WITH LIVING IN Properties from the area’s top sales & lettings agents A Bigger, Better, Brighter Read Vol. 10 Issue 6 February 2015 www.livingwithin.com Elizabeth Meatyard meets for tea with Samantha Cameron at No.10 needs. “We are always looking for more help and if anyone has an hour to spare at least once in a 3 week period I would love to hear from them,” Elizabeth said. The contact details for anyone interested in getting involved are: Richard Coxon, Volunteer Service Manager [email protected] Telephone 020 8934 3620 James Berry, Elizabeth Meatyard, Samantha Cameron and Elaine Miller Thames Ditton’s Elizabeth Meatyard recently visited No.10 Downing Street for a reception hosted by Samantha Cameron. Elizabeth Meatyard - who is well known as a Living Within contributor - was invited to attend No.10 by James Berry, the Conservative Party’s Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Kingston and Surbiton. James was impressed with Elizabeth’s inspirational work in the voluntary sector at Kingston Hospital. Two years ago she set up an initiative for volunteers to provide practical support and companionship at Kingston Hospital for older patients at mealtimes. From Page 13 Elizabeth said she was inspired to set up the scheme after visiting a friend in hospital who struggled to eat at meal times. Kingston has since undertaken an intensive recruitment of more than 385 Dining Companion Volunteers comprised of public volunteers, nonclinical hospital staff and community groups who provide practical support and companionship to encourage older patients at mealtimes. The aim is to enable older patients to eat well and as independently as they are able to. As it is a volunteer led effort, it frees up clinical nursing staff to focus on the patients with the most complex Elmbridge residents urged to remain vigilant to stop fraud The police are warning residents in Elmbridge to remain vigilant following a number of recent fraud offences where elderly and vulnerable residents have been targeted. In recent weeks Surrey Police has received a number of reports from residents who have received telephone calls from someone claiming to be a police officer or similar who then attempted to convince them to hand over large amounts of cash and bank cards. The offenders often claim that a Increase in Surrey primary school applications The increase in the number of applications for primary school places in Surrey adds up to enough pupils for a multi-million pound school. Surrey County Council has received 466 more primary applications for next September than a year ago. That is the equivalent of filling a new twoform entry primary that would cost at least £6 million to build. More than 13,600 applications for places were submitted by last week’s closing date compared to just under 13,140 a year ago, early analysis of admissions figures reveal. The latest news comes after a record number of applications were submitted for Surrey secondary places in September. Since 2012, the council has created more than 8,500 school places. Surrey is facing a £215 million funding gap for the 13,000 places needed over the next five years. Linda Kemeny, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Schools and Learning, said: “These figures show the continued strain being put on education in Surrey at a time when many of our schools are already full to bursting. "We need to find 13,000 extra places in our primaries and secondaries in the next five years to meet unprecedented demand but without adequate funding we’ll no longer be able to guarantee every pupil will get one." victim's bank cards have been stolen or used fraudulently and will ask them to phone their bank to cancel the card and will offer to send a courier to collect the card or a sum of money. The fraudster then stays on the line and obtains the victim's bank details whilst they think they are phoning their bank. A courier then calls at the victim's address saying they have been sent by the police to collect a parcel - the envelope containing the card or money. Detective Constable Ben Kirby said: "We have seen an increase in reports of fraud offences across north Surrey since the start of 2015 and we are deploying additional officers and carrying out further patrols to tackle this issue. "These offences are a particularly despicable as the offenders often target innocent elderly and vulnerable members of our communities. "I can assure north Surrey residents that a lot of work is also going on behind the scenes involving officers from our CID, the Local Proactive Unit and the Action Fraud Team to establish who is responsible for these offences and bring them to justice." Since the beginning of 2015, there have been four offences of this nature reported in Elmbridge. Anyone who can assist officers with their investigation is urged to contact Surrey Police on 101 or 999 if a crime is currently in progress. Information can be passed to the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. INSIDE THIS ISSUE 10 Travel 2-3 Make A Will Fortnight WWW.LIVINGWITHIN.COM – 8-9 Food & Drink 5-7 Schools Special Report Email [email protected] – 12 Gardening Telephone 01276 858750 2 LIVING WITHIN February 2015 Make a will and support your local hospice this February Princess Alice Hospice is encouraging people living in Surrey, Middlesex and South West London to get their wills up to date for free during its Make a Will Fortnight, which runs from 16 to 27 February. Thanks to the generosity of local solicitors, who are waiving their usual legal fees, people will be able to make or amend a will by simply making a donation to the Hospice. The suggested donation for the solicitor's time and expertise is £100. Participating solicitors can be found by visiting www.pah.org.uk/makeawill Howell Jones Solicitors will be taking part in the campaign again this year. Senior Solicitor Jess Buttaci said: "We are delighted to, once again, be supporting Princess Alice Hospice with Make a Will Fortnight. A will makes it much easier for your family or friends to sort everything out when you die - without a will the process can be more time consuming and stressful. "If you don't write a will, everything you own will be shared out in a standard way defined by the law - which isn't always the way you might want. It can also help reduce the amount of Inheritance Tax that may be payable on the value of the property and money you leave behind and can also be used for planning for long-term care. "Writing a will is especially important if you have children or other family who depend on you financially, or if you want to leave something to people outside your immediate family. Preparing a will is something that you should not delay and given its importance is something you should trust to a specialist solicitor to get right." Andy & Son chip up Christmas trees and raise cash for Born Too Soon Julia Russell, Individual Giving Manager at Princess Alice Hospice said: "This is the 5th year that we have run Make a Will Fortnight and it is always very popular. "We are very grateful to all the solicitors who kindly donate their time; last year 67 people used the service, raising £14,000 of essential funds for the Hospice - a target that we hope to beat this year. "Although the solicitors are providing their services free from charge we hope that people will be generous in their donations to the Hospice. "You are under no obligation to leave a legacy to the Hospice in your will, but any gifts would be received with grateful thanks." Princess Alice Hospice's Make a Will Fortnight runs from 16 to 27 February 2014. To take part, simply contact a participating solicitor listed on www.pah.org.uk/makeawill and make an appointment to meet with them during the fortnight. Andy and son Thomas 9 chipping up the Christmas trees in Claygate. Andy Baldwin was kept busy last month when he chipped up Claygate's old Christmas Trees at the Scout HQ in Oaken Lane. Together with his team from Andy's Gardening Services, which included nine year old son Thomas, more than 100 trees were collected on the day and some people brought their trees along to the centre. It was all for a good cause. Andy's wife Emma said: "Thank you so much to the kind residents of Claygate and surrounding areas who donated over £700 to Born Too Soon at Kingston Hospital. "All the woodchip from the day has been left for 1st Claygate Scouts to spread on their woodland pathways and we thank them for the use of their car park again this year. Thank you again for your kind generosity and to Born Too Soon for all the work they do which we know all too well as both our sons were born early; Joshua at 28 weeks and Thomas at 34 weeks." Record number apply for 2015 Prudential RideLondon ballot Local law firm Taylor Fordyce has since its start in 2010 always aimed to provide a first class legal service to its range of clients from private individuals and small businesses to large enterprises, developers, government institutions, international corporations and investors. Taylor Fordyce are now pleased to announce the appointment of Family Law and Mediator Martin Chambers at the Sunningdale office. Directors Peter Taylor and Rory Fordyce see the further development of the Family Law department as a natural addition to the firm’s existing company commercial, commercial property, litigation, employment, residential conveyancing and general private client work. Living locally, Martin has in excess of 30 years’ post qualification experience. Martin is a member of the Law Society Family Law Panel and of Resolution, the organisation of family lawyers and other professionals who are committed to the constructive resolution of family disputes. Martin trained with Resolution as a Family Mediator. Martin’s legal specialisms include divorce, judicial separation, nullity, civil partnership breakdown and dissolution; other relationship breakdown; financial, property and pension issues following relationship breakdown; Children Act matters; Inheritance Act and Trusts of Land Act Claims together with the drafting of pre/post nuptial, pre/post civil partnership, cohabitation and separation agreements. Prior to joining Taylor Fordyce Martin worked for a number of firms in Surrey, Hampshire, the City and the West End of London, establishing family law departments at two London practices. Martin describes himself as an extremely experienced and client focused family lawyer, committed to operating in an approachable and down to earth manner, always to the highest standards of quality and professionalism. He utilises up to date technology and methods in providing legal services and fosters links with many other professionals to ensure high quality and efficiency. Martin is married with two teenage children. He is a member of the RG Blue Sox Softball Club. He also enjoys running. He is a supporter of and volunteer collector for Help for Heroes and a member of the Help for Heroes Running Team. He will be running the London 10k 2014 in order to raise funds for Help for Heroes. He is also a supporter of Helen & Douglas House and of the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal. • • • • • • • • • • • • • Commercial Property Conveyancing Construction Planning Corporate Civil & Commercial Litigation Wills and Probate Trusts Matrimonial Family Law Employment International www.taylorfordyce.co.uk • email: [email protected] 61 Chobham Road, Sunningdale, Berkshire SL5 0DT Tel: 01344 637960 1 & 2, City Business Centre, Hyde Street, Winchester SO23 7TA Tel: 01962 841041 24 Upton Lovell, Warminster, Wilts BA12 0JW Tel: 01985 851206 A record number of cyclists have registered their interest in this year’s mass-participation RideLondon event on Surrey’s roads. The 100-mile ride on Sunday 2 August has attracted 86,001 applications. The ballot has been drawn and riders are discovering this month if they have won a place. More than 25,000 riders are expected to participate in the sportive, which begins at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and heads out through London to the testing hills of Surrey's beautiful countryside before coming back to the capital and a spectacular finish on The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace. The event has already set two UK records for charity fundraising in a one-day cycling event. In 2013, riders raised more than £7 million and in 2014, despite very challenging wet and windy weather, the riders raised more than £10 million for charity. Event Director Hugh Brasher believes that the ballot entry has set another record. "We think this is the biggest number of people to apply for a sportive anywhere in the world," he said. "The growth of cycling in the UK continues to develop at an extraordinary rate and Prudential RideLondon is proud to do its part in getting more people on bikes." LIVING WITHIN 01276 858750 [email protected] D3B Fairoaks • Chobham • Surrey GU24 8HU February 2015 LIVING WITHIN Elmbridge on international rugby map with flower bikes Elmbridge's much loved planter bikes will make a welcome return to our Borough later this year to help celebrate the Rugby World Cup 2015 which kicks off when England takes on Fiji on 18 September. The Council has launched its rugby inspired Planter Bike Art Project which involves bikes being decorated by the community in the colours of countries competing in the Rugby World Cup 2015 and displayed throughout the Borough. In just over nine months, 20 nations will battle it out for the privilege to take the coveted Webb Ellis Trophy home. Matches will take place in many venues across England. Elmbridge has been selected as a base for four teams (Wales and Fiji at the Xcel Leisure Complex, Walton on Thames and Italy and Namibia at Cobham Rugby Club). As part of the Planter Bike Art Project, members of the community will be given free rein to decorate the Rugby World Cup 2015 themed bikes. They will pick a participating nation and let their imagination do the rest. Councillor Mary Sheldon, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, said, "The flower bikes were a great success in the Olympic year and during the Commonwealth Games last year. We are calling all Elmbridge residents to rise to the challenge of transforming each bike into a piece of art to celebrate the Rugby World Cup 2015. I am looking forward to seeing some amazing colourful displays to brighten up Elmbridge in the summer and mark this fantastic occasion." ‘More than Memories’ Make a will fortnight 16 – 27 February 2015 Make or amend a Will for free Will you choose the colours of reigning Rugby World Cup champions New Zealand or another aspiring contender? For further information on how to get involved in the project, visit www. elmbridge.gov.uk/RWC2015 email arts@ elmbridge.gov.uk or call 01372 474568. Find participating solicitors at www.pah.org.uk/makeawill 01372 461808 Local solicitors have agreed to write a standard Will or change an existing one free of charge in return for a suggested minimum donation of £100 to Princess Alice Hospice. www.pah.org.uk © Princess Alice Hospice 2015 Princess Alice Hospice is a registered charity no. 1010930 and a company registered in England and Wales no. 1599796 Audi windscreen smashed by object thrown from A3 bridge near Claygate A driver had a lucky escape after an object was thrown at his windscreen from a bridge over the A3 between Claygate and Hook. The incident took place at Clayton Road bridge between 12.15pm and 12.25pm on Sunday 11 January. The item, which was possibly a house brick, was dropped onto a black Audi A3 causing the windscreen to be smashed. The driver, a man in his 40s, was very shaken by the incident but unhurt. Investigating officer, PC Emma McGeehan from Guildford CID, said: "Thankfully, the driver of the vehicle targeted in this incident was not injured. However, this was undoubtedly a very frightening experience which could have had a much more serious outcome. "Throwing items into live traffic may seem like a laugh at the time but can quickly escalate into something extremely serious - people have been killed because of mindless acts like this and we will be doing all we can to find those responsible. "I would urge anyone who saw anything or has any information to contact police – any information could prove vital to the investigation. "Similarly, if you witness any offences of this kind taking place please call us immediately so we can deploy officers to the location.” Anyone who can assist with this investigation is urged to contact Surrey Police on 101 quoting reference 45150002883. Information can be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. "#"! #!%"$ ! Open Mornings " #" $"" "# $ # $ "# $ # " "" [email protected] [email protected] Matthew Kallenberg-Pierce FNAEA MARLA Peter Roberts MNAEA MARLA Telephone: 01372 463100 Thinking of selling, buying, renting or letting? 5 & 6 High Street, Claygate Talk to the people with the knowledge. 3 4 LIVING WITHIN February 2015 Seven year old Malachi becomes Met’s youngest police recruit and takes part in passing out parade A young boy who became Kingston borough's youngest ever police recruit was the guest of honour at the Metropolitan Police's first passing out parade of 2015. Seven year-old Malachi Tyler who was diagnosed with an incurable brain tumour and neurofibrosis at the age of one, made a 'bucket list' of things he wants to experience during his life, and many of these things involve the police. In September 2014, a number of his wishes came true when he visited Kingston police station. During his visit, he used a police radio, rode in a police car and made his first ever arrest during a training exercise. Since then Malachi has been invited to visit other commands within the Metropolitan Police Service, which includes Mounted Branch and a visit to No. 10 Downing Street. In October last year he was issued with the badge number ‘PC 999VK’. Malachi recently completed his latest wish by joining 197 new police recruits to symbolically complete the Met Police training, by participating in a passing out parade. To ensure that he looked the part, Malachi was issued with his own police uniform, which was handmade by the MPS Uniform Services team. Malachi was also issued an award in recognition of his attendance at the parade and in introducing Malachi, Kingston Borough Commander Glenn Tunstall said: "It is a real honour for me to introduce the youngest of our recruits on parade today - to his family he is Malachi Tyler but to us he is PC 999VK Tyler of Kingston Police Station. "Although he is amongst good company - I would argue that Malachi is one of the bravest people here today. "At the age of one Malachi was diagnosed as having a brain tumour, and a month before his second birthday, he lost full use of his sight. In the last 12 months alone he has had many complex and extensive brain surgeries. "On the day that this little boy visited Kingston Police Station for the first time he won the hearts of every member of staff at Kingston - his positivity, his cheekiness, the constant giggles and ultimately his courage in the face of adversity humbled us all. In the Met one of our values is Courage - which is epitomised by this little boy and his family." Surrey actress Ruth Wilson triumphs at Golden Globes Surrey's Ruth Wilson has won Best Actress in a TV Drama for The Affair. The show is made in the US by Showtime (the company behind Homeland). Ruth triumphed over established American A-listers Claire Danes, Viola Davis, Julianna Margulies and Robin Wright. "I'm very amazed," she said. The actress was nominated in 2008 for best performance by an actress in a miniseries or TV movie for BBC's adaptation of Jane Eyre, but missed out on picking up top prize. "It was more than a little disappointing," she said. The 33 year old LAMDA trained actress was born in Ashford, Kent but grew up in Shepperton. She attended Notre Dame School in Cobham and Esher College, Thames Ditton. Mrs Sherna Treherne who taught Ruth at Notre Dame said: "Ruth is remembered as having great integrity in everything, always very mature for her age with a wonderful quirky sense of humour. She had excellent analytical skills and Golden Globe success: Ruth Wilson observation ... we are thrilled with all her successes especially winning The Golden Globe. "Like many at Notre Dame our holistic, academic approach to education allows our students to embrace life and follow their dreams. We all are following Ruth’s successes with great interest." The 2015 Golden Globe Awards ceremony was watched by 19.3 million people in the US. British actors Eddie Redmayne and Joanne Froggatt also collected prizes. Hospital to Home service launched at Kingston for vulnerable patients Malachi Tyler wearing his full police uniform at the passing out parade Popular stylist relocates to Esher Ladies and gentlemen in Esher, Claygate and the surrounding area will be delighted to know that The Hair Gallery in Esher continues to offer excellent customer care, a welcoming atmosphere and - for 2015 - a new face. Popular hair stylist Neil Nash-Williams has joined the team after 25 years at a Claygate salon. Over the years he has developed professional long term relationships with a large client base and is excited about his move to The Hair Gallery. "It's the right place for me to be," Neil told Living Within. "I knew the high standards that The Hair Gallery expected, so it was a good fit." When Neil was considering a move from Claygate, he was looking for "three P's" - proximity, professionalism and personalities. He said The Hair Gallery was the natural place to go. Neil has been friends with Hair Gallery founder Chris Blake for many years. Chris now co-owns the salon with Rani Hawari and they were delighted to welcome Neil on board. With an established and loyal clientele, as well as a steady stream of new clients, The Hair Gallery focuses on providing unparalleled service and specialises in the latest cutting trends, hair design and colour. Each client is treated individually, and through consultation, will create a style to suit you. The Hair Gallery is open five days a week from 7.00am (closed Sunday & Monday). On Thursday the salon is open until 8.00pm. An online booking service is now available at thehairgallery.net. Telephone 01372 465180 or 467072 for more information. Kingston Hospital is launching its new ‘Hospital to Home Scheme’ which will help ease the transition between hospital and going home for vulnerable patients, including those with dementia. Research shows that many older people are fearful of going home and in the UK, there are over 80,000 people who are chronically lonely and do not have family, friends or neighbours looking in on them. Laura Shalev Greene, Head of Volunteering said: "We are looking for volunteers to help with our new Hospital to Home project which provides support to vulnerable and elderly patients returning from hospital back to their home. "If you can spare three or more hours a week and would like to support patients on the wards, accompany them on the journey home, make regular befriending calls and provide information about local groups and services then please get in touch." Many people are unaware of the services and support available to them within the community. Hospital to Home volunteers will help reduce the fear and anxiety that many patients feel when they are discharged and will offer emotional and practical support in hospital by running errands, accompany patients on the journey home and help them get settled in, and will keep in touch through telephone befriending services. Volunteers will provide assistance for up to six weeks and will help service users to identify and access local services that they need. Training and support will be given. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer at Kingston Hospital contact Richard Coxon, Volunteer Service Manager on 020 8934 3620 or email [email protected] Temporary alcohol recovery facility in Kingston declared a success A pilot scheme to provide a temporary alcohol recovery facility in Kingston town centre has been declared a success after over 350 people benefited from the service. Gary Taylor, Chief Inspector, Metropolitan Police Service said: "The Safe Place & Alcohol Recovery Centre was a very welcomed facility for Kingston town centre over Christmas and New Year. Having dedicated ambulance staff locally based ensured police officers were able to focus efforts on public safety and crime prevention instead of spending time with drunks waiting for ambulances. We would welcome this facility on a permanent basis." The ‘Safe and Sound’ centre was open for nine sessions run on Friday and Saturday nights throughout December and on New Year’s Eve. It was run by London Ambulance Service staff in partnership with Everyday Church, Kingston Street Pastors, Kingston Council, Valiant Security and Kingstonfirst. Kier MacLean, Team Leader Paramedic, London Ambulance Service NHS Trust said: "The trial has been a huge multi-agency success. We looked after 64 patients suffering from the effects of too much alcohol, therefore helping to free up beds in the local Emergency Department. The trial also meant that 45 ambulance callouts to alcohol related incidents were not needed, allowing them to attend other patients that required their assistance." Those helped included revellers needing a place to sober up, those seeking information or advice and people requiring assistance to travel home safely. Pastoral support was also provided by Kingston Street Pastors and members of Everyday Church. Akhtar Shah, Kingston Venue Pastor, Everyday Church said: “We've had a brilliant time working alongside the emergency services, Street Pastors and Samaritans to create a safe haven in the middle of town. It’s been a privilege to welcome such a diverse group of people each night - students, local residents, Kingston workers and homeless people - all hanging out together in God's house. It doesn't get much better than that." February 2015 LIVING WITHIN Milbourne encourages traditional values Milbourne Lodge is a Pre-Prep and Prep School for boys and girls aged 4 to 13. Founded in 1912, the school has a longstanding tradition of preparing children for Common Entrance and Scholarship exams to the most prestigious and well known public schools. In the past 5 years alone over 50 academic, art, music and sports scholarships have been won by our pupils. The academic curriculum, taught by a highly experienced and dedicated team of staff, is supported by excellent music, art & sports programmes, with games played every day. A strong emphasis is also placed on pastoral care and the school provides a warm and supportive environment in which each child feels valued and can flourish. Traditional values and standards are encouraged and prevail throughout the school. Milbourne Lodge is a very energetic school which provides endless opportunities and variety. Every child is encouraged to build on their own particular talents and to discover new ones. Here at Milbourne we believe a happy child is a busy child! Located in Esher, Surrey, the School is situated in over 8 acres of beautiful grounds within easy access of the A3 and M25. A daily bus runs from SW London. Developing skills for future success Start on the right foot www.notredame.co.uk Access to the virtual world can be an effective educational tool, and TASIS The American School in England uses technology across its curriculum to enhance classroom learning. From the interactive learning wall and 3D printer in the school’s new Centre for Innovation, Inspiration, and Exploration, to the touch tables used in the Kindergarten, students of all ages regularly harness the power of technology. “It’s more than just encouraging academic ability, it’s about nurturing potential,” says Headmaster Michael McBrien. “Being able to offer the most advanced classroom facilities and equipment helps us to do that.” Small classes and an experienced faculty provide highly individualised attention, encouragement, and challenge. TASIS students thrive in an atmosphere that celebrates the school’s international population and encourages the ability to understand multiple perspectives. Academics are balanced by participation in a broad range of activities. The school’s focus on character development, communication skills, and the ability to challenge thinking produces rounded, confident, high-achieving students. In addition to a forward-thinking, broadbased American curriculum, TASIS offers the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma to qualified post-GCSE students. TASIS graduates gain acceptance to prestigious universities in the UK, the US, and worldwide. See www.tasisengland.org for more information Open Days - UG 0DUFK and 11th -XQH 201 Notre Dame School, Cobham 01932 869990 5 6 LIVING WITHIN February 2015 Be Amazed... The Look Out Discovery Centre Glenesk is a unique Pre-Prep School & Nursery with a fine record of academic success, specialising in preparing children for entry to all the very best Surrey Prep schools. Glenesk understands that the early years of a child’s life are so important and aims to create a secure, stimulating and happy environment in which they can thrive. Glenesk also believes every child is an individual and aims to develop their talents accordingly, whether academic, creative, social or sporting. Glenesk prides itself on providing a welcoming start to school life, especially during those early years when a child’s key skills and attitudes are developed. Pupils are encouraged to take part in, and enjoy, a wide range of sports, including swimming in the school’s indoor heated pool. Music, dance drama A Great Family Day Out, Whatever the Weather! Hands-on Science fun for all the family - over 90 exhibits to see, touch and explore. Toys in Trouble shows 17th January Open Daily 10am-5pm - 4th May 2015 school holidays. Bring this advert Show runs at weekends and Bracknell ing adult*. Valid until 4.5.15 to get one free child with one full pay *Terms and conditions apply. The Look Out Discovery Centre (Opposite Coral Reef) Nine Mile Ride, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 7QW Tel: 01344 354400 Email: [email protected] www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/be www.facebook.com/thelookoutdiscovery A welcoming, secure and stimulating start to school life at Glenesk Living within Ascot and art are all incorporated into the curriculum rather than being optional extras. As a stand-alone Pre-Prep School, Glenesk does not feed to any one school thus giving parents a strong element of choice for the next stage of their child’s education. Parents also have longer to see in which direction their child’s academic potential and talents develop before choosing a Prep school. For further information please contact Judith Kadhim, Registrar on 01483 282329. February 2015 LIVING WITHIN Claremont teaches values for life Claremont Fan Court School is a co-educational independent school for children age 2½ to 18 years old, set within 100 acres of historic landscaped grounds in Esher. In our spacious and inspiring environment children are encouraged to think creatively and investigate widely. In the Pre-Preparatory and Preparatory School the pupils develop an understanding of themselves and others. Values for life are taught in a supportive, caring atmosphere with shared aims and aspirations between home and School The curriculum prepares children for the next stage of their education in the Senior School where pupils are challenged academically and succeed. They receive the very best education taught by teachers who embrace the School’s values and family atmosphere. The School aims to provide each pupil with a breadth of educational, cultural, social and sporting opportunities, through which the full potential of each individual may be realised. Moral integrity and character education, together with high academic expectations, are established and developed within small classes in our happy, positive environment. Prospective families are very welcome to visit the School. For further information please telephone 01372 473624. Dynamic environment at Notre Dame Notre Dame School with its exceptional on-site facilities provides a dynamic environment giving every pupil the opportunity to develop and excel. The talented and dedicated teaching staff ensures the girls achieve outstanding results in all areas of the academic curriculum. Set in 17 acres of Surrey parkland Notre Dame girls enjoy high levels of success in all areas of Sport while the 380-seat professional theatre gives pupils a really unique opportunity to tread the boards from a very young age; in drama, singing, ballet and dance or playing their individual instrument of choice. Notre Dame’s facilities include an outstanding Nursery which welcomes boys and girls from the age of two and follows the Early Years Foundation Stage Guidance. As well as their own classrooms and outdoor play areas they can access the whole school facilities such as the indoor swimming pool, the treehouse, large indoor sports arena, and enjoy specialist teaching for music, ballet, Spanish and swimming. Our curriculum is further enhanced with our forest school activities which take place within the 25 acres of secure parkland. Sessions are flexible to suit the family’s needs. Hot lunches and teas are available. Early Birds opens at 8:15am and Night Owls after school club runs until 5:30pm. More improvements are planned for 2015, including a new 3G all-weather hockey pitch and six netball courts with a new pavilion from where parents can enjoy watching their daughters compete in the many matches and tournaments they participate in. Notre Dame operates private coaches from: • Barnes, Fulwell, Mortlake, Putney Bridge, • Putney Heath, Richmond, Sheen, • Teddington, Twickenham, Wandsworth, • Wimbledon and all over Surrey offering flexible single or return journeys. www.notredame.co.uk 01932 869990 7 8 LIVING WITHIN February 2015 Tarragon Chicken Poach the chicken pieces in a roasting tray, covered with water, few lemon wedges and a pinch of salt. Oven at 160c, this will probably take 30mins or so. Remove to a plate to cool, and then put into the fridge to chill. Allow the chicken to get cold before taking from the fridge and slicing quite thinly. This is a really delicious dish which is quick to prepare. Hope you enjoy. YOU WILL NEED Serves 4 - 6 People 4 skinless chicken fillets 1 pack fresh tarragon 1 200g jar Hellmann’s mayonnaise 1 medium pot sour cream About 6 sun-dried tomatoes sliced thinly Seasoning Juice and zest of 1 lemon 1 lemon for poaching chicken The sauce is very easy simple beat the sour cream into the mayonnaise to a smooth mixture, add the zest and juice of a lemon. Chop the tarragon quite finely and add to the sauce along with seasoning to taste. Now mix the chicken into the sauce and turn out onto your favourite serving plate. Finally decorate with the strips of sundried tomato. Lovely with a green salad and new potatoes with chopped mint. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• When she’s not writing, Elizabeth runs her own catering business. She has also set up an initiative with volunteers who help feed patients at Kingston Hospital at meal times. St Valentine, the patron saint of lovers, celebrated for centuries on 14 February each year in spite of there being no clear single identity for him or striking reason why he has become associated quite so completely with romantic love. Nevertheless, the name Valentine is very much associated with hearts and flowers and all things pertaining to lovers and his Feast day is documented as being so connected as far back as the late 1300s when Chaucer made reference to St Valentine’s day in his poem The Parliament of Fowls; the birds of the air gather on this particular day in this particular poem to plead for and choose their mates (some, it must be said, more successfully than others). Modern day St Valentine sentiment may be considered to have become a little formulaic and lacking in imagination. There is attached to Valentine’s day, as with so many other religious days of observance, a bit of an industry, and cards and gifts may tend toward the cheesy and the more general rather than the personal. An anonymous card sent to the object of one’s affection may suffice for the young and the young at heart but, assuming that, like me, you are past the stage of furtive cards and mystery admirers, how best might one push the boat out and show that you care this St Valentine’s Feast? You could book a table at a restaurant and let someone else do the cooking. You will, of course, have to sit with other Valentine couples trying hard to find a little personal romantic space in a public setting, and you will probably need to have planned well ahead good restaurants will be busy - but there is no doubt that good food cooked by an expert can be a treat. But to avoid the cliché, not to mention the slight awkwardness of attempting romance against all the odds in a crowded room, you could stay home instead and cook for your beloved. It is probably best to Invest in something a little special ingredient-wise, chill a bottle of bubbles, with no need to worry about who is going to be noble and drive home afterwards, and do make a dessert. I would avoid, however, going in for anything that is going to take hours of work or likely to be in any way a disappointment in terms of reaction gained against time spent or from over ambitious menu planning. As the old dictum has it “Faites Simple”. While a little luxury is unlikely to go amiss and pains should be taken to avoid the humdrum for this particular week night supper, this doesn’t have to mean a multicoursed extravaganza either. Choose what you will, a good steak or something roasted if you like, but some shellfish I think would be perfect; lobster, perhaps, if your wallet runs to it, but, if not maybe some clams or prawns. Mixing any of these with a little pasta will stretch them to a filling supper with a touch of the exotic about them and they couldn’t be easier or faster to cook. Clams require scrubbing when you bring them home, individually, under clear, cool, running water; any open ones that don’t close up when they are tapped should be discarded before cooking, and conversely, any that don’t open up when cooked should be discarded after. Once washed, leave them covered with a cool damp cloth (or newspaper) in a cool place (the salad compartment of the fridge is probably best) until you are ready to cook them. When you are ready to eat, place a large pan of water on to boil for the pasta (linguine or spaghetti would be good), and, when it is boiling, salt it well. In the meantime, heat a wide, shallow, heavy-based pan, one for which you have a lid and one in which the clams will sit comfortably in one layer, add a little oil and a clove or two of garlic, sliced or chopped, and, as soon as the garlic starts to cook (and well before it starts to burn) add a generous splash of white wine, and/or a few diced, skinned and seeded fresh tomatoes. When, all is good and hot, throw in the clams, clamp on the lid and time for about 3 minutes, cooking all the time over a fairly high heat and shaking the pan a couple of times during cooking. Check after 3 minutes and, if the majority of the clams are open wide and looking plumply ready, turn off the heat, sprinkle the whole with some chopped fresh parsley, check and adjust the seasoning (ie add salt and/or ground black pepper to taste) and give a quick stir. Leave, uncovered, to one side until the pasta is done. If you are feeling perfectionistic, you can remove about two thirds of the clams from their shells, leaving a few with shells intact to look decorative, and you can strain off the sauce and reduce it a little to concentrate the flavour (before seasoning) but neither step is strictly necessary. While the clams are cooking, cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet but set your timer for a minute less than those instructions say that it will take to cook. When time is up (bar that minute), test the pasta for doneness - it should retain a little hardness at its core but be almost cooked through. Remove the pasta from its boiling water (using tongs, a spaghetti fork or a large slotted spoon or spider) and put it into the pan with the clams; turn the heat back on under the pan. Toss the pasta with the clams until it is well coated with the sauce that the clams have given off and serve immediately (sprinkled with a gesture of olive oil and more chopped parsley if you like). From start to finish, the whole thing can be made in just a little longer than the time it has taken for you to cook the pasta. Lobster can be added to pasta in similar fashion; if it is already cooked (as I am assuming is likely) you can warm chopped lobster flesh (with or without shell attached) with similar ingredients used as a base to those that I have suggested for the clams (you will not need a fiercely high heat this time - cooked lobster requires only gentle warming, not further cooking). You may want to soften some finely chopped fennel in a pan and add a small splash of pastis and a scant sprinkling of chopped tarragon as substitutes for the garlic, white wine and parsley (allow the fennel to cook gently until it is nice and soft before adding the lobster) - these gently sweet aniseed flavours, if not overdone and overpowering, can complement lobster very well. Tomato gives additional colour and flavour, but is, as for the clams, entirely optional. Given that it is Valentine’s day, whether you choose to stare doe-eyed at each other across a shared dish of noodles, like that famous scene from Disney’s “Lady and The Tramp”, is your affair entirely and I shall not make any further suggestions except to say that I would add a simple dessert - a crème brulée, a melting chocolate fondant, or perhaps a pink tinged cake of some sort - and to wish you all a Happy St Valentine’s Day. Erica x www.acookinthekitchen.co.uk www.acooksblog.com “Spice a dish with love and it pleases every palate” ~Plautus February 2015 LIVING WITHIN Bright future for Claygate brewery –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– By Jeremy Gordon –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Look beyond the garage door of any local home and you’re likely to find a nice, shiny company car. But there’s one up and over in Claygate where the car doesn’t ever get a look in. It belongs to Ward Councillor Alex Coomes and it’s the nerve centre of Brightwater Brewery. Alex had been home-brewing for over 20 years and was taught by his father, Ted. Three and a half years ago, Alex turned his back on a career in the city and took the bold step of turning his long-time hobby into a career. “I wanted to work for myself,” Alex said. “I’ve always liked good food, and making good beer comes into that bracket.” Since founding Brightwater Brewery, the business has gone from strength to strength. Its five beers, including the popular Daisy Gold, are on rotation at over 30 pubs and on tap on a permanent basis in Claygate at The Foley Arms, The Hare & Hounds and the nearby Surbiton Golf Club. “Supporting Brightwater Brewery has been a great success,” said Hare & Hounds Landlord, Nick Stafford. “We’re very much a community pub and the whole village loves that it’s on tap. Top Notch is a particular favourite.” Brightwater Brewery is also opening a shop outside Claygate Railway Station this month. The shop will be open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, selling real ale straight from COMING SOON TO THE ROSE Featuring East, Hobbs, Jigsaw, Monsoon, Oasis, Reiss ROSE FASHION SHOW and many more Thu 29 Jan the cask as well as bottled beers. “Any commuters coming back after a hard day’s grind can come straight across and get a pint of our beer if they wish,” Alex explained. “We’ll even be able to provide them with a few of the necessary accoutrements, like bunches of flowers or chocolates, to take home to their partners who might be a bit upset at them getting home late!” A new beer, Lip Smacker, is also being brewed specially for Valentine’s Day. When asked about the pressures of juggling his role as a Liberal Democrat councillor with running the brewery, Alex replied: “You have to be very well-disciplined. It’s not all happy days, sitting there and drinking beer. You’ve got to put the graft in, as with anything in life.” Brightwater Brewery’s continuing success and Claygate’s lack of industrial sites could mean a difficult choice between expansion and staying in the village at some point in the future. But Alex is committed to staying in Claygate if possible: “I’d much rather be brewing in the village, where I was brought up, where I live and where I’m a councillor as well.” Asked whether becoming a brewer had dented his passion for beer at all Alex exclaimed, “No, it’s made it worse - I’m as thirsty as ever!” Cheers to that. From the writer of Calendar Girls, Tim Firth Tue 3 - Sat 7 Feb New tasty choices on the menu for patients at Kingston Hospital A new menu, with tasty meal choices, has been launched for patients at Kingston Hospital. Following patient feedback, in patients at the Hospital will now enjoy more options at meal times including scrambled eggs, fruit, and a selection of yoghurts for breakfast as well as bacon and sausages at the weekend. There are also light meal options for patients offering a range of savoury pastries, homemade soups, omelettes and sandwiches. Main meals will now include a choice of homemade soup, a main course and a range of hot and cold desserts such as chocolate éclairs and custard tarts. Duncan Burton, Director of Nursing and Patient Experience said: "Ensuring that nutritional needs are met is one of the most important ways to help a patient recover from illness. We have listened to the extensive feedback from patients about our food and made changes on that basis. Working with patients, staff, volunteers and catering contractors ISS, we have developed a menu that better meets the needs of our patients and offers a wider choice." New patient menu booklets will be provided to each patient at their bedside so that they are aware of all the food choices available. In addition to this, the Hospital’s Maternity Unit has already launched a new plated meal service giving greater flexibility of meal timings to new mothers. Thu 12 - Sat 14 Feb By Jerome K Jerome ROSE THEATRE KINGSTON Visit rosetheatrekingston.org (bkg fee) 020 8174 0090 (bkg fee) 9 10 LIVING WITHIN February 2015 Money Matters with Peter Sharratt Trusts Q. We are aware that Trusts can be used for Inheritance Tax Planning but have no idea what is involved in setting one up. Can you explain? A. There are a number of different types of Trusts and to cover them all in detail would not be practical, so I will provide some general information that would apply to most types of Trust. There are three parties to a Trust; the first is the ‘Settlor/s’. These are the individual/s that create the Trust having decided what asset or property they want to put in to it. The second is the ‘Trustees’. These are the individuals who are now the legal owners of the trust assets/property. They have the responsibility to administer the Trust for the third and final party to the Trust which is the ‘Beneficiaries’. These are the individual/s that are intended to benefit from the Trust and as such they are the beneficial owners. A beneficiary can be specifically named i.e. my daughter Madeleine or a class of people such as ‘my children equally’. If the beneficiary is named as per the first example and you subsequently had more children they may then not be able to benefit (depends on the Trust). If however you used the second wording any children in future would then automatically become beneficiaries. If you are using the Trust in conjunction with a Life Assurance Policy or an Investment, the provider will normally have a range of Standard Trusts that you can select from and use. You normally only need to add the details of the settlor, trustees and beneficiaries, and then get it signed and witnessed. A settlor can be, and indeed will usually also be, a trustee but additional trustees should also be appointed, ideally two more. Being a trustee is a responsible position and you need to make sure you appoint someone you know and of course trust. They also need to be in a position to fulfil their trustee duties and so ideally they should be located in the UK. A trustee can also be a beneficiary. The one exception to this is the settlor; they can be a trustee but NOT a beneficiary. A Trust does not generally need to be mentioned in a Will, as the Trust will typically apply to a specific asset or property. Also the Trust will take precedence over the Will so gifting the asset/ property in the Trust to someone else via the Will, will not have any affect. Send your queries to Peter Sharratt, Kirk Rice LLP, The Courtyard, High Street, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7HP Email [email protected] Please note: answers are given for general guidance only and specific advice should be taken before acting on any of the suggestions made. Africa- Safari and much much more Holiday feature by Greenstar Travel and African Pride There is an old African proverb “Let him speak who has seen with his eyes” and reading these few wise words it could easily be extended to add….. “Heard with his ears, smelt with his nose and felt with his heart”, for anyone visiting Africa will have their senses stimulated more than anywhere else on earth. Africa is huge and offers a range of fabulous holiday choices- so where to start? The ‘safari region’ covers eastern and southern Africa. Let’s look at some of the common ‘safari’ questions we are frequently asked: Which country and when? Africa has around ten countries offering safari holidays, with each having its own attractions, wildlife experiences and accommodation, with different climates and seasons. Which type of safari? There is a huge range from luxury lodges to mobile tented camps. Part of a small group or tailored to individual requirements? A longer stay in one place or a variety of locations? What is the cost? We will ask you to give us an idea of your budget. This enables us to use our knowledge and expertise to get the best options for that budget and we will advise you of how that fits in with your own ‘ideal’ holiday requirements. What might I be able to see? Is it large herds of elephants or leopards, or wild dogs? Whilst nothing can be guaranteed we work hard to try and maximize our client’s preferences to ensure the experience is all it is hoped to be. But Africa is not just safaris – It offers amazing scenery, beautiful coasts, ancient rock art and stunning accommodation. So check out the many African Pride holiday options by contacting Greenstar Travel and you too can “see with your own eyes”. Greenstar Travel has been based in Claygate for over 30 years and assists its clients in making their perfect holiday choices. Contact Greenstar Travel for full details of the African Pride programme of fabulous holidays to Africa. February 2015 LIVING WITHIN TOBY’S Fitness Forum WANT TO RUN BUT DON’T KNOW HOW? START WITH SMALL STEPS Running is fun, sociable and does wonders for your fitness and with the London Marathon approaching runners seem to be everywhere. By following a simple programme and training with friends you will carry on burning excess Christmas calories. A Goal If you can find a goal of a 5km run scheduled for two or three months time it will give you plenty of time to prepare. Rushing your training can result in long term injuries so take it slowly. Stretching It is important to stretch the muscle groups of the legs before you try to run, particularly in cold weather. Rotate ankles, stretch your calves, hamstrings and quads for at least 5 minutes. Alternate jogging for 2 minutes and walking on the spot for 3 minutes until you are ready to start. When you have finished use this routine for your warm down. Mix running and walking Few people can run a mile at the first attempt so don’t even try. Instead mix running and walking, run for 30 seconds then walk for 90 seconds. Repeat this nine more times for a total of 20 minutes. When you can comfortably run/walk for 20 minutes 4 times a week change your run/walk ratio increasing the amount of running time in between each walk. Eventually you’ll be able to run for several minutes without walking at all. You should be able to speak without feeling out of breath. If not, slow down. It is good to mix running on different types of terraine as it not only strengthens the muscles but also challenges your balance and softer surfaces alleviate stresses and strains. Get set for the 2015 Kempton to Reading bike ride challenge Clothes It doesn’t matter what you wear as long as you invest in a decent pair of running shoes and some shops now even analyse your running gait for you before you buy a pair. Rewards Running rewards with weight loss, steady progress, less stress, more energy and a host of health benefits. Nutrition Keep well hydrated at all times and eat a balanced diet. When you progress to longer distances start taking on carbohydrates with a low glycemic index which will allow you to maintain energy levels for longer. Good luck. If you need any help, advice or motivation please don’t hesitate to contact me. Toby Garbett. @tobygarbett [email protected] www.tobygarbett.com Toby Garbett is an Olympian and two-time World Champion rower. He combines his own training regime with providing leading edge fitness training to private clients. The British Heart Foundation London to Reading Bike Ride is back for an amazing fourth year in March. The organisers describe the ride as a fantastic but achievable challenge. This is one of the first big rides of the year, so it’s the perfect excuse to rescue your bike from the back of the shed and show it some TLC. Setting off from Kempton Park Race course the 40 mile route will take you through the outer fringes of London into the beautiful countryside and open roads beyond. Until you reach Christchurch Meadows in the heart of the bustling town of Reading. London to Reading is ideal for those looking to get fit, training for another event or just wanting to get a bit more active in 2015. The entry fee is £15 for adults and £7.50 for under 18 year olds. Your entry fee covers the cost of running the event; it’s your sponsorship money that will help save lives. The event takes place Sunday 29 March. Riders can set off any time between 8.00am and 10.30am. The event finishes at 4.00pm Email [email protected]. Visit www.bhf.org.uk Telephone 0845 130 8663 R AI GALLE RY THE H Work on Kingston’s super cycle highway to begin in spring EL COM E NEIL IAMS ILL H-W S A N IS DE LIGH D TO W TE The men in suits at Kingston Council are looking to start work on a widely publicised scheme to considerably improve facilities for cyclists along Portsmouth Road from the town centre to Surbiton. In March a report will be presented to both Kingston Town and Surbiton neighbourhood committees, which follows a 21 day consultation period. Building work is set to begin in April. Main construction work will begin in the summer and the new cycling facility will be available for use by late 2015. It's all part of a wider scheme dubbed "Mini-Holland" that includes a 700m boardway for cyclists along the River Thames and a pedestrian and and cycle superhubs at Surbiton and Kingston railway stations. Kingston has been handed £32.7million for the scheme by the Mayor of London. On Portsmouth Road a segregated two-way track will be built. The track will lead directly into the Thames Boardway project which will lead in turn to a bridge over the river from Kingston railway station to Hampton Wick. The Portsmouth Road scheme has a budget of £1.4 million. 11 10 Church Street • Esher KT10 8QS 01372 467072 • 01372 465180 www.thehairgallery.net 12 LIVING WITHIN February 2015 Help sought for information following burglary at Walton on Thames home Officers from North Surrey CID are appealing for information following a break-in at a property in Walton-on-Thames on Saturday 10 January. It is believed the offenders forced entry through patio doors to the rear of the property in Homefield Road, sometime between 7.30pm and 9.00pm, before making an untidy search of the house and stealing numerous items. It is believed the offenders stole a Crown Derby china dinner set, two Royal Doulton figurines, a fake Rolex watch, a Boss watch and a black handbag totally a value of more than £3,000. A grey coloured estate car with three or four male occupants was seen in the vicinity around the time of the incident and officers are keen to speak to anyone who may have seen a car matching this description or the men themselves as officers believe they could help with their enquiries. Investigating officer Detective Constable Vicky Garside, said: "It would appear that the offenders were disturbed by the return of the owner who has been left very shaken and upset by the break-in. "It is possible that this burglary was planned in advance and possible that the perpetrators may have even visited the area in the days prior to the incident to get an understanding of the layout. "Burglary is always an upsetting offence for victims, and we would like to hear from anyone who may have been in the area around this time during Saturday evening and have any information." We supply and fit both commercial & domestic: vertical • roller • pleated • wooden venetian aluminium venetian • Roman blinds • shutters curtains • fabric tub chairs All our blinds are custom made • • • Free measuring service • • • 191 High Street, Egham, Surrey TW20 9ED Good Gardening with Alison Jones 01784 471122 www.bellevueblinds.co.uk February Gardening with Alison Jones Spring bulbs are such a welcome sight this time of year. If you’re craving spring colour, brighten up your patio with some delicate Narcissus ‘Tête à Tête’, ready planted in containers. Narcissus give bright and beautiful yellow colour, bringing the garden back to life after the winter. They are easy to grow and reliably make their appearance every year. When autumn comes, you can plant them in the ground, keeping the container in use for the next flush of spring flowers. Dwarf Narcissus ‘Tête à Tête’ is the most popular, but there are plenty of others. I particularly like ‘Baby Moon’, in pale canary-yellow, which is great for rock gardens and one of the very latest narcissi to flower. The charming ‘Baby Moon’ is covered with delicate golden blooms every spring. It’s ideal for containers as the foliage is very fine. Narcissus dwarf varieties have a compact habit, meaning they are great in all kinds of containers and not so easily caught by the wind. Look out for the extraordinary ‘Rip van Winkle’ with its scented bright golden double pom-pom like flowers. Narcissus make great cut flowers, with a gorgeous fragrance and they’ll last a week in a vase. Another lovely addition to the garden this month is the heather. Heathers were a national treasure of upland areas, bringing people luck, and shelter to game birds. They are hardy, colourful and full of interest, with many varieties to choose. It is the myriad flower colour that makes heather such a display. As well as the flower colour, heathers have wonderful, flat leaves, which change colour through the year. They deepen and intensify as the year goes on and sometimes russets and browns take over. Their habit is like any plant used to growing in harsh conditions – squat but defiant and almost dome-shaped. Many heathers grow best in acidic soil, so you may need to add some specialist compost. I like to give mine good drainage by adding horticultural grit to the compost. We have soil testing kits at Garsons if you are unsure of your soil PH. If you don’t have acidic soil, heathers can be grown in pots and containers. Try burying a container so it can’t be seen. Apart from some pruning, they need little care. I give them a feed in spring and remove older stems. Our houseplant of the month is the Areca. Just like a protective angel, Areca is a palm that watches over your health. Bring home an Areca and it immediately starts working on your health. It removes poisonous elements from the air and brings humidity into the atmosphere to improve air quality. In return, it likes a light position but not direct sunlight. The palm is different to other sorts in that the stem comes individually out of the ground, instead of shooting off a central stem. When the Areca is happy and healthy, it develops new stems and grows in width. Make sure that you water regularly so the root never dries out. I hope you venture out in the garden during February. – Until next month, happy gardening! Call today on: Telephone: 01483 820226 Mobile: 07939 688597 email: [email protected] Alison Jones is Plant Buyer for Garsons Farm in West End, Esher February 2015 LIVING WITHIN Boyce Thornton Cobham 01932 868 448 Oxshott 01372 844 200 Claygate 01372 470 123 The local property experts Manor Road South, Hinchley Wood £995,000 Description: A well presented four bedroom extended family home, situated just a short walk from Hinchley Wood Station and shops. This property offers well proportioned and spacious accommodation with a large rear garden. EPC D. Woodbourne Drive, Claygate £825,000 A beautiful character bungalow with spectacular views over Telegraph Hill. Located within walking distance of the local station and amenities with the potential to extend upwards to create a substantial family home (STC). EPC D. Woodstock Lane South, Claygate £1,155,000 This well presented, semi-detached, period, family home has been sympathetically extended and offers flexible accommodation. The property has four bedrooms, three reception rooms and a vaulted ceiling family room with galleried area. Further benefits include a secluded garden and double garage. EPC E. Rythe Close, Claygate £725,000 A beautifully presented, modern four bedroom end of terrace family home located in a gated development built circa 2006. Offering off street parking and situated within walking distance of the local schools, shops and station. EPC C. Gordon Road, Claygate £539,950 A beautifully refurbished, three bed, first floor apartment located in a highly sort after road in the heart of Claygate. This property benefits from off street parking, a front westerly facing garden and is situated just moments from Claygate’s shops, station and local schools. EPC D. Since the start of the New Year we have seen an increase in activity with numerous enquiries from buyers regarding new and existing properties leading to three sales already agreed in a variety of prices ranges. If you are looking to move or would like to know the current market value of your home, then please call your local Claygate office to speak to one of the team and arrange for a free market appraisal of your property. www.boycethornton.co.uk 13 14 LIVING WITHIN February 2015 Luxury family living from Bewley Homes in South Ascot Set within perfectly manicured gated grounds, Glenmead and Byways are situated in one of the most desirable residential roads in Ascot, consisting of large architecturally varied family homes in generous plots. This is a prime part of the capital city's commuterland where large houses are routinely demolished to make way for even larger houses. Where one home with tennis court once stood on the south eastern side of Friary Road adjoining the junction with Monks Walk, Glenmead and Byways now stand in all their splendid Georgian-featured modern glory. The area is very well known for its variety and quality of schooling facilities, with Friary Road falling within the catchment of Charters Sports and Science college and private schools such as The Marist, Coworth Flexlands and TASIS all nearby. St Francis Catholic Primary School sits directly opposite Glenmead and Byways. While tucked away off the main road in a woodland setting, Glenmead and Byways are within strolling distance of South Ascot shops and Ascot railway station is just 1 mile away. Step inside Byways to a large hallway providing access to all the ground floor's main rooms, including a large study, drawing room, family room and kitchen perfectly styled with ornate mouldings, high skirting boards and deep sash windows. The kitchen and orangery - which features large bi-folidng doors to the garden - is perfect for family life. The tidy landscape garden features mature shrubs and trees and has the added bonus of a secret garden planted with spring bulbs. Spacious bedrooms 5, 6 and games room are all on the second floor. There's even a large area up there where the whole house ventilation system sits, that's perfect for storage. Glenmead and Byways have under floor heating to all floors, fully fitted security alarm systems, CAT 5E wiring - and stunning chandeliers in the entrance hallways. These properties are on the market at a guide price of £4.25 million. Contact Richard Cracknell at Edwards & Elliott 01344 623411. The kitchen features bespoke Charles Rennie Mackintosh painted in-frame shaker kitchen with composite stone worktops and upstands. The chef of the house can perform their magic on stainless steel finished appliances consisting of a Falcon Range Cooker and extractor hood, Miele multi-function Pyrolytic oven, steam oven, warming drawers and an integrated microwave combination oven. Other appliances include two fridge/freezers, wine cooler, coffee machine and Quooker boiling water tap. For the chief bottle washer there's an integrated dishwasher. Inside a large utility room / boot room there's a Miele washing machine, condensing tumble dryer and water softener. On the opposite side of the room a door leads to what must be one of the most stunning guest/staff suites we've ever seen, comprising a bed sitting room, en-suite and kitchenette. Back out in the entrance hallway, a sweeping staircase with architectural black decorative metal balustrade and chrome handrail leads the way to four bedrooms on the first floor. The master bedroom features a large dressing room, ensuite and access to a balcony. LAST TWO REMAINING Surpassing all expectations Ascot, one of the world’s most exclusive addresses. Enter Montrose and Kingsland Court and you’ll be in no doubt. A short walk to the vibrant high street, this is gracious living on a grand scale. These individually crafted apartments of distinction offer a lifestyle that simply surpasses all expectations. Large 2 bedroom apartments • Secure under croft parking with lift access • All have south facing patio garden or balcony • Close to Ascot Racecourse • Easy access to Heathrow Airport, M3, M25 and M4 LONDON ROAD | ASCOT | BERKSHIRE | SL5 7EQ Price guide: £895,000 to £975,000 Call 01344 623 662 Email [email protected] or visit www.bewley.co.uk Land & New Homes February 2015 LIVING WITHIN Tel: 01372 471111 Email: [email protected] CLAYGATE £625,000 Web: www.catco.co.uk Email: [email protected] CLAYGATE £710,000 Rarely available; an immaculately presented ground floor luxury apartment with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The property has the advantage of it’s own private garden and 2 private parking spaces. Situated in this sought after location within easy reach of Claygate’s shops and railway station. A beautifully presented and deceptively spacious three bedroom character cottage approximately half a mile from the station. Fabulous open plan kitchen/family area with bi-fold doors leading onto a superb West facing garden. Must be seen! CLAYGATE HINCHLEY WOOD £600,000 £1,295,000 Traditional semi detached home located in this favoured road offering excellent extension potential subject to the usual consents. The property benefits from three bedrooms and good size rear garden. Viewing recommended! Fabulous family home with excellent well planned family accommodation imaginatively designed with a wonderful rear garden. Conveniently situated for all of the amenities of Hinchley Wood. Early viewing recommended! CLAYGATE CLAYGATE £449,000 Superb 3 bedroom family home located opposite a central green and offering well planned accommodation which is very well presented throughout. Excellent rear garden and to the front off street parking. Internal viewing highly recommended! £2,650 PCM A very spacious four bedroom detached house with a lovely south facing garden ideally located in this small select cul-de-sac literally within a few minute’s walk of the village, K3 bus route and main line station. Available immediately. 15 16 LIVING WITHIN February 2015 Wentworth Estate £10,950 pcm A magnificent house of about 6,500 sq ft on the renowned Wentworth Estate just a short walk from the varied local shops, restaurants and railway station. Fitted with a mixture of wood flooring, ceramic tiling and high quality carpets as well as lavishly appointed interior designed curtains / blinds. EPC Rating D65. 7 beds Virginia Water 5 baths 6 2 receptions garage 0.6 acres £5,600 pcm A superb end of terrace town house on this luxury development with 24 hour security and fabulous leisure facilities for the sole use of the residents and their guests including an indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna and gym as well as two outdoor tennis court. Refurbished to include a new kitchen/breakfast room, new bathrooms and carpets. EPC Rating: D63. 5 beds swimming pool 3 baths gym 4 receptions 2 garage Virginia Water £3,500 pcm Situated in a most convenient position, a few hundred yards from the pretty shopping parades of Virginia Water with its excellent shops for day to day needs, restaurants and mainline railway station with a fast service of trains to Waterloo in 42 minutes. Available for a 6 month rental. EPC Rating: D68. 4 beds 2 baths 6 2 receptions garage 0.33 acre approx The Estate Office - Wentworth - Virginia Water - Surrey - GU25 4DL. UK T: +44(0)1344 843000 - W: bartonwyatt.co.uk February 2015 LIVING WITHIN CLAYGATE Situated in one of the most popular roads in Claygate is this beautiful detached family home of approximately 2788 sq ft. This fantastic home is ideally situated for local schools, the village centre, and Claygate train station giving access to London Waterloo. Energy rating C. MASTER BEDROOM WITH EN SUITE, 4 FURTHER BEDROOMS, 3 RECEPTION ROOMS, BATHROOM, KITCHEN, GARAGE, GARDEN 17 C LD ST SO Guide Price: £1,350,000 CLAYGATE Old Point is an attractive and substantial, five bedroom, two bathroom, traditional tile hung detached family home enviably located in the heart of the Ruxley Heights estate. Ruxley Heights is perfectly located in the charming Surrey village of Claygate with its fine variety of local shops and main line station offering fast and frequent links to London Waterloo. Energy rating D. MASTER BEDROOM WITH DRESSING ROOM AND EN SUITE, 4 FURTHER BEDROOMS, BATHROOM, 2 RECEPTION ROOMS, KITCHEN/BREAKFAST ROOM, 2 UTILITY ROOMS, STUDY, CONSERVATORY, GARAGE, GARDEN. E R FO L A S Guide Price: £1,350,000 There is a lack of property currently available and we have applicants looking across all price ranges. Call us now for a confidential market appraisal to discuss this further. Doug Parks Branch Manager ESHER 01372 462211 [email protected] www.johndwood.co.uk 18 LIVING WITHIN February 2015 Sunningdale £1,975,000 An imposing & highly spacious detached family home enjoying lovely grounds of approximately three quarters of an acre, set in a very popular location. Reception Hall, Cloakroom, Four Reception Rooms, Kitchen/Breakfast Room, Conservatory, Utility Room, Two Bedroom Suites plus Two Further Double Bedrooms & Bathroom, Second Floor Double Bedroom with Dressing Room, Shower Room and Sitting Room, Triple Garage with Annexe Over, Gated In & Out Drive. EPC- D60. Thorpe Green £950,000 An exceptional newly refurbished home providing over 2,000 square feet of living accommodation, occupying a private plot of approximately 0.4 acres. Reception Hall, Sitting Room, Kitchen/Breakfast/Family Room, Master Bedroom with En Suite Shower Room, Three Further Double Bedrooms, Family Bathroom, Utility Room, Driveway accessed via Electronically Operated Gates, Large Private Mature Garden, Summerhouse. EPC- C75. Virginia Water £750,000 An attractive and immaculately presented detached family home enjoying private mature gardens, situated in a highly popular residential road. Entrance Hall, Cloakroom, Kitchen/Breakfast Room open to Dining Room/Drawing Room, Conservatory, Family/Games Room, Master Bedroom with En Suite Shower Room, Three Further Bedrooms, Family Bathroom, Single Garage, Off Street Parking, Private Rear Gardens. EPC- D62. 01344 845050 6 Station Approach, Virginia Water Surrey GU25 4DL buckinghams.com February 2015 LIVING WITHIN Wentworth Estate 19 £3,795,000 A beautifully appointed brand new Runnymede Homes built residence offering exceptional accommodation over three storeys, with grounds approaching half an acre in a lovely tree lined setting. Grand Reception Hall, Cloakroom, Drawing Room, Dining Room, Study, Kitchen/Breakfast Room open to Family Room, Utility Room, Stunning Master Bedroom Suite with Sitting Room, Dressing Area and Excellent Bath & Shower Room, Four Further Bedroom Suites, Au Pair Suite above Double Garage. EPC- B83. Wentworth Estate £3,950,000 A stunning brand new three storey residence having been completed to an excellent specification and finish, situated conveniently close to the heart of Virginia Water village. Reception Hall, Cloakroom, Drawing Room, Dining Room, Study, Wonderful Kitchen/Breakfast/Family Room, Utility with 2nd Cloakroom, Exquisite Master Bedroom Suite, Five Further Bedroom Suites, Top Floor Laundry Room, Double Garage with Annexe Suite over, Easterly facing Gardens of approaching Half an Acre. EPC-C80. 01344 845050 6 Station Approach, Virginia Water Surrey GU25 4DL buckinghams.com 20 LIVING WITHIN February 2015 Wentworth Estate £4,600,000 A brand new Georgian style residence built by award winning developer Bridgewater New Homes Ltd, offering superbly finished accommodation and enjoying landscaped South Westerly facing grounds of one acre. Reception Hall, Cloakroom, Study, Drawing Room, Dining Room, Kitchen/Breakfast/Family Room, Cinema Room, Sitting Room & Games Room opening out to Private Courtyard, Utility Room, Four Full Bedroom Suites plus large Guest/Staff Bedroom Suite, Detached Triple Garage. EPC- B82. Sunninghill Guide £3,000,000 An intelligently designed and extremely spacious brand new home constructed by the highly regarded developers Belvedere, enjoying South Westerly facing rear gardens in a superb private road location. Grand Reception Hall, Cloakroom, Drawing Room, Dining Room, Study, Kitchen/Breakfast Room open to Family Room, Utility Room, Boot Room & 2nd Cloakroom, Four Full Bedroom Suites, Fifth Double Bedroom, Media Room/Bedroom Six, Bath/Shower Room, Annexe/Games Room over Double Garage. EPC- B87. 01344 845050 6 Station Approach, Virginia Water Surrey GU25 4DL buckinghams.com February 2015 LIVING WITHIN Wentworth Estate 21 £6,500,000 An imposing Tarrant built home providing superb family accommodation & enjoying wonderful private grounds approaching two acres in an excellent location. Grand Reception Hall leading to Library Area, Cloakroom, Drawing Room, Dining Room, Family/Cinema Room, Study, Kitchen/Breakfast Room, Utility Room, Master Bedroom Suite with Spacious Bathroom, Two Dressing Rooms & Balcony, Guest Bedroom Suite with Balcony, Four Further Bedrooms (Three En Suite), Shower Room, Detached Single Storey One Bedroom Annexe, Triple Garage. EPC- D68. Wentworth Estate £6,000,000 A truly unique bespoke residence constructed in a 17th Century farmhouse style using reclaimed materials, complemented by beautifully manicured grounds in excess of one and a quarter acres and enjoying panoramic views across Wentworth Golf Course. Grand Reception Hall with Vaulted Ceiling, Cloakroom, Triple Aspect Drawing Room, Dining Room, Study/Library, Superb Open Plan Kitchen/Breakfast/Family Room, Conservatory, Utility Room, Master Bedroom Suite with Balcony, Two Guest Suites, Two Further Bedrooms, Bathroom, Triple Garage with large Annexe over, Landscaped South Easterly Facing Grounds, Direct Access Onto Wentworth Golf Course. EPC- D65. 01344 845050 6 Station Approach, Virginia Water Surrey GU25 4DL buckinghams.com 22 LIVING WITHIN February 2015 Taxing Times Of course the higher rate (£41,865) and additional rate (£150,000) thresholds are also points where the rate increases, and consideration should be given to keeping income within the lower band. For taxpayers with income falling around these points it is crucial to consider what action can be taken to reduce exposure at the higher rate. In year pension contributions and gift aid contributions in the year or subsequent year will reduce the amount paid at these thresholds. with Graham Jennings Q: My total income for the current tax year will be around £55,000. I am employed and so I assume there is very little I can do to save tax, any ideas? A: There are two critical thresholds of income that all tax payers need to be very aware of whether they are employed or self-employed. This is because the marginal rate of income tax can be very high once the threshold is breached. First, where a taxpayer is subject to the high income child benefit charge claw back with income between £50,000 and £60,000 this can lead to very high marginal rates where child benefit is claimed for a large number of children – for four children this is 72% and for eight children, 100%. The second critical threshold is taxable income between £100,000 and £120,000 where the £10,000 2015/15 personal allowance is abated at the rate of £1 for every £2 of income. If the income in question is non dividend income this gives a marginal rate of 60%. So for example, if you have two children aged 12 and 9 then in the current tax year you will receive child benefit of £1,770. Because your income is more than £50,000 (and I have assumed your spouse earns less than £50,000) then you would be required to repay £885 of the child benefit. However, if you instead decided to make pension contribution in the year (2014/15) of net £4,000 then you would not have to repay the child benefit. HMRC would add a further £1,000 to your pension pot to make a total £5,000 contribution so an added benefit. In summary a £5,000 contribution to your pension pot would only cost you £3,115 (£4,000 less £885). Any reader interested in discussing this topic further can telephone Graham Jennings on 01344 875000. Send your taxation and accounting queries to Graham Jennings, Kirk Rice LLP, The Courtyard, High Street, Ascot SL5 7HP Email [email protected]. Please note: answers are given for general guidance only and specific advice should be taken before acting on any of the suggestions made. Sunninghill Carpets & Flooring Ltd No-one does; soft, textured, varied, contemporary, beautiful flooring like us Suppliers & Installers: Bespoke Carpets Amtico Solid & Engineered Wood Vinyl Floorcovering Glade House, High Street, SUNNINGHILL Ascot, Berks SL5 9NP 25 years of reliable quality service www.sunninghillcarpets.com 01344 622022 Like our Facebook page and stay updated with our latest offers February 2015 LIVING WITHIN Jenny Marks’ Mad Month 23 New philanthropic fund targets hidden need in Elmbridge I’m woken by my black Labrador jumping on the bed and kissing “ me at 6.30am. Love him to pieces, but his breath is enough to knock anyone unconscious! Greetings dear reader – Can you believe its February already! January zoomed past with The Angel (youngest daughter), celebrating her 18th birthday and Boy Wonder (moody son), his 16th birthday. Could I feel even older? Such bad planning – felt like we were hemorrhaging money. My wallet still hasn’t recovered from Christmas and suddenly we’re straight into birthdays... The Angel wanted to have close family for a meal to celebrate and we went to Henrys Grill in Esher. I cannot recommend it highly enough. The guys and gals were so helpful and the live music was great. At one point Boy Wonder was dancing around doing a ‘shopping trolley’ dance, whilst the waiters shimmied around him! Don’t you just love it when a gang (in our case 15 guests), are all trying to order food ? You ask a simple question like ‘Who’s having a starter?’ and the reply is ‘Err well yes. No. Oh I don’t know. Are you?’ The waiter smiled patiently. After 10 minutes with everyone saying the same thing, I noticed the waiters’ smile slipping slightly as he mumbled he’d give us more time. Bless him. We’d already been in there over half an hour! When it came time for us to order the main course, I noticed we’d been allocated two new waiters and the earlier chap had moved to the other side of the restaurant, as far away as possible. At the same time that I was having a jolly partying with the family, my lovely team ran a 60th Birthday party in a nearby venue. Earlier in the day I’d dressed the venue using a number of drapes and this involved a great deal of pins. Whenever I’m up a ladder decorating, I usually use whatever I’m wearing as a pin cushion. Having rushed from that party venue to The Angels party, I was already dressed in my glad rags. At one point in the evening, whilst I was waving my arms around in an attempt to grab a bottle of bubbly, I felt such a sharp pain in my chest. It took me a while to realise I still had all the pins from the draping in my top! Nobody had the heart to tell me I looked like a geriatric punk! By the time we eventually left the restaurant to carry on the celebrations, I think the staff were going to have their own party. Either that or a nervous break-down... Seriously, hats off to them, they were brilliant. With regards to work, we have a number of parties that we’re working on. The latest craze is using huge warehouses either in London or on trading estates and erecting marquees inside them. Part of the building is taken up by these structures and the other part is themed and used as a wild dance/drinking area. They are terrific fun and we have fire eaters and strolling musicians etc., to meet and greet people in the car parks. Street food is very ‘in’ – which is like festival food – open air cooking from Thai food to chilli burgers etc and we also base these in the cark parks. It creates a fantastic atmosphere. The great thing is that the parties can go on till really late/early morning, as nobody lives nearby! When I say great, I mean super for the client – not so good for my bad mood when I wake from such a late night. I always ask Smiler (non-smiling hubby), to keep my dogs downstairs so I can have a lie in after a late night. Unfortunately he has a habit of leaving all the doors open, so I’m woken by my black Labrador jumping on the bed and kissing me at 6.30am. Love him to pieces, but his breath is enough to knock anyone unconscious! You can only imagine how happy and joyous I am. Seriously, his latest excuse is that the dogs can open the doors by themselves. Yeah, they can really turn round nobs and push the doors open... Meanwhile the kids have already started giving me a hard time by asking if they can book an appointment to see me! Charming... On that note I’m off to Cafe Nero for yet more caffeine and cake Have a great February and don’t forget Valentines Day – Please remind Smiler if you see him! - Jenny Wendy Varcoe, Executive Director, Community Foundation for Surrey, Richard Waller, Chairman, Elmbridge Community Fund, Dominic Raab MP and Rob Moran Chief Executive , Elmbridge Borough Council. A new community fund launched in Elmbridge to encourage philanthropic giving has raised over £13,000 to support local community and voluntary groups. Grants will be awarded by the panel to support local community and voluntary groups who are ‘making a difference’ to the quality of life in Elmbridge. Grants offer support to a wide range of community and voluntary groups in Elmbridge helping the elderly, disadvantaged and disabled among others. Elmbridge Community Fund panel member Dominic Raab, MP explained: “Our aim is to increase cooperation with leading local charitable organisations by building a permanent fund to support communities across all of Elmbridge and inspire local giving to benefit the local community.” By building permanent endowed funds grants can be awarded from the income generated in perpetuity, supporting the local community now and in the future. Four founding donors have already come together to create the fund, and their generous donations have been nearly doubled through the government Community First Match scheme. The fund now seeks others to come forward to further build the fund. Wendy Varcoe, Chief Executive of the Community Foundation for Surrey said: “By maximising Gift Aid and tax incentives your donation to the Elmbridge Community Fund can go further to support even more people, providing a very effective way of saving tax and supporting the local community.” The Elmbridge Community Fund is part of the Community Foundation for Surrey, an independent charitable trust established to inspire local philanthropy. The foundation is already very active in the area, and over the last three years has awarded more than 30 grants in Elmbridge totalling over £80,000. The Fund already has a talented team of panel members who have in some way or other ‘madea-difference’ to their local community, and is now delighted to welcome new members who will bring significant experience and expertise to the new organisation. Among these new panel members are local businessman Tony Kelly, Chief Executive Walton Charity Jackie Lodge, Chief Executive Elmbridge Borough Council Rob Moran, Sir Gerry Acher, Chairman Heart of the City and Rob Douglas, former High Sherriff of Surrey and Chairman of the Queen Elizabeth Foundation for the Disabled. Elmbridge Community Fund’s Chairman, Richard Waller commented: “Although we live in what is generally accepted as one of the most affluent areas in the country, the statistics about the Elmbridge area are actually quite shocking. The Elmbridge Community Fund is a major way that can help direct local giving to assist the quality of life in the area. We have set our sights high with a funding target, of £1 million in five years. This is the kind of target that will really 'make a difference'. Think how much that kind of sum could mean to an organisation in your local area. We are also delighted to have added such a high quality of new members as panel members. They will undoubtedly help us enormously in reaching our target!” 24 LIVING WITHIN February 2015 NO STAMP DUTY Surpassing all expectations. 'LENMEADAND"YWAYSTWOOFTHEMOSTELEGANTGATEDPROPERTIESINTHEAFmUENT village of Ascot. Substantial in their size, exquisite in their style. This is the ultimate in sophisticated living. 3IXBEDROOMHOMESs)NTERNALSTUDIOmATs4RIPLEGARAGEs3UBSTANTIALLANDSCAPEDGARDENS Swift access to the M25 and M4 • Sunningdale and Wentworth Golf courses nearby FRIARY ROAD | ASCOT | BERKSHIRE | SL5 9HD Price: £4,250,000 Email: [email protected] Viewing by Appointment Only Please contact Edwards & Elliott Phone: 01344 623411
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