The Worplesdon Witness February 2024

Published on: 13 Feb, 2024
Updated on: 16 Feb, 2024

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

Time for a spot of decorating at the Sime Gallery

Following the success of the Sime Gallery’s recent London exhibition, its trustees took the opportunity to undertake some decorating ready for its reopening on February 14.

Some of the walls of the gallery have been painted in a pale turquoise colour.

Some of the walls and display areas are now a stunning pale turquoise which will show off Sidney Sime’s artwork even better.

Some items have been framed for the first time and will now be on display.

Art classes in conjunction with the charity halow resume in March.

You can take a walk around Worplesdon on the Sime trails, available from the gallery in its Ta Ta tea room.

On Thursday, February 15, there will children’s activity sessions. To book email enquiries@sidneysimegallery.org.uk

Talks are offered to groups and organisations.

The gallery is open on Wednesdays and Sundays from 2pm to 4pm.

Click here for website.

Fleecy frolics at Merrist Wood College

Tickets for Merrist Wood College’s fleecy frolics are on sale now for Saturday and Sunday, April 20 and 21.

The college’s annual lambing event is a celebration of nature and countryside crafts.

Meet the lambs with demonstrations, visit the farm, the shop for gifts and enjoy animal handling.

The college is now in partnership with tool manufacturer Makita UK.

There is a open event on Wednesday, February 28, from 4.30pm to 7.30pm for prospective students to meet staff, speak to its apprenticeship and higher education teams and sign up to a course.

The college supported Shooting Star children’s hospices for the second year with its Christmas tree collection and recycling initiative with support from arboriculture apprentices from Makita UK.

Large scale chipping of the trees was undertaken with 11 first-year students. They raised £16,000 for the hospices.

There will be plenty of equine show jumping events at the college’s arena during February.

Having a great Burns Night

Worplesdon churches have thanked John McLean, Charlie Harris and the team who made the annual Burns Night celebration such a huge success.

It was held at Worplesdon Memorial Hall and the photo shows guests enjoying some Scottish dancing.

Worplesdon young musician of the year competition

Following the semi final of the Worplesdon Young Musician of the Year competition, 12 candidates have been selected to go through to the final on March 16 at St Alban’s Church, Wood Street Village.

During the interval last year’s winner Leia will perform a brief piano recital.

Tickets for the final, £10 per adult with children under 16 free, can be bought via the Worplesdon church office. Phone 01483 233091.

The overall standard of musicianship was again extremely high with contestants ranging in age from six to 15 years old.

With a selection of instruments including piano, saxophone, trombone, guitar, clarinet, violin and voice, the competition’s adjudicator Dr Amy Bebbington said the semi final was a lovely competitive event and a great enjoyable musical morning.

News from the parish churches

Ash Wednesday services on Wednesday, 14 will be 10.30am at St Albans and 7pm at St Mary’s.

Both services will include the traditional ashing.

The crosses returned from last year’s Palm Sunday services will be used to create the ash.

Three Lent groups will be running. Contact the church office for details. Email churchoffice@worplesdonparish.com or call 01483 233091.

The youth group meets again on Friday, March 1, at 7pm at St Alban’s Church.

The next parish lunch is on February 20, at 12.30pm. To book a place phone 01483 233091.

Used stamps are collected for Cherry Trees, the charity in East Clandon that offers specialist short-break respite visits for children and young adults with a range of complex disabilities.

You can leave stamps at either church or at the church office.

The next coffee morning. held at Worplesdon Place hotel and restaurant is on Saturday, March 2 at 10.30am. Dogs welcome too.

Reopened footpath following repair work.

The footpath that runs behind St Mary’s Church has reopened after repairs, as has the adjoining footpath on Whitmoor Common.

Tai Chi for seniors can be enjoyed on Thursday’s at St Albans Church Hall at £10 per person.

Recycling bins removed

Fairlands, Liddington Hall and Gravetts Lane Community Association reports that Guildford Borough Council has removed its recycling bins at the community centre’s car park.

Another bin, not belonging to the council, remains, and already people have been leaving other recycling not associated with it, next to it.

The remaining recycling bin with non-associated items left next to it.

The association is eager the council returns the hard standing on which the council bins stood to grass and that no fly-tipping occurs.

Evidently, the removal of the council’s bins is part of the council’s cost-cutting measures throughout the borough.

Other news from the Fairlands, Liddington Hall and Gravettes Lane Community Association

The association has updated it website www.fairlands.org.uk

The community centre at Fairlands.

Its community centre in Fairlands is available for hall hire.

Six Nations rugby fixture list.

The bar at the centre will be showing Six Nations Rugby on its TV screen and there is a quiz night on February 21, from 7.30pm, bingo on February 22 from 7.30pm.

There will be live music from the Decades on March 2, from 8.30pm, and Ukulele Band will perform on March 15, from 8pm.

A free afternoon tea for seniors is on March 6, from 2pm to 4pm.

Its playing fields are maintained by a group of volunteers and new volunteers are welcome. For details send an email to flgcaevents@gmail.com

The association is keen to engage with the community over the way forward for a replacement community centre that will involve necessary fundraising.

What’s on at the pubs

Jolly Farmer, Burdenshott Road.

White Hart, Wood Street Village.

Parish council and recent storm damage and flooding

Worplesdon Parish Council was made aware of a number of recent storm-related issues.

The fallen tree at Jacobs Well recreation ground.

These included a large tree that fell at Jacobs Well recreation ground near the Moathouse Pond.

The recreation ground is owned and maintained by the parish council and a tree surgeon has been instructed to deal with the fallen tree.

Flooding can be reported to Surrey County Council, by emailing flooding.enquiries@surrycc.gov.uk and photos or videos can also be included in the email. Alternatively phone 0300 200 1003.

The parish council’s next flood forum meeting will be on March 1. It asks that people who have reported flooding to Surrey County Council to also let the parish council know and to give it the reference number they were given. Email to admin@worplesdon-pc.gov.uk

Details of flooding reported to the parish council direct will be circulated to Guildford Borough Council, the Environment Agency and Thames Water.

High levels of water at Rickford making the footpath inaccessible, despite a cleared ditch.

The parish council adds that reporting flooding allows funding to be sought to address issues in the local area.

The parish council’s clerk and assistant clerk have undertaken a vast amount of additional work regarding the experiences of residents and their properties due to the most recent flooding.

An extra ordinary meeting of the parish council was held to consider possible parish office options that included Hesters Yard at Wood Street Village and Fairlands Community Centre.

Its annual parish assembly meeting is March 18, 7pm to 9.30pm. It will be held at Fairlands Community Centre.

The next full council meeting will be on February 22, 7.30pm to 10.30pm at the Parish office, Unit 2 Saxton, Parklands, Railton Road, Guildford GU2 9JX.

There has been another planning application for homes at Gravetts Lane.

The parish council has been looking at another planning application for homes at Gravetts Lane, lodged with Guildford Borough Council.

Pavement and kerb repairs at Pitch Place

Surrey County Council has had two-way temporary traffic lights outside Yeomans Honda Garage on the A322 Worplesdon Road, Pitch Place, while a new kerb was laid and resurfacing of the footpath fronting the ship cottage, formerly the Ship pub.

Kerb and pavement repairs at Pitch Place.

Deputy manager vacancy at pre-school

Wood Street Nursery and Forest Pre school at Frog Grove Lane, Wood Street Village is recruiting for a deputy manager to join its team.

Interested people can contact the pre-school’s manager Kelly Cooper by email to info@tinyacornsnursery.com enclosing a CV. The closing date for applications is February 28.

Carer support café at care home

The Silverbirch House care home.

The Silverbirch House care home, off Keens Lane, held a carer support café on February 8, which featured a talk from its dementia care specialist.

Residents have visited a local garden centre, there was an art afternoon dedicated to Claude Monet, and a trip to an aquatics centre.

Silverbirch House residents’ ambassador Robert Beight.

Robert (Bob) Beight is the Silverbirch House residents’ ambassador and was the first resident to move in.

To book a visit to see the new home phone 01483 966570.

Huge turnout for litter pick

About 40 people, including whole families, took part in a litter pick around Wood Street Village on February 3.

Some of the people who took part in the litter pick around Wood Street Village.

There will be another litter pick in June.

Worplesdon Parish Councillor Bob Shee commented on how many plastic dog poo bags were found in tree branches.

After the litter pick volunteers went to the Royal Oak pub for a well deserved drink, paid for by the village association.

Guildford Borough Council provided the litter pickers, high viz tabards and bin bags.

The bags of litter and other rubbish awaiting collection.

The bags were left at the bus shelter outside St Albans Church for a pre-arranged collection by the council’s cleansing team.

Residents at nearby Broadacres have reported flytipping on grassland near a Worplesdon Parish Council noticeboard.

Cars collide in Clay Lane

One of the cars involved in the collision.

Occupants of two cars narrowly avoided serious injury when their cars collided on a wet and slippery section of road on Clay Lane between Jacobs Well and Burpham.

Juble sale in Jacobs Well

There will be a jumble sale at Jacobs Well Village Hall on Saturday, February 24, from 9am to noon.

Donated items can be dropped off from 6,30pm on Friday, February 23.

All proceeds will go to the RSPCA Surrey’s Woking branch.

New additions to the stage at memorial hall

The stage at Worplesdon Memorial Hall in Perry Hill has had a revamp.

For details of how to hire the hall see its website.

The new-look stage at Worplesdon Memorial Hall.

Sports round up

Worplesdon & Burpham Cricket Club has a quiz night on Saturday, March 2.

Worplesdon Tennis Club, within the recreation ground, has just held its annual meeting and reminds members its floodlit courts are available 365 days a year.

Worplesdon Tennis Club.

It is a Lawn Tennis Association affiliated club that has been granted accreditation that recognises the achievement of excellent standards in club tennis.

New members, players of all levels, are also welcome.

As a member you can play seven days a week from 7am to 10pm.

There are four courts and the resident coach is Andrew Bird.

Junior matchplay events will be held on April, 6, 14 and 21.

News from Worplesdon Primary School

Worplesdon Primary School’s parent-teacher association is hosting a fashion show on February 29.

Doors open at 7pm for 7.30pm start.

Contact the school to book tickets.

The head teacher of Worplesdon Primary School, Kareen O’Brien with pupils and Guildford MP Angela Richardson and Guildford Borough Councillors Honor and Phillip Booker.

Guildford MP Angela Richardson has visited the school along with Guildford Borough Councillors Honor and Phillip Booker.

The school has created a bespoke centre for children with special educational needs and disabilities.

The Haven focuses on a child’s emotional well being, academic achievement, communication, social understanding and independence.

Sex pest incidents on Whitmoor Common

Surrey Police has received two reports of indecent exposure on Whitmoor Common.

The police asks anyone with information or witnessed this behaviour to report it quoting reference PR/45230141776.

Surrey County Council’s new dog walkers code reminds users of the countryside, especially the heathlands of Whitmoor Common that dogs must be kept to paths from March 1 to September 15 while birds are nesting.

Its Keep Paws on Paths message is to help nesting nightjars, Dartford warblers and Skylarks, as these birds nest on or near the ground.

Pet owners can throw a ball for their dogs, but make sure it is on the path only.

And always pick up your dogs’ waste, putting it in any public or household waste bin. Parasites such as Neospora can be transmitted to livestock, which are regularly grazed at Whitmoor Common.

Spring is coming…

Daffodils coming up in Fairlands.

Crocuses in Cumberland Avenue.

Spring is on the way. Daffodils are sprouting at Fairlands Parade, crocuses in bloom at Cumberland Avenue, plus there have been some glorious sunsets recently, this one photographed at Fairlands.