The Worplesdon Witness: Focusing On Climate Emergency, Carbon Footprint, Recycling, Christmas And More

Published on: 19 Dec, 2019
Updated on: 1 Jan, 2020

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

How to react to the climate emergency

Worplesdon Parish Council hosted an event titled How should Guildford react to the climate emergency?

It was presented by the Guildford Environmental Forum (GEF), that aims to improve the environment in and around Guildford for wildlife and for people and to build a sustainable future, and took place at Worpledsdon Memorial Hall on November 28.

The Guildford Environmental Forum hosted an event on the climate emergency at Worplesdon Memorial Hall.

GEF has been active for 25 years, jointly with Guildford Borough Council, and for the last 10 years has been funded by its own members’ subscriptions.

Henrietta Stock gave the 40-minute presentation. She is a chartered engineer for a water company and trained in the USA on climate change and eco school. She was joined by Dr Stephen Davis, a science of climate change engineer, and Matthew Ambrose, who is studying for a masters in biology at Sheffield University. He is also GEF’s new marketing and communications officer.

Henrietta showed a picture of Apollo spacer craft landing sites on the moon and talked about how only going five minutes straight up from the earth how thin the atmosphere is.

The audience heard a number of facts, including how fossil fuels that were burnt in 2018 continue to produce tons of carbon being omitted into the air. Co2 is released faster, 500,000 times per day.

Henrietta talked about the extremes of temperatures in Saudia Arabia, and the North Pole being 28% hotter than normal.

The good news is that by 2018 in the UK had increased wind power and solar energy. However, in Guildford very little progress has been made on emissions reductions.

The audience was asked to work out their carbon footprint; look at what can be done to your property to reduce gas use, insulation and double glazing; consider travel options; reduce meat intake and out of season fruit and vegetable intake; look at your water and energy efficiency; challenge the Government and councils about what are they doing.

A question and answer session followed where topics included big businesses, greenhouse gases, plastic bag usage, size and power of cars, parish councils’ greener initiatives, solar panel usage and water.

There are to be a further 20 presentations in 2020 locally.

How do you look at your own carbon footprint in Worplesdon?

Number 28 bus service

The number 28 bus service, that goes along the A322 from Guildford to Woking via Pirbright and Knaphill, every 60 minutes, is operated with a newer generation of ADL E200 buses.

They feature an improved interior design and more environmentally friendly engines with E5 emission standards.

Click here for timetable.

According to the internet this is the cheapest way to get from Guildford to Worplesdon.

Although there is a railway station called Worplesdon, it is actually in the borough of Woking. Unfortunately, there is no footpath from the station to areas of the parish. However, there are many cycle paths within the parish, although not fully comprehensive throughout.

How to get what we need by reducing our travelling

Jacobs Well Village Store.

Jacobs Well Village store provides post office services, groceries, wine, beers and spirits, cards and stationary as well as newspapers.

It is also an agent for dry cleaning.

Open 8am to 6.30pm, Monday to Saturday, and 9am to 11am on Sundays.

In Wood Street Village you can obtain similar services from 104 Oak Hill Wood Street Post Office and Stores. Open 7.30am to 9pm, Monday to Saturday, and on Sundays from 8am to 7pm.

Foreign currency is available, and drop and go and Parcel Force express services as well as groceries, wines, beers and spirits with regular Londis offers.

Budgens in Fairlands Avenue offers newspapers, magazines, beers, wines spirits, fresh produce, groceries and local bakery items and stationery. It is open 7am to 10am daily.

Worplesdon’s Christmas bakery offers a large range of bread, cakes, sandwiches, rolls, coffee, hot and cold pastries, celebration cakes and catering platters.

It receives four tonnes of flour weekly from millers in Enfield and Tring – 50 to 60 miles away.

Hot Elephant luxury loose leaf teas available at the Christmas Bakery.

It also sells Hot Elephant luxury loose leaf teas including Earl Grey, peppermint and classic teas. Open 7.30am to 4pm, Monday to Saturday.

Gooserye Road is home to Bonni’s farm shop where you can buy free-range eggs, craft and crochet products, and even alpaca yarn.

Bonni’s farm shop in Gooserye Road.

Items are on sale at the entrance. Walk up through the working farm where there are chickens, cows and two Shetland ponies. You can even have your nails done at Loops Nails and Waxing within the farm.

Places to recycle

Many residents of course recycle a wide range of items as part of their doorstep collections by Guildford Borough Council.

Small bags of textiles and small electrical items can be collected weekly too.

Fairlands has a range of recycling bins including shoe bins at Fairlands Community Centre.

There will also be a recycled area for Christmas trees.

Crisp packets are collected for recycling at Worplesdon School.

Take milk bottle plastic tops (any colour) to help raise funds for charity to 2 Bramble Close GU3 3BQ, where there is a “terracyle” bin waiting.

See the posters below for used postage stamps, or take them to the Phyllis Tuckwell charity shop at Fairlands Avenue, along with many more unwanted good as new items.

Nearby at the Park Barn Centre there is a monthly repair café where you can learn to repair your broken items for free. More information by emailing climatechange@guildford.gov.uk

Parish council puts focus on land management

Worplesdon Parish Council (WPC) has two part-time members of staff focusing on the land management of the parish. And it has a new works van, a Mitsubishi Outlander hybrid.

WPC strives to improve the quality of life in the parish as well as representing the local community. It delivers services to meet local needs with eight of the nine commons in the area managed by Surrey Wildlife Trust. Worplesdon covers an area of 35 sq miles, so there is a lot to do.

Worplesdon Parish Council held a community engagement event on the future uses of Harry’s Meadow at Jacobs Well Village Hall.

WPC held a community engagement event on the future uses of Harry’s Meadow at Jacobs Well Village Hall on November 30.

A small number of people came to view possible ideas for adult gym equipment. Another event will be held in Wood Street Village in March.

Looking at the Way Forward

The Fairlands, Liddington Hall & Gravetts Lane Community Association (FLGCA) will be holding an event on Monday, January 6, at 7.30pm at Fairlands Community Centre. It will be hosted by the newly formed Way Forward, a group who are wanting input to encourage young families to use the recreational field and ideas on what to use it for.

Fairlands Community Centre..

A full house at Fairlands Community Centre on Sunday, December 1 enjoyed festive music by children of Worplesdon Primary School and the local adult Rhythm of Life Community Choir

Carolyn and Sam from the Rhythm of Life Community Choir.

The choir always welcomes new members and all abilities are welcome. It meets on Thursday evenings (during term times) from 7pm to 8.30pm at the Park Barn Centre, Park Barn Drive.

Carols on Wood Street Village Green

All are welcome to attend a carol service on Wood Street Village Green on Saturday, December 21, starting at 4pm.

And finally….

Worplesdon was the birth place of Bramley resident Annie Blunden, one of Surrey’s oldest residents, and who will be 104 in February. Perhaps being born here makes you live a long life?

For now, enjoy the festivities and consider how in 2020 you can have a positive affect for future generations in the little part of the world called Worplesdon.