Vacancy of a Unit at the Almshouses
William Buckwell Memorial Almshouses, Lingfield- Notice of Vacancy Click here for information
Guide Leaders needed- Can you help?
Could you spare some time on either Wednesday or Friday evenings to help with the 1st Felbridge (St John's) Rainbows Brownies and Guides Click here for more details and contact information
Bonfire Guidelines
For clarification on the whys and wherefores of garden bonfires please click here for advice issued by Tandridge District Council
Snow, glorious snow!
Copthorne Rd and Rowplatt Lane -- deserted at 10.30am on a Monday morning -- unheard of! Keep your snowy pics coming in....For more fabulous photos sent into us by local resident Ian Johnson Click here
Manhole Cover Madness
Local residents along the A264 are being driven to distraction as a result
of traffic constantly hitting a loose man hole cover. This has been going on for
months and in spite of the residents and Councillor Ken Harwood reporting the
matter to SCC nothing so far has been done. According to a spokesman
from Tandridge Highways: a) as there are no safety issues this is of low
priority and b) as they have no database for determining who owns the
manhole they would have to first ring around the utilities to see
who will admit ownership which seems ludicrous! Councillor Harwood has recorded
a video of the noise which we hope to add to the site but do let us know if you
similarly plagued by either noise or light pollution. (We have
received a number of emails from residents complaining about the increase in
light pollution as a result of the number of new developments on the A264.) Good news: The manhole has been identified as
belonging to Southern Water and Highways have advised them it will
need a new frame and cover and the job will require traffic management for the
work to go ahead.
Bluebell Railway
An interesting photograph sent in by local resident John Sisley showing the excavation which
has taken place at the Imberhorne Tip. This area has to be cleared to enable the
Bluebell Railway to be linked with East Grinstead. At the end of last year a
trail excavation was carried out. During a period of
fourteen days, 524 loads left site amounting to 10,386 tonnes of waste. This trial has provided valuable information relating to the state of the
waste, speed of excavation, transportation logistics and partnership working
between Land & Water and Bluebell volunteers. The capping clay has been
reinstated and the site will now be mothballed. Further excavation will take place once sufficient funds have been donated.
Easter 2010 still remains our target for opening the complete line from East
Grinstead to Sheffield Park.
Further details can be found on the Railway's website:
www.bluebell-railway.co.uk
Are you ready for weekly recycling collection?
Are you ready for weekly recycling? Do you have a blue bag for your plastic drinks bottles? From 02 February 2009 residents of Felbridge will be able to recycle every week and include plastic drinks bottles in a blue recycling bag. For more information and to order your free blue bag, phone SCC on 03456 009009.
Hedgecourt Lake as you have never seen it before!
Hedgecourt Lake, Mill Lane take at sunrise on the 11th Jan 2009 by local
resident Ian Johnson-- an absolutely stunning view ! Many thanks Ian.
Register for Tandridge News Direct
www.tandridge.gov.uk/newsdirect This is a free email information service which keeps you up to date with the latest news, consultations and events or for a map you can go to www.tandridge.gov.uk/localview.asp and find any location by address or postcode with links to information about council services, community links and planning information and many other details.
Felbridge cottage ...NEW ZEALAND
Follow up to email received from David Platt in New Zealand hoping to trace a connection between his recently purchased 120 year old house (picture above) built by Dr. Pearless and called Felbridge Cottage :Email from former resident of Rowplatt Lane, David Shoubridge managed to find a possible link www.pearless.org/family.php?famid=F35&PHPSESSID=0 Felbridge History Group were also able to help: "Your e-mail about Felbridge Cottage has been forwarded to us by the Felbridge web site. There is a Pearless family who still reside in East Grinstead, the small market town next to Felbridge, who have been operating as solicitors since at least the middle of the 19th century. We have found members of the family acting as guarantors by lending money for the purchase of property by several people from Felbridge, an early sort of mortgage system, in the late 19th century. However, we have not yet come across any details of a Pearless living in Felbridge or emigrating to New Zealand. Sorry I cannot be of more help at the moment but if I find any more info about a conclusive link between a Pearless and Felbridge Cottage I will forward it on".
Core Strategy Vote - To little to late for Felbridge?
Whilst we welcome the news that hopefully the adoption of the Core Strategy will mean the end of back garden development for Felbridge we feel that it is too little to late. Felbridge has already been inundated by numerous back garden infills over the past 5 years -- with no obvious input into the infrastructure by either the developers or TDC -- as one cynical Felbridge resident has said:
"One thought that comes to mind is that they need to reclassify the area in order to permit something else to occur, perhaps Gatwick has been told they can’t increase flights over ‘Green Belt Settlements’ so they need to reclassify the area in order to quadruple flights! Alright I admit it I am a grumpy old man, but in my defence TDC has helped me to become so."
Jeremy Clarke, FPC Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Felbridge and District Historical Society has produced a very interesting analysis of development in Tandridge showing that although Felbridge is a rural ward it has had the second highest dwellings increase rate for its population , Click here for full report
A recent email from Councillor Ken Harwood echoes these sentiments. Click here for full email
Surrey CareCall -34,000 in east Surrey now enrolled
from email received by FPC in December from: Rosalind Dewar InHealth Communications Ltd www.inhealthcomms.com After the success of a pilot with 20 practices in east Surrey, local GPs are working with Surrey Primary Care Trust to extend the CareCall service throughout the region. CareCall is a telephone service which gives patients access to their own Health Coach - a registered nurse with specialist training - who can give them the information they need to manage their health and well-being. Health coaches can spend as long as an individual wishes, discussing options, explaining medication and treatments, setting goals and preparing for medical appointments. Dr Peter Stott, a GP at Tadworth Medical Centre, said: "We already offer a wide range of services at the medical centre and this will extend what we do and be especially beneficial for patients with long term conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. I would encourage our patients to opt-in to Care Call and make the most of this service .Call 0800 028 4207 Please contact Rick Fell at Surrey Primary Care Trust if you would like to find out more Rick Fell Communications Manager 01372 201793 Rick.Fell@surreypct.nhs.uk
Exploring Surrey's Past
A new website www.exploringsurreyspast.org.uk is a great place to find out more about Felbridge. You can explore archives, local history, museum collections and archaeology. You can also use the site to research you family or house history.
Fly Tipping Warning
Once again yet another load of rubbish was recently dumped in Stub Pond Lane Felbridge, just past Hedgecourt Lake, completely blocking the road. The owner was traced ,and admitted she had had a clear out and got some individuals to dispose of her rubbish. She failed to establish whether the men were bona fide, as per the Law. As a result, she was liable for the rubbish as if she had actually dumped it herself. Because TDC have not adopted the ability to issue F.P.N, (Fixed Penalty Notice) the person was obliged to pay the cost of removal of the rubbish which amounted to £150 (which is the F.P.N cost). So be warned: if you get rubbish collected for disposal you must ensure the collectors are bona fide and registered to do so. Failure to do so means the owner of the rubbish remains liable for any actions that occur with that rubbish, i.e. dumping. That would normally attracted a F.P.N of £150
How to stop telemarketing and junk mail
REVENGE ON THE TELEMARKETER
Three Little Words That Work!!
(1) The three little words: 'Hold On, Please...'
Saying this, while putting down your phone and walking off ( instead of hanging-up
immediately) would make each telemarketing call so much more time-consuming
that boiler room sales would grind to a halt.
Then when you eventually hear BT's 'beep-beep-beep' tone, you know it's time to
go back and hang up your handset .... you have efficiently completed your task.
These three little words could help eliminate telephone soliciting.
(2) Do you ever get those annoying phone calls with no one on the other end?
This is a telemarketing technique where a machine makes phone
calls and records the time of day when a person answers the phone.
This technique is then used to determine the best time of day for a
'real' salesperson to call back and get someone at home.
What you can do after answering: If you notice there is no one there, is to
immediately start hitting your # button on the phone, 6 or 7 times, as quickly
as possible. This confuses the machine that dialed the call and it kicks your
number out of their system. Gosh, what a shame not to have your name in their
system any longer!!! ;
3: When you get those 'pre-approved' letters in the mail for everything from
credit cards to 2nd mortgages and similar type junk, do not throw away
the return envelope.
Most of these come with postage-prepaid return envelopes, right?
It costs them more than the regular postage 'IF' and when they are returned. It
costs them nothing if you throw them away! In that case, why not get rid of
some of your other junk mail and put it in these cool little, postage-prepaid
return envelopes.
Send an advert for your local chimney sweeper to American Express ... they
might need one!
Send a pizza coupon to HSBC ... in case their canteen packs up. You get the
idea.
If you didn't get anything else that day, then just send them back their blank
application form ... after all, it is their form!
If you want to remain anonymous, just make sure your name isn't on anything you
return.
You can even send the envelope back empty if you want to just to keep them
guessing! It still costs them, and it is their envelope after all ... you are
just returning it!!!!
The banks and credit card companies are currently getting a lot of their own
junk back in the post, but folks .. we need to OVERWHELM them, in order to stop
them.
Let's let them know what it's like to get lots of junk mail,
and best of all they're paying for it ... Twice!
Let's help keep Royal Mail busy. Since the Royal Mail are saying that e-mail is
cutting into their business profits, let's help them so they will not need to
increase postage costs again. You get the idea!
If enough people follow these tips, it will work ---- maybe you'll get very
little junk mail anymore.
Ken Harwood report- Hedgecourt Lake May 2008
Photo courtesy of Ken Harwood. Our resident swans have produced another 5
cygnets this year. Mum is out on the water showing off her brood. It's interesting to see
cygnets actually climb up onto mum and nestle under her wings completely put
out of sight. At first glance you think she's lost some of her brood, but they
suddenly pop out! Well worth a walk down to the lake.
There are some beautiful Terns flying over the lake at this time.
When the sun is out the light hits their wings when they are in flight and
gives off a magnificent light blue effect. They are very active at the
moment fishing. Their flight movements are brilliant to watch, their
body shape similar to a swallow but much larger. There are four at the
moment.
Surrey Trading Standards Press Release "Buy with confidence" scheme
Michele Manson tel 01372 371750 (email: michele.mansonsurreycc.gov.uk)
April,2008 – Trading Standards South East (TSSE) today announced
a promotional programme to help increase awareness and boost membership of
their ground-breaking "Buy With Confidence" scheme. Consumers and businesses are set to see and hear a great deal more
about the only Trading Standards approved scheme to promote and support good,
reliable, local businesses; and to improve consumer protection by providing the
public with a choice of local businesses they can trust.
Regional radio, press and online
advertising along with a range of local promotional initiatives, will all
feature the real benefits to consumers and businesses of using or becoming
members of the scheme. From local endorsement, promotion and support for member
businesses through to reducing the risk of rogue traders ripping off consumers,
the "Buy with Confidence" scheme makes perfect sense.
“We’ve had great success in growing the
membership and use of the scheme since it launched in the south east nearly 10
years ago,” says Michele Manson, who heads up the Trading Standards team
responsible for the "Buy with Confidence" scheme in Surrey. “But we hope this campaign will get us to the
next level and increase the number of quality businesses involved and make our
website and phone number the first choice for consumers looking for local
contacts, whatever the job, big or small.”
The "Buy with Confidence" scheme is the only one run by local Trading Standards Officers and includes a
wide range of business types – almost 1,500 in the south east – from
accountants to yacht charters, architects to web designers and a host of home
improvement businesses and motor traders. That means all members are carefully
checked and approved by Trading Standards.
The "Buy With Confidence" scheme has two primary aims: to promote and support good, reliable, local
businesses; and to improve consumer protection by providing the public with a
choice of businesses they can trust – and it doesn’t cost consumers a thing.
This scheme, for consumers or potential new members, is available by calling 08454
04 05 06 or online at www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk
where a searchable database of member businesses is available.
The "Buy with Confidence" scheme – local businesses approved by Trading Standards Michele Manson can also help with setting up interviews with
traders local to your publications distribution area.
For more background on the normal "Buy With Confidence" scheme, please visit www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk
Relief Road Route Option Revealed
Click here for
email from Tandridge District Council.
A proposed route has been set out for a relief road The route is part of the East Grinstead Area Action Plan, which includes 2,500 new homes to the west and south west of the town. Mid Sussex Council
sites the relief road from A264 Doves Barn Felbridge to Gullege, around the new homes to Turners Hill Road, and onto the A22 near Forest Row. A formal document will be submitted to the full council in October
click here for more
Puffin Crossing
The Puffin Crossing is finally working Click here for official comment from Ken Harwood
Your Drive- and your rights
Ken Harwood June 2007
Some two weeks ago, a company descended upon Copthorne road and started
digging up the grass verges along that road to lay an optic fibre
cable. When they reached one driveway of a resident. He
questioned the company as to what they were doing. He was told that all
houses had been leafleted. That is not true. He told
the company they were not to dig up his driveway and he contacted
me. I made enquiries of Surrey County Highways and informed
them of what was happening. I asked for clarification as to whether the
company could in fact simply dig up someone's driveway without prior
notification. Meanwhile, the company involved simply moved onto another
job leaving the pipe unfinished at this driveway I
have now received confirmation from Surrey Highways that the company can
do this work. However, in the reply was the threat that if the resident
obstructed the work he could become the subject of a police
prosecution. Both I and the resident take exception to this
heavy handed response from Surrey, to what was no more than a request
seeking clarification. Surrey have ended their reply with the
comment that the resident should liaise direct with the contractors. The
only problem is, the resident has no idea who they are, because they
have been back in contact with him! From my perspective...."
This started out as a simple enquiry of Surrey highways, as to whether
this company could in fact, come along and simply dig up someone's
driveway without prior notification. Surrey's heavy handed response
with the threat of police prosecution if a resident interferes, clearly
shows they have no respect for the residents who they are supposed to
serve".
Report from Jeremy Clark Felbridge History Society
Do you know what an e-petition is?
Last November (2006) Downing Street took another big step along the "Hi-Tech" road by introducing an "e-petition" website called http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/ .The site, hosted on the Downing Street website is designed to make it much easier for anyone (so inclined) to start a petition on just about anything, subject of course to the "Terms and conditions" laid out on the website or you can just add your name/email address to an existing petition.
St. Johns Ambulance Courses
Details of public training courses for Felbridge and East Grinstead areas can be found on their website ( click here)
Battle of The Swans
By email from Ken Harwood 30th Jan 2007.
Each year I get people knocking on my door & phoning, expressing concern (and in some cases distress)
about what goes on down at Hedgecourt Lake at this time of year. We have a pair of swans who have
been resident for as long as we have been here (15years). Each year that we've been here that they have
been here, they have successfully raised a succession of broods, ranging in number from 4, to last year's
record of 9 youngsters. They give the youngsters their undivided attention for almost a year, teaching them
all the skills to survive in the wild.
Then... comes January, the adults systematically chase the youngsters' off the lake. That is just before
the female builds a nest for this years new arrivals. The confrontation between parents and young is very
brutal, and if seen without the knowledge of what is happening, can be distressing for people, watching what
is effectively adult swans attacking younger ones. The 'battle' goes on for days and sometimes weeks, until
the parents get their way and exclude their young from what is seen by the adults as their territory.
(Oh! if only humans could do that I hear?) Once the young have gone they never return. This year we had a
tragedy down at the lake, as some weeks ago a group of interlopers arrived on the lake and there was a
pitched battle between the resident swans & the visitors. In the process one of the youngsters was killed
by the interlopers. Such was the ferocity of the battle. Territorial rights play a big part in the lives
of these creatures. This email is to alert people as to what is going down there, should they see this
chasing & harrying on. It's nature & sometimes nature is cruel to watch. There is nothing that can be done
to stop it.
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