Hinchley Wood Magazine Summer 2015

SUMMER 2015

Hinchley Wood’sYouTube star

A COMMUNITY MAGAZINE BRINGING YOU THE NEWS & VIEWS FROM AROUND THE VILLAGE

WALK THE WALKTake your kids on asummer adventure

MEET BOB FILBYA magnificent man.A magnificent life.

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04 HINCHLEY WOOD SUMMER 2015

KNOW A HINCHLEY WOOD HERO?Whether they’ve done something noteworthy like broken a world record or gone above and beyond to help the community, they could feature in our magazine. Simply email us with your nomination at [email protected]. Your name will also be entered into a prize draw for this amazing Spiral & Slice worth £20 kindly donated by Anne Morgan of Pampered Chef!!

The Team

Editor: Suzie Pepperell • Features Editor: Neville Thurlbeck • Bussy Izzy Columnist: Isobel Ash • History Columnist: Roger Thompson • Art Director: Jon Usher • Design Consultant: Yawming Wong • Photographer: Darren Salanson • Illustrator: Lucinda Kidney • Production & Distribution Manager: Mandy Ali • Advertising & Marketing: Rachel Herbert • Revenue & Marketing: Imina Wylde

CONTRIBUTORS

Isobel AshBusy Izzy ColumnistI used to be a project

manager in an ad-

vertising agency until

I had children. Now I

project manage the

husband, house and

kids whilst fitting in

freelance work.

Darren SalansonPhotographerI’ve been a

professional

photographer for 22

years. I set up my own

photography business

in 2009 where I focus

on family photos and

weddings. I’m married

with 3 children.

Lucinda KidneyIllustratorHello! I’m a freelance

Illustrator/Designer

with a passion for Art.

Also Mum to two busy

and active boys.

Imina WyldeRevenue & MarketingAfter 12 years in Hotel

Marketing I ran my own

Child-minding Business

before returning to full

time employment earli-

er this year. I am mar-

ried with two children

and an active member

of St Christopher’s.

WELCOME

Jo James and Zoe Bennett, two locally based Pilates and Fitness instructors have combined their extensive expertise and experience to offer:

www.ultimatewell-being.co.uk [email protected]

07764 685197 07986 659959or

Ultimate Wellbeing

WellbeingRetreats

Pilates Workshops &

Summer Day Retreat. Experience Ultimate Wellbeing

followed by a delicious, nutritional lunch and advice on maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Wednesday 17th June, 9:30am – 2:30pm in Long Ditton, £75 per person. Spaces are limited so book early.

Monthly Workshops. 1.5 hour sessions of different approaches to Pilates. Fun and informative, these workshops are an ideal

opportunity to try out Pilates in a relaxed environment with no long term commitment.

Sunday, 10:00am – 11:30am in Hinchley Wood.

Weekend Retreat. How about three days away to achieve your Ultimate Wellbeing? Our October retreat will give you two

suitable for all ability levels.


Out ‘N’ AboutSPOTLIGHT

SUMMER BALLHinchley Wood Primary School

Las Vegas was the theme

and Las Vegas was the scene!

Parents turned out in their glamour and

sparkle to enjoy an evening of fine food, a

fantastic auction, casino and live music by

Eddie Cullen plus DJ and dancing.

Domenic

Versace,

Sam Butt

& Ed Kevin

Sarah &

Richard Gibbs

Lynne Johnson

& Lisa Cabrera Kirstin Holland

SUMMER 2015 HINCHLEY WOOD 07

SPOTLIGHT

THE DITTONS FAIRGiggs Hill Green

It wasn’t only the sunshine

that turned up! Thousands

of you came along to enjoy

the Tombola, legendary Pig

Racing, Crazy Golf, Dog

Gymkhana, a hearty BBQ

and much much more.

COCKTAILS & CANAPESThe Vicarage

A very civilised evening

shared by Hinchley Wood

folk, sipping homemade

Pina Coladas and

Cosmopolitans and dipping

strawberries into the

chocolate fountain.

Penny & Melina Savvas

Emily &

Niamh

Alix Avory &

Karen Wakefield

Rachel & Ryan HerbertMandy Ali Jon Usher

Molly, Caitlin, Caitlin & Sophie


Spotlight

BOB FILBYTHE WAR HERO IN OUR MIDST

Bob Filby is one of many Hinchley Wood residents with an interesting tale to tell. Neville Thurlbeck, the bell-ringer at St Christopher’s Church, profiles this

extraordinary man.

The more I learn about Bob Filby’s

long and fascinating life, the more

I am struck by numbers. Some

of these numbers are heroic and

some are tragic. Others are romantic and

some are downright bewildering. But all of

them have a poignant tale to tell.

For behind these numbers is Bob’s life story.

A war hero decorated with the Military Cross

and the Croix de Guerre by Field Marshall

Montgomery and Charles de Gaulle.

Chairman of Gordon’s Gin. One of the longest

marriages you are likely to hear of. And he’s

even got a cocktail named after him.

First off, Bob is 91. And quite probably

the fittest 91-year-old in Hinchley Wood.

His handshake is famously a hearty bone-

cruncher – the firmest at St Christopher’s

by a long way. Men 20 years younger with

arthritis are advised to steer well clear during

the Sharing of the Peace. There’s never been

anything half-hearted about Bob.

Bob was the youngest of 7 children in a

family of Licensed Victuallers. His father

died when he was nine and his mother

was left financially very badly off, but thanks

to a Masonic connection, he was sent to

the Royal Masonic School as a boarder. He

loved it: playing rugby, hockey and water

polo.

Upon leaving school, Bob worked for the

Licensed Victualler’s Protection Society. He

had to collect the mail every morning from

the local Post Office where a very pretty

young lady called Joyce told him he had to

pay a collection fee of 3 old pennies. Later,

he found out that this charge was partly

subsidising the cost of penny buns for the

girls in the back office! Bob suggested that

the punishment for this crime was that Joyce

would have to come to the cinema with him.

Courtship followed, and in February 1945,

returning home on leave from the bloody

fighting in Europe, he popped the question,

believing his days were numbered. They

weren’t, and the decision led to 69 years

of happiness together. You could pick up

the local newspaper for 20 years and never

read of such a rare and wonderful personal

milestone. Bob always says that one of his

FEATURE


proudest achievements was that long and

happy marriage.

Joyce died in December last year, just a

few weeks short of what would have been

their platinum wedding anniversary. Joyce’s

funeral took place at St Christopher’s

and since then, Bob has renewed his

acquaintance with his church and has been

a regular and highly popular member of the

congregation.

The recent commemoration of the 70th

anniversary of VE Day saw Bob dust off

his row of medals for his usual round of

functions. One of them, the Military Cross,

was awarded “with immediate effect” by

Montgomery for an act of outstanding

bravery. The Croix de Guerre nestles

discretely by its side. A rare combination

awarded to the rarest of men. More of that

later.

After the war, Bob took a temporary post

as a junior clerk with Gordon’s Gin. It led

to a meteoric rise through the ranks, a

distinguished 40 year career, finishing as

Chairman. I imagine he was a tough and

determined boss. But several secretaries

from down the decades still gather around

him during their occasional lunchtime get-

togethers, which I think says rather a lot

about the quality of his leadership.

One of Bob’s top career highlights was when

Gordon’s Gin sponsored the Laurence Olivier

Awards. He played host to a galaxy of stage

and screen stars, including Judi Dench, Mary

Martin, Hinge and Bracket, Charlton Heston

and Sir Michael Horden to name just a few.

Part of his role as Chairman was to make

a speech live on BBC2 at prime viewing

time - he said it was more nerve-wracking

than D-Day!

A lifetime in the gin industry saw Bob receive

another rare accolade – a cocktail named

after him. The Filby was invented in 1978

by Peter Brennan, a bartender at the Mayfair

Hotel in London, and it was the winner of an

international cocktail competition in Paris.

You can find the recipe on page 12. However,

a word of warning here. I asked the bar

steward at The Travellers Club to make me

one recently. Rather like Bob’s handshake,

two would be too many.

On retirement, Bob took over Chairmanship

of the Licensed Victualler’s National Homes,

following in the footsteps of HRH Prince

Philip and HRH The Duke of Kent. Supported

by a wonderful team, and especially by Joyce,

who was a tower of strength throughout, they

raised £1.46 million in a single year - an

unbeaten record!

Finally, back to the war and those

telling numbers again. During the D-Day

landings, Bob arrived as part of an 800

strong battalion. He was the only platoon

commander to survive.

Occasionally, war calls upon ordinary men

to do extraordinary things and Bob stepped

forward to do just that. Finding himself

and his platoon pinned down by murderous

gunfire in Holland and with his comrades

being slaughtered around him, Bob picked

up his gun and charged. By the time he

put it down, 10 Germans lay dead, saving

the remaining section of his platoon and

capturing the heart of the German defence.

Bob was recommended for an “immediate”

Military Cross by Montgomery.

Like many of his generation, Bob is too

modest to speak of the event. So we will

let the citation do the talking. I asked my

close friend Rob Paxman, an SAS veteran, to

cast his eye over the MC citation. He said,

“It is an extraordinary feat of bravery. It is

very borderline Victoria Cross. The closest

I’ve ever seen.”

“During the attack on the most closely

built up and most heavily defended part of

Zetten on 20 January 1945 the commander

of the assaulting company (‘A’ Company)

was wounded during extremely fierce close

quarter fighting and had to be evacuated.

At this time the attack was held up by the

very stubborn resistance of the enemy which

FEATURE


had caused heavy casualties to ‘A’ Company.

Despite the confused nature of the fighting

and the enemy’s close range accurate

shooting, Captain Filby ran from Section to

Section reorganising the company.

“At least four men were hit accompanying

Captain Filby on this most dangerous task

but he carried on until his task was complete.

“Captain Filby then organised a fresh attack

with the remainder of ‘A’ Company on a

strongpoint of well-defended houses.

“He personally led the attack carrying a Bren

[light machine] gun with which he killed at

least 10 Germans during the assault. His

fifth runner was carrying a PIAT [Projector

Infantry Anti Tank] and throughout the action

Captain Filby whilst commanding and leading

his Company used with deadly effect either

his Bren or PIAT.

“Throughout the action which was most

hotly contested, his example was an

inspiration to the whole Company and it

is certain that his courage, determination

and skill were instrumental in the Company

eventually capturing the heart of the

defences of Zetten.

“On completing the capture of the objective,

Captain Filby again personally dashed from

house to house reorganising the position

during which time he was narrowly missed

by enemy snipers, bazookas and Spandaus

[rapid fire machine guns] several times. The

enemy counter-attacked fiercely and one of

the houses previously held by ‘A’ Company

was retaken by them. Captain Filby led his

runner [bodyguard and messenger] and the

remainder (3 men) of a Section and broke

into the house killing or capturing the 9

German inside.”

Throughout this very fierce and bloody

fighting in houses and streets, Captain

Filby’s inspired leadership set an example

of courage, and determination, and skill

which NOT only brought his Company to their

objective but finally broke the crust of the

enemy’s defence and his will to fight for the

remainder of Zetten.”

That citation is dotted with numbers which

tell a tale of rare courage and sacrifice. But

most of all, they tell us there’s only one Bob

Filby. And we are fortunate now, as then, to

have him among us.

FEATURE

A class actThe Filby was created by Peter Brennan, a bartender from England, and won a Paris bartending competition in 1978. The name of “The Filby” was Peter’s way of honouring a great supporter of the United Kingdom Bartenders Guild and of the IBA, Bob Filby.

INSPIRATION

FOOD & DRINK

THE FILBY COCKTAIL

INGREDIENTS

2 Parts Gin

1 Part Dry Vermouth

1 Part Amaretto

1 Part Campari

1 Shake all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker

2 Strain into a chilled cocktail glass

3 Garnish with an orange peel and serve

DIRECTIONS


10% OFF

INSPIRATION

The Good Wine Shop11 Esher High Street

Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Use by end of August 2015

Kingston Distillers first began to

develop the recipe for Beckett’s Gin

around two years ago. The aim was to

create a classic London dry gin with a

subtle twist and unique provenance. For

the twist they infuse the gin with locally-

grown mint, which had surprisingly not

been used in gin before, particularly

as they found it combines with juniper

wonderfully.

Beckett’s Gin is unique in that it’s

the only one in the world infused with

English juniper berries which they

handpick from Box Hill in Surrey with

kind permission of the National Trust.

In return they are undertaking a long-

term conservation programme to help

save juniper from local extinction.

Out of the BoxFOOD & DRINK

A BOTTLE OF BECKETT’S


Pimm’s O’ClockHosts and guests have been having a lot of fun at my Pampered Chef parties this summer and one of my favourites is the Cocktails ‘N’ Canapes themed parties which are perfect for this time of year! Here’s a lovely summery recipe for you to try out at home.

INSPIRATION

FOOD & DRINK


PIMM’S CUPCAKESThese Pimm’s cupcakes have a lovely surprise filling which is fruity ‘n’ fresh and are perfect

to enjoy on a sunny afternoon!

INGREDIENTSCupcakes

125g unsalted butter

125g caster sugar

3 tbsp Pimm’s No. 1

2 eggs

125g self raising flour

½ tsp baking powder

3 tbsp skimmed milk

Buttercream Icing

125g unsalted butter

2 tbsp Pimm’s No 1

250g icing sugar

2 tbsp skimmed milk

Fruit Filling

3 strawberries

6 raspberries

½ slice peeled orange

3 slices peeled cucumber

5-6 mint leaves

1 To make the cupcakes, preheat the oven to

180c/160c fan/4. Line a muffin pan with cupcake

cases.

Cream the butter, caster sugar and Pimm’s together in

a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Whisk the eggs

together separately and add gradually to mixture. Add

flour and baking powder and mix until fully combined.

Place one level scoop into each case and bake for 20-

25 minutes. Remove cupcakes from tin and place on

cooling rack.

2 To make the icing, cream the butter, Pimm’s and icing

sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the milk and

whisk again. Set aside.

3 To make the filling, remove the seeds from the

cucumber with the Core ‘n’More. Place all the

ingredients into the Manual Food Processor and pump

handle until blended.

4 To assemble the cupcakes, remove the centre of

each cupcake and fill with fruit filling then replace with

the cake piece. Pipe the buttercream icing onto each

cupcake and decorate with orange segment, raspberry

or strawberry and mint sprig. Enjoy!

INSPIRATION

DIRECTIONS

GET IN TOUCH WITH ANNENever heard of Pampered Chef? We offer great quality kitchen tools which are practical

and lovely to cook with. These are available through our in-home cooking parties or you

can order direct from me. Hosting a party is really easy. They’re a good fun social, our

recipes are simple but spectacular and of course we all get to eat what we’ve cooked! Plus

Pampered Chef are very generous to hosts! So if you’d like to host your own party, coffee

morning or Fundraiser, or if you have any questions, I’d love to hear from you:

Anne Morgan, 07950 290535, Annie’s Pampered Chef Corner on facebook or

www.pamperedchef/biz/annemorgan

We also offer a very successful business opportunity where you can earn an extra

£300–500 per month! Do call if you’d like to find out more.


It’s been a great start to the Pick-Your-Own

season. At Garsons in Esher, the summer

PYO crops include juicy strawberries,

raspberries and cherries, French beans and

carrots. New this season are PYO flowers

that attract butterflies to the Farm. Some

crops have a brief picking season, so do

check online at garsons.co.uk for what’s

currently available to pick.

Pick your favourites while they’re bursting

with freshness. Children love picking fruit,

vegetables and flowers in the 150 acre

fields. It’s a great family day out, and your

hand-picked produce will taste delicious.

Garsons has been growing since 1871. As

well as being the biggest PYO farm in the

country, it’s been judged PYO of the Year

several times over. The PYO Farm, Garden

Centre and Farm Shop are at Winterdown

Road, West End, Esher. It’s open seven days

a week and there’s free parking.

Register online for PYO updates, offers and

family-friendly events at garsons.co.uk. The

PYO Farm is open from the first strawberries

through to pumpkin picking in October.

Picking tips

• Wear old clothes so you needn’t worry

about staining or snagging them.

• Only pick ripe, plump fruit to enjoy at

its best.

• Handle the fruit carefully to avoid

damage, especially raspberries

and strawberries. When picking

strawberries, cup your palm under the

fruit and pinch it off from the stem.

Cherries can also be picked from the

stalks.

• Delay washing the fruit and removing

the stems until you’re ready to eat.

Pick-Your-OwnINSPIRATION

HOME & GARDEN

INSPIRATION

Garden careHOME & GARDEN

There are some quick and easy ways to

keep your garden looking at its best. Follow

our tips to keep your garden beautiful and

in bloom all summer long.

Flowers and fruitFor abundant flowers, water on a liquid

fertiliser and deadhead regularly. Feed

tomatoes weekly, once the first fruits

appear, for more tomatoes and better

flavour.

Love your lawnTop up your lawn’s nutrients with a summer

feed to keep it green and lush. Many lawns

will green up within days, so apply it a few

days before you entertain at the weekend!

Eradicate pesky weedsHand weeding can be a chore, especially

when it’s hot. Use a spray weedkiller

instead to kill weeds down to the roots.

Summer is the time to sit back and enjoy the fruits of all your hard work in spring.


What’s happened...

COMMUNITY

ST. CHRISTOPHER’S CHURCH & THE COMMUNITY HUB

Throughout 2015 there have been various events at St. Christopher’s Church & Community

Hub. The Quiz Night on 18th April was, as usual, a sell-out. The new Quiz Master was deemed

a success and some £1,000 was raised. A family BBQ took place at the Vicarage on 17th

May, with fun and games for all the family. Later that week a Cocktails & Canapes event

was also held at the Vicarage. Both events were blessed with good weather, despite May’s

changeability, and everyone enjoyed themselves. The chocolate fountain was a particular

success - thankfully nobody was tempted to jump into it á la Dawn French so it was enjoyed by

us all! You can see pictures from some of these events in the ‘Spotlight’ feature.

Every dog has his day...…For Otto Kronenberg that day was

Friday, 12th June, when John and Philippa

Kronenberg held their Talent Challenge

event, a Pimms & Strawberries evening,

at the Vicarage. The evening was a great

success, raising over £400 from their initial

outlay of £20. Everyone had a fun time, with

luscious strawberries covered in cream and

everylasting jugs of Pimms served personally

by Revd. Kronenberg, who kept all our

glasses filled. The highlight of the evening

was the auction of a beautifully-decorated

popcorn cake donated by Celia Francis. A

pitched battle between Revd. Kronenberg

and Bob Filby was ultimately won by Bob

who, magnanimous in his victory, donated

the cake to be served after Sunday’s church

service so that everyone could enjoy it.

Sadly, Otto had other ideas! One can only

imagine John and Philippa’s horror on

discovering the cake with a huge bite taken

out of it… and Otto, tail wagging, with cake

around his mouth, trying to look innocent…

John’s confession in church was met with

laughter, and the replacement chocolate

cake enjoyed by all… but I’m sure I wasn’t

the only one thinking wistfully about the cake

that got away…


COMMUNITY

Although the Hustings did not appear to

make a difference nationally, with Dominic

Raab returned once again, the turnout of

73.1% of the electorate bucked the national

trend. The local Council elections, which

were held at the same time, showed a

significant level of support for the local

Residents’ Association candidate, Janet

Turner, who stood on a platform of opposition

to the Boundary Commission’s plans. She

achieved a stunning 77.7% of the vote

against the local Conservative candidate –

some 2,208 votes out of a total of 3,901

eligible voters.

The Boundary Commission has now

published it’s recommendations, which can

be viewed at https://consultation.lgbce.

org.uk/node/4438. The current eight-

week consultation period finishes on 24th

August 2015. The Boundary Commission

is proposing to conjoin Hinchley Wood with

Weston Green with the loss of Lynwood Road

development. Hinchley Wood residents are

urged to look at their proposals and send

any comments to the Boundary Commission

before 24th August.

The candidates from all the main parties

attended – Andrew Davis for the Liberal

Democrats; Francis Eldergill for Labour;

Olivia Palmer for the Green Party; Nicholas

Wood from UKIP and, of course, Dominic

Raab for the Conservative Party. Della

Reynolds, standing as an Independent

Citizen, also attended.

The Forum followed a ‘Question Time’

format, with local historian Roger Thompson

channelling Sir Robin Day in his role as

Chairman. Each candidate gave a brief

(or not so brief!) introduction to his/her

background and the policies of their own

party, after which questions were invited from

the floor. Roger Thompson was an excellent

Chair, ensuring that none of the candidates

strayed from the point. Questions were

asked on subjects varying from childcare,

cycling and housing to the NHS and the

proposed changes to Hinchley Wood Ward

boundaries. There is very strong opposition

to the Boundary Commission’s plans to split

Hinchley Wood between Weston Green and

Long Ditton Wards and this appeared to take

some of the candidates by surprise.

HustingsIn an effort to engage more voters, given the importance of this year’s General Election, an Election Forum was held at St. Christopher’s Church on Friday, 17th April.



Going GreenExciting plans to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and embrace cleaner renewable energy are some of the ideas gathering pace at St Christopher’s Community Hub.

COMMUNITY


The Community Hub Eco Fund was launched

in 2014 and has so far raised £14,500

towards a range of major improvements.

These include generating solar power,

upgrading to more efficient heating systems,

better quality lighting using less energy, and

quantities of thermal insulation to reduce

heat loss through external surfaces.

Says Mark Schuringa, who is responsible

for overseeing the financial aspects of the

Community Hub, “The new technologies are

better for the environment, reducing harmful

carbon dioxide emissions. They help reduce

the running costs of the buildings and we

will be better able to respond to the different

temperatures and ambiences required by

the variety of hirers who use the buildings.”

Tim Blair, Project Co-ordinator for the

forthcoming building works is delighted

by the response so far to the Eco Fund

Capital Appeal. “We appeal to everyone

in the village to continue to help us raise

the additional £12,000 we need, which

would be a brilliant achievement! We are

hugely thankful to Surrey County Council and

Elmbridge Borough Council (and others) who

have agreed to provide significant funding for

the Community Hub, so we are nearly there!

Just one more big push this summer will

do it.”


railings and in Hinchley Wood village. The

results of our fundraising efforts will be

brought to the Harvest Festival service on

4th October.

Among the fundraising activities to look

forward to will be the unmissable Salsa

Ball taking place on Saturday, 19th

September. Dust off your dancing shoes

for a night of Latino music, dancing, food

and drink. Tickets can be booked through

the St. Christopher’s Church website (www.

stchristopherschurch.org.uk) or by ringing

Mandy Ali in the Parish Office (020 8398

9095). Tickets are £25 per person but we

offer an Early Bird discount of £5 if you book

before September.

Last year’s Talent Challenge, which was

an amazing success, is being repeated

again this year. Once again members of

the congregation have been given £10 and

challenged to use their talents to ‘grow’ it –

this time primarily to enable the replacement

of the old, inefficient and eco-unfriendly

boilers with a new, more efficient and

ecologically-friendly heating system. Anyone

who has shivered in church during a sudden

cold snap will appreciate the need for an

‘intelligent’ system which recognises the

need to switch on automatically when the

temperature plunges! This year’s brief is to

work collaboratively and various groups are

planning activities throughout the summer

and early Autumn. Look out for posters

advertising the various events on the church

Talent ChallengeMembers of St. Christopher’s Church congregation will again be helping to raise funds for the Eco project.


Coming up...There are several exciting events coming

up in the church, such as the Patronal

celebrations on Sunday, 26th July which

include a celebratory service in the church

followed by a BBQ at the Vicarage. November

will be a busy month, with the ever-popular

Quiz Night on Saturday, 7th November;

Reading Phoenix Choir are returning on

Saturday, 14th November for a concert and

on Saturday, 21st November the church will

be hosting a ‘Shopping Event’. Details of

all these events will be on St. Christopher’s

Church website (www.stchristopherschurch.

org.uk), or by contacting Mandy Ali in the

Parish Office on: 020 8398 9095.

In addition, St. Christopher’s Church

and Community Hub hosts many events

throughout the week in both the Church and

Hall. Two exciting new events have recently

begun in the church and are open to all pre-

school children. The Creation Station on

Tuesday mornings is a craft-led activity for

babies and toddlers; Ballet Bugs on Friday

mornings is a fun, informal dance class

using songs and nursery rhymes for pre-

school children. We also have Film Matinees

on the 2nd Friday of each month, where

children can come and enjoy films such as

‘Open Season’, ‘Frozen’ and ‘Stuart Little 2’.

An added bonus for parents is the option of

hot dogs for tea! From September ‘Elevate

Eleven’, who specialise in tutoring older

children, will be joining the list of weekly

activities in the church.

COMMUNITY


COMMUNITY


Take a look at all the great activities that are happening every day at the Hinchley Wood Community Hub.

Weekdays during term time:Christopher Robin Nursery School (Hall)

Mondays:9:15am: Zumba with Maria Mitchell (Church)

7:30pm: Broadway Sequence Dance (Hall)

1st Monday each month: Theology at The Angel (8:00pm at The Angel Pub)

Tuesdays:10:00am: The Creation Station – babies (church)

11:00am: The Creation Station – toddlers (church)

3:45pm: Yoga with Judith Richards (Hall)


7:30pm: Yoga with Jane Howard (Hall)

7:30pm: Line Dancing (Church)

Wednesdays:9:30am: Stay & Play (Church)



7:30pm: Pilates with Jo James (Hall)

8:00pm: Kung Fu with Andy King (Hall)

1st Wednesday each month: Girls@Georgie’s (8:00pm at Georgie’s Coffee Shop)

2nd Wednesday each month: Mother’s Union Monthly Meeting (7:30pm Church)

4th Wednesday each month: Women’s Wednesday Fellowship (7:30pm at

Hinchley Wood School) Please note: the September

meeting has been swapped from 23rd to the 30th

Thursdays:9:15am: Zumba with Maria Mitchell (Church)

6:00pm: Weight Watchers (Hall)

7:30pm: Music Practice (Church)

Fridays:9:30am: Ballet Bugs (Church)

1st Friday each month: Messy Church (3:30pm in the Church)

2nd/3rd Friday each month: Family Film Matinee (3:30pm in the Hall)

Saturdays:8:30am: Yoga with Nicola Pritchard (Hall)

Sundays: 3rd Sunday each month: Mustard Seeds service at 3:00pm (Church)

The church is also regularly used by the National Blood Transfusion Service and as

a Polling Station for Elmbridge.

What’s on...


the new Vicar arrives. So, now is exactly

the right time, when things are on the up,

to hand over to someone with new ideas

and skills to lead St Christopher’s through

the next stage of its development “Forging

Community and Sharing God’s Love”, as our

mission statement says.

I’m full of confidence for St Christopher’s

future and it will be with mixed feelings and

a little sadness that Philippa and I say “au

revoir” to our many friends in Hinchley Wood.

My last Sunday at St Christopher’s will be

Sunday 20th September, the day after the

Salsa Ball – which seems like a good way

to bow out! My Induction by the Bishop of

Southwark at St John the Evangelist, Redhill

will be at 7.30pm on Wednesday 18th

November and all are welcome.

It’s been a very difficult decision to move

on from Hinchley Wood, but I have felt for

a while that it’s the right time to hand on

the baton. Why? Well, simply because I see

people doing so many good things!

The Congregation is growing and increasingly

varied. People are contributing new initiatives

- this new magazine is a great example.

There are exciting grant funded projects

about to begin including photovoltaic panels,

fire alarm systems and new car parking. The

new web site is about to go live, children’s

film matinees, Sunday lunches at Georgie’s

and Summer Balls all show that the Church

is full of life and the Community Hub a great

success.

St Christopher’s Church has excellent

Churchwardens, Tracey Warren and Mark

Schuringa, an enthusiastic Parochial Church

Council, an experienced Curate, Caroline

Mullins, a very busy Parish Administrator,

Mandy Ali and an active congregation to

ensure the church continues to flourish until

Moving onAfter nearly 10 years at St Christopher’s, Revd John Kronenberg reflects on leaving Hinchley Wood.


COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY

Regular servicesST. CHRISTOPHER’S CHURCH & THE COMMUNITY HUB

Sunday Mornings at 10:00amFamily Communion Service 1st & 3rd Sundays

Communion Service with Sunday School 2nd & 4th Sundays

Sunday Afternoons and EveningsSunday afternoon and evening services are currently changing and will be as advertised on

St. Christopher’s Church website.

For further details call Mandy Ali in the Parish Office on: 020 8398 9095

Wednesday Mornings at 11:30am: Midweek Communion

1st Friday of the Month at 3.30pm: Messy Church

3rd Sunday of the Month at 3.00pm: Mustard Seeds

Here’s a list of all the regular services that are held at St. Christopher’s Church.

WANT TO ADVERTISE IN THE MAGAZINE?Whether it’s a quarter, half, full or double page, if you want your business to reach over 2000 homes in Hinchley Wood, please contact the Parish Office on 020 8398 9095 or email [email protected]


VicarReverend John Kronenberg

The Vicarage, 98 Manor Road North

[email protected]

020 8786 6391 (Day Off : Tuesday)

CurateReverend Caroline Mullins

1 Chesterfield Drive, Hinchley Wood

[email protected]

020 8224 3334 (Day Off: Monday)

Pastoral Assistant Margaret Thompson 020 8398 4156

Parish Administrator Mandy Ali

Parish OfficeOpen 9:00-13:00pm, Monday-Friday

020 8398 9095

[email protected]

ChurchwardensMark Schuringa 020 8339 8841

[email protected]

Tracey Warren 020 8398 3624

[email protected]

Deputy Churchwardens Celia Francis 020 8398 0657

Eileen Griffiths 020 8398 6168

Suzie Pepperell 07980665427

Parochial Church CouncilHeather Allen, Moira Beardshall, Tim Blair,

Ann Ellis, Celia Francis, Eileen Griffiths,

Liz Hammond, Suzie Pepperell, Margaret

Thompson, Neville Thurlbeck, Rachel

Herbert

Deanery Synod RepresentativesLiz Hammond & Suzie Pepperell

PCC SecretaryHeather Allen 020 8339 0850

Gift Aid AdministratorMoira Bearshall 020 8398 9095

Servers TeamIvan Burnside, Sean Warren

Sacristy TeamHilda Highley, John Kronenberg, Caroline

Mullins

Band and Choir Leader Philippa Kronenberg

GodZone Sunday School Jane Barnett 020 8398 4082

Stay & PlayWednesday mornings 9:30am-11:15am

For pre-school children and parents,

grandparents and all carers.

Mothers’ UnionBranch Contact:

Philippa Kronenberg 020 8786 6391,

[email protected]

Contact Parish Office

Branch Secretary: Suzie Pepperell

Branch Treasurer: Moira Beardshall

Women’s Wednesday FellowshipJean Hayes 020 8398 1914

Maureen Price 020 8398 2561

Church & Hall BookingsMandy Ali in the Parish Office

Or Email:

[email protected]

Parish Magazine TeamAdvertising: Imina Wylde/Rachel Herbert

Editorial: Suzie Pepperell

Production & Distribution: Mandy Ali

Email: [email protected]

www.stchristopherschurch.org.uk

COMMUNITY


Sharing God’s work


Busy busy busyCOMMUNITY

MOTHER’S UNION

The Hinchley Wood MU have been

busy! In March we collected hundreds

of easter eggs for the refuges in the

Guildford Diocese, which were very

well received. We also gave three

entire ‘new baby’ kits to ladies who

were in dire need: and we mean entire:

everything from baby-grows to prams!

An amazing response to our appeals is

always guaranteed from the community

in Hinchley Wood so thank you to

everyone who helped!!

At Easter we enrolled two new members;

Christa Peasey and Rachel Herbert. In

March, Beth Shutt, who co-ordinates

our donations to the womens’ refuges

came and spoke to us about how they

operate and where out donations go.

In April we held a discussion on the

influence of the internet and increased

commercialisation in all of our lives,

and in May we had another of our

popular ‘desert island’ nights, where

people brought along favourite pieces

of music, poems or pictures and shared

what they love about them.

The Mothers’ Union is an international Christian charity that aims to demonstrate

the Christian faith in action through the transformation of communities worldwide.

Working with people of all faiths and none in 83 countries,we promote stable

marriage, family life and the protection of children through praying, enabling and

campaigning.

The Hinchley Wood branch meets on the second Wednesday evening of the

month for social events, talks, discussion groups and activities. Contact Philippa

Kronenberg if you’d like to join us on 020 8786 6391.

A BIT ABOUT US....


COMMUNITY

From Mr Darcy to The Chocolate Man

WOMEN’S WEDNESDAY FELLOWSHIP

We too have had a busy time. In

February we heard from Maureen Stiller

from the ‘Jane Austen Society’: she

read us extracts from Jane’s letters,

describing the time she spent travelling

though our area - she was of the opinion

that Kingston was more pleasant than

Battersea or Clapham. Following on

from that very enjoyable talk, we went

to see ‘Pride and Prejudice’ performed

at the Vera Fletcher Hall.

In March, we heard from the two Pastoral

Assistants at St Christopher’s Church,

Margaret Thompson and Liz Hammond,

who talked about their work within the

community. Margaret has just finished

her training and Liz has moved to

Hinchley Wood from Southwark Diocese

where she has worked as a PA for

many years.

And finally, just after Easter,

Chris Bachmann, from Bachmann’s

Patisserie, aka ‘The Chocolate Man’

came along to talk to us about the

patisserie, now in it’s 25th year at

Winter’s Bridge. Chris gave a talk

about the history of chocolate and

the art of the chocolatier, and brought

along a huge array of different types of

chocolate to touch, smell and taste! He

also donated a large decorated easter

Egg for us to raffle for our 2015 charity,

which is Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY

for short).

The Womens’ Wednesday Fellowship

was set up in 1958 and meets on the

4th Wednesday of the month at 7:30pm

at Hinchley Wood School. We have

interesting talks from outside speakers,

hold discussions on the issues of the

day and go on occasional outings. If

you would like to join us, please call

020 8398 1914 or 020 8398 2561.

GET IN TOUCH....


James HeptonstallThe environmental consultant, 30, on running and conquering YouTube

FEATURE

60 SECONDS WITH...

How did you get into running?I have been into running

since I can first remember,

with some of my earliest

memories being of my

school sports days at

Thames Ditton Infants

School. I really got into

athletics when I joined

Kingston Athletics Club and

Polytechnic Harriers when

I was 10. I trained with the

club and competed for my

school, club, university,

Surrey and the South of

England in a variety of track

and field events, eventually

focussing on Long Jump as

my main event.

How often and how long (distance and time) do you train?Recently I have been

training with the England

team for the Touch Rugby

World Cup. I train up to 6

times a week and there are

a mixture of gym, track, and

skills sessions. One of our

running sessions will be

4x1km with 1:1 rest and my

times for the 1kms would

be around 3.15 minutes.

It’s great running these

sessions with the team as

you push each other to get

your times down.

What other sports do you participate in?As I mentioned my main

sport is now Touch Rugby.

I switched from Long Jump

and started playing touch

in 2010 for a club and

was fortunate enough to

be selected for England

in 2012, making my

international debut at the

European Championships in

Treviso, Italy.

Have you travelled with the sports you participate in?Yes, with my athletics I

have been to numerous

athletics tracks across the

UK, but a stand-out tour


FEATURE

was when I travelled to the

USA with the University of

Birmingham Athletics Team

to compete against some of

the Ivy League universities,

including Harvard and Yale.

More recently I travelled

with the England Touch

Rugby team to Treviso, Italy

for the 2012 European

Championships; to Dublin,

Ireland for the 2013 Home

Nation Championships; and

to Coffs Harbour, Australia

for the 2015 World Cup,

where we finished 10th in

the world.

What made you decide to race the tube?It was a conversation I

had over a beer with my

friend, Noel Carroll, who

I went to University with.

We had both recently got

GoPro cameras and were

keen to film some sort of

sporting challenge. We

were partly inspired by

the Top Gear challenges

where a car races public

transport, and it got us

thinking about whether

we could outrun a form of

public transport. I started

studying the London

Underground map and

came up with some

potential stations to

race between.

How often did you have to attempt race the tube until it was film perfect? A lot of people ask me

this. The film on YouTube

is actually my first

attempt! I didn’t do any

practice runs.

How do you rate YouTube as a media platform? YouTube is great. It’s very

user friendly. I set up my

YouTube channel Epic

Challenges and my Race

The Tube video is the first

video I uploaded, so I was

pretty chuffed and amazed

to get 6 million views for

the video.

What has YouTube notoriety brought with it? (Interviews? Sponsorship? Payment per view?)When the video went viral

I was contacted by lots

of journalists including

BBC, Sky News, The

Times, Daily Mail and

many more, including

Network 9 in

Australia for

whom I did

a live

video link

interview

on their

morning news

show. Some of

the best people

who have got in

contact with us

are those via

social media whio’ve said

the video has inspired

them to start running or

set themselves their own

challenges. Since Race

The Tube we’ve continued

to launch further videos

on our YouTube channel,

Epic Challenges. Our best

experience by far was

going to New York. Adidas

got in contact with us

as they loved the video,

and they invited us out to

New York for three days

for the launch of their

latest trainer. We used the

opportunity to film ‘Race

The Subway’ where I took

on the NYC subway in a

similar one-stop race.

What’s next?Noel and I are continuing

to grow our YouTube

channel and will be

launching some new

videos soon. We are

currently in planning but

also love to hear people’s

suggestions for potential

challenges so please

contact us via Twitter (@

jhepto) and YouTube (Epic

Challenges) with your

ideas!


Girl powerGirlguiding enables girls and young women to develop their potential and to make a difference to the world.

COMMUNITY

GIRLGUIDING

In Hinchley Wood we provide for the following

groups of girls:

RainbowsRainbows are girls aged 5 to 7 who can take

part in lots of different activities when they

follow the Rainbow Jigsaw programme.

BrowniesBrownies are girls aged seven to ten who

follow a programme called the Brownie

Adventure. Brownies opens up a world of

exciting challenges and the opportunity to

try new things.

GuidesGuides are girls aged 10 to 14 who are given

the chance to explore their individual skills

and abilities and try new challenges as part

of a team. Girls can get involved in anything

from adventure sports to performing arts.

The Senior SectionThe Senior Section offers young women

aged 14 to 25 the opportunity to develop

their skills and abilities through a flexible

and inspiring programme which offers a

huge variety of challenges, activities and

opportunities for personal development.


COMMUNITY

The aim of guiding is to help girls and

young women develop emotionally, mentally,

physically and spiritually, so that they

can make a positive contribution to their

community and the wider world.

The core values of Girlguiding:

• We are for all girls

• We give girls their own space

• We give girls a voice

• We change as the lives of girls change

The Girl Guide Association was formed in

1910. Guides was the first section for girls

aged 10-14. In 1914 the Brownies was

formed for 8-11 year olds

Over the next century many changes took

place as the Guiding movement adjusted to

changes in society. The Senior Section for

girls aged over 14 started in 1916 and in

2002 Girlguiding UK became the new name.

In 2010 we celebrated the Girlguiding

Centenary with a Division event at Hampton

Court Palace where we all renewed our

promises.

Throughout the country more than 100,000

volunteers contribute over ten million hours

to guiding every year. In return, Girlguiding

offers training and the opportunity to

develop new skills.

We need volunteers to give their time

as Leaders or Assistant Leaders for our

guiding units. Volunteering with Girlguiding

is about more than just giving something

back to our community. By volunteering with

us you’ll work closely with girls and young

women, offering them support and guidance

at crucial stages in their lives.

All kinds of people volunteer with

Girlguiding, so it’s a great opportunity

to meet new people where you live,

while making a real contribution to your

community.

If you’re someone with a sense of

adventure looking for a rewarding challenge,

Girlguiding could be for you. You’ll enjoy

different activities, have great fun and

help girls build their confidence and try

something new at the same time – what

could be better?

To find out more, visit www.girlguiding.org.uk

GET IN TOUCH...Hinchley Wood is part of the Dittons District. Our Joint District Commissioners are Sue Rodger

and Lesley Sullivan who can also be contacted for information about units in Hinchley Wood,

Thames Ditton, Long Ditton and Weston Green.

Sue’s email is: [email protected]

Lesley’s email is: [email protected]

Our aimABOUT US...

A bit of history

Join the team


Going for goldThe Scouts took on local rivals as they set off on the Surrey County Expedition Challenge as part of their Duke of Edinburgh award.

COMMUNITY

1st HINCHLEY WOOD SCOUT GROUP

Our Duke of Edinburgh expedition was like

no other! To our surprise, we were in a

competition against an abundance of other

Scout Groups.

So as well as completing the expedition

in good time, you also had to impress the

various scout leaders sauntering around the

campsite with your: cooking, washing-up,

team morale, team equipment, your route

plan and much more!

Easier said than done, especially after

getting up too early each morning and eating

packaged food for several days!

There were seven of us making up 1st

Hinchley Wood’s Scout team: Thomas,

Sebastian, Callum, Nissan, Stewart, Luke

and Albert. It was really good fun especially

the fact that we had to do it all by ourselves

and it gave us confidence in ourselves to

complete such a challenge.

During the expedition we had to complete

checkpoints and we were marked for various

competencies. Overall our team came third

out of 20+ teams and we won a Gold award.

What a great result.


Back in March 1st Hinchley Wood entered

6 teams for the challenging 4-Inns Walk, a

tough competitive 65k hike across the Peak

District. This hike, which has to be completed

within 24 hours, is entered by teams from

all over the UK and even some from abroad.

This year there were just under 100 teams

competing. Despite the competition our

Explorers managed to retain the trophy for

the fastest team with all team members

under 25 years, beating their previous year’s

time by 20 minutes; coming in after exactly

15 hours of continuous walking.

At the end of July two members of our Scout

Group will be off to Japan to represent the

UK at the 23rd World Scout Jamboree with a

third member going in a leadership capacity,

helping out as part of the International

Service Team. Besides spending 10 days

at the Jamboree they will also be taking

part in Ho-Ho (Home Hopitality), staying with

Japanese Scout Families and having the

chance to see Tokyo. More details about

their visit will be in the next edition of this

magazine.

Thank you to everyone who came and

supported our May Fair in the Memorial

Gardens. This was a great success and

raised over £2000 for our Group funds.

These funds help us to put on a huge variety

of activities and enable us to purchase new

equipment as well as train our Leaders to

deliver these activities.

GET IN TOUCH...For more details about 1st Hinchley Wood Scout Group visit our website

www.1stHWScouts.org.uk or call Chris Beaney on 020 8224 0981.You could also follow us

on Twitter – @1stHWScouts

COMMUNITY

Explorers win National Trophy

IN BRIEF...

Go East

May Fair


SUMMER SUN SAFETY

COMMUNITY

Young children’s skin is very delicate

and can easily be damaged by the

sun. It is therefore important to apply

a high factor sunscreen regularly when

outside. Even sunscreens that are

‘waterproof’ should be reapplied after

swimming or playing in water.

People with lots of moles or freckles

are also at higher risk of sun damage.

High factor sunscreens, clothing and

shade should be used to prevent

direct exposure to the sun. If you do

notice any changes with moles such

as increasing size, changing colour or

itching or bleeding, you should report

this to your doctor straight away.

Higher temperatures during the

summer months can increase risks

of dehydration and heat exhaustion.

Young babies, people over the age of

75 and those with chronic conditions

are most at risk. Tips to reduce the

risk of overheating include avoiding the

sun between 11am and 3pm, drinking

plenty of cool fluids, avoiding alcohol

and wearing loose clothing and a hat

outdoors.

If you are aware of any elderly

neighbours or friends who are less able

to look after themselves, please check

on them during periods of hot weather

to ensure that they are kept cool and

well hydrated.

More information about summer safety

can be found on the NHS Choices

website www.nhs.uk

Lantern Surgery is regrettably no longer

viable on its own. Following consultations

with The Grove Medical Practice, Dr Susan

Kearsey is delighted to announce plans to

join forces with her friend and colleague of

over 25 years, Dr Jeremy Harris. This will

enable all services currently provided to

continue in Hinchley Wood with additional

doctors and nurses. We are excited about

the additional benefits that this will provide

for our patients and would like to take this

opportunity to thank them for their continued

loyalty and support.

DID YOU KNOW...

LANTERN SURGERY

T H E F A M I LY YO U C A N T U R N T O... Seven generations of our family have been helping and advising local

families in their time of need. For over 230 years we have been providing funerals, both modest and traditional, with care and compassion.

ESHER:

EAST MOLESEY:

THAMES DITTON:

78 High Street

156 Walton Road

37 High Street

01372 463903

020 8941 1412

020 8398 4586

FUNERAL DIRECTORS AND MEMORIAL STONEMASONS

Custodian Trustee: HSBC Trust Co. (UK) Ltd.

ASK ABOUT OUR PRE-PAYMENT FUNERAL PLANS


THE RAILWAY COMETH

Roger Thompson looks at local history and the evolution of the trains and stations of the area

I was lucky enough when young to be

taught by Professor Jack Simmons

the well-known industrial and railway

historian. He was strongly of the view

that we could divide the development of

railways in the nineteenth century into two

phases. Phase one during the 1830’s and

40’s was based largely on local and national

interests such as mines, factories and links

between cities and followed immediately

on from the technological developments by

Stephenson, Brunel and others. The second

phase from the 1860’s onwards was based

upon a surfeit of disposable income in the

English middle classes who had too few

opportunities to invest their wealth and

welcomed any new development. The arrival

of the railway in our area reflects the division

of dates, if not the motives.

During the Napoleonic Wars concerns

had been expressed about the wisdom of

transporting goods landed at Southampton

by water, through the English Channel. It

was thought that this method was far too

vulnerable to sea-borne attack in times

of trouble. Consequently when a line was

proposed from Southampton to Nine Elms

in London via Woking it received significant

parliamentary support and a bill enabling

its establishment was passed in 1834.

Despite a number of troubles, mainly due

to an underestimate of costs (not a new

phenomenon) the line was finished by 1840.

There were two stations in our area: Kingston

station, which was actually sited in Surbiton,

nowhere near today’s Kingston and Surbiton

stations, and Ditton Marsh, which was to

become Esher station. Waterloo became the

terminus when the line was extended to a

site near Waterloo Bridge.

In 1849 an extension was built to Hampton

Court. This, like most of the lines in our

area, was raised on an embankment as at

that time much of the area was marshland;

hence the name Ditton Marsh. Another line

was built to connect Guildford to Woking.

This provided a link, albeit a long one,

between Guildford and London.

In the 1880s the Metropolitan Railway

Company put forward a proposal to build

a direct line from London to Guildford via

Kingston. The then London and South-

western Company responded with a

successful plan to use the existing line from

Waterloo through Wimbledon and then on

to Guildford. The Waterloo to Guildford via

Cobham line had begun.

In order to build the line, an enormous

amount of work had to be done at the point

where the line branched off to Hampton

Court. This became the Hampton Court

Junction and involved the construction of a

series of viaducts as most of the lines were

raised. To this day the junction deals with a

significant quantity of rail traffic.

In 1916 the line was electrified from

Waterloo to Claygate and in 1925 all the

way to Guildford. So far there has been

no mention of Hinchley Wood station. This

was not to be built until 1930 but that’s

another story.

FEATURE


School valuesPupils at Hinchley Wood Primary School (HWPS) worked in partnership with Kerry Greene, of Magpie Makes, to create an exhibition of artwork based ontheir school values.

EDUCATION

HINCHLEY WOOD PRIMARY SCHOOL

One of the leading examples of a values

based school in the UK, HWPS has held the

Quality Mark for Values Based Education

since 2009 and they renewed this in Autumn

last year. The values, which were chosen

by staff, parents, pupils and governors, are

embraced by the whole school community

and central to the life of the school.

Last year pupils demonstrated the values of

cooperation and friendship, working within

their classes to produce large-scale collages

and paintings depicting some of their school

values. Whilst these continue to decorate

the corridors, pupils were eager to bring

to life the remaining school values using

a range of mediums, and to display these

works in a more prominent position so that

they could be enjoyed and celebrated by all.

As a result of this, the pupils at HWPS spent

a week working with Kerry on a range of

projects including fashion design, sewing

and book illustration. For example: Year Two

received inspiration and advice from the

Head of Design at a children’s publishing

house and demonstrated the values of

understanding and knowledge by creating


EDUCATION

book covers and 3D sculptures using paper

mache. Throughout the school, pupils were

given the opportunity to work independently

and collaboratively with their peers, teachers

and parent helpers, therefore demonstrating

many of the school values.

The pupils’ hard work culminated in an art

exhibition, curated by Year Five, which was

well-attended by parents and the Surrey

Advertiser; Cass Art store also subsidised

prizes for outstanding pieces. Following

the exhibition, the pieces were displayed in

the reception area of the school, providing

visitors with a warm welcome and a

wonderful illustration of the inclusive ethos

of the school.


ALL PULLING IN THE SAME DIRECTION

EDUCATION

HINCHLEY WOOD PRIMARY SCHOOL ASSOCIATION

Welcome to Hinchley Wood Primary School

Association. Throughout the school year, the

HWPSA volunteer committee organises a

diverse and wide range of activities, some

internal to the school such as children’s

discos and fashion shows, but also larger

events such as our Fireworks night and the

Summer Fair (pictured) which are open to the

wider community. Recently we held a spring

ball where circa 200 parents, dressed up in

black tie and gowns, were able to let their

hair down and dance the night away.

Through such events, the funds raised are

used to enable the school to buy equipment

and services that directly benefit our children

and enhance their learning environment but

would otherwise be out of reach. Over the

years we have introduced new computers

and a new after-school club facility, which

included a fully equipped music room and a

kitchen in order that food could be supplied.

The old school pond, which had become

overrun, was cleared out and a new pump

and plants introduced. Now the pond has

become part of the curriculum as it is used

to watch how wildlife such as tadpoles grow.

Beside the pond, a new Eco plot has been

opened where the children can plant and

watch things grow before picking them to

take home.

Having a sense of being part of the local

community is key, and that is why we are

keen to involve local businesses and the

wider community in our activities. We always

try to use local suppliers as we believe the

produce is of the highest quality. These

relationships are important as they allow us

to involve the community in all we do.

Hopefully we will see some of you at our

events and if you do, please come and say

hello to the volunteers.


Sporting successHinchley Wood School has kicked off the summer sporting season with some excellent results

EDUCATION

HINCHLEY WOOD SCHOOL

On the tennis court the boys have been

racking up some great results, particularly as

the school only took up competitive tennis in

the last couple of years. The Year 7 and 8s

(aged 11-13 years) recently secured back to

back wins against Reeds School and went

on to a narrow 7-6 victory over Lingfield Notre

Dame and a resounding 12-0 win against

Trinity. In the older age group, with the Year

9 and 10 team, the fortunes were reversed,

winning 12-0 at Lingfield Notre Dame and

taking a narrow loss, 7-6, to Trinity.

More recently, two of Hinchley Wood’s most

talented athletes, Sophie and Sam Mace,

continued their winning ways at the recent

Surrey County Championships.

Sophie, aged 16 years, won both the

discus and the hammer events; her throw

of 53.54 metres in the hammer achieved

Championship Best Performance and set

a new Surrey Record! Brother Sam, aged

14 years, also set Championship Best

Performances for the hammer and discus on

top of which he took silver in the shot put;

Sam’s discus distance of 43.41 metres puts

him at number one in the UK rankings!

In the Central Surrey Athletics tournament at

the Kingsmeadow Athletic Stadium, the Year

8 and 9 boys achieved a very respectable

second place out of 11 teams on a rain

shortened day, with notable individual

performances from Sam Shaw, Seb Collins,

Max Parkinson, Ashley Ram, Alex Burrows,

Josh Smith, Johnny Haynes, Sam Fanning,

Dom Williams and Max Heasman.

UK No.1: Sam Mace (centre)


EDUCATION

Fundraisingfor othersThe school community, including students,

staff and governors, has raised an incredible

£1,670 for the Nepal Disaster Fund. When

combined with other fundraising for link

schools in Gulu, Uganda and over £3000

raised by 20 staff cycling from London

to Brighton on 21st June in aid of the

British Heart Foundation, total funds raised

for charity this year will be well in excess

of £10,000!!

Hinchley Wood is one of four secondary

schools working with Surrey County Council

and the National Autistic Society to provide

a specialist centre which will allow high

functioning students with autism to stay in

mainstream education. Thanks to funding

from the Cullum Family Trust the school is

hoping to establish an “NAS Cullum Centre”

within the existing building footprint.

A planning application has been submitted

to Elmbridge Borough Council with a

decision expected before the end of the

academic year.

DID YOU KNOW...

Thanks to another great all-round effort,

Hinchley Wood has secured its third Eco

Schools Green Flag, the highest award

attainable in the international award

programme that promotes sustainability

within schools – the actual green flag

can be seen flying proudly outside the

school building.


Yes the summer holidays are nearly

upon us. In the past, I have made

the mistake of over-organising

the holidays with almost every

day booked up with playdates, day-trips

and other activities. I’ve since realised

it’s much better to chill out and not try to

do too much, although spontaneity is not

one of my stronger points, I’m more of an

organisational robot.

I’m a big fan of walking and that doesn’t take

too much organising! All kids love walking.

Well ok, it’s not necessarily my four year

old’s favourite pastime. Instead of a guided

walk, it can end up more like a bribed walk,

Hansel and Gretel style. No I don’t mean

leaving them in the woods, but sweetie trails

are involved. So here are a few ideas of

walks I have dragged the kids on.

For me it’s not necessarily about the walk,

but about where you end up… the pub of

course! One of my favourite walks is up over

Telegraph Hill, down into Claygate, to the

Hare & Hounds. This is a great place as they

do a good kids menu and have a fab outside

play area. According to my ‘Fitbit’ it’s 1.7

miles from the bottom of Telegraph Hill to the

Hare & Hounds! Hopefully it should be nice

and dry unlike the quagmire I tried to steer

Granny and Grandad through in February half

term. I thought I was going to have to call

the emergency services to rescue them off

the steep muddy banks.

We are lucky to have numerous other walks

nearby, from Littleworth Common (ending up

at Café Rouge), to Arbrook Common (ending

up at the Fairmile), or simply the paths

through the woods on Portsmouth Road

either side of the railway bridge (ending up

at The Greyhound).

Obviously we have Bushy Park, with numerous

different areas to explore. It’s also great for

taking the kids’ scooters or bikes, as there

are lots of safe paths to follow. The best bits

of Bushy, for me, are the beautiful Woodland

Gardens, the Pheasantry Cafe and the walk

around Heron Pond (near the playground car

park).

Last, but not least, it’s easy to forget that

we live so close to the River Thames and a

Royal Palace. You can simply enjoy walks up

and down the towpaths, from Hampton Court

Bridge down towards Kingston or up towards

Hurst Park and the cafes and restaurants

on Bridge Road are fabulous. Although you

have to pay to go into the Palace gardens

in season, The Wilderness (meadows) just

within the walls are free to access and they

really are beautiful.

WALKTHE WALK

Busy Izzy

FEATURE

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Hinchley Wood Magazine Summer 2015