JULY 2O21 RUNNYMEDE RUNNYMEDE NORTH EDITION Connecting with Our Community LITERARY INSTITUTE NOW OPEN ADDLESTONE CANOE CLUB CELEBRATES 40TH GREEN LIGHT FOR RIVER THAMES SCHEME FREE: DISTRIBUTED IN EGHAM, ENGLEFIELD GREEN, HYTHE, THORPE & VIRGINIA WATER RUNNYMEDE JULY 2O21 RUNNYMEDE RUNNYMEDE NORTH EDITION Published by Community Life Magazines Advertising/Editorial: Mary Hammond Email: [email protected] Telephone: 07494 408761 www.community-life.co.uk would like to send a big thank you to everyone who contacted me regarding the first issue of I Runnymede Life: Runnymede North Edition. It's such a pleasure for me to work with residents on community issues (and sometimes problems and concerns). We are all in this together and I'll do my best to keep you informed about Runnymede Borough news and surrounding areas. This issue is packed with information of what is happening in the Borough and lots for you to take in so put down your smartphone, grab a lounge chair and find out what's happening in the community around you. Sadly, The Egham Royal Show and the Chertsey Agricultural Show had to make the difficult decision to cancel for 2021. We are still in a level of uncertainly and need to be vigilant a while longer until Covid and its variants is a bit more under The good news is that the Literary Institute is control. The organisers are looking forward to now open for you to enjoy. You will also be able putting on great shows next year on these events. to pick up copies of Runnymede Life magazines. We will also have Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee to Please take advantage of this new cultural look forward too where some festivities are being community hub in Egham. Lots more good planned in Runnymede. Hopefully, in the next news about new shops soon to open on the month, we will be able to get back to normality High St in Egham and Magna Square is coming and get on with living. There are still many events along to be ready to open next year. happening including the Black Cherry Fair and the Magna Carta day. Please check the events calendar Yours faithfully, for an update. JULY Offers for Runnymede Life Readers If you are looking to start a business, improve Don’t forget to like us on Facebook, Instagram your home and garden or get your affairs in and Twitter for updates and news. order, there are several advertisers here who can help offering free, no obligation quotes. www.facebook.com/clmagazines Take advantage of it! www.instagram.com/clmagazines/ www.twitter.com/clmagazines Please be responsible and do not litter Runnymede Life is delivered Free to homes in Egham, Englefield Green, Hythe, Thorpe & Virginia Water. It is JuLY Cover Image: The Literary Institute also available to pick up at all local libraries. Photographer: Mary Hammond 3 Contents At The Lit 5 Pathway to Net Zero 26 Addlestone Canoe Club 6 Runnymede Life Recipes 30 Virginia Water Jumble Trail 8 It's OK to have Idle Time 31 Mayor Gill 10 Protection for Local Heaths 32 St John's Egham 11 Runnymede Life Gardening 34 Holme Farm Project 12 Thorpe Players 38 History of Foxhills 14 Former Mayor Dolsie Clarke 39 Sir William Perkins School 16 Runnymede Beat 40 New Victorian Extension 18 Runnymede Foodbank 41 Dr Ben Spencer MP 20 Upcoming Events 43 Surrey CC Jonathan Hulley 22 Important Contact Information 44 Ashford & St Peter's NHS Trust 23 Advertisers Index 46 Egham's Magna Square 24 THORPE MILL room in 1938 which later developed into a very popular restaurant which Thorpe Mill stood on the southern they ran until the 1960s. The mill was boundary of Thorpe parish on a mill subject to a Compulsory Purchased stream or leat, cut from the River Order and demolished in 1971 to Bourne. The exact date of the mill is not make way for the M3, although the known, although it is first mentioned in motorway’s route now passes over the 1518, but the main fabric of the timber nearby field rather than the mill site. framed and brick buildings dated from the seventeenth century. The mill is believed to have ceased working during the early part of the 20th century although it was still described as Thorpe Mill in 1910 when Frederick Gosden rented it from Henry Wolley Leigh Bennet. Frederick Gosden died in 1919 and the mill was sold. The mill was purchased in 1924 by Mr and Mrs Thomas Dudley Honnor who took over the farm and milk round. Mrs Honnor opened a tea THE OLD MILL, THORPE, PAINTED BY MARGARET LAKE, 1971 COURTESY OF THE CHERTSEY MUSEUM 4 A new cultural community hub for Egham and the surrounding areas he Literary Institute at 51 High Street, TEgham, TW20 9EW, was opened on the 26th June by Cllr Elaine Gill, Mayor of Runnymede as a cultural community hub: a space for meeting, learning, socialising, recreation, enjoyment and entertainment. Community Hub becoming a registered charity in March. This now provides the opportunity to Once known as the Assembly Rooms, the Grade restore the building to its original purpose – the II listed building was built around 1788 as part of Mission of the Board of Trustees. the Red Lion public house, in the High Street, to provide facilities to accommodate entertainment Post opening, we are looking for volunteers such as dancing, performances, and card games. to help us make our shared vision a reality. If It was well used throughout the 19th Century you would be able to spare a couple of hours a due to increased visitors to the town frequenting week or month, then we’d like to hear from you. the popular Egham races at Runnymede. The The sort of roles we would like help with are: change in name came in the 1850s when the Housekeeping/Cleaning; Maintenance (painting, building became home to Egham’s Literary and light DIY); Events & Booking; Marketing & Debating Society. In World War One it was an Social Media; Admin & Secretary to the Board; Army Recruiting station, an Air Raid shelter Fundraising Support and Welcoming Visitors – in World War Two, hosting many fundraising interested then go to events for the war effort. The building has been home to the town library, the Egham Urban www.atthelit.org/volunteer/ District Council and is still home to The Egham For more information, please our website Museum. www.atthelit.org Many local groups and societies have used the building over the years to host their meetings Follow us on social media and events, and for many, it was their adoptive AtTheLit home, such as Runnymede Drama Society. It has been the home to The Egham Museum for @AtTheLit over 50 years, and up until August 2018, housed Strode’s College’s Adult Education Department. Dr Brian Perry BEM - Trustee It has long been the aim of many local residents to see The Literary Institute once again at the heart of the community. This is now one step closer to reality with the The Literary Institute Cultural 5 TH After years of much planning and saving and CELEBRATES 40 raising funds the club in Burcott Gardens, plans to open its new facility in August. The club ANNIVERSARY house will include a gym, boat store, modern changing rooms and showers, disabled facilities and access, kitchen area and meeting room. All BY MAGGIE WALSH these features facilitating a more pleasant and fit for purpose environment to pursue healthy t is very fitting to be celebrating the Club’s 40th lifestyle activities. Ianniversary with a smart new home. The fact that the previous club house was dilapidated did not detract from the enjoyment of kayaking on the Wey Navigation; an area of outstanding beauty. Although the canoe club was formally set up in 1981 its history can be traced back to 1800 as a swimming club. There will be more on the history of the club in subsequent issues of this magazine. The Addlestone Canoe Club offers water recreation activities all year round. It enables A big thank you goes to all the funding the introduction and participation in all partners, Sport England, the London Marathon different types of kayaking disciplines in the Charitable Trust and Chertsey Combined safe environment of the canal waters under the Charity along with support from Runnymede supervision of fully trained volunteer coaches Borough Council. It must not go without a and bank-side assistants. mention, the contribution and efforts of members, families and friends who have been relentlessly During the Summer the club runs a number fund-raising over the years and continue to do so. of Try-it Days and courses for beginners and improvers, youth groups, Scouts, Guides, Our latest fund raiser was in June, comprising schools and Duke of Edinburgh participants. distance challenges of 5, 10 and 20 mile Trips and kayaking/canoeing sessions for the stretches of the Wey Navigation and there more senior enthusiasts and comprehensive is a wide range of ages and abilities who training programme for racers are also available. participated in this event in various different Parents are encouraged to participate, either in kayaks and canoes. the sport or as bank-side or behind-the scene With a certain air of nostalgia, we say goodbye helpers. to our wooden hut which served us well for 40 years and now, a heartfelt welcome to our new From playing in kayaks and gaining confidence facilities! Do come and join us. with manoeuvres as youngsters, some members have achieved selection for the England national For more information, visit our website at squad and so history repeats itself as there are addlestonecc.org.uk also some ex-champions among our volunteer coaches and members.