Author: Stewart Payne

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Power Failures in Hambledon

Parts of Hambledon are without power today (Dec 27th) following the overnight high winds caused by Storm Bella.

There are also trees down in and around the village, including a beech that is blocking Hambledon Road between Hydestile and Feathercombe. Surrey Council highways dept is aware of this.

Scottish and Southern Electricity, the power provider, has been notified of the failures and has already managed some re-connections. It reports more than 50 power failures across its southern region, so engineers are working across many areas and some homes can expect to be without power for some time.

Hambledon Parish Council is in contact with Scottish and Southern. 

In the meantime, Hambledon residents can find all emergency contact details on this website and in the November parish magazine.

If anyone has specific problems, or is in need of assistance, the council has an emergency coordination procedure in place and help may be available. In the first instance please contact Stewart Payne on 07831 393561.

 

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SPEEDWATCH SCARECROWS – THE JUDGE’S VERDICT

Judgement has been delivered on Hambledon’s speed watch scarecrows and the winners declared.

And, as befits our small and connected community, they ranged from a nonagenarian to a youngster aged five.

Jane Woolley, long-standing village resident, founder of Hambledon Village Trust and for many years its parish clerk, was asked to step in to conduct the judging, after local police casualty reduction officer Steve Milton had to withdraw at the last minute.

With notebook and pen she examined all the scarecrows scattered around the village. More than 30 were inspected, each one a home-made creation by local families and friends, individuals and groups, and each delivering a message to motorists to drive slowly through Hambledon’s narrow lanes.

Continue reading →
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June Parish Magazine – Out Now

The June edition of the Hambledon Parish Magazine has been hand-delivered to subscribers over the past few days by the volunteer team.

Additional copies are available to non-subscribers and can be purchased from the porch of the village church. Please leave the 70p cover price in the box provided. This is a temporary measure, in place until the village shop reopens.

As usual, the magazine features a round-up of village activities and issues, church news and articles, contact information and local services.

There is a special feature on resident Mary Caroe, sadly lost to the Covid-19 virus. Her remarkable life is celebrated in words and pictures.

There is also a fascinating article on how the community-run village shop is operating its delivery-only service, run by a small but dedicated team of village folk.

If you are a subscriber, and have not received your copy, please contact Stewart Payne on 07831 393561. If you would like to become a subscriber, please contact Mary Parker on 01428 682545.

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May Parish Magazine Delivered This Weekend

The May edition of Hambledon Parish Magazine will be hand-delivered to subscribers across the village this weekend.

A small team of volunteers will be out and about in their designated areas of Hambledon, so please look out for your magazine on your doorstep or in your letter box over the next few days. If you are a subscriber and do not receive your copy please contact Stewart Payne on 07831 393561.

Thank you to the volunteers, and to the editorial team of John Hindley and Jane Woolley who have put together a magazine packed full of interesting articles and information, much of it relevant to the current situation.

Until recently the magazine was also available at the village shop where it could be collected by those who had pre-paid, or bought over the counter. As this is not possible at the moment, all village subscribers will receive their copy at their doorstep.

A small number of copies will be left in the church porch beside a collection box and available for purchase at the usual cover price of 70p, first come, first served.

If you would like to subscribe to future issues, please contact Mary Parker on 01428 682545. A year’s subscription costs £7.50. By becoming a subscriber you are guaranteed a home-delivered copy and it helps the editors to manage the print run.

Back issues of the magazine, including an archive covering many decades, can be viewed on this website on the Parish Magazine page.

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Fund-Raising Raffle – Big Total Raised

A raffle held by the locally-based Village Spirit Collective to raise funds for the Community Foundation for Surrey’s Coronavirus Response Fund achieved a remarkable £1,108 – a fantastic result.

The raffle, with a prize of a bottle of hand-crafted gin made by the Collective, ended on Saturday evening with the draw shown live on Facebook. With just a few hours to go the total stood at £760 as Alpa Jasani Cox, from the Collective, posted a reminder of the draw.

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“Time” Called At Merry Harriers – For Now

In its long history of serving the people of Hambledon, the Merry Harriers would not have witnessed anything quite like it.

On Friday evening, as news filtered through of the latest Government measures to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, including the closure of all pubs, clubs and restaurants, customers were told by manager Jake Andreou that the pub would call “time” at 8pm.

Pictured above: Lights about to go out at village pub on Friday evening.

Quite a number of village locals were at the bar – social distancing, of course – and the only cheer came when Jake said he was buying everyone a drink  in thanks for local loyalty and in the hope that all would be back together soon.

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Village Pub Offers Take-Away Meals for those Self-Isolating with Free Delivery

The Marry Harriers has prepared a special take-away menu for people who are self-isolating. This can be paid for over the phone and delivery will be free of charge to the doorstep, carried out by a team of volunteers

The service is also available for those who are not self-isolating but orders will need to be collected from the pub doorway. 

In addition the pub is offering a free hot drink and 50 per cent off a pub food bill for all emergency staff and teachers.

Thank you to Jake, David and all the staff at the Merry Harriers.

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Hambledon Nursery School is “Outstanding”…Again

Hambledon Nursery School has entered 2020 in a mood of celebration after receiving an “Outstanding” grading following its latest Ofsted inspection.

Kate Walford, the head teacher, said that she, her staff and parents were all delighted with the news. The school, at Rock Hill, was judged Outstanding in all four categories; quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management.

She said: “I feel so very proud of the team of fantastic individuals with whom I have the pleasure of working with. This outcome is only achieved with the collective hard work, drive, passion and commitment of all staff members.” Kate, front row in green jacket, is pictured below with her staff.

The report is extremely complimentary about all areas of school life. It can be found here:

https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50138477

Ofsted – the Office for Standards in Education – is a non-ministerial body that carries out official inspections and regulation of schools and other places of learning. After visiting a school, usually with very little notice, it then issues it with a grade: 1. Inadequate, 2. Requires Improving, 3. Good and 4. Outstanding.

The nursery school was last inspected in 2014, when it was also given an “Outstanding” rating.

In summary, the latest report, carried out in December, said:

* The head teacher and her extremely enthusiastic staff succeed in achieving their strong ethos, which they describe as providing a highly stimulating environment ‘where skills to last a lifetime are taught and lifelong memories are made.’

* Children demonstrate exceptionally high levels of confidence and security in the setting.

* Children have immense fun as they learn. They behave impeccably.

* Staff demonstrate exemplary teaching skills through which they provide children with wonderful opportunities to use critical thinking skills and to extend their thoughts

* Staff have an extensive understanding of each child, their interests, abilities, cultures and backgrounds. They ensure every child has the best possible opportunities to meet their full potential.

Kate added: “The level of support from the parents was overwhelming. Their positive feedback and testimonials, shared with the inspector on the day of the inspection, was mentioned as being especially unique to the nursery when she delivered her feedback.

“We are very lucky to work with such inspiring young people and their families and we will continue to strive to provide the very best possible early years’ environment that we can as we look to the future and continue with the very important task each day at the nursery…. of having plenty of fun!

  • The school was originally the village state primary school. When it closed in the 1980s residents were determined to see it remain at the heart of the community as a place of learning.  A campaign led to the acquisition of the Victorian school house complete with playground and its reopening as a nursery school run as a business by a charitable trust. It caters for children aged 2 to 5 and retains its strong links with the village, the church and the parish council.
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Training offered in Hambledon for use of life-saving defibrillators

Training in the use of defibrillators (AEDs) is being offered to residents following the installation of one inside the former telephone kiosk at the Hydestile Crossroads.

This takes the number of defibrillators in the village area to five; outside the village shop, on the exterior wall of the Merry Harriers, at St Peter’s Church, at Hambledon Football Club’s ground at Badger Park, and now at Hydestile.

Alison Martin, a Busbridge Parish councillor who helped arrange for the AED (automated external defibrillator) to be installed in the traditional red kiosk – which has also undergone renovation in the process – has arranged for a training session to be held in the meeting room at St Peter’s Church, Church Lane, Hambledon, on Saturday September 28th.

The training will be given by an expert from the London-based Barts City Life Saver organisation, a charity that teaches life saving skills and originated from St Bartholomew’s Hospital. The session begins at 11am with basic life saving training, then AED training at 2pm followed by baby and child resuscitation at 3pm. Participants can opt to attend the whole session, or part.

AED’s are used on people suffering from sudden cardiac arrest and, along with Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation, can greatly increase survival rates.

Training will be free to the Hydestile volunteers on the Busbridge Parish Council-sponsored rota, but to all others there will be a nominal cost of £20 per person to cover the costs of the trainer travelling to and from London and a donation to the charity’s work.

Anyone in the village can register to attend. Please contact Alison Martin at email [email protected] or by phone on 01483 893619.

If you would like to know more about the work of the charity please visit www.bartscitylifesaver.org

 

 

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A New View Of An Old School

Hambledon Nursery School has a strong association with residents of the village. Many helped turn the former Church of England state primary school, which closed its doors in 1983, into what it is today.

Their initiative and enterprise led to the purchase of the Victorian school building and playground in the lovely rural setting of Rock Hill. And they were responsible for its transformation into a  nursery school for two to five-year olds, administered by a charitable trust.

Today the school is a popular choice for parents in Hambledon and beyond. Its strong links with the local community remain in place. Trustees are drawn from the village and include representatives from St Peter’s Church and the Parish Council.

So villagers may like to take a look at the school’s new website which can be found at www.hambledonnurseryschool.co.uk This is beautifully and colourfully illustrated with photographs of the school, including an interesting aerial view. You will find photographs of staff and of children, at work and play.

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Hydestile Celebrates With A Party In A Phone Box

Hydestile Crossroads residents have held a party in a phone box to celebrate the renovation of the traditional red kiosk and its new role as a location for a defibrillator.

Almost two dozen Crossroaders, past and present, raised a glass of champagne to toast the completed restoration before moving on to a garden party.

The kiosk, a familiar landmark on the approach to Hambledon, looked resplendent with new paint and a new sign around the top of the glass sides stating “Defibrillator”.

The transformation of the former payphone is the work of neighbouring Busbridge Parish Council. The crossroads forms a part of the boundary between it and Hambledon Parish Council. Many rural payphones see little use and Busbridge PC decided it was no longer prepared to pay a maintenance fee to BT for it to remain operational.

Instead it negotiated for BT to remove the phone apparatus and to hand over ownership to the council. It then had the kiosk professionally restored, inside and out (see earlier news story on this website), and for the defibrillator to be installed. The box will continue to illuminate at night.

The initiative was led by Busbridge councillors Alison Martin and John Graves. John, who lives at the crossroads, and his wife Elaine hosted a garden dinner party following the kiosk celebration.

The gathering brought together almost all of the current crossroads residents and the welcome return of a few who have moved away. Continue reading →

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Mic Coleman’s Funeral and Reception – All Welcome

Sylvia Coleman and her family have asked for the following details of Mic’s funeral and reception to be made known to his many friends in Hambledon and beyond. All are welcome to commemorate and celebrate the life of a lovely man who gave so much to the village and its residents.

Just one thing: please do not feel that you need to wear black. Something colourful is the order of the day.

The funeral service will take place at 2.15pm on Thursday June 6th at Guildford Crematorium. Family flowers only. Please arrive in plenty of time as the service is likely to be very well attended.

Afterwards the Coleman family invite everyone to join them at the Merry Harriers.

Mic was involved in so many aspects of Hambledon life, for which he was awarded the British Empire Medal (please see earlier news story on this website). It is hoped that friends from across the village, its clubs and organisations, will gather to share happy memories.

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Sorrow As Hambledon Loses Two Outstanding Villagers

Hambledon is united in sadness following the recent deaths of two loved and respected villagers – Mic Coleman and Pat Williams.

Mic died earlier this week (13th May) and Pat on 28th April. Both lived long and active lives and died peacefully in their own homes, surrounded by family. It would be hard to think of two people who could have given more to the life of the community in which they lived, and with such generosity and kindness.

Pat’s funeral takes place in her beloved St Peter’s Church, Hambledon, on Wednesday 22nd May at 2.30pm. Details of Mic’s funeral are yet to be announced but it is likely to be on 6th June. Both had suffered recent spells of poor health but until then had been active in the village where they devoted so much of their time.

Mic, who was 90, was awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Jubilee Birthday Honours in 2012 “for services to sport and the community in Hambledon”. A teacher by profession, he moved to the village in the 1950’s and he and his wife Sylvia have lived here ever since. They also celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary in 2012.

Mic has been a stalwart of village life, working tirelessly for the football and cricket clubs, becoming president of both. He has helped in a host of other organisations and activities including the village hall committee, the fete and the flower and produce show. Not many know that he was the man behind the beard when Father Christmas visited Hambledon Nursery School every year.

Mic was also chairman of Hambledon Parish Council between 1976 and 1983. At the start of the monthly meeting on Tuesday a minute’s silence was observed and tributes were paid.

Mic, pictured here, was a regular at the Merry Harriers, often with his family which included daughter Sarah and sons John and Tim, their spouses and, more recently, his grandchildren.

 

Pat was secretary to the chief executive of ICI Agrochemicals, working in Fernhurst. She married Ray Williams, who had taken over running Hambledon’s village shop and Post Office on his retirement from the National Institute of Oceanography in 1982. Ray, another highly regarded villager, died in 2016.

Pat, pictured below, was an active member of the congregation at St Peter’s where Ray had been treasurer, churchwarden and verger. She was a member of the choir and assisted Ray in his duties as warden. For many years she edited the church magazine and in the early days she typed out all the stories, laboriously copied each magazine using a Roneo duplicator and then stapled all the pages together by hand. Even after standing down she continued to deliver it to subscribers around the village as well as writing the always well-informed Parish and People section.

She was an early volunteer at the village shop when it became a community-run venture, and carried on in this role for more 20 years.

All are welcome at Pat’s funeral which will be a celebration of her life. Details of Mic’s funeral will be made known soon.

Hambledon sends it love and sympathy to the families of both and celebrates two lives well lived.

 

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Local Beers, Local Bands – It’s The Merry Harriers Beer Festival

Local beers and ciders and local bands will feature at a Spring Beer Festival to be held at the village pub over the weekend of Friday May 30th to Sunday June 2nd.

The Merry Harriers has sourced a range of bitters and ciders from breweries in Surrey and neighbouring counties which will be served from a marquee in the pub garden.

In addition, Toxic Sausage will be playing on the Saturday evening. A popular covers band which regularly performs at the fete ball, it features village resident Mike Blanchard on keyboard.

On Sunday afternoon another local favourite, the LuxDeLux blues band, will be performing. Featuring Jim Luck on vocals, this band has been playing in the Godalming area for many years to great acclaim.

Music will be outside if weather permits.

It is expected that comedy routines will be performed on the Friday evening, yet to be confirmed.

Hot dogs will be served from a barbecue throughout the festival.

Entry is free. The festival hours are 4pm to 11pm on Friday and Saturday and 4pm to 8pm on Sunday.

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Tuesley Farm Grant Gives Green-Fingered Benefits To Nursery School

Kate Walford, head teacher of Hambledon Nursery, reports on how a grant from the Hall Hunter Foundation has helped transform the school’s vegetable garden and pond.

The work was carried out by volunteers from the local Hall Hunter-run Tuesley Farm, growers of soft fruit.

“Thanks to a very generous donation from the Hall Hunter Foundation we have been able to revitalise and enhance the outside space at the nursery.

We are thrilled to have been able to gain raised beds in our vegetable garden. A working team visited the nursery over the Easter holiday and set about laying paving slabs and building up the beds out of large wooden sleepers. A huge lorry arrived delivering enormous bags of soil and the team filled the wooden beds ready for use as soon as the nursery returned for the start of the summer term.

The nursery staff and children were so excited to see the results and we have already planted potatoes and pumpkins into the space.

In addition to this project, the team from Tuesley Farm made us a pathway around our two ponds in our environmental garden which will help the children to access the area for pond dipping and bug hunting more easily.

Finally, we received a new wooden picnic bench for our playground from which to serve drinks in the warmer summer months. The nursery now eagerly awaits a delivery of a large collection of wooden blocks that we can use to build enclosures and dens that the Hall Hunter Foundation have so generously purchased for the nursery.

We are so grateful for the work carried out and for the awarded fund that we have been able to use to further improve and enhance our beautiful outside area at the nursery.”

The Hall Hunter Foundation was set up in 2011 and raises funds in support of good causes which are then donated to a range of local charities.

Hambledon Nursery School, a registered charity, is a thriving nursery school for children aged two to five and was formerly the village primary school at Rock Hill, Hambledon Road. When the school closed in the 1980s a village-led initiative secured its Victorian classrooms and playground for the benefit of local families and it reopened as a nursery several years later.

 

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Merry Harriers Installs Defibrillator To Pub Wall For Use In An Emergency

A defibrillator has been installed on the external wall of the Merry Harriers pub and is available for public use in an emergency.

Danielle Montgomery-Page, pub manager, said that it had been decided to provide the potentially life-saving device as the pub now caters for an increasing number of guests staying in its accommodation as well as local customers, cyclists and walkers.

Our photograph shows the defibrillator in position secured to the pub’s front wall, on the left side of the building.

Defibrillators, also known as AEDs (Automated External Defibrillator), are used on people experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, a major cause of premature death. The device detects the heart’s rhythm and, if necessary, delivers an electric shock (defibrillation) to re-establish the heartbeat.

They are increasingly common, in places of work and in public. In Hambledon there are already defibrillators available on the wall outside the village shop, at St Peter’s Church and at Hambledon Football Club’s ground at Badger Park.

It is expected that another will soon be installed inside the decommissioned red telephone kiosk at the Hydestile Crossroads, which is currently undergoing renovation.

Although the devices are easy to use and instructions are given when it is activated, courses are also available and a number of villagers have already received basic training in their operation.

Further information can be found here