View as .pdf - The Farnhams Webzine

T H E F A R N H A M S
Sharing life in our community
August 2009
80p

WATCH
AND
PRAY
TIME
HASTENS
AWAY
Top, Langley
ringers, Adam
Delves, Rory
Haines, Jenny
Instone, Clare
Carpenter,
Mark Instone
and Andrew
Delves, centre,
Valuations
experts Phil
Priestley and Carl
Barnes attend
to Derek & Fenella
Collins’s Edwardian
Mantle clock, cr, Jerry
Houdret, Appeal
Leader, launching
the ‘Going For Gold’
campaign
Hywel and
Gaynor
Houghton-
Jones signing
up for the
100 club with
Robin
Morrison and
Alan Mabbott

INSIDE COVER STORY
THE FARNHAMS CLOCK
A(p)peal raises £4200 on first day
On a warm summer’s morning on the
first Saturday in July a peal of bells from
the clock tower chamber 46 feet up (37
ancient stone steps) in St Mary’s tower
launches the clock appeal, ringing out a
welcome to visitors arriving below. Six
ringers from Langley are playing out a
captivating carillon. One could easily
imagine the clock mechanism, itself
forming part of their pulling circle, is
eager, once again, to spring to life and
join in these thrilling chimes.
More than 150 visitors came to see the
rare and precious Arts & Crafts turret
clock (dating from 1891) at St. Mary’s
Farnham Royal. Valuations experts
from Uxbridge Clock and Watch Fairs
were on hand to identify and value
watches and clocks brought in, and
more than 60 people took advantage of
this opportunity to find out more about
their timepieces. Visitors could also
climb the tower, enjoy morning coffee
and cakes and take the opportunity of
being some of the first to support the
restoration.
Two visitors from Wokingham, Maurice
and Margaret Mingay, knew the clock of
old. “We got married here in 1958,” said
Maurice, “and the clock features in our
wedding album as the photographer
took a picture of it to show my wife was
late!”
Fundraisers have set themselves a
“Time Challenge” to restore the 1890’s
clock to tick and chime again before the
end of the year. Thanks to generous
donations on this first day, sponsorship
of “Go for Gold”, and visitors joining the
100 Club, over £4280 was raised
towards the target restoration cost of
£12,500. “We are over a third of the way
towards our target on the first event,”
says Jerry Houdret, who is leading the
appeal. “It’s very encouraging and we’re
now looking for more people to join the
100 Club, which offers the chance to
win big cash prizes in five monthly
draws between the 30th August and
Christmas.” Sponsors are also needed
to help gild the last 62 minutes across
the two faces. Minutes start at £12, and
sponsors receive a gilded ‘Go for Gold’
certificate.
To be part of this exciting project and
know you helped save a historic and
unique clock for the village, call
Innocent Shams on 574877, Robin
Morrison on 882588, or Jerry Houdret
on 643610 or contact Jerry by e-mail
on jchoudret@talk21.com
Further details can be found in this
issue’s centre pages. Immediate
access including Gift Aid facilities
for taxpayers, can be found at
www.purecharity.org.uk/smcf and
more information on the clock
itself can be found on
www.farnhamroyalchurches.org.uk
Editor
3

THE FARNHAMS Magazine
Sharing Life in our Community
THE FARNHAMS magazine is published bi-monthly by the United Benefice of Farnham
Royal with Hedgerley at 80p per issue. The June and December issues are provided by the Parish
Council and delivered to every home in our community through the Benefice distribution network. In
addition, the February, April, August and October issues are available through annual subscription.
Each issue is also available for purchase from local newsagents. All six issues contain village, church
and council news, together with details of local organisations and businesses. If you have any
comments or contributions, either as an individual, an organisation or a business, the Editor will be
delighted to hear from you. THE FARNHAMS magazine aims to be inclusive of all views and
organisations. Views expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of the editorial board.
Managing Editor: Revd Graham Saunders (643233)
Editor: John Winyard (642120)
e-mail: john@winyard1.demon.co.uk
Editorial: Jenny Harper-Jones (643872)
Advertising Sales & Production: Roger Home (642078)
Advertising Design: Heidi Hodgkins (642195)
Distribution - FC West Karen Goodall (642165)
Distribution - FC East Marian Fisher (647758)
Distribution - FR John Newton (529928)
Parish Council Representative: Diane Needham (642609)
Treasury Michael Lowton (642174)
Subscriptions Barbara Steadman (645654)
Staff photoghaphers: John Archibald, David Gray, Kloe Campbell & Jim Williams
Advertise in THE FARNHAMS
Please contact Roger Home, Advertising Sales, on 01753 642078
Advertising rates per issue are £48 per page (180mm x 120mm),
£27 per half page (90mm tall x 120mm wide), £17 per quarter page
(90mmtall x 60mm wide), with initial set up fee of £20 for full page,
£12:50 for half page and £6:50 for quarter page. Circulation is c 4000 homes
in Jun & Dec and c 1000 homes in Feb, Apr, Aug & Oct
Contributions and Copy Dates
Copy dates of the next two issues of THE FARNHAMS Magazine
September 4 th for the October issue. November 6 th for the December issue.
Publication is targeted at the beginning of the month of issue.
All articles and photographs should be sent to The Editor,
The Farnhams Magazine, Orchard Cottage, One Pin Lane, Farnham Common, Bucks. SL2 3RA;
Email: john@winyard1.demon.co.uk Tel: 642120
Copy may be submitted handwritten, typed, on CD or by e-mail.
4

Re-opened, Modernised, Under New Management
Personal - Friendly - Experienced Advice Available
For your complete range of pet and wild bird food supplies and accessories
including small animals and caged birds
Stockists of leading brands Full range of Frozen Foods
Horsefeeds, Straw, Hay.
Open Mon-Sat 9:00 to 6:00 and Sundays 10:00 to 4:00
Wyevale Garden Centre, Crown Lane, Farnham Royal, SL2 3SG
01753 648745 thepetstore@aol.com
5

DRAGON INN
PEKING CUISINE
20 YEARS IN FARNHAM COMMON
SUNDAY - THURSDAY
EARLY DAY SPECIALS
6:00-8:00 pm
2 Course Dinner
£9:90 per person
(Minimum 2 persons)
Mixed Hors D’Oevres or Crispy Duck
plus choice of 5 Main Courses served
with Quick Fried Mixed Vegetables and
Egg Fried Rice
And 10% Discount for Take-Away
Orders over £15
OPEN EVERY DAY 12-2 AND 6-11
FULLY LICENCED
TAKE-AWAY ORDERS WELCOME
4 The Parade, Farnham Common
01753 643641 and 644589
6

August 2009 Farnhams Index
News Update
Inside Cover Story–The Farnhams Clock 3
Letter – A Word In Season - 8
- how good it is
Car Parking In Farnham Common 11
Parish Patch 12
Farnhams Fusion 20
Village Business 25
Jon Benjamin 31
An Inspector Calls Again! 51
Open Gardens 32
Information
Publishers And Publication Details 4
Church Information 40
Parliamentary & Council 41
Registers 32
Thank You 31
Subscriptions 42
Farnhams Clock Appeal
Insert
Farnhams Life
Obituary – Vic Tipping 39
Bees Sequel 52
The Great British Fete
bc
Daffodils & Buttercups 55
Moles 61
Further Afield . . . .
Renewable Energy 45
Evergreen 2000 Trust
Just Round The Corner 56
70
Green Idols - Poem 30
Geoff & Heather In China 77
Favourites
Farnhams Archive 74
Sermon in Print 62
Farnhams People - Mike Baldock 66
Jottings From The Potting Shed 45
Judy Tipping Remembers 57
The Ruth Potts Poem 50
This Month’s Cover: Celebrating a decade of Gardening advice. Peter Price (R E Maun) outside the famous Potting
Shed. Peter’s first gardening column ran in the December 1999 issue of The Farnhams and has run without a break since.
Cover Design: by Karina Dahl, picture by John Archibald.
At the annual Presidents evening, Roger Home of Mayflower Way has just
received the Rotary Club of Slough chain of office from Dr Surrinder Kumar of
Stoke Poges.
7

or thirty and of course, the unthinkable
age I would be at the turn of the century.
However, as life’s journey moves on I
reckon that the years seem to pass by
with ever increasing rapidity. Maybe you
feel the same or perhaps you think that
such thoughts are depressing and
morbid.
‘A word in season –
how good it is!’
Dear friends:
Our Church Clock at St. Mary’s
Farnham Royal is a very rare and
precious time piece and we need help
to repair and restore it to its former
glory. Look out for our fund raising
activities and take a look at this
precious time piece and appreciate how
it may look when it is restored. I have on
many occasions stopped at the foot of
the church tower and looked up in
wonder at the clock face, not realising
the rarity of its design. The words
carved in stone beneath the clock face
never fail to catch my imagination:
‘WATCH AND PRAY TIME HASTENS
AWAY’. I have often paused to think
about the time that has hastened away
in my own life.
When I look back over the years I
remember the hazy days of being
young and how time seemed to slowly
ebb along. My time at school seemed
endless and I remember musing on
what it would be like to be aged twenty
I am sure you would agree with me that
it is good to make the most of our time
on this planet. However, we are caught
up in the machine of modern living that
seems to take us into the future far too
quickly. For some of us our working
lives are so packed that it has become
harder to fit in all that is demanded.
Then there will come a moment and we
look back on years of activity and
wonder where all the time has gone.
‘Time’, a song by ‘Pink Floyd’ may say it
all:
‘Every year is getting shorter; never
seem to find the time. Plans that
either come to naught or half a page
of scribbled lines. Hanging on in
quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone the song is over,
thought I’d something more to say.’
(Roger Waters)
The Christian understanding of time is
far more optimistic. As we look forward
we can say with great confidence that
the best is always yet to come. We also
have confidence that this life is only just
the beginning of the journey and may
also be regarded as preparation for
eternal life. Over the years I have learnt,
sometimes rather slowly, to trust the
Lord for the way my life unfolds. One of
my favourite verses from the Bible is:
‘And we know that in all things God
8

•
New management
•
•
Airport transfers
•
Corporate hire
•
Theatre trips
•
16-53 seaters
Private & contract hire
Phone us
01753 821310
Fax us
01753 693912
E-mail us
applecoaches@btconnect.com
Apple Coaches Ltd.
Stoke Wharf, Stoke Road, Slough, Berkshire SL2 5AU
9

works for the good of those who love
him.’(Romans 8;28) This is an
incredible promise! It doesn’t mean that
we won’t suffer hardship or that we
have some inoculation against the
rigours of life. But it does mean that
God has our ultimate fulfilment in mind,
even if it is beyond this life. Life is what
we make it and time is finite. However,
the words beneath St. Mary’s Church
Clock give sound advice to all who pass
through the churchyard.
May the Lord of the past, present and
future bless you
Graham
PS: Our Alpha Course will explore
the meaning of life beginning on
Thursday 17th September with our
First Supper and topic: ‘Christianity,
boring, untrue and irrelevant?’
Contact me on 643233 or our Alpha
Administrator Pat Briggs on 662536
for further information and booking.
CAR PARKING IN
FARNHAM COMMON
Readers, Householders. Businesses,
Lend Me Your Keyboard!
Please make your move today to save
our free car parking. The figures are
revealed in this issue’s Parish Patch on
pg 11. These show that in the latest
year, from an income of just over
£16,500 a profit on Farnham Common
Car Park to South Bucks District
Council (SBDC) of some £5,500 or
£1:83 per household, per year. This
would not even buy a pint of beer and
just about a loaf of bread and a bar of
chocolate. For this SBDC puts the
parish to needless angst each autumn
when the car parking is discussed and
puts residents to the inconvenience all
year round in finding change, watching
the clock and to-ing and fro-ing in the
car park to fill up meters. Free car
parking adds greatly to our quality of life
and the quality of the community,
protecting and supporting our local
economy. SBDC is now planning to
scrap the free half hour, apply a 20p
minimum charge to raise a further
£19,000 for ‘general funds’ e.g. for extra
grass cutting (killing wild flowers) and
street cleaning all over South Bucks,
claiming the car park as a centre to
raise money.
So, Readers, it is up to you, daily
inconvenience at the car park with a
bonus of shorter grass or better quality
village centre visits with the bonus of
attracting and encouraging local
business initiatives. Let’s make
Farnham Common SBDC’s first freecar-parking,
local business enterprise
zone. To make it easy you only need to
e-mail ‘free car parking for Farnham
Common’, if you agree or ‘let car park
charges stay or increase’ if you
disagree. Of course add comments and
reasons if you wish. E-mail today to
Portfolio Holder for Environment,
Councillor Bill Lidgate on
cllr.bill.lidgate@southbucks.gov.uk or
write to him at the South Bucks District
Council Offices, Capswood, Oxford
Road, Denham, UB9 4LH.
Editor
11

PARISH PATCH
Car Parking, Orchards and A New
Police Constable
Car Park Charges –
a major issue – we need your help
Residents and retailers have been
asked their views on the proposal by
SBDC to stop the half hour free parking
in The Broadway car park. This has
been an on-going issue for the past two
years which we have, until now,
successfully fought. However the need
for the district council to maximise
revenue at a time when central
government funding is at an all time low
means that the SBDC Policy Advisory
Group responsible for car parks will fight
to stop free parking both here and in
Burnham. It has been suggested that
the proposed charge could be 20p for
the first half hour. It has also been
suggested that the parish council could
reimburse the District Council for
monies lost by SBDC, some £19,200.
The figures provided for the last year
show that an estimated 97,000 free
tickets were issued. The revenue raised
from other tickets is £13,164 from 90p
tickets and £3,382 from £1.30 tickets.
Maintenance and staffing costs are
some £11,000.
The parish council is acutely aware of
the feelings of residents and retailers to
this proposal which will impact severely
on the local community and local trade.
It will be discussing its response to the
proposal at its meeting in July but it is
already clear that parish councillors are
adamant that this move is a step too far
and will do their very best to maintain
12
the free half hour for the benefit of the
community.
People tend to shop where there is free
and easy parking. If this is taken away
they will go elsewhere. The loss of local
shops is a countrywide problem and
forward thinking councils in other
regions are looking to increase local
trade by free parking schemes rather
than adopting a shorter term view of
increasing revenue at the expense of
local businesses.
We need our local shops for the benefit
of our local community.
There is also the crucial question of
safety. Our village is bisected by the
busy A355 which makes parking
hazardous and the use of side roads by
those wishing to escape car parking
charges will cause increasing problems
and danger for pedestrians.
If you want to make your voice heard
on this subject please contact
the Portfolio Holder for Environment,
Councillor Bill Lidgate on
cllr.bill.lidgate@southbucks.gov.uk
or write to him at the District Council
offices.
Residents oppose licence
changes at The Victoria
At the June parish council meeting local
residents expressed their concerns
regarding the application by the Victoria
Pub, Farnham Common to extend the
hours for smoking and drinking in the
outside smoking area from 11 pm to
closing time and also to be allowed to
run indoor sports events, discos and
karaoke. They considered it would lead

13
Call: 01753 642994

Fineweave
Flooring Specialists
For all of your Flooring Needs
● Quality, Service and Satisfaction Guaranteed
● Registered Specialist with The Carpet Foundation - OFT Approved
● Free Choose-at-Home Service - We can bring the showroom to your door!
Friendly Service with advice you can rely on -
Buy with total confidence
2 The Broadway, Beaconsfield Road, Farnham Common
01753 645 959 www.fineweave.co.uk
14

to increased noise and anti-social
behaviour.
By coincidence a member of the SBDC
Licensing Team was scheduled to
speak to the council on general
licensing matters and was on hand to
hear the comments, as was the pub’s
landlady, Michelle Bailey.
The parish council was understanding
of the impact these changes could have
on residents in this residential area and
felt that it could attract people from
outside the area who could be potential
troublemakers. It has written to the
Licensing Committee to express these
views and to ask that there be a
prohibition on the consumption of
alcohol and other beverages in the
smoking area during the extended
period of outside smoking and no dance
floor should be installed unless there is
adequate soundproofing and all
windows and doors should be kept
closed.
At last . . . a new PCSO
for The Farnhams
Paul Amodio has joined the local
neighbourhood policing team as a full
time PCSO.
He comes to us from Marlow where he
was a part time PCSO for two years.
He will be spending the next few weeks
getting to know The Farnhams, its
people and problems. I am sure that
residents will make him very welcome.
At the latest Neighbourhood Action
Group (NAG) meeting in June the
results of the survey conducted by the
police team to identify priorities were
15
outlined. The top three are anti-social
behaviour, parking and speeding/road
safety. The team will be focusing their
efforts on these areas over the next few
months.
Bucks Community Safety Partnership
has launched a new website giving
access to figures and maps of crime in
Buckinghamshire, www.ionbucks.info
provides interactive maps showing
crime hotspots and community safety
information.
Speeding on A355
The traffic speed indicator device will be
in place outside Farnham Common
Infant School for two weeks in
November. The council is also talking to
the neighbourhood police team about
the use of Speedwatch in this area.
Bucks County Council have no funding
available at present to upgrade the
crossing lights outside the school to
LED lights, which is another safety
aspect, but our local county councillor,
Trevor Egleton, is seeking further
information on this matter.
MSA Update
Although the consensus of opinion is
that the traffic signals at the Junction 2
roundabout are working well there is
great concern about the road markings
which are considered confusing and
dangerous. Bucks County Council has
received a number of complaints,
including one from the parish council,
and the markings will be changed in the
near future.
Some road signage is to be relocated
for safety reasons and signs on the M40
and M25 are to be amended to include

details of the new service area. There is
still landscaping to be completed and
this should be finished by the end of the
summer. Gaps in the hedge and tree
screening along the A355 will be
replanted and any new trees that fail will
be replaced.
An extra PCSO has been recruited at
Gerrards Cross enabling 18 hours of
policing to be scheduled for the MSA
which is being funded by the operator,
Swayfields. The MSA is trading at or
above targets set for the opening period
and is receiving good reports from
motorists.
Bio Diversity in The Farnhams
The Bucks and Milton Keynes
Biodiversity Partnership is looking for
help on various projects from local
residents. It is setting up a series of
Biodiversity Actions Plans (BAPs) and
the two that are most pertinent to The
Farnhams are the ancient tree hunt and
the traditional orchards survey.
If you know of an ancient, veteran or
notable tree in our area you can record
it on the Ancient Tree Hunt website –
www.ancient-tree-hunt.org.uk - or let
the parish council know so that we can
put together our own listing.
Traditional orchards are also to be
found in our area, one has already been
identified in Farnham Royal, near St
Mary’s Church. There may be others
which are not obviously apparent due to
housing development. The definition of
a BAP orchard requires 5 trees which
are no more than 20 metres apart
(canopy to canopy) so these may
potentially be spread across several
gardens. For more information call Jez
Elkin, Project Officer on 01296 382949:
jelkin@buckscc.gov.uk
Ideas wanted.
How can we improve our look?
The parish council is looking for ideas to
improve the appearance of The
Farnhams. Do let us know if you have
any ideas that would make the villages
look more attractive and we will discuss
the suggestions at our next monthly
meeting.
Website moves forward
Work continues on the parish council
website which will provide residents
with much useful information about the
council, its work and its members
together with opportunities to link into
other local sites. More news in the next
issue.
PLANNING MATTERS
Applications refused
The Baron (was Cherry Croft),
Parsonage Lane, FC Erection of
entrance gates, piers and railings
(retrospective)
Reason: Visually intrusive roadside
feature that would be prominent within
the street scene, incongruous urban
feature out of character with the
surrounding area and would be
detrimental to the openness of the
Green Belt, would act as a precursor of
further applications. It is recommended
that the applicant reinstates the
drainage ditch to the front of the
property. The applicant is advised that
in the light of this refusal the entrance
gates, piers and railing that have been
constructed are unlawful and should be
removed forthwith.
16

E. Sargeant & Son - Family Funeral Directors
Mrs P O’Neill & Mr J O’Neill Established 1712
A personal and an independent, caring and dignified service
ready to assist at all times.
• 24 Hour Service
• Private Chapels
• Pre-payment Funeral Plan
• Monumental Masons
• Home Visits by Appointment
Head Office: 40 Church Street, Slough, Berks, SL1 1PJ
Slough (01753) 520081 Fax: (01753) 578620
Branches also at:
61 St. Leonards Road, Windsor, Berks, SL4 3BX. Windsor (01753) 865982
13 The Colonnade, Maidenhead, Berks, SL6 1QL. Maidenhead (01628) 783738
17

PENNY ROBINSON
REFLEXOLOGIST
Reflexology is a modern therapy from an ancient tradition, where
the body’s self-healing process is stimulated.
My aim as an experienced therapist is to enhance the health of my
clients in a holistic way, tailoring each treatment to their own
specific needs.
It can be beneficial in the treatment of many complaints and
disorders including: sciatica, arthritis, digestive problems, stress,
PMT, menopause, asthma, insomnia and headaches/migraines.
For an appointment at my Farnham Common consultancy please contact
Penny Robinson MSc BA ITEC & registered Embody Professional on:
01753 645382 or 07956528194(M)
18

Balmer Lawn, Blackpond Lane, FC
Redevelopment of the site to provide 2
pairs of semi-detached houses with
garages
Shergill Cottage, One Pin Lane, FC
Replacement detached dwelling with
integral garage
Reason: Overdominant visual effect on
street scene and the occupiers of
adjoining properties
Feldon, Beeches Road, FC
Part single/part two storey side/rear
extension inc. garage
Reason: Would appear as an
overbearing and obtrusive feature when
viewed from neighbouring property,
Ferncott.
Dair Cottage, Beaconsfield Road, FR
Extension and conversion of garage to
additional accommodation
Reason: The resultant cumulative size
and scale of extension in relation to the
original dwelling would contribute to the
erosion of the Metropolitan Green Belt.
White Lodge, Blackpond Lane, FR
Extension to garage
Reason: Would result in an excessively
large outbuilding, would provide an
excessive level of garaging not
normally associated with a dwelling of
this size, overdevelopment of the
frontage of plot.
Applications permitted
22 Forge Drive, FR
Two storey side extension and pitched
roofs over front and rear flat roofs
Duror, Scotlands Drive, FR
Two storey side single storey rear and
garage extensions
New applications
Broadway Auto Centre, Beaconsfield
Road, FC
Retrospective: One non-illuminated
totem sign/one non illuminated fascia
sign
Old Orchard House, Parsonage
Lane, FC
Front porch, single storey rear
extension, detached triple garage, front
entrance gate and fence
Green Shadows, Parish Lane, FC
Replacement detached dwelling house
inc. basement, rear dormers and
detached double garage
Newton Wyck, Blackpond Lane, FC
Redevelopment of site to provide three
detached dwellings with garages.
Construction of vehicular access
(renewal of planning permission)
Red Roofs, Templewood Lane, FC
Two storey side extension and
detached garage
Alderbourne, Blackpond Lane, FC
Single storey extension
Ashridge, Farnham Lane, FR
Part single storey/part two
storey/side/rear extensions inc. roof
extensions
Ashley House, 1-4 Broadway
Single storey rear extension/change of
use from B1 office to A1 retail
19

Beech Tree House, Blackpond Lane,
FC
Retrospective: Detached dwelling and
garage as constructed
Gracemore,Templewood Lanje, FC
Single storey side extension
Land rear of Budleigh, Parsonage
Lane, FC
Two detached houses with integral
garages and construction of vehicular
access
Southmead Surgery, Blackpond
Lane, FC
Single storey side extension to provide
two consultation rooms and treatment
room
Crossfield, Crown Lane, FR
Replacement detached dwelling
Non Such, Beeches Drive, FC
Two storey front extension/part two
storey/part first floor side extension.
Retention of single storey rear
extension. Detached garage
(amendment)
Diane Needham
FARNHAMS FUSION
All Those Interesting Bits That Make
A Really Fine Brew
Local and Euro election day seems
a long way back now but this is
our first opportunity to summarise
those results impinging upon
the Farnhams. The Conservatives
strengthened their overall grip in Bucks
County Council, taking just under half
the votes cast at the ballot box. In terms
of seats 46 of the 57 seats went to the
Conservatives and 11 went to the
Liberal Democrats, the Tories gaining
one seat at the expense of the Lib
Dems. The parties who polled 49.2 and
28.1 per cent share of the votes
respectively are the only two with
council seats.
Although they did not win any seats, the
UK independence Party got 13.5 per
cent of the votes, Labour got 5.9 per
cent, independent candidates got 1.8
per cent, the Green Party got 1.1 per
cent and the British National Party got
0.4 per cent. The turnout for the
election was 40.1 per cent.
The South Bucks district
representatives at Bucks County
Council level are all Conservative. In
the Burnham Beeches ward Lin Hazell
was the successful candidate, polling
1,321 votes, a 41.6 per cent share,
beating Lib Dem Alan Oxley. The
turnout was 39.3 per cent. For Stoke
Poges and Farnham Common Trevor
Egleton was elected after he got 1,499
votes, giving him a 62.8 per cent share.
The ward turnout was 36.2 per cent. In
the Taplow, Dorney and Lent Rise ward
Dev Dhillon was elected with 1,039
votes, a 52.9 per cent share, a turnout
of 33.4 per cent.
Ascot Ladies Day at Warren Court.
Dorothy Hunt reports the residents
20

Jo & Sharon invite you to
COFFEE, EATS and TREATS
Prospect Ho The Centre
Farnhams Common
Tel: 01753-648583
Enjoy our home baked cakes,
freshly made sandwiches,
specialty coffees & teas
In a warm, comfortable, relaxed
and friendly environment.
Homemade Jams & Preserves
Introducing “Yes! I made it’,
the cheats sweet, for your
dinner parties.
Birthday Cakes to Order
Mon-Fri: 8–6 Sat: 9–5 Sun: 10-4
Your Local Meeting Point
21

22

celebrated Ascot Ladies Day in style
with a strawberry tea party. This
included several sweeps on the races
organised by one of the residents,
Mavis Wakefield, and they all watched
the television excitedly to see who had
won! It was also an occasion for
dressing up as there was a contest for
the best Ascot hat. This was won by 93
year old resident, Jessie Calnan. The
party concluded with a wonderful
spread provided by resident, Sylvia
Hughes, which consisted of
sandwiches, scones, strawberries and
cream. Jessie Kathleen and Sylvia
Hughes, in her complete Ascot
ensemble, are pictured on page 79.
This year’s Parish Fete beat all the
records for financial success despite its
theme of the credit crunch. Fete
organiser Alan Mabbott said afterwards
“We were lucky with the weather and
didn’t we do well”. Very well indeed with
over £4000 in the kitty and some 300
adults paying entrance at the gate plus
lots of children enjoying the games and
general melee. The final sum raised for
church funds beat the 2008 total by over
£800 and there was more because
several other organisations raised
additional funds from their own stalls.
Amongst the latter were Dair House, FR
St Mary’s CE, FC Infants and Junior
schools and Beaconsfield School Africa
Fund, the British Legion and the St
Mary’s Clock appeal.
A picture story appears on our back
page. Featured are the teas team of
Ann, Ruth, Cecily, Dorothy and Judy
(Marjorie was taking a break!), Ron &
Margaret Whiting crunching the
entrance credit till, Ben Bushell and
Gemma Ward from Beaconsfield
school, facepainted Nicole and Jake,
and Derek Collins counting ninepins.
John Conen gives us a timely final
reminder that THE VILLAGE SHOW
2009 takes place on Sunday 13
September at the Farnham Common
Village Hall. This year is the 34th to be
organised by the Farnhams &
Hedgerley Horticultural Society. Doors
open at 2pm and there is no admission
charge. There will be exhibits of flowers,
vegetables, fruit, flower arranging,
cakes and preserves, crafts and
children’s exhibits. An auction of
produce and a raffle conclude the
afternoon’s entertainment. The show
schedule is now available in local shops
and FC library. It contains details of all
the classes and how to enter. There are
over 90 classes to enter, with cash
prizes for winning entries and 20
trophies to be competed for! Please
contact John Conen on 645880 or
07718 536627 or e-mail:
conen@btinternet.com for any enquiry.
Joan Griffith announces that the
Stoke Poges Singers are holding an
open evening at St Andrews Centre,
Rogers Lane, Stoke Poges on
Thursday 3rd September starting
8pm. Joan says “Come and join the
choir for some cheese and wine and
even join in the singing”. Rehearsals
start in September for a November
concert of medleys from the musicals.
Stoke Poges Singers are a friendly four
part choir of about forty members, with
the motto ‘Singing for Pleasure’ and a
varied repertoire, New members are
always welcome and there are no
auditions. To enquire about joining the
23

choir contact Naomi (07831 217575) or
Anthea (662355) or come along to
rehearsals which are held on
Thursdays at St Andrews centre,
starting 8pm.
Further information on www.stoke
poges-singers.org.uk or contact:
info@stoke-poges-singers.org.uk
The Burnham Beeches Sensory Trail
is a 1 km trail visiting woodland, wood
pasture and the pond in Burnham
Beeches with five special sculptures to
touch, listen to and even sit on. The
path is suitable for wheelchairs, with a
short, gradual slope near the pond.
There is improved seating along the
way. An associated Audio Guide, with
facts and poetry about the history and
wildlife of Burnham Beeches, can be
downloaded from www.cityoflondon
.gov.uk/burnham as an MP3 file. You
may also borrow the guide and an MP3
player from the Beeches Office in
Hawthorne Lane from 10am to 4pm,
Monday to Friday, a small deposit is
needed. Further information available
on 647358.
South Bucks District Council Planning
Policy Business Unit will be running
a public exhibition for the proposal
to designate a Farnham Royal
Conservation Area at St. Mary's
Church on Saturday 12th September
from 10am to 4pm. The proposed area
will include St. Mary's Church Farnham
Royal. The exhibition will be run by
Marian Miller (Conservation and Design
Officer) who will be on hand to answer
questions about the proposal.
Angela Hart advises us of several
helpful services that the Age
Concern registered charity has set
up. As we get older, the home we live in
can become more difficult to manage.
Sometimes what we want is a friendly
hand for all those DIY jobs, but at other
times maybe you want to move to
somewhere more manageable. Either
way, Age Concern Bucks has support
services to help. For DIY jobs call the
Handyperson Service. The work is
charged at a reasonably hourly rate
plus materials. And we have a new
painting and decorating service as well.
Moving home to somewhere more
manageable can bring with it greater
independence and a new lease of life.
But it can be a daunting prospect,
especially if you have lived in your
current home for many years. Age
Concern Bucks have set up a service to
support older people to move home,
working in partnership with Seamless
Relocation, and covering the whole
package.
For more information contact Seamless
Relocation direct on 0208 621 3553, or
call Age Concern Bucks on 01296
431127, or write to Angela direct at
Age Concern Bucks, 145 Meadowcroft,
AYLESBURY, Bucks HP19 9HH or Tel:
01296 431911
Bruce Scott writes that COVENANT
CHURCH OF THE CROSS (CCC) is
now meeting at the Free Methodist
Chapel. CCC had their 21st church
service in the Farnhams at the
beginning of July, sharing the Free
Methodist Chapel on Farnham
Common Broadway. Meetings are on
Sunday mornings at 10.15 am and
24

Thursday nights for ‘Hot Word and a Hot
Meal’. CCC have recently taken extra
space across the road to develop a
children's and youth ministry.
The pastoral team consists of Bruce
and Belinda Scott, Sherryl Scott and
George Criticos. Bruce pastored in an
Assemblies of God Church in the USA
before being called to the UK, is
ordained with Liberty and more recently
was on the leadership of a New
Covenant Church in St. Albans.
Bruce has been involved in Market
Place ministry, and spends time
injecting faith and direction into
business people all over the world who
want to understand that business in
itself is a ministry. Those with an interest
in CCC are encouraged to e-mail
the church through the website,
www.covenantchurchofthecross.com
or just invite yourselves along.
Gordon Glass, Marketing Coordinator
with the United Sustainable
Energy Agency says smarter driving
could save you the equal of about one
month’s worth of fuel each year. Try
these tips:
Shift up the gears earlier (between
2000 and 2500rpm). Cruising
comfortably in 5th gear is the best
place to be.
Cut your top speed. Wind
resistance increases significantly
with speed. The optimum speed for
fuel efficiency is 45 – 50mph.
Avoid unnecessary braking by
anticipating the traffic ahead. Fluid
motion is better than stop start.
When slowing down, stay in gear
and take your foot off the
accelerator as early as possible.
This reduces fuel consumption to
near zero.
Plan your route to avoid congestion
or getting lost.
More money saving tips from the
Energy Saving Trust on 0800 512 012.
VILLAGE BUSINESS
On Parade, On Broadway and beyond
With the emigration of Lee Trowbridge
to Toronto in Canada we welcome
Steve Baskcombe to the Fresh Grimsby
Fish (FGF) stall. FGF operates out of
the Car Park at the Stag and Hounds on
Tuesday mornings from 8:00am till 1:00
pm. Steve’s family have been in the fish
trade, either as trawlermen or on the
retail side for four generations so we
can be reassured of the same extensive
range of top quality fish and shellfish
that we have come to expect from Lee.
We wish Lee well in his travels and look
forward to a friendly new face at the
Stag & Hounds on Tuesday mornings.
25

Also new at the Stag & Hounds is
landlady Emma Joyce’s latest
enterprise which she is calling ‘the rear
of the year’. After a great tidy-up,
returfing and wooden fencing, a cast
iron pergoda sets off a new beer garden
area complete with swings for young
children. New BarBQ tables with sun
shades ensure a comfortable and
relaxed area for enjoying summer
refreshment and food in the open air.
Also getting in to the en-plein-air mood
is Andrews Plaice fish & chip emporium
just next door. Andrew has already
placed tables and chairs on the
premises’ own pavement but soon
these will be surrounded by smart
canvas zoning screens offering
customers greater privacy. Freshly
brewed tea and coffee and bread rolls
make for a real meal experience. Also
on the way is an extended range of food
including Southern Fried Chicken and
new kids meal specials.
No. 1 the Broadway, which opens
towards the end of July. Having lived in
3 countries on 3 continents the owners
noticed some great gift retailers in
Austria, Germany, France, America and
South Africa. In retail for over 20 years
they have combined that experience
with what they saw and have created a
vision for a 'departmentalised' small
store. Giftzee’s departments include:
Fresh flowers and pot plants, anything
that goes on a table, cards, paper
and presentations, speciality food,
children's gift ideas, Soaps and a little
clothing
A key department is personalized Gift
Presentations. This includes flowers or,
for example, a packet of delightful
paper napkins with egg cups and
spoons, or a piece of jewellery with a
bottle of Moet and two Riedel
Champagne glasses. Belinda and
Bruce are looking to grow the range
with further exciting ideas. This is just
the start, with more stores opening over
the next two years and designing their
own range of fabrics, cards and papers.
Adding to the villages’ appeal for gift
shopping we are delighted to announce
the reopening of the former florists after
extensive interior modification. Giftzee’s
is the name of Belinda (pictured) and
Bruce Scott’s exciting new business at
26

AUGUST & SEPTEMBER
SPECIALS
MONDAY - THURSDAY
TWO MAIN COURSES
FOR THE
PRICE OF ONE
FROM THE
A LA CARTE MENU
Only available with this voucher. For
main courses at different prices the
cheaper of the two is free. All rights
reserved by Emperor management.
Offer ends Sept. 30th 2009.
Tel: 01753 643006 for reservations
28

The end of an era. Details are still not
available but we can report that the 18
year tenancy of Maggie and Tony
Jackson at The Foresters is soon to
end, maybe by the time that this issue
of The Farnhams reaches your door.
This landmark hostelry remains in the
Punch Taverns group but a new tenant,
who we understand has quite some
local knowledge, is likely to be behind
the bar or in the kitchens or both very
soon. We thank Maggie and Tony for
creating and maintaining the villages’
premier classic style restaurant and
bars and wish them a much deserved
successful future in whatever they plan.
July and our intrepid photographer , Jim
Williams was one of the first to sample
the range of beers including one of the
Editor’s favourites, dare we say it,
Theakston’s Best.
Congratulations to Max and Lourdes
Paswell of the Blackwood Arms,
Littleworth Common, for again receiving
the Campaign for Real Ale’s David
Howard award for Publican of the Year.
Our picture shows the victorious couple
together with the certificate and ceramic
trophy.
Finally, all attempts to get updates on
the Yew Tree and the Deli / Pizzeria /
Coffee Bar opening next to the La
Cantina Del Vino restaurant have come
to nought but we are certain the latter,
whatever it is, will be with us before the
next issue.
‘Lancashire Lassie’, Anna Miller is
pictured pulling her first pint in the
redecorated Crown Inn in Crown Lane.
Not only a new venture for Anna but
also for Couch & Hall Ltd, a new
company to the Public House trade.
The ‘brought-back to-life’ Crown
opened for business on Monday 13th
Late Extra - Car Parking!
We have just heard that on the initiative
of their Chamber of Commerce,
Chalfont St Peter's Church Road Car
Park will now have one hour's free car
parking to encourage use of local
shops. We can do it too. See page 11
and e-mail Bill Lidgate today.
Editor
29

GREEN IDOLS
When Moses came down from the mountain,
Ten Commandments tucked under his arm,
He hoped for a hero’s welcome,
They might even have sung him a Psalm.
But the people he led out of Egypt,
The wandering Israelites,
Were fed up with life in the desert
And wanted their Human Rights.
They were tired of a regular diet,
Of Manna from Heaven and quail,
Remembering fresh bread in Egypt,
And the Pharaohs special old ale.
They thought Moses gone for ever,
So long was he up Sinai,
That the leaders forgot all about him,
And rejected the true God on High.
But the tribes said “We still need to worship,
Feel better for bending our knee”,
So “Give us a God that is Awesome,
Make sure it’s a God we can see.”
Then the leaders all met together,
And made a decree saying “The State
Needs all the gold you’ve been hoarding,
Every ring and bracelet and plate”.
And they knocked up a great big sculpture,
Which looked like a Golden Calf,
And the people bowed down and felt better,
And nobody thought it were daft.
It’s true - down through the ages,
To worship is every man’s need,
(But, if it’s money you worship,
As with bankers it’s labelled as greed.)
Don’t bother to worship the True God,
Dawkins has proved He’s not there.
In His place is a new hate figure,
Carbon Dioxide in air.
Our State’s made a new God to worship,
It’s Energy and it is GREEN,
But we people say “How can we worship
Since Energy’s never been seen?”.
So the State’s taking all of our money
(Printing more on the Public’s behalf),
To cover the country in idols,
Same idea as the Golden Calf.
They’re technically known as Wind Turbines,
On top of a 100 yard mast,
Cost a fortune to build, expensive to run
And the countryside covered is vast.
They are big and ugly and useless,
Who cares if they’re not turning round?
We can stand, we can look and feel better
As we worship this new God we’ve found!
30
Russell Wendover

JON BENJAMIN
Farnhams’ Boy Makes
Top Chile Posting
Farnhams born and schooled Jon
Benjamin has recently (17 th June, 2009)
been appointed Her Majesty’s
Ambassador to Chile and will take up
his appointment in December. Son of
Arthur and Edith Benjamin of Mayflower
Way (Edith taught at FC Junior School
for many years) Jon started at Farnham
Common Primary School in September
1967. He progressed through the
Infants' department and then through
the Junior School, leaving after passing
the 12+ exam to go to Slough Grammar
School for boys. He did well at school,
particularly enjoying languages. and
after A-levels he was accepted at The
University of Surrey, where he finished
with a First Degree in Linguistics and
International Relations.
After passing the exam for the Civil
Service he accepted a position in the
Home Office before transferring to the
Foreign Office where he has worked
ever since. Responsibilities since
joining the Foreign & Commonwealth
Office have included ‘desks’ for
Pakistan, Burma and Laos,
Jakarta/Indonesia, Ankara/Turkey and
Zimbabwe. His most recent
appointments were Counter - terrorism
and Human Rights Counsellor in
Washington and Deputy Head of
Mission and Acting Consul General in
New York. Jon’s mastership of
languages includes Indonesian and
Turkish.
THANKYOU
Ged Ashcroft, Richard Bruce, Len Collins, John Conen, John Cooper, Phil Ely, Rosemary
Followell, Gordon Glass, Joan Griffith, Angela Hart, Andy Hamilton, Dorothy Hunt, Jenny
Harper-Jones, Jerry Houdret, Brian Letchford, Pat Marshall, R.E. Maun, Elisabeth Mills,
Robin Morrison, Diane Needham, Ruth Potts, Graham Saunders, Bruce Scott, Judy Tipping,
Donald Vincent, Russell Wendover, Geoff & Heather Wilson.
Thanks also to The Farnhams staff photographers, John Archibald, David Gray and Jim
Williams, and to Edith Benjamin, Richard Bruce, Judy Tipping for additional photographs and
design.
31

OPEN GARDENS 7 TH JUNE
Hospice Gains £1200
We had 9 gardens open for charity in
Farnham Common on Sunday 7th June.
After two hot weekends it looked as if the
Gardens Sunday was going to be a
washout. I was worried that the people I
had presold tickets to would be walking
round the gardens in the rain. However
we decided to sell tickets at most of the
gardens on the day and crossed fingers
for a fine afternoon. There was a terrific
storm in the early hours of Sunday
morning but not too much damage was
done and the lawn was quickly mown at
about 11 am. After another heavy
shower at 1.45 pm the sun finally came
out as we opened the gates at 2 pm. We
had about 120 visitors in total, most
people told us that they wouldn’t have
been deterred by rain! The large plant
stall practically sold out in the first hour.
The raffle and teas were held in Patsy
Kemp’s garden and were also very
popular. Many of us had visitors coming
in after 5pm. A lot of people said it was
quite difficult to see all the 9 gardens in 3
hours. After adding up ticket sales,
donations, plants, teas and raffle we
made over £1200 for Helen and Douglas
House Hospice for children. We met at
Patsy’s house in the evening to discuss
the day and everyone agreed that we
would do it all over again in 2011 and I
think then we will open from 1-5 pm.
Watch this space!
Pat Marshall
The garden pictures are on page 79
FROM THE REGISTERS (August 2009)
Baptisms:
St. Mary’s Farnham Royal Isabelle Lucia Dunning Steven Lee James Thomas
Tyler John Mackenzie Ewan Leslie Bennett
St. John’s Farnham Common Aimee Jean Clark
St. Mary’s Hedgerley
Oliver Charles Moran
Weddings:
St. Mary’s Farnham Royal
St. Mary’s Hedgerley
William Woods & Denise Plummer
Paul Dicker & Samantha Creak
Ryan Ashe & Nicola Asker
Paul Nichols & Samantha Billard
Benjamin Cook & Caroline Heap
Columb Lawns & Samantha Marchant
Wedding Anniversary Blessings:
St. Mary’s Farnham Royal John & Doreen Stone - 60th Anniversary
Barry & Rosemary Rockell - 30th Anniversary
Funerals:
St. John’s Farnham Common Vic Tipping Douglas Kean
St. Mary’s Farnham Royal Peter Chiverall Smith Philip Barnes
Crematoriums & Cemeteries:
Alfred Warren May Joyce John Chapman Charlotte Mancer
Sylvia Adaway Enid Roberts Kathleen Ingram Peteris Skrastins
32

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION
Since the last edition of The Farnhams
we have had our Plant Sale and were
blessed with a fine morning. We did
quite well with takings around £400.
Many thanks to all who contributed
plants and to all helpers on the day.
Unfortunately, during our sale we had
the sad news that Vice President Mr
Peter Cheverall-Smith had died. His
funeral was on June 3rd with a
Thanksgiving Service at St Mary’s
Church Farnham Royal, followed by a
family only service at the Slough
Crematorium.
On June 13th our Branch had a couple
of tables at the Stoke Poges Village
Fete, and it was the best village fete I’ve
seen. There was something for
everyone - people were packed in with
many children present. The weather
was great. Our Poppy organisers,
Cherry and David Marriott arranged our
spots with Alan Bones and myself as
‘assistants’ and it is hoped we will see a
few more members as a result. Our
Sponsored Walk took place on July
12th from the Stag car park in Burnham
Beeches. The Annual Supper is on
October 9th, admittance by ticket only.
Notices will soon be sent out.
I’m pleased to say that Mrs Carol Hazle
has offered her services to cover the
Hedgerley Estate by the shops for this
year’s Poppy Appeal but if anyone
wishes to help in selling poppies please
let Cherry or David Marriott know on
644025. I am still receiving stamps
(stamps only please) for the Legion and
they must be pleased with the amount
sent from our Branch although they are
not acknowledged.
We now hear that our Subscriptions
Secretary, Mr Vic Tipping, died on June
13th and our thoughts are with Judy at
this sad time. The Thanksgiving
Service was held in St John’s Church,
Farnham Common on June 25th and
extra seating was brought in to
accommodate all attending. Tributes
were read by Mrs Judy Tipping and Mr
Humphrey Pocock.
Mr Alan Mabbott gave a reading and a
poem was read by Ella Tipping. The
service and address was by the Revd
Graham Saunders. Refreshments were
available afterwards at the Brian Jubb
Hall where most of the congregation
met up and talked of “The Old Days”.
Vic will be greatly missed by the Legion
and his position of Subscriptions
Secretary will be difficult to fill.
John Cooper
Editor’s Note: Vic Tipping’s obituary
appears on page 39
35

WI NEWS
War Graves, Bees,
Music Hall And More
In April Mr Rigg paraded into our
meeting in full military regalia. After
many years of military service, he
worked with the War Graves
Commission. He showed us just how
much care is still taken to ensure our
noble fallen are given respect and not
forgotten in far off fields. He was shortly
taking a group of veterans to a littleknown
cemetery in France where he had
worked over a number of years and was
looking forward to making their visit
special.
The 2009 WI resolution was to put
pressure on the Government to increase
funding for research into the current
crisis in the bee population which
threatens to affect global food supplies.
Members competed to name as many
plants as they could which attract bees
to our gardens. A plant sale followed
where our sales woman of the year
managed to ‘flog them all off’ at a profit.
Even Sir Alan would be tempted to point
and say, “You’re hired”. Twenty-three of
us met for lunch at The Emperor, which
was so successful that we plan to be
“ladies who lunch’ again (and again) in
the future.
In June, our Beeches WI Group rep’
attended the NFWI AGM at The Royal
Albert Hall. The guest speakers were
Maureen Lipman, Eve Pollard and
Richard Stilgoe. Richard brought along
three young people from the Orpheus
Centre which not only offers performing
arts training to young adults with
disabilities, but also supports them in
learning life skills such as cooking,
managing money, shopping and general
well-being, so that they can live
independently in the future. They
entertained us with songs and poems
and there was barely a dry eye in the
house as we rose to give them a
standing ovation. Picture if you will
nearly 6,000 WI ladies crossing into
Hyde Park opposite for lunch - handbags
and packed-lunches at the ready. Traffic
was at a standstill, any tooting horns
being acknowledged with a cheery
wave.
In June, it was life before TV with Mrs
Purdy, whose performances, since the
age of three, included acting in the
“Lavender Hill Mob”, ballet dancing at
the Royal Albert Hall, plane wing
walking, fire eating and being a member
of the Magic Circle. A wonderful speaker,
who took us back to the vintage variety
and music hall performers of yesteryear
and challenged us to name various radio
signature tunes she had recorded. We
did well – so it proves our memories are
still working!
On 23 June, ladies from the five WIs in
the Beeches Group enjoyed a light
supper and entertainment by an
accordion player on a lovely summer
evening in the Brian Jubb Hall, hosted by
Templewood WI. There was a
magnificent display of patchwork from
Hedgerley WI and the award-winning WI
portfolio of Taplow & Hitcham WI.
Reports from the WIs spoke of the many
activities enjoyed across a wide
spectrum of interests and sports, as well
as outings, charity events, afternoon
teas, lunches and lively Christmas
parties, showing the continuing
enthusiasm of WI ladies to have fun and
enjoy themselves.
Rosemary Followell
36

37
Staff at Farnham Common Junior School out in the summer sunshine following the news of their
Ofsted inspection (full report on page 51). “A good school with some outstanding features where staff
take extremely good care of the pupils who are very happy at the school” says Ofsted. Our
photographer’s mission was to capture all the staff but naturally this was not to be with other
commitments and illness. In the frame are, l to r, Kirsten Robertson, Heather Trobridge, Sue Box, Lee
Racey, Linda long, Julia Dix, Gitta Streete, Helen Jones (Head Teacher), Andrew Sullivan, Keith
Miles, Laura Jordan, Hayley Gray with Sharon Slater behind, Adele Fever wth Nicki Pilborough
partially hidden, Jan Huby, Aviva Furman, Ron Crick and Denise Gray. Missing at the time were
Sandra Buckledee, Sharon Meyer, Paulene Perry, Diane Ruck, Christine Salter (Deputy Head
Teacher), Sara-Lynn Spruzen, Liz Simmonds and Helen Wills.

OBITUARY
Vic Tipping
I am going to find the dogs.
“Quiet determination, generosity to
family and friends and an active life
proved Vic Tipping as a man of
character and maturity, a genuine
example of how to live”. This was Revd
Graham Saunders talking at the service
of Thanksgiving for Vic’s life at St John’s
Chuch, Farnham Common on 25th
June.
Vic was born in Londonderry on 30th
November 1935, the only child born into
a Roman Catholic Family, and
christened as Victor George Leslie. His
father was in the army and for most of
the time it was just Vic and his mother at
home and maybe it was this context that
shaped much of his later outlook on life.
He was always interested in everything
his family set their hearts on and
achieved, making him a happy man.
His working life followed the ethic: ‘If you
want anything out of life - you work for it.’
He trained as a Mechanical Draftsman at
Westinghouse, furthered his experience
through Electrical Design whilst in the
Army and worked on printed circuits for
EMI. In more recent years shipping
water purification equipment to the third
World kept him working until he was 70.
A talented sportsman, Vic loved both
Football and Rugby, both as player and
referee. In the 1960’s he was an
established member of Beaconsfield 1st
XV as a competitive back row forward.
Eventually a knee injury ended his
playing career and ‘reffing’ and coaching
became his sporting life, eventually
coaching the Buckinghamshire County
Team. On the way he earned the
accolade of champion-maker, being with
Marlow when for two successive years
they beat High Wycombe in the final
of the county cup, then moving to
High Wycombe, he coached their
championship win. He played the key
role in Bucks County coaching for mini
and youth rugby and was delighted
when his grandson joined the minis at
High Wycombe. But it wasn’t just on the
pitch that he excelled, he was a keen
student of the game with a vast
knowledge of facts and figures and built
up a large collection of rugby
memorabilia.
That gentle determination was played
out with great natural courage in his final
days. When told that further treatment
was not possible he accepted the verdict
with great dignity. Asked whether he was
afraid of dying he recalled his love of
walking the dogs in the Beeches and
replied: “No, I am going to find the dogs.”
Vic leaves his wife Judy, son Mark,
daughter Karen and two grandchildren.
39

Looking for an excuse to get friends together? Been meaning to treat yourself at the Spa
but not had the chance?
Why not bring the SPA to you?
Have a TEMPLE SPA class where you and your friends can relax in your own home, get a
home facial, gain skin care tips, have the opportunity to try an exclusive range of
professional skincare products and importantly have some fun!.
For more information about attending a Temple Spa class, hosting a class or having a 1:1
consultation with a Lifestyle Consultant, please contact Lynn on 07976 137724 or
lynn.temple_spa@yahoo.co.uk
43

End of a massive
contribution..
Terry Smart (l),
retiring Treasurer
and David Ashton
(r) retiring Group
Chairman being
thanked by John
Winyard, Group
President of 1st
Hedgerley Scout
Group, at the May
AGM in Duffield
Lane
The Farnhams
magazine ‘Jottings
From The Potting
Shed’ gardening
correspondent, RE
Maun, checking his
scarlet Runners. His
column has run for a
glorious 10 years and
we wish him many
more
44
Honoured by the
Rotary Club Of Slough
for lifetime Services to
the community in
many different fields,
including youth,
medical and pastoral
are 2009 Paul Harris
award winners Rose
Stewart and Doreen
Gould

RENEWABLE ENERGY
The BritishEco Solution
BritishEco Ltd, a locally based company
that specialises in renewable energy
solutions for domestic and commercial
buildings, held a talk on renewable
energy and how this could save money,
on 8th July 2009 at the Brian Jubb Hall.
The talk covered many different options
which are available to make homes
more eco friendly and save money.
Technologies such as solar panels, to
heat domestic hot water, or produce
electricity that will help run the house
and even be sold back to the electricity
grid at a profit.
They also discussed some interesting
products such as wind turbines and rain
water harvesting, where rain water can
be used to flush toilets, wash clothes
and water gardens. This system can
save up to 50% on household water
bills. Another technology discussed was
heat pumps for heating homes and
offices where, for every pound’s worth
of energy put in, householders can get
up to four pounds worth of heat into
their home. BritishEco also covered
how home owners can receive grants of
up to £2,500 to help install these
technologies, and how future funding
will help to pay back renewable energy
investments.
Andy Hamilton, the local consultant,
said, ‘It is important that we understand
where these technologies are
appropriate and how they can help to
reduce bills and cut CO2 emissions, so
that we can help reduce the impact of
climate change.’ It was clear from the
attendance, and the questions put
forward from the floor, that this is a hot
topic and that interest in green
or renewable energy solutions is
increasing. Cheese and wine served
to the delegates and the talk was
accompanied by a quiz and a prize
draw, the proceeds of which were
donated to St John’s Church funds.
Readers may contact Andy (based in
Burnham) with any questions on
Renewable Energy and how you can
save money and reduce your carbon
footprint. Mobile: 07921 142379
JOTTINGS FROM
THE POTTING SHED
Savoy, Potatoes For
Christmas And Lawn Clippings
Wow! It’s hot! My shade thermometer
registered 94°F this week (end of July).
I’m virtually flooding the garden and
greenhouse every evening when the
temperature drops a bit, as did my good
neighbour when I was away for a few
days earlier in the month. Crops are
growing fast and the harvest is prolific
with lots to come. Parsnips sown on
April 28th (a month later than normal)
have given almost 100% germination
first time. Likewise other crops have
shown good germination by holding off
until later. Mind you, there is an old
saying “sow and plant with a waxing
never a waning moon” which I did,
albeit unintentionally. I shall not,
however, abide by another saying
which involves planting naked at
45

midnight. The mind boggles. Here’s a
good one: “Look at weeding as one of
life’s therapies”. Go on, then, get
started.
August - With a few rows of Potatoes
harvested, it’s time to plant out some
Winter Cabbage or Savoys. Firm the
ground by treading it after sprinkling
and working in some blood, fish and
bone organic fertilizer. If you didn’t raise
your own plants, make sure you buy in
from a club root free source.
Good varieties to grow are Caramba
(plant now), Tundra (which will tolerate
cold and snow) or Brigadier which can
grow to the size of a football. A frosthardy
Savoy is Siberia. Broccoli should
also be planted out for late winter use.
Sow Cauliflower under glass or in a cold
frame. Varieties best suited for Spring
use are Winter Aalsmeer or Walcharen
Winter Pilgrim. With the Leeks and
Parsnips, that should set you up nicely.
The Strawberries (Haphil) have been
wonderful this year, especially those
grown in my new container. This is a
three-tier arrangement and costs
around £40. From ten plants I had first
quality fruit - all clean and bug free. My
Strawberry bed is being re-located this
month and new plants produced from
the runners of the old ones will be used.
The new bed at the moment contains
bedding plants which, by the end of this
month, will be past their best and ready
for the compost bin.
Fork in some well rotted manure then
rest the ground for a week prior to
planting up the new plants. The existing
Strawberry bed will be well dug over,
manured, and used for a crop of Winter
Lettuce followed by plenty of one of our
favourite vegetables - Spinach.
The lawn will probably be looking tired
by now, so it’s time to lightly feed it. If
we get a few days rain, that will be ideal
conditions. Don’t overfeed but try about
half of the quantity stated on the packet.
This will then last until the Autumn
treatment in October.
The flower borders need a lot of
attention this time of year with deadheading
being one of the main tasks.
This pays off well as it extends the
flowering time by quite a lot. Roses,
especially, benefit and I sometimes
have blooms until Christmas. Weeding
is also important as weeds take as
much from the soil as other cultivated
plants. After all, a weed is just a plant
in the wrong place.
In August 2007 I explained how to
prune your Raspberries, Gooseberries
and Currants. For those of you who
missed this article, please contact me
via the Editor and I will provide
photocopies free of charge.
Some ‘quickies’ to finish in August: (i)
Sow Sweet William and Wallflowers, (ii)
Plant Colchicum bulbs which will flower
in weeks, (iii) Water well and mulch
Runner Beans with grass clippings, (iv)
Trim and train stems of Climbing Roses
on horizontal wires, (v) Plant Potatoes
in pots for Christmas, (vi) Freeze
surplus Beans, (vii) Prune new Wisteria
shoots to within 2" of the main branch.
September - Onions should be a good
size and just about ready for harvest.
46

LAWN CARE by
“LAWNTENDER”
The key to any great lawn is
regular weed & feed treatments.
Our expert service provides just
that – ensuring you get the lawn
you’ve always dreamed of
LAWNTENDER offers:
FREE lawn assessment & quote
four seasonal treatments
professional long life feeds
specialist weed & moss control
aeration & scarification service
Our service takes the guesswork
out of improving your lawn
For your assessment and quote
call Robert Southerden
01753 642443
S L
General Building
&
Property Maintenance
Carpentry & Joinery
Locks & Bolts
Curtain Rails & Blinds
Doors & Cabinets
Gutters Cleaning/Repairs
Wall Painting & Repairs
Painting & Decorating
Call Simon on
Mob: 07870 469 416
Tel & Ans: 01753 711991
47

The
h
Beeches
Garage
Ltd.
Beeches Road,
Farnham am Common,
Slough, Bucks, SL2 3PS
01753 644568
or 01753 646748674
48
Friendly family run
garage
First
class repairs r
and
servicing for ALL MAKES of
cars
and light
commercial vehicles
Independent Renault specialists
Latest diagnostic equipment
MOT test station
Air conditioning repairs
and re-gassing
g
Free local collection and delivery from home or
work
Open
6 days a week
Free wash with every service and selected repairs
Courtesy cars available
Accident repair work can be arranged
48

Look for the tops starting to turn light
brown and bend over then choose a
time when we are due some warm,
sunny weather to lift the Onions.
Leave them on top of the ground or,
better still, on some wire netting above
the ground until they are dried off and
ready to store in nylon tights. If you
know how, you can “string” them for
storage. My dad was brilliant at this but
I’m hopeless.
Feed the Leeks with a general fertilizer
such as Westland Nutri Plant Feed
which is organic and simple to use. The
Spinach (Perpetual) will also benefit
from a boost and should still be
available up until Christmas.
Inspect Daffodil and Tulip bulbs and
Crocus corms and dispose of any which
show signs of rot or disease. For really
early flowers, plant a few Daffodils at
the end of the month. Otherwise, look
round for some different varieties.
There are some unusual varieties in the
“Butterfly” range including Centannes,
which is yellow and orange, and a pink
one called Yritomba.
These are available, along with other
standard and “fancy” ones, direct from
Thompson & Morgan on 0844 5732020.
Farnham Common Nurseries will be
displaying their bulbs this month and
I’m sure that your Spring show will be
magnificent.
spike and mow, then use a low nitrogen
fertizer to encourage root growth
throughout late Autumn and Winter. At
this stage, lawn clippings must be
picked up or thatch will form, followed
by moss, followed by disease, followed
by bare earth! Cheerful, aren’t I!
If you look back at all the work I
mentioned for August, don’t worry if you
don’t manage it all. Transfer some to
September - everything will catch up.
Just go with the weather.
Yes - the weather. Ian Currie says
August and September should be fine
and very warm so plan accordingly.
Wear a hat and use plenty of sun
cream.
Good Gardening, everyone. and don’t
forget the village Horticultural Show on
Sunday September 13th.
R E Maun
Editors Note: The October Jottings will
make R E Maun’s 10th anniversary of
writing for The Farnhams. Marking this
60 columns of tips and advice the
author takes pride of place on our cover
and is also featured on page 44.
Lawn treatment at the end of this month
will depend entirely on the weather.
There is not much you can do with dry
lawn but if we have had some
penetrating rain for a few days, scarify,
49

THE RUTH POTTS POEM
Summer 2009
It is Summer and the flowers are blooming,
The sun is shining
and the grass growing high.
One of these days it’s going to start raining,
But it’s no good me waiting,
I’ve got to water those pots
Else everything will die.
Wimbledon’s on, and everyone is watching,
People are hoping
It will be Federer or Murray this time.
One of these days it’s going to start raining.
No-one starts moving,
‘Cause they’ll run out the roof
And all will stay dry.
Ascot has gone and we’re left with the memories,
Champagne’s been sparkling
And the ladies with hats have all been divine.
It was one of those weeks that it didn’t start raining,
Horses were running,
People were betting,
Was mine the last? I heave a sigh.
Glastonbury’s finished, and the guys were all rocking.
People were jumping
To the music in time.
There wasn’t much rain, the sun has been shining.
Springsteen’s the boss,
His magic’s performing
And the world felt it was fine.
Holidays move nearer, it’s time to start packing.
To the sea some are going,
Others staying nearer to home.
Fingers are crossed that it won’t start raining,
And you tan rather than burning.
For the good times you’ll have
Will just slip on by.
It is Summer and the Fete is approaching,
Time to start baking
And clearing the decks
The order is out that it will not start raining.
The Credit Crunch is banished,
We hope you’ll be coming
To join us all in having a good time.
Ruth Potts
50

AN INSPECTOR CALLS . . . .
AGAIN!
FARNHAM COMMON
JUNIOR SCHOOL
Once more it was a case of “look out,
the Ofsted Inspectors are about”, and
only three years after the last
inspection. This time we had been
given a little more warning. Bucks
Education Authority had held a meeting
of schools in April to tell them that
Ofsted were looking into a new form of
inspection and that some of us in Bucks
would be targeted as pilot schools in the
summer term. The NEW Ofsted
inspection would have different criteria
and would include more about how we
looked after our children and how we
fitted into the community as well as the
pupils’ academic achievement, oh! and
by the way, the Headteacher would
need to rewrite our Self Evaluation
Form, all eighty five pages of it, against
the new criteria just in case we did
become part of the pilot study. Well, I
am sure you have guessed it. We did
get the phone call with two days notice
of the Inspectors’ arrival. However we
were to be inspected under the old
standard and not the new pilot one, and
so the enormous amount of extra work
and burning of midnight oil by our
Headteacher, Helen Jones, and her
staff had not been necessary – though
it will of course be of great value in the
future.
So, on Monday 9 th June, two Inspectors
came knocking at the door of the
school, virtually at the crack of dawn
and ready to probe into every aspect of
the school. In my report on the 2006
inspection, I commented how extremely
pleasant the two Inspectors were. From
the feedback this time it would appear
that this year’s Inspectors had not been
to the same charm school and, dare I
say it, were more hard nosed and
critical. Not necessarily a bad thing and,
of course, it meant that their
subsequent comments about the school
were all the more rewarding.
And so to the feedback in the Ofsted
report on YOUR local Junior School.
• Their report highlights the fact that
Farnham Common Junior School is a
good school with some outstanding
features. Pupils reach well above
average standards which are close to
being exceptionally high.
• All teaching is good and some is
outstanding. Good use is made of
modern technology. A broad
curriculum is provided.
• Staff take extremely good care of the
pupils who are very happy at the
school, take regular exercise and are
very safety aware. Pupils get involved
and contribute to decisions in the
school. They demonstrate excellent
attitudes to learning and enjoy the
wide range of extra activities.
Behaviour is exemplary.
• Parents are supportive, both of the
school and of their children’s
education.
• Finally, they concluded that the
school’s good levels of attainment
over several years, and the
determination of staff to go on
improving, are clear evidence of the
school’s capacity to make further
improvements.
Yet again the Ofsted report highlights
the commitment of staff, parents and
51

governors to ensuring that all pupils
meet their potential and are happy and
secure in the process. The official
Government Agenda is that ‘Every
Child Matters’ and Farnham Common
Junior School sets out to make sure
that this is so. In the vernacular of my
youth, we try to help children to be
‘healthy, wealthy and wise’ – and the
Ofsted report demonstrates the
school’s achievements in this regard.
Congratulations to Helen Jones and her
staff, to all the governors and parents
who support them, and to the pupils
without whom there would be no
school.
Brian Letchford
School Governor.
Editor’s Note: Headteacher Helen
Jones and as many staff as we could
muster at this busy FC Junior are
pictured on page 37
BEES SEQUEL
25,000 Mile Bounty
There is honey - and there is honey:
runny, set, gel, creamed, granulated,
aromatic heather honey, unpleasant (to
some) rape or ivy honey.
The physical characteristics of any
honey depend on the ratio of the two
sugars, glucose and fructose, which
together make up around 80% of the
composition. 40% glucose and 40%
fructose will make a typical honey.
Slightly more glucose and the honey
will set easily. Slightly more fructose
and it will be runny. Flavour and aroma
come from perhaps a dozen other
sugars, organic and amino acids and
minerals.
However, if the honey is set and you
want it to be runny, put it into the airing
cupboard for a day or two. If you prefer
it set, put it into the fridge.
The bees work very hard, with great
skill, to make honey. Foraging bees will
visit flowers up to 3 miles away and
suck nectar into their honey stomachs.
They fly back to the hive and spit the
nectar into empty cells in the
honeycomb, a little in each. Nursery
bees keep it warm and fan their wings
over it until it has dried to less than 18%
water.
When it is ready they move it to their
storage honeycomb, blend and fill the
cells and put a wax capping on it.
Honey which is made like this will last
forever, or at least from the time of the
Pharaohs!
So when you enjoy honey for breakfast,
please think of the skill that has gone
into preparing it and remember that a
1lb jar is the product of perhaps 25,000
bee-miles!
Ira Pasti
52

THE DAFFODILS
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils,
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A Poet could not but be gay
In such a jocund company
I gazed – and gazed – but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude:
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
As written by
W Wordsworth, A Poet
THE BUTTERCUPS
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er downs and ups,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden buttercups.
Filled my heart with a great unease
As they danced and fluttered in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle 'till the break of dawn,
They stretched in never-ending line
Far to the borders of my lawn:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.
A Gardener could not be gay
To see his lawn in this array
So, murmuring a mild invective,
Mixed I an herbicide,selective.
I sprayed – and sprayed – but little thought
What awful mayhem I had wrought.
For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
But I can't say that my heart bleeds
For knocking off those blasted weeds.
As might have been written by
W Wordsworth, A Gardener
55

SLOUGH’S EVERGREEN
2000 TRUST
From The Haymill Reserve
To Cocksherd Wood
As a boy and wartime evacuee I leaned
to love and respect the countryside and
this has influenced my life ever since,
particularly my time as Chairman of the
Evergreen Trust over the last ten years.
The first Evergreen operation was
mounted in 1965 at the behest of the
West Slough Group Ministry to bring
together groups of young people, the
Scouts, the Rangers and a contingent
of boys from Eton College, in a joint
community effort to clean up and
restore Slough’s green open spaces
and woodlands. This was a novel
concept at that time, which generated a
great deal of Press and Television
coverage and led to a lasting legacy of
good community relations.
The Evergreen concept was reestablished
by a group of residents to
provide a meaningful way of celebrating
the new millennium and in 1998
became a registered charity dedicated
to the conservation and protection of
the local natural environment and
wildlife. Work is directed to sites of
special importance on the Berkshire
and Buckinghamshire border of
northwest Slough, which are the last
green vestiges of the ‘hallowed acres’
of the former Burnham Grove Estate.
These sites total some 70 acres and
form a vital biodiversity corridor running
from the Haymill Nature Reserve
adjacent to the Great Western Railway
line in the south to the Cocksherd Wood
Wildlife Heritage Site and open
countryside in the north. In meeting the
objects of the Evergreen 2000
constitution our work takes many
different forms including Administration,
Recruitment, Fund-raising, Promotion,
Material and Equipment Acquisition
and Fieldwork Projects. The latter
involves litter-picking, scrub clearance,
coppicing, logging, planting, path work,
fencing and signage. Evergreen 2000
remains alert to the sorry fact that even
today these sites and our countryside
are under constant threat from flytipping,
mindless vandalism and
encroaching urbanisation, which
demands our constant vigilance and
attention.
On my recent retirement as Chairman I
was credited as being the Founder of
the Trust but I have to say that all the
hard work and success of the
organisation is due to our devoted
Trustees who ‘made things happen’. I
am confident that in the safe hands of
Alan Woodley, our new Chairman, the
work of the Evergreen 2000 Trust will
continue.
Les Collins
Winner of Slough Borough Council’s
Citizen of the Year Award 2009,
sponsored by the Rotary Club of Slough
56

JUDY TIPPING REMEMBERS
Victoria Road, Farnham Common
The Foresters Arms Public House has
stood on the corner for many years,
previously named on old maps as the
‘Brickmakers Arms’, but the original
building was much smaller and had
stabling to the side and rear of the
building. Years ago people travelling by
horse and cart or carriage would leave
their horses in the stables and ‘borrow’
fresh ones, returning them on the return
journey and picking up their own
horses.
Where the library now stands there
were two cottages, Albert Cottages,
built in the mid-1800s. The ground floor
of one was the local cobblers shop, and
I can still remember the smell of leather,
warm glue and wax when you entered.
Miss Louise Overshott lived in the other
cottage.
Next door there was a timber house
with a corrugated metal roof. It had an
apple tree in the garden and it must
have been very noisy when the apples
fell on the roof! Mr and Mrs Palmer
lived here; Mr Palmer worked on the
buses and I remember my father finding
Mrs Palmer kneeling in the centre of the
Beaconsfield Road (A355) trying to see
how the ‘cats-eyes’ switched on and off!
Victoria Place, a row of five cottages,
stood on land opposite St John’s
Church, and families named Bowler,
Butler and Hazel lived here. Mr Butler
was the local scrap-metal merchant,
and his nick-name was Shaker, I’m not
sure why. All the cottages had large
back gardens and a right of way beside
each end cottage and across the back
between the garden and the cottages.
All the families grew their own fruit and
vegetables and kept chickens providing
the family with eggs and a chicken for a
special occasion lunch.
Mr Bowler used to grow prize dahlias in
the garden to the side of his cottage;
these were of all shapes, sizes and
brilliant colours.
I can remember leaning over the fence
to look at them but they always had
earwigs in them and that is why I never
have dahlias indoors!
These little cottages, like many others
in the village, were two-up-and-twodown
with a scullery at the back, the loo
being at the bottom of the garden.
Some families had three or four children
but they all fitted in and managed.
The Victoria Public House has changed
very little from the original building; this
also had stabling at the side, where the
car park is now. For some time the hay
loft over the stables was used for bareknuckle
boxing and also the club house
for the Farnham Vic’s Football Team
who used to play on the fields of
Farnham Common Sports Club.
To the other side of the building there
was another cobbler’s shop and then a
butcher’s shop which Mr Crawley ran.
The land between the pub and Victoria
Cottages, built in the late 1880s, was a
cherry orchard.
Victoria Cottages were built by Mr
Wilson who lived there with his wife and
daughter Gladys who remained living
57

there when she married until her death.
Mary Soden, who was the daughter of
Mr Savin, the landlord of The Victoria,
lived in No.1 Victoria Cottages.
Langton’s Meadow was a large
wooden-clad house which was built in
Canadian style on the meadow where
Farnham Common cricket team used to
play their matches. The team used the
Reading Room (the small hall of the
village hall opposite) for their changing
rooms and to have their teas after the
matches.
Langton’s Meadow faced up Victoria
Road and had very large gardens
including orchards and hard-surface
tennis courts. St John’s choir were
allowed to play tennis there and very
often the Church Fete was held in the
grounds. Dr Kingsley-Baker, the local
GP, held his surgery in one of the rooms
of the house.
On the bend of Victoria Road and
Parsonage Lane there is a long drive
which leads to Guardian Court. This
was the main drive to Warren House, a
large house owned by the Jubb family.
Mr Jubb was a JP and worked for The
Admiralty in offices on Horse Guards
Parade in London.
He was a great benefactor for the
Parish, providing the Brian and Emily
Jubb Halls and a piano in memory of his
wife, Emily, for St Michael’s Church on
the Farnham Road.
St Michael’s was erected for the
residents of ‘Timber Town’ a collection
of wooden buildings to house people
coming to Slough for work in the
depression. The Brian Jubb Hall was in
memory of his son who served in the
RAF and was lost in World War II. The
house backed onto and the land
included part of Brockhurst Wood, and
one of the boundaries was the footpath
into the wood and along Frensham
Walk.
The Gardener’s Cottage stood where
Warren Court now stands. There were
rifle butts in the grounds where villagers
could practise their rifle shooting.
Some of St John’s Annual Fetes were
also held in the grounds when members
of the Polish community who lived at
the top of the Dorney Dip came and
danced their national country dances.
The Reading Room (the small hall of
the present village hall) was built on
Glebe land given by the church for a
Working Men’s Club. This has been
extended and changed over the years.
I wrote about Reade Court in the
February issue of this magazine.
St John’s Church has been on this site
for over 100 years, previously being a
small Mission Room.
The land where the two bungalows now
are was the gardens of Sussex House,
a shop with a flat above. This was a
general store, grocers and off licence
over the years. The property stretched
down to Woodgate car sales which was
originally a hotel.
Judy Tipping
58

MOLES
Are They Making A Meal
Of Your Garden?
Left unchecked, moles can devastate a
garden. This is not surprising when you
consider that a mole can tunnel 30
metres in a day. But the mole is not
eating the vegetation. They are
insectivores whose principle diet is the
earthworm and they need to eat twothirds
of their body weight every day.
So strictly speaking, it is not your garden
that the mole is feasting upon but rather
the worms and insects that live in it.
One thing is certain, if molehills appear
on your lawn the culprit is Talpa
Europaea or Common Mole, as this is
the only mole to inhabit our country.
So why do moles cause such carnage to
lawns if they are not eating the roots?
The answer lies in their prodigious
tunnelling. Moles will destroy or expose
roots that lie in their path thus killing the
vegetation. They create smooth tunnels
and when earthworms fall into the
tunnels, the mole moves in for the kill.
Moles are neither blind nor deaf. They
can determine the slightest changes in
their environment such as draughts or
vibrations, which warn of predators. If
the mole suspects that a tunnel has
been exposed, it will block off that
section and dig a new tunnel. This is
why moles are notoriously difficult to
catch and failed attempts often make
the problem worse.
Why make Molehills? Well, as anyone
old enough to remember the TV series
Colditz will recall, in order to excavate a
tunnel soil needs to be removed.
Whereas British POWs carried it in their
trousers, moles push it above ground,
producing molehills.
Moles tunnel at varying depths. As the
water table and moisture content of the
soil changes, so the earthworms move
with it. The soil-type that makes up a
molehill will give an indication of the
depth at which the underlying tunnels
lie.
Frustratingly, the mole that is causing
the damage to your garden may be
living some distance away. Moles, like
humans, like to sleep in a dry bed, so
will often nest in high ground or under a
tree. They tunnel to the lower, wetter
ground to feed. Moist, fertile soil not only
means a healthy supply of earthworms,
it is also easier to tunnel through than
hard dry soil. Unfortunately this may be
your much-loved and well-watered lawn.
Ged Ashcroft
Guild of British Molecatchers
Dictionary Corner
Moodle is the latest word, For users of the internet. To help
with education, It is man’s new creation. It will pass me by
without regret ’cause I find it quite absurd.
Ruth Potts
61

SERMON IN PRINT
‘A Heart for God and People’
A sermon preached on 5th July 2009 on
the occasion of the St. Mary’s Farnham
Royal Patronal Festival, based on the
text Luke 1; 39 – 49, 50 – 56
In my younger days I remember being
inspired by Arthur Blessitt, who took up
his cross and walked around the world as
a witness to his love of Jesus Christ.
Since those days some 40 years ago he
has walked 38,000 miles carrying a cross
on his shoulder. The 12 ft long cross has
a wheel at the foot as he reckons that the
cross would wear away at the rate of an
inch a day without it. On his 40 year trek
he has been arrested or imprisoned 24
times, stoned and assaulted, caught up in
war zones and in the midst of military
coups, and even faced a firing squad in
Nicaragua. He said: ‘When I went to get
my Bible they didn’t shoot!’ He has
been run over three times, had his cross
stolen, and dropped it in the sea.
Arthur’s mission started when he was
ministering on Sunset Strip in Hollywood.
Many young people were high on drugs
and the cross he had placed on a wall
had a huge impact. He periodically
carried this cross up and down Sunset
Boulevard to great effect. He said: ‘I left
at Christmas 1969 and walked across
America. Once out on the road that
really became my life. It became what I
knew was my heart: Jesus and people.
Despite being nearly 70 Arthur plans to
continue his Cross-Walks. This is an
extraordinary story of mission and it all
began with having a heart for Jesus and
people. It is the same for each of us. To
take up our cross for the ministry and
mission of our church we begin with
having a heart for Jesus and people.
Some people have all sorts of ideas
about mission and schemes to attract
people into the life of the church. Some
think that good quality advertising may
help. There was one vicar who thought
that a spot of advertising for his church
wouldn’t do any harm. So he put up a big
poster with the slogan: ‘If you are tired
of sin, please step inside.’ The next
day, he saw scribbled underneath it: ‘But
if not, telephone St. John’s Wood
29591’.He had to think again!
Some may find it surprising that we
should remember Mary the mother of
Jesus when we are thinking about
mission. But she fulfils two essential
qualities.
First of all Mary’s heart was for God.
She said: ‘My soul magnifies the Lord.’
‘Magnify’ literally means ‘to make great’.
So Mary in her praise is making God
‘great’ in her soul. Now Mary was central
to God’s greatest mission and we may
wonder why He didn’t choose someone
older, with more maturity, maybe
someone with a bit more class! But
Mary’s qualification for the greatest
mission on earth was how great God was
in her life. Her heart was for God!
Where is your heart? I often ask myself
this because the challenge is so vital to
my own life. The church has ordained me
to a particular ministry. In the Bishops
charge to be a priest I was told that I
could not do this ministry in my own
strength. I realise this and the situations
I find myself in remind me of this
high calling. So I regularly ask myself
this question: ‘Where is your heart
Graham?’ Then I reflect carefully,
thinking about what distracts me and how
62

I may get back on course. So I invite you
to ask yourselves: Where is your heart?
Do you have a heart for Jesus? Do you
love him and do you want him to be a
bigger part of your life? Is your life so
filled with distractions you don’t know
which way your faith is going? Let’s
remember we are all human and as far as
our spirituality is concerned, we are all
leaky vessels. But guess what! We can
go on being filled with the Holy Spirit so
the life of Jesus may flow out to others.
If you have a heart for Jesus, let him fill
you afresh with ‘living water’. Do
something about your faith. Join a prayer
or study group. If there isn’t a group
available start your own. Maybe you
might discover people with whom you
can pray. Prayer partnerships can really
help to build up your faith. Many people
go to the Gym to build better physical
bodies. Why is it so much harder to
understand the value of a prayer or
study? Let’s get spiritually fit. Where is
your heart? Is it for people?
Secondly Mary’s heart was for people.
One thing we notice very quickly is her
humility. Elizabeth said some amazing
things to her and yet she did not get
puffed up with pride. Instead she turned
all the praise onto her Lord. ‘My soul
magnifies the Lord, and my spirit
rejoices in God my Saviour.’ Mary’s
heart was for her Lord but she also had a
heart for people. On no occasion does
she selfishly claim any power or authority,
even though she is proclaimed as being
‘blessed among women.’ Her great
humility has overflowed into the life of the
church. I am always delighted when I
hear of people caring for others in our
community. This is a special ministry and
this often goes on without any noise and
fuss. I know that there are so many in our
congregations and beyond who have a
real heart for people.
I sometimes find in the news many
tcontrasts in our society. Whilst some are
caring for others without counting the
cost there are others who are feathering
their own nests. Whilst some are
prepared to go the extra mile there are
some who aren’t prepared to go any
miles at all. While others are giving there
are those who are taking. While some are
busy ensuring that some people are
getting a life there are others too
concerned about having their own
wonderful life. Where is your heart? Is it
for people?
Just over a week ago we held a day on
Evangelism called ‘Sharing Good News’.
If we are convinced we have Good News
then we will want to share it with others.
It is my intention that our core mission ‘to
share Good News’ be at the heart of
everything we do. On the Thursday 17th
September we will begin our New Alpha
Course and our prayer is that new people
will come and discover that Jesus Christ
is Good News for today. Seek to play
your part and invite folk to come and see
what our faith is all about. On the last
Sunday of September we will share with
other churches in the scheme: ‘Back to
Church Sunday.’ This will be another
opportunity to invite folk to join our
worship who have lapsed over the years
or maybe to encourage folk who would
like to come but never found enough
courage to step over the threshold. Our
priority is to get praying, asking the Lord
to fill us with his Holy Spirit and inspire us
to build his church. Our priority is to
have a heart for Jesus and for people.
Graham Saunders
65

FARNHAMS PEOPLE
Phil Ely meets Mike Baldock
of APEX sports.
Question: What would make a man run
150 miles across the Sahara desert
avoiding snakes and scorpions and sleep
on the ground in freezing temperatures?
Possible answers could include; (a)
Christmas with the in-laws. (b) TVs Big
Brother (c) a long-haul budget airline
flight. When I asked Mike Baldock the
question he wasn't very forthcoming to
start with, but what makes us do anything
at all? Duty, job, competitiveness, desire
to please someone, to attract attention, to
be vindictive etc. It’s a long list and you
can think of plenty more possibilities!
Mike's final answer was “Because it’s
there”. Mike and his wife Gill started
APEX Sports 20 years ago while Mike
was still 'at his day job' at ICI. Originally
trained and with a degree in industrial
chemistry he became tired of the
corporate roundabout and dreamt of
starting a specialist running shop. ICI
were in the throes of downsizing and
redundancy seemed inevitable. In a
classic from-hobby-to-business move he
made the decision to start APEX. Wave
after wave of redundancies came and
went but Mike's name never appeared on
the list. After 20 years at ICI and with 2
jobs on the go he finally became
frustrated to bursting, “I just had to leave!”
he said, and has never looked back.
Mike has always loved running and has
completed at least 50 marathons, 100 half
marathons and several other bizarre 'ultra
running' events. These include 'The
Comrades' run in South Africa, run by up
to 10,000 people which he describes as
'hilly and hot'. The London to Brighton, an
easy 55 miles, the Chiltern 100 long
distance run, the John O'Groates to
Lands End and the London to Nice which
was great but half the team got lost and
ran around France in the wrong direction.
“My best marathon time's under 3 hours,”
says Mike, “I'm quite proud of that, but the
world record's under 2 hours 4 minutes,
an hour or 33% faster!”
With 20 years history, APEX has evolved
dramatically over the years. In the 1980s,
running shops were very scarce, while
today outside London they are still few
and far between. Mike has customers
often driving an hour or more to visit him.
“When we first opened our customers
were all club runners and today they still
represent a vital part of our business but
the growth's come from new casual and
recreational fitness runners. Women's
running has made a huge difference too.”
he says, “It used to be a predominantly
male sport but now women account for
about half of all runners and they probably
spend more in the shop, they like to look
right. It’s a great way to loose a few
pounds too.” Three years ago the shop
moved across the road to its present
location on the East side of the Farnham
Road. “It’s a much better location, we get
quite a bit of passing trade from people
who say, 'I never knew you were here',
parking's reasonable but it’s a bit noisy on
a hot day like today, when we have the
door open!”
“Has the recession hit you very hard?” I
ask. “In a way the recession has helped
running grow in popularity rather than
hindered it. People are leaving the gym in
droves to take up running. There's no cost
comparison, all you need is a pair of
shoes and you're away, I-pod optional!
Runners like Paula Ratcliffe have helped
elevate running too.” “So assuming
you've started running and got fit, what's
66

Experienced Teacher
of 30 years
Farnham Common Area
11+ Tutoring
Small Groups
January 09 - October 09
Saturday Mornings
Reasonable Rates
Sally Coombes B.Ed
(CRB Cleared)
Tel: 01753 646607 or
Email: sally.coombes@btinternet.com
for more details
INTRUDER ALARM SPECIALISTS
Established in Farnham Common Since 1990
For All Your Installation Requirements and Local Servicing
Telephone : 648330
WEB: www.templewood.co.uk E-mail: security@templewood.co.uk
68

the next stage? How does the beginner
find out about clubs and events?” “I
belong to Datchet Dashers and many of
my customers are members of JAWS, the
local club, or Burnham Joggers but there
are lots of other clubs and events around
too. Have a look on the web for charity
running events, there are hundreds!” I
assumed that father of four Mike would be
a great all-round sportsman but Mike
assures me not. “Just running.” he says.
There's a good stream of customers into
the shop. A smallish boy wanders around
aimlessly. A company rep’ delivering
stock pumps Mike for tips on his future
business plans. He insists that Mike
should open on Sundays and if not should
start a running group from the shop. Mike
is sensibly unimpressed and gives away
nothing. A woman appears, reclaims the
boy and looks round the shop. She buys
white cotton socks and other small items,
I doubt that either run but you can't tell by
looking. Another customer with her
partner are trying on several pairs of
running shoes and other items and the
cash register rings again.
I ask Mike about the Sahara event. “It’s
called the Marathon de Sables (MdS) and
it’s a stage race in the Sahara Desert in
Morocco. I ran it this year. Typically it’s
about 150 miles spread over 6 days with
competitors carrying their own food,
clothing, sleeping and safety kit for the
whole event. It’s organised by ex-French
foreign legionnaire Patrick Bauer and the
race has the reputation for being the
toughest foot-race in the world.” It
certainly sounds like an event to avoid but
Mike tells me that this year a record 900
people entered and there is a 3 year
waiting list for entrants from the UK.
As I get up from the chair I'd like to tell
Mike that my legs ache but think better of
it. His story of the MdS race makes
fascinating, unnerving reading and
features in the next edition of The
Farnhams.
Phil Ely
69

JUST ROUND THE CORNER
Giving you the lowdown and highups
of local, and not so local,
m’eating places
Five star Fish & Chips + Pint in
Torquay
It’s mid March, the sun shines brilliantly
over Torquay town. Away from the sea
front it is blissfully warm, a relaxing 20
degrees in the shade. A sea-faring
Aussie and I, an ambling Brit, are on a
mission, to search out the best fish and
chips in the town.
My Aussie friend is something of a
researcher and leaves nothing to
chance. He has taken local advice and
the gossips say that the best is Betch’s
place, just up the road from the
conference centre.
So up the hill we wander to the
unusually but delightfully named, for a
fish & chip shop, Cod And Cockerel.
A smiling, confidence building welcome
comes from Betch’s rounded, welllived-in
face. “Hello Gents”, we knew
this was going to be good. A glance
around sees a scrupulously clean
kitchen, a monster menu board and
Betch still smiling as he describes his
fare.
We scooped the pool, generously large
haddock, fresh coleslaw, mushy peas,
mushrooms, pickled onions and garlic
bread, plus chips, real hunky chips, lots
and lots of real hunky chips. Loaded
with boxes we left Betch attending to
the next customer with a farewell,
“You’ll be alright at the pub”, and
wended slowly towards the Tor Abbey
Inn, a few steps away.
Now the Tor Abbey is one of those pubs
that specialise in thirst quenching so
victuals do not extend far away from a
sandwich, potato crisps and pork
scratchings. But amongst the well kept
ales is a beautiful landlady with another
grand Torquay smile. She offers our
fortunate selves the Beer garden,
“through the back and up the stairs”.
Imagine two rows of houses and shops
with their back yards squeezed on to
one another, somewhat higgledypiggledy,
a mess of television aerials,
telegraph wires, fire-escapes, chimneys
allsorts and centre-stage, the oasis.
This is a Bar-B-Q table set on Astroturf
amidst last summer’s potted plants now
saddened by a winter of discontent, all
under a perfect blue sky cheerfully
spoiled by the occasional seagull.
Our landlady appears with two
brimming pints, naturally one blond and
one auburn, and departs to sounds of
boxes being explored, packets
unwrapped and the unstopping of pots.
Fish in the lightest of batters it could join
the seagulls up above, chubby chips
and a royal variety show of condiments.
The Ritz and The Fat Duck will never be
able to compete with such a perfection
of flavours and blissful smells. Dessert?
You only need sleep after a lunch like
this.
Richard Bruce
70

FARNHAMS ARCHIVE
Elizabeth Mills’ study of life as seen
through the pages of this magazine a
century ago
It is now October 1916 in our look at the
old parish magazines, and there is
news of Lord Kitchener’s Memorial
Fund, and of the Farnham Royal Boy
Scouts camp at Pangbourne.
First, the Lord Kitchener appeal from
the Lord Mayor of London, backed by
the Archbishops of Canterbury and
York. ‘Since the irreparable loss of Lord
Kitchener, who commanded the
confidence of the nation in so striking a
manner, all classes and all parts of the
kingdom expressed a deep desire to
mark, in a permanent form, the nation’s
gratitude. The National Fund is to be
permanent and one which Lord
Kitchener would have desired. So the
income which is to be collected is to be
devoted in perpetuity to providing, for
officers and men of the Royal Army and
Navy (either in endowed homes or in
their own homes) who have been
disabled and whose circumstances
prevent them from obtaining such
attention as they need. A portion of the
fund will be at once applied to equipping
a home for disabled officers.’
Then the Boy Scouts: ‘The Boy Scouts
of Farnham Royal had a most enjoyable
week in camp during the early part of
August. A riverside meadow at
Pangbourne was chosen. The outward
journey was made in two stages, the
Farnham boys, in conjunction with the
Scouts from Langley, Slough and Eton,
trekking to Twyford the first day, where
they were most kindly received by the
Rector, who entertained them all - about
60 - and found them sleeping
accommodation. Next day, after a short
service in church, a start was made at
10 o’clock, Pangbourne being reached
at 2.30. Tents were pitched and the
lads soon settled down to camp life.
Each day, after the usual routine duties
had been performed, bathing, boating,
cricketing, etc. were indulged in, the
weather the whole time being splendid.
The return journey was made from
Pangbourne to Boulter’s Lock. All the
Scouts throughly enjoyed themselves
and returned home quite bronzed. The
village people took quite an interest in
the boys, giving them a hearty send-off
and a rousing welcome on their return.’
Then on to February 1917, with news of
the magazine itself: ‘We have had some
trouble with the printing of the local
matter in the Magazine. For some
years it was printed at Burnham, but the
printer there has been called up for
service, so November and December
last we had to go to Mr Luff of Slough.
Then, owing to the departure of some of
the staff in Slough, Mr Luff had
regretfully to refuse us, so we were
driven further afield to Windsor. In one
way this is unfortunate, as the matter to
be printed has to be sent at least a
week earlier than used to be the case.
We may perhaps think ourselves
fortunate to be able to keep a Magazine
going at all.’
Meanwhile, the Schools were being
affected in much the same way: ‘We are
suffering in the Schools from lack of a
teacher. Teachers these days are as
74

are as dodos, owing, of course, to the
war. The Rector has written to the
Education Authority offering his
services in the School for an hour a day,
which would relieve Mr Doran to some
extent. He hopes his offer will be
accepted.’
Then in March: ‘An appeal is shortly to
be made for helping the funds of the
Hospital, which began its career at
Slough and has since moved to Middle
Green, Langley. A sum of £500 will be
wanted this year to supplement the War
Office Grant. The Hospital is managed
very efficiently and economically. This
Parish is connected with the Hospital
very intimately, as a number of ladies
go there and help as Nurses, Scullery
Maids, etc. The Rector is a member of
the Committee and has offered to
collect subscriptions for the valuable
object.’
Elisabeth Mills
GEOFF AND HEATHER
A Professional Contribution
To China
Who are we? We met as students at
Cambridge University and lived in the
Portsmouth area for many years.
Before we returned to the UK for 9
months in November 2008 we were in
China, living in the city of Chengdu, in
Sichuan province, serving with a large
mission agency. Before joining the
mission in 2005, Geoff used to run
projects building chemical plant, latterly
in Malaysia and China. Heather used to
be a nurse in Portsmouth. When living
in China from 2002 to 2004, we saw
what God was doing through Christians
from around the world and we felt His
call to join in.
We have two adult children in the UK.
Rachel is a doctor in Sheffield and
Richard works in telecoms. He is
married to Tamsyn who teaches
chemistry. Our first grandson, Joel, was
born in May 2008 on the day after the
Sichuan Earthquake. Our contact with
the Farnhams is that Heather’s father,
Geoff, lives in Farnham Common.
When we attended a Memorial Service
in November 2008 for those who had
died recently (including Heather’s
Dad’s late wife Jean) an interest was
taken in the work we were doing. Our
relationship with the Parish developed
from then.
What have we been doing?
Foreigners are not allowed to be
missionaries as such in China.
However people like us are welcome to
live in China as professionals
contributing to this fast developing
nation. Geoff’s role has been advising
colleagues throughout China on good
practice in development projects. That
means projects should have a sound
development basis but also a good
ministry focus. Thus with China’s
advancement, a new way forward is
emerging to reach out in mission
through businesses. In 2008, Geoff was
part of a taskforce that produced our
agency’s strategy on missional
businesses.
77

Projects and businesses enable people
to live among local people reaching out
with the love of Christ and to share the
good news of Jesus. Often, doing a
project or having a business is the only
way to be able to live in remote areas.
Some of the projects Geoff was
involved in are:
- Teaching ladies to make products for
sale from yak wool
- Well drilling on the Tibetan Plateau
- A model house to demonstrate
energy saving technologies such as
solar heating
- A school teaching disabled
teenagers skills for independent
living. Beforehand, many of these
youngsters were begging on the
street, under the ‘care’ of a ‘minder’
- A library and family centre, teaching
English to kids and running marriage
and parenting classes for adults
- A teacher training centre helping to
improve the quality of English
teaching.
Heather has been teaching English to
Chinese students, most recently in a
medical college. God gave her many
opportunities to influence young people
going into medicine and nursing. She
hated the freezing cold or boiling hot
classrooms, toilets without doors and
long journeys to work, but she had a lot
of fun and when she got the chance to
discuss the Bible with students and
teachers, it was worth it. She has also
been giving support to colleagues
working in our organisation in China.
Our biggest challenge in 2008 was the
Earthquake. We were able to help in
relief and restoration. It was great to
see Chinese Christians responding to
this disaster and it was reckoned that
80% of the volunteers working in the
earthquake zone were Chinese
Christians and it is clear that the
Chinese government has noticed this
remarkable contribution.
What are we going to do next? We
return to Asia in late July 2009 and will
then be based in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Geoff’s new role will be setting up and
running a new team providing the
support services, such as finance,
medical, human resources, training,
and business consultancy, for over 400
people working with our agency in
China. Heather will arrange training
courses and an annual conference for
our colleagues in China. So although
we will be based outside China, our
work will be focussed on supporting
Christians working in China.
What’s your role? Mission is a
partnership between those at home and
those working in other cultures. We
could never have even started or kept
going in this sort of work without the
prayers and support of people back
home. We are now delighted that St
John’s Farnham Common and St
Mary’s Farnham Royal have recently
become supporting churches. We are
also supported by the Farnhams C4P4
group which meets monthly to pray for
several overseas mission workers with
whom they have contact. If you would
like to support us in prayer or in any
other way, please contact Revd.
Graham Saunders (details on page
40).
Geoff & Heather Wilson
78

Gardens and flowers, buttons and bows.
In rotation from top left, discovering a
traditional flower garden (see Open Gardens
report on page 32, Kathleen Clary and Jessie
Calnan (see Ascot story on pg 20), a modern
‘living outdoors’ garden, and Sylvia Hughes
in her complete Ascot ensemble

Images from a
happy day at
the parish’s
‘Credit
Crunch’ fete
on Saturday
July 11th.
Report and
captions are
on page 23