If you have low speeds and want Superfast speeds in the future you would be well advised to immediately check if Surrey County Council have correctly marked you as being in need.  Surrey County Council under the banner of Superfast Surrey have just announced their resident consultation process to assess where they may spend more money to try and reduce the number of Surrey residents without access to Superfast speeds.  If you have insufficient broadband speed but are incorrectly categorised then you will miss out on the potential of future help in getting Superfast to you.  Check the postcode list and maps below and if you are incorrectly labelled by Surrey CC then you should contact them before the 24th May.

Surrey County Council sent out emails to just a few residents to try and explain (see here:surrey email)

Surrey CC’s map  is next to useless and their huge spreadsheet is also unwieldy.  I appreciate that this Council consultation is extremely confusing to residents so I have filtered their data (to just GU8 postcodes) and I have categorised it into just 3 lists to make it easier for residents to identify which of three groups they are in.  I have also created my own maps to properly show the White and Targeted White postcodes.  Check the 3 lists to identify which group you are in and then act accordingly.   

List and map of White postcodes.

White:   Surrey CC state: Postcodes where NGA (Next Generation Access) infrastructure is available with download speeds of between 15 and 30mbps

List and map of Targeted White postcodes.

“Targeted” White:  Surrey CC state:   Postcode where no NGA infrastructure is available or where NGA infrastructure is available but download speeds are less than 15mbps.

Important note:  We are seeking clarification on this statement as it appears to mislead.  Nearly all of Surrey DOES have NGA infrastructure but the key factor is that long lines mean this infrastucture is of no practical benefit as superfast doesn’t work over long lines. So the second part of Surrey’s statement is the key. Effectively they will only consider you eligible if you have speeds less than 15Mbps.  If you are NOT on this list AND can not get above 15Mbps then you should contact Superfast Surrey and inform them that your categorisation is incorrect. You must act swiftly and contact Superfast Surrey before their consultation deadline 24th May 2016.  Unless they hear from you then you will be regarded as not eligible for future intervention to get Superfast infrastructure to you.

List of Grey postcodes.

Grey:      Surrey CC state:  Postcodes where NGA infrastructure is available with download speeds of 30mbps or above

Surrey CC state:   Surrey County Council is requesting information and supporting evidence in relation to any Next Generation Access (NGA) white areas within Surrey that are not already identified within the proposed NGA intervention area at Annex [A].    Any information provided in response to this State Aid public consultation should include, but need not be limited to: 1. The address of the property or area that the submission relates to 2. An e-mail address to enable Surrey County Council to clarify or request additional information relating to the submission if required.

Please send your response to arrive no later than 17:00 on 24 May 2016 to:

Via email to [email protected] (with the subject line “Superfast Surrey Public Consultation Response”).

Or by post to: Superfast Surrey Broadband Programme Public Consultation Response Surrey County Council A306, County Hall, Penrhyn Road SCC  Kingston-Upon-Thames Surrey KT1 2DN

April 9th is the 75th anniversary of the crash of the German Heinkel 111 bomber at Shepherds Hanger in Busbridge.  The full story and video is here.

The site of the crash is featured below which will fade to the original RAF crash photograph from 1941.

Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives … You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country.  Therefore rest in peace…   You, the mothers who sent their sons from faraway countries, wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.

Kemal Atatürk

Would you like to share the skills and hobbies you enjoy whilst helping others and making new friends?

If so, you might like to join The Godalming Time Bank for residents of Godalming and surrounding villages.

Anyone can participate. It is a way for people to help others in the community and be rewarded for it in time. For every hour of time you give helping someone, you receive one time credit. You can spend your time credits when you need help from someone else. You can save them or you can donate them back to the Time Bank to reallocate to another person who needs some help.

If you are already busy helping others in the community this does not need to be a regular commitment. Belonging to the bank will help identify those who have particular skills or abilities so that they can be approached if someone has those particular needs. This could include errands, craft or sewing skills, simple DIY, computer skills, leaflet delivery , giving someone a lift or absolutely anything.

Everyone’s time is valued equally. You may have needs but feel you can offer nothing back. Please get in touch and we will still be able to help. You may have lots to offer but feel there is nothing you need. You can donate your time credits to others who might need extra help.

The Time Bank is for everyone and will help to strengthen our community by connecting people who don’t already have a support network around them who they can approach for help or assistance. Social groups can be created and even organisations can get involved.

If you are interested in finding out more please contact The Time Bank Coordinator Fiona Fyfe. Contact Fiona for more information on 07717 618815 or [email protected]. She can also be contacted at The Hub, 94 Godalming High Street on a Friday morning.