Effingham Eye: £2,000 Raised for African Charity, New House and New Cafe

Published on: 20 Dec, 2017
Updated on: 20 Dec, 2017

By Chris Dick

This month I thought I would give a brief recap of what has been happening in Effingham over the last few weeks and a little of what we can look forward to in the New Year. Unusually, much of this surrounds fundraising for two good causes in Africa.

In November there was Quiz Night in the King George V Village Hall which raised £2,150 for the “Action in Africa” Roman Catholic school in Mtandika in central Tanzania.

It was arranged by local resident Michael Agius who said that, as well as the normal teaching activities at the Trade School, there were, in addition, some 30 students, who are either orphans or from very poor families, that continued to be educated at primary, secondary and university/technical college level through the generous and regular donations from their long-term sponsors.

Quiz night at the King George V Village Hall. Plenty of food and drink and over £2,000 raised.

Michael said: “With increasing costs over the years and the depreciation in the value of the pound, we need an increased amount of money to cover the overall educational costs. Fundraising is therefore extremely important and two such functions were the annual Mtandika Quiz (in Effingham) in November, attended by nearly 120 sponsors and a garden party – organised by my wife Mary – held in July at our home, enjoyed by nearly 80 sponsors.”

Next month St Lawrence Church, Effingham with All Saints Church, Little Bookham, have arranged for Manor House School on the Effingham border with Little Bookham to host a free evening of singing by the Ugandan Watoto Children’s Choir. This event takes place between 7pm – 8.30pm on Wednesday, January 17, 2018.

In other news residents that try to use Chapel Hill will have noticed work is well underway on another new home in Effingham.

Entrance way between the Methodist Church and White Cottage onto the new development site off Chapel Hill.

Workmen have already cleared the Chapel Hill bank access onto the site and have started preparing the foundations and services before the Christmas two-week break.

And another cafe has opened in The Street, Effingham.

Customers relaxing over drinks at The Coffee Bar, The Laurels Shopping Parade, Effingham.

The new cafe has taken the place of the old post office and when I visited there was a steady flow of regulars, local shop staff and newcomers calling in for their refreshments. There is a friendly and personal greeting for everyone from the owner Cassie Millard or her assistant Alex.

Cassie said that it had been a quiet morning when I visited but the steady flow of customers indicated otherwise. There is something warm and welcoming about The Coffee Bar, the seats are comfortable and the service from Cassie is quick but unrushed.

Cassie Millard outside her cafe.

Cassie explained that she had received a first from Kingston University in International Business Studies but that she has always wanted to run her own cafe.

She has plenty of experience in running a cafe. She worked in the one on her university campus and then one in Claygate before she took on a fulltime job with a building/development company.

And finally, readers may recall the previous edition of the Effingham Eye that reported that there was still access to the Abinger Roughs National Trust walks via the A25. Well, Whitedown Lane is now open but Critten Lane remains closed at the southern end on Ranmore Common.

However, tempting though it may be, the alternative route via High Barn Road is a mess. Numerous potholes often hidden by water and collapsed verges have made this route impractical for all but essential access.

Happy Christmas to all Effingham Eye readers!