By Sue Endersby I joined the team of volunteers which is part of the PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Ser-vice) at St Peters Hospital when I saw an ad in this magazine. We help to facilitate com-munication between patients and their rela-tives and friends. This is naturally particular-ly important while you can’t visit because of …
It is wonderful to know that finally brides can get their plans back on track. Wedding venues have opened. It has been heart breaking that plans have been cancelled or put on hold. We wish all the brides out there good luck. During lockdown you may also have been spending time researching the big day. …
By Monica Chard You may have already visited Liquid Leisure in Charlton Village, and had fun in the water. The new attraction was heavily affected by the Covid restrictions of 2020 but managed to welcome some families to at last enjoy a much needed day out of fun and leisure. Over the winter the team …
This summer’s Spelthorne in Bloom competi-tion will be launched in June, when the entry forms will be published online and in print, and the posters will appear on Council notice boards. The children’s poster competition attracted more than 100 entries, despite many schools being closed, and we had many entries from children who were studying …
Bank Holiday Monday, gale force winds, a garden fire and an island full of wooden craft and flammable materials. What could possibly go wrong?! It was devastating to see images of the fire on Platts Eyot last month. Two boathouses full of historic boats under restoration, went up in flames which were seen from miles …
Platts Eyot Fire Prompts Island Fire Safety Questions Read More »
By Monica Chard Well, the answer is A LOT!! The new pretty sign by the riverside at Kings Lawn, welcom-ing boaters to our village declares Welcome to Sunbury upon Thames…UPON??? Many of us have lived in Sunbury for many years and it has always been ON. The comments on social media were very interesting. A …
In the March issue of Sunbury Matters we ran an article on self pub-lishing and from time to time we hear of locals who have done just that. Some have even been taken on by publishers. Lockdown has been a period of creativity for many. So here we have Mouse Tales, the tale of two …
What a legacy to have left the nation. The D of E awards have changed the lives of many young-sters. It may bring back memories for many, of lugging a huge back pack in the rain but the awards are universally credited with giving youngsters direction, self assurance confidence and discipline. The Duke of Edinburgh …
Purple Sprouting Broccoli by Rachael Leverton Purple Sprouting Broccoli is a beautiful, tasty addition to the dinner table, and the garden. It has a great flavour, a long harvesting season and is nutritionally beneficial. A single portion provides half your daily requirement of carotenoids, plus high levels of folic acid and vitamins A and C. …
Christian Aid Week will be taking place between 10 and 16 May. The charity was set up in the 1940s, at first to help refugees from the war, and it’s celebrating its 75th anniversary. It tackles poverty in places across the world, bringing churches together as the relief agency of over forty Christian denominations. It …
By Monica Chard Paul Slark, of Watersplash Road, recently contacted us, asking if it might be of interest to see a collection of documents and photos relating to his family. Our visit unearthed a fascinating insight into local business and life. The cases full of documents were discovered as the family started clearing the outhouse …
Sunbury Skiff & Punting Club (SSPC) has found a new home just next door to its previous launch site at Desborough Sailing Club (DSC). It is a great and exciting move for both clubs. SSPC were previously leasing land from the owners of Ferris Meadow between DSC and the popular Shepperton open water swimming lake. …
Sunbury Skiff & Punting Club – new Home in Shepperton Read More »
For over a year now we have all had to spend most of our lives at home, under lock down, with a short stroll to the shops or a brief walk round the block. With changes starting to happen and life beginning to slowly return to normal, the Rotary Club of Shepperton and Sunbury are …
Some fantastic photos submitted as always this month, celebrating our beautiful area. Do send any photos for inclusion in Local Capture to monica@villagematters.co.uk.
Hello to all members of SU3A especially if we have not been able to meet during the last year. Spelthorne U3A is still here for you and awaiting a time when meetings and groups get back together. However, if you are reading this and hearing of SU3A for the first time let me pique your …
By Dominic O’Malley, Curator, Laleham Heritage Centre Most residents will be familiar with the Lale-ham connections of the Lords Lucan and the Arnold family; after all, we have a graveyard full of ‘em. But what of lesser well-known past residents of Laleham, or their visitors, who have nevertheless left their mark… At the time of …
By Julia Stevenson Healthcare Support Workers play a vital role in caring for patients throughout their time in hospital, and work alongside teams of nurses and other healthcare professionals across a variety of settings. Julia Steven-son currently works at the Trust as a Bank Healthcare Support Worker and has shared her thoughts on what it …
By Monica Chard Last year we ran a heartening story about a group of local ladies who had got involved with sewing scrubs for the NHS. Keen crafter, Ross Williamson, had got a group of clever U3A members and friends together. Their All Scrubbed Up team created scrubs from donated sheeting and bedding (all washed …
We have run a number of pieces on the battle at Shepperton Lock by resi-dents and their claim to rights to access their park-ing. The right to use the car park itself was not disputed, but a small strip, 6 foot wide, had to be driven over to access it, and Spelthorne Council claimed that …
Helping young people cope in uncertain times By Kate McCarthy The COVID-19 pandemic turned our lives upside down. As adults we’ve had too many questions and too few answers, and many of us felt overwhelmed in the face of so much uncertainty. Now imagine what it’s like to be a child or teenager in this …
By Nick Pollard This postcard reminds us that floods do not only happen in the winter. There had been a heavy fall of snow in April 1908 (you may remember we had a day when it snowed heavily just last month), and when it melted in May, the Thames flooded badly. The scene is looking …
