News

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Mic Coleman Awarded British Empire Medal

altMic Coleman has been awarded the British Empire Medal in the Queen’s Jubilee Birthday Honours “for services to sport and to the community in Hambledon”.

Mic has already been recognised locally for his unstinting work, particularly in relation to the village cricket and football clubs, but now his achievements have been acknowleged by Buckingham Palace.

His BEM was announced in the 2012 Birthday Honours List, published at the weekend. This was the first list since 1993 to have receipients of the BEM, which was reinstated to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

The BEM is sometimes referred to as the “working class” medal as it celebrates the achievements of ordinary people and the dedication and hard work they put into their communities. Mic was one of 293 people from across the UK to receive the medal this year.

The medal was founded in 1917 but scrapped by John Major, in 1993, shortly after he became Prime Minister. David Cameron announced last year that he was reinstating the medal.

Mic has been a stalwart of village life since moving to Hambledon in the 1950s. He has worked tirelessly for the football and cricket clubs, becoming president of both, he is a past chairman of the parish council and has been involved in helping run a host of activities including the fete and produce show.

He and his wife Sylvia celebrate their diamond jubilee wedding anniversary this year.

The whole of Hambledon sends it congratulations to Mic on a richly-deserved honour.

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Attempted theft of listed GPO Letterbox at Vann

On the night of 7/8 June thieves tried to steal this box. They rammed a jemmy of some sort vertically behind the door and succeeded in breaking a bit off the cast iron box and badly damaged the lock which happily held or they might have been able to break the bolts that retain it to the concrete post from the inside. Said the engineer who came to repair the damage “These boxes are now being sold on e-bay. Dating from a long while back the post office sold off unwanted boxes. Thieves are now adding to these and the boxes bear no identifiable markings.” “Ours” is a listed monument, with Edward the Seventh’s monogram. It was last removed for repainting for the millennium. Grandfather WD Caroe wanted a PO box and one was allocated to Vann on condition that there was enough usage, so he brought the office mail to Vann every Friday when they came for the week-end, and here it has stayed!

Mary Caroe 8/6/12

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Broadband in the slow lane in Hambledon

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We have heard about initiatives for Superfast Broadband but they are not going to change anything for a very long time.   Hambledon remains in the slow lane, with Broadband bandwidth crawling along under 2Mbs – amongst some of the worst performing areas in the country.    BT has an interim solution – the relatively new BT Infinity system that promises slightly better speed of broadband – by installing fibreoptic cables to street cabinets.  It is being rolled out slowly to many parts of the country – but BT is being selective about where it installs fibre.  Milford has got BT Infinity already but the cabinet serving Hydestile and North Hambledon (at Milford Station) is not scheduled for upgrade yet.  Maybe there are town planning delays to this, or more likely I am guessing it is driven by demand for broadband and potential catchment area.    So maybe if more residents expressed their interest in BT Infinity the logging of this demand may give BT a greater impetus to roll out towards Hambledon.  So please use their BT Infinity availability checker and confirm your interest so we can build a weight of demand. Just go here:  http://www.superfast-openreach.co.uk/where-and-when/

If 30 or so people register interest it may make the difference.

If you want to check your broadband speed – try this: http://www.speedtest.net/

 

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Jubilee Weekend Starts With New Village Commemorative Signs

altHambledon’s new village name signs have arrived in time for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

They replace the two signs erected almost 60 years ago, at the Lane End and Hydestile ends of the village, to commemorate the Queen’s Coronation.

The new signs were erected this morning (Friday June 1st). They are identical to the pair they replace, apart from the additional words “2012 Diamond Jubilee”. The Lane End sign has been covered in a Union flag in preparation for a brief unveiling ceremony at 7pm tonight.

The new signs are made of locally sourced green oak and have been crafted at the Norbury Park sawmills near Dorking, which operates on a site belonging to Surrey Wildlife Trust.

altThe replacements have been provided by Hambledon Parish Council which was also responsible for the originals following the Coronation in 1953. The old signs have served the village well but were in need of replacement and were only held in place by the addition of concrete supporting posts.

However they are being retained and the parish council is interested to hear what villagers think should happen to them. Please make your suggestions on this website’s forum.

Our pictures show a close-up of the new sign at Hydestile and the removal of the one it replaced.

 

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Hambledon's Bus Service Is Reprieved

altTHE 503 bus service, which links Hambledon with Milford, Godalming and Guildford and which was to have been axed under proposals contained in a cost-saving bus review, has been saved.

The route, operated by Stagecoach but subsided by Surrey County Council, is the village’s only public transport service, and the parish council, supported by residents, mounted a strong defence against the proposal to scrap it

Surrey County Council’s Cabinet met on Tuesday (May 29th) to consider all the proposals contained in the bus review following a consultation exercise earlier this year, including the fate of the 503. It agreed that the service should not only be retained but returned to a three days a week service from its current two. This means that, from September 2nd, the service will once again run on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, twice in each direction. Currently it operates on Tuesdays and Fridays.

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Jubilee Party and Beacon

ImageFinal arrangements have been made for the Hambledon Jubilee Party to be held on Monday June 4th on the Cricket Green.

The party is hosted by Hambledon Parish Council and it starts at 8pm. There will be a hog roast, strawberries and cream and a full bar. All who live or work in Hambledon are welcome.

It is a family affair so please come along. There will be background music and entertainment will be provided by magician Richard Kettle. If it is a fine evening the party will be on the green but if it is wet the marquee, erected for the village fete and evening dinner and dance two days earlier,  will be available.

At 10.15 Karin Sehmer, High Sheriff of Surrey, will light the Jubilee Beacon, one of many official beacons across the country to be lit as part of the celebrations for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

The beacon will not be on the green but at a high point in the village and should be visible to those attending the party.

You will need a ticket to attend and they are available from the Village Shop and the Merry Harriers. Tickets are free but required so that helpers have an idea of numbers.

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Snow Brings Power Cuts to Hambledon

ImageParts of Hambledon were without power today (Sunday Feb 5th) after overnight snow brought down a power line at Church Lane.

The morning service at St Peter’s Church was cancelled because snow made the lane impassable and the power cable was still live and producing sparks where it was in contact with the ground.

Engineers from Southern Electric were carrying out repairs and a fire engine was on standby at the junction of Church Lane.

Malthouse Lane and Woodlands Road were among areas without power but the village shop was not affected and was open as usual. Volunteers had cleared a path to the door.

Peter Knight, of Burgate Farm, cleared many of the smaller roads in the village as part of an agreement with the parish and county councils. He has been provided with a snow plough blade to fit to one of his tractors by Surrey County Council.

And SCC had gritted Hambledon Road before the snow fell and later went through with a snow plough.

ImageTim Coleman and Stewart Payne, part of the village volunteer team,  cleared branches from a tree that had been brought down by the weight of snow and was partially blocking Rock Hill.

Elsewhere, children were enjoying the snow and using toboggans in fields around the village.

Overall, the arrangements in place to deal with snow appeared to have worked well. Between three and four inches of snow fell in the late evening and the early hours of this morning and many roads were impassable for a time to all but four wheel drive vehicles.

But, because Hambledon Road had been spread with a mixture of salt and grit, the snow had largely melted away by this morning.

Details of Hambledon’s winter planning arrangements and contacts numbers can be found in the previous news item on the Latest News menu.

 

 

 

 

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Dunsfold Village School – campaign to reinstate the school

The way is now open, if we move quickly, to recover use of Dunsfold’s former infant school building for the education of local children. The Charity Tribunal decided at the end of 2011 that the preferred use of the building should be ‘as a school for the education of children who are resident, or whose parents are resident, in and around the parish of Dunsfold’ and invited production of ‘a formal, viable and timely proposal for use of the property as a school for the village’. In response to this our proposal will combine nursery and primary provision on the whole site, and the formation of the Dunsfold Village School Trust to carry this out.

We hope to be able to take advantage of the Government’s Free School initiative (state-funded schools set up in response to parental demand) to open ‘Dunsfold Village School’, and would aim to build on nursery provision by opening in September 2013 a Reception class for children who were born between September 2008 and August 2009. Over the following years the school would then grow, each September, to become a primary school for children aged 4-11 by 2019. During the initial years we envisage that the property could be extended and reconfigured to accommodate the increasing numbers of pupils and staff.
In order to take this initiative forward and secure funding we need to know as a matter of urgency the level of parental demand and local support for a Primary School in Dunsfold. We would be grateful if you could please take a few minutes to complete this questionnaire.

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Sports Award Honours Mic Coleman

ImageMic Coleman, who has done so much to support and develop cricket and football in Hambledon over many years, has had his contribution recognised with an outstanding achievement award.

At the recent Sport Godalming awards ceremony held at the Charterhouse Club he was presented with the Downs Award, which recognises distinguished service in promoting sport in the community.

Mic has been actively involved in both Hambledon cricket and football clubs for several decades, and is president of both.

The award was made at a ceremony at which Hambledon Football Club, last season’s Guildford and Woking Alliance Premier Division champions, were named senior team of the year, a remarkable achievement for one of the league’s smallest clubs.

Matt Kiley, Hambledon FC secretary, said he was delighted that the club had been recognised. Of Mic he said: “He is one of the unsung characters of local sport; he is ‘Mr Hambledon'”.

Sport Godalming is a body which exists to support and encourage sport in the area.

Hambledon FC could not be promoted, despite winning their league, because the facilitiies at the club’s Badger Park ground did not meet with requirements.

The club has planning permission for a new club house but is still fundraising before work can start.

Details of the football club, and its development plans, can be found in the Clubs and Organisations section of this website.

Mic is pictured above on the day he was introduced to Princess Alexandra, when she visited Hambledon in recognition of it being voted Surrey Village of the Year 2008-2009.

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Missing Woman Found Safe

ImageSurrey Police announced today (December 7th) that a woman who went missing from the Hydestile area more than a month ago has been found safe.

The force issued the following statement:

 

“Surrey Police can confirm that the 22-year-old woman missing from the Hydestile area of Godalming has been located. Helike Vahi was found safe and well on Tuesday, 6 December. She had been reported missing from her home on Wednesday, 2 November 2011. Officers would like to thank the media and members of the public for their assistance during the search for her.”

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Threat To Hambledon 503 Bus – Have Your Say

 ImageThe 503 bus which connects Hambledon with Milford, Godalming and Guildford could be scrapped next year.

The twice weekly service, operated by Stagecoach, is subsidised by Surrey County Council. The council is looking to make financial savings and the 503 is one of several rural routes facing the axe.

The county council is currently reviewing its options and details can be found at www.surreycc.gov.uk/busreview If you want to find out more or make a comment on the proposals please visit this website.

You can also make your feelings known at Godalming Library between 10am and 1pm next Tuesday (December 6th) where SCC transport officers are available to discuss the issue.

In addition the parish council is meeting with SCC later on the same day.  It has made details of the proposals available in the village shop and is asking for users of the 503 to make their views known.

If you use the bus please tell the parish council how important it is to you.

As many regular passengers are elderly it is likely they will not read this website. So if you know of someone in Hambledon who is a user of the 503 please draw their attention to the form in the shop, or comment on their behalf.

SCC is considering replacing the bus with an “on-demand” Hoppa-style minibus. More details will appear on the website and in the January edition of the parish magazine.

In the meantime, please make sure your views known to the parish council as well as giving your opinion to Surrey County Council – in person or on-line.

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Superfast Broadband – Survey

As part of his brief as Secretary of State for Media, Culture and Sport, Jeremy Hunt has launched a campaign to promote superfast broadband.  As our local MP, he is also working closely with Surrey County Council to ensure that, by 2015, everyone in South West Surrey will be able to access speeds of at least 2 Mbps and that 90 per cent of households and businesses will have access to superfast.  These will soon be necessities of every day life so, to ensure that Hambledon does not get left behind, it is important for all of us to register a demand now.

The best way of doing this is by completing the Surrey Strategic Partnership’s Superfast Broadband survey. The Parish Council has therefore arranged for everyone to receive a copy of the survey and hopes that all households and businesses in the village will complete and return it, either by e-mail or by post.  The responses will be used by Surrey County Council to support its conversations with industry and help secure funding for the project.  It is currently in discussions with five selected companies and aims to place a contract with one of them by next July.

Superfast Surrey Survey

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Heating Oil Syndicate For Hambledon?

ImageWould you be interested in joining a Hambledon heating oil syndicate?

As the cost of domestic heating oil continues to rise, it has come to the attention of the parish council that a small number of residents are considering joining together to reduce the cost of heating oil purchase.

As with all commodities in life, the supply of heating oil is fixed by the supplier on a daily rate based on demand. The larger the quantity you can order at any one time influences the rate you pay.

The parish council would like to establish the demand among residents who use oil for a syndicate to negotiate with suppliers for a better rate.

A number of issues must be overcome: the main obstacle being synchronizing the supply for 2 refills per year. However, following initial discussions with a number of suppliers, cost saving of between 3 – 5p a litre can be obtained. This would equate to approximately £60-100 per person saving per year based on 2000 L usage.

If a syndicate scheme is of interest to enough residents, we will arrange a meeting in the near future to discuss the proposal in more detail.

As an initial expression of interest please contact Mike Whittall on 01483 869933 or email him at[email protected]  

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Village Is Runner-Up In County Photo Contest

ImagePhilip Underwood has been named runner-up in a competition to find a portfolio of photographs that best illustrate life in a Surrey village.

The competition was run in conjunction with the annual Village of the Year contest. Philip, a parish councillor, entered a series of pictures which can be seen in the “photos” section of this website.

His success brings with it a cheque for £50. The winning village in the photo compeition was Wood Street.

It is the first time that a photo competition has been run alongside the main Village of the Year contest, which is organised by Surrey Community Action and sponsored by the brewers Fullers. Hambledon won this prestigious title in 2008. This year’s winner was Brockham.

Having won the Village of the Year title recently, Hambledon has not re-entered since but Philip decided to have a go at the photo competition. He has received a certificate, shown here, which will go on display at the village community shop.

Philip, a keen wild life photographer, took pictures at the shop, Oakhurst, the cricket green and the church as well as showing parish clerk Jane Woolley at work. He concentrated on people, rather than the locations, and each told its own story – a snapshot of village life.

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Presentation for retiring Councillors

ImageTwo stalwarts of Hambledon Parish Council, Ron Vickery and Derek Miller, have been thanked for their years of service to the village at a special party in their honour.

They were presented with garden centre vouchers at a gathering of councillors and clerks, past and present, at the home of council chairman John Anderson and his wife Tucker.

 

Ron has stood down after 35 years continous service, making him the third longest serving member since the council was formed in 1884. Derek has clocked up 16 years. Both have made immense contributions to the work of the council.

Ron and Derek are pictured receiving their tokens from John.

 

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Walk the Village To Raise Money For Community Fund

Image The Hambledon Village Community Fund is organising a “Hamble Ramble” to raise funds for its work in supporting the needs of the community.  The walk around the village, taking in places of historical interest, will start at 2.30pm on Sunday June 12th, beginning and ending at Hydon End, Feathercombe Lane.

 

Tea and Pimms will be served at the end. There is a Garden Ramble for those who do not wish to take part in the village walk, suitable for the very young and the very senior. And a quiz will be held for those who would like to test their knowledge.

Entrance is £5 per person. If you enter as a team of five or more the fee will be capped at £25.

The Hambledon Village Community Fund (HCF) is a local initiative to benefit local projects. It is a charitable fund to which people can make donations or leave a legacy and has been set up with the support of the Community Foundation for Surrey.

Once a capital fund has been established, the HCF can award funding from the interest it has gained to local projects; approximately £6,000 a year in perpetuity.

More details on the fund can be found in an earlier news items on this website.

The Hambledon Ramble is an opportunity for villagers to show support for the work of the fund and enjoy a gentle walk in company at the same time.

Tickets are available at the Village Shop or directly from Julie Llewelyn at [email protected] and can also be purchased on the day at Hydon End, which can be found about half way up Feathercombe Lane on the right-hand side.

Please arrive at 2pm so that the walk can start promptly at 2.30pm.