Needless to say our article last month about preserving greenbelt provoked comment. Even if residents and residents associations were supportive of the development proposed on the old Bugle Nurseries site, the council was adamant that this was green belt so could not be touched.
A lot has happened in the year since the Shepperton Hedgehog Sanctuary started gaining more awareness. Sharon Johnson was caring the injured, abandoned or vulnerable hogs out of her house, trying to rehome them in carefully vetted gardens in the Spelthorne area.
It may have been a long hot and dry summer, but the local green fingered put on a great show as always at the Shepperton Horticultural Autumn Show. Kwasi Kwarteng himself is a member of this enthusiastic local group and presented the prizes.
As the new scholastic year starts, your little ones may be setting off on the adventure of a new school or a new term in fresh uniforms. Maybe they wish the holidays lasted longer. Maybe they even tell you they hate school. But imagine if there were no school.
This is a controversial subject! Should greenbelt ALWAYS be greenbelt? Are there any instances when perhaps the rule should be flexible and possibly be considered for development?
Welcome to the first of our new quarterly updates on matters involving your Surrey and Spelthorne Councils. Our aim is to share information on matters affecting and of interest to the local community and to respond to any questions you may have.
The recent incursion by travellers onto Lower Halliford Green, circumventing the defences put around it by Spelthorne Council, prompted me to look out this photo taken in more peaceful times. It’s from a postcard sent not long before the First World War erupted, and shows a perfect pastoral scene, with cows in and around one of two ponds which used to be on the green, either side of the small access trackway which bisects it.
The most impressive house in the village, Sunbury Court was built in 1723 by John Witt. The building stood in extensive grounds of more than 100 acres, which used to extend down to the Thames and included Sunbury Court Island.
Last month we were no doubt all shocked to see a new arrival of travellers on several sites in Shepperton and in neighbouring villages.
Hair loss is a dreadful thing. A good head of hair is our crowning glory. Something that defines our look, and thereby our personality and confidence.
Early this summer, the day I had been dreading arrived. We had to have our beautiful collie, Ruby, put to sleep. She had been an easy dog, good in the car, well behaved and totally reliable.
Last month we ran a piece on the state of the parking problems at Shepperton Lock and the ridiculously empty Hamhaugh Islander’ car park at Stadbury Meadow, between The Folly and Lock View on the Towpath.
It is over for another year, but wow, what a year it was! The weather was perfect, the stalls were sold out, there was a huge choice of great quality food in the food avenue and the attractions brought something for everyone.
The Capture Spelthorne Competition was a great success with lots of fantastic entries for all the categories. The overall standard of the competition was excellent.
Last month 100 students of Halliford School, were screened by the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) thanks to the outstanding fundraising efforts of the family and friends Oliver Griffin, former student of Halliford School who tragically died from a previously undiagnosed heart condition in 2008, aged just 26.
I have mentioned William Schaw Lindsay in a previous article about the great flood of 1877, but I thought I would outline a bit more of his very full life. He was Lord of the Manor of Shepperton from 1857 until his death 20 years later, and during that time did much to reform the village. Perhaps his most lasting achievement was to bring the railway to Shepperton in 1864, after the collapse of Walton Bridge made access to the nearest station at Walton problematic.
Like all practices, the Shepperton Medical Centre has set up a PPG, indeed some years ago now, which is eager to become better known. It includes the Practice Manager, Caroline Self, with one of her staff, Janine Dial, as secretary; there are about a dozen other members, largely just ordinary residents, though one is Councillor Robin Sider.
Wow! 30 years since the Greeno Centre in Shepperton was built. How many people must have been through the doors enjoying the care, fun and support offered by this amazing facility.
When we went along to have a chat in the run up to the birthday, they had just finished a Royal Wedding celebration, with flags, a cut out Queen, cakes and even a souvenir mug for everyone who came. There is always such a feeling of joy when I visit.
The ‘Lendy Lion’ is today a well-known centrepiece of the Walled Garden in Lower Sunbury, but this in is fact its third home. As seen in this photo dating from about 1905, it was originally erected beside the Thames, just opposite St. Mary’s Church.
We have some more news about gymnasts from Spelthorne Gymnastics at the World Acrobatic Championships in Antwerp, Belgium in April.
Engineer, designer and inventor Sir Barnes Wallis spent almost four decades working at Brooklands, during which time his vision and contribution to engineering and aviation created a legacy which continues to make an impact on the world we live in today.
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