October 2009 Archives

An art dealer who started his own business when he was nine is hosting an exhibit for local artists to help them beat the recession.

Robert Mitchell, 68, owns an art gallery in Addlestone and has offered his studio to West .

A variety of spooky Halloween events will be running at an Addlestone farm over this weekend.

On Thursday October 29, Friday 30 and Saturday 31, there will be face painting, a scavenger hunt, pumpkin carving and apple bobbing at Crockford Bridge Farm, New Haw Road.

The scavenger hunt costs £1 and face painting £2. Anyone interested in pumpkin carving only needs to buy a pumpkin.

The event is to raise money for Shooting Star Children's Hospice.

For more information, call the farm shop on 01932 852 630.

A new scheme is being trialled by Age Concern in partnership with Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals.

The 'courtesy call' service is for frail and older people who are being discharged from hospital and may need information, advice or help to live independently at home.

Hospital staff will refer patients by phoning the service on the day the patient is allowed home, or by giving the patient a booklet of information.

A spokeswoman for Age Concern said: "This new service has been going for a few weeks and has already ensured that many older people have been discharged home with the support they need.

"The relevant Age Concern branch will contact the patient within 48 hours to discuss their needs, provide information, and suggest services or a home visit."

One such service, the Road to Recovery scheme operated in Spelthorne, provides free help for six weeks with chores such as housework and shopping as well as accompanying clients to appointments, while they recover.

For more information, contact either Age Concern Runnymede on 02932 566 040 or Age Concern Spelthorne on 01784 444 200

An OAP has received repeated phone calls from James Bond fanatics because her phone number ends in 007.

The number appears on various websites advertising The James Bond International Fan Club because it once belonged to the Clubs' creator, a Bond enthusiast who logged his details on the web so that fellow fans could contact him.

Spooky half-term adventures are being organised for half term week around Runnymede.

The Halloween themed activities, designed to be fun rather than scary, will be running from Monday October 26 to Friday 30, and has been organised by Runnymede Council.

The first activity is a skeleton scavenger hunt and games at St Ann's Hill, Chertsey on Monday, but there will also be Halloween costume making, arts and crafts and party games.

To round off the week, there will be two sessions of free choice play, where youngsters can choose what they do, and can even have the chance to explore Chertsey Museum.

Emma Parnell, the activity co-ordinator at Runnymede Council, said: "These play sessions are held throughout the year, and have been really popular so far.
"There is something for every age group, ability and interest. We want to encourage children to use their imagination, try something new, make friends, be challenged, and above all, have fun."

For more information visit www.runnymede.gov.uk or call Emma on 01932 425 677, or at emma.parnell@runnymede.gov.uk.

A host of international guests visited an Addlestone school to mark four years of its Church of England affiliation.

Jubilee High School in School Lane was visited on Wednesday October 14 by Bishop Michel from Evry, France, and his three colleagues, and they were shown around the school by Canon Derek Holbird, director of education at Jubilee and Reverend Charles Steward of St Mary's Church, Walton.

Councillor David Parr, chairman of the governors, said: "It is vital that young people encounter values of self worth and self belief in their education and this is achieved at Jubilee through and emphasis on spiritual values."

Students at Jubilee greeted the guests before they met Gareth Balch, the principal, who explained that regular collective worship helps students develop moral values.

A new course for parents with children who have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is launching in January next year.

Relate, the relationship support organisation is running the free programme to support and advise those who have children aged between five and 11 with challenging behaviour.

It starts on January 6 at Sayes Court Children's Centre in Sayes Court Farm Drive, Addlestone.

There are places still available, and to book, call Sam Aylward on 01932 851 502.

Businesses in Chertsey town centre may have lost thousands of pounds after a power cut forced them to close early on Monday October 12.

Electricity went off in the town at 6.45pm and residents in neighbouring Addlestone also lost power for a few minutes.

But in Chertsey, the power did not come back on until 9.30pm meaning restaurants and pubs had to close their doors early and ask customers to leave, costing them hundreds of pounds in lost business.

Police had to close part of the main road through Addlestone after a lorry delivering to Tesco overshot the turning into a side road.

Station Road was closed from the roundabout at Tesco to the level crossing gates on Friday October 9 morning, after an articulated lorry delivering to the supermarket got stuck at the entrance to Victory Park Road.

Police were called at about 9.30am and the road was closed for more than an hour while the lorry was cleared.

Georgie Carpenter, 19, who was passing at the time, said: "The traffic was all built up through Addlestone, and was much worse than usual.

"People couldn't get along anywhere past the Tesco roundabout, and when I walked past there was a big lorry stuck half way in Victory Park Road.

"It was quite funny to see, but I wouldn't have wanted to be stuck in the traffic behind it."

A police spokesman confirmed that the road was shut by officers in one direction between the station and the main roundabout for about an hour while the lorry was moved.

The African Children's Choir that visits Addlestone every year cannot afford to come due to changes in health and safety laws.

Jubilee High School in School Lane normally hosts the choir, holding performances for students, teachers and parents to enjoy.

But with the new child protection agenda meaning every adult who might be involved with the children in the choir needing a check by the Criminal Records Bureau, the charities behind the Ugandan choir face a bill of £18,000.