Epsom and Ewell Times’ purpose gets a leading endorsement. Today’s Times newspaper (established 1785) has published a leading article headed “The demise of regional news reporting is bad for democracy and bad for communities”. The article states: “Local news is the lifeblood of local democracy and indeed of democracy itself. If people cannot have confidence that those in local councils, courts and public services whose actions impinge directly on their everyday life are being scrutinised and properly held to account, why should they trust those remote figures who wield power in the centre? A society without rigorous local news is a society vulnerable to corruption, disenchantment, isolation and conspiracy theories….”
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Foodbank latest
28th July 2022
| Our urgent needs list – 28th July 2022:Thank you to those who arranged supermarket deliveries directly to us last week, we really appreciate getting donations we need this way.We have completely run out of:Chocolate spreadChocolatePowdered milk
We urgently need:Tinned vegetablesTinned fishNoodlesPasta sauceCooking sauceBrown sauceSmall bags of sugarSponge puddingLong life fruit juiceSquashBiscuitsRice puddingChildren’s treats – Freddo’s, chocolate buttons etc.Sanitary towelsAdult toothbrushesBaby wipesNappies – size 5, size 6 and size 6+Washing powderHousehold cleaning products – antibac spray, cleaning wipes, oven cleaner etc. (No bleach please!)Please no more of these items as we are fully stocked: |
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New Epsom Pantry offers more than food to the struggling….
A Pantry has been officially opened by the Mayor Clive Woodbridge last month. It has been launched
in Epsom as another way of helping people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis, to try to reduce
dependency on foodbanks.
The shop in South Street stocks a wide range of food, including fresh fruit and vegetables, frozen
and chilled produce as well as tinned and packaged items.
Members pay £5 a visit and can choose items that value around £30, so they can save money on
their grocery shopping bills.
Epsom Pantry has been set up with support from Epsom and Ewell Borough Council. The Pantry is
part of the Good Company charity, which runs numerous projects in Surrey including five foodbanks
and the East Surrey Poverty Truth Commission.
Jonathan Lees, Managing Director of Good Company said: “This year Epsom and Ewell Foodbank is
marking 10 years of existence. That is not acceptable. We cannot accept dependency on foodbanks,
which are only meant to be a temporary measure.”
As well as helping with the cost-of-living crisis, Epsom Pantry will offer other community services
such as cooking on a budget, debt management and housing and job advice.
Epsom Pantry Manager Bex Loomes said: “Since the Pantry opened its doors, it has been filled with
a sense of community and togetherness. The cost-of-living crisis means more and more
households are struggling to make ends meet. We know that the Pantry offers vital financial
savings, and we hope that access to healthier foods and the development of skills and confidence
through volunteering will allow us to tackle isolation in our community.”
If you’d like to know more about Epsom Pantry please visit www.goodcompany.org.uk
CLICK HERE FOR LATEST REQUESTS FROM THE FOODBANK
14th July 2022
NATURE NEWS TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT
Water restraint urged as dry weather continues
UK HEATWAVE: THAMES WATER URGES HOUSEHOLDS TO CONTROL THEIR WATER USAGE. Thames Water is urging residents to control their water usage and limit consumption around the home. Households are being … READ MORE
COUNCIL TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT
Ambitious new plan sets out the future for travelling around Surrey.
Surrey’s ten-year Transport plan which includes measures for reducing the 41% of carbon emissions currently generated by transport, was approved by Surrey County Councillors at their Full Council meeting on … READ MORE
Epsom and Ewell FC win 2, lose 1 in pre-season friendlies.
Reports courtesy of Richard Lambert of www.eefconline.co.uk Farnham Town 3-2 Epsom & Ewell Pre-season Friendly Saturday 2nd July 2022. The artificial surface at Kings College in Guildford was the place … READ MORE
Phil Walker’s final pass….
Richard Lambert pays homage to the late great footballer who played for Epsom and Ewell FC. [Photo: Phil Walker pictured running the line at West Street on 24th October 1976 … READ MORE
Top line Jazz soothes the heart of Epsom
Sandwiched between weekend Festival performances to sizeable crowds in Harrogate and Swanage, Jo Harrop delighted Epsom Jazz Club’s modest audience on 7th July by taking to the stage for a … READ MORE
RA romp home in by-election
Epsom & Ewell Borough Council announced the results of the by-election held yesterday, Thursday 7 July 2022, for the West Ewell Ward. New Councillor Alan Williamson photograph above. Mr Williamson gained … READ MORE
Grayling stood up by developers….
The Developers promoting the development of the site of Kingswood House School bizarrely failed to show up at their own public consultation on Thursday night (7th July). The event which … READ MORE
Water restraint urged as dry weather continues
UK HEATWAVE: THAMES WATER URGES HOUSEHOLDS TO CONTROL THEIR WATER USAGE.
- Thames Water is urging residents to control their water usage and limit consumption around the home.
- Households are being advised to take shorter showers and limit use of the garden hose in a bid to reduce water usage.
With temperatures set to rise to record levels this week, Thames Water is urging residents to control their water usage and limit consumption around the home where possible.
Prolonged spells of hot weather increase the demand for water, putting a strain on the network and accelerating the draw on rivers, underground aquifers, and water stored in reservoirs.
Thames Water is offering advice to households on how to limit their water usage and help to prevent any future shortages. This includes simple routine changes such as taking shorter showers, reducing use of the garden hose and turning taps off when brushing your teeth.
Research released today by Thames Water and YouGov reveals that rising temperatures and its effect on the supply of water is an issue causing concern among adults in England. Over three quarters (76%) think it’s possible parts of England will experience water shortages in the next 20 to 30 years.
It’s changing the way they think about water too; more than a third (38%) say they would be motivated to use less water to protect rivers and the environment, while almost as many would cut back to make sure there’s enough water available for future generations (35%) or to help avoid a drought (31%).
Andrew Tucker, Water Demand Reduction Manager at Thames Water, said: “During spells of hot weather, water usage can often rocket, with hoses and sprinklers watering gardens and paddling pools filled. That makes it even more important to be mindful of water usage to ensure there’s enough to go around for everyone.”
“While we’re not currently expecting to introduce restrictions on water use this summer, it’s important that households remain responsible with their usage and help us to limit the pressure on our resources.”
- Take shorter showers. On average, a shower uses around 10 litres of water a minute. That means a 10-minute shower can use 100 litres of water. If a family of four reduced their shower time by just one minute, they could save up to £45 on metered water bills and a further £52 on energy bills every year.
- Swap your hose for a watering can. You can keep your plants happy and still save water by swapping the garden hose or sprinkler for a watering can. A sprinkler can us as much water in half an hour as the average family of four uses in a whole day. Using a watering can in your garden could save up to 4,050 litres a year, that’s equivalent to more than 50 full bathtubs.
- Don’t water when the sun’s out. Avoid watering plants when the sun’s out and temperatures are high to help minimise the amount of water evaporating. Water early in the morning if you can as evening watering encourages the slugs and snails to come out at night.
- Turn off the taps while you brush your teeth. A running tap uses on average 6-8 litres of water a minute. That’s over 14 pints straight down the drain – so an easy change to make a big difference is turning off the taps while brushing.
- Fix leaky loos and dripping taps. Leaky loos are usually caused by a faulty flush valve or fill valve inside your cistern tank. A leaky loo can waste an average of around 400 litres of water a day. That’s equal to five full bathtubs or around £350 a year.
- Go the full load. Wait until you have a full load before running the dishwasher or washing machine. This will not only save on the amount of water you use, but it’ll lower your energy use – helping you reduce your bills.
Households can also find a free water saving calculator on the Thames Water website where they can work out how much water and energy they are using and receive tailored advice on how to save.
Ambitious new plan sets out the future for travelling around Surrey.
Surrey’s ten-year Transport plan which includes measures for reducing the 41% of carbon emissions currently generated by transport, was approved by Surrey County Councillors at their Full Council meeting on 12 July 2022.
The plan prioritises measures to support people to get around Surrey easily and sustainably including increasing the number of walking and cycling routes, providing more charging points and parking for electric vehicles, charging for transport use and introducing car clubs, as well as improving internet connections for home-working and redesigning neighbourhoods to enable easier access to local services, lessening the need to travel by car.
Matt Furniss, Cabinet Member for Transport, Infrastructure and Economy said, “Our new transport plan sets out our roadmap for a transport network in Surrey that meets the needs of the future. Crucially this includes proposals to help tackle the climate emergency and become a carbon free county by 2050.
“With such a high proportion of harmful emissions coming from transport and their significant impact on our environment, we all need to act. Residents can play their part by relying less on their cars for some journeys.
“We know this will be a challenge and we do not expect to eliminate car use. We have recently invested over £39m in buses, £6m to improve cycle routes and footpaths and a further £6m to improve road safety around schools to help make other methods of travel more appealing and accessible for certain journeys, whilst also improving the health and wellbeing of our residents.”
All local authorities are required to produce and consult on, a local transport plan to set out how it will maintain and improve the local transport system.
The full plan will be available at www.surreycc.gov.uk/roads-and-transport from Wednesday 13 July.
7th July 2022
Community Asset to be stripped?
Epsom’s Kingswood House School faces closure as developers move in. Sited in West Hill Epsom for over 100 years this renowned special educational needs and disability (SEND) school is facing … READ MORE
Surrey County raining over local democracy?
The Conservative-run Surrey County Council plans to axe “area committees”. Will this reduce local people’s voice in Council decisions? “Surrey to reign over us? Happy and glorious?” “Local and Joint … READ MORE
Council keep taxpayers in the dark
The Epsom and Ewell Times has previously reported the surprise resignation / departure (?) of Kathryn Beldon, the Council’s Chief Executive Officer. The Strategy and Resources committee decided on Monday … READ MORE
West Ewell hustings test candidates
Marion Morrison (LibDem), Mark Todd (Labour, leaning on the RA candidate’s empty chair), Keiran Persand (Conservative). Monday 4th July 2022, All Saints Church West Ewell hosted the West Ewell Borough … READ MORE
102 year old Epsom veteran wears his medals again!
A 102-year-old Surrey war hero who was unable to wear his medals due to the condition of the ribbons can finally pin on his honours again, thanks to a local … READ MORE
Surrey Safe for Diggers
New analysis of Digging up Britain 2022 search data reveals that Surrey residents are the fourth safest diggers in the UK, being beaten to top spot by Nottinghamshire, London and … READ MORE
Surrey Independent Living Charity
Surrey Independent Living Council is evolving! Following on from an independent external review thetrustees agreed to change the name of the organisation to Surrey Independent Living Charity. (SILC)They believe that … READ MORE
Will Council lift the veil of secrecy over CEO’s departure?
As Epsom and Ewell Times reported 27th May 2022, Epsom and Ewell Borough Council announced the departure of its Chief Executive Officer, Kathryn Beldon, “following her decision that this is the … READ MORE
Surrey County Council to be strike free this Summer?
Surrey County Council’s lowest paid staff are set to receive a pay boost after unions and council officers agreed a proportionate pay offer that sees pay increases on a sliding … READ MORE
Great Tattenham assault
Update – named man wanted – read full. Surrey Police are appealing for witnesses following a serious assault that took place in Great Tattenhams (B2221) and the junction with St … READ MORE
Farnham Town 3-2 Epsom & Ewell
Pre-season Friendly Saturday 2nd July 2022. Report Source:
www.eefconline.co.uk. Reporter: Richard Lambert
New era kicks off with narrow defeat.
The artificial surface at Kings College in Guildford was the place … READ MORE
Mental Health services in Epsom and Ewell
Freya Lawrence writes: The amount of sufferers with mental illness
has increased immensely in recent years. With a global pandemic,
increased living expenses and varying demographic changes,
it is certainly … READ MORE
RA romp home in by-election
Epsom & Ewell Borough Council announced the results of the by-election held yesterday, Thursday 7 July 2022, for the West Ewell Ward.
New Councillor Alan Williamson photograph above.
Mr Williamson gained the most votes with 549 electors supporting him. The remaining results were:
MARK TODD (Labour) 395 votes
KIERAN PERSAND (Conservative) 205 votes
MARION MORRISON (LibDem) 117 votes
Turnout for the election was 26.79%
West Ewell Ward, has three seats on the Council, at present all three are held by the Residents Association.
The by-election was called following the death of popular and long-serving Residents Association Councillor Clive Smitheram in May this year.
White Roses
By Audrey Ardern-Jones
White Roses
(for my mother)
She never spoke about her early life in Lwów,
She told me about shocks that numbed the pain,
how she left at midnight, a last minute tip-off,
escaping under sheets in pelting ice-cold rain.
She told me about ECT that numbed the pain,
she left without giving a kiss to her mother,
escaping under sheets in pelting ice-cold rain
fearful about the fate of her missing brother:
She left without giving a kiss to her mother,
rushed outside by her father, no time to pack,
fearful about the fate of her missing brother,
a young trainee doctor who never came back.
Rushed outside by her father, no time to pack,
She fled a flowerless city where thousands died,
a young trainee doctor who never came back,
she said a rosary at night, lit a candle and cried.
She fled a flowerless city where thousands died,
she’d high cheek bones, blue eyes, blonde hair,
she said a rosary at night, lit a candle and cried
no mementos of her family to help the despair.
She’d high cheekbones, blue eyes, blonde hair,
she said a rosary at night, lit a candle and cried,
no mementos of her family to help the despair,
she never spoke about her early life in Lwów.
Audrey Ardern-Jones
(Published by Indigo Dreams in ‘Doing the Rounds’ in 2019)
Білі троянди
(для моєї матері)
Вона ніколи не розповідала про своє раннє життя у Львові,
Вона розповіла мені про шок, який заглушив біль,
як вона пішла опівночі, повідомив в останню хвилину,
тікала під простирадлами під льодяним дощем.
Вона розповіла мені про електрошокову терапію, яка заглушила біль,
вона пішла, не поцілував своїй матері,
тікаючи під простирадлами під льодяним дощем
охоплена страхом, дізнавшись про долю свого зниклого брата:
Вона пішла, не поцілував матері,
Вибігши на вулицю перед батьком, не встигши зібрати речі,
була охоплена страхом, дізнавшись про долю свого зниклого брата,
молодий лікар-стажист, який так і не повернувся.
Вибігши на вулицю перед батьком, не маючи часу зібрати речі,
Вона втекла з неквітучого міста, де загинули тисячі,
молодий лікар-стажист, який ніколи не повернувся,
промовила вночі молитву, запалила свічку і заплакала.
Вона втекла з неквітучого міста, де загинули тисячі,
у неї були високі вилиці, блакитні очі, світле волосся,
промовила вночі молитву, запалила свічку і заплакала
немає таких спогадів про її родину, щоб полегшити відчай.
У неї були високі вилиці, блакитні очі, світле волосся,
промовила молитву вночі, запалила свічку і заплакала:
немає таких спогадів про її родину, щоб полегшити її відчай,
вона ніколи не розповідала про своє раннє життя у Львові.
Translation by Darina Dvorinchenko
Council losing “the plot”?
Is Horton Cemetery in Epsom about to be condemned for good by the Borough’s own Burial Authority?
In a rushed special meeting of Epsom and Ewell Borough Council’s Strategy and Resources Committee on 5th May, Councillors will be asked whether to impose a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) against the private property speculator owner who has totally neglected for 40 years this burial ground of 9000 patients of the former five psychiatric hospitals of Epsom.
In a Council Officers’ Report, Councillors have been advised that the compensation payable to the owner will be in the region of £1/4 million. The valuation is based on the market value of “woodland”. The Report advises the owner will mount legal challenges against a CPO, leading to more expense for Council taxpayers.
Sheila Berry and Honorary Alderman Alan Carlson, former Mayors of Epsom and Ewell and now trustees of the Friends of Horton Cemetery, a Charity requesting the CPO, in a joint statement said: “If the owner gets the correct compensation a high value does not make it more likely that he will challenge a CPO than a low value.” On the valuation, they state: “We have expert advice from both a chartered surveyor and a lawyer that the comparison with “woodland” values is erroneous. The Cemetery is unique and is subject to a wide range of legal restrictions rendering it virtually worthless as a land asset. There is no development value and no possible income value due to these restrictions. We hope the Councillors on 5th May will not be discouraged by this misleading Report in pursuing a long-overdue intervention. A CPO is necessary to rescue the Cemetery from oblivion and belatedly show respect to 9000 souls who died in our Borough.”
You can attend the Council committee meeting on Thursday 5th May at 7.30 pm in The Town Hall, The Parade, Epsom or online.
UPDATE 6th May 2022: Marked as 4th on the agenda for the Strategy and Resources Committee of the Council on 5th May 2022, the item was declared withdrawn by Chairman Cllr Colin Keane. We understand that the Council will revisit the matter later in the year.
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