A well-attended annual Parish Assembly at the Village Hall showcased all that is good about living in Hambledon as representatives of the many volunteer organisations gave accounts of their past 12 months.
Many mingled with friends and neighbours over a glass of wine or soft drinks at the beginning. Then, all seats were taken as the “business” of the evening got under way. Hambledon Parish Council hosted the event and current chairman Stewart Payne briefly outlined it activities over the past year.
He explained why there will be no election for parish council seats on May 4th, as seven candidates – five from the outgoing council and two new nominated candidates – were standing for the seven available places.
However, there will be elections for the village’s Waverley Borough Council Ward, and eight candidates – from the Conservative, LibDem, Labour and Green parties – are contesting the three places on the new Bramley and Wonersh Ward, in which Hambledon is included.
Presentations were made to the two retiring councillors. Philip Underwood has been a member since 1987 and Mary Grove since 2015 and both have served as deputy chairs. Their dedication to the council and to the village was applauded and they were each given a box of fine red wine and garden centre vouchers, along with a small inscribed photo frame bearing their names and years of service over a backdrop of the iconic wooden village name boards.
Then representative of clubs, organisations and societies stepped up one-by-one to talk about their achievements and issues since the previous Assembly last April.
A fuller account of the evening will appear in the June issue of Hambledon Parish Magazine.
In the meantime, please take part in the annual parish litter-pick starting at 10am from outside the Village Shop on the Coronation Bank Holiday Monday, May 8th. This is a community event for all to take part in and families are welcome. It will be Hambledon’s contribution to what Buckingham Palace has labelled “The Big Help Out”, putting a focus on volunteering.
Participants will be given litter picking sticks, bin bags and high-viz jackets and an area to concentrate on. Please return to the shop for around Midday when the Parish Council will be hosting a free barbecue and representative of Hambledon’s volunteer organisations will be on hand to explain what they do and to encourage new recruits.