Following the retirement of Cllr Stewart Payne after 24 years of service to Hambledon Parish Council, there is now a vacant seat on the Council. Waverley Borough Council’s Electoral Services team have confirmed that the official Notice of Vacancy of 14 working days has been completed with no request for an election from the electorate. This means the Council will now move to co-opt a suitable candidate. 

Number 15 Gallery’s late night shopping event is this Thursday 19th June… and many of the Old Coal Yard businesses will be open donating a portion of their takings from the whole day to the Prostate Project.

Visit the Man Van!

From 4pm till 8pm the charity will be providing simple finger prick blood tests (for £40) plus advice and support in their Man Van.

If you have a prostate you should test from the age of 50, and if you have a family history of prostate, ovarian, or breast cancer, or you are black, you should test from 45 as you are at higher risk.

If picked up early, it is much easier to treat and manage so early diagnosis is key. We look forward to seeing you and thank you for your support.

For more info visit: https://www.pth.org.uk/news-and-events/events/upcoming-events/bramley-open-gardens*/

I would like to use our village website to thank all those villagers who contributed to a generous leaving gift and signed card following my departure as a Hambledon Parish councillor after 24 years, the last four as Chair.

As many will know, I decided a year ago that it was time to step down, knowing that we have a strong and well-organised parish council with dedicated councillors and an extremely capable clerk.

My resignation took effect at the May AGM earlier this month, when the card and wine vouchers wine were presented to me by deputy Alison Scott-Bishop.

Following my departure, Alison was voted in as the new chair and Robin McKeith as deputy. A vacancy now exists to replace me as a councillor and Clerk Catherine Russell has started the necessary legal process with Waverley Borough Council. If any villager is interested in applying, please contact Catherine at parishclerk@hambledonsurrey.co.uk and she can explain what to do.

The photographs show Alison presenting me with my gift and card (above) and my final meeting at the village hall with parish council colleagues, from left to right Andy Hinde, Alison, Robin, myself, Simon Rhodes, Catherine, and Sean Sinnott, with our Ward County Councillor Kevin Deanus and Ward Waverley councillor Michael Goodridge. Missing from the line-up is parish councillor Jude Milan and Waverley Ward councillor Jane Austin.

It has been really rewarding to have been a parish councillor and I have reflected on this in more detail in a short article in the June edition of Hambledon Parish Magazine. If you are not a subscriber, copies are available in the village shop. Details of council, Agendas and Minutes etc, can be found on the Parish Council pages on this website

Thank you to the people of Hambledon for supporting the parish council over the years and making my time there so fulfilling.

Wednesday 7th May at 7.30pm

Katherine Mills, National Trust manager of Munstead Wood, is speaking at the Hascombe Village Hall AGM to explain the history and future of Munstead Wood.

Munstead Wood was designed by Edwin Lutyens, built by Messrs Underwood of Dunsfold 1896/97 for Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932). She revolutionised the art, theory and practice of gardening and pioneered many principles which underpin gardening today. Gertrude Jekyll democratised gardening, sharing ideas, advice and inspiration through the popular media of the day reaching every level of society and giving birth to a national obsession.

The National Trust bought the property a couple of years ago and are preparing it for opening to the public. Katherine Mills of the National Trust is attending the Hascombe Village Hall AGM and will be giving an insight into Munstead Wood, its history and Jekyll’s rich legacy which is helping to shape plans for the property’s future.

Free entry Wednesday 7th May, 7.30pm. Please note this is at Hascombe Village Hall

He was, quite literally, the spy who came in from the cold.

Not the fictional one created by John le Carré in his novel of the same name, later turned in to an award-winning film starring Richard Burton and Claire Bloom.

The one sitting huddled by the inglenook fireplace at the Merry Harriers on a chilly winter’s day was a genuine Cold War spy whose escape to the West was as daring as any espionage book plot – a Russian KGB colonel turned double agent.