The Worplesdon Witness June 2023

Published on: 15 Jun, 2023
Updated on: 14 Jun, 2023

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

Gallery hoping for blooming success

The Sime Gallery at Worplesdon Memorial Hall is entering the Guildford in Bloom competition for the first time.

The Sime Gallery at Worplesdon Memorial Hall.

Judging is taking place for the borough-wide competition, with a number of categories, between June 28 and July 13.

They gallery is also in partnership with Watts Gallery Artists’ Village, the Yvonne Arnuad Theatre, West Horsley Place and Guildford Shakespeare Company, as part of the exploring treasures on your doorstep scheme this summer.

The gallery has a fundraising barbecue on August 18 in the grounds of Worplesdon Memorial Hall.

Display board at the gallery.

Funds raised will enable the gallery to support the halow project’s programme at the gallery.

At the barbecue there will be a short talk about the halow project, plus live music. Attendees can send an email to enquiries@sidneysimegallery.org.uk for more details.

The Sime Gallery is well worth a visit.

The gallery is open on Wednesdays and Sunday afternoons.

Also being planned are external exhibitions, children’s workshops, talks about artist Sidney Sime and a second artist speaker talk in November.

The gallery can also be followed on social media.

More art on view at Sandy Kendall’s studio

Included in Surrey artists’ open studios event (June 3 to 18) is Sandy Kendall’s in Tangley Lane.

Sandy Kendall in her studio.

She works in oils, watercolours and experiments with mixed media and collage that includes landscapes, seascapes and driftwood art.

Her studio will be open on June 14, 15, 16 and 18. A retired art teacher. she continues to teach children and adults at her studio. She sells cards and coasters of her artwork as well as original pieces.

Link to Sandy’s website.

School’s consultation with parents

Worplesdon Primary School is consulting parents on day timings for the new term in September.

All schools must offer 32.5 hours per week from September 2023, and the school operate those hours.

Wood Street Infant School currently runs a 50-minute deficit each week.

Worplesdon Primary school is making changes to its pupils’ PE kit, meanwhile pupils have been learning to ride bicycles. Sports days will be held on June 21 for infants and June 29 for juniors.

Panto auditions take place

Fairlands Players has held auditions for juniors for its pantomime being held in November.

Adult auditions will be on Tuesday, June 20, from 7.30pm to 9pm at Fairlands Community Centre.

For more details phone 07837 814894.

Vandalism and antisocial behaviour

Antisocial behaviour has been reported in Jacobs Well as horses were being exercised.

Graffiti on play equipment.

Play equipment at Worplesdon Memorial Hall has been vandalised and there has been digging on the football pitch.

Grass verges will be mowed less often

Mowing of verges, now the responsibility of Surrey County Council, will take place less often.

Long grass yet to be cut.

It has been observed that current long grass verges may make it dangerous for drivers of vehicles when turning onto busy roads.

Pedestrians walking on paths where there is long grass should be beware of ticks, and dogs can be affected too.

Issues can be reported online via Surrey County Council’s highways department.

Tidying up Fairlands

Fairlands residents are invited to join pupils from Worplesdon Primary School on a litter pick on Wednesday, June 28, 3.30pm to 4.30pm.

Meet outside the community centre, all children must be accompanied by an adult, equipment will be provided.

School shortlisted for award

Rydes Hill Preparatory School has been shortlisted in the Muddy Stilettos Best Schools Award 2023, in the category Originality in Teaching Music And The Arts.

It has a new outdoor classroom and its summer fair is on Saturday afternoon, June 17, 3pm to 5pm.

Various year groups have enjoyed a retreat day at Wintershall, water activities at Hawley Lake, releasing butterflies, clay pot making after studying ancient Greece and a mufti day for World Environment Day.

Solar panels at Fairlands Community Centre

Solar panels being installed at Fairlands Community Centre.

Fairlands Community Centre now has solar panels on its roof, with the majority of funding from grants provided by Surrey and Kent County Councils.

Loos get a makeover at hall

The women’s toilets at Worplesdon Memorial Hall have had a makeover by new caretaker Phil Bowers, as has the floor in the hall.

Caretaker Phil Bowers painting the ladies loo.

Wedding receptions can be held in the large hall and a weekend package of hire is available. Click here for hall hire details.

On Wednesday evenings during the summer the Stone Rose Pizza Company’s mobile van is in the car park from 5pm to 8pm.

The pizza van visits Jacobs Well Village Hall on selected Friday nights.

Prize draw raising funds for cricket club

A monthly prize draw is raising funds for Wood Street Village Cricket Club.

Fifty per cent of the proceeds go direct to the club and the rest to the winner of the draw. Click here for the club’s website.

You can keep up to date with match results via the club’s Facebook page.

Wood Street Village Cricket Club’s colts in action.

Worplesdon and Burpham Cricket Club hosted the West Surrey six-a-side tournament on May 29, with Farncombe being the winners.

In a T20 match the club lost to Valley End, a Surrey Championship side.

For details of the club send an email to info@wbcc.org.uk

Village show and jazz festival coming up

The annual Wood Street Village show takes place on the green on Saturday afternoon, July 15.

Dancing around the Maypole at a previous show.

Along with the horticultural show, there will be music and dancing, stalls, events, fun and games, dog show, Maypole dancing, children’s rides, car boot sale and food stalls.

The 10th Wood Street Village Charity Jazz festival, raising money for Challengers, is on Sunday, July 16.

Music will be by Horace Silver and the Adderley Brothers, with the Peter Long and Ryan Quigley Quintet and Redtenbachers Funkestra, featuring Jana Varga and the Something Else Big Band.

Pre order your choice of food, supplied by the Shahin Restaurant on Woodbridge Hill.

Water main repairs woes in Holly Lane

People are wondering how long the latest water main repairs on Holly Lane, between Fairlands and Perry Hill, will last.

Repairs continue.

New tarmac has covered the affected area. However a large hole can be seen on the opposite carriageway.

New councillors get a tour of the parish

Worplesdon Parish Council clerk Gaynor White has given the new Guildford Borough Councillors, and new parish councillor, Nuala Crampin, a tour of the parish.

New councillors enjoying a tour of the parish with clerk Gaynor White (far right).

With its 400 hectares of common land (made up of nine commons), 52 listed buildings, a Grade I listed church, two scheduled monuments and sites of archaeological interest, and a population of over 9,000, there is plenty to see.

The tour took four hours!

News from Worplesdon Parish Council

Worplesdon Parish Council’s annual meeting took place on May 18.

The chairman, Cllr Nigel Mitchell and vice-chairman, Cllr Gordon Adam, were elected to continue for a further year.

The co-option of councillors to fill vacancies after the election saw Bob McShee elected as a parish councillor once again, and Cllr Nuala Crampin, attended her first meeting.

The election of councillors to the various committees can be viewed on the parish council’s website.

There were 22 items on the finance agenda, nine planning applications, reports from parish representatives, community speed watch, and unauthorised encampment annual inspection review.

The next flood forum walkabout is on Friday, July 14. To attend, meet at 10am near the pond / village sign on Wood Street Village green.

Stout shoes are required for the 5-6km walk for about two hours.

Cllr Terry Wright with his 1953 coronation book and 2023 coronation bookmark.

Cllr Terry Wright showed fellow councillors a book he received marking Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953, when he was a child living in Essex.

He has now been presented with a book mark from the parish council, the same as given to the children in local schools to commemorate King Charles III’s coronation.

One councillor said it was very apt Terry had waited all these years for a bookmark for his book!

Merrist Wood College news

There is a community charity, education and open morning at Merrist Wood College on Friday, June 16. And a farm open morning takes place at Merrist Wood College on Sunday, July 2. See website for details.

Hard at work shearing sheep.

Students have spent hours shearing 114 sheep saying it was messy, hot and noisy. However, they now have fleeces being put to good use across the campus.

The college celebrated love, identity and diversity in honour of Pride month.

The Merrist Wood Pumpkin Patch is on Wednesday and Thursday, October 25 and 26, with tickets on sale from August 1.

There promises to be 2,000 pumpkins, a judge the scarecrow competition, a scavenger hunt, see the animals and have hot chocolate and ghoulish treats.

A memorial bench, made with wood from a felled and milled oak tree at the college, has been made in memory of English teacher Christine Garland, who died October 2022.

New bench in memory of Christine Garland who taught at Merrist Wood College for 15 years.

The bench was designed and made by students from another Activate Learning group site.

The bench is situated in Christine’s favourite sunny spot in one of the college gardens, the Bee Garden. Her husband and daughters attended an unveiling ceremony.

Youth club run by Worplesdon churches, and more

Worplesdon churches invite young people aged 10 to 16 to its youth club at St Alban’s Church, Wood Street Village, on the first Friday of the month, 7pm to 9pm.

The next one is on July 7, fee £1 per child.

More information from Jackie at youthclub@worplesdonparish.com