News

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Volunteers Restore Hambledon Bridleway

Many people have been put off walking the footpath from the Merry Harriers towards Enton and Witley because of its boggy condition. All that has changed, thanks to the efforts of volunteers, as Mike Parry explains.

The Old Road to Witley – Bridleway 186

This will be known to most of us as the path alongside the Merry Harriers to Buss’s Common and beyond and was many years ago an established highway between Hambledon and Witley.

More recently it has been even better known for its very wet condition as for most of the year it has only been passable on foot if wearing waterproof boots. The photograph below was taken in March last year.

The bridleway was last repaired in 2002 by Surrey County Council and has deteriorated through use and flooding problems since then.

In October 2018 the Parish Council asked for some help from SCC to at least evaluate the possible cost of repairs and a sketch was prepared by the Parish Council with a suggested improvement scheme. Due to a lack of funding at that time there was no further progress until March 2019. Continue reading →

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Hambledon Village Shop – Update Monday 22nd June

The Shop was open this last Saturday and Sunday mornings for the first time in a while. From now on the shop will be welcoming customers 7 days a week. But please come in the morning.

From now on, until further notice, the shop will be providing a walk-up service for take-away deli and groceries throughout the week up until 12:30pm. Unfortunately you will still not be able to enter the shop, all requests should be made from outside the front of the shop and paid for by card or contactless device.

For the next week (22nd to 26th June) we’ll be providing deliveries Monday through Friday, from the week beginning 29th June we’ll be doing deliveries on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays. We plan to continue providing a delivery service so long as there is demand for it, but may reduce further the number of days on which it is available. As before, delivery orders place before 11am will be delivered the same day.

Newspaper deliveries will continue until the end of this month. From July 1st newspapers should be collected from the Shop.

The Post Office will continue to be open Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings 09:30 to 12:30.

We hope that on the 4th July we will be able to restore the outside seating to the Shop. We will not be providing seating on the shop terrace but the picnic benches will be available.

The forecast for the next week is good, please come and see us, though you can’t come in the shop, we are lucky enough to have a large outdoor space in front of the shop with plenty of space for people to mingle at a distance and chat. The shop has always loved a bit of gossip and always will.

 

 

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SUNDAY REFLECTION

Kate Walford, the Head Teacher of Hambledon Nursery School, contributed the Sunday Reflection this week.

As I reflect upon the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Hambledon Nursery School I would have to say that, overriding all else, is the fact that for the first time in its history it had to close, from Monday 23rd March to Friday 29th May 2020.

If I had tried to imagine this at the beginning of the year, it would have been unthinkable. But, as the worldwide Covid-19 crisis unfolded, it became apparent that the nursery would not escape the impact of the virus and it closed under lock-down.

We did not have children of key workers or vulnerable children for whom the nursery was required to remain open, so we entered what was a very strange and unique period of time.

A small team, comprising of myself as head teacher and the school secretary, Stephanie Campbell, worked behind the scenes to keep things ‘ticking along’. Setting foot into the nursery while it was closed to children, staff and parents was an eerie and at times deeply saddening experience. However, like so many community organisations in the village, we adapted to the unprecedented times that we found ourselves in.

Continue reading →

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A Midsummer Reflection

We’d be getting a little edgy about now. As I write this on Thursday afternoon, the rain has just about stopped, but with just a day to go to the planned opening of the 2020 Hambledon Midsummer Festival, things are little damp.

The marquee would have been up by now, no doubt after endless debate about where exactly on the Cricket Green it should be placed. This year the marquee was going to be bigger than ever, in order to accommodate a record attendance at Saturday night’s Ball. We might just have got it to fit.

Continue reading →
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Vann Garden – Additional Opening

The garden at Vann will be open to visitors on Wednesdays and Thursdays throughout the rest of June, beginning from today.

Vann is the home of the Caroe family. Many in Hambledon are still greatly saddened by the death of Mary Caroe from Covid-19. Mary, a loved and respected village resident and community volunteer, gave much of her time to the magnificent property, which includes a water garden created by the noted designer Gertrude Jekyll in 1911.

Vann, Hambledon, Surrey; garden originally designed by Gertrude Jekyll

The 5-acre garden, in beautiful countryside in Vann Lane, Hambledon, GU8 4EF, is open from 10am to 4pm, Wednesdays and Thursdays, until at least the end of this month. Tickets cost £10, payable in cash on the day, and visitors will receive a Vann booklet and postcards.

The garden is looking splendid, benefiting from a great deal of hard work and the warm late spring/early summer weather. Visitors can wander around at their leisure, observing social distancing.

Vann has been open on selected days for many years under the National Gardens Scheme. Mary was an active member of the Surrey Gardens Trust, and a member of its Council since its inception in 1991.

Further details of Vann garden and its Arts and Crafts movement house can be found at www.vanngarden.co.uk

Our photograph shows Vann in its Spring finery. Picture credit: Andrew Lawson

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Sunday Reflection

The Sunday Reflection this week has been contributed by Ged Hockeridge and Judith Crowhurst, members of the Merry Harriers Bridge Group.

On Wednesday 21st February 2018, Judith Crowhurst began the daunting task of teaching some of the residents of Hambledon the intricacies of Bridge.  Word spread quickly (well, it is Hambledon) and the original four swelled to a dozen or more regulars, possibly encouraged by the venue being the snug of the Merry Harriers.  The Group soon became a Wednesday night fixture at the pub – until the Covid-19 lockdown on March 23rd.  However, the small fact that we were no longer able to physically meet wasn’t going to stop us!

Judith soon tracked down an internet app called Trickster Cards that could allow the Group to move into the virtual world. A week after lockdown four of us had a test game to understand how the app worked and how to use the technology, especially video.  To start with we used ZOOM video on our mobiles and Trickster Bridge on a laptop.  It was a pretty complicated set up – but it worked. 

On the 15th April all of the Group were invited to play and 13 signed up.  That was over 10 weeks ago and we now regularly have 3 or 4 tables and up to 18 players (some couples occasionally double up).  The Merry Harriers Bridge Group must now be the biggest regular virtual online group in Hambledon – or is there another? 

Continue reading →
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The Hambledon Midsummer Festival has been postponed to 2021

Given the current circumstances, we have decided to reschedule this summer’s Hambledon Midsummer Festival to the weekend of June 18th to 20th 2021.

We are planning to hold the same events in 2021 as were planned for this year, so the programme will be:

  • Friday evening June 18th – Jazz On The Green
  • Saturday afternoon June 19th – Hambledon Village Fete
  • Saturday evening June 19th – The Midsummer Ball
  • Sunday morning June 20th – Church Service On The Green
  • Sunday morning June 20th – Vintage Transport Rally
  • Sunday afternoon June 20th – Theatre On The Green

Ticket holders have been sent an email offering them the option to rollover their tickets to the rescheduled dates, obtain a full refund or donate their ticket price to a worthy cause.

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Take Away Service at Hambledon Village Shop

The shop is now offering a limited takeaway service on weekdays (Mon-Fri) from 09:00-12:30 consisting of drinks, sandwiches, sausage rolls and cakes. Crisps, confectionary and soft drinks can also be purchased as part of a take away order. Takeaway food and drink must be taken away and cannot be consumed on the premises, which includes the shop benches, picnic tables, forecourt, drive and surrounding grassy area.
 
Orders can be placed for collection by phone on 01428 682176, or by coming to the shop and ordering from outside (contactless payment only).
 
The menu will be limited initially with the following options:
 
Food:
Sandwiches and Toasties on white or granary bread
Baguettes and Baps (white and wholemeal)
Wraps
Fillings: cheese, ham, bacon, BLT, salami, sausage, tuna
With or without salad: lettuce, cucumber, onion, tomato
With or without: brown sauce, ketchup, mayo, mustard, pickle
Drinks
Coffee – Americano, Caffe Latte, Cappuccino, Flat White, Hot chocolate, Mocha
Tea
 
The shop delivery service continues to operate Monday to Friday with orders received before 11am delivered to your door the same day. We are still not in a position to allow customers to enter the shop.
 
Currently, limited services are available from the Post Office at the shop between 9:30am and 12:30pm on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays only. 
 
Thanks for bearing with us. we continue to look forward to the day we can resume normal service.
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Sunday Reflection

Paul Vacher, Honorary Secretary to The Village Hall Management Committee, contributed the Sunday Reflection this week

The Village Hall has been there for nigh on 120 years. Now it sits silent, shut and brooding on Malthouse Lane, waiting for that time when things will be back to normal, when the doors can open and it returns to life again.

But, if the walls could talk, what would they say? Would they tell of the parties, the dances, the films and theatre productions; the flower show, the fashion show, the art show and craft show or those Committee and Council meetings that always seemed to over-run?  Would they tell of the Pilates Classes, the Ladies of the Village stretched flat on the floor with their legs in the air and of the Wednesday mornings when Mothers and ‘tots’ gathered to natter and play with Lego etc. ?  Would they remember the Harvest Suppers of yesteryear; the Royal visits, the Parish Assemblies when it was hard to believe that so much went on in the Village; the WI and WAGS (and the singing of Jerusalem), the Cubs and Brownies  and so much more ?

Of course the walls would remember all of the above and they will hear it all again. The Hall is poised and ready to go just as soon as it is allowed. It has been spruced up and will welcome young and old and recommence hosting all those Village events that have been so sorely missed.    

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Home Guard at Hambledon

This as an oral history recording by the Imperial War Museum. The subject is Kenneth Chesson who moved to Hambledon in the 1930’s. He joined the Home Guard at the age of 17 and this recording describes his experiences in our village and particularly during World War II. He recounts Hambledon Home Guard; hobbies and social activities; training with Home Guard; reaction to attending crashed German aircraft; his brother’s military experiences; contact with Canadian troops; the Australian Army Hospital at Hydestile; enlistment and basic training with Royal Berkshire Regt, 1942; volunteering at Guildford

He went on to serve as a Private serving with 2nd Bn Royal Berkshire Regt. in India and Burma, 1944-1945

Press to play part 1
Part 2

Link to the additional recordings at the Imperial War Museum.

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Surrey Hills AONB – Please stay away

The Surrey Hills Partnership is asking people NOT to visit the many public facilities and car parks at recognised beauty spots within the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and instead to access countryside close to where we live.

Well-known visitor attractions such as Frensham Ponds, Box Hill and Newlands Corner have seen a massive increase in visitors in the recent hot weather following a relaxing of lockdown restrictions.

This has resulted in a concern that social distancing is not being properly observed and there have been additional issues such as congestion, illegal parking, litter and fire risk.

Please click here for further information: https://www.surreyhills.org/dont-travel-plea-from-the-surrey-hills/

 

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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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Hambledon Nursery School Phased Re-opening – Monday June 1st.

A semblance of normality returned to Hambledon today with the reopening of the village nursery school. David Evans, chair of the Trustees, explains the latest developments.

Hambledon Nursery School has been working towards a phased re-opening from June 1st, in line with government advice. The issues this raises for all involved are challenging, as the following article explains.

Since late March, for the first time in its history, Hambledon Nursery School has been closed. Usually bustling with the play and laughter of small children, for the past two months the school has been strangely empty and quiet.

But although the children have been at home, a core group has been keeping the heart of the school beating. Outreach to parents coping for the first time with home-schooling, with a steady flow of ideas and links and personal support. Videos from teaching staff letting the children know how much they are missed, and looking forward to when they return. Liaison between members of staff, keeping everyone in the loop over a period when every news report seems to say something different, and the government’s advice and plans have taken time to take shape. Physically looking after the fabric of the school itself. And behind the scenes, administrative and financial activity: applying for and administering the furlough schemes, monitoring our financial health, and working out what in different scenarios the future might look like.

But now, at last, it looks like we have a route back to normality.

Continue reading →

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FIRE RISK ON HAMBLEDON COMMON

Young people are urged not to light fires or have barbecues on Hambledon and Buss’s Common, both of which are tinder dry.

Hambledon Parish Council has been alerted to gatherings of youngsters sharing barbecues. There is evidence of people sleeping out and camping on the commons and the Fire Brigade has expressed concern.

As a parent, please ensure your young family members are not lighting fires of any kind when they are out-and-about meeting friends. Even a barbecue in the sand pit is not safe, as sparks could set heather ablaze.

A fire would not only be extremely destructive to wildlife and habitats, it would endanger surrounding houses.

Notices have been put up warning of the risk. If you see anyone having a barbecue please ask them to stop. During current Covid-19 restrictions, it is especially important not to expose our emergency services to avoidable risk.

Thank you. Stewart Payne, emergencies coordinator, Hambledon Parish Council. 07831 393561

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Sunday Reflection

Theresa Jones, PA to the Principal of St Dominics’s School, contributed the Sunday Reflection this week

As a result of the Coronavirus lockdown St Dominic’s School stayed open throughout what would have traditionally been the Easter holidays and also the May Bank Holidays. This was done to support key worker families and children in the more vulnerable group. Recently the School has been working out the complex logistics of starting again after half term for Year 6 and Year 10 pupils.  

Please continue reading to get an insight into life at St Dominic’s during the lockdown….

Continue reading →