Updated: The Worplesdon Witness April 2023

Published on: 12 Apr, 2023
Updated on: 14 Apr, 2023

Jan Messinger with her latest round up of news from the parish of Worplesdon.

Head groundsman is thanked personally by prime minister

The head groundsman of Worplesdon Parish Council and community champion, Peter Trevena, has been thanked in person by prime minister Rishi Sunak for Peter’s work in which he regularly goes over and above his normal duties.

A reception with the prime minister and Guildford MP Angela Richardson took place on March 22.

Peter Trevena with Angela Richardson MP and prime minister Rishi Sunak.

Peter’s hard work often goes unnoticed, and he helps both Guildford and Surrey County Council on flood forum matters.

Peter takes a keen interest in all of the 35 square miles he covers in the parish that includes trying to prevent flooding.

New caretaker at Worplesdon Memorial Hall

New caretaker Phil Bowers takes up his duties on Monday, April 17.

Phil Bowers and his wife Marissa.

He is well known in the community and has high standards.

For hall and recreation ground requirements email him at phil@wmh.org.uk

Remember photo ID is required for local elections on Thursday, May 4

Guildford Borough Council elections take place on May 4, and photo ID will be required when voting at poling stations.

Guildford Borough Council nominations for three seats in the Worplesdon ward.

Worplesdon Parish Council nominees are all re-elected as none of the positions were contested.

Winners chosen of Worplesdon’s Young Musicians Competition

St Alban’s Church in Wood Street Village was filled to capacity on March 25 to listen to the 12 finalists perform in front of competition judges Dr Amy Bebbington and Nicola Cole.

The musicians ages varied from six to 17 years and they entertained with a range of instruments from guitar to violin, saxophone to piano and clarinet to voice.

Above are the winners and below the competitors, judges and organisers.

The overall standard was extremely high as everybody was playing at ‘distinction’ level which meant for the audience, it was very difficult for them to agree on the winners.

Luckily, the experience of the judges came to the fore as they were able to determine those finalists who were technically and artistically excellent with those who were technically and artistically exceptional.

The overall winner and the winner in her age range (six to nine) was pianist Leah Yan, aged six who played Chopin’s Waltz in A Minor.

In the 10 to 12 age group, joint winners were Sophia Jaiswal, who sang Someone Else’s Story, and pianist Connie Frith, who played Billie’s Song.

The winner in the 15 to 17 age group was Robyn Mirmak, who sang Lost In The brass.

The winners’ prizes of glass trophies, certificates and Amazon vouchers were presented by Guildford MP Angela Richardson.

She also presented each of the other finalists and semi-finalists with music achievement certificates.

To take part in the 2024 Worplesdon Young Musician of the Year Competition, email churchoffice@worplesdonparish.com Or phone John McLean on 07768 031454, or by email to mcleanjnm@aol.com

Children’s Easter garden and trail

Worplesdon churches and the Sime Gallery have created an Easter garden and trail at St Mary’s Church. It can be visited until April 16.

Easter garden and trail at St Mary’s Church.

Children can collect objects as they walk around the different stations. There are tiny crowns, handcuffs and ducks and learn why there are 17 in total.

Easter cross at St Alban’s Church.

The churches have been busy with services over the Easter period with two on Good Friday.

The annual parochial church meeting is on Thursday, April 27, at St Alban’s Church, 6.30pm for a 7pm start.

The popular parish lunch is on April 18. Contact the church office for more details if you have not been before churchoffice@worplesdonparish.com

Used stamps are being collected for Cherry Trees respite centre in East Clandon. Stamps can be left at the back of St Mary’s and St Alban’s Churches, in a named envelope.

You can also support Cherry Trees by joining its annual sponsored walk from Shalford Park on May 21, with no registration fee.

Annual parish assembly

Worplesdon Parish Council held its annual parish assembly on March 24 in Worplesdon Memorial Hall with 58 people attending.

They heard about activities of the parish council including setting policies, reviewing planning applications, risk assessments, its budget, pond works on land the parish council leases or owns, managing the speed watch initiative and more.

Representatives from some of the organisations that have been awarded grants from the parish council attended. They were the Kent Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance Trust, Safe Drive Stay Alive, Sime Gallery, Men in Sheds Age UK, and Emerge.

They spoke about the work that they do and how they rely on grants.

Members of Fairlands WI with their stand at the parish assembly annual meeting.

Janet Sutton with her display of the Wood Street Maypole Dancers.

Sue Osborne and Linda Hall from Worplesdon Tennis Club.

Other local volunteer organisations and groups also gave details about themselves: Wood Street Village’s cricket club and its Maypole dancers, Fairlands Women’s Institute, Whitmoor Common Association, Worplesdon Tennis Club, the Sime Gallery and Walking For Health.

March and April’s parish council meetings

At the parish council’s meeting on April 6, on the agenda were four planning applications, interpretation boards for Harry’s Meadow and Jacobs Well recreation ground, as well as the creation of two trial wild flower areas in Harry’s Meadow.

The proposed design for one of the new interpretation boards at Harry’s Meadow, Jacobs Well.

Also discussed was the London Road active travel scheme, damaged fencing in the lay-by adjacent to the footpath and cycle lane close to Worplesdon Memorial hall, financial matters, clerk and chairman’s reports, damage to Wood Street Village car park and kerb stones to replace wooden sleepers, and the permanent appointment of Helen Lawrence as the parish council’s part-time finance officer.

The meeting on March 16 included scrutinising nine planning applications, damage to a bus shelter, provision of a salt bin in Coombe Lane, the coronation event, playground inspections, Surrey Hills boundary review, finance, a request by Wood Street Village Cricket club for new nets for its colts, grants for Wood Street Village Association’s coronation event and the Kent Surrey & Sussex Air Ambulance Trust.

An extra ordinary meeting on March 21 was held to review and approve all of the parish council’s policies.

Art workshops and visits to the Sime Gallery

The Sime Gallery at Worplesdon Memorial Hall has held art workshops with young adults from the halow Project.

The gallery is framing more artwork and arranging external displays of the work by artist Sidney Sime.

Geoffrey and Hannah visiting from the Heath Robinson Museum.

During 2022, 440 visitors were welcomed to the gallery as well as many children’s workshops being held.

A variety of group talks were given.

On April 22 the gallery will participate at Haslemere Educational Museum’s event, The Wild Escape Get Wild About Surrey, celebrating Earth Day.

Pub bids farewell to its landlord

The Jolly Farmer pub on Burdenshott Road has said goodbye to hardworking landlord Phil Coppen.

New management took over on April 1.

It is also where the Guildford Health Walks start on Friday mornings at 10.45am, finishing there finish at noon.

After walking around Whitmoor Common, most of the walkers enjoy a light lunch and drink at the pub.

Weekend of live music at the White Hart pub

The White Hart Wood Street in Wood Street Village has just hosted a weekend of live music, an Easter egg hunt and an Easter Sunday brunch.

Forthcoming events at the White Hart pub.

WI celebrates its 103rd birthday

Members of Worplesdon Women’s Institute held their 103 birthday lunch at Worplesdon Memorial Hall.

The photos below show the table settings, while desserts were made by members and an Easter cake had just been decorated.

Play area equipment in Fairlands vandalised

Vandals have sprayed obscene words on play equipment in Fairlands.

The parish council groundsman regularly checks all equipment for safety, while all vandalism is reported to Surrey Police.

News from Merrist Wood College

Merrist Wood College’s popular fleecy frolics event is coming up – see poster below.

Students are creating a garden titled An Ode to Victorian Gardening, for a spring fair at Beaulieu, Hampshire, on April 28 to 30.

Poster below features other events coming up.

Part of a footpath across college land where it meets Rickford Hill near The Christmas Bakery has been flooded for months.

This is despite ditches being widened and cleared out.

The flooded footpath.

Remedial tidying up of footpaths and verges

Grass and mud on verges and footpaths have received maintenance work.

Cleared pathway edges in Fairlands.

However, beware, as the soil and grass has been laid alongside, and it’s feared heavy rain will wash it back across cleared paths!

This is of course now common practice due to the cost of removing the grass and mud entirely.

Restaurant reminder at Asperion Hotel

At Perry Hill, the Asperion Hillside Hotel’s Ten Tables restaurant is open to non-residents.

Head chef James Haley believes fresh is best and less is more with his 11 years of professional experience to Michelin standards.

The restaurant is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 6pm to 10pm. Reserve a table by email to reservations@tentables.uk or call 01483 232051.

For events, it can cater up to 44 guests inside and more outside, with a variety of function packages.

It has 15 rooms and sleeps 29 adults.

Cricket club launches monthly prize draw

Wood Street Village Cricket Club has launched a monthly prize draw to help raise funds to buy an electronic scoreboard and replace netting.

View its Facebook page for details.

The new season begins on Saturday, April 15, and colts’ registration is on Friday, April 14, at 5pm.

Cheesman Bros’ new loyalty card

Wood Street Village’s farm shop and home delivery wholesalers Cheesman Brothers has launched a loyalty card scheme.

Cheesman Bros’ new loyality card.

For every £10 spent, collect six stamps to get £10 off your next shop.

Watch out for the peacocks!

You might be lucky and see the peacocks, geese and chickens too when you shop for fruit, vegetables and groceries.

Coronation celebrations and more in Wood Street Village

There will be celebrations for the King’s coronation on the green at Wood Street Village with a picnic on Sunday, May 7, from noon to 4pm.

There will also be Maypole dancing, a colts cricket match, singing, tug-of-war, children’s races and free children’s entertainment. Take your own picnic, chairs, blankets, and so on.

A scarecrow king and queen trail is being prepared too. For details and help email alijohnson345@gmail.com

There will be a litter pick on April 29, to tidy up Wood Street Village. To take part, meet outside St Alban’s Church at 3pm, equipment provided.

Thursday’s are Maypole practice days at 3.30pm. Details from Janet Sutton on 01483 825709.

The UK’s Big Help Out is being launched on Monday, May 8, as part of the coronation celebrations. People are being encouraged to consider volunteering in their local area.

Wood Street Village Horticultural Society has a plant sale on Saturday, May 13, at 11am on the green.

The new youth club starts on Friday, May 5, thereafter on the first Friday of the month at St Alban’s Church Hall from 7pm to 9pm.

Fairlands’ event to celebrate the coronation and more

Monday, May 8, will see an afternoon event at Fairlands’ recreation ground and community centre to celebrate the coronation. See poster for details.

Fairlands also has great dance classes for children aged two years and above, and adult classes too.

For details, email enquiries@joannaschoolofdance.co.uk

Fairlands Players has an open evening on Tuesday, May 9, at 7pm at Fairlands Community Centre.

Go and experience the wonder of pantomimes! Email Fairlandsplayers@hotmail.com or call 07847247149.

If you don’t want to be on stage there are plenty of other roles including sorting props, moving scenery, greeting the audience at performances, controlling lighting, and so on

Charity football matches in memory of former players

Two charity football matches take place at Worplesdon Memorial Recreation Ground on April 23 to celebrate the Worplesdon Phoenix Football Team’s incredible friend, Musa Konteh, who died recently and also club stalwart for over 10 years, Terry Davies.

Bus stops closed for a while and service updates

The two bus stops, on each sides of the A322 Worpelsdon Road, Perry Hill, were made inactive for a couple of days.

No buses were stopping here at Perry Hill.

This was despite signage stating they would closed for four weeks.

The notice stated the buses would not be stopping for four weeks.

The closure was possibly due to recent road works at Fox Corner, preventing buses being able to access the road.

Surrey County Councillor Keith Witham has informed residents of updates to buses on route 17, Wood Street Village and Fairlands.

The type of electric vehicles likely to be used for the proposed “on demand bus” service.

In a bid to support more rural bus services, Surrey County Council will be putting out to tender during April what it is called an “on demand bus” service aimed to start in September .

It has been stressed there will be no changes to stagecoach’s Kite bus service (Guildford-Aldershot) that runs seven days a week.

Beware of Easter ducks!