VantagePoint Magazine August 2015 - Dorking & Villages by VantagePoint Magazine

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Dorking & Villages • August 2015

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

MAGAZINE

Chilli Fiesta at West Dean

Inside: SUMMER PET CARE DORKING FOLK CLUB SECRETTS THAI FESTIVAL THINGS TO DO FOR TEENAGERS WIN DINNER FOR FOUR AT CAFE ROUGE

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TO THE POINT We had a concerned phone call in the office recently enquiring after Humph since his disappearance from this column. I am happy to report he is very well and looking forward to his first trip to la France profonde the day after Stefan Reynolds this edition goes to press, where he will celeEditor & Publisher brate his first birthday! As I write, the Dordogne is experiencing a heatwave which looks set to continue upon arrival, so the swimming pool looks likely to be well utilised by us all, including Humph. If only I could train him to mix THE ONLY a decent G&T and open the rosé... ROYAL MAIL DELIVERED Talking of summer, we have an article aimed at teenagers which was produced for us by a local lad, Charles Kershaw, who wrote to us asking to do some work experience. Charles

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has looked into activities for his age group to do in August, which include a number of great sounding things that I had never heard of. With luck they will spark the imagination and get your children or grandchildren away from the house and out of your hair! I was kindly offered a free ticket for DogFest which was held last month at Loseley. It’s a great fun day out for all the family with plenty to occupy everyone and the most astonishing variety of four-legged friends. It has grown enormously since it first started for good reason, but this did not help the long traffic queue of arrivals when I left around midday. If you go next year, my advice is to arrive early! Contact the editor: stefan@vantagepublishing.co.uk

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

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

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

Sales: 01306 776679 Editorial: 01483 421601

vantagepointmag.co.uk THE VANTAGEPOINT TEAM

T August 2015

Marcus Atkins Sales Director marcus@vantagepublishing.co.uk

Liz Godfrey Sales liz@vantagepublishing.co.uk

Carol Martin Sales carol@vantagepublishing.co.uk

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

Contributors: Charles Kershaw, Penny Kitchen,Viv Micklefield, Beth Otway Print: Buxton Press Cover: The Chilli Festival at West Dean

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

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6 Jottings Your local community noticeboard

8 Lead On... Viv Mickelefield goes trekking with the Surrey Hills llamas

12 Chilli Fiesta West Dean’s 20th Chilli Festival

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20 Let’s Get Out of Here! A teenager’s guide to things to do this summer

26 Gastro 28 Garden An interview with Chris Beardshaw

30 Food Brunching out

34 Walk Kiddiwalk: Gunpowder at Chilworth

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37 Profile Beare Green and Newdigate Choral Society

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August 2015

Jottings

- YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

August is a fairly quiet month as far as Jottings are concerned. So many people are away on holiday that organisers tend to avoid holding their events during this month. However, if you are at home, there is still plenty going. Please also look at www.vantagepointmagco. uk for other events happening in our other areas as all our Jottings are online. Whether you’re going away or staying at home, have a lovely month, hopefully in warm sunshine! Leith Hill Place, the childhood home of Ralph Vaughan Williams and now owned by the National Trust, is hosting a series of concerts. On Saturday 1st August there will be a piano recital given by the talented young pianist Catherine Leonard. Her programme will include music by Bach, Ravel and Vaughan Williams. Another concert will be given on Saturday 8th August by soprano Stef Conner. Both concerts start at 6.30pm and tickets are £15. Call 0844 2491895. There are lots of August events at RHS Garden Wisley, GU23 6QB. One that might be of interest is Adventures in Wonderland which runs from now until 1st September from 10.30am -12.30pm and 13.30 – 16.30pm. Discover a world of wonder this summer and celebrate the 150th anniversary of Alice in Wonderland. Follow the clues on the garden trail to lead you to Wonderland, run around the dodo on a caucus race, or try your hand at a game of ﬂamingo croquet. Take your family along for a full day of fun every day of the holidays. Every weekend is special, too. Activities every day; visit www.rhs.org.uk/ wisley for what’s on when. (Some activities need to be booked.) Oakwood, Ockley & Forest Green Flower Show & Summer Fair & Fun Dog Show will take place on Saturday 8th August and will be the 117th since it was

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founded in 1893! This very traditional rural show has grown in size and variety and is a wonderful community event for young and old alike, attracting nearly 2,000 visitors in 2014. This year’s theme is ‘Food, Farming, Forest & Fun’. There will be up to 200 classes where exhibitors will be judged on their fruit, vegetables, preserves, floral displays, art, crafts, photographs, bread and cakes and even a disaster class! There will be a huge range of attractions with up to 90 stalls, the popular fun Dog Show, chickens, ducks, parrots, bees, sheep, ferrets, owls and pony rides, display by Surrey Union hounds, classic cars and agricultural machinery. There will be live music from Mythago Morris, a raffle and silent auction, teas and a great food area with local and exotic food and drink. Many of the attractions are free of charge including Punch & Judy, ball pit and children’s sports. The show takes place at The Recreation Ground, Oakwood Hill, near Ockley, Dorking - opposite Punchbowl Inn, RH5 5PU. The show opens at midday and runs until 5 pm. Adult entry £3, under 16’s free. Free parking. Check the website for more information. www.oakwoodhillflowershow.co.uk. Test your spelling ability by playing Scrabble! The Dorking Scrabble Club welcomes players of all abilities. The Club meets every Wednesday at 7.30 pm. Opponents are paired to play three games in the course of the evening Help is given to new players and everyone is provided with a list of all the two and three letter words (there are over 1400!) If you are interested ring Priscilla on 01737 767072 or David on 01306 889308 or just go any Wednesday to the Roy Currie Room at Dorking United Reformed Church ,West Street, Dorking. On Sunday 9th August at Dorking Halls, Britten’s opera The Rape of Lucretia, will be screened live from

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

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

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Lead on..

Llamas might not be an unusual sight in Peru, but what about in the Surrey Hills? Viv Micklefield goes trekking with some of the Hambledon herd We attempt to parade in an orderly fashion, but ‘Fidel Castro’ has other ideas and decides to stop to munch on some sweet, juicy grass. Not that either of us is in any particular hurry because this is a lazy Sunday morning. There’s something peculiarly relaxing about walking beside a six foot tall llama with butterflies flitting above our heads and the sun on our backs. Flanking Fidel (we’re quickly on first-name terms) are a further four llamas and their novice handlers. Whether adults or children, we are all equally fascinated by these placid creatures, each of whom displays a very individual personality. While Fidel is clearly the head honcho, there’s Surya, at 13 the oldest in our troupe and a llama that likes to lead from the front; Goji who’s one of those given the responsibility of carrying panniers holding today’s picnic lunch; playful and forever hungry Louis, and last, but not least, 10-month-old Dylan on his inaugural trek. It’s 12 years since Julie Stoneley left a career in IT to start llama trekking in Surrey, after becoming smitten with them whilst holidaying in Devon. Quickly realising that a flat in Guildford wouldn’t provide the ideal base for such a business, she and husband Colin moved to the village of Hambledon, joining the heart of the community as landlords of The Merry 8

Harriers. They currently have a herd of 10, all bar one of ‘the boys’ is out with us today, while the four females are about to give birth to the farm’s ﬁrst baby llamas, or cria, as they are known. “Llamas don’t go inside, even when it snows,” says Julie. “They are so insulated by their thick coats that the snow on their backs doesn’t melt.” Having been given the task of brushing our longhaired companions by way of an introduction before the trek started, it’s no surprise to learn how highly prized a ﬂeece is. In fact, as Julie explains, unlike sheep’s wool it contains no lanolin, meaning that llama products are naturally non-allergenic. Following a few minutes instruction on how to hold the halters and the reassuring words, “we’ve had people from eight to 80 on a trek and they all love it”, we’re soon meandering at a steady pace along quiet country trails. For the llamas these are well-trodden routes and even young Dylan obediently falls into line as we climb gradually through

Did you know? • Llamas are relatives of the camel • They originated in the central plains of North America up to 40 million years ago, before migrating south • Llamas have large pads on their feet which minimises damage to their environment • Although not part of their normal diet they will happily tuck into Brussels sprouts and banana skins • Spitting is directed at other llamas, often to settle disputes over food. Just keep your wits about you! vantagepointmag.co.uk

shady woodland up to the top of Hambledon Common. While it may not be the Andes, the panoramic views across the Weald to the South Downs are breathtaking, and there’s a shared sense of achievement voiced by the twolegged among us. Fidel gets a deserved stroke down his elongated neck for good behaviour, but despite the lure of some tasty leaves, he and the rest of the llamas are ready to get moving again. Heading back towards our chosen picnic spot, Goji’s decision to take a roll in a sandy hollow draws the amused cry of “all that hard work grooming him!” With the llamas safely tethered – amazingly they drink very little water thanks to getting most of what they need from grazing on vegetation, we ﬁnish our delicious picnic with fresh strawberries, washed down with a chilled bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. For the dog walkers that stumble across this motley assembly it must be a curious sight. And guaranteed to stop you in your tracks is Julie’s demonstration of feeding the llamas with carrots left over from lunch. With even the youngest trekkers conﬁdently joining in, the surprisingly velvety-soft mouths make light work of these scraps. August 2015

All too soon it’s time to head for home, with the llamas quickening their steps and easily traversing any branches or tree stumps that cross their path. “They are very agile,” observes Julie, before continuing, “vet’s bills are not too bad as they are pretty tough animals.” Beasts of burden they may be, but in a relatively short space of time all of us agree, there’s been a real bond forged. And, according to Julie: “In this country, people sometimes keep llamas to guard sheep or to see-oﬀ foxes. As these are domestic animals you don’t need a licence.” Tempting as it may be to rush out and buy one of these beguiling creatures with their long eye-lashes and nosy natures, this is clearly a very contented herd. Perhaps I’ll just have to pay them another visit one day. I wonder if Fidel will remember me. FIND OUT MORE

Usually it’s one llama shared between two people with a maximum of 18 people on each trek. Prices start at £45 per adult (£23 for children aged 8-13 years) on Wednesday evenings until 9th September. Dates and prices for day treks lasting four to ﬁve hours are advertised online and take place throughout the year, including Christmas Day; family tickets (2+2), champagne treks for couples and birthday party treks for 9-14 years are also available. To book and for enquiries, email: llamalove@ btconnect.co.uk. For more details, visit: www.surrey-hills-llamas.co.uk.

Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

Glyndebourne. This chamber opera, scored for just eight solo singers and a small instrumental ensemble, is not often performed, so here is a welcome chance to see it. Starts at 6pm and tickets are £17. Call 01306 881717. Dorking born actor, James Percy-Smith, is set to bring drama classes and workshops for six to eighteen year olds back to his home town through his company Youth. This is one of three companies managed by Big Bold Productions. Big Bold Youth’s 3 Day Drama Workshop will run at the Dorking Christian Centre from 10th to 12th August from 2pm till 5pm providing students with a strong grounding in improvisation, text and Shakespeare. The workshop will give students a flavour of the weekly classes set to commence from September onwards. Say’s James “I want to give back something to the town where Big Bold Theatre began, providing classes and workshops that really give students an insight into the acting world. I want them to leave our classes with the confidence to go on and achieve their own dreams!”. To book your place on Big Bold Youth’s 3 Day Drama Workshop this summer, or to find out about future classes, visit www.bigboldyouth. co.uk or call 020 3393 9931. Workshops cost just £49 with classes starting at £5.80 per week. Horsley Garden Society holds flower and produce shows, meetings, lectures and visits that bring

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together those with an interest in gardening. In their three shows members compete for awards and trophies with their flowers, fruit and vegetables, homecrafts and handicrafts. All activities take place at the West Horsley Village Hall. Anyone interested in membership at the modest cost of £8 per annum should contact the chairman, Roger Lindsay, email r.lindsay339@ btinternet.com or the membership secretary, Terry Lazenby, email terrylazenby@terrylazenby.plus.com Watermill Jazz takes place every Thursday from 8.30 to 11pm, at The Aviva Social Club, Pixham Lane Dorking RH4 1QU. Coming up in August, on 13th, The Man Overboard Quintet, on 20th The Humphrey Lyttleton Band, and on 27th Mark Edwards “Cloggz”. There is also a Jam Session on Sunday 9th August from 2 to 5pm. Tickets are priced from £18 to £20 (concession £1 off), there is a reduction for members and students half price. Call the Box Office on 07415 815784. For more information and how to join go to www.watermilljazz. co.uk. The Horsley Floral Decoration Group (affiliated to NAFAS) is a friendly afternoon flower arranging club. They meet at East Horsley Village Hall on the 2nd Tuesday of each month (except August) at 2pm. They have a varied programme of demonstrators/speakers/ in-house entertainment, trips, internal competitions (optional), sales table, refreshments, etc. Visitors and

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August 2015

Chilli Fiesta

We take a look at the 20th Chilli Fiesta at West Dean which runs from the 7th-9th August Humble beginnings The award-winning Chilli Fiesta began in 1995 as a modest, oneday celebration of the colourful chillies grown in the thirteen historic Victorian glasshouses at West Dean Gardens. One of the biggest and original chilli festivals in the UK, it has grown from small beginnings to become something of a national treasure.

22,000 people who come to enjoy the full three-day programme of live music, food and entertainment. Chilli Fiesta is a family friendly summer festival with many people choosing to camp for the weekend with family and friends in the spectacular grounds of the estate.

“Chilli Fiesta began as a small event twenty years ago and has grown to become one of the UK’s original and largest chilli events,” says Sarah Wain, West Dean Gardens’ chilli expert. “It’s the unique mix of visitors who come to listen to live Latin music and celebrate all things chilli and, of course, see our amazing range of 250 varieties of chillies, that makes Chilli Fiesta special.”

This year the Chilli Fiesta celebrates 20 years and will feature a ﬁrework spectacular on Saturday night as part of the weekend festival.

Hotting up at Chilli Fiesta Chilli Fiesta takes place over a three day weekend and offers a full programme of hot Latin The original Chilli Fiesta and salsa music and entertainment, good food Set in the heart of the beautiful South Downs National Park with and drink (featuring many local suppliers), the backdrop of the historic flint-faced Grade II* listed West dancing, celebrity cookery demos, gardening Dean House, the festival tips from horticulturhas grown substantially “West Dean knows how to put on a good show and you al experts, a marketsince it began. It is one of can see things growing and learn so much about how place offering chilli-rethe original and most pop- to cultivate your own. The place is quietly becoming a lated foods and gifts, ular chilli festivals in the children’s activities, a national institution. You should see it.” The Times. UK and attracts around Vintage Fun Fair and 12

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family camping in a safe environment in the spectacular grounds of the estate. If putting up a tent is not your thing, you can try Glamping. (Dogs are welcome too on a short lead.) Line-up on stage This year’s exciting line-up of live entertainment includes Groupo Lokito, The Fontanas, charismatic singer and musician, Jesus Cutino and his band Son de Cuba and Brazilian/Latin group Sambossa. Several bands will be making their debut this year including Levi Roots, who will not only be bringing his culinary expertise to the cookery theatre but also leading his band on the main stage. Also making their first appearance at Chilli Fiesta are Tom & Ash, Adriana, Quinto, Lokandes, The Voodoo Love Orchestra, the famous Gypsy King Tribute Band, Bamboleo, and Elisangela, plus local bands Ed Goodale and Steel Strum. The popular Mariachi Tequila Band, will be spending the day amongst the crowds getting them into the Latin groove. Cookery Theatre In the cookery theatre popular Sussex cook and food writer, Rosemary Moon, will be hosting a series of food demonstrations where you can learn top tips and sample delicious chilli delights. Rosemary will be joined over the weekend by Malcolm Riley, The African Chef (Saturday) and Petworth bakery specialist, Danish-born Master Baker, Troels Bendix. Levi Roots, who appeared on Dragon’s Den in 2007 and secured investment in his Reggae Reggae Sauce, will be giving demonstrations in the cookery theatre on Sunday, making his famous Home Style Jerk Chicken Wings and his Hot and Fruity Caribbean Coleslaw. Also joining Rosemary will be food, drink and travel writer, Andy Lynes, chatting about his new book ‘How to be a Chilli Head’. Fun for all the family The popular Vintage Steam Fun Fair returns to Chilli Fiesta this year. There are activities for children including face painting, Punch and Judy shows, rock school workshops and new for this year, The Great Chilli Throwing contest for younger festival-goers, and older ones too! Antonio the Tambourine Juggler will entertain children and adults alike on the main stage. Pick up chilli growing tips from the experts West Dean Garden’s very own chilli expert, Sarah Wain, will be dispensing chilli-growing advice during the fiesta. Joining Sarah each day in the gardening theatre will be gardening experts from Simpson Seeds (Friday), Hot Headz (Saturday) and Sea Spring Seeds (Sunday) reminiscing about their first ever Chilli Fiesta in 1995. Visitors will be able to explore the award-winning walled garden over the three-day weekend and see around 250 chilli va August 2015

Sarah Wain’s Chilli Ice Cream

Ingredients: 1 ripe mango Vanilla ice cream (homemade or your favourite brand) I habanero chilli

Chilli growing tip “Remember to feed chilli plants regularly, initially with seaweed extract to initiate root development. Then use a balanced fertiliser after the first potting and after the final pot or when flowers and fruits start to appear, change to a fertiliser high in potassium (such as a tomato feed).” Sarah Wain, West Dean Gardens Supervisor.

Method: 1. Remove the ice cream from the freezer before you begin, to allow it to soften a little. 2. Peel the mango, remove the stone and mash the ﬂesh well. 3. Finely chop the habanero chilli, after scraping out the seeds. Combine the chopped chilli with the mango. 4. Mix the mango and chilli mixture into the slightly softened ice cream and return immediately to the freezer. Re-freeze. Serve. FIND OUT MORE

rieties being grown in the Victorian glasshouses. Sarah will share tips on growing chillies at home during talks and tours.

West Dean Gardens, near Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 0RX www.westdean.org.uk/chilli

A huge amount of work over the last two decades has gone into making the 90 acres of gardens and arboretum at West Dean a showcase of horticultural variety and quality to inspire any gardener throughout the seasons. Visitors to Chilli Fiesta can also enjoy the award-winning sunken garden, spring, wild and woodland gardens, St. Roche’s Aboretum, walled garden orchards and the kitchen garden.

Prices:

Chilli Fiesta is not only a celebration of the ﬁery chilli but also of the British summer, come rain or shine. “Despite the stormy weather on Friday and Sunday last year visitors continued to stream through the gates, dancing and enjoying the live music in the rain.” says Sam Moore, West Dean’s Public Events Manager. “It shows just how determined people are to enjoy their favourite chilli festival.” 14

Friday Day Ticket: Adult £12 Child £1.00 Saturday Day Ticket: Adult £14.50 Child £1.00 Sunday Day Ticket: Adult £12.00 Child £1.00 3-day pass with camping: Adult from £95 Child £36, early booking for camping advised) Group bookings - for groups 10 or more please call 01243 818221. Book online at www.westdean.org.uk/chilli Note: Produce Stalls close at 6pm. Main Stage music ﬁnishes at 9pm on Fri and Sat eve, 6pm on Sunday. Paradiso Latino Cabaret Tent is open until 11pm Fri and Sat eve and 9pm Sunday. Only food stalls and bars around the central stage area will be open after 6pm.

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Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

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New Members very welcome (Feb/AGM members only). Go along and join them (first visit free) for Fun, Flowers and Friendship. For more details please phone Beryl on 01483 831422 or email bjg317@virginmedia. com. If you are over 60 and live in the Mole Valley area, Age Concern offers you the opportunity to do Tai Chi classes for a very small fee. Their qualified teacher will teach you how to combine deep breathing and relaxation with slow and gentle movements. Studies show that Tai Chi can help people over 60 reduce stress, and improve balance and mobility. Classes take place on Thursdays from 2.15 to 3.15pm at The Westcott Reading Room, Institute Road, Westcott RH4 3NP. Most people should be able to do Tai Chi, but if you have any health concerns, do get advice from your GP before starting. For further information, or to register for the classes, contact Dr Joyce Kingsley Jones on 01306 885789 or email: joycekingsleyjones@hotmail.co.uk. Dorking Gardeners Club will be holding a Flower and Produce Show at North Holmwood on Saturday 15th August at 2.30pm. Homemade teas available and plants for sale. The club also holds winter meetings on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 7.30pm at the Friends Meeting House Dorking. Visitors are very welcome at both shows and meetings. For further information contact Jenny Wenham 01737 841151 or

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email Jennifer.wenham@Hotmail.co.uk. Dorking Museum at 62 West Street, Dorking RH4 1BS are holding their next Family Saturday event on Saturday 15th August from 2 to 4pm. This time you can be a history detective. Can you ﬁnd the old parts of West Street? Tours with photo sheet at 2pm, 2.30pm, 3pm and 3.30pm (they close at 4pm) No need to book, just drop in. All materials provided. Children must be accompanied. Cost, Adults £2 children and seniors £1, under 5’s free and a family ticket £4.50. Target age group: Children up to age 10. Website: www.dorkingmuseum. org.uk/events/family-activities-at-dorking-museum. On Sunday 16th August, The King’s Men, a closeharmony group formed from the choral scholars of King’s College Cambridge, will be performing at St Mary Magdalene church in South Holmwood. Their varied programme will range from Byrd to the Beatles. The concert starts at 4pm and tickets cost £15. Call 01306 888922. Do your kids have a passion for dance, drama and singing? Are they keen to work backstage on sound and lighting design? If so, join Guildford Theatre School as they stage a musical adaptation of The Wizard of Oz in just two weeks! Ideal for ages 8-18, 17th – 29th August your children will learn new skills, make new friends and have fun as they work with professional

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August 2015

Top acoustic duo Winter Wilson to open Dorking Folk Club’s autumn season Dorking Folk Club must be one of Surrey’s best-kept secrets. Where else can you sit in comfortable, intimate surroundings, within a few feet of topnotch, internationally-known performers, chat to them during the interval over a beer or glass of wine, and all for less than the price of a CD? And annual membership of just £10 entitles you to a discount on the door on most guest nights, as well as a regular newsletter by email, keeping you informed of upcoming performers. The club meets at 8.30pm every Wednesday evening in the Regency Room at the Aviva social club, Pixham Lane Dorking – except for the Christmas period and a few short weeks over the summer, while regulars (and performers) are busy heading off to folk festivals around the country. The club has just announced its line-up of guest performers for the autumn season, starting on 9th September with the popular folk duo Winter Wilson. Kip Winter (vocals, accordion, guitar, flute) and Dave Wilson (vocals, guitar, banjo) are well-known on the folk circuit for their fine songs, stunning harmonies and off-the-wall humour. Dave Wilson is also widely regarded as one of the UK’s best contemporary, acoustic songwriters. His songs are sometimes challenging, often lyrical, but always poetic and have been widely covered, including ‘Storm Around Tumbledown’ recorded by Vin Garbutt, among others. Kip Winter has one of the best voices in the business, delivering power and emotion in equal measure. In the past she has sung every16

thing from opera to soul and jazz, but is at her best (and happiest) singing folk and blues. Winter Wilson are the first in Dorking Folk Club’s autumn programme of visiting guest performers, all appearing at 8.30pm on Wednesday evenings, at the Aviva social club, Pixham Lane, Dorking. Other guests for the season are: 16th September – Steve Tilston. Great guitar, top-notch songs and delicious voice. 30th September – Harpeth Rising. Vocal harmonies, banjo, cello and violin fusions from this fabulous female trio. 14th October – Chris Wood. Brilliant troubadour, excellent songs. 28th October – Richard Digance. The multi-talented musician, composer, poet and comedian makes a welcome return to Dorking Folk Club. 4th November – Twisted Routes: pipes, guitar, fiddle and voices combine perfectly in this traditional trio. 25th November - Cathryn Craig and Brian Willoughby: a talented duo blending musical styles from the USA and the UK. The intervening Wednesday evenings are Dorking Folk Club’s singers nights. During these informal sessions, local, non-professional performers of all abilities get together to hear each other perform. Singers nights are open to all – musicians, singers, poets, any acoustic performer who would like to take a floor spot and perform a couple of items for the enjoyment of all. There is no pressure to perform as the club welcomes non-performers who just want to come along and listen. Entry on singers nights is just £3. The club aims to provide as broad a cross-section of music as possible, to highlight a range of styles. Past guest artists have included well-known performers such as John Renbourn, Andy Cutting, Clive Carroll, Davey Arthur, Tom McConville, Jez Lowe, Martin Simpson, Mike Wilson & Damien Barber, Martin Carthy, Steve Tilston, Spiers and Boden (Bellowhead) and The Young’uns. Dorking Folk Club club was formed in May 1976. Although it has been through a few metamorphoses, with name changes and with different venues over the years, it has always been successful in bringing acoustic and traditional music to Surrey. FIND OUT MORE

Dorking Folk Club’s programme, more information about the club and directions are all on its website: http://dorkingfolkclub.org.uk.

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theatre practitioners. They’ll learn the lines, tread the boards and master the dance routines of this family classic. The cost is £300. If your kids are keen to get hands-on experience of working backstage at a theatre, the technical course is just the ticket! From 24th – 29th August your children will work with a professional team to design the set, build the props, create the special effects, and operate the sound and lights for the Wizard of Oz performances. This one week course is £120. Contact www.glive.co.uk. Wings & Wheels are introducing a NEW second Stunt Zone to the Wheels Zone on Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th August. Visitors can expect some thrilling and unique entertainment throughout the day from the sensational ‘Savage Skills’ who are headlining the Zone with their Anti Gravity Show four times a day. Visitors can also enjoy the world famous Red Arrows, RAF Eurofighter Typhoon, RAF Eurofighter Typhoon and Spitfire (Synchro Pair), Vulcan, Chinook, The Blades and a host of other modern and historic aircraft during the five hour flying displays. For four and two wheeled fans, supercars and classic and vintage icons put on an awe inspiring display of power and speed on the Top Gear track in a two hour auto spectacular from Brooklands Museum. The show also includes over 25 fixed-price catering outlets, 2 bars, hospitality facilities, free on-site parking, public camping, lost children point, disabled access, informative show commentary, opportunities

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to meet the pilots, oﬃcial show merchandise and grandstand seating. Tickets start from £22 for adults, £50 for a family (2 adults and 3 children aged 5 – 15yrs), £7 for children aged between 5 and 15yrs and under 5s are free. Hospitality packages start from £150 per person, weekend passes, grandstand tickets and camping are also available. For more information visit www.wingsandwheels.net or to book standard tickets call 08712 305 572. Organic September is organised by the Soil Association. The Soil Association was founded in 1946 by farmers, scientists, doctors and nutritionists to promote the connection between the health of the soil, food, animals, people and the environment. Today the Soil Association is the UK’s leading membership charity campaigning for healthy, humane and sustainable food, farming and land use. This September, the Soil Association is launching the biggest ever Organic September, the UK’s celebration of all things organic. With more people looking for healthy, ethical and local food, Organic September makes it even easier to eat and live well - with inspiring tips and recipes using good ingredients. Swapping to organic food has huge beneﬁts for people, animal welfare and the environment. Find out more: www. soilassociation.org.

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August 2015

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Top tips for summer pet safety With another heatwave forecast, it is vital to ensure that our dogs and cats are properly cared for in the hot weather. We asked a couple of local vets for some hints and tips: 1. Provide plenty of clean fresh water for all pets in warmer weather. 2. Paddling pools or similar are good for cooling dogs if out side for long periods, an alternative could be a spray from a hose if the dog does not become too excited. 3. Vets have seen a lot of ticks on animals already this summer. If you find a tick on your pet, don’t apply any substances to the tick, simply use a specialist tick hook to remove it. Ticks can carry several diseases which could affect your pet, so it’s best to use a product that repels ticks to prevent them biting in the first place. 4. Never leave any pet in a car on warm days even for a few minutes (even with the windows open); the inside of a car can get to very high temperature in a short period. 5. Trim excess hair – get them groomed! 6. Keep an eye on your pet for any signs of heat exhaustion or sunstroke including excessive panting, drooling, convulsions, collapse and shock. If your pet shows any of these signs, get them out of the heat, shower them with cool (not cold) water, wrap them in wet towels and take them straight to the vet. 7. Do not over-exercise animals on hot days - take them out at the coolest parts of the day e.g. early morning/late evening. 8. Take special care with brachycephalic breeds i.e. bulldogs/ pugs/French bulldogs – these are prone to overheating . 9. Take water with you if going out for the day with your dog – if going to the beach it is important not to let your dog drink salt water as they can get salt intoxication. 10. It is useful to keep water in your car for emergencies but make sure you use a thermos flask in summer to keep the water cool. 11. Use sunscreen for animals with white fur. Common places to get sunburn are tips of ears in white cats, top of nose in dogs with white fur.

12. Dogs can burn their paws on hot pavements so walk them during the cooler times of the day. A good test is to hold the back of your hand on the pavement – if you can’t hold it there for 5 seconds or more it is too hot to walk your dog on. 13. If you are taking your dog to the beach, check tide times ﬁrst. Not all dogs can naturally swim so they could quickly get out of their depth. The hot grains of sand and salt in the sea can also damage their paws so wash them thoroughly when you get home. 14. Grass seeds are common foreign bodies that can cause discomfort, particularly in ears and feet, which are picked up when exercising outside or on a walk. Avoid walking in long grass during the peak summer months of June to August and check your dog’s paws after every walk for lurking grass seeds. Seek early veterinary advice if your dog starts licking its paw or has a small hole between its toes. 15. Try freezing your dog’s dinner into ice lollies by mixing their food with some water in a cup and putting it in the freezer for a couple of hours. Remove the cup before giving it to your dog. 16. Kennel cough is a separate vaccination for dogs. It isn’t always a requirement when your dog goes into kennels, but it is recommended. Battersea Dogs and Cats Home has a Summer Proof Fun (SPF) guide on its website. It is a four-step process where pet owners can answer a series of questions to reveal their pet’s SPF score based on coat colour, coat type, length of the animal’s nose and age to determine either a low, medium or high susceptibility. FIND OUT MORE

www.battersea.org.uk/funinthesun Thanks to Newdigate Vets (www.newdigatevets.co.uk), Stocton, Denbies View and Thornbury Veterinary Centres (www.denbiesviewvets.co.uk) and Brelades Vets (www.breladesvets.com). August 2015

Let’s get out of here! A teenager’s guide to things to do this summer by Charles Kershaw Summer is the longest holiday of the year, and for that reason it can often be the most boring one. If you’re like me, you’ve ﬁnished your GCSEs and spent the last two months doing next to nothing. So, I’ve compiled a bunch of activities and events going on this August to get you out of the house and to enjoy your last month of freedom before September.

Music Festivals

There are loads of music festivals going on in August, but some may have already sold out by the time you’ve read this article. If you are interested in any of the following, be sure to book as soon as possible to at least have the chance of getting a ticket. V festival Virgin festival will be happening this year in two diﬀerent locations at the same time – in both Chelmsford and Staﬀordshire. Headlining the festival will be Calvin Harris, Kasabian, Ellie Goulding, Stereophonics, Mark Ronson and more. This year there will be a new dance tent in which Oliver Heldens and Hannah Wants will headline. The festival will be between 22nd-23rd August. www.vfestival.com Reading Festival Another pair of festivals are the Reading and Leeds festivals. Both festivals are between 28th – 30th August, and headlining the festivals will be Mumford and Sons, Metallica, Alt J, Jamie T, Bastille, The Libertines, Kendrick Lamar, Palma Violets, the Maccabees, the Cribs and Charlie XCX. Tickets cost around £60, but with so many great artists performing it’s a bargain. www.readingfestival.com and www.leedsfestival.com

Local Festivals There a lots of other smaller musical events going on in the area showcasing local music talent, including: Grills and Guitars will be performing on 7th August in the open air outside Farnham Maltings from 8.30pm and 10.30pm. The event is free but the barbecue is £8. www.farnhammaltings.com Frimley Lodge Live will be happening on August 8th and 9th in the Camberley Theatre, with 80s rock, reggae and a ‘Celebration of Swing’. www.camberleytheatre.biz Samfest will be held in Tongham Recreation Ground on 8th August, with acts mostly consisting of local upand-coming rock/indie rock bands. www.samfestmusicfestival.co.uk Check out your local pubs to see if they have any live music evenings. These tend to be free.

On the bandstand...

We are lucky to have two free summer long bandstand concerts in the area. Music in the Meadow in Farnham’s Gostrey meadow runs every Sunday from 3pm-5pm and music varies from rock to R ’n’ B, jazz, soul and swing. www.farnham.gov.uk/events/music-meadow-10 In Godalming, there is Music in the Park which also takes place every Sunday from 3pm-5pm. This magazine is sponsoring the concert on 9th August featuring the ever popular Cryin’ Out Loud. www.godalmingbandstand.co.uk vantagepointmag.co.uk

Local Attractions Here are some other things that you can do at any time this summer:

If you fancy becoming the next Lewis Hamilton, Daytona Sandown Go-Karting Park is in Esher just ﬁve minutes oﬀ the M25, with a 900m outside track. www.daytona.co.uk/venues/sandown

Get some friends together and annihilate them in a game of paintball at Delta Force Paintball in Cobham. They have a number of game zones featuring blockbuster movie props, a ﬁve star safety record and competitively low prices. For teens entry costs £14.99 each with 100 paintballs per person. www.paintballgames.co.uk

Guildford Spectrum has a lot to oﬀer. Practise your ice skating on the Olympic sized ice rink or watch the Guildford Flames ice hockey team or Guildford Heat on the basketball court. There are 32 10-pin bowling lanes which you can book to use with your mates as well as four swimming pools, including a Leisure Pool with slides and a wave machine, and a 25m competition pool. www.guildfordspectrum.co.uk

Practise your driving skills at Mercedes Benz World in Brooklands, Weybridge, either honing your on-road skills to ace your driving test or navigate water crossings and steep slopes in a 4x4 one hour oﬀ-road experience. http://bit.ly/1s6X8MX

Explore the Reigate Caves on 8th August from 10am4pm. Guided tours usually run every 20 minutes and no booking is necessary. It takes about three hours to fully explore all the caves and inside them you can discover the history of the now lost Reigate Castle. www. reigatecaves.com

Airhop has recently opened in Guildford, and is one of the ﬁrst indoor trampoline parks in England. Besides the 50 interconnected trampolines in the jump-free zone, you can slam dunk like a pro basketball player with the help of a trampoline. Ever wanted to play trampoline dodgeball? Now you can, in Airhop’s trampoline dodgeball court. It also has a foam pit, where you can safely practise your stunts. One hour of jump time will cost you £11.50. An alternative venue is Gravity Force in Camberley. http://airhoptrampolinepark.com/index

Get your thrills at Thorpe Park, just outside of London in Chertsey, open from 10am to 7pm. The park boasts Stealth, the fastest accelerating and tallest launch rollercoaster in the UK, going from 0-80mph in 1.8 seconds. www.thorpepark.com Geocaching is something you can do all around Surrey and will also let you experience the joys of the countryside. It involves tracking down ‘caches’ containing items by using a GPS unit (or your phone) and clues to find the hidden treasures. Each ‘treasure’ is a container with a notepad and pen inside so that you can leave a message to other geocachers. Garmin are offering GPS units to borrow for this at Polesden Lacey, near Dorking. You can download the free Geocaching app from the Apple or android store to help find geocaches in your local area. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/article-1356393316965

London Attractions

There are so many things for young people to do in London. Here are a some things I thought were really worth travelling for: Secret Cinema returns for another year, re-enacting a different classic film: Star Wars’ The Empire Strikes Back. The event happens at a top secret location which ticket holders are escorted to secretly. Upon arriving there, they will find themselves immersed in the film – whether they are on the icy planet Hoth or the swamps of Dagobah. The event usually lasts about five hours and tickets cost £50 for children and teens – pricey, but seeing as last year’s venue was the size of several Tate Moderns I’m sure it’s worth it. www.secretcinema.org

August 2015

Above: London Rib Voyages. Top right: Zorbing. Right: The view from a London Helicopter

If you’re looking for something more fast-paced check out the UK’s longest indoor go-karting track at Capital Karts in north London, featuring an 80m straight where you can reach a speed of 45mph. www.capitalkarts.com You can speedboat along the Thames James-Bondstyle with London Rib Voyages if you want to see the iconic river at high speed. Starting from the London Eye there are on-board ‘comedian guides’ to help make the most of the experience. www.londonribvoyages.com For a birds–eye view of famous London landmarks, look no further than The London Helicopter, giving you three different choices of flight routes, each one taking you more than 1000ft into the air with incredible panoramic views. www.thelondonhelicopter.com Use your puzzle-solving skills and teamwork to escape the room at Escape Rooms, based on hit online game “Takagism”. Escape Rooms provides two different themed rooms, Pharaoh’s Chamber and Room 33, in which you solve hidden puzzles to get closer to unlocking the door to escape the room. Book soon as tickets are already running out. www.escaperooms.co.uk The O2 has lots to offer besides just the arena, from restaurants and bars, to Cineworld, Brooklyn Bowl, featuring 12 bowling lanes accompanied by the taste of fried chicken. For those unafraid of heights conquer the iconic roof with Up at The O2, where on a clear day you can see landmarks 15 miles away, or experience the bright lights of London with the Twilight expedition, the night-time version of Up at The 02. www.theo2.co.uk You can see how all your favourite BBC programmes are made with BBC guided tours, as well as being given the chance to make your own radio play, complete with music and sound effects. You’ll also have the chance to visit the studio which is home to ‘The One Show’ and

have a go at reading the news yourself. The tours lasts about an hour and a half. www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/tours/bh_london See the latest films on the huge IMAX screen, the biggest cinema screen in Britain and very conveniently located near Waterloo station. www.bfi.org.uk/bfi-imax If you’ve never done it before, zorbing is a must. Created in New Zealand, it involves rolling down a hill in a huge inflatable ball, sometimes filled with 40 litres of water (Hydro Zorbing) and sometimes with you strapped in with a harness. Go Zorbing London, located within London’s M25, offers 3 rides for 2 people for £95. www.zorbing.co.uk On the cheaper side of things, you can get a cheap haircut at the Toni and Guy Academy in New Oxford Street, London or watch a real-life court drama at the Old Bailey. Viewing times are Monday to Friday from 9.55am to 12.40pm and from 1.55pm to 3.40pm. http://toniandguy.com/pages/article/210 If you’re under 16, Kids Week means that between August 1st and 31st you can go free to any participating London show when accompanied by an adult paying full price. www.kidsweek.co.uk If all else fails you can always find sanctuary with a DVD box set and a big pack of Pringles – there are some great bargains on eBay – Fresh Meat, Skins, Friends, Game of Thrones are sure to fill some hours…

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Garden Teak Ad 71 x 185 V2_stage 5 12/03/2012 19:39 Page 1

YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

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RHS Ambassador Mary Berry will open this year’s annual flower show at The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Garden Wisley, in Surrey. The spectacular six-day flower festival (8th – 13th September) offers visitors the chance to enjoy a profusion of plants and flowers, seek the best gardening advice and explore the garden in its late summer glory. The Unattached Group (T-U-G) is enjoying a summer packed with events including a river trip, sailing day, BBQs, a visit to BBC London and their annual Summer Party, as well as the usual theatre trips, meals and social evenings. T-U-G is a Surrey/Hampshire based group of about 80 single people who enjoy times together including a weekly pub meet and chat night. A variety of activities are currently being planned for late summer and the autumn. New members would be most welcome and information can be obtained at www.theunattachedgroup.co.uk or Maggie on 07855 008897. After celebrating a successful decade in business last year, Red Mist Leisure, the independently owned, Farnham based pub company started by two friends, Mark Williams and Mark Robson, is again raising a glass – this time to the £13,117.14 £5,500 was raised through CherryFest , the Duke Of Cambridge in Tilford’s legendary May Bank Holiday charity music festival, which is gaining somewhat of a cult status, with money being raised for Cherry Trees respite care home for children with severe learning and physical difficulties, based in East Clandon near one of the group’s other pubs, The Queen’s Head. Finally, the pub group has also donated nearly £1,800 to local fundraising events including school fayres and charity raffles. This really is a great example of how you can run a successful business and have a have a social conscience at the same time. Impressive! August 2015

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Dorking Loud & Proud Community Choir welcomes new members when it returns for the new term on Wednesday 2nd September. The choir sings a wide variety of songs from pop, musical theatre, choral and everything in between! They are led by an experienced choral director who has a particular focus on make singing fun, enjoyable and all inclusive. There is no audition or the requirement to read music to join. They are a very friendly and sociable choir that meets on Wednesdays from 7.30pm to 9pm at St John’s C of E Community Primary School, Goodwyns Road, Dorking RH4 2LR. For further information go to www. dorkingloudandproudcommunitychoir.org.uk or call 07552 555942. Please feel free to just drop in on a Wednesday to see what the choir is all about; you will be made most welcome.

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Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

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Tickets are now on sale for the ‘must attend’ event of the year here in Dorking. The ‘Friends of Dorking’ Elvis Night at Rialto Lounge in South Street, Dorking will take place on Saturday 19th September. Tickets are just £25 each for a two-course meal plus entertainment from Matt King, one of the best Elvis Tribute Acts in the world! Call Simon Edmands on 07753 821964 or info@ friendsofdorking.org. Places are strictly limited to just 80, so do book your table now to avoid missing out on a great night … guaranteed! Kids for Kids, the local charity that does so much to help the forgotten children of Darfur, hold an amazing number of events that, are as their name would suggest, are great for the kids. One such event is a Paint & Picnic Day to be held on Saturday 22nd August. Join them at Great Brockhamhurst in Betchworth from 10am to 4pm for a day of painting with tutor Karen Pearson. The day is open to anyone who loves to sketch and paint. All abilities and all painting mediums will be catered for under the careful eye of Karen ( www. karenpearson.com )The cost is a minimum donation of £15. To book and ﬁnd out details of this and other events, go to www.kidsforkids.org.uk or call 07957 206440 or emailcontact@kidsforkids.org.uk. On Sunday 23rd August at 1.45pm and 3.45pm local historian Patrick Newberry will give a fascinating talk on the history and architecture of Leith Hill Place.

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The talk is free to National Trust members; normal admission charges apply to non-members. No booking required. As well as the above, Leith Hill Place oﬀers children’s trails, a children’s activity room, a free audio tour about Vaughan Williams’ life and music, fabulous views, delicious cream teas and a relaxing place to bring your family (and dog!). Open 11 till 5, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. Visit www.nationaltrust.org. uk/leithhillplaceevents for more details. Guildford Rambling Club is meeting at 10am on Sunday 23rd August at the Abinger Roughs car park in Whitedown Lane near Abinger Hammer for a 7 mile walk. Visitors are welcome. Details from David on 07512 147456 and at www.guildfordramblingclub. org.uk. 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 5-8 weeks with the option of additional weeks to reinforce and build on what you’ve learned. Topics covered can include: basic keyboard and mouse skills, using an iPad, setting up and using your own email or skype accounts (making communication with faraway family and friends a breeze!) and how to browse or shop on the internet as well. Those who already own a laptop or an iPad are encouraged to bring that to learn on but computers will be provided as well – it’s up to

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Buses 4U - Mole Valley Village Link Early in 2014 the East Surrey Rural Transport Partnership (ESRTP), which operates Buses 4U, was awarded a grant from the Big Lottery Fund to help develop transport links in the Mole Valley area around Dorking. The funding paid for a new minibus and in 2014 the ﬁrst service to start operating was Summer Sunday Rambler Bus 765 linking Dorking Main Station with National Trust Properties such as Polesden Lacey, Hatchlands, Clandon* & Leith Hill. The Rambler runs on Sundays during British Summer Time and details are at www.buses4u.org. uk. Buses 4U Mole Valley Village Link Commuter Shuttle is the next major initiative within this project and commenced on 16 February 2015, linking Buckland, Betchworth, Brockham & Strood Green with Dorking Main Station. The service has been timed to complement the Bus 32 service by ﬁlling gaps when it does not run. However, the Buses 4U service operates on a 1members-only B4U Challenger May 2015.pdf 11/05/2015 11:59:22 basis, which means it can adapt quickly to the needs

of commuters and in the evenings, only runs the journeys that are actually required, so saving costs. Membership is free and new members are given a Free Journey Card for their first 5 return (or 10 single) journeys. Thereafter the single fare is £1.50. Full details of the service are at www.buses4u. org.uk/commuter where a timetable leaflet and registration form can be downloaded and emailed to rtp@tandridge.gov.uk Alternatively, please call 01883 732791 and ask for a form to be sent to you. East Surrey Wheels2Work is separate project run by ESRTP and loans mopeds to those who have difficulty accessing other forms of transport in order to get to work, education or training. For full details go to www.eastsurreyrtp.org.uk/esw2w.htm or call 01883 732791 for a leaflet with an application form. *Sadly, due to the fire at Clandon the service will not serve this property until further notice, but all other timetabled departures are unchanged.

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August 2015

Buses 4U Mole Valley Village Link is operated by the East Surrey Rural Transport Partnership with a grant from the Big Lottery Fund. Company Reg No. 05698314 VAT No. 885980750 Charity No. 1121750

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Gold for Albury’s rosé!

Gold Top on forTrip Albury’s Adviser rosé!

Much to their delight, Silent Pool Rosé 2014 has been awarded a Gold medal in the English and Welsh Wine of the Year Competition announced this week! It was one of only two rosés, and the only wine in Surrey to be awarded a gold award. There were only 19 gold’s in total amongst 327 entries. The wines were tasted blind by a panel of eminent judges including Anthony Foster MW (Chair), David Bird MW, Dee Blackstock MW, Robin Crameri MW, Sally Easton MW and Rebecca Hull MW.

Congratulations to Nicky and staﬀ of the Red Bar & Lounge for reaching and maintaining No. 1 Best Restaurant in Dorking on Trip Advisor. Having read some of the reviews, it sounds like it’s well worth a visit. Here’s a snippet from one from Paul P of Dorking; “I was not expecting this 1960’s looking pub to oﬀer much. I was seriously mistaken. This was by far the best food I have had in Dorking and our friends likewise raved about how good their starters and main meal were.” The Red Bar & Lounge, Dene Street, Dorking RH4 2DW Tel: 01306 882 222.

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They also had a great result for our ﬁrst sparkling wine, Albury Estate Premier Cuvée, which was awarded a Silver medal - a fantastic achievement for our ﬁrst bubbly. The results Albury including the vineyard manager, Alex Valsecchi, who our editor has met and is a passionate and charming exponent of the great art of viticulture and wine making.

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Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

you! Before coming to the course, you must register your interest by telephoning 07442 017 169 or by email: ageconcern.molevalley@yahoo.co.uk. Each year Surrey’s voluntary car schemes help thousands of elderly and vulnerable people across the county to access hospital appointments, collect prescriptions and to enjoy social events. Each one is run by local volunteers for the benefit of their communities, by providing lifts for those who may not have easy access to transport. Demand for the service is increasing year on year but the number of volunteer drivers is falling in Mole Valley. Basically, they desperately need more volunteer drivers. Becoming a volunteer driver is easy and volunteers can give as much or as little time as they choose, as well as decide the days and times during which they are available. For more information about how to become a volunteer driver, contact Vicki Turton at Surrey Community Action on 01483 447121 or email vickit@surreyca.org.uk. Do you fancy Friday Bingo? A group of around 20 who play bingo from 8 to 10pm in South Holmwood Village Hall are still looking to recruit a few new players. They are a very friendly group who have a laugh whilst trying to win some cash! They have a ‘snowball’ and ’flier’ and a 10 prize raffle each week. The bar is open, thirsty work Bingo! All over 18’s will be very welcome. If you are unable to get away on holiday this year, or you’re an older person in the community who would still like to enjoy some holiday fun, consider going to a ‘Holiday at Home’ in Dorking during the week 24th to 28th August. Jointly run by Dorking United Reformed Church, St Paul’s and the Christian Centre, there will be lively talks and activities, coffee and afternoon teas, and excursions to the Bluebell Steam Railway and Chartwell - Sir Winston Churchill’s lovely home and garden. The church hall will become a hotel lobby for the week and lunch will be available every day in the Christian Centre. The theme this year is ‘A Tour of Britain’ and most activities are free, although there’s a charge for outings and lunch. The event proved popular last year, and several keen residents have already been asking to join in with this year’s programme. For more information, look out for posters around the town, or pick up a brochure from the United Reformed church, Christian Centre or St Paul’s or St Martin’s. Alternatively, phone 01306 886830, Monday to Friday 9am - 2.30pm. The Nomad Theatre situated in East Horsley present their latest production The Little Shop of Horrors from Monday 24th to Saturday 29th August. The play is by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman and based on the original movie by Roger Corman directed by Nathan Farrell. It’s the curious story of a meek shop assistant called Seymour who discovers an R&B singing plant that will offer him fame and fortune but only if he feeds it with blood! This cult musical has entertained August 2015

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audiences for nearly 30 years and The Nomads are sure to do it justice. Performances start at 7.30pm and there is a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. Tickets: adults £16, children/students £12, £12 for all on 24th. You can book online at www.nomadtheatre.com or www. nomadtheatre.com/buy. You can also ring 01483 284747 and leave a message. By the way, if you have never visited the Nomad Theatre you are in for a treat! The Harlequin Theatre and Cinema Redhill, is delighted to be hosting its second annual “Over the Rainbow” LGBT Film festival from Monday 24th to Sunday 30th August. This year has seen a complete diversification of the on screen offerings available from one off theatre productions from The RSC, National Theatre, Bolshoi Ballet, English National Opera to screenings of documentaries. There’s an increase to their Saturday Morning Cinema Club shows and a wider variety of “second screenings” and “another chance to see” films. There is also their free WW2 cinema season. Tickets to any of the screenings are £7 for adults, £6 for concessions and £5.50 for groups of 10+. They are available to purchase now from The Harlequin Box Office on 01737 276500 or book online at www.harlequintheatre.co.uk where full details are available. It is very easy to get into debt and sometimes you find yourself in a downward spiral with no solution in sight. There are some excellent charities that offer practical help and advice. CAP – Mole Valley is one such organisation. They offer free support regardless of age, gender, faith or background. Check out www. capuk.org for more information, or for help today with unmanageable debt, call 0800 3280006. A debt counsellor will visit you in your own home. After last year’s fantastic successful debut, the Ocean Film Festival World Tour is returning to the UK from Wednesday 2nd September to Wednesday 28th October. The Festival will showcase the best selection of ocean- themed short films from all over the globe, documenting the pure magnificence and inspiration of the ocean. For the first time ever, this remarkable programme will be shown at Dorking Halls on Thursday 3rd September. To find out more about the Festival view a trailer and book tickets go to www.oceanfilmfestival. co.uk. If you are interested in learning more about Alzheimer’s and other dementias, you are invited to a two hour free Educational Workshop. They will be covering an overview of all types of dementia, risk factors, statistics, medication, the stages of Alzheimer’s, typical behaviours and management techniques and activities to encourage engagement. The sessions will take place at Homeinstead Senior Care Epsom and Mole Valley, 64 South Street, Epsom KT18 7PH. Next Dates: Tuesday 8th September and Thursday 29th October from 4pm to 6pm. Call Jill Tame on 01372 741544 to book your place. 27

GARDEN An interview with

Chris Beardshaw With Beth Otway terraces where adults can sit, seating zones, plenty of raised beds with pergolas for growing fruits and vegetables and flowers up and over, and in. So it becomes the hub of the community really, as a total project, and as I say, this is the floral tile that really is the centrepiece, it’s the attraction. The four paths are a cross-axial version of paths; each of the paths leads off into a different area of the ultimate large-scale garden that we’ll create over in Poplar.

During this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show, I caught up with the award-winning garden designer Chris Beardshaw to find out more about his Gold Medal winning garden, The Morgan Stanley Healthy Cities Garden. Beth: What’s the most important message that you’d like to come from The Morgan Stanley Healthy Cities garden at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show? Chris Beardshaw: Well I think that the key thing really is the importance of quality green space in communities, and that’s very much what this garden represents. The initiative that this is a part of, the Morgan Stanley Healthy Cities initiative, is really all about trying to find out what’s working in a community and what’s lacking in a community. In this particular instance, with Poplar in East London, what became apparent was what was lacking was a quality designed green space that had elements of beauty, and floral beauty, and opportunities for people to grow their own fruits and vegetables, to play, roll around on the meadows, and interact with one another and with nature. This particular garden is a small part of a much larger project. Immediately after the show is finished this garden will be taken to pieces, shipped over to Poplar in East London, where it will be recreated. It will be surrounded by a much larger series of gardens, which includes meadows, soft play areas, mounds of grass that children can roll down and make dens in, 28

We also want to try and reflect Poplar itself and the history of Poplar. As the name suggests, Poplar is derived from Poplar trees. The Poplar community is on the bend in the river Thames, just north of Canary Wharf. It was traditionally a wetland, and on that wetland there were Poplar trees growing: poplar, willows, alders, Acer campestre, which were coppiced. That’s the reason we’ve used these rather grand coppiced Acer campestres in the garden; it’s a reference to Poplar as it was before it was inhabited. The trees were coppiced, the coppiced wood was used in charcoal, and the charcoal was then used in industry, in the growing city of London. The box hedging is a kind of version of a knot garden really. We selected that for two reasons: the first is that many of the people who lived originally in and around Poplar worked in and around the docks in the East End of London. This is a project about binding communities together – and of course the obvious reference is, well, how do sailors bind ropes together? So we looked at how they bound ropes of different styles together. They used a knot, one of the names for which was ‘Friendship knot’. This is a stylised version of the knot that we created in the edges here. They bind it together and it unites the two with ultimate strength. The second reason is that the community that we’ve been working with and talking to, who are the recipients of this garden, were very clear that one of the things that is most emboldening about communities is to create a space which is identifiably theirs – a sort of boundary, if you like, some sort of frame into which the community sits. And so the hedges also perform that function, restraining, binding and defining the community space. Then of course you’ve got the herbaceous perennials, which are dancing around in the spaces created by the hedges. We deliberately selected a very eclectic mix of flowers, in terms of colours, textures, forms and geographic origins, to reflect the make up of our communities – the fact that our communities, particularly inner city communities, are incredibly diverse. There’s a sense that because of that diversity, you can get clashes, you can get points of friction. What we wanted to demonstrate with these sorts of vibrant colours, different shapes and the assemblage of it, was that diversity can bring robustness, if you vantagepointmag.co.uk

have the right framework – the infrastructure in which that diversity sits. B: I love that! The plants in your garden are exquisite, they are so healthy and are of such quality; have you worked with the independent nurseries who supplied the plants for your garden before? CB: Yes. I was very keen this time around to go with nurseries who were quite eclectic and quite small scale. So for instance all of the Camassias you see growing in the garden were grown by one lady, who’s a Camassia enthusiast up in Yorkshire, who is looking to get a nursery together to house a national collection of Camassias at Hare Spring Cottage Plants. So they were grown right up in Yorkshire, in really quite hard conditions. We’ve also got a couple of ex-students of mine from Pershore College who now run Todd’s Botanics, Mark and Emma. They grew things like the irises and some of the ﬂoral plants like geums and so on. Then I worked with James Chichester down on the south coast to grow many of the remaining herbaceous perennials, and Hilliers Nurseries provided much of the foliage planting. So all sorts of sources to bring about this wide range of plant materials. B: It’s great that you’ve been able to support and showcase a number of quality independent growers and nurseries at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. CB: I think the nursery industry should be supported; I enjoy working with growers who are really super-enthusiastic about the plants that they grow, so it isn’t just a product, it’s a lifestyle.

I think that should be celebrated. What’s curious is when other designers have been walking around in the build-up to the show, they’ve all been coming along saying, “Where did you get your plants from? They’re not only great quality, but they’re in flower – mine are struggling to get into flower!” I think it is that attention to detail that a small nursery man or woman can afford on those plants that to me, makes the big difference. B: Apart from your garden, which is your favourite garden at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show? CB: Dan Pearson’s. I think Dan is the designer and plantsman of his generation. I think he is an extraordinary character, wonderfully talented, fabulously modest about what he does, and he produces some sublime pieces of work. I haven’t inspected it closely but I’ve no doubt this one is as good as anything he’s ever done. FIND OUT MORE

You can ﬁnd my full interview, information and photographs from this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show and gardening advice of what you can do in your garden or at your allotment this month at www.pumpkinbeth.com.

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Brunching out Given people’s increasingly hectic lives, brunch is becoming a very popular meal, especially at weekends. After that stolen lie-in, a heavy duty shopping expedition or a morning ferrying children left, right and centre, what could be better than a mouth-watering mid-morning treat? The word ‘brunch’ first appeared in print in an 1895 Hunter’s Weekly article. In ‘Brunch: A Plea’, British author Guy Beringer suggested an alternative to the heavy, post-church Sunday meals in favour of lighter fare served late in the morning. ‘’Brunch is cheerful, sociable and inciting,’’ Beringer says. ‘’It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.’’ Our recipes come from CAU, who have recently launched a brunch menu which is currently which is available only at weekends. Visit www.caurestaurants.com to find out more.

Latin Eggs Ingredients 2 eggs Half an avocado 2 English muffins Hollandaise Chimmichurri Chimmichurri: 1 clove of garlic A handful of parsley 2 tbsp sherry vinegar ¼ spanish onion ½ red bell pepper 4 tbsp vegetable oil Pinch of salt 1 tsp Aji Mojido (or other chilli powder) Hollandaise: 3 egg yolks Drop of vinegar 30g unsalted butter Method: • Poach 2 eggs in boiling water with a dash of white wine vinegar • Gently toast the muffins and avocado until slightly coloured • Arrange the muffins on a plate, top with the avocado, followed by the eggs. • Cover with hollandaise • Drizzle with chimmichurri

Making the hollandaise: • Whisk egg yolks and vinegar together quickly in a bowl over a pan of boiling water (ideally with a hand whisk) • In a separate pan melt the butter • Once the eggs are beginning to stiﬀen slowly incorporate the melted butter into the egg mixture until desired consistency. • Season to taste. Making the chimmichuri: • Finely chop all ingredients and mix together. vantagepointmag.co.uk

FOOD Portobello Mushrooms on Toast Ingredients 5 sliced portabello mushrooms 1 shallot ½ clove garlic Knob of butter Double cream 1 tbsp crème fraîche 1 sprig thyme Handful of parsley Sourdough bread Serves 2/3 Method: • Peel the mushrooms (we recommend Portobello mushrooms for the great ﬂavour) • Chop them into slices (approx 1cm wide) • Thinly slice the shallot and the garlic • Melt a knob of butter on a medium heat in a non-stick pan and gently fry the shallots and garlic • Add the mushrooms and toss together until they have

a lovely golden brown colour. • Don’t over cook the mushrooms – add a glug of double cream until it bubbles and then take oﬀ the heat and stir in a tablespoon of crème fraiche. • Finely chop the thyme leaves and parsley and add to the mushrooms. • Serve the mushrooms on toasted sourdough – done!

Sweet Potato and Chorizo Hash Ingredients 1 sweet potato Olive oil Salt and pepper 75g chorizo 1 red pepper 1 red onion 1 red chilli 1 tbsp sherry vinegar 1 egg Serves 3/4 Method: • Put the whole sweet potato (pricked with a fork) in foil with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. • Cook for 45-60 mins at 180c • Allow to cool (can be done in advance) • Cut the chorizo and whole red pepper (remove seeds) into chunks (approx 2cm) • Finely chop the red onion and red (de-seeded) chilli • Use a cast iron dish, and sauté together the red onions August 2015

and chilli in olive oil • Take skin oﬀ the sweet potato and cut into chunks • Add the chorizo, red pepper and sweet potato and cook until sizzling! • Add the sherry vinegar, mix well and make a well in the middle to crack the egg in. • Put in the oven for 4-6 mins depending on how runny you like the yolk! 31

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Following an application for funding made to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), Mole Valley District Council (MVDC) is delighted to announce that a £1million grant has been awarded to the inspirational ‘Hope Springs Eternal’ Project. The grant will fund restoration work to the Deepdene estate and landscape, including garden buildings, key paths and site of the old Deepdene House, once the grand home of renowned Regency taste-maker Thomas Hope, before being demolished in 1969. Upon completion of the two-year project, residents and visitors will have access to one of the nation’s magniﬁcent forgotten estates, located just outside Dorking town centre. Public access to the existing Grade II gardens will be extended, courtesy of Kuoni Travel and Dorking Golf Club, and access to neighbouring Betchworth Castle and the remarkable Hope mausoleum will feature as just two of the many highlights on a newly formed Deepdene Trail. The project will also deliver a range of educational activities to engage with the local community through the Dorking Museum. Restoration work to the estate’s Hope mausoleum, led by a devoted group of around 25 volunteers, The Friends of Deepdene, began in 2011 and there has been signiﬁcant progress. The HLF grant will help support future work and fully rediscover this remarkable sleeping landscape. Although summer is far from over, Capel Choral Society is already starting to think ahead to the start Bourne Buildings May 14_Layout 1 11/05/2015 14:51 Page 1

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of its 2015/16 Season which will begin with its ﬁrst rehearsal on Monday 7th September. This will be partly a social event, with drinks and nibbles so everyone can catch up on each others’ news and welcome new members. They shall of course be taking part in the 2016 Leith Hill Musical Festival – the two main works set for the Festival are Vaughan Williams’ lovely Serenade to Music and Haydn’s Harmoniemesse. At the end of the Festival next April they shall be bidding a sad farewell to Brian Kay who has conducted the Festival concerts since 1995 and welcoming his successor, Jonathan Willcocks. Capel Choral Society extends a very warm welcome to new singers, particularly MEN! Singing in a choir is a very enjoyable activity and even if you have no previous experience of choral singing, do go and give it a try – there are no auditions and music reading ability is not essential. If you are tempted, contact their secretary, at secretary@capelchoralsociety.com phone 01306 712365 or go and talk to them at their stall at the Capel Village Show on Saturday 15th August. www. capelchoralsociety.com. In 2014 there was an exhibition, at the Quakers meeting house in Dorking, about the father of a Dorking Quaker who was conscientious objector in WW1. He left all his letters and photos from that time, which he had sent to “My dear Auntie” – the lady who had brought him up. Nearly 150 people came to see the exhibition which was very pleasing this year, a small group went THE LARGEST SHOWSITE IN THE UK OVER 200 BUILDINGS, 5000 STONE ORNAMENTS & 100 FURNITURE SETS ON DISPLAY

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Kiddiwalks: Gunpowder at Chilworth A lovely walk that starts in peaceful woodland where only the bird song and the sound of running water breaks the silence. Amongst the trees will be found the stark remains of Chilworth’s old gunpowder mills, at one time the most important in England. Just imagine the scene as horses pulled wagons along wooden tramways, water rushed down leats to power the mills and 400 workers went about the business of making their deadly product. Youngsters will enjoy the challenge of climbing to St Martha’s church, high on the hills above, where the views are outstanding. The descent brings you to Chilworth Manor below where the way soon rejoins the woodland and cool waters of the Tillingbourne. Bring a picnic.

The walk 1. Follow a narrow path to the left of the infant school to reach a wooden bridge over a leat. The path follows the course of a tramway where horses once pulled their loads of gunpowder to the railway in Chilworth and on your right by the bridge is a remaining part. Fork right and soon turn right and pass picnic tables in a clearing. Keep to the wide path through woodland and ignore a left fork by a mound of earth. Soon pass the remains of the mill buildings to reach an information board and a bridge. 2. Turn right over the bridge and cross a stile ahead of you to enter a field. Press on through a second and third field with more recent evidence of the gunpowder works through the trees on your left. After the path narrows and passes the rear of gardens, a road is met. Bear left over a bridge and continue along a tarmac drive with housing on your left and a lake on your right. This was the site of Postford Mill, originally a paper mill before changing to a flock mill. After its closure it became a fish farm before finally succumbing to housing. Continue along the drive and , when it bends sharply left, ignore a footpath ahead of you. 3. At the gateway to Millstream Cottage ignore a path on the right and fork left alongside the garden. Soon you are immersed in majestic beech woodland where you gradually gain height and leave the Tilling Bourne flowing between the trees below you before the path bends away from the stream and begins the climb in earnest. When an undulating field is seen to your left, keep right on the main path and when nearing the top of the hill ignore a right fork. Soon reach a directional post by a clearing that is the haunt of green woodpeckers that feed on the anthills here. 4. Turn left along the rising sandy bridleway and keep ahead in 50 yards at a junction of tracks. Pass by a WWII pillbox and keep to the bridle34

way as you pass by a Downs Link path on your left. When the track divides, leave the bridleway and go ahead on a public footpath that will finally bring you to St Martha’s church and the end of the climb. Continue left around the wall of the graveyard to find welcoming seats that offer stunning views and a good excuse to rest awhile or have a picnic. Just the other side of the wall is the grave of one of WWII’s most charismatic leaders, Major General Bernard Freyberg VC who, although being English, commanded New Zealand troops. Other noteworthy graves include Sir George Edwards, a man who had his hand in many aircraft designs and later, as chairman of British Aircraft Corporation, ensured Concorde entered into service, and the actress Yvonne Arnaud, after whom Guildford’s theatre is named. 5. The return to the valley below begins on a downhill path directly in front of the seats. The path is steep and caution should be used. Remain on the path until it ends at a T-junction with a field beyond. Turn right to join the drive of Chilworth Manor and follow it leftwards to reach a road. Continue ahead along the road and after it passes over a second bridge turn immediately left on a path by a lodge gate that was once the entrance to the gunpowder mills. Continue ahead on the wide path where again you will detect the remains of the mills in the woodland. Finally cross a bridge over the leat on your right to rejoin the infant school and the end of this great circuit. vantagepointmag.co.uk

WALK

Mills have occupied the Chilworth site since Domesday although they were most likely corn mills. Gunpowder came to Chilworth as early as 1580 and, by 1625, the East India Company operated them. Water provided the power source during the early days but in 1885, when the Chilworth Gunpowder Company was formed, power came from a stationary engine. During the 1890s, and the development of high explosives, the site expanded over the ﬁelds westwards. Originally the gunpowder was carried by punt along the Tilling Bourne to the river Wey at Shalford where it was loaded onto barges for its journey to London. At the coming of the railway to Chilworth in 1888, the works’ international railway, operated by horse-drawn wagons, was extended to Chilworth Station. Two years after the end of WWI, the works became a part of Noble Industries but soon closed and Noble was swallowed up by ICI. DISTANCE: 3 miles OS MAPS: Explorer 145 Guildford & Farnham STARTING POINT: A248 roadside near Chilworth Infants School. GETTING THERE: Chilworth is south of Guildford on the A248 between Shalford and Albury. REFRESHMENTS: The Percy Arms, 75 Dorking Rd, Chilworth GU4 8NP. Tel: 01483 561765.

Top: The remains of the gunpowder mill (GrahamPics). Above: Some of the old mill stones (Andrew Bowden).

TIME: Allow 2 hours, more if picnicking TERRAIN: Level apart from one stiﬀ climb of 390 feet to St Martha’s church and a fairly steep descent.

Walk taken from Kiddiwalks in Surrey by David Weller, published by www.countrysidebooks.co.uk.

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.

August 2015

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Jottings - YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

to see if they could meet with descendants of those Bim (Bernard Ireland Macalpine) had helped, and take photos where he had taken them. The trip was a great success and the group were welcomed with open arms, and shown so many mementos of their own. So this year they are putting on an exhibition about Bim and the legacy in France of the work done by non-combatants. You can view the results of their trip at The Dorking Meeting House South Street, opposite Waitrose, on Monday 10th and Tuesday 11th September from 2 to 7pm, and also Saturday 12th September from 11am to 4pm. For more information contact Su Johnston on 01306 640327 email suj@f2s.com. You can also visit www. surreyandsussexquakers.org and www.dorking. quaker.eu.org. Peter Wright, Southwark Cathedral’s Organist/ Director of Music will play a recital on the new Kenneth Tickell pipe organ in Betchworth Parish Church on Saturday 12th September at 4pm. Peter was a Patron for the recent Betchworth organ appeal which raised over £400,000 for a new pipe organ installed in 2014 by the same firm that built the new organ in Worcester Cathedral. This is Peter’s first recital on the new instrument and he has designed a programme varied in terms of period, nationality and personality to explore the various possibilities and flexibility of the new organ. Two of the pieces chosen are by former organists of York Minster (Sir Edward Bairstow and Philip Moore). Philip Moore was Organist and Master of the Choristers at Guildford Cathedral, before moving to York, and appointed Peter as his assistant at Guildford in 1977. Tickets are priced at £12 (under 14s: £8) including a glass of wine/soft drink and are on sale from 01737 843498 or betchworthchurchmusic@hotmail.co.uk. West Horsley Parish Council does not have a Parish Council meeting in August. The next meeting takes place on Tuesday 15th September at 8pm at West Horsley Village Hall. Everyone welcome. For more information please see www.westhorsley.info or contact clerk@westhorsley.info I have written about this before and what a great idea it is. The West Horsley Litter Pick takes place on Saturday 18th September. Meet 10am at West Horsley Village Hall. All equipment provided. Do your bit to keep West Horsley tidy. All welcome. For further details contact Cllr. Pamela Holt 01483 283370. Surrey Care Trust helps local people to improve their skills for work, life and learning and has organised an annual Surrey 3 Peaks fundraising walk for over a 36

decade. This year’s walk takes place on Saturday 26th September. Sponsored by Dorking based Broanmain Plastics, this year’s circular walk starts and ends at Shere Village Hall. The 26 mile walk includes Leith Hill, Holmbury Hill and Box Hill and takes in parts of the Greensand Way and North Downs Way affording walkers spectacular views of the Surrey Hills. Participants are asked to raise a minimum of £150 sponsorship which includes a £10 registration fee. Refreshments and drinks are included and the route is mapped and signposted. There is also an option of walking the first part of the route, finishing at the lunchstop. For more information or to register, visit www.surrey3peaks.info On Saturday 17th October, Polesden Lacey will host the third ECHO Challenge running event. This is a great family charity fundraising event with running route distances for all ages and ability of runner: 10km, 6km and a 1.5km Kids’ race. This fun event is raising funds for the Evelina Children’s Heart Organisation, a charity that supports children and young people with heart conditions who receive treatment at the Evelina Children’s Hospital and its outreach clinics. This event is a fantastic opportunity to explore all of the less well-known areas of the majestic Polesden Lacey estate, from open fields with views over the Surrey countryside, to estate tracks and twisting forest paths. For further details and to enter, see www.echochallenge.co.uk It is a little way off, but worth noting that Blowers and Backers return with Rogues on the Road - a brand new show crammed full of even more wonderful (and occasionally outrageous) reminiscences and anecdotes from two extensive careers spent broadcasting around the globe in search of sporting excellence. Bastions of the beloved Test Match Special with over 80 years in the commentary box and touring the world between them, Henry Blowfeld and Peter Baxter certainly have some tales to tell. The fun, the games and outlandish characters – from Ian Fleming to Noel Coward – spread well beyond the confines of any cricket ground or studio. It takes place on Friday 6th November at The Harlequin, Redhill. You can book now by calling 01737 276500 or online at www.harlequintheatre.co.uk I went to see them at Guildford’s G Live a while ago; it was a thoroughly entertaining evening and I even went home with a signed bottle of Blowers Claret! FIND OUT MORE

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

PROFILE

Beare Green & Newdigate Choral Society Beare Green & Newdigate Choral Society (BGNCS) started out as Newdigate Choral Society in 1910. The membership was open to all parishioners with the subscription fixed at two shillings per annum, payable half yearly in advance. The choir first entered the Leith Hill Musical Festival in 1914 but was disbanded at the outbreak of the war and did not re-form until 1937. It was renamed the Beare Green Choral Society and resumed its association with the Leith Hill Musical Festival. In 1974 the choir took its present name as the Beare Green and Newdigate Choral Society. BGNCS has always looked for opportunities to join with other choirs and serve the community. It first held a joint concert with German choir Mӓnner-Chor Kӧln-Vogelsang in 1974. Since then many exchanges have been made, most recently to Cologne in 2012. In 2000 the choir also performed in a concert in Saratoga Springs, North America. The choir have also had a 40-year association with the Jane Ross Club for the visually impaired in Leatherhead and last year performed at the club’s 50th anniversary celebration. Jamie Cordell has been conductor of the choir since 1997 and the choir has flourished under his directorship. This year the choir were thrilled to win seven trophies at the Leith Hill Musical Festival (LHMF) and were the overall winners of the ompetition. Jamie works extensively in theatre, is a well-respected musical director and has conducted shows including Les Misérables and most recently Sunset Boulevard. The choir’s accompanist is Anthea Smallwood. Anthea studied at the Royal College of Music in London and then took the teacher’s Certificate of Education at the University of Exeter. In 2013 BGNCS celebrated Anthea’s 25th anniversary as their accompanist. This year was a very special occasion for a long-standing member of the choir, Diana Pledge. Diana, a former

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chairman of the choir, celebrated her 60th Leith Hill Festival. Sadly, Diana has now decided to retire from singing, but continues to support the choir whenever she can.

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On Sunday 28th June the choir presented their summer concert, aptly including ‘Summer Sunday’ by Joseph Horovitz. This is described as a comical-tragical-ecological pastorial and is about a family’s Sunday outing in the car. Interestingly this was written in 1975 before the M25 was built and yet it sings ‘make the most of the wheat waving in the ﬁelds, it won’t be here much longer’ and goes on to sing ‘concrete and car-parks’… ‘and the cars will go round and round’. Great fun! The choir also sang pieces from John Rutter’s ‘A Sprig of Thyme’. Following the interval and a light buﬀet, the audience were entertained by Dixieland Jazz Band, The Select Syncopators.  

The choir will now be taking a well-earned rest until the autumn when their ﬁrst ‘performance’ will be in St. Peter’s Church, Newdigate where they will sing Cecilia McDowall’s, ‘A Fancy of Folksongs’, as one of the events of the Heritage Weekend on 12th September. After this they will start rehearsing for their Christmas concert in Newdigate Village Hall on 16th December and LHMF 2016 next April. In the meantime, they will meet up for a couple of lunches and look forward to their social evenings after choir rehearsals. Top: After the recent concert ‘Summer Sunday’, dressed in summer outing clothes for fun. Left: Following success at Leith Hill Musical Festival 2015. FIND OUT MORE

The choir always welcomes new singers and no auditions are necessary, nor is the ability to read music. If you would like to join this friendly choir, just come along to any rehearsal on a Wednesday starting from 9th September at 7.45 in Newdigate Village Hall or contact their secretary on 01306 631115. August 2015

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The 10th Amazing Thailand Festival returns to Secretts in Milford this August Bank Holiday. Secretts transforms into a bustling Thai street market for three days. Restaurants cook and sell authentic Thai dishes, alongside stalls selling Thai silks, handicrafts, spices, jewellery, wood carvings and much more. Visitors are treated to glittering displays of Thai dancing and exhilarating martial arts demonstrations. All the family can enjoy rides and entertainment, farm animals and children’s art workshops. Proceeds go to the Mudita Trust Charity to help support abused, distressed and underprivileged children. For more information call 01483 661325 or email info@amazingthaifestival.co.uk. To win one of four pairs of tickets for Saturday 29th August, please answer the following question: Q: Which charity does the Thai Festival support? Please enter online at www.vantagepublishing.co.uk by 31st August 2015.

Café Rouge Dorking will be unveiling a beautifully redesigned bistro on 26th June 26th with a bespoke makeover. Dorking was one of the first Cafe Rouge’s to open in 1997, so is steeped in the brand’s history. To win a meal for four and try it out for yourself, simply answer the following question: Q: When did Café Rouge fisrt open? Please enter online at www.vantagepointmag.co.uk by 28th August 2015. Prize value up to £150 including drinks. The voucher may be used towards purchase of meals at any of the restaurant listed. Change cannot be given for any purchase made for less than the full value of the voucher(s) offered. The voucher cannot be exchanged for cash. The voucher cannot be replaced if lost or damaged.

WIN A FREE WEEK AT A DAY CAMP WITH KINGSWOOD CAMPS VantagePoint has teamed up with Kingswood Camps to offer you the chance to win a whole week for your child at a pop-up day camp at Charterhouse Club Godalming, Ardingly College Haywards Heath, All Hallows Catholic School Farnham or BHASVIC Brighton between 26th October and 30th October. With over 30 years’ experience hosting fun-packed school holiday adventures, Kingswood is now running multi-activity day camps at 10 fantastic locations this summer. With tons of fun activities planned which range from outdoor sports, games and challenges to creative arts and crafts, with highly trained staff and excellent fully-equipped venues lined up, they are ready and waiting to welcome your 5-12 year olds during their October half-term holiday. To be in with the chance of winning a whole week FREE at Kingswood Camps at a Sussex or Surrey location of your choice worth £160 simply answer the following question: Q: In how many locations are Kingswood Camps running multi-activity day camps this summer? Please enter online at www.vantagepointmag.co.uk by 28th August 2015. Full T&Cs online. To find out more, or to book a place please visit kingswood.co.uk/camps or call 0800 655 6560.

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

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The historic building was built in 1790 as an ale house for workers at Cherkley Court. Its stunning views have been enjoyed for over 200 years. We strive to give our customers quality products and courteous service. All our food is prepared from scratch inhouse by our professional chefs. All our ingredients are locally sourced wherever possible – meats from Nash Farm, breads from Westcott Bakery, and fruit and vegetables come directly from Covent Garden. Eamonn and Anne wish you a pleasant visit and both hope that you agree that the King William IV is Surrey’s best kept secret! Telephone: 01372 372590 Web: www.thekingwilliamiv.com The King William IV is situated directly behind Frascati Restaurant, 25 yards up Byttom Hill on the A24 between Leatherhead and Dorking