This winter, Hambledon has already experienced disruptive weather, and more is forecast.
Tomorrow (Saturday January 4th), a brief period of heavy snow is predicted for the late afternoon and evening, followed by heavy rain.
It is worth remembering that Hambledon Parish Council has an Emergency Plan in place in the event of severe disruption or health risk and details of this follow.
If you need help, other than that of the Emergency Services, please contact Stewart Payne, chair of the council and he and other volunteers will do their best to lend a hand where needed. Contact details are at the end of this article.
- Despite the problems snow can bring, it also creates beauty, as this photo of Church Lane taken in January 2010 shows.
Hambledon Parish Council has an Emergency Plan procedure in place in the event of harsh winter weather bringing disruption to the village.
However, there are many simple precautions villagers can take to make sure they can cope with cuts to power supplies and phone lines, a problem that has affected Hambledon in the recent past and usually caused by high winds or heavy snow.
If power fails so can landline household phones as most cannot function without electricity. If you are still able to use stand-by phones that can operate without mains supply then please have these to hand. However, in recent years many households have switched to digital connection and this is likely to have disabled non-mains phones. Please be aware.
Mobile phones lines can also fail during severe weather and it is worth remembering that the public phone box outside the village shop does not require electricity and will continue to work unless overhead lines have been brought down. Operator, reverse charge and 999 calls are free but you will need to use a bank card for all other calls.
Keep torches handy and make sure that you have a supply of batteries. A battery-operated radio will also come in useful for listening to local radio bulletins. Tune in to BBC Radio Surrey on 104.6FM and on DAB. The village website will also carry updates at www.hambledonsurrey.co.uk.
Please keep an eye on your neighbours, particularly those living alone or infirm, especially during cold spells and weather-related disruption. Make yourself aware of anyone near you who is having to self-isolate and make contact with them regularly, if they agree.
If conditions are severe the Emergency Plan volunteers – some with 4-wheel drive vehicles – will do their best to assist with any individual issues as well as deal with general problems around the village such as fallen branches/snow blocking roads, paths and drives and maintaining contact with external agencies.
Please read on for emergency contact details and keep this information to hand.
* Power Cut Helpline: 105 or 0800 3163 105
* Scottish and Southern Electricity (power cuts and emergencies): 0800 072 7282. Also visit www.ssepd.co.uk/powertrack for advice and information on specific power failures.
* National Gas helpline: 0800 111 999
* Flooding: 0345 988 1188 or 0845 988 1188. Environment Agency Hotline (when flooding is a threat to life or property) 0800 80 70 60 and/or 999
* Roads flooding (major roads only): Emergency – 0300 123 5000 or report to Surrey County Council.
* Latest travel information: www.twitter.com/BBCSurreyTravel and Live Traffic Maps on our website.
* South Western Railway: www.southwesternrailway.com for live rail travel updates, and the Live Departure Boards of Milford and Witley.
* Surrey County Council (for on-line updates and advice): www.surreycc.gov.uk/winter
* Waverley Borough Council: Visit the council website at www.waverley.gov.uk to look for updates on local services, including refuse collections. Or ring the switchboard on 01483 523333 during office hours and 01483 523200 for out-of-hours emergencies. Updates can be found at www.twitter.com/waverleybc.
* NHS: 111 for non-life threatening emergency help and advice.
* Emergency Services: 999 in an emergency and 101 for non-emergencies.
This website carries live rail travel information and local weather reports. Please follow the links from the Home menu.
In the village the Hambledon Emergency Team co-ordinators is Stewart Payne who can be contacted on 07831 393561 or 01483 425250. He is chair of Hambledon Parish Council and can coordinate with external agencies.
He can also seek the assistance of local village volunteers who, like him have four-wheel drive vehicles, chain-saws and other useful equipment to deal with most situations. In the event of severe disruption, they will endeavour to be out-and-about in the village in their vehicles, centred on the village shop.
*Since the heavy snow of 2010, when Hambledon was cut off, Surrey County Council agreed to add Hambledon Road from Lane End to Hydestile Crossroads to its gritting and snow ploughing routes. The parish council has also secured to assistance of a local famer who has been supplied with a snow plough to attach to his farm vehicles to sweep minor roads such as Vann Lane.