Also, check that the financial adviser is truly independent.

Advisers either offer independent advice or restricted advice, which means they are not independent. In any case, remember that you as the client are paying for financial advice and you need to be confident you are getting value for money.

FIND OUT MORE Shelley McCarthy is a Chartered Wealth Manager and Certified Financial Planner.

She is financial planning director of Informed Choice, an award-winning firm of Chartered Financial Planners based in Cranleigh, Surrey.

To discuss your Financial Planning, you can call Shelley on 01483 274566 or email shelley@icfp.co.uk. Shelley offers a first meeting at her expense and without any obligation to proceed. Call her today to arrange this free meeting and take control of your personal financial planning in 2017.

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JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

identify trees in summer and winter, or develop your photography skills in the beautiful surroundings of the RHS Garden Wisley in Surrey. Wisley’s Courses and Workshops 2017 brochure can be downloaded from the RHS website or email adult learning@rhs.org.uk to request a pdf or posted copy. To book a place on any of the 2017 courses, call 020 3176 5830. All events are subject to normal garden admission; for RHS member’s admission is free unless otherwise stated. RHS Garden Wisley, GU23 6QB www.rhs. org.uk/wisley Leatherhead Youth Choir Every Thursday 4.30pm-5.30pm Leatherhead Youth Choir is a new choir open to everyone aged 7-11 who wants to sing. It is run by Leatherhead Choral Society; one of the area’s best known and most successful amateur choirs. There are no auditions, and it doesn’t matter if you can’t read music or have no previous experience. The aim of the choir is to have fun, meet new people, to learn the basics of choral singing and reading music. Rehearsals take place on Thursdays from 4.30pm5.30pm at Christ Church (United Reformed), Epsom Road, Leatherhead, KT22 8ST. For more information or to sign up, please visit www.leatherhead-choral.net/lyc.

The West Horsley Independent Players (WHIPS) ‘Treasure Island’ at West Horsley Village Hall 11th to 14th and 19th to 21st January The WHIPS are staging the Pantomime ‘Treasure island ‘

by Bob Heather and Cheryl Barrett. Come along and join in the rollicking fun with Long Joan Silver, Molly Malone, Blind Pew, Ben Gunn and of course the parrot Cap’n Flint.

Sing along with the Citizens of Bristol, Pirates and crew and visit the Isle of Fright! The Panto will run from 11th to 14th and 19th to 21st January, with a supper night on 12th January and a charity night in aid of 1st Fetcham Scouts on the 19th January. All productions are at West Horsley Village Hall. Booked online via the WHIPS website at www. horsleyamdram.org.

Horsley Decorative and Fine Arts Society Talk Wednesday 11th January 10.30am Horsley DFAS start the new year with a talk by Sian Walters entitled ‘Renaissance Women: Artists, Patrons and Subjects’ in East Horsley Village Hall, Kingston Avenue, KT24 6QT at 10.30am (coffee available 9.45am-10.15am). Visitors entry is £5 and new members welcome. For more information and the full programme phone 01372 451015 or visit their website www.horsleydfas.org.uk.

Guildford Repair Café Saturday 14th January Join the Guildford Repair Café and learn how to repair your items under the supervision of volunteers that have the know how to fix them. The next Repair Café is on the 14th January, 10am to 12 noon, at Park Barn Community Centre, Cabell Road, Guildford GU2 8JH. Various experts will be available to give practical advice and help you make all possible repairs, free of charge. Everyone is welcome to January 2017

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

Farnham Maltings, Bridge Square, Farnham GU9 7QR

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

Guildford Cathedral, Stag Hill, Guildford GU2 7UP

Dorking Wine Festival

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

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

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bring along their clean, broken items from home including clothes, toys, bikes, crockery, chairs, etc. and repair it at the Repair Café. Visit www.guildford.gov.uk/repaircafe for more details or follow them on Facebook www.facebook. com/RepairCafeGuildford.

Butterflies in The Glasshouse, RHS Wisley Saturday 14th January to Sunday 5th March Their exotic Glasshouse paradise is perfect for flamboyant butterflies from warmer climes. Be entranced by their vibrant colours and magical flight and learn all about them. How many different ones can you spot? Learn about the life of butterflies in their interactive education zone. Plus sculptor Alison Catchlove will return with her animal sculptures.

Then from 16th January they have Taste of Wisley - Flights of Fancy. Round off your viewing of the butterflies with their tasty teatime treats. Inspired by these winged beauties, Taste of Wisley bakers are making butterfly decorated cookies and cupcakes. Book your timed tickets for the busy times via the website www.rhs.org.uk/wisley. Normal garden admission applies. RHS Garden Wisley. Woking, GU23 6QB. Telephone 0845 260 9000.

The Unattached Group (TUG) Spring Activities TUG has enjoyed celebrating the festive season with a weekend in Switzerland, a dinner dance and a Christmas meal at Hever Castle. They are now looking forward to a Spring of new activities. The Unattached Group (TUG) is a Surrey based group of about 70 single professional people

aged 49-69 who enjoy times together including informal weekly pub meets as well as meals out, theatre and cinema trips, walks, quizzes, bridge, opera and book clubs and the occasional leisure weekend away. New members are most welcome and information can be obtained by calling Maggie on 07855 008897 or at www.theunattachedgroup.co.uk.

Les Petits Theatre Company Presents The First Hippo on The Moon at G Live, Guildford Tuesday 17th to Thursday 19th January The stage adaptation of David Walliams’ The First Hippo on the Moon will begin a major UK Tour in December 2016. Based on David Walliams’ original children’s book with illustrations by Tony Ross, The First Hippo on the Moon is an explosively funny space adventure, which sees the enormously rich Hercules Waldorf-Franklin III and ingenious Sheila compete to be the first hippo to make it to the moon. Suitable for children aged three and up. David Walliams said “I’ve been a long-time admirer of Les Petits Theatre Company and the innovative approach they take to theatre-making so I’m excited to see how they bring my hippo space explorers to life on stage”. Les Petits Theatre Company said “Les Petits Theatre Company are excited to be bringing David Walliams’ space race adventure to life for young audiences with our trademark mixture of larger than life puppets, fun, live music and adventure. We are delighted to be premiering the first stage adaption of David Walliams’ picture books for young readers and to be working with an author who we have long admired for his boundless imagination and great sense of fun”. Tickets are £15.50, groups of 8 plus £12.00. School groups, 1 free teacher ticket per 10 pupils. For bookings please go to www.glive. co.uk or call 01483 369350 (10am-6pm, Mon-Sat).

Simply Scones Cream Teas are back at The Grange, Bookham Tuesday afternoons 2.15pm-3.30pm Simply Scones cream teas are back in the Victorian Conservatory of The Grange Centre for People with Disabilities.

They have been closed for building work, but are back with delicious (not to mention huge) scones made and served by people they support as part of a mini catering business. To book, please call 01372 452608. £3.50 per person.

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Walking in Dorking – Historic Guided Walks Group bookings throughout January Take a trip into Dorking’s history with a guided walk of the town to see hidden Dorking. Your knowledgeable Museum guide will reveal the forces, events and personalities that have shaped the town and its architecture and reveal the secrets that lie behind the streets of modern Dorking. Hear about the medieval town, the markets, the churches, the inns, the great estates and the ancient cottages. Discover the people who have built the town’s reputation – Charles Dickens, William Mullins, Thomas Cubitt, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Laurence Olivier and more. Tours last 90 minutes. Group tours (10 people) can be arranged, £3 per person. Visit www.dorkingmuseum.org.uk/guided-walksaround-dorking or email admin@dorkingmuseum.org.uk. vantagepointmag.co.uk

JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD Guildford Shakespeare Young Company prepare for Premiere Performance January to April The Guildford Shakespeare (GSC) Young Company is for children aged 12-18. They begin rehearsals for the public premiere of their brand new play, based on three of Shakespeare’s finest plays. Established in September 2016, GSC’s Young Company will begin rehearsals for a brand new play to be performed as part of their Birthday Bash season in April. The Company devised the story and its characters in the autumn of 2016, inspired by the three Shakespeare plays in GSC’s 2016 Season; The Winter’s Tale, The Comedy of Errors and Much Ado About Nothing. The result is an exciting mash-up of identical twins, disastrous weddings and public betrayals, long passages of time and even longerlost family members. The play will be written by GSC’s Head of Education and resident playwright, Ant Stones (The Wind in the Willows, Alice in Wonderland, Grimm’s Fairy Tales). The company will begin to rehearse and improve the completed script in January, culminating in the final public performance at St Mary’s Church in Guildford.. GSC are committed to nurturing young, local talent and The Guildford Shakespeare Young Company is a natural extension of this commitment to inspiring local artists of the future. Each member of the company receives a GSC mentor, one of several theatre professionals, who provide one-on-one acting sessions throughout the course. Venue: Guildford Shakespeare Company, 14/15 Midleton Industrial Estate Road, Guildford, GU2 8XW. The cost is £550. To find out more information or

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to join the company please call the office on 01483 301590 or visit the GSC website and fill in their online registration form. If you have any questions please email education@ guildford-shakespeare-company.co.uk.

Western Front Association Surrey Branch Wednesday 18th January Tim Richardson: The Epsom Riot and the Death of Police Sergeant Green. Tim relates the story of the riot in Epsom in June 1919 when 400 Canadian soldiers attacked the police station in an attempt to free two of their number in custody there. The story deals with events leading up to the fateful night, the actual event and its aftermath. For full details please contact andy@eyewitnesstours.com or phone 01306 880960.

Beare Green & Newdigate Choral Society Bridge Drive Thursday 19th January at 2.30pm Join the Choral Society for their bridge drive held in Newdigate Village Hall. There will be a super prize raffle.

Tickets are £10 to include a delicious afternoon tea. Arrive at 2pm for a 2.30pm start. Call 01293 871520 for more details and tickets. The choir are now settling down to prepare for the Leith Hill Musical Festival in April. This will be the first Festival conducted by Jonathan Willcocks after Brian Kay’s retirement last year. Their division’s main works will be ‘Benedicite’ by Andrew Carter and ‘Little Organ Mass’ by Joseph Haydn. Rehearsals start on Wednesday 11th January at 7.45pm in Newdigate Village Hall. If you would like to

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January 2017

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Designing your perfect kitchen Ockley-based Park House Kitchens has been designing and installing beautiful kitchens in the local area since 1991. What makes them so successful? First class customer service and a product that stands the test of time. who is excellent, and we always recommend using him if you wish to tie in an extension or other building work with your new kitchen.”

With so much choice out there, it’s difficult to know where to start when it comes to new kitchens, but with Park House Kitchens you can be assured you’ll receive a first rate service and a high quality, stylish kitchen, perfect for your home.

Established in 1991 by Trish Rowland, the idea was to create and build a kitchen design business that would offer a customer service that was second to none.

Twenty five years later the business is still going strong with Emily, Trish’s daughter, now at the helm, designing beautiful kitchens in the Surrey and West Sussex areas.

“Being a small, family business we’re able to offer our clients our full attention. From start to finish they will be working with my mum or I, who will have designed their kitchen using a CAD planning software.”

Explains Emily. “And we also share with our clients a day-by-day schedule so that they know exactly what’s happening and when, so they can feel confident that the completion date will be adhered to.”

When undertaking substantial building work to your home, whether it’s a new kitchen or an extension, it’s important to know who exactly will be working in your home and whether their skills really are up to the job.

“Our expert team of trusted tradesmen have been working for us for over 15 years. They work to the high standard that we promise and ensure that your home is treated with respect. We also have our own builder,

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There is a large range of beautiful styles to choose from at Park House Kitchens, from classic shaker units to a contemporary German look, or anything in between.

All the units are built to measure and can be hand painted to the colour you desire. So in years to come you can freshen up the look with a new colour if you so wish. And with their finger on the pulse of the latest trends and styles, Emily and Trish will deliver you a kitchen with a look that has been intelligently designed for your home and lifestyle.

“At Park House Kitchens we are able to offer a more personal touch.” Says Emily. “You won’t be dealing with a kitchen sales person, it will be either my mum or I, and we’re passionate about what we do and we want to deliver the service we promise and you expect.”

Eighty percent of their business comes through recommendations from past customers, which is testament to the level of service Emily, Trish and their team offer.

To book an appointment with Emily or Trish at their Ockley showroom call 01403 790 812 or email info@ phk.co.uk January Special offer – Get 10% off all their units for kitchens installed by end of April if you book by 31st January 2017 Park House Kitchens Unit 3 Ockley Court Farm. Coles Lane, Ockley, Surrey RH5 5LS Tel: 01403 790 812 Email: info@phk.co.uk www.phk.co.uk facebook.com/parkhousekitchens

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10 % – B sal oo e o kb na y 3 ll k 1s itc t J he an n 20 uni 17 ts

A unique family business designing and installing beautiful kitchens in West Sussex, Surrey and beyond for 25 years.

Classic

10% off all our units for kitchens installed by the end of April 2017 Make the most of the winter price drops by ordering now and get your new kitchen in time for spring.

Book by the 31st January to get your perfect kitchen “We are really thrilled with our revised family space and look forward to enjoying this for years to come. You offer so much more than a kitchen design and installation service and we are truly grateful for your help.” Helen & Richard Hope

Contemporary

01403 790812

Visit our new showroom in Ockley, Surrey for ideas and inspiration.

PARK H OUSE K I T C H E N S

f o r

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Open Monday to Saturday by appointment only 3 Ockley Court, Coles Lane, Ockley, Surrey RH5 5LS • www.phk.co.uk • info@phk.co.uk

Inspire

LOCAL 1916 and the impact on Dorking life Dorking Museum’s current special exhibition is the third of its Great War centenary exhibitions, Dorking 1916. 1916 was a momentous year: at the end of May, the Battle of Jutland was the largest battle in naval warfare history and 1st July saw the start of the Battle of the Somme that resulted in more than a million dead and wounded across both sides.

But the exhibitions focus on the Home Front and the impact that the war had on the people of and life in Dorking and the surrounding villages during these troubled times. Dorking 1916 focuses on the impact on the great houses and estates of the area and on the changing roles of women in society.

Times of change in the great houses

From left: Anstie Grange as a Military Hospital for Officers; The Deepdene Estate being sold off after the War

In 1914, landed estates surrounded Dorking and the villages, employing huge numbers. Denbies, with its own school, church and fire brigade, was almost a village. But the uncertainties of war hit investment incomes and families made economies. The internal staff at Anstie Grange near Coldharbour was reduced from over twenty to three on the outbreak of war. Some country homes were closed up, their owners remaining in their London homes, while many were put to new wartime uses. The Surrey Red Cross ran hospitals at Polesden Lacey and Anstie Grange.

By the end of the war, the estates had been neglected and many great houses were in decline. Many of those who had experienced other work during the war never went back to domestic service. Younger sons or cousins came into properties they had never expected to inherit, while other families found themselves with no heirs left.

Many of the large estates surrounding Dorking were auctioned in lots in the post war years, more valuable as building land for housing than as family residences. Before the war, Deepdene was the scene of glittering social gatherings, but it never returned to residential use. Its lands were sold off and it became a hotel, catering to the thousands who would come to the Surrey Hills with the advent of mass tourism in the 1920s.

The changing roles of women In the early months of the war, women undertook traditionally supportive roles: knitting, sewing sandbags and collecting

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medical supplies. Some established a hospital supply depot in Dorking, raising funds by operating a waste paper depot. Others joined up as VAD (auxiliary) nurses, serving overseas or in local convalescent homes.

As manpower grew scarce, women moved into areas of work that had previously been primarily male roles, becoming postal workers, munitions workers, stationmasters and shop workers. The War Agricultural Service mobilised female labour in the fields, and, by 1918, demand for female labour well exceeded supply as farmers struggled to bring in harvests.

The war changed what was thought acceptable or possible for women. Some even lost their lives whilst on war service, one, Daisy Wadling, being given a full military funeral at Dorking cemetery. At the end of the war, many returned to traditional roles, but they had changed attitudes towards women’s capabilities.

The Dorking 1916 exhibition features original scrapbooks from a local nurse who served at the front, a munitions worker’s uniform, an original nurse’s uniform and other fascinating items as well a timeline of events at the front and in Dorking. Biographical panels outside the Museum feature eight local women who found their lives changed by the war.

Dorking 1916 continues at Dorking Museum, 62 West Street, Dorking RH4 1BS until the 21st January. The Museum is open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10am to 4pm.

Women volunteers at Dorking’s Waste Paper Supply Depot at Nower Lodge

FIND OUT MORE Website: www.dorkingmuseum.org.uk. Tel: 01306 876591 and on Facebook and Twitter.

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<19 JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

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join this friendly choir please come along on Wednesday evenings, you will be very welcome, no auditions or ability to read music are necessary. Further details, if required, are available from the secretary by phoning 01306 631115.

News from the Topic of Cancer Charity Topic of Cancer is based in Guildford, from where they set up local support groups and have two in Surrey, Bookham/ Horsley and Dorking with Guildford in the planning stage.

Their objective is to raise awareness and funds for the University of Surrey research team into Immunotherapy as the best way forward to kill cancer cells using our own bodies’ defences. Their founder and chairman, Nigel LewisBaker has brought to our attention news of the unsung heroes from across Surrey and North East Hampshire who were honoured at the annual BBC Surrey Community Heroes Awards for 2016 at the Gatwick Crowne Plaza Hotel. In the 999 category, Serv Surrey and South London, based in Epsom, are a group of volunteers that has been delivering blood, plasma and other blood products for the NHS for over 30 years. Their Volunteer of the Year is Gillian Ely from Farnham, summed up by one of the judges as the ultimate definition of a volunteer. Gill has volunteered everywhere from the Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice to helping mentally and physically disabled children in India. Judith Shrubb from Aldershot scooped the top honour in the Carer Category.

Ten years ago, Judith’s husband Paul was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease and Judith became his primary carer. As well as caring for Paul, Judith also looks after her elderly mother. The first Outstanding Achievement Award was presented to an unsuspecting Diana Roberts, Tourism Marketing & Development Manager for Guildford Tourist Information Centre who goes more than the extra mile in promoting both Guildford and the whole of Surrey.

The second Outstanding Achievement Award went to Nigel Lewis-Baker from Bookham. Nigel has terminal prostate cancer but has worked relentlessly raising awareness of the condition and supporting others living with cancer and their families. Some specially invited guests were in attendance to hand over the awards. They included the Surrey based entertainers Lionel Blair, Colin Blunstone and David Hamilton, and the High Sheriff of Surrey Richard Whittington.

Commenting on the Awards, Mark Carter, BBC Surrey Acting Managing Editor said, ‘The Community Heroes Awards are always a fantastic celebration of unsung heroes from across the region and this year was no exception. This was their sixth year of these awards and the stories we heard were incredible. They also received more nominations than ever before so all finalists should feel extremely proud of their achievements’. For more please go to www.topicofcancer. org.uk.

Surrey Hills Arts This summer you may have noticed some rather striking looking sculptures popping up along the Greensand Way. These distinct pieces of art are part of the Inspiring Views January 2017

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project delivered by Surrey Hills Arts. Funded through the Mittal Foundation, this project has worked with landowners to open up hidden views along the Greensand Way, improve access and commission artists to interpret the views through art, poetry and sound. Five sculptors and designers were commissioned to create sculptural benches at viewpoints along the Greensand Way at Gibbet Hill, Reynards Hill, Holmbury Hill, Winterfold and Hascombe Hill. Why not get out this winter and see these beautiful benches. You can even go on the ‘Inspiring Views’ walk to take in a few, created by i-footpath, www.ifootpath.com. For more information visit www.inspiringviews.org.

Leatherhead & District Local History Society Lectures Friday 20th January and Friday 17th February 8pm Just over 70 years ago, a group of residents founded the Local History Society, backed by the Leatherhead & District Countryside Protection Society whose advocacy of a local green belt around the town helped inspire the national policy on preserving green space between conurbations.

In the winter of 1946-7, the new Leatherhead & District Local History Society set itself the task of researching archaeology, historical records, architecture, maps, natural history, and folklore in the town itself and the neighbouring villages of Ashtead, Great and Little Bookham, and Fetcham. It was quite an ambition and the Society soon established a reputation for its professional work spreading far beyond its own small area of Surrey. Thirty years later the Society decided to revive the derelict 17th

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David Fuller - the complete Gentlemen’s outfitter David Fuller is based in Church Road, Great Bookham in Surrey, within easy reach of Dorking and Leatherhead.

We have been established since 1967 and we stock a range of quality clothes for the larger man from the world’s leading suppliers. In 1998 David Fuller expanded into extra large sizes as well as still catering for regular sizes.

With the introduction of this new range, this independent shop has gone from strength to strength while many smaller shops have been closing. The added bonus has been the many new people from outside of the area being introduced to the delights of the Bookhams.

We stock menswear from regular sizes up to large sizes of 64” chest and waist and shirts from 15½” to 23” collar and up to 6XL. Eterna shirts, Bruhl and Meyer trousers, Gabiccii shirts and knitwear and Chatham shoes are amongst the quality brands stocked. Suits trousers and jackets are available on the first floor. Formal dinner

suits and morning suit hire can be arranged in the retail shop.

With a wealth of experience in the classic menswear industry and stocking such a large size range, we can offer you a wide selection of extra large men’s clothes.

If you are unable to visit our shop any enquiries can be made by telephone or email.

You can buy large men’s clothes from our online shop or if you wish you can order by telephone using credit or debit cards. We can then post to anywhere in the UK. Our shop opening times are 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Saturday (Wednesday and Saturday 9am-5pm). We are closed on Sundays.

7 Church Road, Great Bookham KT23 3PD Tel 01372 454710 Email: enquiries@davidfuller.co.uk www.davidfuller.co.uk

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Property News We talk to a few local estate agents about the year ahead and its effect on the property market How do you see the future of the traditional independent estate agent, when we notice the increase of online estate agents offering to sell a house at the fraction of the cost?

“We see the future of the local estate agency with local knowledge and property experience absolutely key in a changing marketplace. As the market hardens, simply putting your property on the internet and hoping that it will sell itself will prove to be a difficult and potentially stressful process”, says Richard Prynne from Pewleys, who are based in Bramley. “The need for careful and proactive sale chain management has never been more essential than right now. There is an unbelievable amount of hard work, phone calls, emails and negotiating required not only to agree a sale but as importantly to ensure the transaction which often will consist of numerous properties, progresses to an exchange of contracts”.

This view is echoed by Scott Wishart, from Hills Clements in Guildford. “We consider that the traditional independent estate will always be required because of their intimate knowledge of their town and surrounding villages, the local property values and their history of sales that will have been racked up over their many years of trading. No other agent will know the area and the values better and many buyers and sellers will want to tap into that in depth knowledge.”

Doing all the work yourself is very onerous and often ends in disappointment, according to Stephen Jenkins, from Andrew Lodge in Farnham. “If sellers are happy to carry out their own viewings, financially qualify potential buyers, liaise with solicitors, other agents, mortgage brokers, surveyors and deal with often complex problems in chains, then maybe online agents are for them. However, the regular instructions we receive from clients who have already unsuccessfully tried selling through an online agent tells me this level January 2017

of service and diligence simply doesn’t exist when a fee only amounts to a few hundred pounds.”

Stephen adds that “It’s a known fact, you get what you pay for. Sourcing a buyer is only a small part of what we do. Nurturing a deal through to completion involves a huge amount of effort, time and resources if dealt with in a professional manner”.

How do you see the residential property market transitioning through 2017?

“2017 will surely bring more properties to the market, which will increase transactions, but we do not see a change in values”, thinks Scott Wishart. “Hopefully the London property market will rise from its slumber, which always fuels our market here in Guildford. We are 38 minutes from Waterloo, 40 minutes from each airport, and we have the very best schooling, which drives families down the main line to our lovely area.”

Stephen Jenkins is not quite so positive however. “This area is sought after for many reasons and I don’t see this changing but market forecasters are predicting a slowdown in 2017 as uncertainty over Britain’s departure from the EU continues. London property prices are expected to remain flat next year, which potentially will have a knock-on effect in the home counties. However, weak stock levels in the local market should help soften any slowdown but sensible pricing, in line with comparable evidence will definitely be the key to achieving consistent results for clients.”

Matthew Burns agrees that predictions for next year are not certain. “The backdrop of Brexit and an ever changing world political scene will make it an unusual year to predict. However, history has shown that regardless of outside influences, Guildford and surrounding villages always perform well through these periods, due to excellent schooling and

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communications all on our doorstep, combined with some of the most stunning countryside within immediate access. For these reasons we see the market continuing to flow well, but with a shortage of high quality property being available, there will be demand outstripping supply within certain locations and prices within these areas will see greater rises than general.”

The term ‘Hybrid Estate Agent’ keeps popping up, is this the future of estate agency?

Graham Faulkner, from EweMove in Dorking suggests “The term hybrid in estate agency was actually created when an interviewer didn’t really know how else to term it. Hybrid estate agency has been created by taking the full traditional sales offering, with truly local representatives, but without the need for the expense of high street offices. Making it harder for brand awareness can mean less properties being on a hybrid agent’s books, but that then allows a very high level of customer service, as a client isn’t just lost in the numbers”.

His own agency is one such agency. “A great example of an agency who started life as the hybrid model is EweMove, who have been sitting at the top of customer review site Trustpilot since they started using that site for customer reviews, and have a score of 9.9 out of 10.

Such is the growth of the hybrid agent that 3 year old EweMove was acquired at the beginning of September by the Property Franchise Group as they realised the importance of getting into the hybrid agent market space and paid £15m to do so.”

According to Scott Wishart, “the Hybrid Agent is a new term which has cropped up recently, but quite frankly it is a concept that we have been running for

absolutely years now! We are a smaller hands-on agency with exactly the same marketing tools as all the larger corporate agents, yet without all the expensive backroom staff, higher officials and bosses dictating the show, and the high running costs that go with all of that. The term hybrid agency really means – part hands-on, part internet and this exactly summarises what Hill Clements have been doing for years. We own our business, we own our office, we advertise on all the same portals as the big boys, but our overheads are so much lower, we can make a profit without charging the huge fees that others have to. This is what hybrid agents are now claiming that they do!”

What single change in legislation would bring the biggest boost to the property market?

A complete change in stamp duty for the residential market is one that Scott Wishart and others would wish to see. For the lettings market, things are a little different, given there have been many legislative changes in the last 18 months that have been brought in seemingly to either quash the buy-to-let sector, or make landlords and letting agents police it.

“Phasing out mortgage interest relief, right-to-rent immigration checks, the need to have working smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms at the beginning of any new tenancy, the need to supply current gas safety records, the energy performance certificate, and a Government guide on how to rent are some of the many of the changes brought in”, says Graham Faulkener. “And now the banning of tenant fees, which means agents will have to charge the landlord higher fees instead, which means that the landlords will increase rents, which they would be doing anyway to try and offset higher tax bills, and that means some benefits tenants will be evicted to make way for people who can pay more rent – it all makes you wonder if the Government look far enough into these things they bring in to be able to assess the true impact on the market.”

So what is the single change in legislation that would boost the rental property market?

According to Graham, “it would have to be a reversal or at least a tidy up of some of the above. The private rented sector is an important place, especially as the UK starts to become more generation rent, and yet the government seem hell bent on making it a tough place for landlords to thrive”.

Hill Clements, Guildford Scott Wishart Tel: 01483 300300 www.hillclements.com

Pewleys, Shalford Richard Prynne and Matthew Burns Tel: 01483 304344 www.pewleys.co.uk Andrew Lodge Estate Agents, Farnham Stephen Jenkins Tel: 01252 717705 www.andrewlodge.net 26

To advertise, please call 01483 420173

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

JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

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century Hampton Cottage in Church Street, Leatherhead, and turn it into a museum for the district. Leatherhead Museum opened its doors to the public for the first time in June 1979 and has been fascinating visitors with its collections of historic photographs and memorabilia ever since. The Museum closes each December for maintenance but will reopen on 6th April 2017 with a brand new theme celebrating the Society’s 70th anniversary. But the Society itself continues throughout the year, producing a quarterly Newsletter packed with news of its activities and local history features, as well as annual proceedings containing more heavyweight research studies. From September to May, lectures are held on the third Friday of each month at the Leatherhead Institute’s Dixon Hall, covering both local and wider topics. Visits are also organised to places of historical interest and guided walks. At 8pm on Friday 20th January see the first lecture of the New Year; How Science Can Tell Us About the Use of Land, by Professor Patricia Hawksworth. Professor Hawksworth is Britain’s leading expert on the forensic study of pollen and spore analyses and has undertaken many high profile criminal cases for the police and other law enforcement agencies.

She specialises in soils and terrestrial habitats, such as the ancient woodland and grassland of Mole Valley. Coffee served from 7.30pm. Admission is £2. At 8pm on Friday 17th February see the year’s second lecture on The Birth, Life and Death of the River Mole by Professor Richard Selley.

Professor Selley, a foremost authority on the application of geology to petroleum exploration, also identified the Surrey

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Hills chalk Downs as ideal for the vineyard we now know as Denbies and has mapped the impact of climate change on UK vineyards. Coffee served from 7.30pm. Admission is £2. For more details on the society please visit www. leatherheadlocalhistory.org.uk.

Special Stargazing and Talk Event at Guildford Cathedral Friday 20th January 6.00 pm The Guildford Astronomical Society and the Trustees of the Guildford Cathedral are presenting a special stargazing event with a particularly seasonal talk in the Marquee on Stag Hill. The renowned Astronomer, David Hughes, Emeritus Professor of Astronomy at Sheffield University will give a hugely entertaining and informative talk entitled ‘The Star of Bethlehem’, this is an opportunity not to be missed. By special arrangements the Cathedral authorities has agreed to turn off the floodlights and are permitting the society to set up a number of telescopes on the South lawn for the public to look through. They will have 10 or 12 scopes each targeting a different celestial sight always, of course, weather permitting. The Marquee will be heated but you will need plenty of warm clothing and suitable footwear at the scopes. The event and plentiful parking are free and open to all ages including children, provided they are accompanied by a responsible adult.

Horsley Garden Society Wednesday 25th January 8pm Horsley Garden Society and its predecessors have encouraged

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27

Thai-tastic with Giggling Squid On Friday 13th January, Giggling Squid will introduce its signature Thai cuisine to Farnham at 67/68 Castle Street GU9 7LN. Having established a loyal following throughout the country since 2002 with its brilliant combination of bold Thai flavours and authentic cooking techniques, Giggling Squid will open for lunch and dinner, with room for up to 140 guests, in its relaxed stylish setting.

From lunchtime tapas to delicious curries, salads, rice and noodles, Giggling Squid’s menu lends itself to the distinct sharing culture of Thailand. Guests are invited to experience its rich tapestry of freshly prepared dishes prepared on-site by a team of talented Thai chefs.

A dedicated “little tapas for little people” menu is also available and guaranteed to ensure smiles all round.

Owned by Thai-born Pranee Laurillard and her husband Andrew, Giggling Squid - the nickname of one of their three children - was founded in the basement of a tiny fisherman’s cottage, now the Brighton restaurant, where dreams of replicating a little taste of home became a reality. www.gigglingsquid.com.

Stand Up Sea Bass

Ingredients

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

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

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

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

3. Dust the sea bass with self-raising flour, and deep fry the fish in enough hot vegetable oil for it to be submerged. It’ll take approx. 5 minutes to get crispy.

Remove and arrange on a plate. Drizzle with the sauce and serve with plain rice.

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Serves 1

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

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RECIPES Thai Chicken Red Curry

Ingredients 3 x tbsp vegetable oil 1 x tbsp red curry paste (adjustable) 1 x can of coconut cream (this will make it lovely and rich!)

150-200 ml water 1 x medium size courgette- halved and sliced 2 cm thick 1/2 red pepper- cut in half-length-way and slice 12 x fine green beans cut into 4cm Small handful fresh basil leaves 2 x tsp salt 1 x tsp sugar 2 x chicken breasts sliced across 2 cm thick (next time, try with king prawns!)

Serves 2 Method: 1. Put vegetable oil and red curry paste into a saucepan; then stir on a gentle heat for 10

minutes until the chillies start to release colour into the oil.

2. Add 1/4 of the coconut cream to the red curry paste and keep stirring for a further 5 minutes. This will bring out the coconut oil, and will give a shiny texture to the finished curry sauce.

3. Add the rest of the coconut cream and bring water to the boil.

4. Add chicken breast and simmer until breast is cooked through (10-15 mins) 5. Then add pepper, courgette and fine beans.

Once boiled, turn gas off. Vegetables should still be crunchy.

6. Season with salt and sugar to your liking, and then finish with basil leaves which go in last to prevent them from over cooking and disappearing. Serve with steaming rice.

WIN A LUNCH FOR TWO AT GIGGLING SQUID WITH VANTAGEPOINT...

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

January 2017

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

The top three

Newlands Morning

by Raj Saaj

Thursley by Julian Paynter

River Wey by Philippa Reed

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

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JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

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the gardeners of the Horsleys and surrounding villages since 1924. They hold flower and produce shows, meetings, lectures and visits to bring together those with an interest in gardening - from beginners to experts. Their January talk at 8pm at the West Horsley Village Hall is by Mr Andy Thomas on The Crop Circle Mystery. Visitors are welcome. Anyone interested in membership at the modest cost of £5 per annum should contact the Chairman, Roger Lindsay, email r.lindsay339@btinternet.com or the Membership Secretary, Terry Lazenby, email terrylazenby@terrylazenby.plus.com.

Dorking Museum exhibition: ‘Medieval Betchworth’ Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from January 26th The Museum’s new spring exhibition, in association with the Betchworth Village Archives team, gives a flavour of life in a medieval village. Drawing from manorial records, the exhibition examines life on a medieval manor. Not just the manor, the land, the mill, the church, but featuring the experience of the Black Death, Royal visits to the village and the Battle of Agincourt, to give a surprising view of this neglected period. The Museum is open on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 10am to 4pm, at 62 West Street, Dorking RH4 1BS. For more details, visit www.dorkingmuseum.org.uk. Enquiries to admin@ dorkingmuseum.org.uk or phone 01306 876591.

Pantomime of Sleeping Beauty in Shamley Green Thursday 26th, Friday 27th and Saturday 28th January Shamley Green Amateur Dramatic and Entertainment Society (The SHADES) are proud to announce their Pantomime of Sleeping Beauty will take place in the Arbuthnot Hall, Shamley Green on Thursday 26th and Friday 27th January at 8pm and Saturday 28th January at 3.30pm and 7.30pm.

Their Pantomime tells the tale of Princess Rose, cursed as a baby by a Wicked Fairy, only true love’s first kiss can break the spell, there will be the usual magic and mayhem you have come to expect from a SHADES pantomime. Tickets are now available online at www.shamleygreenshades. co.uk, as well as from Celebration Cakes of High Street, Cranleigh, The Bricklayers Arms Public House and Shamley Green Country Stores and Hair Gallery, all in Shamley Green.

You can also book through the Box Office line on 01483 274530 in early December. Tickets Prices Adults £7.00 Children/Seniors £5.00 (Thursday night special Adults £5.00 Children/Seniors £4.00) Butterfly Photography Mornings at RHS Wisley 26th January to 1st February and 10th February 8am-12pm Discover how to capture beautiful images of their tropical butterflies with expert advice. Join Adrian Davies for this morning workshop covering techniques, equipment and image processing. You will enjoy exclusive access to the Glasshouse before it opens to the public at 10am. Prices are £52 for RHS members, £66 non RHS members, including coffee and tea. In addition on the 24th February there will be an untutored Butterfly Photography Morning. A chance to visit the Butterflies in the Glasshouse ,before opening hours, to capture their beauty. You will have a base in the Clore January 2017

AND the more tapes you have transferred THE CHEAPER IT GETS

Learning Centre where refreshments will be served and are free to visit and photograph the glasshouse and butterflies as you please. Prices are £23 for RHS members, £37 for non RHS members, including coffee and tea. For bookings please call 020 3176 5830 (local rate) Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

The Art of Guitar: An Evening of Virtuoso Classics Saturday 28th January 7.30pm Put the date in your diary for this concert held in St John the Baptist, Capel in aid of the perimeter wall fund. Classical guitarist Mark Jennings will play music by J.S Bach, Tarrega, Barrios and of course Rodrigo. This promises to be a fantastic night and something a bit different. Advanced tickets are available at £10 per person from Dik Hoogmoed on 01306 710087, dhoogmoe@hotmail.com or at the door on the night, places permitting.

Shakespeare’s Political Thriller, Julius Caesar at the Holy Trinity Church, Guildford Saturday 4th to 25th February Guildford Shakespeare Company (GSC) open their 2017 programme with Shakespeare’s political thriller, Julius Caesar, staged Holy Trinity Church, with a present-day setting. For the first time in their 10-year history, the award winning Guildford based theatre company will be using a present day context to stage Shakespeare’s Roman thriller.

“Julius Caesar is Shakespeare’s great political thriller, and given the political shifts in governments all over the world in 2016, we felt that if ever there was a play for our times,

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31

GARDENING

With Beth Otway

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch Life can be busy and stressful. It is not always easy to make time to stop, relax, and appreciate the beauty of nature. If you’re looking for some time out, a lovely and relaxing activity that you can take part in this month is the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch spending a restful hour watching and counting birds.

The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch is a delightful activity to share. You could snuggle up by the fire and count the birds you see from your window, or wrap up warmly to count birds in the park, or at your allotment.

The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch has been extended for 2017, to cover the weekend of the 28th and 29th January, as well as Monday 30th January. You’ll find lots of information on the RSPB’s website, including an online counting tool, and pictures to help you identify the birds you see. Please visit www.rspb.org.uk/ birdwatch for more.

Hanging up feeders filled with peanuts, seeds, and other foods, and supplying clean water will encourage birds to your garden. Don’t forget that the plants in your garden, and how you tend them, will also encourage or discourage birds.

Oaks are the most amazing trees, they’re a habitat for hundreds of species of insects, and provide food, shelter, and nest sites for birds. There are many other native trees, such as yew, silver birch, beech, hornbeam, and rowan that are perfect trees for large gardens.

In smaller gardens, it’s important to remember to provide food, shelter, and perches for birds. If your garden is surrounded by bare fences, and features lots of paving and low-growing plants, you won’t be providing enough facilities to encourage birds to spend much time in your garden. Holly or yew clipped as topiary (choose female or self-fertile hollies for berries) will provide food, shelter and a nesting site for birds.

Fruit trees grown on dwarfing rootstocks, which are carefully pruned, cordon-grown and other trained forms of fruit trees are great options for small gardens.

Look out for ballerina apples that grow naturally as one upright stem with side shoots, they require little pruning and are a good choice for a small garden.

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The guelder rose, Viburnum opulus, produces white flowers in springtime, followed by red berries in autumn and winter. The leaves of Viburnum opulus turn beautiful shades of orange and red before falling in autumn. This is a great shrub for wildlife, that provides year round interest. Growing to 5m (16ft) or more in height, and 2.5-4m (8-13ft) wide, it’s perfect for a woodland style garden. A dwarf form is available - Viburnum opulus ‘Compactum’ which offers the same pretty white lacecap style flowers, glossy berries, and other attractions, yet grows to 1.5m (5ft) tall and wide.

Growing ivy, honeysuckle, or clematis over your fences will encourage insects and birds.

Hedges outlive fences, as they aren’t likely to be damaged in a storm, and support a wide range of wildlife. You could plant an edible hedge and provide food for your family, or opt for Rosa rugosa, which provides beautiful fragrant pink roses, followed by large rosehips. Rosa rugosa ‘Alba’ is a white form (above); both grow well even in poor soil. Yew, holly, beech, and hornbeam produce beautiful hedges If you want to protect birds, avoid using slug pellets, insecticides, and pesticides. All levels of the food chain need to be present for a healthy balance in your garden.

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

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

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JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

this was it”, explains Co-Founder Matt Pinches. “Even though it was written over 400 years ago, Caesar contains echoes of the political world we live in today. It’s easy to see parallels with the recent US Presidential election, Brexit, Syria and European migration issues, as well as the obvious connotations of party delegates wanting to oust their leader.” Focusing on the cult of personality in politics, a government founded on propaganda and the most famous case of political backstabbing, GSC promises a compellingly tense thriller, which has relevance today. Using their inimitable, immersive style in the evocative setting of Holy Trinity Church on Guildford High Street, this production will seek to place the audience at the heart of the action. Julius Caesar is directed by Gemma Fairlie (Royal Shakespeare Company; New Vic, Stoke): “This is a Caesar of suits and PR campaigns, of violence and fear, caught in a high octane whirl of sound bites and camera flashes. As rumours fly and governments implode the story of Caesar will explode through Holy Trinity Church in a site specific contemporary version that uses this iconic backdrop of religious and political significance to explore this timely thriller.” As ever, the company, who prides themselves on being true to Shakespeare’s words, will be using the original script.

More details can be found at www.guildford-shakespearecompany.co.uk or GSC Box Office 01483 304384. Dates & Times: 4th-25th February (No performances on Sundays).

Evenings 7.30pm, Matinees 2.30pm (Wed 22nd & Sat 11th, 18th 25th). Holy Trinity Church, High Street, Guildford, GU1 3RR. Tickets £25, Concessions £21, Children £16.50 (under 16), Family tickets £80 (2 children, 2 full).

36>

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Dorking Friends of Cancer Research UK Wednesday 8th February 9.30am-11.30am Please join Dorking Friends of Cancer Research UK for a Coffee Morning at Betchworth Park Golf Club on Wednesday 8th February in support of Cancer Research UK. There will be coffees, teas, Danish pastries and a raffle with fabulous prizes. In addition there will be local artisan stalls selling handmade gifts and cards. Tickets are £10. Betchworth Park Golf Club, Reigate Road, Dorking, RH4 1NZ. For tickets call 01306 711688 or 01737 842084 or email dfcancerresearchuk@btinternet.com.

phenomenal success. Opening in London on 30th June 1960 it received 23 curtain calls and ran for 2,618 performances.

DDOS are proud to bring this legendary show to the Dorking Halls stage. Food Glorious Food, Consider Yourself, OomPah-Pah and Who Will Buy to name just a few of the uplifting and heart-warming musical numbers you’ll be singing all the way home. Oliver was born and lived in the workhouse until one day when he was about twelve years old he dared to ask for more, more gruel that is, at the meagre workhouse meal. After being sold by the workhouse to work for an undertaker Oliver ran away to London where he meets the Artful Dodger who took him to the ‘fence’ Fagin. Oliver became one of Fagin’s gang of child pickpocketing thieves.

Book your tickets now to see what lay in store for young Oliver. An adventure you will never forget. Performances are Wednesday to Saturday evenings at 7.45pm with Thursday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm. Tickets from £12 (concessions available) from Dorking Halls Box Office 01306 881717 or book online at www.dorkinghalls.co.uk. Dorking Halls, Reigate Road, Dorking. RH4 1SG. You can also visit the DDOS website at www.ddos.org.uk.

Oliver! A Dramatic and Operatic Society (DDOS) Dorking Halls Production Wednesday 15th to Saturday 18th February One of the most popular family musicals of all time. It really is a wonderful musical full of songs you all know and love.

Based on Charles Dickens best known novel, Oliver Twist, Lionel Bart’s musical adaptation was an unprecedented and

Quartonal, A Male A Cappella Ensemble from Germany, are coming to Dorking Tuesday 21st February 7.30pm The quartet was founded in 2006, and is one Germany’s foremost a cappella ensembles with a wide ranging repertoire. Quartonal have completed a number of major tours in Europe and internationally and have a particular

Cyclamen Society – Early Spring Show at RHS Wisley Sunday 5th February 10am – 4pm A lovely splash of colour with exhibits of flowering cyclamen; expert advice on cyclamen planting, care and companion plants and plant sales including flowering cyclamen and bulbs. For more details visit their website www.rhs.org. uk/wisley. Normal garden admission applies. RHS Garden Wisley. Woking, GU23 6QB. Telephone 0845 260 9000.

January 2017

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

The walk 1. Walk clockwise around the pond keeping about 100 yards in from the edge. You will reach a point where two fenced corridors stretch out ahead of you. Take the left-most one. At the corridor’s end, jink left to find a point where you can cross the road. Take the path opposite, straight out across the heath and up onto the ridge. Now turn left and walk a few hundred yards to find the wide track dropping off the ridge and down to the right (you can see Frensham Little Pond ahead and away over to the left).

2. Follow the track down and continue forward, ignoring lefts and rights, until reaching a junction with a barrier on your left and some houses ahead.

Turn through the barrier and immediately fork right through a few bushes to reach the end of a road.

Walk along this road, again ignoring lefts and rights until, about 200 yards after fording a stream, taking a wide track left.

3. Follow the signpost i.e. ignore the first, unsigned track left. Ignore a later track forking left and reach a T-junction by a blue arrow post and a house.

Continue straight ahead along a narrow, fenced corridor passing two Nissen huts in a field. The corridor ends and again you continue forward,

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following the track until eventually reaching a road.

4. Turn right and walk about ½ mile to a cross roads.

Go straight over and forward along the short dead end road ahead. Pass a barrier and straight out onto the edge of Hankley Common Golf Club. A few yards in, take the wide track forking off right and follow it as it climbs up to the ridge. Turn right and walk a long way along the arc of the ridge.

Down to your left is a large area of Ministry Of Defence heathland, used from time to time by film companies. Pass a WD marker stone and continue on. Pass a little hillock on the left-hand side and the track swings right to reach a junction where a red arrow points left along the “Red Trail”.

5. Follow this to a cross paths where another red arrow points left again but this one you ignore.

Instead go straight ahead. The path drops down through trees to a T-junction with a wide track.

Turn right and quickly reach a house, Houndmere.

Climb up the path at the left-hand side of its garden to reach a road. Cross and walk about 150 yards along to the left to find a footpath heading right and away from the road. Follow this for about 400 yards to its end where it drops down to cross a small field and a stream to reach a lane.

6. Turn left along the lane to reach Dye House Road.

Now, turn right and walk along this road to pass a cottage and quickly reach a track off to the right.

Ignore the path climbing up straight ahead, take the one breaking off right and up a short steep slope.

At the top turn left and quickly reach a few houses and the end of a lane. Walk up the lane to emerge by a tiny green and a “Thors Lea” sign. The excellent Three Horseshoes pub is to the right, the cricket green (a possible picnic site) to the left.

7. After lunch walk along the road to the cricket pitch and take a path out left, into trees, opposite the entrance to the parking area. The path goes down through trees the Dye House Road again.

You will now reverse a section of the last part of the morning walk. Turn left and walk a few yards to turn into the side road (a sign says Haybarn). A little way along here turn right to go through a gate.

Cross the small field and the little footbridge then follow the path up and through trees to reach a road. This time, go straight across and down the slope to the access road to Houndmere (the house which you passed earlier).

8. By the house turn right and go through a barrier to climb a slope. About 50 yards up this slope turn left onto a wide track. Follow this, gradually rising, continuing forward when you merge with a track

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WALK SPONSORED BY coming in from the right. The track then levels out.

There is downward slope on the left-hand side and a hill on the right. The track swings around the hill to run parallel to a road which you can see down and across to the left. Continue forward, ignoring lefts and rights. Pass a small car park. Again, continue forward. Pass a wooden paneling fence and a house (on the left-hand side) and continue on. Ignore a track, left, which goes down to the road. The track you are on now swings a little to the right and starts to rise. Follow it up and then, at the top, fork left to stay close to a fence.

9. The path now drops down to join another path from the left. Continue forward, still parallel to the road. Reach a junction where two wide tracks join from the right and with a hill ahead on your right. A little further on you reach some MOD warning signs and, here, you take a short track left to reach the road. You emerge by the entrance to Rushmoor Lakes. Cross the road and go a little way left to cross the start of Sandy Lane, a side road heading right. On the far side, immediately take a footpath right, next to a telephone box. Quickly go past a barrier and follow a yellow arrow straight ahead across a wide, open area of heathland. The track swings left and you can see the Devils Jumps hill away to your left.

10. Continue to reach and go straight across a large cross tracks. Now you are walking along with a fence on your left. Continue forward and follow the track as it swings out across the heath towards trees. There is a small pond away to your right. In the trees you turn left and proceed along a permitted private track to reach a lane, emerging next to a house, The Point. Turn right. Now walk along the lane for some distance, eventually passing Crosswater House then Harolds Hill. The lane becomes a track.

11. Reach a multiway junction with a two-way signpost. Go straight on. The track eventually reaches a road. Take the path which runs to the right, just off the edge of the road. When you reach a yellow arrow pointing right (away up the slope you can see a small memorial), turn left to cross the road and drop down the bank to pick up a path anti-clockwise around the edge of Frensham Great Pond. Keep going until you reach the refreshment kiosk and the car park.

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

January 2017

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<33 JOTTINGS - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD Home-Start comes in – and you could too! Can you spare a few hours each week to help a family with young children?

Are you interested in learning new skills on their friendly, free, volunteer training course? If the answer is yes, they are recruiting now. Call Debbie on 01483 511181 or email office@hsguildford.org.uk for more info.

FORTNIGHTLY NETWORKING MEETINGS HARTSFIELD MANOR, BETCHWORTH VISITORS WELCOME! FOR DATES AND TIMES VISIT

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love of the music of Ralph Vaughan Williams and his contemporaries. The Dorking concert forms part of a short UK tour of concerts and workshops. The concert will comprise a varied programme of German and English works

by Mendelssohn, Alec Rowley, Vaughan Willams and others.

It will feature a short opening set by Dorking Choral Society, Rowley’s sea cycle ‘Full Tide’ and to close an arrangement of Vaughan williams’ folk songs for joint forces under Richard Wilberforce, the DCS Musical Director. This should be a very special evening! Held at St Martin’s Church, hosted by Dorking Choral Society. Tickets are £15 (Group concessions £12.50). For bookings please go to www.eventbrite.co.uk or www.dorkingchoralsociety.org.uk.

Home-Start Guildford Volunteer Preparation Course Starting Thursday 23rd February Home-Start Guildford is a family support charity covering the whole of the Guildford Borough plus Bookham and Fetcham in Mole Valley. We provide home visiting volunteers with parenting experience to support families who are struggling to cope with at least one child under five. Examples of difficulties might be post-natal depression, illness/disability (of parent or child), multiple births, family breakdown, and financial worries. They believe that parents are key in creating a secure and happy environment for their children.

They may need emotional or practical support to give their children the best possible start in life. That’s where 36

The Nuts Challenge, Dorking Saturday 4th March, 12pm Looking for a new challenge for 2017? Why not sign up to the 7km Nuts Challenge to raise money for the ‘One in Five appeal’. The Nuts Challenge is perfect for those of you that want to take on a fun challenge with little experience in obstacle racing whilst raising money for charity. It’s the perfect excuse to just have a go and try something new.

Registration Fee is £45.99 (discounted charity rate) and Sponsorship of £100 is required. A Nuts challenge T-Shirt and Medal included. Register today at http://tinyurl.com/ RoyalSurreyNuts. Please contact Katie Ledger on katie. leger1@nhs.net or call 01483 464146 for more information.

Rotary Club of Croydon Jubilee - Charity Classic Car Run 2017 This year they start the Annual Classic Car run of The Rotary Club of Croydon Jubilee at Denbies Wine Estate, London Road, Dorking, RH5 6AA. Taking a stunning route over two counties, through country roads and lanes of parts of Old Surrey and Kent, incorporating most beautiful villages and hamlets. There are plenty of sights on the way for you to enjoy and pubs for lunch. They end at Chatham’s The sail & Colour Loft, The historic Dockyard, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TE. Please allow plenty of time at the Dockyard to see the old naval ships and visit the museum. The entry price is £45, which includes the car, the driver one passenger, a run pack, route guide, finisher’s plaque and entrance to the Museum.

Additional passengers are £15 each including entrance to the Museum. Space is limited to 250 cars. The closing date for entries is 20th April. They had a successful event in April last year and managed to raise a staggering £3,400. Monies raised were split between several local charities. For further details email dhiraj@dsandco.com or croydonjubilee@ virginmedia.com. Telephone Dhiraj on 020 8686 7757 (between 9am-5.30pm) or 020 8654 4545 (between 6pm9pm) or David on 020 8688 0273 (between 6pm-9pm).

GET IN TOUCH

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PROFILE Surrey Taekwondo house crazy because they need exercise, and we need them to develop physically, build coordination, fitness, flexibility and all those things we need for ourselves as well. So what can we do?

Two places to look to are the Dorking Sports Centre and Surrey Sports Park in Guildford. What kind of activities can we get involved in where it’s dry and warm inside, but we get our fitness and flexibility and build confidence and co-ordination?

A few of these Olympic sports are perfectly suited for the winter months, available in the local sports centres, and also available for mums and dads, as well as children. Taekwondo, judo, trampoline, swimming, diving, gymnastics, tennis, and badminton all come to mind.

As we all consider our New Year’s resolutions, and try to get back on track after a festive frenzy of eating and drinking, it’s worth looking back at last year’s achievements and reflecting upon where we are heading in the New Year.

One of the highlights was England winning the Six Nations Rugby with 5 wins and no losses in a fantastic series. This really started off the year brilliantly, and was a motivational and inspiring success, promoting more players to join their local rugby clubs and get playing. Well done England!

Another of the highlights in 2016 was the Rio Summer Olympics, where Britain proudly took 67 medals coming third behind the USA and China, but actually took one more gold medal than China, therefore coming in second place in many people’s minds.

Jade Jones took Gold for Great Britain for the second Olympics series in a row, and Bianca Walkden won a medal as well. Ellis and Landridge took a medal in the Badminton, Sally Conway in Judo, numerous people in diving, and Bryony Page won in the trampoline gymnastics. All of these sports are available in our leisure centres for us to partake.

So take a look at your local sports centre, see what you can do with your children or on your own, and get stuck in and ready for those summer swim suits this year!

Surrey Taekwondo is one of those sporting activities for adults, and for children. It runs in Dorking Sports Centre, Guildford’s Surrey Sports Park, and in Woking as well. Classes are starting in the new year for all ages, and free trial lessons are available for you to try before you buy.

What a huge result Great Britain achieved against world super powers given the USA has five times Britain’s population and China has a population of over 1.4 billion, compared to Britain’s 64 million.

Britain took medals in swimming, kayak, diving, cycling, rowing, athletics, gymnastics, golf, tennis, equestrian, sailing, triathalon, taekwondo, hockey, canoe, boxing, rugby, trampoline, shooting, judo, and badminton.

Wow! What a huge achievement well worthy of praise.

So as we ponder what we are going to do this year, having just eaten for England for two weeks and now carrying 10 extra pounds, I’m looking outside and wanting to get active. Running, cycling, mountain biking and so many things to do to get fit and have fun in Surrey, but it’s cold, dark, and wet, and it’s not going to change for some months now. The children are going January 2017

FIND OUT MORE For more information, contact Richard@surreytaekwondo.com, text or call Richard on 07818 224532, or check out the website at www.surreytaekwondo.com. Contact Dorking Sports Centre on 01306 870180 and Surrey Sports Park on 01483 357493.

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BUSINESS CARDS To advertise here from just £25 per month, please call 01483 661088 or email lauren@vantagepublishing.co.uk.

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Open your home to a friendly dog for his holiday!

We are looking for dog lovers to welcome guest dogs into their home for a holiday while owners are away.

If you are at home all day, have no children under the age of six, have no more than one dog of your own and would like to enjoy the companionship of guest dogs please get in touch

Home dog boarding company looking for dog lovers to join our team of carers. Must be at home during the day with not more than 1 dog of your own. Ideal for someone working from home, house person or retired.

AWARD WINNING HOME DOG BOARDING Sue Day Would you like an extra income?

Phone: 01306 880 389 / 07791 596880 Email: rh@waggingtailsuk.co.uk

Give a dog a holiday!

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Free trial lessons for adults and children Join Taekwon-Do at Dorking Sports Centre for all ages.

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Winter Tidy Ups Pressure Washing Hedge Cutting Winter Pruning Fence Painting 01306 295039

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Fencing Turfing

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COMPETITIONS

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

WIN A CIAO GUSTO HAMPER WORTH £100

Picking up all your favourite authentic Italian food and drink has become even easier with the arrival of Ciao Gusto at Ocado – www.ciaogusto. com. For the first time, a simple tab brings together over 30 of Italy’s most popular brands, so you can find exactly what you’re looking for. By selecting the Ciao Gusto tab as part of your shopping, you’ll be able to search recipes and add ingredients straight to your basket. Browse the delicious recipes according to ingredient, preparation time, course or occasion, and explore the joys of Italian cuisine through tips, advice and information about each product.

You’ll be familiar with many products, such as Riso Gallo, Filippo Berio, Giovanni Rana and Cirio who are joined by products new to the UK such as Auricchio cheese and Negroni charcuterie – everything you find at Ciao Gusto has been specially selected for its reputation as an authentic Italian favourite.

To win a wonderful array of Italian goodies worth £100, please answer the following question: Q: Name one of the brands you can get through Ciao Gusto?

Please enter online at www.vantagepointmag.co.uk by 31st January 2017.

WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO ‘YOU WIN AGAIN’ AT NEW VICTORIA THEATRE

A musical theatre show celebrating the story of the Bee Gees is long overdue, according to the producers of You Win Again, which is coming to Woking. Michael Taylor, managing director of international theatre show producers Easy Theatres, says that he is surprised that the intriguing tale of the Bee Gees has not been set to music before.

“They were one of the greatest bands of our time,” he says. “The Bee Gees were responsible for multi-million selling, generation-shaping hits. Easy Theatres promises an evening packed with great music and pathos in equal measure.

We have teamed up with EasyTheatres for the chance to win one of two pairs of tickets to go and see the show at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking and meet the cast before they perform live on stage. Ever wondered what life is like behind the scenes of an EasyTheatres production?

Well now’s your chance to find out! The performance is on 13th February at 8pm.

For your chance to win, simply answer this simple question: Q: How many Gibb brothers were there?

Please enter online at www.vantagepointmag.co.uk by 20th January 2017.

WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS TO FARNHAM BEEREX 2017

Farnham Beerex is the longest running beer festival in the country held at the same location since it started in 1977. The 2016 event raised a record £40,000, every penny of which will be spent by the Lions Club of Farnham to support many good causes within Farnham and its surrounding areas.

At Beerex 2017 will be approx. 60 beers, a range of ciders and perries. Great entertainment provided by four bands, BBQ and Curry food options. It runs from Thursday 27th April to Saturday 29th April.

There are two prizes of two pairs of tickets for the Thursday evening session on 27th April.

To win one of two pairs of tickets, please answer this question:

Q: What is the name of the venue where the Farnham Beerex is held?

Please enter online at www.vantagepointmag.co.uk by 31st January 2017.

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF ENTRY: By entering these competitions you agree to receive periodic emails from VantagePoint Magazine, Vantage Publishing Ltd and the originator of the competition you are entering. You can opt out of receiving these at any time and your data will never be passed on for use by third parties. The prizes are nonToper advertise, call 01483 420173 transferable and have no cash alternative. Only one entry person perplease competition and prizes will only be sent to homes with a GU, KT and RH postcode.

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Gym Swim Classes

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

www.placesforpeopleleisure.org Dorking Sports Centre 01306 870186

Contact us or join online

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Terms and conditions apply.

Nothing more to pay until 1st February 2017.

Our new App coming soon

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