By Alan Doyle For the most part we are content to leave the administration of the Borough to councillors and Council officials. But every so often an issue arises which commands local attention, usually because a decision has been taken, unilaterally, which leaves those directly af-fected decidedly not content. Think back over recent years, just […]
By Nigel Scott I noted your comment about Sea Eagles over Shepperton in the January edition. The Sea Eagles released by the Roy Dennis Founda-tion in the Isle of Wight ranged far and wide over the UK this summer, one even flew back to Scotland where it had been born! Birdwatch magazine last year reported
Bird Watching and Sea Eagles! Read More »
Bob Noble, Shepperton Aurora Rotary Club Dealing with bereavement has had to take a very different path during the pandemic. Loved ones have often been unable to be with the person who is dying or, possibly more importantly, be with other members of the close family who would normally provide strength and support at such
Coping with Loss During the Pandemic Read More »
By Inspector Maxine Cilia There is a lot going on in Spelthorne at the moment . The most reports that we receive are about anti social behaviour. Most people do not even see this as a crime. How-ever, continued anti social behav-iour can create many tensions in commu-nities and make people desperate to move homes,
Sunbury & Shepperton Beat Read More »
A reader contacted us in great excitement last month. He was reading the piece on the disastrous fire at Kempton Park in 1932 when the grandstand was destroyed by fire. “I think I have some of the old grandstand as my porch”, he said. So, I went round to have a look. Kempton Avenue is
Kempton Fire Posts and Spandrels Reclaimed? Read More »
By Andrew Peters As highlighted in many national newspaper articles over the past 12 months, Spelthorne Council has been in the vanguard of a phalanx of local authori-ties borrowing to invest in property. The evidence of this strategy is plain to see with our own eyes in the form of the re-development of the Benwell
Benwell/Ceaser. Residents Want Answers Read More »
From Spelthorne Borough Council Capture Spelthorne, Spelthorne Borough Council’s photography competition, is start-ing in March, we are looking for the best pho-tographs of the Borough. This is a great opportunity for you to embrace the outdoors, explore our beautiful Borough and showcase your photography skills. The overall winner will see their photo as the cov-er
Capture Spelthorne Competition 2021 Read More »
Tools of the Trade The right tools make gardening easier, and in my opinion you should buy the best you can afford then look after them so they will last many years. But which tools are essential? Gloves – Gardening is hard on the hands. Weeds, roots and digging are brutal on the skin. Buy
We are all guilty of having clutter in our cup-boards. How many of us have an old laptop sitting around gathering dust? Well, now is the chance to put them to good use. Home schooling and remote learning has un-covered the needs of many families who do not have access to basic equipment. Assistant Head
Laptops Needed for Home Learning Read More »
We had so many photos sent this month, most of them weather related for some reason! Thank you to you all. Sorry if yours has not been printed this month but keep them coming! Thanks to this months contributors Helen Hutchinson, Christiane Ella, Anna van Boesschoten, Sue Cooper, Lucy Hayes, Bob Cox, Emma Clark and
Dr David Fluck, Medical Director and Director of Infection Prevention and Control at Ashford & St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust The COVID-19 Vaccination Programme The past year has been one of the most diffi-cult many of us have faced, and certainly one of the most challenging in the history of the NHS. We are
Looking to the Future Read More »
Every year the Spelthorne in Bloom com-petition encourages us to tend our gar-dens, big and small. Blooming gardens embellish our borough and bring us all a sense of well being, whether we are tend-ing them or just admiring them. The launch of the competition sees the crowning of talent of another kind. The children’s poster
In Bloom Poster Competition Read More »
Local mum Sinead Ferguson and her hus-band, Mark (pictured) are both qualified chefs. Sinead was keen on all things food related from the age of 15 and won a county cookery competition, going on to study professionally. Mark has worked as a senior chef in a number of places over the years. But Mark was
Practical Cooking Website for Families Read More »
By Mike Bodnar The impacts of Covid-19 on the mainstream book market are many, with closed bookshops, cancelled book launches and pub-lishers’ plans in disarray. However, none of this seems to have stopped writers. With more time stuck at home due to the pan-demic, an increasing number of people are using the opportunity to write
The Success of Self Publishing Read More »
By Chloe-May Cuthill (pictured) 2020 was one of the toughest years ever and it took it’s toll on so many. With problems arising because of the pandemic; people losing their jobs or being furloughed and schools closing, this led to the high-est numbers of children feeling lost, alone and scared. The NSPCC saw their helpline
Self Published ‘The Ring of Dark Shadows’ tackles Child Abuse Read More »
As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who works with us to help our local community, in Sunbury and beyond. We are so blessed to have the support of so many partner organisations; our work is a true teameffort and we never take for granted all
Celebrating 10 years of St Saviour’s Community Foodbank Read More »
Keep these lovely photos coming. They brighten our day. We live in a beautiful place and the sunrises and sunsets over the river are definitely favourite scenes. Thanks to this months contributors. Do send any photos to monica@villagematters.co.uk
By Spelthorne Borough Council In October 2020, Spelthorne Council announced that it intended to revise downward the housing needs figure for its new Local Plan, following heavy criticism of the Government’s original formula for calculating the number of new homes needed in local authority areas. This was derived from the Government’s plans to change the
Government U-turn on housing numbers for Spelthorne’s new Local Plan Read More »
Sunbury mum, Jackie Newman, has challenged herself to walk 1.5 million steps by Easter Sunday and as we went to print she had already surpassed 500,000 steps. She is aiming to raise £500 for The Fragile X Society. As an added bonus she is hoping also to lose an-other 10lb to reach her personal weight
Local mum walking 1.5 million steps for Fragile X Read More »
By Monica Chard A book has recently been published which will be of immense interest to residents. Plotlands of Shepperton by Stefan Szczelkun is a charming little book, focusing on the river communities of Shepperton, and a little on Sunbury. It puts into historical and social context how these riverside dwellings came about. Many of
History of Plotland Dwelling Read More »
Park Lane Stables RDA (Riding for the Disabled) is a charity and a key part of the Teddington community, providing much-needed therapy and happiness to hundreds of local children and adults every year. However, the landlord is now selling the property and Park Lane Stables is at risk of losing their home. They are urgently
Riding for Disabled to lose Home. Please Help Read More »
