PARISH MAGAZINE St Michael & All Angels

MAY 2021 60P

Village Diary 8 Horts Society 22 Editorial 9 National Garden Scheme 23 Church Services 10 Children’s Church 24 Church Letter 11 Give it a Grow 26 Parish Council Update 12 Clockhouse News 29 Thursley Litter Pick 13 Lizzie Young 30 Bossom Air Crash 14 Eco-Friendly Living 32 Life on the Farm 16 Terracycle Bins 33 Village Hall News 18 Life on the Common 34 Sugar & Bakes 20 WI 36

1

NEED HELP? Help in Thursley is available to anyone living in the parish of Thursley.

WHAT HELP IS AVAILABLE? Transport to Doctors, Dentists and Hospital appointments, Shops, Post Office, Hairdresser, collecting prescriptions, your pet to the Vet, etc.

HOW IT WORKS Phone 07538 201 276 and leave a message. The Duty Officer will listen to all messages at least once a day Mondays to Fridays and seek an appropriate volunteer to help you. The Duty Officer will contact you to discuss your request and then contact you again to give you the name of the volunteer who will help you. Please ensure you give us a few days’ notice.

2 3 4 5 VILLAGE ORGANISATIONS AND LOCAL DIRECTORY

CHURCH: ST MICHAEL & ALL ANGELS HELP IN THURSLEY 07538 301276

Vicar: Chairman: Revd Hannah Moore 01252 705941 David YOUNG 01428 607716. [email protected] [email protected] Treasurer: Associate Minister: Peter HUNTER 01252 702360 Revd Delia Orme 01252 702217 [email protected] [email protected] THURSLEY CLUB Churchwardens: Secretary: Joyce HALL 01252 703386 Hilary BARR 01252 703301 [email protected] THURSLEY CRCKET CLUB Chairman: Dene MILLS 01252 703067 Lee SMALLBONE [email protected] [email protected] Secretary: Vacant Secretary: Alex MEEARS Treasurer: [email protected] Michael THATCHER 01428 606670 THURSLEY PARISH COUNCIL Safeguarding Officer: www.thursley-pc.gov.uk Sheridan HUMPHREYS 07966 578607 Council Clerk: Elaine FELTON 01252 703201 Organist: The Barrows, Seale Road, Elstead GU8 6LF. Robbie GOLDFINCH 01252 705151 [email protected]

Chairman: Church Cleaning: James MENDELSSOHN 07941 507753 Sallie ROLES 01252 706820 Bears Barn, Dye House Road, Thursley

Surrey GU8 6QD Church Flowers: [email protected] Anne WAKELEY 01252 702320 Vice Chairman: Churchyard Working Party: John SWIFT 01428 685120 Mike ROBERTS 01252 702932 [email protected]

Councillors: Children’s Church: Michelle DE VRIES 07590 893497 Carolyn LANE 01252 702192 [email protected] Helen FLAVELL 07941060663 PAROCHIAL CHURCH COUNCIL [email protected] Nina ALLEN 01252 703643 Peter HUNTER 01252 702165

Rosie DALE-HARRIS 01252 702585 [email protected] John LUFF 01483 422132 Susanne HUNTER 01252 702165 [email protected] Marion O’BRIEN 01252 702235 Richard OWEN 01428 607741 [email protected]

6 PARISH FOOTPATH WARDENS FIRE & RESCUE SERVICE Contact Elaine Felton 01252 703201 Ben ALEXANDER 07964 391882 [email protected] COMMUNITY RECYCLER Nicki BATES 01252 702671 BUTTERFLIES NURSERY [email protected] D ELLUL & M DHILLON 07827 786005

THE THREE HORSESHOES THURSLEY NATIONAL NATURE RESERVE Reserve Warden: www.threehorseshoesthursley.com 01252 703900

James GILES 01428 685675 [email protected] THURSLEY VILLAGE HALL www.thursleyvillagehall.co.uk THURSLEY HISTORY SOCIETY [email protected] Chairman: Anthony Langdale 01428 682808 Village Hall Chairman: [email protected] Clea BEECHEY 01252 703913 [email protected] Secretary: Jackie RICKENBERG 07941 433103 Village Hall Secretary: [email protected] Dene MILLS 01252 703067

Treasurer: [email protected]

Richard BATES 01252 702671 Village Hall Manager: Archivist: Isobel MURPHY 01252 706929 Tim WALSH 01252 703172 (mob) 07826 521954

THURSLEY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY [email protected]. Secretary: COUNCILLORS Pat CLAKE 01252 706869 [email protected] Surrey County: David HARMER 01428 606921 MILITARY ACTIVITY Wyanston, Tower Road, , 24 Hour Ops Room 01420 483405 Surrey GU26 6ST NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH [email protected]

Jackie MALTON 07885 147304 Waverley Borough: [email protected] Jenny ELSE 01252 702036

PARISH MAGAZINE [email protected] Editor: David ELSE 01252 702036 [email protected] Tricia HORWOOD 01252 705171 [email protected] LOCAL MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT Advertising: Rt Hon Jeremy HUNT 01428 609416 Jane HEPBURN 07768 421935 [email protected] [email protected] DOCTORS Distribution: Springfield Surgery 01252 703122 Jenny GORDON 07796 254361 Surgery 01428 682218 [email protected]

Milford Crossroads Surgery 01483 414461 POLICE 101 Hurst Farm Surgery 01483 415885 www.surrey.police.uk/ro/report/

7

COVID-19 VACCINATIONS

Help in Thursley’s team of volunteers are standing by to help anyone in need of transport to attend a vaccination appointment. The volunteers are all insured, have DBS certification and will follow agreed COVID-19 policy and guidance procedures.

If you are in need of transport please call the Duty Of- ficer on 07538 201276 and leave a message and you will be called back once the Duty Officer has the name of the volunteer who will drive you.

VILLAGE DIARY

Saturday, 1st May 10.30am Plant Sale (behind Village Hall)

Tuesday, 4th May 7.00pm Parish Council Meeting (zoom)

Thursday, 13th May 11.30-4.30pm National Garden Scheme Open Day

Saturday, 27th June 3.00pm Blithe Spirit Play, Village Hall 5.00pm Pub Masquerade Ball

MAY

CHURCH CLEANING (Please contact Sallie Roles if you can help)

Anne SCALES Debbie SPENCER Jackie RICKENBERG

CHURCH FLOWERS (Please contact Anne Wakeley if you can help)

16th Sallie ROLES 23rd Sallie ROLES

PLEASE NOTE DEADLINE OF 14TH MAY 2021 FOR SUBMISSION OF ARTICLES TO THE JUNE 2021 ISSUE OF THURSLEY PARISH MAGAZINE. EDITOR: Tricia HORWOOD, Thursley House, Dye House Road, Thursley, Surrey GU8 6QD. Tel: 01252 705171 E-mail: [email protected]. ADVERTISING MANAGER: Jane HEPBURN Tel: 07768 421935 Email: [email protected] DISTRIBUTION MANAGER: Jenny GORDON Tel: 07796 254361 Email: [email protected] COVER: Commemorating the death of Prince Philip in St Michael & All Angels Church, By Philip Traill.

Opinions expressed by authors and services offered by advertisers are not specifically endorsed by Thursley Parish Magazine or the Parochial Church Council.

8 Editorial By Tricia Horwood

survival was always the stuff of minor miracle, who came ashore in orange- crate oracles, fought ingenious wars, finagled triumphs at sea with flaming decoy boats, and side-stepped torpedoes.

Husbands to duty, they unrolled their plans across billiard tables and vehicle bonnets, regrouped at breakfast. What their secrets were was everyone’s guess and nobody’s business. Great-grandfathers from birth, in time Last weekend I watched with sadness the they became both inner core and outer simple but moving funeral ceremony for case in a family heirloom of nesting Prince Philip and I’m sure I was not alone dolls. in shedding a tear for the Queen and the Like evidence of early man their boot- Royal Family during this period of prints stand in the hardened earth of national mourning. No matter the age or rose-beds and borders. inevitability of death you’re never quite prepared for the shock when it happens They were sons of a zodiac out of sync and the loss that you are left with. with the solar year, but turned their

The poet laureate, Simon Armitage, minds to the day’s big science and heavy wrote an elegy to mark the death of questions. Prince Philip that not only pays tribute to To study their hands at rest was to the man and his passions but mourns the picture maps showing hachured valleys passing of an entire generation, the likes and indigo streams, schemes of old of which we will never see again. They campaigns and reconnaissance missions. endured numerous hardships but Last of the great avuncular magicians somehow “kept buggering on” as they kept their best tricks for the grand Churchill so eloquently phrased it. We finale: will miss them. Disproving Immortality and

THE PATRIACHS—AN ELEGY Disappearing Entirely.

By Simon Armitage The major oaks in the wood start tuning The weather in the window this up and skies to come will deliver their morning is snow, unseasonal singular tributes. flakes, a slow winter’s final shiver. But for now, a cold April’s closing On such an occasion to presume to moments parachute slowly home, so by eulogise one man is to pipe up for a mid-afternoon snow is recast as seed whole generation– that crew whose heads and thistledown. 9 MAY SERVICES FOR THE PARISHES OF ELSTEAD, THURSLEY, &

We are hoping to have a gradual return to our church buildings. Here is a list of what we are planning. Of course, this is subject to government guidelines and any local outbreaks which may mean we need to stay online. Please check our website to book your place and check the service is still running, and we will endeavour to keep you up to date there on www.parishesofetsph.org.uk .

SUNDAY 2nd 8.00am BCP Communion (Peper Harow) Easter 5 10.00am CW Communion (Elstead & zoom)

SUNDAY 9th 8.00am BCP Communion (Estead) Easter 6 10.30am JAM Family Service (Elstead & zoom) 6.00pm Evening Service on zoom

Thursday 13th 7.00pm CW Communion Service (Elstead) Ascension

SUNDAY 16th 9.30am CW Communion (Thursley) Easter 7 10.00pm Service of the Word on zoom

SUNDAY 23rd 8.00am BCP Communion (Elstead) Pentacost 9.30am CW Communion (Peper Harow & zoom)

SUNDAY 30th 9.30am CW Communion (Thursley & zoom) Trinity Sunday

TO JOIN OUR ZOOM SERVICES

https://us04web.zoom.us/j/78943420469? pwd=U1hIUFQ2bjRISWhjN2dNMzVBbjNzZz09 Meeting ID: 789 4342 0469 Password: ETSPH

Dial in via your telephone

+44 203 051 2874 +44 203 481 5237 United Kingdom Meeting ID: 789 4342 0469 Password: 262018

10 CHURCH LETTER By Revd Delia Orme (Associate Minister)

Dear Friends, Spirit to put fire in their souls. Immediately after receiving the gift of the What sets you on fire? What brings out your strong emotions, energy and drive Holy Spirit the disciples rush out into as you focus on a particular person, central Jerusalem and start shouting object or principle? Clearly the one about the sacrifice Jesus has made, and special person who becomes our wife, how that Jesus came back to life, and so husband or partner for life, brings out gained for us salvation and eternal life, opening the gate into heaven. The our passion, as we experience the enormous power of love in that special change in the disciples was dramatic and sudden. human relationship. Our close family, children, parents, brother or sister, can Have you changed as we moved out evoke similar passions which drive us to from Lockdown into Spring and the joy protect them and strive for all that is of seeing our friends and family again in good for them. person, rather than on screen? Have

A work of art like the Mona Lisa, and the you had your second vaccine jab so feel Sistine Chapel can trigger passion in us, free to move about, or are you still as can a piece of music like waiting for the first jab and feeling left behind? Tchaikovsky’s Pathetique Symphony or Elgar’s Cello concerto, (but probably not I wonder what this year will bring to each the winner of the Eurovision Song of you, certainly a very different year to contest). Maybe politics is your thing, the last. Maybe we will be rushing about, and there is always plenty to debate. Or like the disciples with fire in our belly, to of course there is also food to be catch up on all those things we missed, passionate about, I only need say one or taking it slower as we just enjoy being word - chocolate. out in the world again.

So where does religion fit into your list of I recommend that we take this season passions? Do you even see religion, and all that God gives us, and savour your faith, or your curiosity about people each moment. Savour the glories our of faith, as something you should be Saviour has brought us through passionate about, or is it more a duty to forgiveness of our errors; savour the be performed or a question to be light lengthening days our Father God postponed? renews each morning; savour the

Lent and Easter are over, Spring has delights of being out in the fresh air with fully bloomed and we are coming up to friends and family, and then to pause Pentecost. What is that you may say. It is and pray for those not so fortunate as a good reminder of how the early ourselves. Savour and enjoy all that Spring and the gift of the Holy Spirit Christians were passionate to the point of accepting persecution and death in brings to us. order to proclaim the life, death and God Bless. resurrection of our Saviour Jesus Christ. It started in a most unlikely way with the eleven disciples hiding in a room in Jerusalem, too scared of the Romans and the Jewish authorities to step outside the door. God had plans for these reluctant men and sent His Holy 11

PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE By James Mendelssohn (Chair)

With a relatively uncluttered agenda to be left to rewild. In Bowlhead this month, we were able to take some Green, a similar approach will be time to discuss a number of the more taken around the pond, and possibly general issues that we as a village are in other areas too. We will also look at facing at the moment. the possibility of introducing

Driving along our roads and walking wildflowers. Depending on the on the Common, it is impossible not to success of this project, and public notice the marked increase in litter reaction to it, we will look to extend that seems to be wherever you look. the initiative to other areas within the village in due course. This is caused by a combination of factors: more visitors results in more We are also aware of a number of litter; reduced and COVID-safe neighbouring villages that are Council working means less clearance encouraging their residents to set by both SCC and WBC; and human aside a part of their own gardens to nature is such that when people see rewilding, and we would certainly litter, for some reason they feel that it encourage people here in Thursley to is acceptable to add to it. consider whether they might be able

As a result, we have decided to hold a to designate part of their gardens in this way. Village Litter Pick Week, beginning on Saturday 1st May. Full details will be The April meeting was Peter Hunter’s found in the notice elsewhere in this last as a Parish Councillor. Peter first Magazine, and we would really ask became a Parish Councillor some 30 that as many of you as possible years ago – in fact, it was such a long support this initiative. time ago that he can’t remember

Much is being written at the moment exactly when it was! During that time, about the benefits of ‘rewilding’, he has served as the Chairman and whereby gardens, parks, verges etc Vice Chairman, and he was also our are left to their own devices to allow lead representative at the enquiry to nature to take its course. Rewilding is ensure that the A3 bypassed the a form of environmental conservation Hindhead crossroads through a tunnel and ecological restoration that has rather than across the Devil’s significant potential to increase Punchbowl, something for which our biodiversity, create self-sustainable whole community is hugely grateful. environments and mitigate climate Peter’s experience and local change. knowledge probably exceeds that of

Within Thursley, there are certain the rest of the Parish Council put areas of grass that belong to the together, and so although there is no village, and these have been doubt that he deserves his retirement maintained and mowed for many after 30 years of service, we shall years by Richard Bates. We are now certainly miss his contribution. going to begin a trial where two of The May Parish Council meeting will these areas, the Clump and the area take place on Tuesday 4th May at 7.00 outside Tilhurst at the entrance to the pm. village coming from the A3, are going 12 VILLAGE LITTER PICK WEEK

Last year’s litter picking day was a great success, so we’re asking folks to join us from 1st May (for one week) in tidying up the Common and other areas around Thursley.

Whilst the distancing restrictions remain in place we can’t do an event as such, but we’re asking people to grab a bag and some gloves, and even a litter picking stick if you have one, and help tidy up the Parish. Please post a photo of your collection on the village Facebook page, or email it to me ([email protected]) and we’ll give out a prize to the person with the biggest haul!

If possible, please take the rubbish home with you and put it in your own black bin rather than clogging up the bin on the Recreation Ground.

Please keep in mind the following safety pointers from previous litterpicks, and stay safe!

SAFETY GUIDANCE NOTES FOR VOLUNTEER LITTER PICKERS

Do:

• Stick to public areas • Do not attempt to clear litter from the road, close to a river or ponds • Avoid busy roads and always work so you are facing any oncoming traffic • Be careful where you walk, the surface may be uneven or slippery • Please tie sacks when full • Don’t take any risks!

The following items should not be touched:

• Drug related litter/hypodermic syringes • Unidentified substances, containers or liquids • Asbestos • Large, heavy items • Any other potentially hazardous item

Cllr Richard Owen

13

BOSSOM AIR CRASH By Jackie Rickenberg (taken from the History Society’s Archives)

them to receive a traditional English Changing the subject completely from education (Eton). It was at this stage our previous articles on illustrious that he followed his father into political residents of Thursley past, I have been life in Westminster, only to be recently gripped by the tragic and succeeded many years later by one of rather mysterious tale of an air his two remaining sons, Sir Clive disaster over Thursley, in days gone Bossom MP for Leominster. by. The observant amongst you may have picked up a mere whisper of it in Bruce Bossom, who piloted the plane, the poignant epitaph to Edmund was a promising and talented airman, Haviland from The Old Parsonage in who by the age of 21 had passed his last month’s magazine. It would parts A and B licences and his blind appear that Edmund knew the flying licence and according to his harrowing tale that explains the father “had flown for several hundred existence of one of the memorials in hours and was capable of flying any Thursley church’s graveyard. type of machine”. He was fully intent on making his name in the still The story begins on Wednesday 27th emerging world of aviation and had July 1932. It was a blustery day with hopes of being an early adventurer, storms predicted later on in early often talking about breaking flying evening. A bright young man of 21 records across the Atlantic. He had years old, already qualified as a pilot, just become engaged, to Miss Odette planned an outing for his mother and a Herard, although not with the blessing friend, visiting from Hanover, Germany of his parents, who felt he was too – a mere afternoon jaunt to Hamble on young and not yet established in a the south coast and back to Heston, career, for such a step. The young on the west side of London. German prince, who hailed from a The young man in question was Bruce distinguished aristocratic family, had Bayne Bossom, his mother Mrs Emily been visiting the Bossom family on his Bayne Bossom and his friend a rather first trip to the UK, staying with them dashing sounding Count Otto Erbach- as their guest in their rather smart Fürstenau, or to give him his full title, house in Carlton Gardens, Belgravia. Count Otto Adolf Joseph Emich The story of the actual crash is Alexander, Graf zu Erbach-Fürstenau perhaps better left to the hacks of the (aged 23). Mrs Bossom was the wife of day from The Portsmouth Evening wealthy noted architect and Member News, dated 28th July 1932, the day of Parliament for Maidstone, Mr Alfred after the crash. C Bossom (later ennobled as Lord Bossom). Mr A C Bossom had had a MYSTERY OF MACHINE SHATTERED renowned career in the US, an early IN MID-AIR exponent and well-respected pioneer Mrs Emily Bossom, wife of Mr. A. C. and designer of many of New York’s Bossom, M.P. for Maidstone, her son famous skyscrapers in 1910-20’s Bruce, aged 21, and Prince Otto Manhattan. He married his American Erbach Furstenau were killed last wife, before returning to the UK with night when the aeroplane in which their three young sons, in order for they were flying to Hamble crashed at

14 , near , Surrey. The cause bodies were found. A gust of storm of the disaster is a mystery. Is it force wind, might have turned the possible the machine may have been machine over and put strain on the struck by lightning, though there is landing wires which they could not no sign of it having been burned? Or bear; which in turn could have ripped perhaps another view is that the wind out the side of the aeroplane hurtling may have torn off one of the wings the occupants to their death. It is which was seen to come away from however, practically impossible to the plane in mid-air? These are say anything definite at the moment, among the questions which experts except that one side of the fuselage will have to solve when they seems to have disappeared. The men investigate the cause of the crash. of the Border Regiment were duo to Our Special Correspondent gained a have left their bivouacs at 3.30 a.m. grimly vivid idea of the terrible to-day, to march across the slopes nature of the tragedy when at dawn where the wreckage lies, to engage in today he stood atop the brow of a mock battle with the Devon’s, but Kettlebury Hill, within a mile of Mr. the manoeuvres were postponed on Lloyd George’s country home at account of the tragedy. It was these Churt, and looked over the wide men who formed the search party valley below. Half a-mile away, in a which spread over the heather-clad spinney of young beech trees, was the valley looking for the bodies. battered fuselage. Six hundred yards to the east of it was a portion of one Next month we’ll cover the inquest, wing, and nearly a mile still farther memorials to the dead, folklore away was the wing which was seen to surrounding the crash and the tear off in the air. Five hundred yards personal consequences of this terrible accident. to the west of the fuselage, a policeman on guard marked the area This is the air accident investigation about 100 yards square—in which the details of the crash.

Date: 27-JUL-1932 Time: 17:45 Type: de Havilland DH.80 Puss Moth Owner/operator:Brian Lewis & Co Ltd Registration: G-ABDH C/n / msn: 2081 Fatalities: Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 Other fatalities: 0 Aircraft damage Written off (damaged beyond repair) Location: Devil's Jump, Hankley Common, Churt, nr Hindhead, Surrey Phase: En route Nature: Passenger - Non-Scheduled/charter/Air Taxi Departure airport: Heston Aerodrome, Heston, Middlesex Destination airport: Hamble, Hampshire 15

WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE FARM THIS MONTH? By Jo Ranson

Well, the shorts are firmly back in done. Getting them to and from the the cupboard and the thermals have penning is now down to a fine art as gone back on. When they say April we have learnt from our mistakes. showers, I was always led to believe First mistake is to assume they will they meant rain not SNOW. I am stay on the easy route of an open writing this on my birthday - 13th track, as they think it is great fun to April and I think once in my 45 years dive into the woods for a run around. (say that bit quickly) has it snowed The track now gets temporary fences around my birthday. The lack of put up either side. Another mistake is warmth is becoming a real pain. The assuming they will come out of the 15th April should be what we call gate when you want them to - if you ‘magic day’ - this is when grass growth didn’t want them to they would. So, meets cow demand, well there is not a with more people and patience hope of that this year. The cows are combined with a small dribble of food out day and night, but we are having works a treat. to top them up with silage and bought in silage at that as our cupboard is We have spread the muck from the bare. An extra cost and job (carting lagoon on the fields to be cultivated silage) that we could do without. for maize. They have then been However, there is nothing we can do subsoiled to break up any compaction about the weather, just adapt, and we deeper than a plough would reach and are not the only ones - farmers all then ploughed and pressed. This around the country are struggling with breaks up the soil, combines the muck the same issue. So, I am putting in an and then neatly presses it for a nearly order of some warmth and a few ready seed bed. We are just awaiting evening showers for that bit of the maize seed, although with these moisture please. temperatures we aren’t in a desperate rush. We have the rest of the calves out, which do have plenty of grass to eat A small amount of fertiliser has gone as their ground is more clay type so on again after each paddock has been had more moisture. Having these out eaten in an effort to give the grass a takes the pressure off the silage boost - it had a bit of drizzle to wash stocks and workload of bedding and it in but to really get its full potential feeding. They have now had their that sunshine is required again. The first dose of wormer. There are all wildflowers we planted though are sorts of different timings that people doing brilliantly. On the same verge use for worming but having talked we had the fire brigade putting out with our vet about the fact that we our bonfire, we have Scottish and are on clean ground that’s only been Southern Electric parked all over our grazed by our cattle and they are all emerging seeds. Funnily enough we the same age, we only worm the baby were not best pleased, we know they calves, which is done at 3,9 and 13 have to park somewhere, and they weeks after turn out. Worming is were trying very hard to get the pretty simple - the wormer is just village’s power back on but it was squirted on to their back and job fairly obvious that it was a neatly kept 16 verge with seedlings. A liaison man Another job we have been wanting to from SSE was sent with lots of do for a long time is to remove tree apologies, bottles of wine and some limbs overhanging the heifers’ winter poles from a previous job chopped up housing. The oak trees next to the and laid along the verge to fend off shed are enormous and the limbs the electric people and any other heavy and if they were to fall that vehicles. would be the end of the shed and heifers. We hired a brilliant machine Scaffolding duly arrived for solar and operator which could reach and panel installation, and netters arrived. chop the limbs from within the yard Netters are the people who put all remotely. It took no time at all and netting below the roof so should it is a sigh of relief from us that we anyone fall through, they will be could do something to preserve both caught. The netters though were not tree and shed. Talking of trees, happy that the shed was not cleared another small incident that could have out. Slightly tricky as it houses the been a major one was that one of our milking parlour which is not really augers in the parlour seemed stuck. something you can pop in and out, so It kept trying to pull through food but they refused to do the job. With a spring back, and Matthew and I bit of brainstorming between us, the realised it must have a blockage. scaffolders and the solar panel Through a process of elimination we company we have come up with a plan determined that the blockage was on what can be moved to get better between the main feed bin and the access to the apex of the roof, a parlour feeders, so in the pipes that different cherry picker and a new perhaps an engineer should take apart team of netters. Hopefully it won’t for fear of upsetting the internal take too long to find a new team and spring. Our engineer lives in deepest that project can be done. darkest Kent. Bob arrived later in the 17 afternoon and set to work taking on my back so am only allowed apart the bearing and lower inspection paperwork duties and not allowed to hatch to see the tip of the offending do farm or housework jobs - pleased article which was a bit of a branch. A with the latter. Nick has two new lorry driver delivering our load of positions within Arla our milk buyer, food had either not put his cover on being both a board representative and or not swept his lorry out, so Bob’s bill on the Sustainability Working Group. is being dealt with by the feed Just as well we are up to date, company. Fortunately, the branch was because we always like more to do. near the start of the auger - had it The maize will be going in this month made it a bit further it would have and we will probably have taken a first taken more than the 30 mins he was cut of silage too, by the time you read here for. this.

So, we are quite up to date with all our jobs, and I have had an operation

THURSLEY VILLAGE HALL

WE NEED YOUR HELP

We are hoping to get funding for the next stage of work to the village hall (see future plans on opposite page).

Please, please show your support and persuade friends and family to show support by uploading the link below, searching the village hall postcode (GU8 6QD), clicking on the flag on the map depicting the hall and then clicking agree at the end of the funding information. You will be asked for your email address you will be sent an email to confirm you are legitimate so please remember to confirm.

https://yourfundsurreymap.commonplace.is/comments

18 VILLAGE HALL NEWS By Andrea Mackenzie-Beevor

FUTURE PLANS be some tables and chairs, but you As mentioned in our parish magazine are welcome to bring rugs and updates, our plans to update the cushions to sit on if you prefer. Tickets layout of the Hall are now with are £11 for adults and £8 for kids/ Waverley Borough Council awaiting students, available on a first come, planning consent - fingers crossed! first served basis from Clea on 01252 The aim of the alterations, in a 703913 or 07711 183959 or nutshell, is to enable the two parts of [email protected]. We will also be selling the Hall to be used separately at the afternoon tea (cup of tea, small same time, so that the Nursery can sandwich and cake) for £5 per person, keep going every weekday AND the as well as Pimm’s to celebrate our North Hall can be used by other freedom! Book early to avoid people at the same time; to improve disappointment … the kitchen area so that in the week both “sides” of the Hall (Nursery and 13th/14th November 2021 North) can use their own separated Belated 75th Anniversary VE Day side of kitchen, while at other times Exhibition and Evening Do the kitchen can be used as a much Please save the dates! The History bigger and more usable whole space; Society is putting on their fantastic VE and too add another shed’s worth of Day exhibition, postponed by Covid outside storage space. We will need to from last year, and the Village Hall fundraise hard to bring these plans to Committee is planning an evening do fruition, so your support and on the Saturday with entertainment, encouragement will be needed now singalongs and food lovingly prepared more than ever. Please let us know if by our village team! you have any comments or ideas to help us - all input gratefully received Sunday 28th November 2021 as always. Abigail’s Party, by Black Box Productions Plans are on the Village Hall website: http://thursleyvillagehall.co.uk Postponed from 2020, a chance to see Black Box’s version of the classic Sunday 27th June 2021 at 3pm 1970s suburban comedy, Abigail’s Blithe Spirit, by Black Box Productions Party. A light-hearted start to the Christmas season. Save the date! If the Covid roadmap dates stay on track, what better way to celebrate the Saturday 4th December 2021 first weekend of freedom than this Thursley Christmas Fair outdoor production of Noel Coward’s Please contact Amanda Hall on 01252 classic comedy from Black Box, who 702751 or 07816 230618 or brought us their rollicking version of [email protected] for further The 39 Steps in 2019? This will take details, including reserving a stall. place in the garden, come rain or Thank you for all your support - these shine (unless there’s an actual events are only a success because of hurricane!), so come prepared with your presence! sunscreen and/or a rain hat! There will

19 SUGAR & BAKES By Camilla Daubeney

Gin & Tonic Loaf Cake tonic water was by all accounts very bitter and unpalatable, so to make it Now that we are allowed to meet up with more enjoyable lime was added (a good family and friends in our gardens and preventative for scurvy), sugar (for with the promise of warmer weather on sweetness) and then the ubiquitous Gin, the horizon, what could be more and that is how today’s G&T was born. enjoyable than to spend an afternoon with a cup of tea, a slice of G&T cake and Most chefs and home cooks use alcohol good company ? in cooking, especially in sauces, marinades and vinaigrettes, but it also What came first, the Gin or the Tonic ? It has a long history of use in baking. One of was the Gin, originally brewed by monks the oldest and mostly commonly known and alchemists throughout Europe for baked goods containing alcohol is the medicinal purposes in the 16th black forest gateau. The chocolate sponge century. By the 1750’s, mainly due to its and whipped cream based cake contains low cost, Gin consumption in was a rich cherry filling, which is greatly out of control and the extortionate rise in enhanced with Kirsch. We add Brandy to crime was thought to be directly linked to Christmas Cakes, Cointreau to Orange this so Parliament passed The Gin Act of Bundt Cake and we soak Pound cake in 1751 to curb Gin imbibing, and then Rum, so why not add Gin and Tonic to a within a century Gin became a loaf cake ? Gentleman’s Club drink. In the 1850’s the British took over the governance of India For this recipe please use any brand of and due to malaria being prolific, the Gin, however, the newly popular British drank enormous quantities of botanical versions add an extra depth to tonic water with added Quinine in an the flavour. If you aren’t a fan of Gin you attempt to stave off the disease. The could try Pimms as an alternative.

20 G & T CAKE 4. Pour your cake ingredients into your tin, and bake in the oven for- 40 45 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. INGREDIENTS

Cake 5. Remove the cake from the oven and 225g Unsalted Butter leave to cool slightly whilst making the 220g Caster Sugar syrup.

225g Self Raising Flour 6. To make the syrup, add the sugar, gin 4 Medium Eggs and tonic to a small pan, heat on a very 2 Limes or Lemons Zested low temperature and keep stirring gently

Syrup until all the sugar has dissolved, and 75g Caster Sugar then remove from the heat and leave to 75g Gin cool slightly.

4 tbsp Tonic Water 7. Keeping your cake in its tin, pierce the

Icing cake numerous times with a skewer to roughly 1cm from the base then gently 200 g Icing Sugar pour the entire pan of syrup over the 3-4 tbsp Gin cake. Leave the cake in the tin to cool Decoration completely. Once the cake is cooled, 1 Lime or Lemon Zested and/or Sliced remove it from the tin.

METHOD 8. To make the icing, sieve the icing sugar into a small bowl, and gradually 1.Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin, and mix in the gin till you get a thick pouring preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan. consistency. Pour the icing over the

2. Cream together your butter and sugar cake, and sprinkle over some lime/lemon until light and fluffy. zest, and/or add some lime/lemon slices for more decoration. 3. Add in the eggs, flour, limes/lemon zest, and beat till smooth. Then boil the kettle, make your tea and enjoy your cake.

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21

THURSLEY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY By John Gunner If you are reading this before 1st We have a group visit to Ramster May please make a note that our Garden at on Plant Sale will be held on that Thursday 20th May, meeting there day, outdoors, behind the Village at 2.30pm. The garden is noted Hall commencing at 10.30am. We for its magnificent displays of hope to have vegetable and rhododendrons and azaleas which herbaceous plants available even should be in full bloom at that if it is raining! Seale Nursery will time. As a bonus, the Surrey also be there with a selection of Sculpture Society will have an their high quality roses. The local exhibition of their work on display growers of the plants will be throughout the gardens. The happy to offer advice on entry fee is £8 and the cafe will cultivation. In payment, we would be open outdoors and toilets are prefer cash or cheques but will also available. We just need the endeavour to have other options weather! too. We will also be happy to receive annual subscriptions on With sadness, I have to report the day and will have membership the recent death of Joan Young, cards and show schedules one of our longest-serving and available. We should observe most innovative flower arrangers. social distancing and accept that Joan was always keen to guide arrangements will be different this novice arrangers and she year and there will be no access impressed many judges with the into the hall throughout the sale. quality of her designs. In a group If you have plants for us to sell, representing Flower we shall be pleased to receive Club she achieved a gold medal at them whilst we are setting up. Let the Chelsea Flower Show. She us hope that this will open the also was an Oxfam volunteer for door to village activities once 40 years. Rest in Peace, Joan. again after such a long wait.

PLANT SALE

SATURDAY, 1ST MAY 10.30am onwards BEHIND THE VILLAGE HALL

All welcome. This is a great opportunity to buy lots of locally grown plants and vegetables and raise much needed money for the Horts Society.

Cash and/or cheques preferred.

COVID-19 Secure with social distancing measures in place.

22

NATIONAL GARDEN SCHEME

Paulownia Tomentosa on show for the NGS Lower House, Bowlhead Green

Thursday 13th May 11.30 - 4.30pm

Prebook: ngs.org.uk

23 CHILDREN’S CHURCH By Carolyn Lane

“Hello” from Children’s Church!

Yes… we’re still here… although a little subdued since the beginning of lockdown last year! Sadly, our little Dame School, coupled with social distancing and government restrictions, hasn’t allowed us to meet up – but we want to take this opportunity to send you all our good wishes!

Letter from Charlotte Laycock’s family

‘We have been prompted to reminisce about the happy times we had together pre-covid and Frankie took it upon herself to decorate the crosses that we were kindly given last year (see photo), otherwise we were reunited with grandparents on Easter Saturday in glorious sunshine Hope you are well and look Charlie, Frankie & Georgie-Anne forward to seeing you soon.’

24

Molly & Jemima enjoying Easter (above) and Clara & Freddie on an Easter Egg Hunt (below)

25

By Debbie Spencer

May-ntenance May Earth Up Potatoes A strange expression but basically May is a busy time in the garden, means to cover the green shoots of everything is starting to burst and the potato plants as they sprout - do bloom. The hard digging is done, the this whether you’ve planted them in first seeds are sown so it’s a good time pots or the ground. Draw the soil up to potter about and do garden the stems and repeat until the final maintenance. height of the ridges are 20-30 cm. This

26 does three things - gives better yield your hard effort’s paid off, clear them because it’s lengthening the away and dispose of them. underground stems, protects young growth from frost damage and Thinning prevents tubers turning green which If you have sown lettuce, rocket, makes them poisonous. Water beetroot, carrots or other root veg potatoes as evenly as possible to get directly in the soil now is a good time the best crop- the soil should be moist to thin. See the seed packet for ideal but not waterlogged. They need water spacing and if you have the patience every 4-5 days at the beginning and re-use the thinnings in another every day or two 6-8 weeks after row ...... or if you can’t be bothered , planting, so you might have to irrigate compost them! if we don’t have enough rainfall. Hardening Off Weeding Tender young plants raised under The old expression ‘one year’s weeds, cover should gradually be hardened seven years’ weeds’ comes to mind. I off- that means gradual introduction to know we want to naturalise areas to the elements during the day. We had a encourage wildlife but ideally not in huge range of temperatures in April so the veg garden! I delayed planting out seedlings until I was sure the frosts were over. But Using a hoe (or my latest fun even in May we can get frosts so keep gardening gadget -a glove with claws checking just in case. see pic!) remove weeds as they germinate. It’s so easy to remove the These courgettes (Black Beauty - weeds when they are small, you can photographed early April) developed 4 leave them on the surface to dry out leaves really quickly and looked like or if you’re like me and want to see they were ready for planting out but I had to keep them in the cold frame

27 because of the weather uncertainty. approach to mowing their lawns to Then they were repotted into small allow nature to thrive. Not only does plastic pots - using the leaf to lift not mowing burn fossil fuels and create the stem. I have an old cutlery set in unnecessary noise but more the greenhouse so an old spoon helps importantly it reduces the habitat of with this delicate job I find. Once our wildlife. planted out in the veg bed protect with cloches or individual recycled plastic The wildflower conservation charity, water bottles until you are sure they Plantlife runs an annual ‘No Mow May’ are rooted and the weather is more challenge which encourages people to settled. share their experience of letting the grass and wildflowers grow. They say Sweet Peas the UK’s climate is perfectly suited to Again, these seedlings were started allow grass and the many species of on the window sill, then put in the plants to thrive but regular cutting greenhouse but too delicate to plant deprives essential pollinators of an out in April so I kept them in the important food source. According to greenhouse, pinching out the lead Plantlife, allowing your lawn to grow shoot to create bushiness. I will sow naturally for just a single month can hardy annuals like cosmos, provide enough nectar for 10 times antirrhinums, nigella, ammis, salvias the number of bees and other and zinnias from seed this year but pollinators than a regularly cut lawn. direct into the flower beds. My husband naturally is delighted by this challenge and very happy to join Bean Pole in, meanwhile I’m thinking of starting a Time to put large supports in the No cook June campaign! ground ready for climbing beans, I use a mixture of bamboo canes and hazel poles. You can make an A frame or wigwam or use tall posts with bean netting in between. Whichever support you choose put them in first and then plant beans at the base of each pole- I normally plant 2 per pole but I know some gardeners like to plant more to get a larger crop - Q. does that make them bean counters?!

Treats for eating The early Rhubarb is up (Early Timperley) and I’m harvesting already and stewing it for breakfast with muesli and yoghurt. And we are still harvesting the Purple Sprouting broccoli from last year’s sowing.

No Mow May Recently Monty Don called on gardeners to take a more relaxed

28 CLOCKHOUSE NEWS By Rachel Bray

Our Support Groups for our members have been a great success. We have 2 sittings of a maximum of 14 people, one from 10.30am to 12.30pm, the second from 1pm to 3pm with either one or two people at a table socially distanced. Elvina has organised themed lunches including St Patrick’s Day and Easter with a freshly prepared 2-course meal cooked by David, our chef. In this way we have been able to offer a lunch and activities to a maximum of 56 members each week. They have really appreciated the facility to see friends albeit at a distance, as well as a hot meal. A St Georges Day has also been planned. We have a large library of books which can be viewed on line We have continued to keep in contact www.clockhouse.org.uk or in person with those members and volunteers by appointment 01483 420668. We who are unable to attend, either by are not taking any book donations at phone calls or doorstep visits. We present. have also delivered 75 Easter gift bags containing hot cross buns, Our hairdresser reopened on 12th Cadbury chocolate eggs and some April and appointments are available daffodils which were gratefully on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and received. None of this would have Thursdays by calling Karen on 07789 been possible without the help of our 806953. volunteers. We would like to thank Sainsbury’s Godalming who kindly The Foot Clinic is open on Thursdays packed the hot cross buns in pairs at by appointment only — call Freja on no extra cost. 07957 383033.

We continue to accept bags of As always we are looking for new clothes, shoes, bags, belts, linen and volunteers to help both with reception, towels for Bags2school which raises serving lunches, transporting funds for The Clockhouse. These can members and doorstep visits. We are be dropped off between 9.30am and hoping to start a befriending service 3pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and to take members for short walks. If Thursday. you are interested please contact We have puzzles and DVDs for Evelyn, our manager, on 01483 swapping. A small donation is always 420668 welcome.

29 WRITING BY NUMBERS By Lizzie Young

novels produced. But I’m in awe of the sense of discipline and structure some writers seem to be able to apply to their craft. ‘Up at 5am, cup of hot water, write 1,500 words, walk dog, edit aforementioned 1,500 words all afternoon. Listen to Mahler while preparing vegan curry from scratch. Repeat. Hand in book to publisher on time. Start next one.’ You might as well add broker peace in the Middle East, be taller and cure Covid to the list as far as I’m concerned, that’s how alien such a Drum roll. I’ve handed in a new novel. regimen seems to me. Phew. Serious relief all round at my house. If you’ve been paying any Some writers have dry erase boards attention at all, you’ll know that this with spider diagrams and colour coded was the one I was trying to finish during index cards. I once heard a thriller the first lockdown, and wrote about writer explain that she never knew, finally knuckling down to last when she started, ‘whodunnit’. What November, somehow imagining that would be the fun, she said, of writing it declaring my intention to the universe if you already knew? She simply hoped (okay, the village) would keep me to discover the culprit just ahead of her honest. It clearly didn’t. So you’ll reader. Think about that?! Some realise I deserve nothing approaching writers have their editor, or even a praise for having finally delivered in stack of writer mates they later thank in March. their acknowledgments read and comment on a chapter at a time, so What can I tell you? I’m not going to that the end product is a far more try and blame the pandemic, although collaborative piece. Seems very trying to write contemporary fiction did sensible. But I hug every last word to feel rather more like writing fantasy my bosom and no one reads a single during the long months in isolation: sentence until I’m ‘finished’. ‘they meet…’ Or DO THEY??! If you had 100 writers in a room, you’d hear Philip Roth said ‘writing is frustration… 100 different stories about how writing not to mention humiliation’. I hear that, happens. To be fair, I think some of Phil. Others speak of a tipping point, them are probably as fictitious as the when the novel starts writing itself, as though the first half is a tough pedal 30 uphill, and finishing is the weeeee I’m largely in the back seat for the next moment at the top. I sort of see that. bits of the process, where the various When the word count crashes through departments at my publishing house the six figure barrier, I sense an end in work on the cover, the strapline (this sight. Although in my case the end has being the sentence that is supposed to always been written immediately after hook the reader), the marketing and the beginning, so I always have, if you publicity plans and the orders. Covers like, the bread of my sandwich, and the are hard – everyone has a different pedalling bit is the filling. One opinion about what looks best, and I advantage of being so slow to produce have to remember that they know what is that I have lived with my characters they’re doing. But it sometimes feels for so long they are almost real people like when I left my baby daughter with to me, and so there are glorious writing my mother and came back to find her in days when it feels a bit like I’m an outfit I hated with her hair brushed transcribing actual conversations, and weird, if that makes sense. telling stories that have really And then it’s publication day and your happened. book is on the shelves and the kindles. I also find it hard to press send. It’s a This never gets less terrifying. I actually scary moment, sending your work out think it gets more so. I try never to in to the world to be judged. Paul read reviews, especially online ones, Sheldon in Stephen King’s Misery where it can sometimes feel like people always has one cigarette and a single are actively trying to be unkind, and glass of Dom Perignon when he finishes writing the least constructive criticism a novel. I usually go with a good cry imaginable. This is novel no. 10, so I and a long kip. hope I have a thicker skin than I once did, and I am certain I’ve embraced the You’re not done at all though. Oh no. truism that you cannot please all the Next comes structural edit. That’s the people all of the time. bit where I have to add a bit more of him, and a bit less of her, and a few But I’m getting ahead of myself. I’ve more scenes of them. That’s this got the month for the structural edit. It month. Next month, the line edit. I seems like a long time, but it isn’t really. have help with this from a wonderful someone who has an altogether more So, across the next few weeks, if you careful eye for punctuation and should come across me on Hankley or whether someone who was a Thursley Commons, in the aisles of the curvaceous blonde in chapter 1 has supermarket in Godalming, or acting all become an angular brunette in chapter freetime-ish at the Three Horseshoes, 7, but I have to go through her copy to please do me a favour: look at me see if I agree with her. sternly and send me home to finish the edits… 31

ECO-FRIENDLY LIVING – IT’S ECO-LOGICAL By John Swift & Nicky Bates

The “3 Rs” – reduce; reuse; recycle – There’s a new law coming in the are a simple way to achieve summer (called the Right to Repair) sustainable living and reduce our that requires manufacturers to make carbon footprint. Let’s all try to reduce spare parts for products available for unnecessary consumption, and to the first time. It’s part of a series of reuse or recycle everything that we measures to extend the lifespan of the buy. goods we buy and is one of the most effective things we can do to limit the It’s shocking how much food we buy * emissions created in manufacturing and just throw away. WRAP them. If it’s beyond your expertise to estimates this as about a quarter of repair them, use a repair café. There what we buy. This year during the are repair cafés in and pandemic we’ve managed to reduce Guildford (see further details this by a third, but it’s still far too on repaircafe.org). much. Take a look at their fantastic website: LOVE FOOD, HATE WASTE If you don’t need an item anymore, (https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/) use the Thursley Borrow, Swop and that gives you lots of ideas on buying Freecycle Facebook site to find a new just what you need, and using up home for it within the Parish. Charity leftovers. There are some fantastic shops are also keen to accept your classic recipes! donations of unwanted goods and there are many charitable Plastic waste is another concern. organisations who welcome items sent Recycling rates are only around 50%, in by post. Shoes and clothes can be so a lot is sent to landfill or burnt. taken to the Witley Community When burnt, plastic is converted to Recycling Centre and most large greenhouse gases, and in landfill it supermarkets have recycling bins for takes 100s of years to decompose. these items in their car parks. The best thing we can do is use less and pre-cycle. That means shopping Waverley do a great job collecting our and prioritising non-plastic packaging, waste and offering great recycling including tins, cardboard and glass — options. Let’s help them by making all easily recyclable — or sure we don’t contaminate the “naked” (packaging-free). Look out recycling (blue bin) with unwashed for options to fill your own containers plastic or the wrong items. Non- with common items. It’s “mainstream” recyclable items can cause the whole in France and will be coming here in lorry load to be rejected. These go in supermarkets before too long. the black bin. Check the details on the 32 leaflet you should have received. Have as part of their collections. Look out you thought about using the for it later this year.

Terracycle bins at the 3 Horseshoes If you want more information about for pet food pouches and crisp/nut any of these ideas or help, please packets? Use the Food Waste caddy contact either [email protected] for peelings, teabags, coffee grounds or [email protected]. etc. They also have a garden waste scheme (brown bin). Waverley are *Waste and Resources Action also planning to introduce a textiles Programme (which operates as and small electrical recycling scheme WRAP) is a registered UK Charity.

UPDATE ON THE TWO TERRACYCLE BINS AT THE THREE HORSESHOES By Nicky Bates

Four huge black bags full of your lockdown pet food wrap collections are fine but the collected pet food wrap and crisp/nut crisp/nut packet collections often contain a packets have now been delivered to Cats lot of unrecyclable items which have to be Protection for adding to their taken out by Cats Protection otherwise fundraising efforts. Laura, my contact they won’t be accepted. Laura doesn’t there, has asked me to pass on their want to have to discontinue this scheme so grateful thanks and to say that we have I’m adding the posters which have been helped them add about £40 to reaching put on the lid of each bin as reminders of their target of raising £200 by the end of what is accepted. The main offending April! items are chocolate and biscuit wrappers, like Mini Cheddars, and coffee packets. Laura has asked me to add that it is very important to only put in the correct items Well done for helping the environment as otherwise the whole collection cannot be well as cats. Keep up the good work! sent off to Terracycle. On the whole the

33 LIFE ON THE COMMON - 91 By James Giles

Dear all, contact Alan Froggatt on email below:

One of the wonderful things in life is that [email protected] great things can happen as a result of the Alan is very kindly helping with the seemingly very bad. This spring is registration process, the ordering of testament to that. A new voluntary logoed clothing, coordinating the rota for warden scheme started during the Easter patrolling the reserve and much more. holidays. Very much a local initiative post last year’s fire, you may have seen my As we move into May and leave the post on social media or the poster in the winter behind (although in mid-April it did return with cold winds and even Moat carpark. The new wardens are here to guide, assist, be a friendly snow) the reserve is full of life. The welcoming face, provide information summer migrant birds have arrived and about the reserve – its wildlife/ are starting to raise the next generation. management/where to go, and Dragonflies will be emerging, butterflies importantly to keep a watch over the will be on the wing and a lot more common for fires, illegal and dangerous besides – a very vibrant an exciting time of the year activities. The wardens will be dressed in light blue with Natural England’s and During April a dedicated group of Friends of logos. Please volunteers have been (under strict Covid do have a chat, it’s all new and we are all precautions) working to create a habitat here to learn. We should be, and are, that is not always immediately obvious or extremely grateful for their time, considered. This is the creation of bare commitment and enthusiasm to a great sandy patches. I hear you saying “but cause. there’s sand everywhere!” This though is

If you would like to register your interest amongst the heathers, not the open or would like more information please tracks and bridleways. Many species who call heathland home actually need this open sandy aspect.

There are, believe it or not, differing types of sandy bare ground; firm hard sand and loose sand, and these offer differing habitats to differing species. The loose bare ground will suit our egg-laying lizard – the very rare sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) and some species of solitary bees such as the mining bees - one example amongst many is the small sandpit bee (Andrena argentata). The firm sandy soils offer home to a wealth of others

34 including dung beetles, tiger beetles and sand wasps to name but a few. Some days when the time of year and weather are correct large numbers can be seen busy on the sand digging out their nest burrow, returning with prey for the young, such as caterpillars and other insects.

As with much of nature there can be a gruesome side – whilst many species dig their own nest chambers and catch their own food - there are those who see an opportunity to steal, don’t dig their own nests and don’t provision them - these are known as Kleptoparasites (as in If you happen across us working out there kleptomania - to steal). Also known as do stop and say hello, share your stories, Cuckoo species. These parasites will lay wildlife sightings, ask questions and their eggs within other species nests so express concerns—it’s always lovely their young get fed and have somewhere meeting you and sharing a passion for a to live at the hosts expense and that very special place. expense is quite often deadly - as the One last point I do make each year- parasites larva not only eats the host’s please please keep your dogs under food, it will eat the host’s young. It gets close control for theirs and all of our worse, the host larvae are eaten alive (to benefit, dog disturbance does denude a ensure freshness), and to top that off the nature reserve of its wildlife. Regular parasite will eat the non-vital parts first, disturbance to wildlife will result in them ensuring the host lives that bit longer – not breeding, thus ensuring the next nice!!! generation is not there for us to enjoy next year and thereafter.

Do report any problems you may encounter, and please remember if you see smoke/fire or anti-social behaviour then dial 999 immediately, don’t think you’re being a nuisance—better a false alarm than not reporting. Stay safe. Cheers all James Giles Reserve manager Natural England Mobile: 01428 685675 Sand wasp (Ammophila species) with Office: 07971 974399 food for its young [email protected]

35 ELSTEAD AFTERNOON WI By Betty Moxon

Report of our April Meeting fascinating to see how the rather scrubby grounds of the Royal Chelsea Our meeting was held by Zoom on 1st Hospital turned into an extravaganza April, with some 17 members of flowers and plants! We have all attending; one member sent her seen the finished article, even if only apologies – she was having her second on TV, but the work involved in vaccination! We started with a lovely setting up perfect exhibits in a few catch-up chat and news. We heard days and dismantling them as quickly that Joan Dalton was very poorly in was extraordinary. I was fascinated hospital. (We later heard that she to find that Ranelagh Gardens (the had passed away; her elegance and scene of many an eighteenth and enthusiasm will be very much nineteenth-century dalliance) was missed.) Jean Barwick had part of the showground. It was an successfully moved to Norwich and is excellent presentation that took us settling in well. We celebrated away from a rather chilly April into a birthdays and anniversaries, and world of light, colour and scent, and Betty told members about some zoom an experience that we may one day events they might like, and displayed be able to participate in again – our Centenary Certificate, signed by though probably with masks! Lynne Stubbings the Chair of the National Federation of WIs. Such a Our next meeting is on May 6th and shame our centenary year was also won’t be a regular meeting. It is our the year of covid! She also told Resolutions Meeting when we discuss members about the virtual Surrey the resolution which may become Federation Annual Meeting, and the part of the WI’s campaigning fascinating talk on Lumberjills – the mandate – this year on Ovarian women forestry workers of WW2. Cancer. We won’t have a speaker but

We very much hope to start some will have fun and games, including a garden tea parties in May as it gets pub quiz! We start at 2.30pm.and if warmer and the lockdown eases. you would like to join us as a guest, please email Betty Moxon on: Our speaker for April was Paul [email protected]. For the Patton, a regular at the great RHS moment, you will have to supply your Chelsea Flower Show. It was own tea!

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Fully qualified professional country services Wasps, Hornets, Mice, Rats,Cluster Flies, Moles

Phone Dean on: 07768 986338 or www.clearallpestcontrol.com

MJP Plumbing & Heating Ltd Helpful friendly plumber. Will do all the jobs that need doing from a tap washer to refitting your bathroom. Servicing or replacing boilers Just ask, no job too small! We work with all systems – heating and plumbing. Gas Safe registered Contact Mike on 07768 844276 or email [email protected]

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Piano/Keyboard/Organ Lessons

Beginners welcome

Robert Goldfinch (LGSM & ALCM)

Call 01252 705151

[email protected]

Michelle Renée

A unisex salon offering a highly professional service in classic &

contemporary hair design

Consultations & fringe trims are complimentary

Visit our website for prices & services

MR Hair by Design

www.michellerenee.co.uk 01252 703183

Selsey Cottage, Milford Road, Elstead, Surrey GU8 6HN

42 Honey Landscapes

Garden Maintenance and Construction

07952 915547

Patios ~ Drives Stonework ~ Brickwork Ponds ~ Fencing Turfing ~ Planting Lawn Mowing and Treatments Hedge Cutting Email: [email protected]

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KEITH'S PRIVATE CAR HIRE

Let Keith take you where you want to go

Local and long distance

Heathrow and Gatwick Airports (including pick-ups)

ELSTEAD Tel: 01252 703005

Email: [email protected]

44 45 46 47 BUTTERFLIES NURSERY, THURSLEY Open 51 weeks of the year 8 a.m to 5.30 p.m. Enrolment from 6 months to 4 years Enquiries: [email protected] or call 07827786005

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