VILLAGE NEWS

Welcome to our Winter 2013 issue of Village News and we would like to extend a warm welcome to all those new residents who have moved into the village over the past few months - including the new Tealby Close development. Please remember that all residents of Lower Kingswood are members of the Residents’ Association, if you have any concerns about the Village, the Residents’ Association Committee is here to try and help you and represent your interests.

Unlike most other local Residents’ Associations there is no annual subscription payable – our running costs are met from the revenue of advertisements in our newsletter. So please help support our local businesses and advertisers.

YOUR RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION NEEDS YOU

We are pleased to be able to report that two residents have recently joined the Committee - one from Beechen Lane and one from Mint Lane - areas of Lower Kingswood not currently represented. Contact details of all our Committee members are shown at the back of this issue; but please bear in mind that we are all volunteers and also have “day jobs”.

BOWLS CLUB

We should like to extend our thanks to our County Councillor - Bob Gardener - for seeking to secure the continued use of the green in the Recreation Ground by the long-established Bowls Club. Although we understand there are still issues to be resolved, it does appear as though progress is now being made.

KEEP LOWER KINGSWOOD TIDY

Although we still have the benefit of our local “recycling centre” in Stubbs Lane - along with kerbside recycling collections, it is clear that some people (hopefully not residents of the village) periodically use the Stubbs Lane site for “fly-tipping”. We have also had reports of such incidents elsewhere in Lower Kingswood; further details of this are given in the County Council report on page 2.

At the same time we would like to remind those residents out walking their dogs should ensure that any mess that may be left – particularly in the Recreation Ground – is cleared up at the time; there are several special bins located in the Recreation Ground. We have also received a number of complaints from residents of some inconsiderate owners letting their dogs off their leashes and allowing them to leave their mess on pavements, verges and even residents’ front gardens.

www.lowerkingswood.co.uk

Chairman's Report to Residents

County Council report 2

Borough Council report 3

Residents’ Association

Committee

4

Surrey Police report 5

Kingswood Primary School 7

Wisdom of God Church;

Church Hall

8

Evangelical Church;

CAMEO Club; Strollers

9

4G/Freeview; Kingswood

Parish Events Committee

11

Scout Group; Girlguiding;

Mogador Rangers YFC

13

Village Fête; Crumbs 14

Parent & Toddler Group;

Banstead History Centre

15

Inside this issue:

Lower Kingswood Residents Association

Chairman: David Patel Secretary: Robert Brown Treasurer: Faye Miles

December 2013

Winter Edition 2013

PLANNING

Following the Public Inquiry held in May in respect of ‘Highlands’, the matter was referred to the Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government. He has now dismissed the inspector’s ruling and the appeal against the Borough Council’s decision to refuse the original planning application.

POLICE REPORT

Although the full report appears on pages 5 & 6, it is worthwhile reminding residents to look out for packages etc. left by delivery companies by your own or neighbour’s front doors. These could present an a temptation for opportunistic thieves.

YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES NEED YOU

It is very important that Lower Kingswood residents continue to support OUR local businesses and services (both established and new ventures) otherwise we could find that the remaining ones will struggle to survive.

Residents with young children will be interested to learn that a new local pre-school playgroup has opened and is located in The Old Pheasantry, Merrywood Grove, Mogador.

VILLAGE NEWS

Once again thank you to all who have contributed articles and helped with both the production and distribution of this newsletter. Village News is distributed free to all households in (and around) Lower Kingswood, and this is only possible because of the assistance given by volunteers in its production and distribution. If you can help with distribution please contact our Chairman.

Don’t forget - if you use the services of one of our advertisers, please mention that you saw their advertisement in Village News.

We should like to apologise for any delay in the production/distribution of this issue as we have had to secure alternative printing facilities at short notice.

AND FINALLY….

Whatever our beliefs, Christmas gives us all an opportunity to reflect on its true meaning and also to take the time to think of family & friends as well as those less fortunate than ourselves. On behalf of the Committee of the Residents’ Association, we should like to take the opportunity of wishing all residents of Lower Kingswood a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

We very much appreci-ate the support of our

advertisers but their ap-pearance in our newslet-ter and/or our website does not constitute a

Lower Kingswood Village News Page 2 Winter 2013

Dear Residents

FLY TIPPING

This is now becoming a real issue, it costs ALL of us money to remove: so if you see a vehicle leaving this mess please could you report it, so we can keep our countryside free of rubbish. We have received reports of recent fly-tipping incidents in Green Lane - as evidenced in the following pictures….

The removal of fly-tipped material on any land including high-way verges is the responsibility of Reigate & Banstead Borough Council and can be reported on-line via their web site or by tele-phone to the Town Hall. If the fly-tipped material is on a public highway, this is the responsibility of the County Council and can be reported on-line via the web-site or by telephone to: 0300-200-1003.

If you have observed individuals fly-tipping, please contact the Environment Agency. Fly tipping is illegal, and the Environ-ment Agency is responsible for enforcing the law regarding waste crime. Their emergency 24 hour hotline telephone num-ber for reporting a serious fly tip incident is: 0800-80-70-60.

Finally, if you have waste to be disposed of that cannot be con-veniently transported to one of the local Refuse Transfer Sta-

tions, please ensure that you only employ officially regis-tered waste carriers to arrange for the disposal of such waste – the Environment Agency holds a register of such carri-ers which can be accessed from their web site.

LOCAL ROADS

Surrey County Council’s barns have been filled up with 16,000 tones of salt ready to keep our roads moving when snow and ice hit. As well as a team of highways fleet of specialist gritting ve-hicles, the Council has more than 50 farmers on standby.

The road refurbishment program moves ahead with a massive investment program to improve the roads in our community. The A217/Brighton Road has been cleaned and plans to im-prove the condition of this road by removal of weeds are well underway.

Last year we were inundated with comments and reports about pot holes, if you spot one this year please report this and all road issues using the Surrey County Council web site – it is very easy to use and you get fast results, plus the ability to track the report-ed issue.

APPRENTICESHIPS

Surrey County Council has launched an innovative apprentice-ship scheme that allows several firms to share the training of the next generation of their workforce.

The initiative is tailored to small and medium-sized building businesses that want to enjoy the benefits of hiring an apprentice but find it difficult to commit to long-term training.

Last year the Council incentivised businesses to hire 256 appren-tices and aims to achieve a further 500 in a year as part of a drive to stimulate economic growth. It is also offering businesses a cash incentive to offer work experience.

FIND AN APPROVED TRADER

Let Surrey County Council take the headache out of finding traders you can trust. All the businesses on the Buy With Confi-dence website have been vetted and approved by Surrey County Council's Trading Standards to ensure that they operate in a le-gal, honest and fair way.

See what a member of the public thought who used the Buy With Confidence website to locate a reputable trader, by watch-ing our on-line video at: www.surreycc.gov.uk/news/audio-and-video/videos-from-surrey-county-council

You can also request a copy of our free Buy With Confidence directory, which lists all approved traders, by calling 03456-009-009 (FREE) or find details on-line via the website: www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk

HIGH-SPEED INTERNET FOR 15,000 BUSINESSES AND HOMES

Surrey County Council has already provided high-speed internet to 15,000 businesses and homes as part of a scheme to make Surrey the UK’s best connected county.

The first phase of Surrey County Council and BT’s project to help firms do business online and ensure every community gets a broadband boost has been completed.

Surrey County Council report

Page 3 Winter 2013 Lower Kingswood Village News

Another 15,000 premises should have high-quality access by the end of December as part of the drive to ensure virtually every-one in the county is covered by the end of 2014 compared with the national superfast broadband aim of 95% by 2017. Once completed, Superfast Surrey could boost the local economy by around £30 million a year.

You can log onto the web site: www.superfastsurrey.org.uk and this will give more road specific details of the rollout.

TRAVEL SMART

A Surrey County Council funding initiative that gave 6 local groups in the ward won a share of £60,000 from Travel SMART, which supports and promotes projects aimed at im-proving travel and stimulating economic growth in Merstham that is now part of the district that includes our own village of Lower Kingswood.

Finally, I should like to take the opportunity to wish you all a very Happy Christmas.

Councillor Bob Gardner

Council Member for Merstham & Banstead South

Email: bob.gardner@surreycc.gov.uk

Telephone: 0845-643-1112

Dear all

We are really pleased to serve you in the Council on a wide range of issues that affect the community, and it is really good for us to be able to work with your representatives in the Lower King-swood Residents' Association. However, please do feel free to contact any or all of us directly about anything that concerns you. We can be contacted via email or telephone using the de-tails at the foot of this article.

Many of you will know already that the recent appeal in respect of ‘Highlands’ on the A217 was “called in” for his consideration by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Govern-ment, RH Eric Pickles MP. This was because the proposal in-volved significant development in the Green Belt. The Secretary of State agreed with the Council's decision to turn down the application - and he dismissed the appeal.

Lower Kingswood Residents have joined others throughout the Borough in embracing the recycling scheme. Learning the sys-tem hasn't always been easy but we should all pat ourselves on the back for persevering. Why? Well, because the results are simply staggering. We have one of the highest recycling rates in the country and you'll be very aware from your own bins that we have reduced landfill considerably as a result. Not only is this

great for the environment, but it's great for our pockets too. Put simply, the cost of Reigate & Banstead's refuse collection service is £3 million per year, and the amount we raise through recycling is £2.7 million. What we all do, by separating our rubbish each week, is saving 90% of the cost of the service and allowing us to spend money on other important services for residents. You never know, now we've got the hang of things, maybe we could redouble our efforts and hit a 100% recovery rate. Wouldn't that be fantastic?

Thank you for taking time to read the above, and may we take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy Christmas.

Councillor Simon Parnall Member for Kingswood with Burgh Heath Email: Cllr.Parnall@reigate-banstead.gov.uk Telephone: 01737-830888

Councillor Rosalind Mill Executive Member for Strong Communi-ties Email: Cllr.Mill@reigate-banstead.gov.uk Telephone: 01737-833705

Councillor Joan Spiers Leader of the Council Email: Cllr.Spiers@reigate-banstead.gov.uk Telephone: 01737-276000 (ask for the Lead-er’s office)

HEALTHY LIVING, HEALTHY EXERCISE, HEALTHY FOOD

How would you like to have all of this?

Why not savour the flavour of your own home grown vegeta-bles, get out into the fresh air and get fit tending an allot-ment? There is great camaraderie on the Smithy Lane allotment site. If you are new to gardening the other allotment holders there are willing to give help and advice. The waiting list is short so you may get a plot within the year.

To get on the waiting list, contact Jacquie Hunt - Allotment Of-ficer on: 01737-276136 or email: jacqueline.hunt@reigate-banstead.gov.uk.

Jacquie Hunt Reigate & Banstead Borough Council

Surrey County Council

report (continued)

Reigate & Banstead

Borough Council report

Lower Kingswood Village News Page 4 Winter 2013

A Meeting of the Committee took place on Tuesday, 9th July 2013. In addition to Committee members, Councillors Bob Gardner & Simon Parnall were in attendance.

Although Police representatives were unable to attend the meeting, the Chairman reported that there had been a few reports of recent vehicle break-ins and that the Police was monitoring a particular issue.

Councillor Parnall reported on:

The planning application in respect of ‘Highlands’, which, following the Public Inquiry held in May, had now been re-ferred to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

“Localism” and how the matter was being addressed by one of the neighbouring Residents’ Associations.

Issues from previous Minutes were highlighted to Cllr. Parnall as still being outstanding; these included the status of the BMX facility at the Recreation Ground and subsidence of the bank adjoining the southbound A217 approach to Green Lane.

Councillor Gardner reported on:

The proposed scheme for Epsom Hospital was being scruti-nised by two Council Committees and, in view of concerns expressed by the majority of local GPs, it seemed likely that the planned changes would not proceed.

Traffic issues in relation to the Fidelity site and that, following meetings with delegates selected from residents of Chipstead Lane, Green Lane & Smithy Lane, a series of proposals were being formulated to try and alleviate the various issues raised.

The present poor state of the Notice Board by the (northbound) A217/Brighton Road bus stop and he under-took to investigate further.

A general discussion ensued regarding future Councillors’ Surgeries in light of the poor attendance at the Surgery held in June. It was agreed that the newsletter should include email addresses in addition to tele-phone numbers for the various Councillors and, for those residents who were less able to get out and about, the Councillors offered to attend “one to one” meetings – if necessary – at their homes.

A Meeting of the Committee took place on Tuesday, 10th September 2013. In addition to Committee members, Councillors Bob Gardner, Simon Parnall & Joan Spiers were in attendance.

Councillor Parnall reported on:

The BMX facility and was in contact with the relevant Offic-ers to see what could be achieved.

Various re-cycling issues and noted that, in a recent incident, a third party had erroneously put the wrong rubbish in a resi-dent’s bin which had led to the bin not being emptied! In the ensuing discussion it was noted that there were certain “grey areas” in terms of re-cycling and he indicated that the Bor-ough Council would be explaining these in more detail by various means. Nevertheless he was pleased to report that the Borough, with the help of residents, was making good pro-gress and was recovering a substantial portion of the costs involved in rubbish collection.

A recent report on the state of village footpaths and under-took to supply details.

The planning application in respect of ‘Highlands’ where there was nothing further to report.

Cllr. Parnall noted that, regretfully, he would be unable to submit an article in time for inclusion in the forthcoming newsletter.

Councillor Spiers reported on:

Her recent absence on health grounds but had now been fully briefed on recent events and would be back to work the fol-lowing day. On behalf of the Committee the Chairman wel-comed her back and trusted that she was fully recovered.

Following a complaint raised with the Secretary by a resident concerned about parking problems in the vicinity of the Wis-dom of God Church, which was particular problematic at weekends; Cllr. Spiers stated that this was a major problem elsewhere and, in those instances where parking was danger-ous, yellow lines would have to be introduced. The Treasurer noted that she had previously been involved in trying to allevi-ate the situation by suggesting to the Head Teacher of King-swood Primary School that cars of home football fans might be parked “off road” in their car park, but this had not been sanctioned

Negotiations with the Bowls Club which had been continuing for 3 years and stated that the Borough Council was bound to obtain the market rental rate. She added that members of the Club did not play often enough to justify the high cost of green maintenance; the matter was being dealt with Cllr. Ad-am de Save.

The opening of a new Nursery at The Pheasantry, under the charge of Ms. Angela Williams, and that some 15-20 children were attending

Councillor Gardner reported on:

The Notice Board and apologised for the fact that he had not been able to achieve anything in relation to its restoration. The Chairman undertook to investigate the possibility of se-curing the services of a handyman to provide an estimate and Cllr. Gardner indicated that we would arrange for the funding.

The on going consultations in respect of Epsom Hospital and noted local GPs did not support the current proposals.

The meeting held in August at Fidelity’s offices in Kingswood Fields which had involved 3 senior representatives from Fidel-ity, the Chairman & Secretary (of the Residents’ Association), delegates selected from Chipstead Lane, Green Lane & Smithy Lane, plus Cllr. Gosling and himself (as County Coun-cillors). The meeting had been productive and gave an oppor-tunity for the residents’ delegates to voice their concerns and all parties felt that it had afforded an opportunity to establish future communication and co-operation. Cllr. Gardener acknowledged that a number of the traffic issues were the responsibility of the County Council. Although the Secretary had circulated notes of the meeting to the delegates it was felt that, rather than including the same detail in the next newslet-ter, it might be more appropriate to include a brief summary; since the issue was only of primary interest to residents of the three roads

The issue of the subsidence of land at the junction of Green Lane with the A217/Brighton Road was again raised and it was agreed that this should be reported via the County Coun-cil website.

Residents’ Association Committee reports

Page 5 Winter 2013 Lower Kingswood Village News

Dear All

Your local neighbourhood team would like to wish you all well!

As the Christmas season approaches we find that residents have more valuables in their homes. We are encouraging residents to register their property for free at: www.immobilise.com, it only takes a couple of minutes and once you have registered you will have a better chance of getting your property back if it is lost or stolen.

If any item of registered property is lost or stolen report it to immobilise via your online account. This information is then made available nationally to all major UK Police forces through their online systems

If you see either of us out on our pa-trols, please come and say hello, we enjoy meeting the members of our community.

Any suspicious incidents or acts of anti social behaviour should be reported to Surrey Police on 101 or in an emergen-cy 999.

Please do not hesitate to contact your local Safer Neighbourhood Team.

Kind regards

PCSO 14847 Hayley Keegan

14847@surrey.pnn.police.uk

Editor’s Note There is a new mechanism for viewing crime statistics, which can be accessed from the national police website: www.police.uk and this shows that, for the month of Sep-tember 2013, there were a total of 20 instances of crime & anti social behaviour within a one mile radius of Lower Kingswood. These were made up of: anti social behaviour 6, burglary 2, criminal damage & arson 2, drugs 1, other theft 4, vehicle crime 1 and violence & sexual offences 4. This website also allows these instances to be viewed street by street! However, comments from our local police offic-ers have previously indicated that Lower Kingswood itself continues to have relatively low levels of reported crime. Nevertheless you should notify Surrey Police immediately of any suspicious callers or people loitering in your area, any unfamiliar vehicles, or any suspicious activity at neigh-bouring properties.

POLICE URGE RESIDENTS TO REMAIN VIGILANT FOLLOWING BANK RELATED FRAUDSTER SCAMS IN WARLINGHAM

Detectives are warning East Surrey residents to remain vigilant after several further reports of scams involving fraudsters obtain-ing bank details, cards and cash using bogus telephone calls and couriers in recent weeks.

Over recent months Surrey Police have received a number of reports from members of the public in the Guildford and Wo-king areas who had received telephone calls from someone claiming to be a police officer or similar who then attempted to convince victims to hand over large amounts of cash and bank cards.

The offenders often claim to be an officer from the Metropoli-tan Police and use a variety of pretences including saying the victim's bank card has been used by somebody who was in cus-tody. They then ask the victim to phone the bank to cancel the card and tell the victims that they will send a courier round to collect the card.

Meanwhile the fraudster stays on the line and obtains the vic-tim's bank details whilst they think they are phoning the bank. The courier then calls at the victim's address saying they have been sent by the police to collect a parcel - the envelope contain-ing the card.

The most recent offence took place at an address in Warlingham at the end of October.

The elderly victim received a number of phone calls from some-one claiming to be from her bank. She eventually agreed to hand over bank cards and cash to a courier who arrived at her address shortly after the initial call. The offenders later stole around £1,300 from the victim's account.

Following these incidents neighbourhood teams across the coun-ty have been taking positive action to raise awareness of the se-ries by carrying out additional high visibility patrols in hotspot areas, distributing warning leaflets to residents and liaising with banks and partner agencies.

DS Jak Bowers, who is leading the investigation into the offenc-es, said: “Following the recent rise in reports of courier scam offences in Guildford and Woking we have now had further reports of offences using a similar approach in Tandridge.

“Although we have received many reports over recent weeks where potential victims across the county have heeded our warn-ing messages and not handed over PIN numbers, money or bank cards there are still occasions where the approach being used by the fraudsters is working.

“Sadly the offence reported in Warlingham highlights how quickly these heartless offenders can take advantage of the trust of vulnerable residents and steal significant sums of money from them.

“This series of offences is an on-going concern for Surrey Police and tracking down those responsible is a priority for the Force so that we can prevent this happening in the future.

“We are again urging residents to report any suspicious calls from people claiming to be a police officer or bank worker as a matter of urgency.

(continued on page 6)

Surrey Police report

PC 40040 Kelly Houghton

Houghton40040@surrey.pnn.police.uk

Lower Kingswood Village News Page 6 Winter 2013

“These offences are particularly appalling as the suspects are deliberately targeting elderly and vulnerable members of our communities and this cannot, and will not, be tolerated.

“If you have elderly relatives or neighbours living in the county please remain alert and if you see them being approached by unexpected visitors please check who they are and ensure that they are a legitimate caller.

“I would like stress that these requests are not genuine and that no police officer or bank would operate in this manner and would never request a customer to confirm their PIN details over the phone. Anyone who receives a suspicious call, either on the phone or in person, is urged to not give any details to the caller and report the matter to the police.

“If in any doubt visit your bank in person to seek advice.”

People are reminded to protect themselves using the fol-lowing advice:

Never give out any personal information about your bank account to anybody over the phone.

If someone calls claiming to be a police officer, ask for

their identification number, police force and their tele-phone extension. Hang up the call, and advise that you will call them back using the 101 number.

Use a different phone line to call back if possible, i.e: a mobile phone if the call was received on your landline.

If you have given out information which could compro-mise your bank account security in any way, call your bank up to cancel your cards as soon as possi-ble.

Never hand over mon-

ey to someone at the door to be sent off elsewhere.

If someone comes to your door claiming to be a police officer or staff member, always ask for identification and make note of their identification number.

If you have received any calls of this nature, or handed over any money or bank details, please call 101 to report the matter to Surrey Police, visit www.actionfraud.police.uk/ to report online or call inde-pendent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555-111.

Surrey Police report

(continued)

Page 7 Winter 2013 Lower Kingswood Village News

It seems to have been a very busy term with lots of exciting ac-tivities taking place. Our new Reception class has settled in well and the children have had an active term learning the class rou-tines, making new friends and going on their first school trip to the local shop!

History plays a major part in the curriculum and our year 3 and 4 children visited a Roman Villa in Kent and were able to see Ro-man artefacts at this archaeological site. Year 5 and 6 have been learning about life in the Second World War and, as part of their homework, made some fantastic models of ‘Anderson’ shelters. The children have been so engaged with this topic; reading clas-sic stories and producing some fantastic writing based on events in the war. We were lucky enough to have a member of the local

community visit the children and share her experiences about what life was like in the war. The whole school also had a week of learning activities linked to Remem-brance in the middle of November.

The school is very close to being completely full for the first time, with only a handful of spaces available. Many prospective families visited Kingswood this term and the year 6 children gave them guided tours of the school. The parents spoke so highly of the children’s politeness and enthusiasm and it is always great to get such positive feedback about the children.

At the end of October the school held its annual fire-work display for the local community and it was very well attended. This year the PTA had organised the

‘Spooky Hall’, which proved a great success. The money raised has helped pay for a new piece of playground equipment at the front of the school.

We are nearing Christmas and the children will be practising their Christmas plays and performing to their parents/carers; this is always an exciting time of the school year.

I hope everyone has a happy and peaceful Christmas.

Duncan Steele Head-teacher

Kingswood Primary School

Lower Kingswood Village News Page 8 Winter 2013

THE MESSAGE OF CHRISTMAS

I wonder if some of you remember Christmas 1968. Three astronauts set off in Apollo 8 to circumnavigate the moon for the first time. It seemed that people were trans-fixed as they listened to the exchange of messages from Mission Control to the crew in Apollo 8. Then on Christmas morning came the message from the Apollo Commander: “In the begin-ning God created the heavens and the earth ...”

For nearly 2,000 years people have been listening to the Message of the First Christmas. The words that most people try to apply is the message of the Angel to the shepherds: “Peace on earth and good will to all people”. As we commemorate World War 1 we remember the truce on Christmas Day 1914 where the two opposing sides played a game of football. We seek to apply those words among our families, neighbours, work colleagues and friends especially at Christmas as we have visits, meals and exchange presents.

For some, however, it is a very painful time. Their loneliness is sharpened. It may be a time of great sadness as they feel ever more keenly the loss of someone so dearly loved.

In our Church we come as a family to hear the message of Christmas. I do commend our Services to you; especially at this Christmas. Details follow this article and are also given in the Church Christmas card.

Increasingly the Church is becoming more involved in helping people who are in less fortunate circumstances. Through my own ministry I am very aware of the strong village and commu-nity atmosphere in Lower Kingswood both in the Church and outside it. I am sure this will have good effect in helping those who need our help. To help this along if you know of anyone who could benefit from a visit from someone in the Church please let us know?

In the wider field the Church is becoming involved in schemes to help others. In Reigate and Redhill the Church supports food banks to help those who are finding it difficult to provide food for themselves and the Night Shelter schemes for the homeless. There are also Street pastors to help, those who have found themselves in difficulty after over-indulgence on a night out.

So Christmas is more than lovely thoughts. Our worship is so important but it also about practical help as well.

I hope to see you in Church over Christmas

Wishing you a very happy Christmas

Arthur Bowyer

Honorary Curate - Parish of Kingswood

DETAILS OF CHRISTMAS SERVICES

SERVICE OF NINE LESSONS AND CAROLS

Sunday 15th December - 6:30 pm at St Andrew’s

REJOICE AND WASSAIL 2013

Saturday 21st December -7:30pm at the Wisdom of God

A celebration of traditional and popular Christmas music with the Wisdom Choir

£5 on the door to support Disability Challengers

CRIB SERVICES

Tuesday 24th December - 3:00pm at both St Andrew’s and the Wisdom of God

CHRISTMAS EVE COMMUNION

Tuesday 24th December - 11:00pm at both St Andrew's and the Wisdom of God

CHRISTMAS DAY

Wednesday 25th December - 10:30am Family Communion at St. Andrew's

CHRISTINGLE SERVICE

Sunday 5th January 2014 – 3:00pm at the Wisdom of God

Followed by Childrens' Tea Party

The Hall continues to be busy and popular with bookings and continues to host many children’s parties and charity fundraising nights. The only regular weekly spot still available for weekly hire is Monday mornings.

The last few weeks has seen Alison Newman busy organising many quotes involving building work which would improve our eco footprint and in so doing, cut down on our heating costs. The work so far has included cavity wall insulation to the exter-nal walls and replacement glazing on all the windows. We also plan to improve the insulation on the main swinging doors into the hall as well as the door into the loft. We would like to ex-tend our thanks to the Kingswood Village Hall Trust and Surrey County Council (Councillor Bob Gardener) for their generous grants towards some of the costs of this work.

Sadly, after a recent spate of vandalism carried out on the hall property, the committee is also looking into installing CCTV cameras to monitor the outside areas.

We would like to wish all our regular users of the Hall a very merry Christmas and to ask everyone to please consider using the hall when you are next planning a function.

Please contact Laurie & Marianne Kaye for booking infor-mation and prices on 01737-832848.

The Wisdom of God Church

Church Hall

Page 9 Winter 2013 Lower Kingswood Village News

The hopes expressed in the autumn issue did materialise and Strollers is back! We may only have had two outings since the autumn issue went to press, but it was good to be back together again, even though we missed some familiar faces.

A goodly number came in September to Headley Heath, one of those locations that it is easy to overlook but which is so reward-ing. We followed the Lizard Trail: we did not see any lizards, but it was a challenge keeping an eye out for them.

In October, the due date was just before the storm and it was touch and go whether a stroll would be advisable. However, a

small group of intrepid explorers did venture out. We may only have reached Colley Hill and have a bit of a soaking on the way back, but we can put up with that!

During the winter months, we bring the time forward, so that we meet at the Evangelical Church in Smithy Lane at 1:30pm. It is true that we have only been out 4 times in 2013, but the future beckons!

If you would like to join us in our explorations, you would be more than welcome.

Lower Kingswood Strollers

We did indicate that the autumn meetings of the CAMEO Club would bring varied programmes; they did.

In September we had a return visit from Paul Weakley, who presented a pro-gramme of items from his extensive reper-toire ranging from light opera to tradition-al songs, truly “A Tenor’s Worth”!

The October meeting was entitled ‘Flying without Airports’. Our guest speaker was Bob Hedderley, a retired airline pilot. He had however started his flying career working with the Missionary Aviation Fellowship, an organisation that provides airborne transport for missionaries and charity workers in remote parts of the world. He showed us pictures of some of

the almost inaccessible places where he had landed aircraft, including airstrips literally carved out of the forest and need-ed extending before he could take off again, or along a river-bank at the bottom of a cliff. Somehow, package holiday flights appeared the height of luxury by comparison!

Perhaps less exotic but just as fascinating, in November we had a visit from Martin Higgins, the man who bought a real castle for just £1. He introduced us to the fasci-nating story of Betchworth Castle (which is not in Betchworth) and its owners; and his efforts, after 150 years of neglect, to conserve and preserve the remains for the future. Full of tales of strange choices made by past owners and little details,

which give us an insight into how our forefathers lived and worked, the after-noon had something unexpected for eve-ryone.

No two CAMEO meetings are the same, but if you would like to sample one, you would be very welcome to join us on the second Monday each month at 2:00pm at the Evangelical Church in Smithy Lane. You can expect a (hopefully) inter-esting presentation or performance, fol-lowed by light refreshments and an epi-logue. If you would like further infor-mation simply come to CAMEO (Come and Meet Each Other) and meet us.

CAMEO Club - ‘Come And Meet Each Other’

We live in a world of constant change. Perhaps the biggest re-cent change for us has been James Murkett leaving us after over 4 years as our Pastor. James and Eve go with our love and pray-ers, and our thanks for all that they have done during their time with us. As I write, we have just learned of the deaths of two men who have been very much part of our church life in recent years: Chris Pepper on 8th November and Roland Fidge (Pastor from 1997 – 2003) on 10th November.

They both did their national service in the RAF, and it is one of those non-coincidences that they both died on Remembrance weekend. While their deaths were perhaps not entirely unex-pected, given their age and health, Remembrance Weekend re-lates to deaths and suffering which are always untimely, generat-ed entirely by the wickedness of war.

We all face things that are beyond our control or catch us una-wares. We cope as best we can, based on how we see the world around us and understand it. Philosophers call this our “world view”; we all have one, based on our ideas about our place in the world. From these ideas we develop our way of coping with the ups and downs of life, their unpredictability and the effects they have on our loved ones and us. How well we cope depends partly on how big the problems are, but mainly on how realistic

our expectations of life are.

The purpose of Lower Kingswood Evangelical Church is “To serve the village of Lower King-swood … through the proclamation of the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ”. We believe that He and His Good News are the keys to having realistic expectations as we face the uncertainties of life. This is why, as we face our uncertainties as individuals and as a Church community, we seek to share and learn more about this Good News week by week; what better basis can there be for facing life than what the Creator of life tells us?

You would be more than welcome to discover more on Sunday mornings at 10:30am at the church premises at 47 Smithy Lane. You can find us on the internet at www.lkec.org.uk or you can email us at pastor@klkec.org.uk. We look forward to meeting you.

Paul Burden

Lower Kingswood Evangelical Church

Lower Kingswood Village News Page 10 Winter 2013

Page 11 Winter 2013 Lower Kingswood Village News

IF YOU WATCH FREEVIEW TV, PLEASE READ ON...

This year will see the arrival of new 4G mobile services across the UK. These

services may cause problems with your TV reception, leading to loss of sound, blocky images or loss of some or all Freeview channels. Only those who watch Freeview will be affected; you’re unlikely to experience any issues if you watch cable or satellite TV.

at800 is the organisation created to make sure UK viewers can still watch Freeview when 4G mobile services at 800 MHz are launched. Surrey Community Action is working with at800 to ensure you are supported and can continue to watch Freeview.

CAN THIS BE FIXED?

Yes!

Before 4G is switched on in your area, at800 will write to you if you might be affected. You may also receive an at800 filter - free of charge. This connects between your TV aerial and your TV, set-top box or signal booster. The filter is smaller than a pack of cards and in most cases will enable you to continue watching Freeview as normal.

You may be able to fit the filter yourself. If not, don’t worry - at800 can help if you’re aged 75 or over, registered disabled, blind or partially sighted or have lived in a care home for 6 months or more. A professional and CRB-checked engineer or volunteer will visit and install the filter for you free of charge.

Please contact at800 on 0333 31 31 800 (free within mobile free call packages) or 0808 13 13 800 (free from a landline) to arrange this if you think you have been affected.

If more work is needed to restore your Freeview service this will also be carried out by at800 and you won’t need to pay.

DO’S AND DON’TS

Do look out for a postcard from at800

Do keep hold of your at800 filter if you are sent one.

Only try to fit it if you think you can do so easily

Do call at800 on 0333 31 31 800 or 0808 13 13 800 if you’d like help with fitting the filter or need further ad-vice or support

Do visit www.at800.tv for more information

Don’t worry - at800 is here to help and will ensure you can continue to watch Freeview

Don’t buy a new TV or aerial or re-tune your TV - this

won’t solve the problem

Don’t buy a filter - it’s likely you will be able to get one for free

4G/Freeview interference

The Kingswood Parish Events Committee is organising a spring outing with a very topical Georgian theme on Thursday 22nd May 2014.

To mark the 300th anniversary of the accession to the throne of George I, the Queen’s Gallery in London is mounting a special exhibition entitled ‘The First Georgians, Art & Monarchy 1714-60’. The exhibition explores royal patronage and taste in the reigns of George I and George II. We are planning a morning visit to the Gallery, followed after lunch by a tour of Kensington Palace, where the King’s Apartments have been re-presented in the style of the Hanoverian period and the King’s Presence Chamber has been beautifully restored with crimson damask silk and gilded paintwork.

The cost of the outing, including the combined visit and coach fare, is £31 for over 60s and £33 for adults. The coach will leave from the car park at St. Andrew’s Church, Kingswood, at 9:15am and from the bus stop outside the Church of the Wis-dom of God, Lower Kingswood, soon afterwards.

Kingswood Parish Events

Committee

Based locally in Kingswood

Lower Kingswood Village News Page 12 Winter 2013

Page 13 Winter 2013 Lower Kingswood Village News

Lower Kingswood's own Scout Group has made some valuable progress during the past few months.

In July we held a well-supported social and AGM with some excellent and funny performances by the children, brief formali-ties by the adults during which we welcomed a new executive committee and an active social and BBQ.

During and immediately after the summer holiday we installed a ventilation system in the Scout hut and re-decorated the hall and lobby. It now looks smart and clean and more pleasant to house our young people.

Each section has embarked on its term of action, fun and friend-ship.

Notable evenings for the Beavers (6 to 8 years) have included a spooky Halloween and an inspiring search around our local Wis-dom of God Church.

The Cubs (8 to 10½ years) also had their scary moments. They attended a district scrap-heap challenge turning rubbish with imagination into “interesting” structures!! At the end of Novem-ber they attended a pack holiday at Downe national camp site.

Meanwhile, the Scouts are enjoying their activities along with neighbouring colleagues. Both Chipstead and Lower King-swood Scouts have been a bit low on numbers for some time but during this last year we have joined forces for most weeks with considerable success. This has demonstrated that when two small troops work together, the resulting total effect is great-er that the sum of the two working individually. The troop has grown steadily throughout the year so we now have a very viable and active troop.

We now have two major community serving events before Christmas.

CHRISTMAS TREE SALE - Sunday 1st December from the Kingswood Primary School car park between 10:00am and 4:00pm we are selling non-drop Nordmann Christmas trees.

CHRISTMAS CARD DELIVERY - Members of the scout group will deliver your Christmas cards for you. There will be purple post boxes in the village (in the Scout hut, the Wisdom of God Church and the Post Office) from the end of November to 22nd December for villagers to post their cards (destined for Lower Kingswood addresses only). No stamps are required but you will be asked to give a dona-tion alongside the card-posting box. It is suggested that 30p per card is appropriate and this compares favourably with the 50p cost of a second-class stamp.

To find out more about us check out our group website: www.9thReigate.co.uk or contact our Group Scout Leader on 0844-414-2215 or email: GSL@9thReigate.co.uk

Editor’s Note

Having pointed out that our production schedule for this newsletter would mean that it would not be published until after the first of the above events, we received the following response:

“I understand that your newsletter will be circulated after our Christmas tree sale and part the way through our Christmas card delivery service. Nevertheless, please leave the article as written as it may emphasise what we will have done and help us next year if we do it again. As for the card delivery that will very opportune and current. Also both initiatives serve to relate what the Scouts are trying to do in the community.”

9th Reigate Scout Group

Lower Kingswood

RAINBOW LEADER VACANCY

Come and join the fun! We have a vacancy for a leader for Lower Kingswood Rain-bows as the current leader will be leaving at the end of De-

cember. Why not join with a friend and share the role?

Rainbows is our section for girls aged five to seven and the Low-er Kingswood unit is full of girls with a waiting list. We are therefore very keen to find a replacement before the end of the term.

You could gain new skills for yourself, have fun and join this amazing organisation.

Thinking of joining the leading charity for girls and young women in the UK?

Rainbows (age 5-7), Brownies (7-10) Guides (10-14), Senior Section (14-25) or adult!

Register your interest today online at: www.girlguiding.org.uk

Based at Lower Kingswood Primary School we are a local club consisting largely of local children, playing football in the Epsom and Ewell Youth Football League.

We play mainly on Saturday mornings alt-hough the older age group play on Sunday mornings. This season we have teams at under 7 (2 teams), un-der 9, under 10, under 11 and under 14 as well as a thriving soc-cer school for the younger children on a Saturday morning. The children are encouraged to play to enjoy their football and our growing numbers, currently in the region of 70 members, mean that we must be doing something right!

We are always welcoming to new players so feel free to contact us if you would like more information. You can email me at: smithalan17@aol.com or visit our website at: www.mogadorrangers.co.uk.

Alan Smith

Mogador Rangers Youth FC

Lower Kingswood Village News Page 14 Winter 2013

Lower Kingswood Evangelical Church Parent & Toddler Group

We continue to enjoy meeting Mums, Grandmas, Childminders and children to have fun together on Friday mornings during term-time between 9:15am and 11:00am.

We play with different toys each week both in-doors and outside (weather permitting!), and we try to provide a craft activity eve-ry week too.

At about 10:45am we all stop for Story Time, where we listen to a true story from the Bible being retold. While we’re all sat down together, we enjoy singing some of our favourite songs and rhymes, sometimes getting out instruments too.

The smell and taste of fresh cof-fee is usually accompanied by cake, and often one or more of us have had chance to bake some-thing to bring and share, which we all enjoy!

Do give us a call or pop along if you’d like to join us on Friday mornings at Lower Kingswood

Evangelical Church in Smithy Lane.

Based in Buckland Road, opposite the school, we are a friendly local club offering a variety of entertainment through the year, including monthly live music.

We would like to extend a warm welcome to non-members over the Christmas period and we will be hosting a Disco on New Year’s Eve in our Function Room. This is also available to hire all year round.

Lower Kingswood Village Fête - 2014

A date for your diary - BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY 5th MAY 2014

The Lower Kingswood Village Fête is back with a bang so get the date in your diaries now.

With the World Cup round the corner it will be an "around the world" extravaganza for all the family with plenty to see, do, eat and drink.

We are organising some huge, outstanding activities plus a "bigger than ever" array of games and competitions to have a go. Not forgetting our resident dog show and local displays.

So if you are looking to get the whole family together on May Bank Holiday and want something everyone will enjoy then Lower Kingswood Village Fête is waiting to welcome you.

We are always looking for helpers both with organising before the event and for on the day.

Lower Kingswood Social

Club

Page 15 Winter 2013 Lower Kingswood Village News

With winter now upon us what better way to spend a wet and cold winters morning than with all the lovely mothers and carers at the Lower Kingswood mother and toddler group.

We have on offer a wide variety of toys for babies up to pre-school age and offer a craft themed activity each week covering seasons, important days and religious festivals.

And to warm your cockles we have a selection of latte’s, mo-cha’s, cappuccino’s not forgetting beautifully delicious home-made cake, tea, coffee, biscuits and healthy snacks for the kids.

We would welcome even more new Mums, Dads, Grandparents, carers and children - the more the merrier! So if you would wel-come some company on Thursday mornings while your children play please do come along and join us.

We run every Thursday morning from 10:00 to 12:00 noon (term time only). The charge is just £2.50 for you and your child and 50p for every additional child.

We look forward to seeing you all

GREAT WAR COMMEMORATION

The History Centre has set up a sub-committee to research names and stories behind the individuals who gave their lives in the 1914/1918 war. Their first job is to identify every war memorial, plaque etc.- along with the names con-tained thereon, in the Reigate & Banstead Borough north of the M25.

In Lower Kingswood the memorials (for both World Wars) take the form of names carved on the north and south aisle pillars inside the Wisdom of God Church.

If anyone who would like to help or to give further information please contact their Chairman - Stuart Sweetman - or forward details via the Association’s Sec-retary and/or website.

POSTCARD COLLECTION

The History Centre has a collection of postcards from the entire area and here are two containing images from Lower Kingswood over 100 years ago.

The first shows Flint Cottages, which were located on the main road where the houses in Lyonsdene now stand. Whilst the postcard is post-marked 1907 it may be c.1902; older maps show that the cot-tages were built somewhere between 1874 and 1889. You can just about iden-tify the mile stone behind and to the left of the family on the right of the postcard.

The second shows Oxford Cottages a bit further south on the main road and is post-marked 1902; older maps show that the cottages were built somewhere be-tween 1889 and 1896.

Banstead History Centre

Lower Kingswood Village News Page 16 Winter 2013

Page 17 Winter 2013 Lower Kingswood Village News

A P S GAS & HEATING Central heating, other household gas work & plumbing (including kitchens & bath-rooms); Gas Safe registered engineer. Telephone: 01737-245798 or 07956-232485 or email: apsgasandheating@hotmail.co.uk A WOMAN’S TOUCH Exceptional lady decorator – attention to detail we all crave. Telephone 07814-013077 or email: a.womanstouch@live.co.uk BARR CO – solicitors Specialist solicitors in all areas of employment law – for both employers & employees. Green Lane, Lower Kingswood, KT20 6YB. Telephone: 01737-833850 or email: m.trench@barrco.org.uk or see our website: www.barrco.org.uk BUTTERCUP & DAISY CHILDMINDERS A warm, safe and friendly environment; where children will experience lots of activi-ties & enjoyment and you have peace of mind. Telephone: 07761-808272 or 01737-833087or email: webb.c2@sky.com CHOI KWANG DO Full time martial arts centre in Redhill, offering classes for children & adults from 5 to 101 years old! Get fit and learn to defend yourself. Telephone: 0800-298-7096 or see our website: www.eackd.com CHRIS – 1st CLASS DRIVING SCHOOL Free first lesson for all, fully qualified, patient, high pass rate, competitive prices. Telephone: 01737-223034 or see our website: www.chris-1stclassdriving.co.uk DECORATING SERVICES Interior/exterior decorating, fencing/garden work/handyman services etc. Tele-phone: Tony Richards on 07717-008693 DEXTER CONTRACT SERVICES Ltd Surrey’s painting specialists. Telephone Wayne Freeman (projects director) on 01737-233513 or 07590-106375 DIANA MURRAY INTERIORS – bespoke curtains & blinds Free, no obligation initial consultation in your home. Quality soft furnishings made in fabric of your choice. Telephone: 07939 028670, email: diana@dianamurrayinteriors.co.uk or see our website: www.dianamurrayinteriors.co.uk DISCOTRONICS – computer sales, upgrades & repairs We also advise on and can install wiring for computers, networking, telephone, CCTV, digital TV & satellite. Telephone: 01737-833254 or email: sales@discotronics.co.uk – also see main advert in Village News DOG COMMUNICATION - adult dog socialisation classes Socialise your dog in a secure controlled environment with teaching dogs - dogs that help other dogs to learn social skills. Telephone: 07831-173773 or email: pen-el@dogcommunication.co.uk or see our website: www.dogcommunication.co.uk HAIR BY EMMA Mobile Hairdresser: 07984-497690 HYPNOBIRTHING® - local antenatal classes Classes with a difference for couples, a time to suit you; HypnoBirthing® the mongon method allows women to use their natural instincts to bring about a safer, easier, more comfortable birthing. Telephone: Leila Gardiner 07775-425301 or email: lei-la.gardiner@gmail.com or see our website: www.inspiringbirths.com KINGSWOOD PLASTERING & CONSTRUCTION Plastering, screeding, extensions, loft conversions, kitchens, bathrooms - the best quality work at competitive prices. Telephone: 07930-647040 or email: king-swoodconstruction@live.com KINGSWOOD VILLAGE CLUB Friendly village social club offering entertainment (snooker, pool & darts) with draught beers & drinks well below pub prices. New members welcome and two halls with bars available for hire. Telephone: 01737-832082 or 01737-832880 LADY GARDENER Reliable & friendly local gardening service. General garden maintenance & tidying up: mowing, pruning, planting, flowerbed edging & weeding. For garden care with a woman’s touch, please telephone: Lid Arthur 01737-830598 LANDSEER HOME MAINTENANCE & IMPROVEMENTS Local company with expertise in painting and decorating, plastering, tiling, building works, and repairs. Member of the Federation of Master Builders for 15 years. "We do it all, big or small". Call Phil Twiddy on 01737-831172

LIL DRAGONS – for children 3-5 years old Improve your child’s confidence and social skills while having fun and exercising at the same time. Telephone: 0800-298-7096 or see our website: www.eackd.com LITTLEYEARS CHILD DAY CARE SERVICES OFSTED registered childminder with full and part time vacancies, ages 1-8 years. First Aid & CRB accredited. Committed to providing a safe, happy, fun & stimulating home from home environment for your child. Telephone: 07787-548477 or email: littleyears@btinternet.com MALBY PHOTOGRAPHY - children and pet photography Creating memories that will last a lifetime; local photographer, based in Lower King-swood. Telephone: 07831-173773 or email: info@malbyphotography.co.uk or see our website: www.malbyphotography.co.uk

ORCHARD COTTAGE RIDING STABLES B.H.S. & A.B.R.S. approved – established 1926. Babylon Lane, Lower Kingswood, KT20 6XA. Telephone: 01737-241311 or see our website: www.ocrs.co.uk – also see main advert in Village News PHOENIX TRADING - beautiful cards & stationery Contact me for a brochure or come and see me at the Lower Kingswood Coffee Morning on Wednesday mornings or at the Toddler Group on Thursday mornings. Telephone: 07515-632090 or email: rochelle.phoenix@gmail.com POOCH PARLOUR – dog grooming Over 30 years experience; we groom / bath / clip. Telephone: 01737-841010 or 07831-621227 PRIORY PROPERTY SERVICES – for a quality finish and a reliable service every time For a complete range of interior & exterior property services including painting & decoration, fitted kitchens, wooden floors, carpentry, fencing and garden maintenance. Telephone: 07831-525459 or 01737-240611 – also see main advert in Village News RED CARPET ENTERTAINMENTS We provide entertainment acts for parties, weddings etc. and can also provide discos, live bands and tribute acts. Telephone: Susie Homes 07958-478620 or Ray Lowe 07852-351620 or email: info@redcarpetentertainments.co.uk or see our website: www.redcarpetentertainments.co.uk (follow us on Twitter @redcarpetents) S.D. SERVICING Mobile mechanic. Telephone: 07877-107246 SEETHRU WINDOW CLEANING Residential & business. Telephone: 07877-107246 THE SMART LOFT COMPANY Specialising in loft conversions and extensions in Surrey. Contact us on (office): 01737-831460 or (mobile) 07711-780547 or email: in-fo@thesmartloftcompany.co.uk or see our website: www.thesmartloftcompany.co.uk

STONEMAN FUNERAL SERVICE – 5th generation family funeral director Local offices at Redhill (01737-763456), Reigate (01737-243164) & Tadworth (01737-814406) – also see main advert in Village News THE STRAND - hairdressers for ladies & gents Colours - highlights, wash, cut & blow-drying, perms – shampoo & sets. Telephone: 01737-832835. THOMAS PLUMBING & HEATING Boiler & central heating installation, servicing & breakdown and plumbing work from tap washers to bathroom installation. Gas safe registered. Telephone: 01737-832836 or 07834-607082. See our website: www.thomasplumbing.co.uk or email: in-fo@thomasplumbing.co.uk TOP HAT STAGE & SCREEN SCHOOL SURREY Every Friday during term time at Kingswood Primary School 4:30-7:30 “no experience necessary just bring your enthusiasm. Contact us on 01737-831184 or email: sur-rey@tophatstageschool.co.uk or see our website: www.tophatstageschool.co.uk

WINTECH COMPUTERS Ltd Sales of computers, laptops and peripherals. We also offer a repair and upgrade ser-vice, networking and broadband. Contact us on 01737-225520 or email: sales@wintechcomputers.com or see our website: www.wintechcomputers.com – also see main advert in Village News

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