The Worplesdon Witness August 2021

Published on: 13 Aug, 2021
Updated on: 18 Aug, 2021

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

Successful village show

This year’s Wood Street Village show on Saturday, July 24, was hailed a success despite the changeable weather.

The volunteers wearing their orange T-shirts.

A group of volunteers wearing orange T-shirts had just eight weeks to get the show ready when the go-ahead was announced. It was opened jointly by Guildford MP Angela Richardson and Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey, David Hypher. The flower Queen was crowned by the MP.

There was maypole dancing, a ukulele band, birds of prey on show, a treasure hunt, community and trade stalls, fun and games, a dog show, a beer tent and teas, along with the horticultural competitions for vegetables, flowers, art and a section for children.

A selection of pictures from the show.

Jazz festival raises £13,000 for charity

The jazz festival held on Wood Street Village green on Sunday, July 18, was attended by more than 400 people and raised £13,000 for the charity Challengers. See separate report, previously published.

Room at hall named after stalwart Terry Cater

A room at Worplesdon Memorial Hall has been named after local stalwart Terry Cater. He held the post of chairman of the hall’s trustees for many years, has been a Worplesdon parish councillor (as was his father).

Terry Cater.

Terry has also had a long association with Worplesdon football club and still watches from the sidelines. He is also a regular volunteer at the Sime Gallery at the hall, and is compiling a history of the hall.

The 100th anniversary of the opening of the hall will be celebrated on October 14-16, 2022. The trustees of the hall welcome any old photographs, stories and memories. Send an email to Jan Messinger at jan@wmh.0rg.uk

The new signage outside Worplesdon Memorial Hall.

There is new signage at the hall and it can be hired for events such as wedding receptions, parties, and community activities. You can also play football cricket and tennis at the memorial halls recreation ground. Click here for more details.

More flooding…

Wet and windy weather has caused more flooding in the usual Worplesdon hotspots.

Flood water at the A322 / Holly Lane roundabout at Perry Hill.

These include: under the railway bridge on Salt Box Road, on the A320 Woking Road near Jacobs Well, the roundabout at the junction of the A322 and Holly Lane at Perry Hill and on the A322 near the former White Lyon & Dragon pub/ restaurant at Perry Hill.

Flooding at Perry Hill.

The ditch along Tangley Lane has also been cleared following the recent bad weather.

The recently cleared ditch at Tangley Lane near its junction with the A322.

A fallen tree in Broad Street at its junction with Oak Hill near Wood Street Village temporarily closed the road. However, it was reported to Surrey County Council (SCC) highways on the Saturday night it fell and was soon removed. Floods and fallen trees can be reported on SCC’s website. Click here for details.

Open day at Tiny Acorns nursery

An open day was held at the new Tiny Acorns nursery in Wood Street Village.

Having fun at Tiny Acorns nursery.

It is run by Kelly Cooper for children aged up to four years it is held in the cricket pavilion.

At the open day there was face-painting, ice creams and a walk around the nursery including its forest school.

For more details send an email to info@tinyacornsnursery.com

Sime Gallery latest

The Sime Gallery at Worplesdon Memorial Hall, Perry Hill, is supporting Macmillan with coffee morning on Wednesday, September 15.

However, it is actually taking place in the afternoon from 2pm to 4pm!

Visitors are welcome to attend to help raise money for this national cause and can visit the gallery as well.

Two of the children who enjoyed activities at the Sime Gallery.

Children’s activities have taken place at the gallery during August, and a regular Tuesday walking group met for one of the Sime walking trails with lunch at the Ta Ta café in the Tovey room at the gallery as well as admiring Sime’s artworks.

Trips out and music at care home

Residents at Worplesdon View care home have once again been visiting local places with trips to garden centres.

There have also been concerts at the home and general manager Graham Allen said: “You could hear the buzz of live music throughout the care home all day long.”

The care home is also holding a summer fair on Saturday, September 11, from noon to 4pm.

News from St Mary’s Church, Perry Hill

After living in Worplesdon for 50 years, Kathleen Valens, aged 90, has left the village.

A 14-strong choir sang an anthem in her honour at the end of a service at the church. She was also presented with a canvas picture of Guildford High Street. Her brother, the Reverend Chris Valens, was a former rector of St Mary’s.

The banking of railway sleepers at the entrance to St Mary’s Church.

The church has also thanked the six volunteers for their work repairing the banking made of old railway sleepers near the entrance to the churchyard by the lynch gate.

Morning prayers by Zoom continue on Mondays and evening prayers are usually on Thursdays. You can sign up to receive the Zoom link to join these. For people who cannot attend, Sunday services can be viewed via the website www.worplesdonparish.com

Worplesdon parish churches also have Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages.

The church community manned the tea tent at the Wood Street Village show. It was a very busy afternoon for all who volunteered serving drinks and home-made cakes in the marquee.

The church’s monthly parish lunches will begin again on Tuesday, September 21. Bookings are required on the Friday before the lunch by phoning the parish office on 01483 233091.

Thank you tea party for volunteer helpers during pandemic

Ready for the tea party. From left: assistant parish clerk Victorian Fear; the chairman of Worplesdon Parish Council, Paul Cragg; and the parish clerk, Gaynor White.

Worplesdon Parish Council hosted a thank you tea party at Fairlands Community Centre for those who helped throughout the pandemic delivering prescription medicines, food, and befriending others. Click here for report previously published.

Parish council round-up

At its July meeting councillors scrutinised nine planning applications including the relocation of Thames Water’s sewage treatment works at Slyfield as part of the Weyside Urban Village development.

Other topics focused on included grass cutting, a request for litter bins, discussions about interpretation boards, a bird feeder dispenser at Jacobs Well, and the diversion of a public right of way over the proposed North Moors allotments at Slyfield.

As well as: a proposed 5G telecommunications mast on the Worplesdon Road at Perry Hill, a boundary review of areas of outstanding natural beauty, and a review of the parish council’s strategic and business plans.

Worplesdon Parish Council has spent £200 spent on litter pickers and bin liner hoops to assist Wood Street Infant and Worplesdon Primary School pupils who litter pick in the local area.

Meeting continue to be held via Zoom

The Wood Street Village Association continues to hold its meeting online via Zoom.

It has thanked the community for a successful village show, and reminds people the winners of the sunflowers photo competition will be announced soon.

Discount at the Farmhouse Café

The Farmhouse Café at Rokers in Fairlands is offering 20% off breakfast or brunch ordered before 11.30am during August.

New refreshment van at The Christmas Bakery

The Christmas Bakery at Rickford now has a van outside selling hot drinks and snacks.

The refreshments van at The Christmas Bakery.

It is proving particularly popular as numbers of people inside the shop are still limited and there are sometimes queues outside.

Beware of road works

There will be road works along Broad Street fro three days from August 19.

Roadworks along Broad Street for three days from August 19 is likely to result in delays with diversions in place.

Make a date for novelty dog show

There will be a novelty dog show at Harry’s Meadow in Jacobs Well on Saturday, September 4.

With 16 different amusing dog show categories, there should be something for everyone. Registration is from 1pm and the event starts at 2pm. Email dogshow@nfcol.com for rules and information. You can enter as many classes as you like for the £2 registration fee.

Country market

Jacobs Well’s country market takes place every Friday from 10am to 11.30am. It is a friendly market selling hand-made crafts, home-cooked food and locally grown plants.

Sponsored roundabouts looking good

Roundabouts on the A322 Worplesdon Road, with the junctions with Salt Box Road, Holly Lane, and Cumberland Avenue, are looking colourful with summer bedding, sponsored by local firms.

The roundabout on the A322 with Cumberland Avenue.

Guildford Borough Council’s parks department keep the plants watered and one resident said they were “very proud of these displays”.

Forest school meets

Earthlings forest school’s parent and toddler group meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10am to 11.30am from September 7 through to October 21.

The school is based at Merrist Wood College. Click here for more details.

Lots on offer at the post office

Fairlands post office always seems to have something new on offer.

The post office in Fairlands is an access point for delivery firm UPS.

Along with its postal services, it is also well-known for selling party items.

Olympic theme for former phone box

The redundant phone box in Wood Street Village decked out for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

The former red phone box on Frog Grove Lane in Wood Street Village was decorated for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. The decoration worked as Team GB won a total of 65 medals and came fourth in the medal table.

Information on mental health and loneliness

The Fairlands Practice Patient Participation Group is holding an event with information on mental health and loneliness.

It takes place at Fairlands Community Centre on Saturday, October 9, from 10.30am to 4.30pm.

People can drop by to listen to speakers and learn about issues surrounding mental health and loneliness.

A spider with babies on its back

And finally…. Alison White has shared a photo she took of a wolf spider on Whitmoor Common.

Wolf spider photographed by Alison White.

These spiders are unique in the way they carry their eggs. Wikipedia states: “The egg sac, a round, silken globe, is attached to the spinnerets at the end of the abdomen, allowing the spider to carry her unhatched young with her.

“The abdomen must be held in a raised position to keep the egg case from dragging on the ground. Despite this handicap, they are still capable of hunting.

“Another aspect unique to wolf spiders is their method of care of young. Immediately after the spiderlings emerge from their protective silken case, they clamber up their mother’s legs and crowd onto the dorsal side of her abdomen.

“The mother carries the spiderlings for several weeks before they are large enough to disperse and fend for themselves. No other spiders are currently known to carry their young on their backs for any period of time.”

Whitmoor Common is a site of specific scientific interest, a special protection area and nature reserve.

Access is managed by Surrey County Council and its conservation is managed by Surrey Wildlife Trust.

For visitors, it is important not to start fires. If you see a fire when on the common, call 999.