Shepperton Matters

A lot has happened in the year since the Shepperton Hedgehog Sanctuary started gaining more awareness. Sharon Johnson was caring the injured, abandoned or vulnerable hogs out of her house, trying to rehome them in carefully vetted gardens in the Spelthorne area.

It may have been a long hot and dry summer, but the local green fingered put on a great show as always at the Shepperton Horticultural Autumn Show. Kwasi Kwarteng himself is a member of this enthusiastic local group and presented the prizes.

As the new scholastic year starts, your little ones may be setting off on the adventure of a new school or a new term in fresh uniforms. Maybe they wish the holidays lasted longer. Maybe they even tell you they hate school. But imagine if there were no school.

This is a controversial subject! Should greenbelt ALWAYS be greenbelt? Are there any instances when perhaps the rule should be flexible and possibly be considered for development?

The recent incursion by travellers onto Lower Halliford Green, circumventing the defences put around it by Spelthorne Council, prompted me to look out this photo taken in more peaceful times. It’s from a postcard sent not long before the First World War erupted, and shows a perfect pastoral scene, with cows in and around one of two ponds which used to be on the green, either side of the small access trackway which bisects it.

Last month we were no doubt all shocked to see a new arrival of travellers on several sites in Shepperton and in neighbouring villages.

Hair loss is a dreadful thing. A good head of hair is our crowning glory. Something that defines our look, and thereby our personality and confidence.

Early this summer, the day I had been dreading arrived. We had to have our beautiful collie, Ruby, put to sleep. She had been an easy dog, good in the car, well behaved and totally reliable.

Last month we ran a piece on the state of the parking problems at Shepperton Lock and the ridiculously empty Hamhaugh Islander’ car park at Stadbury Meadow, between The Folly and Lock View on the Towpath.

It is over for another year, but wow, what a year it was! The weather was perfect, the stalls were sold out, there was a huge choice of great quality food in the food avenue and the attractions brought something for everyone.

Last month 100 students of Halliford School, were screened by the charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) thanks to the outstanding fundraising efforts of the family and friends Oliver Griffin, former student of Halliford School who tragically died from a previously undiagnosed heart condition in 2008, aged just 26.