The charity meat raffle that takes place every Saturday afternoon at the Merry Harriers has raised many thousands of pounds for local good causes and has become a popular event for villagers.

Starting tomorrow (Sept 27), and for the next eight weeks, it is supporting a newly-launched charity called PROGRESS which provides support for those diagnosed with oesophago-gastric cancers and are being treated at the Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford, a specialist centre for this particularly challenging condition.

I hope villagers will understand why I am keen to promote this fund-raising raffle. In 2017 I was diagnosed with stage 3 oesophageal cancer. A tumour was discovered at the junction of my oesophagus and stomach and I underwent almost 12-hours of surgery at the RSCH. It is one of the biggest and most complex operations performed in hospitals.

The Shop will be hosting its annual End of Summer BBQ on Saturday 30th August from 4:30pm to 7:00pm. 

Tickets are available online (click here) and at the shop: £13:50 for adults and £5 for under 16s.

The ticket price includes BBQ food (with vegan option), salads and an ice-cream plus live music. There will be licensed bars for you to purchase your favourite tipple and soft drinks.

Bring picnic tables and chairs or blankets (let’s hope we won’t need rain brollies)!

Please purchase your ticket by Thursday 21st AUGUST so we know how many we’re catering for.

On the same day The Village Show will be in full swing at The Village Hall. The Hall will be open for setting up exhibits from 9.30am to 11.30am. After judging the show will be open to the public at 2pm to 4.30pm, entry is free. Best in Show will be awarded at 4.00pm. A full list of available categories can be found on the show web site at: http://hambledonvillageshow.co.uk.

Full details of this weekend’s event here.

It is good to see the return of the cricket fixture between a Hambledon CC XI and a Merry Harriers pub XI, the game taking place this Sunday (July 27^th) played in a Twenty20 format. The match starts on the Cricket Green at 1pm and all villagers, family and friends are welcome. Please make a noise!

This fixture has a long and glorious history. According to Arthur “Ginge” Blackman, Hambledon CC’s long serving president, it goes back until at least the 1960s and possibly earlier.

Ginge’s wife Sue grew up in the Merry Harriers and it was her father, David Pearson, landlord at the time, who is known to have arranged games with the village side.

Hambledon Village Cinema is pleased to present the classic 1972 rockumentary/concert film at the Village Hall on Saturday August 9th. Head back to the 60s/70s and see it on the big screen and enjoy the full experience of our sound system!

Doors/bar open at 7pm and the film starts at 7.30pm,

Tickets £5 from the Village Shop or online here by clicking this link

Hambledon Parish Council has been notified by Surrey County Council’s Countryside Access team of Notices of Section 31(6) of the Highways Act 1980 relating to land on both Burgate Farm and Pockford Estate. This notice allows a landowner to acknowledge the existence of rights of way already in place across their land, but prevents any new ones from being created. The landowner deposits a map with SCC showing the extent of their land and what rights exist across it. Hambledon Parish Council will look into whether there are any rights of way that have been missed off the maps. 

If you are a regular user of the footpaths or bridleways across these areas, please take a look at the deposited maps to ensure your favourite exists.

Further details are available on the Countryside Access website under the Landowner deposits tab and can be searched for via the name of Burgate Farm or Pockford Estate.

Local Government is changing in Surrey. There are currently 12 councils within Surrey, these will be reorganised in order to simplify the services provided to the public. Waverley Borough Council is holding a number of in person sessions at 4 venues across the borough to explain the proposals. Two options are being considered: reorganising Surrey into either two or three unitary authorities. Surrey County Council support having two (East and West Surrey), whilst Waverley support having three (East, West and North Surrey).

The sessions will be hosted by the Leader of Waverley Borough Council, Cllr Paul Follows, together with local ward councillors. These sessions will explain what Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) is, outline the different options being considered, and show you how to get involved.

You’ll also have the chance to ask questions about what these changes could mean for you, your family, and your community.

Parking at the Hascombe Village Hall Car Park, Mare Lane. Organised by the Dunsfold & Hascombe Horticultural Society and the Friends of Hascombe. The event is FREE

Hambledon Village Trust has owned the freehold of the shop and attached cottage since 2003. During annual maintenance inspections it became very clear that a new roof was needed. The Trust’s only income is from the rent of the shop and cottage which meant that money needed to be secured before any work could start. Fundraising began at the village fete in June 2024, with an initial target of £100k.

By the end of last year we were nearly half way to the fundraising target, thanks to a sizable donation from the Hambledon Festival profits and many donations from individuals. Then in January this year we were delighted to be awarded a £20k Surrey County Council Your Fund Surrey grant, facilitated by our Ward County Councillor Kevin Deanus. With this, by the middle of March, we had reached nearly £90k, enough in the pot to start work. 

Let’s Celebrate 40 years of Oakhurst Cottage being open to the Public.

Do you remember something significant that you did in 1985? Well some of our amazing Hambledon residents were volunteering as guides or supporters to open Oakhurst Cottage for the first time to visitors.

To celebrate this 40th anniversary, we are inviting all past and present volunteers and active supporters to join us for some tea and cake on Saturday 26th July from 10.30am to 12.30pm at Oakhurst Cottage. Please see the invite below and RSVP to [email protected].

If you have been involved at any time over the last 40 years I would love to hear from you – even if you can’t attend our little celebration. We would so appreciate any photos, stories, research or anecdotes. Please do get in touch with Camilla Edmiston ([email protected]).

Following the retirement of Cllr Stewart Payne after 24 years of service to Hambledon Parish Council, there is now a vacant seat on the Council. Waverley Borough Council’s Electoral Services team have confirmed that the official Notice of Vacancy of 14 working days has been completed with no request for an election from the electorate. This means the Council will now move to co-opt a suitable candidate.