Communities - Egham

Mayor attends charity lunch at Royal Holloway

2010-03-11T12:34:29Z

As part of Student Volunteering Week, Royal Holloway hosted its first ever Community Partners' Network Lunch held at Founders' Picture Gallery.

More than 80 guests from more than 25 Community Action Partners attended the lunch last week, as well as the Mayor of Runnymede Cllr Paul Tuley and Acting Principal Rob Kemp.

Through the Community Action Partners scheme student volunteers work do work with the local community.

Spelthorne schools need your vote in allotment competition

2010-03-10T12:10:04Z

Six schools from Spelthorne and Runnymede started a competition on Saturday (6) for the chance to win their very own allotment.

The competition, which is co sponsored by the Staines Informer was launched at The Elmsleigh Shopping Centre and will see pupils competing for a raised bed allotment and seeds, gardening equipment and expert advice on how to get started.

Pupils from Buckland Primary School, in Berrycroft Road, Staines, Kingscroft Junior School, in Park Avenue, Staines, Manorcroft Primary School, in Manorcrofts Road, Egham, Shortwood Infant School, in Stanwell New Road, Staines, Hythe Primary School, in Thorpe Road, Staines and Stanwell Fields School, in Clare Road, Stanwell, will be encouraging people to vote for their schools.

]]> Each week the Staines Informer will give an update.

The competition is part of an ongoing campaign launched by The Elmsleigh Centre, to 'Get Staines Growing', which aims to educate shoppers on protecting the environment and to teach youngsters about growing their own fruit and vegetables.

Between 10am and 4pm at the shopping centre on Saturday, residents were able to get expert advice and free samples from web based cultivating specialists, Urban Alllotments and staff from Vermeulen's Garden Centre, in Horton Road.

Both companies will be assisting the winning school with the allotment.

Peter Miles, centre manager at Elmsleigh Shopping Centre, said: "We are so proud to be able to continue to inspire the Staines community to get growing.

"It is a cause that I feel passionate about and one that our shoppers can really relate to.

"I wish every school the best of luck in the race to win their very own allotment and I look forward to seeing all the creative ways in which they will convince people to give them their votes."

To vote for a school, visit www.getschoolsgrowing.com

Votes so far:

Buckland Primary School
332 votes (41% of total cast)

Kingscroft Junior School
4 votes (0.5%)

Manorcroft Primary School
211 votes (26%)

Shortwood Infant School
3 votes (0.4%)

Stanwell Fields School
3 votes (0.4%)

Hythe Primary School
253 votes (31.2%)

Bupa in Staines could me making more than 100 people redundant

2010-03-09T14:43:52Z

More than hundred people could lose their jobs after workers at Bupa in Staines, Egham, and Ashford were told redundancies were being considered.

Workers at the healthcare company were told on Wednesday March 3 that a three-month consultation period had begun due to a need for the company to restructure their staff.

]]> The Staines, Ashford, and Egham Hythe sites are all part of the centre for Bupa's Health and Well-Being UK, and the redundancies are only being made in this part of the healthcare company.

Denise Saliagopoulos, Surrey County councillor for Staines, said she was shocked at the news.

She said: "I am very sorry to hear that and I am quite concerned that 100 people could lose their jobs, because that is 100 families which could be affected. Workers from Bupa use Staines' restaurants and shops during lunchtime and after work, so it could affect the town.

"Bupa is a well established company and I know a lot of people who work for them locally."

Bupa branches in the area include Thames Side House, in South Street, Staines, Willow House, in Chertsey Lane, Egham Hythe, a building in The Causeway, also in Egham Hythe, and Ash House, in Littleton Road, Ashford.

The news comes six months after the healthcare company axed 60 jobs from one of the offices in Egham Hythe.

A worker at the time said: "It's been a while since Bupa made anyone redundant on this scale. Every company goes through cycles and during an economic downturn it is important to rationalize."

Kwasi Kwarteng, Conservative parliamentary candidate for Spelthorne, was also shocked at the news.

He said: "It is a great shame that Bupa are going to do this. People from the area have worked very hard over the years and I hope Bupa can reconsider their decision."

A Bupa spokeswoman said: "We need to make some changes to the way we structure our business and have begun consultation with our staff. Only after we've spoken to our colleagues will we be able to comment further.

"All I can say is that it is possible that more than 100 jobs might be affected. We will be trying to create new roles during the consultation process to help minimise the job losses."

Staines Town fans raise £1800 for St Peter's Hospital

2010-03-09T12:15:15Z

Staines Town fans raised £1,800 for St Peter's Hospital on Saturday (March 6) as they walked to Woking for their chairman Alan Boon.

Five runners and 11 walkers followed the 11 and a half mile trawl from Staines' ground in Wheatsheaf Lane, through Chertsey, Addlestone, New Haw, before reaching Woking's ground for the local derby between the two sides.

]]> The walkers took four hours, while the runners took between one and a half, and two hours between them.

Angie Payne, commercial manager of the club, said: "It was a superb day, and it was a beautiful morning, and although it was cold, when some of them reached one of the checkpoints they gave me their jackets because they were warm."

The money was raised for the hospital's heart unit because 63-year-old Mr Boon, from Egham, suffered from a heart attack last year.

Although the walk was organised last September, the club have said it was ironic that Mr Boon was in the hospital recovering from a heart bypass when they walked.

Mrs Payne said: "Alan is still in the hospital, and he is sedated to control his breathing and keep him calm. All of his other stats and vitals are fine, and although they are concerned for his breathing he is getting better every day."

Mr Boon's 16-year-old granddaughter Chloe also ran on the day, but because of his sedation he is unaware she finished.

Mrs Payne said: "So he will have some lovely news when he wakes up."

John Blair, who sometimes dresses up as Ali G for Staines Town games, said the day was fun and held for a good cause.

He said: "When we organised it last September, who would have known that Alan would have gone in for a bypass in March. We walked for a good cause, but it is shame that Woking aren't going to do the same thing back.

"The club asked them a few times if they would walk from Woking to Staines for this Saturday's return game, and we even asked if they could give our ticket sales to the heart unit, but we didn't hear back from them. They didn't seem to be interested."

Classical vocals at Egham charity concert

2010-03-07T16:14:20Z

A charity classical vocal concert will take place at St John's Church on Saturday March 13 from 7.30pm.

The concert will feature a selection of carols, opera arias and musical theatre. Half the profits from the evening will to to charity Changing Tunes, which uses music and performance to help rehabilitate prisoners and ex-prisoners.

Entry is by programme, priced at £10, concessions £8 which are available from the church office by calling 01784 430964 or on the door.

For more information visit www.stjohnsegham.com

Egham volunteers to work on Staines Moor

2010-03-07T16:11:21Z

Volunteers from Egham and Staines are being called to help replant a hedge in Moor Lane.
The Egham and Staines Conservation Volunteers are working with Surrey County Council and the Spelthorne Tree Wardens to try and replant a hedge to control cattle and horses on Staines Moor.

The group are calling on people to meet on Sunday March 28 between 10am-1pm in the road.

For more information ring 01784 254904.

Service for youngsters at Egham church

2010-03-06T16:09:45Z

A special service for pre-school children will take place at St John's Church on Saturday, March 13 at 10.30am.

The short, fun service will cater for the youngsters and their carers with a service including a story, crafts, singing and refreshments.

Entry is free. For more details call the church office on 01784 430964.

Orchids subject of talk to Egham gardeners

2010-03-06T16:07:00Z

Keen gardeners will learn all about orchids as part of a special talk at the Manor Farm Day Centre on Thursday, March 11 at 7.30pm.

The talk on orchids (pleiones) will be presented to the Egham Gardens & Allotments Association by expert Malcolm Brownsword.

Entry is free for members, £2 for guests.

Roadworks on The Causeway continue

2010-03-05T16:12:24Z

Stop and Go boards will be managing traffic on The Causeway while roadworks continue until March 19.

The traffic controls will be in effect on the road (the A320) between 9am and 4.30pm daily.

Police bike marking day to combat Egham thefts

2010-03-04T12:45:11Z

A bike marking day will take place at Halfords, The Causeway Trading Estate tomorrow (Friday, March 5) from 4pm until 6pm.

Following a spate of high value bicycle thefts the session will give bike overs the chance to attach a sticker to their bike with their postcode and house name or number on it.

There is no need to book, just turn up on the day with your bike.

Egham police panel meets next week

2010-03-03T12:42:16Z

The next Egham police panel meeting takes place on Tuesday, March 9 at the Literary Institute in the High Street from 7pm until 8pm.

The meeting is an opportunity for members of the public to meet their local policing team face to face and raise any issues or concerns they have in the form of a general forum.

A key issue to target will also be identified during the meeting.

Police tackle anti-social parking in Egham Hythe

2010-03-02T12:40:50Z

Neighbourhood Watch members and police officers are teaming up to fight anti-social parking in Glebe Road.

Residents complained to police that people visiting the shops and take-away at the Thorpe Road end were parking inconsiderately, or sometimes on double-yellow lines.

The police team will continue to patrol and monitor the problem and respond to issues raised by the Neighbourhood Watch team.

Egham police increase patrols in Nightingale Shott

2010-03-02T12:39:10Z

Police and environmental protection officers patrolled Nightingale Shott after complaints of noise nuisance.

The issue was raised by residents when the Egham Town Safer Neighbourhood Team held its panel meeting. Residents stated they felt areas with a high student population were to blame, but the patrol resulted in no issues.

Staines Town fans to walk to Woking to raise money for hospital

2010-03-01T15:56:28Z

Football fans and supporters of Staines Town FC supremo Alan Boon will be walking to Woking on Saturday (March 6) to raise money for a hospital unit.

The 63-year-old chairman of the club, who lives in Egham, suffered from a heart attack in May last year, and was taken to St Peter's Hospital in Chertsey where he was nursed back to help.

]]> So the supporters will be walking from Staines' ground Wheatsheaf Park to Woking's - Kingfield Stadium - to try and raise £7,000 for St Peter's heart unit as the two teams play eachother in a league match.

Chris Boyce, the club's safety officer, from Shepperton, has organised the walk. He said: "Without Alan this club would not exist, there is no question about that. It was a big shock when we first heard about the attack but it was the hospital that kept him alive.

"Although I have been involved with other clubs before, I have never met anyone as dedicated as him."

The group, which currently include 14 walkers and six runners, will start from Staines, and travel through Chertsey, Addlestone, and New Haw, before following the Basingstoke canal into Woking on the 11 and a half mile trip.

The walkers will be leaving at 9.15am and the runners half an hour later, and it is expected to take them four hours, with stops along the way in.

Although Mr Boyce has arranged the walk, he will not be able to participate as he will be recovering from a hospital operation, but if it wasn't for him the walk might not take place.

He said: "It was the idea of two fans after Alan had his heart attack, but a few weeks ago they suddenly stopped supporting the club for some reason. I thought 'this isn't about the club, but is about raising money for the heart unit,' so I decided to follow it on from there."

But as Mr Boon was admitted to St Peter's on Monday (March 1) for a quadruple heart bypass, the club has said the walk now has a double meaning.

Angie Payne, commercial manager, said: "As Alan has had to go into the hospital again it makes the walk even more poignant."

The game is the first Staines versus Woking match since Staines Town joined the Blue Square Conference South last year, and the teams will be playing each other again the following weekend.

Mrs Payne said: "We have asked Woking if they wanted to do a return walk to Staines the next weekend but we have heard nothing. It would have been nice as St Peter's serves both areas."

Mr Boon's daughters Corinne and Michelle, and 16-year-old granddaughter Chloe will all be running, along with goalkeeper trainer for the club Trent Philips on behalf of the players.

Royal Holloway to Host Literary Festival

2010-02-26T14:33:21Z

Royal Holloway University will host a series of workshops and lectures from industry experts as part of a creative writing festival next month.

Celebrating its fifth year, the Runnymede Literary Festival (R: Fest) showcases the artistic talents of some of the worlds leading writers.

]]> Highlights of the four day event include Grace Evans talking about the Olive Mathews Fashion Collection, Jo Shapcott reading from her latest book of poems: 'Of Mutability', and fiction readings from influential writer Benjamin Markovits.

Professor Robert Hampson the Runnymede Literary Association Chairman said: "This year's festival will once again provide a range of talks and workshops.

Following a successful debut at last year's event, the popular Creative Media Literary Festival aimed at 14-19 year olds will return on March 17 to ensure that young and old alike will be catered for.

"It is good to see the young people's festival carrying on from last year, and we particularly welcome the support from Procter & Gamble, which will enable us to provide a broader community programme delivered through local schools," said Professor Hampson.

R: Fest, sponsored by Procter & Gamble, opens on March 16, for more information visit www.runnymede.gov.uk