As the Hambledon Festival Committee announces a record amount raised for good causes over this year’s fete and ball weekend, it is timely to remember a very special village resident who helped start it all.

Many will have been deeply saddened to hear of the death of Sue Blackman who, along with husband Arthur (Ginge), has done so much for the benefit our village and its many activities. Her funeral service will be at St Peter’s Church next Tuesday (Sept 10^th) at 2pm.

It was Sue and Ginge who, in 2006, came up with the idea of making greater use of the fete marquee by organising the first-ever Hambledon Gala Ball, to take place in the evening once the biennial fete had been packed away.

It was a great success, making good use of the hired marquee that always remained in place until the following Monday, and the big band evening was a sell-out. Sue and Ginge, assisted by Derek and Cynthia Miller, Ron and Ann Vickery and others, decided to repeat the ball in 2008, this time with the highly-regarded covers band Toxic Sausage, with villager “Big” Mike Blanchard on keyboard.

It was another huge success, so much so that it paved the way for what has now become the Hambledon Mid-Summer Festival weekend; a three-day use of the marquee that embraces jazz on the Friday evening, fete and ball on the Saturday and a church service on the Sunday morning, followed by a classic car rally.

It is now run by a festival committee made up of village volunteers, the inspiration for which came from Sue’s enterprising idea. Her contribution to village life stretches way beyond the ball, and she and Ginge have been involved in many other areas; Sue an early volunteer when our shop became a community venture and Ginge with sporting activities, and in particular Hambledon Cricket  and Football Clubs.

Sue grew up in Hambledon, living with her family at the Merry Harriers. She and Ginge celebrated their 50^th wedding anniversary in 2017.

Friends and neighbours are welcome to join the family at her service and burial at St Peter’s next Tuesday at 2pm. Appropriately, there will be a gathering afterwards at the Merry Harriers.

We send our love and sympathy to Ginge, daughter Vicky and son Steve, and all family members and will always be grateful to Sue for her company and her contribution, both of which have enriched our lives.

And to end, please see below how her legacy lives on. This year’s festival weekend raised around £25,000, of which £22,000 is to be distributed to the following organisations.

Don’t forget it’s the annual Hambledon Village Show this Saturday 31st August.

On the day of the Show, please drop off entries from 9.30am-11.30am at the Village Hall. It is FREE to enter your items! At 11.30am the Hall Closes for judging. After judging, the Show will be open to all from 2.00pm-4.30pm. Best in Show and the Underwood Cup is announced at 4.00pm. Then it’s on to the Village Shop BBQ….

The full category list is as follows:

Section 1: Flowers

1.   1 Flowered rose, with own foliage

2.   3 flowered roses, of different varieties

3. 3 dahlias, medium or small, any type

4.   1 Sunflower

5. 3 stems Marigolds, any type

6.   6 stems Sweet Pea

7.   3 stems of any type of flower not mentioned in this section.

8.   3 stems of any type of berrying or flowering shrub, any variety

9.   6 Fuchsia Floret, of the same variety (a mirror tile will be provided to display your florets)

10.   6 Flower Heads of the same variety floating on water (provide your own bowl/dish)

11.   5 stems of Grasses or Sedges, of different varieties

Hambledon’s scheduled bus service comes to an end this Friday, with the final departure leaving Lane End at 9.15am. It will then take its route through the village – with stops at the hall, Woodlands Road, the Merry Harriers and Hydestile Crossroads – for the very last time.

It brings to end a service which, in various forms, has been in operation since before the Second World War. It will be replaced by an on-demand service beginning next Monday (Sept 2).

Up until the late 1970s the service was a mainstay for workers, shoppers and schoolchildren, an often-crowded bus travelling through the village eight times a day in each direction.

The axing of the 503 also brings to end a long campaign by Hambledon Parish Council to keep the route going. In recent years the service, operated by Stagecoach but heavily subsidised by Surrey County Council, was much reduced in frequency, just three times a week, twice in each direction. However, it was still used by villagers who didn’t drive or who had given up driving.

As an exciting new venture, we will be screening the Last Night of the Proms at the Village Hall, live from the Albert Hall on Saturday, September 14th. 6.30pm for 7pm.

Come along for a celebration of international music from the world’s leading musicians and enjoy this decades old tradition on the big screen with surround sound.

We will be running a well-stocked bar and selling snacks. There is no admission fee but tickets are required for entry which are available from the Village Shop.

Work is well underway to restore Bridleway 186, which runs from beside the Marry Harriers towards Enton and Hambledon Common.

Hambledon Parish Council, supported by residents concerned at the appalling state of this bridleway, successfully lobbied Surrey County Council which, after a visit by a rights of way officer, agreed to prioritise repairs.

Much of the route from Hambledon Road to Hambledon Common had become so waterlogged and muddy that it was almost impossible to walk.

Four years ago, village volunteers had tried, with some success, to improve the state of what otherwise would be a popular walking and riding route. However, it became clear that a lasting solution required major works beyond the skills and budget of villagers.

Surrey County Council agreed to fund this and contracted the work out, with a financial contribution from the Parish Council’s neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). Hambledon Nursery School kindly agreed to allow the contactors the use of its car park for its machinery during the summer holidays. It will receive some surface repairs in return.

The Shop will be hosting its annual End of Summer BBQ on Saturday 31st August from 4:30pm to 7:00pm. 

Tickets are available online (click here) and at at the shop: £12:50 for adults and £5 for under 16s.

The ticket price includes BBQ food (with vegan option), salads and an ice-cream plus live music from the J’s (Hambledon’s own Jo Kirkland and John Canham). There will be licensed bars for you to purchase your favourite tipple and soft drinks.

Bring picnic tables and chairs or blankets (let’s hope we won’t need rain brollies)!

Please purchase your ticket by FRIDAY 23rd AUGUST so we know how many we’re catering for.

On the same day The Village Show will be in full swing at The Village Hall. The Hall will be open for setting up exhibits from 9.30am to 11.30am. After judging the show will be open to the public at 2pm to 4.30pm, entry is free. Best in Show will be awarded at 4.00pm. A full list of available categories can be found on the show web site at: http://hambledonvillageshow.co.uk.

Join us for a last summer Pimm’s at the annual village Hymns & Pimm’s service at St Peter’s Hambledon on Sunday 8th September at 6pm. Everyone welcome!

Don’t be surprised at how lifted you feel after a good sing together. The benefits for well-being, stress relief, breathing, mental clarity and building community are well documented. Hymns in particular have a unique power to touch our hearts and souls, connect with one another and convey truths and emotions beyond words. They contain some superb poetry and are (arguably) some of the greatest music ever written. So, submit your request for your favourite hymn on arrival and we’ll sing through as many as we can before the liquid refreshments are necessary! The service is free, with a collection on departure.

A familiar and much-loved landmark has disappeared from Hambledon. The magnificent, spreading oak on the edge of Cricket Green by the entrance to The Hurst has been felled.

This became necessary after a large and low branch fell onto the track below, exposing the serious decay which made the tree dangerous. The oak was so tall and with such a wide spread that it posed a danger to nearby properties, including Oakhurst National Trust cottage, as well as a risk to pedestrians and vehicles.

It has taken tree surgeons several days to fell the tree, such was the scale of the task.

Although not a native species – it was a Turkey Oak, native to south east Europe and Asia minor, and introduced into Britain in the 18^th Century – it will be missed.