Teddington Orchard gains prestigious Community Award

Local community green space is one of the best in the country

A neighbourhood orchard maintained by volunteers in south Teddington has gained recognition as one of the best community-run green spaces in the country. By receiving the Green Flag Community Award, School House Lane Orchard has been recognised as a high-quality, well- managed and welcoming place, central to the local community.

As a result of the vision and hard work of a group of local residents, this once neglected green space has been transformed progressively over the past five years into a cherished community orchard, stocked with fruit and nut trees, herbs and native hedging. The most recent project undertaken by the Friends of School House Lane Orchard (FSHLO), which cares for the site, was installation of dead and live hedging in spring 2010. This year and next, the Friends are planning to create a wild-flower meadow.

FSHLO has received support from the start from Richmond Council’s Parks Department, which owns the Orchard; as well as South West London Environment Network (SWLEN) and the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV). The Friends received a grant from Awards for All in 2006 and Thames Community Foundation in 2010.

Speaking at the Friends’ annual summer party, FSHLO chair Ian Jones-Healey said: “We are delighted to receive recognition from this national awards scheme for our much-loved Orchard. I would like to thank all our members for their hard work in getting us to this point and our colleagues in the Council, SWLEN and BTCV for their invaluable help along the way.”

School House Lane Orchard is the only – and we believe the first – site in the borough of Richmond upon Thames to hold the Community Award, according to the listings on the Green Flag Award website.

All award-winning sites now have the chance to receive a further award from the Green Flag Plus Partnership, the People’s Choice Award. This award is voted for by the public, so if you want to see your local park receive a national accolade as the People’s Choice, then visit the Green Flag Award website and vote now.

School House Lane Orchard website.

The Environment Agency has asked local amenity groups including the Hampton Wick Association to help promote its ‘Flood Awareness Campaign’

Please read the Flood Awareness brochure which has some simple to follow advice and sources of further information.

The Hampton Wick Association has a vacancy for someone to join the committee and to be responsible for writing local news stories for the HWA Newsletter and website. This is a voluntary position. It’s a great opportunity to get involved with the local community. No formal journalism qualifications or experience are required, just a good writing style and an interest in what’s going on locally.

If you would like to discuss this further, please email Anne Hardy on annehardy@fastmail.fm.

Following recent publicity in this area, a small group has started up with the intention of forming a new Rotary Club. With the support of the existing Rotary Club of Teddington and the Hamptons, the new club will be a better match for today’s busy young professionals. It will hold informal meetings fortnightly in a local pub (The Adelaide in Park Road, Teddington), and work alongside the existing club to raise money for local and international causes.

This is an exciting time for the embryonic new club, and its members are looking for other like-minded men and women to join in and help. Rotary is a fantastic world-wide service organization, offering fun, networking and social interaction while serving the community. Its 1.2 million members make visiting Rotarians welcome when they visit their area, and work together to promote international understanding.

For more information see this YouTube clip

Contact:
David Lindsley
(Tel: 020 8977 8885)

In addition to the usual parade members we had Roundheads and Loyalists – of the Sealed Knot English Civil War Enactment Group – who did battle at the event site and also demonstrated musket proficiency and drill. Later on there was a WWII Howitzer demonstration.

The City of London Police horses led the Parade along with the Horse Rangers Band, Scouts, Veteran Cyclists, many in Victorian dress, plus companion cyclists. Harley Davidsons were followed by classic military vehicles, classic cars, double decker buses, vintage London taxis, and a “Jazz Band in a Trailer” bringing up the rear. There were also enactors from the American Civil War and British soldiers from Gallipoli.

Teddington School Big Band entertained with swing music. We had exhibitions from the Royal Parks, the Bee Keeper, the Horse Rangers, Friends of Bushy Parks, the previously mentioned veteran cycles, classic cars and WWII vehicles.

The Hampton Wick Association had an exhibition of historical photographs and maps of Hampton Wick. These attracted a lot of attention from people who had lived in the village in the past or who had family connections with it.

There were pony rides available. Apart from the pony rides, fairground rides, and food outlets, everything else was FREE including car parking. Many people, taking advantage of the good weather, brought along picnics.

This is an historic event. When Queen Victoria opened Bushy Park to the public it quickly became an attraction for London visitors, particularly on the Sunday nearest 11th May – when chestnut blooms were usually at their best. The celebration died out after WWII but was resurrected by the Hampton Wick Association to celebrate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee. Chestnut Sunday continues to this day. Competition

Many thanks to Colin Pain for this article.

View Chestnut Sunday 2011 photo gallery.

MINUTES OF THE EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OF
THE HAMPTON WICK ASSOCIATION
HELD AT BULLEN HALL, HAMPTON WICK
on Thursday 14 April 2011 at 7.30pm

Present:
ACTING CHAIRMAN Chris Drayson
SECRETARY Fraser Wilson

and other Members, including Committee Members.
Apologies: Adam Spencer – Treasurer, Magdalen Miles, Dorothy Allen, Brenda Robson, Chris Lee.

Chairman’s statement: Chris Drayson introduced himself as the Acting Chairman as Pat Parsons had stepped down and no-one had been elected to replace her. He did not want to see the Association close down as had seemed a real possibility following the AGM. The reason for the EGM was that the Committee had seen a problem at the AGM. Some people, including a number from outside Hampton Wick, with an interest in a single issue had wanted to make that issue the main point of discussion at the meeting. But the Association was more than just a single issue
organisation. Also it was of and for the people who lived and worked in Hampton Wick. While welcoming interest from others outside Hampton Wick, the Committee did not believe that they should have the same role in the Association as the people
of the village. The Committee was therefore proposing changes to the Constitution to have only residents and those working in Hampton Wick having the right to vote at the AGM. As one of those who had drafted the present Constitution, the Acting Chairman had always assumed that these would be the people who would have the main say in the Association. He asked for an end to the heartache and a calm summer.

Proposed changes to the Constitution: Some questions were asked from the floor. The Acting Chairman showed a map of the Hampton Wick ward and said that it was
being proposed that those qualifying as full members would be those who lived or worked in this area. People with paid or voluntary jobs in the area would qualify if these took up at least 15 hours a week.

The Secretary explained the main proposed changes and said that there would be some consequent changes and some tidying up on minor issues. He then read out
the proposed amendments:

Article 2 to read: “Full membership shall be open to all persons who live or work in Hampton Wick. Associate membership to be open to others.” and the first sentence of Article 9 to read “Full members present at the Annual General Meeting shall have
the right to vote, including to elect the officers and Committee for the ensuing year from among full members of the Association.” – Passed unanimously.

Article 6 to read: “The Committee shall consist of the above officers plus eight other members”. – Passed unanimously.

Article 7 to be amended by the addition of a comma and “website,” after “Newsletter”, and “independently examined” inserted in place of “audited”. – Passed
unanimously.

Article 8 to read: “The financial examination shall be carried out by an independent examiner appointed at the Annual General Meeting.” – Passed by a large majority.

Any Other Business:
Colin Pain reminded the meeting about Chestnut Sunday and encouraged members to attend.
A member asked whether there had been any success in getting permission for residents to take their rubbish to the nearby Kingston tip to avoid having to go right
across the borough to the Richmond tip. The Acting Chairman regretted that this had been refused.

The meeting closed at 7.50pm

MINUTES OF THE FORTY NINTH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF
THE HAMPTON WICK ASSOCIATION
HELD AT ST JOHN’S CHURCH, HAMPTON WICK
on Wednesday 16 March 2011 at 7.30pm

Present:
CHAIRMAN Pat Parsons
SECRETARY Fraser Wilson
TREASURER Adam Spencer

and other Members, including Committee Members.

Apologies: Fred Ashworth, Ray Elmitt.

Minutes of the 48th Annual General Meeting
These were approved, and signed by the Chairman.

Treasurer’s Report
Adam Spencer submitted the accounts for 2010 which had been independently checked by Gillian Ashmore. At 31 December 2010:

Lloyds TSB Current A/C balance: £1,634.84
NS&I Savings A/C balance: £3,789.70*
Income for the year: £5,424.54
Expenditure for the year: £3,290.97**

The £865.00 reserved for the Church campaign, previously in the current account,has now been handed over to the Church.

*The exact balance on the NS&I account is unknown as they need a change of user authorisation from the previous Treasurer. This is being organised. The account is producing a very poor rate of interest and the Treasurer will try to find a more productive account. **The expenditure includes one so far unpresented cheque.
Adoption of the accounts was proposed by Carol Dukes, seconded by Anne Hardy,and agreed by the meeting. The Treasurer is looking into the possibility of appointing a qualified Accountant as the independent examiner in the future.

Chairman’s Report:
Events
May: Chestnut Sunday picnic in Bushy was hampered by the weather. This year we hope for better attendance.
September: St John’s Church public meeting and update on re-opening.
November: Historical presentation in St John’s Church was a huge success. Thanks are due to Ray Elmitt and his team.The Remembrance Sunday parade attracted a larger than ever attendance.
December: The Christmas carols evening was again a great success.
February 2011: The Fish &Chip Supper/Quiz was a sell-out and another huge success.

Results
Library gardens maintained.
Pedestrian refuges placed on the High Street to assist in crossing the road and to slow traffic.
Quarterly full colour newsletter delivered by hand.
Regularly updated news posted on both the notice boards (at the Post Office and on the station platform).
Parking charges plan for Bushy Park scrapped. The HWA played an active role in the Keep Bushy Park Free Alliance.

Communications
Newsletter: Now produced 3 or 4 times each year and delivered free to all HWA members. Also put into local library, pubs, coffee shops etc. It provides
news and write-ups of HWA events and campaigns.
Website: www.hamptonwick.org.uk Used by more than 220 people every month. It is frequently updated with news and information about Hampton Wick and has lots of photos of village events. Back issues of the newsletter are available on it as PDFs.
Email news: This is a free service available to anyone who wants to sign up. Emails, with updates on local news and events, are sent once or twice a
month and are now reaching 265 people.
Local business directory: Thanks to Sharon Bastionthis is now online at www.hwdirectory.org.uk.
Local history group information: Coming soon on www.hwhistory.org.uk.

ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Resignations:
Pat Parsons resigned as Chairman and from the committee

Elections:
The posts of Chairman and Vice-Chairman will remain to be filled as there have been no nominations.
Adam Spencer was re-elected as Treasurer (proposed by Fraser Wilson and seconded by Pat Parsons)
Fraser Wilson was re-elected as Secretary (proposed by Pat Parsons and seconded by Colin Pain)

The Chairman said that the Committee had proposed the election of the committee members en bloc but Mr John Timperley had suggested a vote on each individual.

The election would therefore be on this basis.
John Timperley explained that he believed that one candidate had a conflict of interest and should therefore have a year off the Committee to reflect on this. Rev Graham Singh said that there was a group called the Church Action Group (CAG)and members of this had a conflict of interest by also being members of the HWA Committee. Had the CAG been wound up? Magdalen Miles said that it still existed but was considering its position. The Chairman said that
there was no connection between the CAG and the Hampton Wick Association.

Voting followed and Thomas Correia, Iain Cox, Chris Drayson, Veronica Finlay, Christina Gore, Magdalen Miles, Anne Hardy, and Sharon Bastion were elected. Iain Burgess was not elected on a vote of 12 against, 11 for, and 2 abstentions. The post of Membership Secretary has not been filled but Gillian Ashmore has very kindly agreed to fill in on this in the meantime.

Any Other Business
A question was asked about the CAG but the Secretary said that this was not relevant to the Association. Rev Singh explained that he was not the Vicar of the
Church but the Priest appointed by the Bishop to see whether the Church might reopened. Unfortunately objections by the CAG meant that this re-opening was being delayed. The HWA was however being supportive. Mr Peter Desmond proposed that the meeting endorse the Church’s application for re-opening. This was seconded by Ms Amita Southgate and agreed with a vote of 18 for, none against, and 9 abstentions.

The Chairman informed the meeting that there would be another History event on 7 May. Colin Pain explained that there would be speakers on 6 subjects and that the talks would start at about 4.30PM. This event will be followed by Chestnut Sunday on 8 May.

The Chairman said that Chris Drayson had written to all trades people in the village about Richmond in Bloom. Richmond hoped to win a Gold award and Hampton Wick could play its part in this. A marvellous contribution of £1,000 had been made by Sir Donald Gosling for hanging baskets for the lamp-posts.

The skate park, having been fitted with new equipment, will be re-opened in May with a competition.

To a round of applause, Councillor Tony Arbour paid tribute to the work of the Chairman over a difficult 12 months. It was a pity that recent Chairmen had only been able to serve for a short time. He hoped that a successor would be found who could be in the position for a longer period.

The meeting closed at 8.50pm.

From The Hampton Court Rescue Campaign

The Hampton Court Rescue Campaign can confirm that Keith Garner, with his unshakable resolve, is to press his case against Elmbridge Borough Council to the highest level, the Supreme Court of Appeal. Given the sensitivity of the historic riverside setting of Hampton Court Palace, his legal team will continue undaunted with its legal challenge of Elmbridge’s misguided approval of the redevelopment plans for the Tudor Palace site.

Keith’s case focuses on EBC’s failure to comply with obligations laid down in the Planning Act that advocate giving ‘special regard to the desirability of preserving the building or its setting, or any features of special architectural and historic interest’.
Courageous Mr Garner expects that his leave to appeal will be heard in October.

Recent remarks made by the Leader of the Council, blamed those opposed to the scheme for having forced the Borough to unnecessarily spend £90K of its budget on legal bills. This is not the case – in fact, EBC spent a portion of this money unsucessfully defending itself against a decision by the Government’s Information Commissioner to release to the public, previously withheld secret reports. The remainder of the £90K expenditure was caused by EBC’s ill-judged and badly handled planning decision, not by the people opposed to it.

However, it is clear that the case cannot continue without more financial assistance. Keith regretfully reports “ the appeal depends on us raising further funding as our war chest is now depleted.”

If Keith has to bring proceedings to an end – due to unsupportable expense – then everything is lost. But whilst he continues, there is still a chance of a better outcome for the treasured site.

HCRC works tirelessly to raise funds, but more is needed as Keith cannot go on unaided. Just £20 per head from supporters and residents will deliver the funding needed for this final phase.

Do we allow this huge development to go ahead, with the permanent loss of the precious heritage setting at Hampton Court Palace, enduring the traffic chaos, the impact on our local communities and increased flood risk, OR DO WE STOP IT? Please, support our efforts to oppose this development.

HCRC sees the sustained court case, the withdrawal of the Royal Star and Garter Home from the joint venture, and a recession-hit housing industry, as the perfect climate for EBC to reconsider, collaboratively, its plans for the riverside site, especially under the spotlight of 2012.

Please dig deep to help raise funds to preserve and safeguard the future of our treasured listed monument and its historic landscape.

Donations can be made payable and sent to the

“Hampton Court Rescue Campaign”
HCRC, c/o The Lodge, 29, Palace Road, East Molesey, KT8 9DJ,

or by electronic transfer to:

Hampton Court Rescue Campaign Account, HSBC Bank, 34 High Street, Walton on Thames, Surrey. KT12 1DD,
Sort Code 40-45-22 Account Number 31507893

HCRC thanks you for your continuing support and generosity, and your contribution is hugely appreciated.

James Sancroft
Chair: HCRC Fund raising Committee
www.hamptoncourtrescuecampaign.com

FROM THE TEDDINGTON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL LEAGUE OF FRIENDS

Hounslow & Richmond Community Health NHS Trust (HRCHT) are proceeding in their application to obtain Foundation Trust Status which includes the ownership of Teddington Memorial Hospital (TMH) (the building and land).

From previous bulletins you will know that the League of Friends supported fully by the General Practitioners (Doctors) in the area have opposed the handing over of estate title at TMH on the grounds that its financial value, which is shown on the books of HRCHT as £12.4 million, could be used as collateral for borrowing money if Foundation Trust Status is granted, which basically is stripping the asset. TMH is the largest asset that HRCHT hold.

This must not be allowed to happen. The hospital is embedded in the community. In 1928 a generous resident who lived in Teddington gave a property to the community in Elfin Grove, Teddington for the town’s first hospital. This was ultimately sold and the money put towards the building fund for Teddington Memorial Hospital, this fund was further enhanced by a donation of £1,000 from the Anderson family who sold the Nursery that stood on the site of the current hospital. The remainder of the money was raised and given by people in the community. Two members of the Anderson family continue to remain in close contact with the League of Friends.

If it had not been for the enormous efforts provided by the League of friends with the support from the local community we would have lost local control of the hospital facilities some time ago. We have in the past enlisted the backing of previous Health Ministers and local MPs to guarantee that our local hospital remains a focus for the community and provides a range of medical services that meet the needs of the local community.

The real cause for concern is the possibility of the future loss of local control of TMH particularly in this climate of cuts and mergers in the public sector, we could see the ownership of TMH being swallowed up into a larger NHS body. Should in the future HRCHT be forced to merge with another Trust by reasons of viability or size then the merger would further remove the interest and protection of TMH to a larger organisation. The obvious attractiveness of obtaining Teddington Memorial Hospital by a third party would be its financial value and borrowing power. A value that has been built up by your generosity and effort over many years.

The League of Friends along with local Doctors have engaged in numerous discussions with colleagues at HRCHT to identify a workable agreement for the long term protection of the hospital but have sadly to date failed. We are seeking your support to look at alternative models of community ownership of TMH that involve charitable status (such as that of the League of Friends).

The Prime Minister David Cameron made an announcement recently about the Big Society, encouraging communities to take on responsibility for running local services. There is Department of Health legislation that supports alternative models of community ownership which would give us the opportunity to secure change of ownership of TMH thereby enabling us to keep our hospital safe.

We are seeking your support through various local meetings, times and venues to be published on the League of Friends website www.friends-tmh.org.uk.

In the meantime if you would like to be involved or require further information, please contact: via email to info@friends-tmh.org.uk, letters to The League of Friends, FREEPOST, Teddington Memorial Hospital, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 8BR or Telephone 020 8943 5430

Following a successful campaign led by local architect Richard Pain and supported by the HWA the former Urban District Council building and library in the High Street has been granted Grade II listing by English Heritage. This provides important protection for our most distinctive building.

It was built in 1884, designed by Richard T Elsam. 1863 – the date on the front of the building itself – refers to the date of the formation of the Hampton Wick Local Board (the forerunner to the Urban District Council).

The reasons given for the listing are:

• * Architectural interest: exuberant Jacobean Revival exterior in terracotta, and classically treated council chamber, an expression of confident civic pride;
  

• * Intactness and rarity: a remarkably complete council chamber, an increasingly rare survival at this level of local government;
  

• * Historic interest: resonant evidence of late C19 administration and civic pride at local level.
  

  
  English Heritage noted that “In comparison with the larger – and later – town halls at Richmond-upon-Thames or Redbridge, Hampton Wick Local Board Office is small, yet it was grandiose for its setting in the High Street which to this day retains its vernacular, riverine character in its two-storey, often weatherboarded, domestic and commercial buildings.”

Please click here for the full report which describes the building in detail as well as the historic context.

6 year old Cameron and his little brother Ryan, 4, who attend Orleans Infant School and are from St Margarets, took part in the charity’s annual sponsored Walk for Water through Bushy Park and along the Thames towpath on Sunday 25th September along with other friends and supporters of the charity. Ryan was picked up by his dad half way round the 6 mile route after doing a sterling job, but Cameron had so much energy at the end, he ran home! Liz, the charitable boys’ mum said ‘The boys and I had a great time doing it together. Ryan did a super job to get as far as Ham House, and Cameron felt so wonderful at the end, that after our bus ride to Twickenham, he ran the last half mile home. I am so proud of them – the sponsorship is still coming in and it looks like they have managed to raise well over £100.’

Jeevika Trust is based in Hampton Wick and supports a number of projects in rural India.

Jeevika Trust’s Director, Andrew Redpath said: ‘Support from people like Cameron and Ryan and their fellow walkers means an awful lot to the charity and is vital to make sure our work reaches the people who really need it. Since Jeevika Trust relies entirely on voluntary donations to raise the minimum of £100,000 we need each year to keep our projects on the road, every penny really does make a difference! Over the last 5 years our ‘Walk for Water’ has raised over £17,000 to support our water projects and make a difference to many thousands of lives in rural India. Every day many Indian women have to walk up to 6 miles to collect water for the family – by joining Jeevika Trust’s ‘Walk for Water’ our walkers shared their experience for just one day.’

To find out more about the charity’s work in rural India and how you can help support them, visit their website www.jeevika.org.uk.  

The HWA is pleased to announce the first

MADE IN HAMPTON WICK
CHRISTMAS CRAFT FAIR

The Fair will take place on 3rd December, 11am – 3pm, in Christmas Square, outside The White Hart.

Sharon Bastion, the HWA’s local business representative, is organising the Fair. She says: “This is a way to showcase the crafts of local Hampton Wick people. It’s a chance for everyone to pick up some unique Christmas gifts.”

There is still space for more people to participate so for more information or to book a stall please phone Sharon on 07950 305 370 or e.mail business@hamptonwick.org.uk

I took over as Planning Officer in September, prompted by a desire to help preserve the village ambience of the area. I’ve been surprised by the volume of issues that have been raised since then, ranging from the signage in the minicab office through to 2 Seymour Road and latterly The Old Town Hall and Bermuda and Brentham Houses.

The Old Town Hall is up for auction and I was surprised to discover that it was not a listed building. We discussed it at our last committee meeting and were unanimous in agreeing that both the façade and the interior should be preserved as it is such an important landmark in the community. We are busy lobbying Richmond Council to try to ensure it is preserved as far as possible.

More important though has been the discovery that there are plans to convert Bermuda and Brentham Houses into student accommodation. We believe there is already generous student accommodation within Hampton Wick. A large influx of young residents who will each be staying only for a short time is likely to have a considerable impact on a small, deep-rooted community like Hampton Wick.

If you agree with our aims and wish to support us do please get in touch.

Roger Hall
Planning Officer

All who live in Hampton Wick need to be aware of a proposed planning application to the London Borough of Richmond for the conversion of Brentham House and Bermuda House on the High Street. These are the two modern office buildings opposite the Post Office,

The proposed scheme will create some office units in Bermuda House but the remainder of the buildings will be used to create 71 student flats. The proposal includes filling in the underground car park (presumably to maximise development potential).

Many residents are already concerned that the proposal will not benefit the local community but may be to its detriment. Issues such as inadequate car parking, traffic concerns (particularly when the 71 residents move in and out) and the overall effect on the character of the village have all been raised. There may be impacts on the type of businesses opening in the High Street and an increase of the sort of anti social behaviour which is already evident to those who live close to the existing student accommodation at Kingston Bridge House.

Hampton Wick is already home to a good number of students. The company behind this proposal, SRIL Hampton Wick Ltd, appears to be a Jersey based company. To the best of anyone’s knowledge, this is a purely private commercial venture which is not being driven by local educational institutions or the local authority. And the proposal comes at a time when student numbers are expected to fall!

One of our local councillors, Gareth Evans, has already confirmed opposition to the proposal as “completely unsuitable for Hampton Wick”. The Association will continue to monitor the situation but everyone needs to be ready to voice their opinion in the event that the proposed planning application goes ahead!

In the meantime, if you have any immediate views/concerns, you should contact our councillors:

Cllr.TArbour@richmond.gov.uk

Cllr.GEvans@richmond.gov.uk

Cllr.TMathias@richmond.gov.uk

On Saturday 3 December, a Christmas Craft Fair was held at the front of the White Hart in Hampton Wick. Helped by the fine weather, this proved to be an excellent opportunity for local crafts people to display their talents.

Particular thanks go to Sharon Bastion for organising this event and to the White Hart for allowing the use of its premises.

The Stall Holders were –

See-Queen – hand painted items
Tomfoolery – Quirky vintage items
1 of 1 Design – Bespoke Textiles & Jewellery
Zest for Light – Handmade Glass
1921 – Lindsay – Handmade cakes & chutneys
Gill Anderson – Gingerbreak Goodies
Jenny Michell – Charity Stall for Genesis Trust
David Rees – Art

A few days ago, Hampton Wick based charity Jeevika had the pleasure of hosting a lively panel discussion in Richmond to explore how the ideas of radical economist E.F.Schumacher can help us face today’s economic and environmental crises – ‘Is Small still Beautiful? – well-being in an age of austerity’.

Please do take just 3 minutes to watch highlights from the event.

On the panel were local MP Zac Goldsmith, Rohan Silva (senior policy adviser to the Prime Minister), Andrew Simms (Fellow, new economics foundation) and Andrew Redpath (Executive Director, Jeevika Trust). The evening was chaired by Diana Schumacher OBE founder of the Schumacher Society and a patron of Jeevika Trust.

The panel’s answer to the question was a resounding YES – time and again small organisations, human-scale initiatives and local community engagement are showing that things can get done without big government and corporate power.

This is as true in village India as it is in Britain. Even today, rural India remains the world’s single biggest poverty trap. If you’d like to support Jeevika’s work building village livelihoods in India please visit their website at http://www.jeevika.org.uk/

A planning application has now been made to the London Borough of Richmond for the conversion of Brentham House and Bermuda House on the High Street. These are the two modern office buildings opposite the Post Office.

The proposed scheme will create some office units in Bermuda House but the remainder of the buildings will be used to create 71 student flats. The proposal includes filling in the underground car park (presumably to maximise development potential).

The Association remains extremely concerned that this level of student accommodation is completely unsuitable for our High Street and will not benefit the local community. The view of the Association is that the proposed development is likely to be to the detriment of the community. If you share that concern, we urge you to object to this proposal.

Particular issues raised include:

• inadequate car parking

• traffic concerns (particularly when the 71 residents move in and out)

• the disproportionate amount of dedicated student accommodation we would then have in our small community

• the impact on the character of the village

• the type of businesses opening in the High Street in response to the development

• an increase of the sort of anti social behaviour already evident to those who live close to the existing student accommodation at Kingston Bridge House.

Hampton Wick is already home to a good number of students. The company behind this proposal, SRIL Hampton Wick Ltd, appears to be a Jersey based company. To the best of anyone’s knowledge, this is a purely private commercial venture which is not being driven by local educational institutions or the local authority. And the proposal comes at a time when student numbers are expected to fall!

We have the support of our local councillors. In fact, Councillor Tony Arbour has objected immediately to the proposal in the following terms:

“Student accommodation is inappropriate in this High Street Commercial setting.

There is failure to provide sufficient car parking.

The proposal to manage the student housing is weak in that there is no enforceable sanction as to who uses it.

The suggestion that it will be for the benefit of St. Mary’s students is too general as the property will not be managed by them

The Planning Authority will be unable to impose conditions that will prevent the users from using cars and parking in the vicinity outside the CPZ.”

The Association will continue to monitor the situation but everyone who wants to be counted needs to voice their opinion now! Go to the Council website to express your views. Please remember to give your reasons for your objections and be as specific as possible.

Hampton Wick Library will now open at the following times:

Wednesday and Friday: 10am to 6pm (closed for lunch 12.30 – 1.30pm)
Saturday: 9.30am to 4pm (closed for lunch 12.30 – 1.30pm)

The Library will be closed on 16th and 17th April for Staff Training.

We have also learned that David Hodgson, our head librarian, will be transferring to Whitton Library and two new members of staff will be starting at Hampton Wick.

We are very grateful to David for all his work at Hampton Wick, and we wish him well at Whitton.

Representatives from HWA attended the Olympic briefing meeting which was held on the evening of 19th April. This meeting was only the start of a series of presentations and we would urge you all to attend future meetings which will keep us informed of procedures during the Olympic events which are to come though Hampton Wick and surrounding areas.

The second phase of meetings was expected to be during June. The meeting was hosted by members of the council and local police were in attendance. Briefly, we were informed of a commitment by the council to ensure that all services normally provided will be delivered, although maybe on a different day/time. As you will probably be aware from information already delivered to your door, the disruption will be from 24th July – 1st August. More detailed information can be found on the following web sites:-
www.richmond.gov.uk/richmond_upon_thames_2012
www.getaheadofthegames.com
and the Official Olympic website www.london2012.com.

The good news is that railway stations will be operating normally, although journeys may take longer and will be very busy. Buses will be re-routed and there will obviously be road closures. There will be plenty of ongoing information available with further leaflets delivered to all residents within 400 metres of the race routes, a 4 page supplement in the Richmond & Twickenham Times and an information booklet in June. If you have any questions, and for further information, please attend future meetings which we will keep you advised of, or e.mail olympics@richmond.gov.uk.

THE ‘BEST OF HAMPTON WICK’ RAFFLE

Due to unforseen circumstances and the awful weather at the Queen’s Jubilee event in Richmond Park on 15th May, the draw for the raffle will now take place at a further event in Hampton Wick on Friday evening, 18th May.

We have telephone numbers for all entries and winners will be advised during the forthcoming weekend.

Thank you for your support and good luck!

Opportunities to volunteer

Residents in Richmond upon Thames are being encouraged to get involved in the Borough’s Olympic events by becoming a Richmond VIP – Volunteer in Partnership.

Working in conjunction with Visit Richmond, the Rotary Clubs and the local Police, the Council is seeking 1000 volunteers to help provide information and assistance to visitors during the six Olympic events which will take place between the 24 July and the 1 August.

Cllr Pamela Fleming, Strategic Cabinet Member for Community, Business and Culture said:

“Richmond upon Thames has a great reputation for volunteering and we’re looking for community members to come forward and use their local knowledge. This role will suit people who live locally and don’t have too far to travel but it is also a great opportunity for residents to use their language skills. We expect to be welcoming tourists from around the world to show off all that Richmond has to offer.”

To apply go to Do-it website and fill out an application form

For more information on the Olympics, please visit the Richmond upon Thames 2012 pag.

Warm up for the Olympics!

Come and try a range of sports plus lots of competitions and challenges with prizes to be won.

www.richmond.gov.uk/olympicopenweekends

Saturday 9 June, 9.00am-2.00pm
Tennis, hockey, gymnastics, basketball, wheelchair basketball, fitness classes, table tennis, judo and judo tots
Teddington Sports Centre,
Teddington School, Broom Road, Teddington, TW11 9PJ Phone: 020 8977 0598

Saturday 9 June, 10.00am-3.00pm
Trampolining, table tennis, football, fencing and badminton
Whitton Sports & Fitness Centre Twickenham Academy, Percy Road, Whitton, TW2 6JW Phone: 020 8898 7795

Saturday 9 June, 10.00am-1.00pm
Archery, cycling, gymnastics, boxing and indoor rowing
Shene Sports & Fitness Centre
Richmond Park Academy, Park Avenue,
East Sheen, SW14 8AT Phone: 020 8090 9630

Sky Ride Local rides are fun, friendly and
free community bike rides that help you get out and explore your local area.
Visit www.goskyride.com/richmond for more information and to find local rides this summer.

Sunday 10 June, 10.00am-1.00pm
Judo, badminton and indoor rowing
Hampton Sports & Fitness Centre, Hampton Academy, Hanworth Road, Hampton TW12 3HB
Phone: 020 8090 0668

Sunday 10 June, 11.00am-2.30pm
Tennis, football and badminton
Orleans Park Sports Centre, Orleans Park School, Richmond Road, Twickenham TW1 3BB
Phone: 020 8090 9695

Sunday 10 June, 12.30-3.30pm
Boxing, diving, swimming races and water polo
Teddington Pools & Fitness Centre Vicarage Road, Teddington TW11 8EZ Phone: 020 8977 9911

Bikefest
Sunday 24 June, 11.00am-4.00pm
Kneller Gardens, Meadway, Twickenham

Programme subject to change. For up to date information please go to www.richmond.gov.uk/olympicopenweekends

The Hampton Wick Association works for the interests of residents and businesses in Hampton Wick.

This year we held a Raffle with prizes that showcase ‘The Best of Hampton Wick’. Tickets were sold on Chestnut Sunday and at Richmond Park on the occasion of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee visit.

And the winners are…

1ST PRIZE: Ticket 139 – £50 VOUCHER TO SPEND AT LANSON RUNNING

2ND PRIZE: Ticket 39 – £50 GIFT CARD FOR SIGMA SPORTS

3RD PRIZE: Ticket 177 – ROUND OF GOLF FOR 2 AT HAMPTON COURT PALACE GOLF CLUB

4TH PRIZE: Ticket 120 – MEAL FOR 2 AT HAMPTON WICK TANDOORI

5TH PRIZE: Ticket 114 – ROUND OF GOLF FOR 2 AT HAMPTON COURT PALACE GOLF CLUB

6TH PRIZE: Ticket 67 – 5 FREE FITNESS CLASSES WITH ATHELTIC EDGE

7TH PRIZE: Ticket 145 – MOUNTED PHOTO OF HAMPTON WICK HIGH STREET CIRCA 1900

8TH PRIZE: Ticket 109 – EXCLUSIVE HAND MADE DESIGNER NECKLACE FROM 1 OF 1 DESIGN

9TH PRIZE: Ticket 14 – ALTERNATIVE THERAPY VOUCHER FROM MARY NEWING

10TH PRIZE: Ticket 98 – CUT & BLOW DRY WITH MARTHA POUNTAIN HAIR

Hampton Wick Baptist Church is getting involved with the Kingston foodbank as there is not a church this side of the bridge doing so.

The church is acting as a collection point only at the moment but would hope to be a distributor at some point if there is a need.

Collections are from 12pm to 12.45pm on a Sunday. They particularly welcome dried and tinned goods, powdered milk and other long life products.

So if you’d like to extend a helping hand to those in need in these tough economic times, why not add an extra tin of beans or packet of pasta to your shopping basket and drop it off at the Baptist Church on Sunday?

Hampton Wick Baptist Church
Upper Teddington Road
Hampton Wick

http://www.hamptonwick.baptist.care4free.net

Many of us will be out and about with our cameras during the Olympics and the HWA is launching a photo competition to celebrate the Olympic activities in and around Hampton Wick.

Your pictures could be of:

• the athletes themselves
• the organisers, volunteers or spectators
• one of the Olympics events being organised around the village

or anything else that captures the Olympic spirit in Hampton Wick!

Please send your entries (maximum of 5 per person) to carol@dtew.co.uk. Entries should be in JPEG format, up to a maximum of 5Mb per image. Please include in your email your name and address, date of birth (if you’re under 16) and a short caption/description for each photo.

The deadline for entries is 31st August 2012.

The winners will be chosen by the HWA committee whose decision is final. Winning photos, and the best of the rest, will be displayed on the HWA website and printed in the HWA newsletter. All photos will be credited.

The rest of the world knew it as London 2012, but for a glorious 5 days it was the Hampton Wick 2012 Olympics:

Friday 27th July
The Olympic Torch began its final journey to the opening ceremony in Bushy Park. From there it was carried through Lion Gate into the grounds of Hampton Court Palace (including a trip through the Maze). It ws then taken aboard the royal rowing barge Gloriana to be rowed by ex-Olympians down river to the opening ceremony at the Olympic Park in East London.

Thousands turned out early in the morning for this historic event, cheering wildly as the Gloriana passed under Kingston Bridge.

Road Cycling Events: Weekend 28th/29th July
Huge excitement as the men’s road cycling race tore along Between the Walls from Hampton Court up to Kingston Bridge. Sadly GB’s world champion team weren’t in the medals, despite (or perhaps because of) using a race plan that had been spectacularly successful for them in recent events.

The following day saw the women’s road race battling with torrential rain. There was great drama when, at the exact moment when the leaders hurtled into Hampton Wick, there was a huge fork of lightning and a crash of thunder: a Wagnerian build-up to the eventual, amazing triumph of Lizzie Armistead winning silver.

Cycling Time Trials: Wednesday 1st August
Both the men’s and women’s time trials began at Hampton Court before heading off along the route and returning back into Hampton Wick, this time entering from Kingston Bridge. The women racers turned left and sped up Between the Walls to finish at Hampton Court.

But the men, including Tour de France champion Bradley Wiggins, turned right off the bridge and travelled all the way along Hampton Wick High Street and Upper Teddington Road. The thousands of spectators lining both sides had amazing views of the athletes. And history was made when Bradley Wiggins took gold while his Team GB colleague Chris Froome took bronze.

We are delighted to announce the winning entries in the HWA Photo Competition on the subject of The Olympics & Hampton Wick.

The results are:

1st: Bradley Wiggins in the High Street by Robert Waller

2nd: Bradley Wiggins by Richard Pain

Congratulations to our winners who triumphed in an outstanding field. Please visit the Gallery to see the full collection.

The Housebound Library service is a special home delivery service for residents of the borough who are because of age or infirmity totally housebound, or can’t get to their local library, and do not have any neighbours or friends who can visit the library for them.

Clients are visited once a month at a regular time by a volunteer who will deliver books, videos, CDs and DVDs. Most readers have 6 – 8 books a month. Clients will be able to give the volunteer any messages for the library staff who choose their books.

There is no charge for any part of the service.

Clients can elect to receive any of the following: books, large-print books, music CDs, story tapes and CD, videos or DVDs.

To receive this service contact your local library, or you can ask a friend or family member to do this on your behalf.

Phone the Library on: 020 8734 3358
Email: hamptonwick.library@richmond.gov.uk
Click here for the Hampton Wick Library Website

Hampton Wick library currently has vacancies for housebound clients, so you should definitely get in touch if you, or someone you know, would benefit from this service.

Jeevika Trust, based in Hampton Wick, is a charity which works in practical ways to improve the lives of people living in villages in India. They are looking for people to volunteer to help in a number of ways. This is a fantastic opportunity for those of us who live in Hampton Wick to meet new people, learn new skills, get experience, make a difference and, most importantly, have fun.

For more information, visit their website at www.jeevika.org, email info@jeevika.org.uk or call 020 8973 3773.

Our local police force:

PCSO Sukbinder Saini
PCSO Dave Auld
PC Mirko Mitridate
PC Karen Johnston
Police Sergeant Anthony Lovegrove

Abbreviations
PCSO = Police Community Support Officer
PC = Police Constable

Drop-in Surgeries are opportunities to speak to our local officers on a one-to-one basis. They run from 2pm to about 3pm on the following Wednesdays:

16th Jan at Hampton Wick Library
23rd Jan at L’Amandine cafe, Upper Teddington Road
30th Jan at Hampton Wick Library
6th February at Hussars Espresso House on the High Street
13th February at Hampton Wick Library
20th February at L’Amandine cafe, Upper Teddington Road
27th February at Hampton Wick Library
6th March at Hussars Espresso House on the High Street
13th March at Hampton Wick Library
20th March at L’Amandine cafe, Upper Teddington Road

We have just heard that the plan to convert offices on our High Street into dozens of student bedsits has been ABANDONED.

The plan, which was submitted to the council just over a year ago, would have seen a disproportionate number of temporary student dwellings dominate the centre of the village. Click here to read our December 2011 report on the plan.

The HWA objected strongly to the plans and helped raise awareness amongst local residents, of whom more than a hundred wrote to the council to object.

Our local councillors also objected and Cllr Tony Arbour has now emailed us to say: “You will be pleased to learn that the application has been abandoned.”

This is a great result for Hampton Wick. Hopefully the buildings will soon either be back in business as offices, or will receive a more sensible redevelopment/re-use proposal.

You may not be aware, but the former Library and UDC building in the High Street is not listed, only designated a Building of Townscape Merit, a much lower listing offering less protection.

The Hampton Wick Association, assisted by Richard Pain, a prominent local Architect, has been working on your behalf to protect the building by lobbying English Heritage for a higher listing.

Built in 1884, with an Art Nouveau terracotta façade, it is a prominent feature of the High Street with its Flemish gable, columns, stained glass panels and the medallion of Hampton Wick, the stag and crown, shown below.

Developers have already applied for planning permission to convert the building into residential accommodation, with the danger that its façade and interior could be lost forever, so we’ve been fighting the local council, on your behalf, to preserve the building for you and future generations.

You can help by contacting English Heritage to add your views to the proposal to list the building by contacting them at the address below.

Patience Trevor
Senior Designation Adviser – South Designation Team South
English Heritage
1 Waterhouse Square
138-142 Holborn
London
EC1N 2ST
Direct dial – 020 8876 4018
Email – patience.trevor@english-heritage.org.uk

The HWA’s Christmas Craft fair kicked off December and captured some of the first Christmas shoppers.

The garden at the White Hart provided the perfect setting (and patio heaters!) and the stall holders had some wonderful home made products including cakes, Christmas cards, beanie hats and art work.

It is a while now since we raised objections to the developer’s plans to convert Bermuda and Brentham Houses into student accommodation and to those of you who supported our campaign we offer our thanks.

The accommodation would have blighted the High Street, so it is with some relief that we can report that the application has been withdrawn.

However, developers often amend applications and resubmit them at a later date, so we need to remain vigilant. We monitor planning applications on the council website regularly.

We would be interested in hearing your thoughts on the two buildings and also the empty retail units neighbouring them along the High Street. Why not write to me at roger@rogerhall.me.uk and let me have your comments and suggestions as to what you would like to see in our High Street?

Roger Hall

Colin Anthony Kirby Pain, a Hampton Wick resident for nearly 60 years and a founder of the Hampton Wick Association, died suddenly and sadly on 24th January 2013 aged 84.

Colin was born in Royal Tunbridge Wells in 1928 and was one of 2 sons of the local Lloyds Bank Manager. A respected architect, he trained at the Architectural Association in London, where his studies were postponed while serving in the Royal Medical Corps.

His first job was with the private practice of Moiret + Wood and then Robin Boger after which he entered public service and moved to the Housing Division of the London County Council. Later he worked under the inspirational Donald Gibson at Army Works in Chessington, a section of the Ministry of Public Buildings and Works followed by a spell with Air Force Works.

The Ministry of Works became part of the Department of the Environment’s Property Services Agency where Colin rose to be the Director of New Works for London Region with a team of 500 staff. He was given the responsibility of caring for the Government’s 14,000 buildings, including the Palaces of Kew, St James, Kensington, Hampton Court, Windsor and Buckingham Palace, all the museums, all the government offices, unemployment benefit offices, married quarters and administering all the external arrangements for Royal and foreign dignitary visits and celebrations (Jubilee etc.).

Amongst an enormous workload he oversaw the Clore extension to the Tate Gallery and then later was instrumental in delivering the beautiful Sainsbury Wing extension to the National Gallery after Prince Charles’ famous quote relating to a previous proposal “a carbuncle on the face of a much loved friend.”

He was responsible for the refurbishment of the Cabinet War rooms and was swiftly at Hampton Court Palace to oversee the securing, fire-fighting and restoration works required by the fire on Easter Monday in 1986 where he escorted the Queen and members of the Royal Family around the still smouldering remains.

He retired in 1988 and was replaced by two people on the same salary !

He will also be remembered for his dedication to Hampton Wick. He was a founder member of the Hampton Wick Association in 1962 established originally to oppose a flyover extension to the Kingston one way system which would have destroyed half the village and chaired the Association for many years.

In 1977 he and his wife Mu recreated the Victorian festival Chestnut Sunday which takes part on the Sunday closest to May 11th each year (co-incidentally also Colin’s birthday) and he has attended every year since – wearing his Victorian top hat.

He is a member of the friends of Home and Bushy Parks and helped man the information desk in the Pheasantry Welcome Centre. He was also a local historian and often gave talks on the History of Hampton Wick and was a strong supporter of the recently formed Hampton Wick History Group. In 2007 he was awarded a Community Award by Richmond Council for Voluntary Service for outstanding services to volunteering in Richmond Borough.

Amongst all this he had various hobbies. He was an amateur cinematographer (favouring his beloved standard 8) and cartoonist. He won many awards for his films at the Whitehall Cine club, SERIAC and the IACs top ten as well as internationally. He was also fascinated with magic lanterns and often put on shows with magic lantern slides and was an active member of the Magic Lantern Society.

With his beloved wife Mu (who sadly died in 2000) he helped form the Thameswick Players Amateur Dramatic Group and used his architectural expertise to build incredible stage sets. He acted once but much preferred to be behind the scenes.

Above all of these activities he will be remembered as a loving family man. A great husband to Mu, a brother to Barrie and a wonderful father to Richard, Michael and David and Grandfather to Jon, James, Ben , Emma, Hannah, Jessica and Ellie.

The KCafe and St John’s Church have teamed up to offer a new youth session for local young people.

Friday Nights at The Warehouse

A new youth club for boys and girls aged 11 to 16.

Every Friday from 4.30 – 6.30pm at St John’s Warehouse

If you are unfortunate enough to have your bike stolen there’s a new website which might help you get it back as well as helping the police to catch the criminals.

www.bikeshd.co.uk is a one-stop search engine which links into the different websites with cycles for sale including eBay, Gumtree etc. This saves you from having to trawl all through the different small ads / internet auction sites.

The rationale is that victims are much more likely to recognise their own bike than police searching simply on a description.

If you see your bike for sale contact the police (you will need to provide your “CRIS” reference).

Local police have recently had an excellent result when a victim used bikeshd.co.uk, recognised their bike and provided police with the details. The seller’s contact details were researched by the police and found to match a prolific burglar in Catford. CID obtained a search warrant, recovered a whole collection of bikes and arrested the perpetrator for handling stolen goods.

For more information, speak to Police Seargeant Anthony Lovegrove of the Teddington Safer Neighbourhoods Team

Met Phone35816| Telephone 020 8721 2748| Email: anthony.lovegrove@met.police.uk

PS: bikeshd.co.uk is run free of charge by an independent programmer – if you find your bike, you might like to make a small donation through the site (the About section) to say thank you for all his time and trouble.

The League of Friends of Teddington Memorial Hospital is looking for volunteers to help with their forthcoming box collections at Teddington shops:

Squires: Saturday 4th, Sunday 5th and Month 6th May

Marks & Spencer: Friday 7th and Saturday 8th June

Sainsbury’s: Friday 9th and Saturday 10th August

Tesco: Friday 11th and Saturday 12th October.

These box collections are a very important part of the fund-raising activities for The League, which works hard to raise funds to improve the facilities and equipment available for patients using this greatly valued local hospital.

If you could spare from one our to four hours over the course of the year to help, please email Carys Williams on boxcollections@friends-tmh.org.uk.

We are delighted that the local council has installed a new zebra crossing on Church Grove.

This end of Hampton Wick has become increasingly busy over the past couple of years:

- the Skateboard Park and the Kcafe youth project draw lots of young people

- since re-opening St John’s Church has attracted a large and growing congregation, particularly young families with children

- the new Warehouse facility behind St John’s (formerly a file storage warehouse) is being used not just for Sunday School but also by the new Friday youth club, by The Rose Theatre’s youth group, a mother and toddler group and other local clubs and associations

All this activity in the area has led to the installation of the new zebra crossing, right opposite the Church Grove Gate into Bushy Park providing all of us in Hampton Wick with a new, safe access point into the Park.

Councillors Tony Arbour, Clare Head and Gareth Evans attended the “opening ceremony” on 22nd March together with Rev Graham Singh and Rev Jerry Field from St John’s and representatives from the HWA, the FBHP, the Royal Parks and Richmond Youth Partnership who run the Kcafe.

Following the success of last year’s competition, budding or growing social entrepreneurs are invited to ‘Take the Next Step’ – all it takes is 500 words to enter.

The winner will walk off with a £10,000 prize package but all entrants will benefit. Shortlisted entrants will receive tailored support to develop their business ideas; all entrants will be offered support through workshops and other events throughout the year.

Full details are at www.richmondsden.co.uk and you can also follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/richmondsden

Entries must be in by 7th May.

Key points
‘Take the Next Step’: doing something as simple as expressing the idea is perhaps the most important part of this programme, even if you go no further in the competition.

Entry is simple: 500 words through the online form – the website contains all the guidance needed. Entry window: 22 March to 9.00 on 7 May 2013

The winner will receive a £10,000 cash prize and runners up £1000, both to help develop the enterprise further.

Tailored support for shortlisted entrants: approx 13 May to 7 June, provided by members of Richmond Social Enterprise Partnership.

Workshops/events for all entrants: September onwards.

More information on last year’s entrants/winners is on www.richmondsocialenterprisepartnership.co.uk

Pitching day: Thursday 13 June
Final: Evening of 17 July

Delivery partners are members of the Richmond Social Enterprise Partnership: Richmond Council for Voluntary Service, Social Enterprise Richmond, LBRuT, Richmond Adult Community College, ROCBaSE (Richmond Opportunity Centre for Business and Social Enterprise).

Sponsors so far are: Veolia, RFU, BestOfRichmond, BAA Heathrow, Richmond Housing Partnership, St Mary’s University College.

We have been given the very sad news that Pat Parsons passed away on 22nd May following an operation.

She will be sadly missed by the many, many local people she helped while serving as a long-standing councillor for Hampton Wick. Pat also served the Hampton Wick Association as Chair in 2010/2011.

Tony Arbour, local councillor and London Assembly Member, writes:

“In all of the sixty years of the borough’s existence, there has only ever been one Mayor from Hampton Wick; and that was Pat Parsons, who died last week.

Pat was proud of this and the ‘Wick’ was proud of her.

Pat, who had had a distinguished career as a nurse, came to the borough in 1985 and after involving herself in local affairs, was elected to the Council in 1998, becoming Deputy Mayor in 2002 and Mayor two years later.

With three children and six beloved grand children she took a great interest in children, serving as Guide Commissioner and Sunday School teacher. She is particularly remembered for being a dinner lady whilst serving as a governor of Hampton Wick Infants’ School.

After retiring from the Council in 2010 she continued her involvement in village affairs becoming Chairman of the Hampton Wick Association in the same year.

A service to celebrate Pat’s life will be held at 1pm on Monday 10th June at the parish church of St. Mary, Church Street, Twickenham.

She will be much missed.”

Chris Drayson, ex-Chair and now Honorary President of the Hampton Wick Association, writes:

“I first came across Pat when I purchased a flat in Salamander Quay in Lower Teddington Road where Pat lived upstairs. We needed a Committee to help run the building. Typically she was the first to volunteer to help, and we worked together for many years.

She also helped with Richmond Aid (a charity that helps the disabled in the Borough) eventually becoming a Patron.

Pat did a huge amount for our village as councillor, as Mayor of the Borough and finally as the Chair of the Hampton Wick Association. Her work and public service are gratefully appreciated, and her wonderful sense of humour and her kindness will be missed by all of us in the village.”

A concert to be given at the Brandenburg Choral Festival in central London is to raise funds and awareness for Hampton Wick based Jeevika Trust.

The Addison Oratorio Choir will perform the Chilcott Requiem at St Clement Danes, The Strand, London WC2R 1DH on Saturday 20th April. The performance starts at 7.30pm.

Bob Chilcott’s solemn yet uplifting Requiem sets words from the Missa pro defunctis and the Book of Common Prayer, giving a new slant to established texts: a beautiful setting of ‘Thou knowest, Lord’ sits alongside the powerful ‘Offertorio’, driving ‘Sanctus’, and enchanting ‘Pie Jesu’. Deserving of a place among the canon of previous settings, Chilcott’s Requiem is an elegy for the modern day

St Clement Danes was completed by Sir Christopher Wren in 1682.

Tickets are £18 and are available from becky@jeevika.org.uk.

More information: www.brandenburgchoralfestival.co.uk

At last week’s AGM – well attended despite the continuing cold weather – HWA members voted on the committee.

First, outgoing chair Catherine van den Broek thanked Chris Drayson, Adam Spencer, Magdalen Miles and Iain Cox who are all standing down from the committee. Catherine herself will be staying on the committee although she has had to step down from the chairmanship role due to pressure of work.

The meeting then unanimously voted for Mark Merrington as the new Chairman. Mark is a lawyer and is married with two children. He has lived in Hampton Wick for over 15 years and has been on the HWA committee for the past three years, most recently as membership secretary, a role he is willing to continue alongside the chairmanship.

Nominations were made and unanimous votes cast for Carol Dukes and Mark Buckley to return to the committee and for Michael Bower to join for the first time. Carol will take on the role of Treasurer, Mark has for a number of years been running the two websites and the email news service and Michael will be working with Sharon Bastion on marketing services for local businesses.

The following existing committee members were re-nominated and received unanimous support from the meeting: Fraser Wilson (Secretary), Anne Hardy, Sharon Bastion, Ronnie Findlay, Roger Hall and Catherine van den Broek.

Learn about opera or improve your own singing with these new courses at the Langdon Down Centre. Money raised goes towards the Downs Syndrome Association.

A Taste of Opera
Wednesdays 7.15-9.15pm

Glyn Paul will take you on a lighthearted, guided tour through the development of opera, illustrated with a variety of recent and historic audio and video recordings. Courses are 10 weeks long and run during term times starting in September, January and April. Cost: £80 for 10 weeks

Group Singing Lessons with Helen Astrid
Tuesdays, 6.30-8.30pm Ideal for beginners to intermediate level.

Improve your singing abilities in this weekly group class. Students will be shown techniques in breathing, tuning, increasing the vocal range, performance skills and
overcoming nerves. The class will be taught by Helen Astrid from the Helen Astrid Academy. www.thehelenastridsingingacademy.com Repertoire will include popular classics, folksongs and songs from the shows. Numbers will be limited so book early. Courses are 10 weeks long and will follow term times. Cost: £120 for 10 weeks (starts Sept 2013)

For bookings and more information please contact:
Lesley Alabaf
Langdon Down Centre Manager
Down’s Syndrome Association
T: 0333 1212 300 F: 0208 614 5127

www.downs-syndrome.org.uk
www.langdondowncentre.org.uk

For a list of all events taking place at the Langdon Down Centre, visit the website www.langdondowncentre.org.uk

The Langdon Down Museum of Learning Disability is open twice weekly – Mondays 2-5pm
and Saturday 9.30-130pm. www.langdondownmuseum.org.uk

On 1st July 2013, Hampton Wick will celebrate 150 years of being connected to Britain’s railway network. Opened by the London and South Western Railway in 1863, the line between Twickenham and Kingston filled a gap in the company’s network and played an important part in shaping the history of Hampton Wick.

A free exhibition of images and artefacts is on display at the Library until Saturday 27th July.

For those who are new to the area – the Library can be found from School Lane (off School Road) or Bennet Close (off Park Road). It is open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am to 6pm (closed 12.30 to 1.30 for lunch) and on Saturdays from 9.30 to 4pm (closed 12.30 to 1.30 for lunch).

To co-incide with the Prudential RideLondon cycling events taking place on Sunday August 4th, the Hampton Wick Association is organising a Festival, featuring a Grand Parade.

RideLondon is part of the Olympic legacy and will see 20,000 amateur cyclists racing from central London, across Kingston Bridge and then on past Hampton Court and into the Surrey countryside. They will be followed later in the day by 150 elite cyclists, including some Olympians.

As a result, Hampton Wick High Street will be closed to traffic for much of the day. The Hampton Wick Association plans to make the most of this by holding a Festival, with local pubs, shops and cafés all taking part. Features will include live music, children’s carousel & bouncy castle, BBQ and a Craft Fair.

The centrepiece will be a Grand Parade of marching bands, Tudor costumed characters and circus entertainers. It is hoped that a traction engine and vintage cars and bicycles will also feature. Many local organisations, sports clubs and charities are planning to take part and the HWA would be pleased to hear from anyone else who’d like to participate.

Visit www.hwfestival.org.uk for details

Volume 2 of Paul Barnfield’s ‘Hampton Wick: The Story of a Thames-side Village’ is out now. Published by the Borough of Twickenham Local History Society, the book covers Hampton Wick in the 19th century.

Priced at £5.50, Volume 2 is available from Hampton Wick Post Office, along with Volume 1 and another local history book by Paul Barnfield, ‘When the Bombs fell’.

More details are at: http://botlhs.co.uk/portfolio/hamptonwickthames/

I am sure that everyone who attended this event on Sunday 4 August 2013 will agree that it was the most fantastic success.

We had vintage cars and other vehicles, circus performers, people (including me) dressed up as Tudors, our local councillors in their robes, representatives from our local churches and charities and, unforgettably, a pair of gorillas on a motorbike and sidecar. There was a craft fair at the Swan and a number of community organisations set up stalls in Christmas Square. Throughout the day there was food, music and other entertainment at our local pubs – the Old Kings Head, the Foresters, The White Hart and the Swan. The church bells rang out and there were even some dramatic explosions to start off the parade.

The inspiration for the event was the closure of roads as a result of the Prudential RideLondon cycle race, a spectacle in its own right. The Council was keen for local communities to hold such events in part to help businesses make up for potential lost trade – and the Wick was almost as busy as it was for the Olympics. Judging by the press coverage, ours appears to have been the best event in the borough.

We were lucky enough to have local cameraman Alan Benns with us on the day. Click here to see his fantastic video of the day.

Some stills from the video are here.

So I’d like to thank everyone who made the day go with a swing – whether you took part in the parade, contributed in some other way, were involved in the organisation, helped out on the day or just supported us by being there: we couldn’t have done it without you!

It’s already been confirmed that cycle race will be run against next year: the date for the diary is Sunday 10 August 2014. We’re looking forward to building on our success!

Mark Merrington, Chair

HWA members are invited to take part in a new Richmond running legacy event on September 22nd. It is called the Richmond Running Festival and includes the Visit Richmond Half Marathon and the Kew Gardens 10K.

The race starts in Kew Gardens and finishes in a festival in Old Deer Park. Apart from running the most beautiful area in London, runners will also receive a NIKE Tech T-shirt, the coolest medal in the UK and a FREE BEER! For images and reasons to run click here to visit www.richmondrunningfestival.com.

The race is beginner friendly and potentially a great social event for your friends and family. There’ll a beer garden, food, and local bands playing music in the afternoon and the festival is very family friendly (animal petting Zoo and face paint).

HWA members are being offered an extra incentive to join in the fun. Type in HWA (all CAPS) on the registration form and you will receive £5 off.

More information is available from Tom Bedford – tom@richmondrunningfestival.com

Congratulations to Jo Lindsley, Ann Battersby and Mary Ramsay who have received a Richmond Community Award.

Jo, Ann and Mary received the Award for their combined 50 years of service in running the Hampton Wick Good Fellowship club, which offers social activities for elderly people. Many local residents enjoy the social tea and games organised by the Club every Wednesday afternoon in Bullen Hall.

Jeevika Trust is an international charity with its base here in Hampton Wick. They work for an India without absolute poverty where all people have the opportunity to live with dignity, free from hunger, deprivation and marginalisation. Their work includes projects to improve literacy, access to clean water and income generation projects, particularly aimed at women in rural India.

Jeevika is currently looking for someone to work, on a voluntary basis, as their treasurer-trustee. If you have a financial background and just a little time to spare, you could make a real difference to this charity.

You can read more about the role by clicking here .

If you would like to discuss this opportunity, please contact Andrew Redpath, Executive Director of Jeevika Trust on andrew@jeevika.org.uk

More information about Jeevika is available at www.jeevika.org.uk

We have been asked to give our views on the planned redevelopment of Teddington Studios. Although this isn’t strictly in Hampton Wick, we will no doubt be affected by such a large development on our borders.

The site is currently occupied by Haymarket Publishing and Pinewood. Pinewood have decided to leave when their lease ends next year and Haymarket have decided to relocate their London based staff from Teddington and Hammersmith to a new single UK headquarters, possibly at the Richmond upon Thames College Egerton Road site.

Haymarket is in the early stages of consultation on a proposal to convert the site into residential use, at the same time opening up the river bank for public access. The proposal is available at www.teddington-riverside.co.uk.

The Hampton Wick Association is interested to hear from anyone who has any views on this proposal. This will help us develop the HWA’s official response. Please email us on info@hamptonwick.org.uk

New Hampton Wick History Book and Library Talk
30 November 2013

The second book in the Hampton Wick: Brick by Brick series will be launched on the same day as the Christmas Craft Fair (30 November) and hot-off-the-press copies will be available to buy from the Hampton Wick Association stall. This latest volume covers Park Road, Vicarage and Cedars Roads, Church Grove, School Road/Lane, Sandy Lane and St John’s Road.

Later the same day, at 4.30pm in the Library, author and local historian Ray Elmitt will set the scene in a half hour talk, briefly summarising the key facts in the fascinating history of Hampton Wick before presenting some of the most interesting and unusual discoveries included in this second volume.

The first volume of Hampton Wick: Brick by Brick was described by June Sampson of the Surrey Comet as “the most breathtakingly complete local history project I have ever encountered”!

Sunday 30th November.

The HWA once again organised a successful Christmas Craft Fair to showcase local artists, bakers, knitters and craftspeople.

Plenty of people stopped by at the White Hart, perhaps tempted in by the mulled wine being served up by Robbie.

There were plenty of Christmas cards and gift ideas, plus home-made Christmas puddings, cakes and chutneys.

Many thanks to Sharon Bastion and Ronnie Findlay for organising the event and to Mark Merrington and Olivia for braving the cold to man the HWA membership stand.

Ronnie Findlay took some great photos of Remembrance Sunday – always a special day in Hampton Wick.

Click here to see a selection.

The weather certainly wasn’t kind to us on 13th December when it bucketed down during our Christmas carols event.

Nonetheless, hundreds turned out for the Sacred Heart School Choir at the Library, followed by the children’s procession down to Christmas Square led by the Fulham Brass Band.

We all enjoyed traditional carol singing and equally traditional roasted chestnuts (particularly welcome on such a cold evening).

And then Santa Claus arrived – this year in not one but TWO magic cars – and all thoughts of the weather were banished in the excitement.

Through our membership of the Thames Landscape Strategy’s Community Advisory Group, the HWA has been offered hundreds of free flowering bulbs for use in a public garden.

The bulbs are generously donated by the prestigious Lincolnshire family firm Taylors Bulbs, in partnership with the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association. The bulbs are made available totally free of charge to amenity groups such as us across all London Boroughs.

Chris Drayson, honorary President of the HWA, keeps a watchful eye on the Memorial Gardens throughout the year and successfully campaigned for their improvement several years ago. He submitted our application and we were successful in being given “bags and bags” of Galanthus, Alliums, Margaritas and Scillas.

Together with Ronnie Findlay, Chris has planted all the bulbs in clumps around the Memorial Gardens. We’re not certain whether they’ll come up this year, but they are sure to provide a splendid display in future.

Many thanks to Taylors Bulbs and the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association.

Hampton Wick Surgery is looking for additional people to join its Practice Patient Group to help us improve and influence the way in which health services are planned and delivered to our patients and families. It’s really important to us to hear from our patients and their carers about things that we do well or how some things could be improved and that our patients get the opportunity to have a say in how health care services in Richmond are developed.

It won’t take up much of your time. You’ll be joining a group of our patients representing all walks of life and ages who come together for 4 evening meetings a year at the surgery.

To find out more, please go to: www.hamptonwicksurgery.co.uk/ppg.aspx pick up a Practice Patient Group leaflet from the surgery or speak to one of our practice receptionists.

From 1st March, free Wi-Fi will be introduced in all Richmond Council Libraries including Hampton Wick Library.

Users will be able to access the internet free of charge at all of the borough’s libraries, using their own laptops, tablets or smartphones.

Children will be able to use their existing passwords because access will be linked to the Borough’s school network.

Hampton Wick Library is in Bennet Close, with access from Park Road or School Lane.

http://www.richmond.gov.uk/hampton_wick_library

Members will wish to be aware of a planning application to redevelop 6, 8 and 10 High Street – what used to be Manuel’s bakery and A D Baker. These are some of the oldest buildings in the Wick.

In summary, the proposal is to convert the listed buildings to provide two houses (within 6 and 8) and a flat over a shop/office (10). To the rear, later extensions will be demolished and three new split-level houses with associated car parking will be created, with a courtyard between the new build and listed buildings.

We need to know urgently the views of members on these significant proposals in order to inform any representations that the Association may make. You can find out more here.

Please contact membership@hamptonwick.org.uk.

Painters Photographers Film Makers Blacksmiths Welders Sculptures Musicians Actors Knitters Textiles Writers Illustrators Dancers …….

NEW GROUP IN HAMPTONWICK!
‘ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE’

Venue: St John’s Church Warehouse
At the back of the church next to HSBC car park
First Friday of the month

Launch April 4th!!
Inspirational talk ‘Not on the scrap heap!’
Deborah’s journey working with wood wire nails and steel !

Time: 7pm – 10.30pm
Suggested donation: £7.00 Concessions: £5.00

Evening includes: Live Music from local musicians, a complimentary drink, plus:
• An opportunity for local artists and those that appreciate art to come together in Hampton Wick
• An opportunity for artists to exhibit and sell their work
• An opportunity to network with other artists and socialise with others in your local community
• Each month different artists will exhibit their work with items for sale
• During the evening an exhibiting artist will give a short presentation about their work

Contact person: Deborah Miller artistsinresidencehamptonwick@gmail.com
07706098777

In general terms, the Hampton Wick Association would welcome an application which improves the High Street and maintains the historic buildings at 6, 8 and 10 High Street.

However, in relation to this application, the Association and its members have some concerns—

1. The proposal results in the permanent loss of two more retail units in Hampton Wick High Street which is largely defined by its small scale, friendly shops. Our High Street is in need of regeneration – but it is important that, wherever possible, its character is maintained. The two retail units that will be lost have a long history and are in a prime position. Their conversion into residential units diminishes further the High Street rather than enhancing it.

2. The density of the development to the rear of the premises does not seem in keeping with what is currently there. The site is within the conservation area and is very close to the listed buildings at the front. We agree also with other comments to the effect that the light well between the High Street building and the new build at the rear will offer little natural light to the rear units, poor natural ventilation and little privacy. There are obvious impacts on neighbouring properties, for example, 12A High Street.

3. There is no parking for the commercial space and there are fewer parking spaces than units (Hampton Wick already has parking problems that need to be addressed).

4. Vehicular access to the proposed properties appears to be both from the High Street and from the rear service road. The concern with access from the High Street is that this may disrupt traffic flow down the High Street. As to the service road, our understanding is that this is a private and unadopted road which has been prone to flooding – and this should be addressed.

The council has announced that the following roads in Hampton Wick will receive funding for improvements in the 2014 round of the Community Roads & Pavements Fund scheme. All works will be carried out by April 2015.

Glamorgan Road – pavement repairs

Lower Teddington Road – pavement repairs

Broom Park Road – road repairs

Warwick Road – road repairs

A short film about the Hampton Wick Summer Festival and Grand Parade has been entered in the Twickenham Alive Film Festival. The film was shot and edited by local film-maker Alan Benns.

Click here to see the film (2 minutes).

The Film Festival 2014 will have its Screening & Awards ceremony on Thursday 29th May 2014 at St Mary’s University, Twickenham.

The awards will take place in the Student Union Common Room and will have direct access to the Student Union Bar.

Films of all genres have been received, including animation, documentaries, drama, music videos and a few scary films! Submissions have been received from across the UK as well as internationally, including Latvia, Norway, Portugal, France, Italy, Hong Kong and Kuwait.

If you would like to attend the Screening & Awards Ceremony then please register and make payment HERE

More details are available at film@twickenhamalive.com

On 3rd October the Hampton Wick Association held their ever popular Quiz Night with fish and chip supper. For the first time the event was held at the Hampton Wick Royal Cricket Club which provided ample room for the 60 attendees who formed their teams ready to do battle for the sought after trophy, the “Hampton Wick Milk Bottle”.

The popular quiz master, David Rees entertained all with his quiz covering a number of subjects before fish and chips were delivered, care of The Teddington Fish Bar, for an 8.30 pm supper. Refreshments were available at the bar, kindly run by Keith Nicholls and his team from the cricket club.

The trophy was presented to the winning team “The Merry Go Rounds“, which included one of last year’s winners, Gerry Michelmore as well as our very own Chairman, Mark Merrington and his wife, Alison.

The Association also held a raffle with 15 excellent prizes, many donated by our local businesses and funds raised will go towards Christmas festivities.

Thanks go to Hampton Wick Royal Cricket Club and to all the businesses that kindly gave donations including Hoa Nails, Martha Pountains, Il Fiume, 1 of 1 Design and Hampton Wick History.

Our postmaster, Mr Patel, has advised the Association that it is proposed to convert Hampton Wick Post Office into a Post Office Local.

The Association understands that this will result in a reduction of services. Normally, it would entail the loss of: banking; moneygrams; travel insurance; financial services (eg selling ISAs); passport check and send; Euro and Dollar exchange; and notarisation. In other words, our Post Office would only sell stamps and handle letters and parcels. Future transactions would be over the shop counter. The present arrangement of three mail collections a day from inside would continue and the cash machine would be retained.

The Association is concerned about these developments. We understand that the next stage is that Post Office Ltd will arrange a four week “first stage customer engagement exercise” for customers. A leaflet and poster will be made available in the Post Office. These will explain the proposed change including questions intended to gather our comments on service issues. Letters will also be sent to key local representatives.

It is going to be very important that everyone makes their voice heard when Post Office Ltd begins its consultation. The Association will be thinking about what further steps to take to ensure that this happens.

Improve your employability skills with our FREE* 12 week course. Designed for skilled workers, managers and professionals, Room for Work fills the gap between Jobcentre Plus and expensive career coaching. Everyone is welcome but we specialise in mature jobseekers.

Every Tuesday, 10am to 12.30pm at St John’s Warehouse (behind St John’s Church, Church Grove).

Register online: www.roomforwork.org *Guidance and encouragement included! Purchase of £10 text book is compulsory.

We’re delighted to announce that the Hampton Wick Festival video was awarded a Special Mention at the Twickenham Alive Film Festival last week.

Click here to view the video

Thanks and congratulations go to film-maker Alan Benns who directed, shot and edited the film.

Thanks also to everyone who made last year’s Festival such a fantastic occasion. This year it’s taking place on Sunday 10th August and promises to be even bigger and better!

Sunday 29th June 2014 was the date of the Teddington Pram Race, brought back to life by our friends at the Teddington Society. Teams from local pubs, firms, clubs and associations built prams, dressed up and raced through the streets of Teddington to finish at the Teddington Village Fair at the Landmark Centre. Nearly £3,000 was raised for local charities.

Our Hampton Wick Tudors took up the challenge, handing out leaflets for our own Festival on Sunday 10th August as they went along. The cast of characters included:

Chris Drayson (King Henry VIII) Iain Burgess (Jester) Ronnie Findlay (Mary Queen of Scots) Sharon Bastion (Ann Boleyn) Richard Hawkins (Monk 1) Mark Merrington (Monk 2)

The Throne pram was built by Mark Buckley and Carol Dukes.

Click here to see photos taken by Annie Stevens.

We were saddened to hear of the death of Maria Ayton on 21st August.

Maria was a great friend to Hampton Wick and a loyal supporter of the HWA. Her hairdressing salon was one of the longest established businesses on the High Street, having been trading from the same premises opposite the station for 51 years. She will be missed by her many loyal local customers and her passing is a sad loss to our community.

Her funeral will be held at Kingston Crematorium on 10th September.

Undeterred by torrential rain all morning yesterday, HWA volunteers and local businesses battled on with preparations for the Festival. Bands that were planned for open air performances relocated to the White Hart in the morning and the Swan in the afternoon. Plastic sheeting was deployed over stalls and gazebos were drilled to the ground.

And we were rewarded! At about mid-day the rain stopped and the sun came out – just in time for the Grand Parade along the High Street. And what a joyful Grand Parade it was, led by the West Side Syncopators playing Dixie jazz accompanied by the clown, the amazing buggets and Henry VIII in Andy’s wonderful vintage Rolls-Royce. And then followed Tudors, including one in a self-powered invalid carriage, and vintage cars and a giant teddy bear and vintage motor-bikes and an ice cream van and a sailing boat and a penny farthing and lots of people from our churches and plotholders from the allotments and councillors and a pony and the FBHP and a ‘sociable bicycle’ and, of course, the gorillas.

From nowhere it seemed, hundreds of spectators appeared to cheer on the Parade and then stayed to enjoy the bands and the BBQs and the HUGE bouncy castle.

Thank you for all the support we have received.

When the rain made a brief but dramatic reappearance it could do nothing to dent the feel-good atmosphere. The West Side Syncopators simply took shelter in a doorway and played ‘Singing in the Rain’. Drenched passers-by laughed and clapped and, in the case of one guy, danced with an umbrella through the puddles…

Click here to see the photos from our official photographer, Emma Durnford.

And click here to see a selection of other photos from the day – thanks so much to everyone for sending them in.

Huge thanks to everyone who kept smiling through everything and who indeed made this a Hampton Wick day to remember.

See you next year!

Sunday 2nd August 2015

Stop press: the gorillas shared with us the lovely news that since last year they have got married and had a baby gorilla who made his first public outing at the Festival. Our very own Prince George moment.

St John’s Church have announced a new group for dads and their toddlers.

The group is called “Who Let The Dads Out?” It’s starting on Saturday (13th) then running every second Saturday of the month from 10-11:30am and it’s for dads and their preschool kids.

Bacon butties, toys, a craft activity, and lots of other dads to chat with. There’s no charge.

Meet at St John’s Hampton Wick (Church Grove, Hampton Wick, KT1 4AL). For more information contact joel@stjohnshamptonwick.org

On 5 September it was announced that Bushy Park and Home Park had been designated as a combined Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) by Natural England, subject to consultation over a four month period. The announcement, notification documents and maps can be viewed here.

This is a great accolade for both the Bushy Park and Home Park teams that work hard to conserve and protect this unique environment.

Bushy Park and Home Park received notification of SSSI status for their exceptionally large population of ancient and veteran trees, extensive areas of semi-natural lowland dry acid grassland, and their internationally significant populations of rare invertebrates.

More than 200 veteran trees have been identified at the site of which 94 are classed as ancient. The site is the highest ranking of ten comparable sites in the Greater London area and one of only 44 sites nationally known to support more than 100 veteran trees. The trees at Bushy Park and Home Park are rare relicts of a wood-pasture management on the site that dates back to the 15th Century. The trees include oak and lime with some horse chestnut and sweet chestnut and approximately sixteen other species of tree. A notable feature is the occurrence of a large number of very old hawthorn trees, many of which are festooned with mistletoe.

The great age of many of the trees at the site provides an abundance of dead and fallen timber. Inside these trees there is a succession of fungi which actively break down the heartwood to produce a rich internal wood mould. This habitat, often deep within a large living tree, provides the perfect environment for specialised saproxylic (wood feeding) invertebrate species.

The site is home to so many rare and threatened species of wood feeding invertebrates that it ranks amongst the top five in Britain for this highly specialised group of creatures, for which Britain has international importance

Nicholas Mallory Garbutt, Tree and Wildlife Conservation Manager, Historic Royal Palaces, said, “We are delighted that Home Park has received this recognition of its national significance for wildlife conservation. This historic deer park is a vital part of Hampton Court Palace’s history, which has been enjoyed by everyone from King Henry VIII, to the many visitors who flock to the Hampton Court Flower Show every year.”

More information about Sites of Special Scientific Interest can be found here

Since the end of July, Heathrow Airport has been operating an airspace trial for departing aircraft when on easterly departure routes over Hampton Wick.

Heathrow Airport say that they are seeking feedback from residents to help shape the final airspace design.

If you are noticing more or louder aircraft disturbance than usual it’s important that you register your complaint by emailing noise_complaints@heathrow.com – please include your name, address, postcode and telephone number to ensure that your comment is registered.

To sign a petition against these trials and against the changes becoming permanent, please click here.

Detailed information on the trial can be found at the TeddingtonTown website

You can check on real-time live data showing the height and speeds of flights by clicking this link to the FlightRadar web site

Kingston Philosophy Cafe is open to everyone interested in philosophy. It aims to encourage philosophical debate between professional and non-professional philosophers in a non-technical way.

Meetings are held on the last Wednesday of each month at the The Old Kings Head, 1 Hampton Court Road, KT1 4AE, www.tokh.co.uk, 7.00 – 8.30pm.

Forthcoming subjects include:

• What’s Fair & Just?
• Hegel on Master and Slave
• Machine Consciousness – what is it and can a machine think?
• Santayana as social and cultural philosopher
• 
  Kingston Philosophy Cafe is an independent non-profit organisation. Meetings are free to attend but contributions to help meet occasional expenses are welcomed.

Contact: info@kingstonphilosophycafe.org.uk

Website: http://e-voice.org.uk/kingstonphilosophycafe/

The local council is encouraging the formation of the Friends of Hampton Wick Library and is holding a public meeting about it on Friday 24th October at 7pm.

The idea is to try and create a friends group for every library in the borough who will help to promote and support their local library and increase public awareness and use.

If you’d like to find out more, please come along to a meeting at the Library on Friday 24th October, 7.00 – 8.00pm.

As we have reported here and by email, Heathrow Airport has been operating an airspace trial for departing aircraft when on easterly departure routes over Hampton Wick. Heathrow has been seeking feedback from residents to help shape the final airspace design.

Heathrow has now announced that that it will be ending the current airspace trials two months early on 12 November 2014. This follows feedback from the HWA, the Teddington Soceity, other groups and residents plus meetings with local groups, authorities and MPs.

Matt Gorman, Heathrow Director of Sustainability and
Environment said: “These trials are crucial in helping us develop ways to manage our airspace more effectively and to reduce noise from Heathrow. We do, however, appreciate that some residents will have experienced a temporary increase in noise as a result of these trials. The feedback we have received during the trials is very important to this process. We are always looking to minimise the disturbance residents may experience as a result of flights around Heathrow, and so we are pleased to have been able to work with NATS to bring an early end to the trials.”

Any permanent changes to airspace require Government approval and will be subject to full public consultation.

Notwithstanding this good news, if you notice more or louder aircraft disturbance than usual it’s important that you register your complaint by emailing noise_complaints@heathrow.com – please include your name, address, postcode and telephone number to ensure that your comment is registered.

The following is the text of a letter sent by HWA Chair Mark Merrington to Mr Derek Tanner in the Council’s planning department:

Dear Mr Tanner

PLANNING APPLICATION 14/3732/FUL TEDDINGTON WEIR HYDRO SCHEME This letter contains observations on this application following representations from members of the Hampton Wick Association.

Although the Hydro scheme is of most immediate concern to Teddington (and the Association shares the concerns expressed by many as to, e.g., its appearance and the noise it will generate), the Association is most concerned as to the impact the scheme will have on the whole of the Kingston Reach, i.e. Teddington to Molesey.

As we understand it, the possible consequences of the scheme to provide for flood relief from Datchet to Weybridge are that river flow and river levels in Kingston Reach may be substantially increased but a Hydro scheme built now might restrict the capacity of the weir to deal with future levels and flow. In the circumstances, the Association shares the view (already expressed by others) that it would be better to postpone a decision on the Hydro scheme until the Datchet to Weybridge scheme is in place and its impacts fully assessed. It also seems right to the Association that the latter scheme should be given priority over the Hydro scheme.

Yours sincerely

Mark Merrington

Chairman The Hampton Wick Association

Martyn Kingsford was voted in as the new Chair of the Hampton Wick Police Liaison group last night.

Martyn is a Chartered Surveyor and served for 27 years in the Royal Engineers, reserve Army.

He has had a distinguished career running housing departments for several large councils including Kensington & Chelsea, and has been a board member of a number of housing associations.

Martyn is a freeman of the City of London and was appointed an OBE for services to housing, tenants and community engagement.

We were greatly saddened to learn that Adrian Roche died recently following a stroke. Adrian lived all his life at The Firs on Church Grove. He served on the committee of the Hampton Wick Association for a number of years and was always an active and helpful member of the community. We will all remember him as a kind, courteous and intelligent man and he will be much missed.

Adrian’s funeral took place on Monday 24th November at South West Middlesex Crematorium. Adrian’s sister was present as were many Hampton Wick residents and colleagues from the Richmond-based charity where Adrian volunteered so much of his time.

The HWA wreath read: From the Hampton Wick Association on behalf of the people of Hampton Wick. In fond memory of Adrian Roche, our friend and neighbour.

On behalf of the HWA, Carol Dukes attended the public meeting about the recent Heathrow Air Space trial. The meeting was chaired by Vince Cable MP and took place at Teddington Baptist Church on 10th November.

While there are no immediate proposals to re-route air traffic permanently over the area, we must keep a very close watch on developments. Here in Hampton Wick many of us experienced considerable extra noise disturbance, while for many of our neighbours in Teddington the trials have literally blighted their lives for the past few months.

Click here to read the report of the meeting (PDF).

Bus Watch was created by PCSO John Poulton in September 2013 in Richmond Borough with the aim of introducing the concept of neighbourhood watch that most people are familiar with onto the transport network. It is the only scheme of its kind in the Met Police. In essence the birth of Bus Watch came from John’s vision of wanting to create a safer travel experience for everyone.

In order to make the scheme work there are no coordinators like there are in a neighbourhood watch. Instead everyone who wants to join can become a member of the Bus Watch. Anyone can join but ideally we are looking for people who travel on the buses within the Borough or those who live along bus routes, particularly near bus stops.

The idea is that members who travel on the buses report things they see directly to John (via e-mail). This would be the type of incident that wouldn’t require a police response (i.e. not a crime) but at the same time makes passengers feel uncomfortable e.g. anti-social behaviour such as rowdy behaviour, or someone who acts suspiciously or strangely but doesn’t actually do anything. It’s similar to neighbourhood watch members reporting kids drinking in parks or someone acting strangely in their road, just the behaviour is on the bus or at a bus stop.

The police ask members to report what has happened, the route it happened on, direction of travel, rough location and when it happened. This allows them to build up a picture of when and where and on what routes problems are happening and can then target patrols accordingly to make travelling on those routes safer for everyone. For those that live near bus stops it similarly allows for identification of any particular stops which may be causing problems for those residing in close proximity to them.

In return, members receive a monthly newsletter. This informs members of what types of incidents have been occurring and on which routes as well as updating members on the work that the Safer Transport Team have been doing that month, along with providing travel-related crime prevention advice and information for members to be on the look out for while out and about.

PCSO John Poulton ran the scheme from its inception until November 2014, when he was transferred to Hounslow borough. He has handed the reins over to PCSO Charlotte Peace, who will be continuing the scheme on from the new year. Charlotte can be contacted on charlotte.s.peace@met.pnn.police.uk.

Tom Furber, proprietor of The Foresters pub, recently found a handful of old postcards in his pub in Hampton Wick.

They are all (but two which are blank) to the same person, Miss Ida Ridgers, and they span a period of almost 40 years from 1925 to 1964. They are from friends and family. One is from her mother and another is from her brother.

She seems to have lived mainly locally, with several addresses in Hampton Wick, Teddington and other areas in West London.

Unfortunately only the first four have legible dates and these have been added in date sequence.

Click here to see the postcards.

Tom found them on the shelf above the bar recently when he was putting up the Christmas decorations. They were definitely NOT there when he had his major refurbishment work done approximately 12 months ago.

We sent out an email to Hampton Wickians to try to find out more. Here’s what we learned:

Ida May Ridgers was born in Norbiton on 11 May 1881 where her father was a domestic gardener. She was the second of five children (4 girls and 1 boy). By 1891 the family had moved to Gomer Road Teddington before settling in 71 Somerset Road. Ida went into domestic service. It seems that one of her first positions was at Saratoga, 30 Vicarage Road. She later worked in Streatham and Chelsea. By 1939 Ida, as the only unmarried daughter of the family, had returned home to Somerset Road to look after her mother who died in 1941. Ida herself continued to live in Somerset Road for some time before her own death in 1979 at the age of 98.

Of course, we still don’t know who put the postcards in the Foresters, or why…

We have learnt of the sad news that Peter Broadley, who was in his early 90s, died recently. Peter was one of the founder members of the HWA back in 1962. He lived for most of his life at 5 Station Road, Hampton Wick. Indeed, the Broadley family lived there from at least 1949. He knew a great deal about local history and is remembered by those who knew him as a lovely man. He moved a few years ago to Eastbourne to be with his son.

Peter’s funeral will be held at 1pm on Wednesday 28 January 2015 at St. Mark’s Church in Teddington. There will be light refreshments (after the burial) at the Chase Lodge Hotel in Hampton Wick. Peter’s daughter, Mary, is keen to know the numbers of those intending to come to the refreshments so if you are intending to attend please contact membership@hamptonwick.org.uk and we will let Mary know.

The HWA Christmas Carols evening was a great success, with much better weather this year! Thanks to the Sacred Heart School Choir for singing at the Library and to the Fulham Brass Band for leading the procession and accompanying the carols plus all the volunteers who help make this such a magical evening. We’ll be posting up photos in due course.

We’ve compiled a full listing of services and events in Hampton Wick churches in the run up to Christmas. Click here for the full events diary.

In addition, here are the holiday opening hours of our local pubs. Please note that the Swan is now under new management.

Christmas Day White Hart – open 6pm to 10.30pm Old King’s Head – CLOSED Foresters – CLOSED Swan – CLOSED

Boxing Day White Hart – open noon to 10.30pm Old King’s Head – open noon – 1am Foresters – Funk Soul Party 8pm til late Swan – CLOSED

New Year’s Eve White Hart – open 7pm til 1am Old King’s Head – open noon – 2am Foresters – House Party 9pm til late £12/£10 in advance Swan – open 11am til late

New Year’s Day White Hart – open 8am to 11pm Old King’s Head – open 5pm to 8pm for the football Foresters – CLOSED Swan – CLOSED

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Hampton Wick Association.

The Council’s Community Roads & Pavement Fund is now open, with £35,000 available for highway maintenance in each ‘village’ in the Borough.

The closing date for nominations is Sunday 22 February 2015.

This scheme looks at ‘small fixes’ only. These are normally minor improvement works such as carriageway patching; replacing paving slabs; or fixing a drainage issue.

The materials used will generally be on a ‘like for like’ basis, although you may include suggestions for a ‘betterment’ (upgraded or alternative material), if you feel it is appropriate.

Click here to visit the Council’s website and find out how to nominate a road or pavement near you.£35,000 available for repairs

Last updated: Friday 16th January 2015

The Council’s Community Roads & Pavement Fund is now open, with £35,000 available for highway maintenance in each ‘village’ in the Borough.

The closing date for nominations is Sunday 22 February 2015.

This scheme looks at ‘small fixes’ only. These are normally minor improvement works such as carriageway patching; replacing paving slabs; or fixing a drainage issue.

The materials used will generally be on a ‘like for like’ basis, although you may include suggestions for a ‘betterment’ (upgraded or alternative material), if you feel it is appropriate.

Click here to visit the Council’s website and find out how to nominate a road or pavement near you.

Those who used to buy their groceries from the shop on the corner of Jubilee Close (now 65 High Street) will be saddened to learn of the death, on 4th February, of Tony Cook who ran the shop for thirty years.

We have since received this email from Trevor Collins:

Hello Hampton Wick,
I didn’t know Tony, but a lady who I presume was his mother also ran the Greengrocers. Prior to that Mrs Cook ran a Sweetshop on the opposite of the High Street. During the 40’s & 50’s Mrs Cook used to make Ice lollies for the kids, she used paste jars to make them in, also she made Icecream in her big Icecream making fridge & they were delicious. At Thorpe Park in the 90’s I had an Icecream & I said to my wife wow this tastes just like Mrs Cooks. The Cooks moved across the road to the Greengrocers Shop I think in the late 50’s or early 60’s.
My name is Trevor Collins I lived in Hampton Wick from 1940 to 1966 when I moved to the Isle of Wight, but I have happy memories of HW.
Best regards
Trevor C.

We had a great night last Thursday at the Annual HWA Fish & Chips Quiz Night.

Many thanks to David Rees for an entertaining quiz, delivered with customary style and humour. The winners of the Hampton Wick Milk Bottle trophy this year were the Gravel Pit Hillbillies: Kirsten Duncan (pictured receiving the trophy), Andy Davies, Michael Gibbs and Alison Gibson.

Thanks too to the HWA volunteers, especially the Catherine, Jane, Bob and the Merringtons for making everything run so smoothly.

Mariola and Mariusz Marczuk, the delightful owners and operators (since July 2014) of Pistachios In The Park Café in King’s Field Park, are in the process of setting up a Friends Group. This is a great idea which deserves wider support.

Mariola and Mariusz would welcome anyone interested in developing the Park as a social hub for the neighbourhood and a pleasure to visit. Like most visitors and users of the Park, they themselves live locally and work in the Café every day – so they are easy to contact. Their aim is to improve the Park for all age groups and also to provide information about activities for those who sign up for their emails.

Please do get in touch with Mariola and Mariusz by email at friendsgroupkingsfieldpark@gmail.com or follow them on www.facebook.com/kingsfieldpistacio

It will not have escaped anyone’s notice that we have a new MP, Tania Mathias, who took over from Vince Cable following one of the most high profile results on election night.

Tania has, of course, been our Councillor here in Hampton Wick for a number of years, has been a good friend to the Association and resides in the ward. She even dedicated her victory to one of our young residents, saying “There is a little eight-year-old boy called Daniel at Hampton Wick who said he would stay up to watch the result come in on television . . . He wasn’t old enough to vote but this is why we vote: to make the world better.”

We look forward to continuing to work with Tania in her new capacity but would like to join her in thanking Vince Cable, a regular visitor to Hampton Wick for ballroom dancing, for his help over the years.

The entry form for this year’s Richmond in Bloom Merit Awards gardening competitions is available to download here. Choose from 10 categories for residents and business – and also help Hampton Wick win Best Village in Bloom.

Founded in 1990, the Bloom campaign is run by a voluntary committee (which includes members of the Committee of the Hampton Wick Association) in co-operation with the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. The overall purpose of the campaign is to enhance the natural beauty of the Borough through floral display in all residential and shopping areas. This year, 2015, the campaign is celebrating its 25th year of floral achievement. For further information, contact membership@hamptonwick.org.uk

We have heard the sad news that the Reverend Anthony Caldicott died on Tuesday 9th June.

Reverend Caldicott was at one time the priest in charge at St John the Baptist Church, and he always stayed in touch with Hampton Wick news through his local friends.

The funeral will take place on Monday 29th June at 11am in St Stephen’s Church, Hounslow.

The Hampton Wick Tudors took part in the Teddington Pram Race on Sunday 28th June and raised over £500 for local charities.

Click here for photos.

Although they ran a brave race (stopping only briefly at the pubs along the way) they were beaten into 7th place in the time trial. Click here for full results.

Thanks to the generosity of supporters from Hampton Wick and further afield (hats off to the legal department of HMRC!) the Tudors raised well over £500 for local charities. The primary beneficiary this year is the Teddington & Hampton Wick Voluntary Care group (www.tedcare.org.uk).

Overall the Pram Race raised between £3,000 and £4,000 for charity. Congratulations to organisers Alan Benns and the Teddington Society.

The council is again proposing to re-develop the Avenue Centre on Normansfield Avenue. The Association opposed the plans put forward in 2005 and the application was refused. Let’s see what they’re planning this time!

Public Consultation takes place at Hampton Wick Infants & Nursery School, Normansfield Avenue, on Wednesday 15th July from 4pm to 7pm. Click here for more details.

The Hampton Wick Library Reading Group meets on the last Wednesday of every month at 5pm.

Everyone is welcome.

Hampton Wick Library
Bennet Close
KT1 4AT

Email: hamptonwick.library@richmond.gov.uk
Telephone: 020 8734 3358

The Library is open on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

The Hampton Wick Festival on Sunday 2nd August was bigger and better than ever. “Sheer wonder!” according to Kayleigh McHugh who was enjoying the event along with her partner Steve.

Actor Sion Tudor Owen as Henry VIII led his Tudor entourage around the village before judging the first ever Intergalactic Kids’ Bike Fest. The Bike Fest winners later joined Henry in a vintage Rolls Royce Silver Ghost in the Grand Parade.

Border Morris teams came from as far away as the Isle of Wight. Moonshine and Black Swan teams combined their traditional ragged dark costumes, masks, make-up and drums to cause quite a stir. “I’ve never seen anything like it” said local resident Nick Baylis.

Hundreds of locals came to watch the Grand Parade and to enjoy the bands and entertainers. Councillor Tony Arbour hailed the day as “A triumph!”

More people than ever joined in the Grand Parade – a jazz band, the Skiff Club, Tamesis Sailing Club, Dragon Drama and Stagecoach children’s drama groups, St John’s Church(), Royal Hampton Wick Cricket Club, plotholders from Royal Paddocks Allotments, Teddington Pram Race(), vintage cars and bikes, plus Tudors, the Border Morris, and the now-famous gorillas.

And then the Hampton Wick Band and Sion Tudor Owen swung into action with a cameo performance by John Altman, showing once more that nobody, but nobody, parties like the Wick.

The Festival is organised by the Hampton Wick Association. Road closures for Prudential RideLondon could have had a detrimental effect on our local businesses. But the Festival made the day a huge success for local pubs and cafes as well as being a great fun community event. The White Hart Hotel said: “It was an amazing day!”

Profits from the raffle, auction and craft fair will be donated to local good causes including St John Ambulance who looked after us so well again on the day.

Click here for photos from the day.

Have you seen Harry the lost black cat? Disappeared from School House Lane, TW11 9DP on July 13.

He’s 6 and microchipped but has no collar. Some grey hairs and a long scar on his rear leg. He has a flat head and a loud meow.

Reward for his return. Jez 07841 220824

FANTASTIC news! We’ve just learned that Moonshine Border Morris are coming all the way from the Isle of Wight to join in the Hampton Wick Festival on 2nd August. They’ll be joined by the Black Swan team from Carshalton.

Border Morris is a dance tradition from the English / Welsh border counties with roots going back to the 16th century.

The tradition is characterised by its black faces or masks, tattered shirts or coats and the clashing of sticks whilst dancing. Music is by Melodeon, Drum, Fiddle and other traditional instruments.

Definitely no white hankies or jingly bells – you’ve never seen Morris dancing like this!

Further information is on their Facebook pages:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/MoonshineBorderMorris/?fref=ts

This year’s Hampton Wick Festival and Grand Parade takes place on:

Sunday 2nd August

From 11am til when the music stops…

Grand Parade: 12.30pm

Tudors and clowns, vintage cars and penny farthings, weird and wonderful circus performers, musicians and gorillas …

This year we’re proud to introduce the Hampton Wick Intergalactic Kids’ Bike Fest.

Plus a Craft Fair, and BBQs and bands at our local pubs, a children’s carousel, pony rides, community stalls, raffle and more.

There’ll be lots of live music including Border Morris dancing – click here for more details!

Find out more at www.hwfestival.org.uk

If you’d like to be part of it please contact mark.buckley@hwfestival.org.uk.

But most importantly DON’T MISS IT! Come along from 11am on Sunday August 2nd with your family and friends to experience Hampton Wick’s Unmissable Day.

Festival Volunteers Needed

TWe need volunteers to help make the Festival go with a swing on the day. Could you offer an hour or two to help out with:

- Marshaling the Grand Parade and/or the road closures

- Helping at the HWA stand and selling raffle tickets

Volunteering for one of these roles really will help us out, and it’s also great fun and a good way to meet fellow Hampton Wickians. Please contact mark.buckley@hwfestival.org.uk.

Intergalactic Kids’ Bike Fest

NEW for 2015 – for kids (up to 14 years)

Dress yourself and your bike, tricycle, scooter (non-motorised please!) or BMX as creatively as you can.

Come along to the Festival at 11:30 am (no later mind, the King likes punctuality) to see and be seen and perhaps be crowned Festival Prince or Princess by King Henry VIII himself.

You don’t have to but it would be great if you let us know if you intend to take part to help us estimate numbers. Simply email: mark.buckley@hwfestival.org.uk.

Just seach the internet for “fancy dress bicycle” if you want some ideas!

Commissioners and providers across south west London have joined together to publish a paper setting out the challenges faced by the local health service along with potential solutions for tackling them.

Read the full issues paper here or the summary document here().

This is not a formal consultation but local residents are encouraged to give their views on this issue or to ask any questions regarding these potential changes by email to: swlccgcomms@swlondon.nhs.uk, or by filling in this short online form.

After 32 years in the Police our own Sergeant Tony Lovegrove is retiring on the 1st November.

Tony has been our Safer Neighbourhood Team Sergeant for many years and will be greatly missed. His calm presence and tremendous good humour have contributed greatly to many of our events here in Hampton Wick.

One little anecdote: one Christmas Carols evening we had a last minute panic when we heard that Father Christmas’s magic car wouldn’t start. Tony simply said “How about a magic police van?” and promptly radio-ed his colleagues. (In the end, the elves succeeded in starting Santa’s car!)

On behalf of the Association and everyone in Hampton Wick we thank Tony for all he has done over the years, and for the manner in which he has done it, and we wish him all the very best for his retirement.

And Tony has now replied as follows—

Dear Mark [Merrington],

Thank you for sending me this lovely entry and for those very kind words.

Mate, I have been blessed. Hampton Wick is such a gorgeous part of London.

I have loved every minute of my service here and will remember my time as the Neighbourhood Sergeant with so many fond memories.

Please pass on my thanks to everyone,

Stay safe and I wish you all well in the future,

Kindest regards,

Tony.

We have received the sad new that Pat Stops passed away last weekend.

Please see below an email from her daughter to the Association.

My mother Pat (Patricia) Stops died last weekend and her funeral is on Thursday this week (29 Oct) at Mortlake crematorium at noon. I thought it might be something you might wish to know as she was a resident in Hampton Wick since the inception of the HW association back in 1962. Her husband Dr Denis Stops was one of the founders along with Colin Pain and others. She went into a most wonderful care home on Sandy Lane – Deer Park View just under 4 years ago leaving her home in Vicarage Road.

Crossrail 2 is a proposed new railway serving London and the wider South East. It would connect the National Rail networks in Surrey and Hertfordshire via new tunnels and stations between Wimbledon, Tottenham Hale and New Southgate linking in with London Underground, London Overground, Crossrail 1, National Rail and international rail services.

Construction is proposed for 2020 to 2030 with Crossrail 2 opening in 2030.

Hampton Wick would be on one of the regional branches.

The Crossrail 2 consultation is open until 8th January 2016. Please visit www.crossrail2.co.uk to have your say.

For over a year the memorial to local hero Timothy Bennet has been in a sorry state. The railings were broken and the area was overgrown and litter strewn.

After many months of persistent lobbying led by HWA Chairman Mark Merrington, Thames Water, who own the site, have carried out much needed refurbishments.

Timothy Bennet was a shoemaker in Hampton Wick in the 18th century. When Bushy Park was closed to the public in 1754, Bennet campaigned until the Earl of Halifax had to cave in and re-open it, allowing people an easy route between Hampton and Hampton Wick. To this day there is a footpath in Bushy Park called Cobblers Way.

Click here for the full Timothy Bennet story.

Twenty two of us went along on the HWA outing to visit the Twickenham Ales brewery.

On arrival we were served with pints of Grandstand – ‘a well-hopped refreshing amber session beer’.

Brewery staff explained that when Twickenham Fine Ales was established in 2004 (making it London’s oldest micro-brewer), there were only a handful of companies brewing beer in London (including Fullers and Youngs at the time). The huge surge in popularity of real ale in general and micro-breweries in particular means that there are now more than seventy!

We were invited to sniff and even taste the barleys, malts and hops used in the different brews. Hops are bought from all over the world to give different tastes and characters to the ales. We heard that there could be a global shortage of hops in the coming years as a result of the increase in demand.

Twickenham brews four regular beers – Naked Ladies (named after the statue outside York House in Twickenham), Grandstand, Sundancer and Redhead – plus seasonals and monthly specials. Bucking the trend of brewing dark beers for winter, Twickenham’s January ale is called ‘Summer Down Under’ and uses hops from Australia and New Zealand for a light golden ale to remind us that it’s always summer somewhere.

We were shown all round the brewery from the mash tun where grains are washed with water to produce the ‘liquor’. The liquor contains the sugars which are then boiled in a large ‘copper’ (in fact stainless steel these days) kettle for an hour and a quarter before yeast and hops are added. The grains from the mash tun retain their protein content. They are dug out from the vessel and sent to a farm for animal feed.

Cleanliness is clearly of paramount importance throughout the process – all the equipment is thoroughly sterilised after each brew.

During the tour we were served further pints – of Winter Cheer and Honey Dark. And despite the dark and wet night, we left in very cheerful spirits indeed!

Many thanks to the Twickenham Ales staff whose enthusiasm and boundless knowledge made this a really enjoyable and informative evening.

As we’re all well aware, Hampton Wick Station is far from being ‘step-free’.

But did you know that if you are unable to use steps, South West Trains will arrange alternative transport (usually a taxi) at no extra cost to you. This transport will take you between the nearest or most convenient station to or from an accessible station from which you can continue your journey. The same arrangement will apply should it be necessary to replace trains with road transport due to planned
engineering work or short-notice, unexpected disruption.

Some stations are unsuitable for passengers who need assistance because they are not staffed for all or part of the day. In these cases, SW Trains recommend you book in advance and they can then make arrangements to assist you.

It is recommended that you let SW Trains know at least 24 hours before you travel. You can do this by contacting the Assisted Travel team on Freephone 0800 52 82100, Textphone 0800 6920 792, available 6am to 10pm every day, or in person at any staffed ticket office.

For full details, click here.

Crossrail 2 is a proposed new railway serving London and the wider South East. It would connect the National Rail networks in Surrey and Hertfordshire via new tunnels and stations between Wimbledon, Tottenham Hale and New Southgate linking in with London Underground, London Overground, Crossrail 1, National Rail and international rail services. Construction is proposed for 2020 to 2030 with Crossrail 2 opening in 2030. Hampton Wick would be on one of the regional branches.

The Crossrail 2 consultation is open until 8th January 2016: see www.crossrail2.co.uk.

A number of members have looked at the Crossrail 2 consultation and noticed that the proposals envisage Hampton Wick station as a termination point. The Association approached Crossrail 2 and received this assurance on 9 December 2015: “The proposals for Crossrail 2 on the existing network are still at a very early stage, but there are no current plans for building additional sidings in this area.”

Notwithstanding that assurance, it appears now that Network Rail has suggested that Kingston station is the major traffic generator on the regional branch (so that a higher frequency of trains would need to be provided there), that there will be a new siding between the tracks to turn trains back and that Hampton Wick is the first place with available land to build that new siding.

The Association has contacted Network Rail for urgent clarification. We have asked also how is it possible to consult meaningfully on the Crossrail 2 proposals (so far as Hampton Wick is concerned) when a key plank of those proposals – the new sidings – is not mentioned in the consultation.

More news will be posted here as soon as we have it.

Last year the Metropolitan Police received lots of presents donated to them from the public to ensure that thousands of children in care across the capital received a special Christmas present this year. This year they are running the Christmas Tree Project again and in Richmond upon Thames the local police have extended the event to include children in need and elderly residents who are on their own or in care homes.

If you would like to donate a present please take your unwrapped present to Teddington police station or if more convenient to either Richmond front counter or Twickenham police station. The present will then be wrapped and later delivered to a child in need or an older person.

The suggested spend for a present is between £5 and a maximum of £20.

Please note the last day to deliver presents to the police is Monday 21 December and all the presents received by this date will be delivered before Christmas Day.

Teddington Police Station
18 Park Road, Teddington TW11 0AQ
Monday to Friday 10am – 5pm
Saturday 11am – 2pm

As we all know, our post office has been going through a lot of change this year. After a short period of closure earlier in the year, Mr Patel and his family managed to re-open and run a full service for us despite the building site next door.

The good news is that the renovations to the post office itself will soon be completed. In early January, Post Office contractors will be moving the post office counter to the centre of the shop, freeing up more space for general retail at the back.

This does mean that the post office will be closed on Tuesday, 5th January until the afternoon of Friday 8th January when it will re-open.

Many of us have been through building projects and we wish Mr Patel and his family well through the remainder of this renovation. We’re looking forward to seeing our new-look post office on 8th January.

Following some rather alarming-sounding rumours about new railway sidings being built in Hampton Wick, and conflicting information being given by Crossrail and Network Rail, the HWA has been trying to get to the bottom of what is actually being proposed.

Our latest understanding is that Network Rail are still developing their plans. The current thinking is that Crossrail 2 will bring an extra six to eight trains per hour between Central London and Kingston. Since there’s nowhere for them to turn round in Kingston, these extra services will run as far as Hampton Wick, giving us a much more frequent train service.

Currently they are proposing to turn the trains around somewhere between Hampton Wick and Teddington. They wrote to our chairman Mark Merrington as follows:

“Our emerging idea is to create 1 or 2 ‘reversing sidings’ between the running lines between Hampton Wick and Teddington stations, as there is some space on our land there for at least one new 250m section of track in that area that is sufficiently straight, and that we can do at reasonable cost. The existing running lines would be moved slightly further apart, well within the boundary of our own land, to place the new section of track in the middle. Trains would then be able to use these reversing sidings to turn back without delaying other trains passing through. If we were to install two reversing sidings, they would not be alongside each other, instead one would be located behind the other, further towards Teddington.”

Naturally our neighbours in Teddington will want the extra train services to reach them too. This would mean that the trains could turn around at the Strawberry Hill Depot without the need for significant new engineering work which would seem sensible. We will stay in touch with the Teddington Society on this.

The really exciting news is that information supplied by Crossrail 2 refers to step free access being provided at Hampton Wick! We’ll try to find out more about this.

For clarity – Crossrail 2 isn’t going to happen until 2030.

On Wednesday 20th January the Hampton Wick Association hosted our local Village Plan consultation meeting.

The council are drawing up Plans for each community within the borough. The Village Plans will set priorities and provide guidance for planning and other public services over the next five years.

We were asked to organise and publicise a meeting at which local residents could say what is important to us, what we like and want more of in Hampton Wick, what we don’t like and what we want fixed.

The meeting was held at St John’s Church Warehouse – a fantastic new facility in Hampton Wick.

More than sixty people came along and took part in group discussions which were written up by HWA volunteers acting as facilitators. The information will be used by the Council as they draft up the first draft of our Village Plan.

The HWA commissioned local filmmaker Alan Benns to help us create a short video to stimulate discussion. This was promoted on the website and through Twitter in advance as well as being shown at the start of the meeting.

William Reed, the Council’s Community Links Officer, commented after the meeting:

“In case I didn’t get round to saying it to all of you, my congratulations on a marvellous meeting last night. This was, proportionately, the largest Village meeting held so far, and it certainly had a marvellous atmosphere and a truly positive and committed feel – people living in Hampton Wick are certainly proud of doing so and determined to improve it.”

Did you know that our surgery is one of four GP practices in the borough, called a hub, that currently provides extra appointments from 8am to 8pm every day, including weekends?

Patients continue to contact their surgery in the usual way during practice hours but may be offered a daytime, evening or weekend appointment in the nearest hub to their home. New technology enables electronic access to patient notes so that the GP or nurse (wherever they are) can find out the patient’s medical background.

This initiative is part of a pilot project developed by the Richmond GP Alliance. Our own GP, Dr Kieran O’Flynn has been involved closely with this and comments: “As well as the benefits for patients in seeing a doctor sooner, we hope the new extended hours will relieve some of the pressure on local NHS services, including Kingston and West Middlesex Hospitals, by offering patients another option over the winter months.”

We discovered this news from our surgery’s excellent Patient Participation Group which produces a newsletter full of useful information. If you would like to find out more about the Group, please e-mail ppghamptonwicksurgery@gmail.com or go the Hampton Wick Surgery website: http://www.hamptonwicksurgery.co.uk

Mariusz Marczuk, on behalf of the Friends Group King’s Field, write to tell us about the new fencing recently installed at King’s Field skate park.

He reports: “The quality of materials and work is exceptionally good. The improvements add a great deal of positive feel to the already beautiful park.”

It’s great to see continued investment in this important Hampton Wick amenity.

Get the job you want with ROOM FOR WORK

Improve your employability skills with this FREE 12 week course: Skills, Strengths & Strategies for Employment.

Each week features a relevant and informative presentation by a recognised expert. We include workshops to help you master skills and techniques that will improve your employability.

Designed for skilled workers, managers and professionals, Room for Work fills the gap between Jobcentre Plus and expensive career coaching. Everyone is welcome but we specialise in helping mature jobseekers.

New programme starts 12 April 2016 and runs to 5 July 2016.

Tuesday 10.30am – 1pm
The Warehouse
St John’s Hampton Wick
Church Grove
KT1 4AL

For more information please visit www.roomforwork.org

Room for Work is free but we do request a voluntary donation to support the charity and there is a £10 text book available to buy. In either case there is no obligation to pay.

Richmond Council is carrying out a consultation on the Crime Priorities for Richmond. The Consultation runs from 14 March 2016 to 3 April 2016.

This consultation provides an opportunity for you to help set the priorities for the Richmond Community Safety Partnership for April 2016 to March 2017. The Strategic Intelligence Assessment report looks at the CSP performance on a range of crimes over the previous year and helps set the priorities for the coming year.

Please follow this link (or copy and paste it into your Internet Browser) for more information and to participate.
https://consultation.richmond.gov.uk/community

If you would like more information, please contact: consultation@richmond.gov.uk

For those who were unable to get along to the Leaders Question Time at Teddington Baptist Church last week, here is a link to the video of the event.

http://youtu.be/JX_QKMyA2AM

A couple of Hampton Wick specific questions were asked by the HWA starting at about minute 13. There was also a lively exchange towards the end!

The first event organised by the Friends of Hampton Wick Library proved to be a sell-out success.

On 27th April 2016 the Friends hosted a preview reception and talk on the History of Hampton Wick Royal Cricket Club.

The event launched an exhibition on the same theme which runs in the Library until 30th June.

The preview took place in the Library where guests gathered for a first look at the exhibition while enjoying a glass of wine.

Dr Chris French, co-author of a book on the subject, then gave a very interesting illustrated talk in Bullen Hall.

Click here to see some photos of the evening taken by Annie Stevens.

The evening was a great success, showcasing a little-known facet of our local history and encouraging people to visit the Library. One measure of success was that there was standing room only in Bullen Hall!

Our thanks to Dr Chris French and the Hampton Wick Royal Chricket Club. (www.hwrcc.co.uk)

You may have noticed flyers being distributed by “The Friends of Hampton Wick Station”.

The Friends are campaigning for funds for the regeneration of Hampton WIck station.

The HWA have previously campaigned for the renovation of Hampton WIck station and would of course like to see improvements.

We would like to point out that the HWA is not in any way associated with the Friends campaign but want readers of this news service to be aware of the campaign.

Local residents joined councillors and council officers on the Hampton Wick Village Plan walkabout on Sunday (19th June). Around 20 people took part in this walkabout which took place in the village centre starting at 11am with a further one taking place at 2pm on the Hampton Wick/Teddington borders.

Many of the issues raised and problems identified can also be found in the Hampton Wick Conservation Area Study published in 1997 by LBRuT (John Barkley, Director, Planning, Transport and Client Services and Yvonne Trimmer, Head of Planning and Building Control).

It is well worth reading. Here is a short extract from the introduction:

Hampton Wick today – Character Appraisal

Hampton Wick has stubbornly retained its own identity and sense of place

Hampton Wick is a fine example of one of the many ‘urban’ villages which exist in Greater London. Despite the encroachment of London it has stubbornly retained its own identity and sense of place. The village survives today as a triangular wedge constrained by the River Thames to the east and Bushy and Home Parks to the west and is bounded ot the north by the periphery of Teddington. Whilst the overall boundaries of the village have changed very little, plots within the village have been redeveloped and often sub-divided as opportunities arose.

Download/read the full document.

The entrance to our Library is graced by the Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee memorial drinking fountain.

On 20th July the HWA and the Friends of the Library co-hosted public event to mark the renovation of the memorial and its setting at the entrance to the Library. The event was attended by more than 60 people who enjoyed fruit punch and cucumber sandwiches while listening to speeches by Cllr Tony Arbour and HWA Chair Mark Merrington. Cllr Arbour then unveiled a plaque kindly provided by Richmond Housing Partnership. Click here to see a video of the event (thanks to local film-maker Alan Benns).

Built with public donations in 1897, the fountain was originally sited on the High Street. With the arrival of the trams in the early 20th century it was relocated to the junction of Church Grove and Hampton Court Road. Here it mouldered and became overgrown, losing its lamp in the process. Half a century later Tony Arbour had the idea of restoring it and moving it to its current position to mark the Library’s entrance. This was achieved with the enthusiastic help of the Hampton Wick Association in the year of our current Queen’s Sliver Jubilee.

Recently, the Friends of Hampton Wick Library noticed that the memorial was in danger from an overgrown tree in a brick container immediately behind it. The brick container was broken and the tree was swamping the memorial.

The Friends have worked with the Council and Richmond Housing Partnership to have the tree removed and the area made safe. The Fountain now has a greatly enhanced setting and is a fitting marker of the entrance to the Library.

Owing to building works on the Kingston side of the river the 65 bus is currently being diverted over Kingston Bridge, through Hampton Wick, Lower Teddington, Strawberry Hill, Twickenham, and then to Richmond.

Despite receiving little or no publicity, this temporary service is being very well used on this side of the river and the HWA and our friends at the Teddington Society are starting a campaign for a permanent route. To be clear, we are not suggesting that the 65 should be permanently re-routed – merely that the temporary route has highlighted a demand for a bus that takes people directly from Hampton Wick to Richmond via Tedddington and Twickenham.

The train service to Richmond is only twice an hour, reducing to once an hour on Sundays (assuming no engineering works). Furthermore, neither Hampton Wick station nor Richmond station is accessible for those who can’t manage steps.

Currently two buses are required to get from Hampton Wick to Richmond via Twickenham, so the attraction of one bus is that it is cheaper and quicker (no extra waiting) plus even cheaper than rail fares.

The point is made good by the fact that if today you ask TFL’s Journey Planner how to get from Hampton Wick to Richmond it suggests one obvious route: the 65 bus!

What do you think? Write to Councillor Peter Buckwell on cllr.pbuckwell@richmond.gov.u to express your views.

Over the summer the Friends of Hampton Wick Library presented a pho9tographic exhibition at the Library entitled ‘Summer in Bushy Park’, featuring work by Caz Buckingham.

Caz is a local resident whose company, Fine Feather Press, publishes outstanding wildlife books for children.

In this exhibition for Hampton Wick Library, Caz exhibited stunning photographs of very local wildlife, aiming to inspire everyone to visit our local parks.

To accompany the exhibition there was a children’s wildlife and colouring competition with prizes of Fine Feather Press children’s wildlife books. Lots of local children now know that harebells are blue and young swans are called cygnets (variously spelled including our favourite – sniglets!)

The exhibition was very well received with the library staff reporting a lot of interest and positive comments from library users.

Supplementary Planning Guidance, Hampton Wick and Teddington

Over the past few months residents in Hampton Wick and Teddington have been helping to shape the future of their area through the development of local planning guidance and updating the Village Plans for Hampton Wick and Teddington.

You are now invited to have your say on the draft Supplementary Planning Document.

The consultation starts on 28th October and ends on the 9th December. You can comment online at this link:

https://consultation.richmond.gov.uk/consultation/hampton-wick-and-teddington-spd

There are two ‘Drop-In’ sessions where you will be able to view and discuss the document.

Saturday 12th November, St John’s Warehouse, Church Grove, Hampton Wick, KT1 4AL, 10:00am – 4pm, and

Saturday 19th November, Elleray Hall, Elleray Road, Teddington, TW11 0HG, 10:00am – 4pm

For more information please contact:

Bill Reed, Community Links Officer, LBRuT
Email: William.reed@richmond.gov.uk

On Wednesday 16th November, the Friends of Hampton Wick Library hosted a very popular evening entitled 1916: The Year that War Came to Hampton Wick.

A drinks reception was held in the Library where people enjoyed a glass of wine while viewing a display of World War I memorabilia including newspaper cuttings from 1916 and photographs of some of the Hampton Wick residents who died in action that year.

The reception was followed by a talk given by Alison Merrington in Bullen Hall. Alison has been researching Hampton Wick during WWI for several years and her findings are catalogued at www.hwremembers.org.uk,

Alison demonstrated how 1916 was the year that the harsh realities of war came home to the people of Hampton Wick in the form of fatalities and casualties and the dawning realisation that battles were becoming stalemates and the war was not going to be won quickly.

Alison’s talk was greatly appreciated by the audience. Comments included:

“I thought the talk was really good. The descriptions of how the various 1916 battles unfolded were really interesting and it all tied back to Hampton Wick and to places and houses that are still here today. Fascinating.”

“I enjoyed your talk last night. You pitched it perfectly.”

“I really enjoyed it- you’ve obviously done a lot of digging!”

“It was nice to have a drink and a chat and look at the display of old newspaper cuttings in the Library before the talk started.”

Carol Dukes, from the Friends of Hampton Wick Library noted that “There was standing room only in Bullen Hall showing that people really value these cultural, educational events in our community.”

There are several forthcoming government run consultations regarding the planned extension of Heathrow airport. Here are some of the local ones:

1. Kingston, Wednesday 15th February 2017
2. Twickenham Thursday 23rd February 2017
3. Richmond, Friday 10th March 2017

Click HERE for more information and to see details for other consultations.

The Council has made £500k available in 2017/18 specifically to pay for community nominated improvements. This round of funding is now open for residents to nominate pavements they feel are in need of extra work. This is in addition to the regular maintenance work being carried out. Funding will be directed to pavements that receive the most nominations and fulfil the greatest community need. Nominations close on 31 March 2017.

This scheme looks at “small fixes” only. These are normally minor improvement works such as:
• Replacing damaged paving slabs
• Blacktop infills
• Eliminating standing water

Generally, materials used for improvements will be on a “like for like” basis.

For more details on how to nominate your pavement, please see: http://www.richmond.gov.uk/home/services/roads_and_transport/roads_and_road_works/road_and_pathway_maintenance/fund.htm()

Cobbler’s Walk airbrushed out by Google Maps error

~~~~~Update 21/4/17~~~~~
We have received several helpful emails on this one from people who have come across the same issue elsewhere. Please see below for what to do to help fix this issue:

Here is a good starting point. Google maps is full of errors of this sort – especially footpaths and waterways.
Get all the membership to open google maps at Cobblers walk, and look at the very bottom right of the window. Just to the left of the scale, you’ll see ‘send feedback’. click here and the error notification system opens up. I believe an error of this sort comes under the ‘other’ classification.
I have used this process to report other errors successfully in the past – get everyone to do it!

Here’s some possible text to use but it might help to paraphrase it:

The path from Sandy Lane all the way to Chestnut Avenue is NOT Nightingale Lane, It is Cobbler’s walk, and always has been.

[Your editor has just done this, it is very simple and it only takes about 60 seconds, please help us try to fix this issue.]
~~~~~
Google maps has mistakenly labelled a large portion of Cobbler’s Walk in Bushy Park as ‘Nightingale Lane’ – see map above or click here to see the mistake on Google Maps.

As you can see the portion of Cobbler’s Walk to the east of Chestnut Avenue, north of Heron Pond and west of Park Road, Hampton Wick has been renamed by Google Maps as Nightingale Lane. This is clearly completely incorrect.

We have lobbied The Royal Parks management to get the mistake rectified but they say they have reported it to Google and don’t know what else can be done.

Timothy Bennet and his story are a large milestone in Hampton Wick’s (and Hampton’s) history. Click here for more information about how Cobbler’s Walk came to be so called at the Twickenham Museum website.

We have been lobbying on this for about a year but so far to no effect. If you work for Google, know anyone who works for Google or might in any way be able to influence them to get this mistake rectified please get in touch with us or with Google directly.

We simply can’t let our history be changed in this manner.

A large blockage of fat and grease in the main sewer on Hampton Wick High Street causes human waste to flood Park Road garden.

Thames Water admits that twice in recent times there have been large blockages in the High Street main drain.

“Both of the recent blockages have been caused by a build-up of fat, grease and other unsuitable items that have been disposed on down the sewer. For this reason I have arranged for ‘Bin it, don’t block it’ information leaflets to be sent to local residents to explain what should and should not be put down the sewer.”

Visit the Thames Water website for further information:
Bin it, don’t block it.

The Annual General Meeting of the Hampton Wick Association was held on Wednesday 22nd March 2017, 7pm for 7:30pm start at BULLEN HALL, Bennet Close, Hampton Wick.

This year we welcomed Jenny Bourne, whose talk
“A year in the life of The Royal Parks Allotments”, was very warmly received.

Jenny tends her productive allotment but also finds time to produce an RPA blog full of interesting facts and lovely photos: www.paddocks-allotments.org.uk

The talk was followed by the AGM.

Mark Merrington, Chair, gave his review of the year and Carol Dukes, Treasurer presented the accounts summary.

Officers and committee were duly elected.

Residents confused about the impact expanding Heathrow will have on the borough are invited to a public meeting to find out more.

Organised by The Teddington Action Group (TAG), they are hosting a public meeting to help inform people about the real impact of a bigger Heathrow. It is hoped that the meeting will help residents participate in the current consultation on the airport.

TAG is a group of residents passionate about keeping Teddington and surrounding areas a peaceful place to live. Their membership consists of residents concerned about the increase in flight noise in Teddington, Twickenham, Hampton and surrounding areas.

At the event will be a main panel of Tania Matthias MP, Lord True (Leader of Richmond Council), Paul McGuinness from TAG and Cllr Martin Elengorn (Opposition Spokesperson for Environment and Planning on Richmond Council).

The event will be on the 28th April from 19.30 to 21.30 at Worship Hall, Teddington Baptist Church, 17 Church Road, Teddington TW11 8PF.

Lord True, Leader of Richmond Council, said:

“The Government repeatedly ignores the facts that an expanded Heathrow would break the law on air quality, noise and pollution and have a disastrous impact on people’s health and wellbeing. It is gravely mistaken if it thinks we’re going to stand by and let that happen.

“We believe that the current consultation doesn’t reveal the full facts and is frankly a sham. This public meeting is one way that residents can find out the truth about a bigger Heathrow.”

Jayne Chace from TAG, added:

“Many of us who moved here were shocked into action after the 2014 trials of flight paths resulted in lower altitudes, increased noise and more night flights. When Heathrow claimed that nothing changed, TAG formed to investigate the validity of Heathrow’s denials. In collaboration with other communities, TAG has been confronting Heathrow to acknowledge the impact of changes in and concentration of flight paths and night flights, which would only get worse with 270,000 more flights per year if the airport expands.”

Cllr Martin Elengorn, Opposition Spokesperson for Environment and Planning, said:

“As well as its unacceptable local impacts on air quality and noise, airport expansion adds to carbon emissions, speeding up climate change and making our planet more hazardous for our children and grandchildren”

Richmond Council has long campaigned against the expansion of Heathrow. They have worked to highlight the serious health, noise, traffic and pollution impacts of the third runway plan.

The Government is currently carrying out a consultation on the future of the airport. Residents have until 25 May 2017 to respond. Residents can either use the online form available here, or pick up a feedback card from a local library.

For more information about the consultation, go to: www.richmond.gov.uk/heathrow_consultations

For more information about the Teddington Action Group, to: www.teddingtonactiongroup.com

Every year, on the Sunday closest to 11 May, crowds gather in Bushy Park to celebrate the blossom on the horse chestnut trees. This year, Chestnut Sunday was on 14 May and was as successful as ever, helped by some fine weather following a rainy night.

As usual, the main event was the parade from Teddington Gate to the Diana Fountain, passing down Chestnut Avenue. There was the usual eclectic mixture of participants, including vintage cars and bicycles, military vehicles, horse rangers, marching bands, motorcyclists and taxis.

There was also a fairground with traditional galloping horse carousel as well as other rides and stalls. A brass band at one point played the Dambusters’ March – a fitting accompaniment to the Hampton Wick Association’s neighbouring exhibition on R C Sherriff (currently on display in Hampton Wick Library) who wrote the film screenplay.

Mark Merrington, Chairman of the Hampton Wick Association, said: ËœChestnut Sunday is a major event in the local calendar. It was around forty years ago that the parade was reinstated by the late Colin Pain, a founding father of the Hampton Wick Association, and his wife, Mu – so we feel a very strong connection with it. It began as quite a small affair, with a walk down Chestnut Avenue and a picnic. Today, it is a major undertaking and we are greatly indebted to the Royal Parks, and particularly Bill Swann, for continuing to organise it.”

LBRuT Village Planning Process

Over the last year or two, The HWA has been consulted and has participated in events relating to the new Village Plan being prepared by Richmond Council and their consultants.

The Plan constitutes a ‘vision’ for the area*, a statement of key issues and – importantly – is accompanied by Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs). The latter, once adopted by the Council, will form part of the planning process and will be used in contentious matters such as appeals. SPDs have ‘teeth’ so that is important. The Village Planning process is ongoing, so look out for the council’s Village Forums and related community consultations.

*The ‘area’ was discussed at some length. Where exactly are the boundaries to Hampton Wick? In particular, we were concerned that Bushy Park (unlike Home Park) did not appear in any of the Richmond Village Plans. When you consider the impact and benefits the Park has on Hampton Wick and Teddington and vice versa this seemed a mistake and has hopefully been addressed.

Planning Applications

In a typical week there are about five new Planning Applications for Hampton Wick alone.
Most of these are for domestic don’t move, improve projects with a trend for developing basements and extension replacements with ones of a similar size but better quality.

Some of the more significant recent applications are detailed below.

Significant applications

There have also been some significant applications and to focus on a few of those:

The Avenue Centre, Normansfield Avenue

Redevelopment of the site to provide a care home, 4 supported living units and 15 affordable housing units.
Approved October ’16;

59 – 61 High Street

The former Sanho noodle bar and, before that, the Rose & Crown.

There have been several applications for this site, and we have had a lot of feedback from residents about them:

In June ’16 an application to extend the Ground Floor for restaurant/bar use was approved. The works are currently being carried out.
Curiously, this design is separate from other applications for the upper floors of the building which would more normally form an integrated ‘whole building application’.

In May’15 an application for the addition of a third floor and a rear extension, with nine new flats, was refused. We objected to the scheme for many reasons: the application was misleading, would take light and privacy away from neighbours, and was an overdevelopment of the site . It went to appeal and, again, we gave our reasons for objecting. The appeal was dismissed in Feb ’16.

In June ’16 a fresh application was made, this time for six new apartments. Along with many others, we objected for similar reasons to before. Permission was refused and in January this year, their appeal was again dismissed.

In October ’16 an application was again made – currently it is ‘not validated’ by LBC. This is for ‘Rear extension to first and second floors and internal reconfiguration of existing ancillary accommodation to create ’4 self-contained flats.’

We have sought clarification from the council’s Planning Department, as there appears to be substantial building work going on at present to the upper floors.

Along the Thames

Development along the waterfront is becoming denser.

In 2015, 1D Becketts Place had approval to change from office use to residential.

Then in June 2016 a fresh, well thought out and presented, application was made for the site-this time to demolish the building and construct eight residential units with car and cycle parking.

There have been many objections and at the time of writing a decision is still pending.

In January this year it was the turn of Burgoine Quay, on the north side of the railway bridge.

An application was made for a four storey extension to the existing offices there. This will have the effect of almost closing the gap between the building and the railway, also being built with an under croft covering parking and access.

On the Kingston bank of the Thames, opposite Burgoine Quay, we were consulted by Kingston residents over an application for Barge Dock.

The application is for a restaurant and nine ‘contemporary’ apartments, right on the river’s edge and over the existing dock.

We have given our opinions in relation to massing, loss of amenity value to Canbury Park, and to parking. In Hampton Wick, now, parking can be the critical issue in considering an application. The Barge Dock scheme has no parking provision, claiming that there would not be demand for any, which feels unconvincing. Hampton Wick is already enough of an overflow car park for Kingston.

Permission for Barge Dock was refused on 7th June 2017. Reasons given included the loss of the River Thames Boat Project mooring and that the proposals are contrary to the London Plan 2016 and various Kingston Policies, including ‘wholly at odds with the riverside character’ and failure to demonstrate that the proposals would avoid adverse impact on the biodiversity interests of the Green Corridor.

The Firs

This May an application was made for the demolition of a house in Church Grove and the erection of nine new flats, a substantial underground car park and significant landscape works and felling of trees. We have objected to the scheme.

In a Conservation Area we would have expected the choice of materials and finishes to be stated and detailed to an extent sufficient to indicate quality, not left to a Condition within a consent. To us the design quality reflects that of the adjacent flats (Heron House) rather than that of the pre-war houses in Church Grove.

Unusually, the Design and Access Statement with the Application was written by the agent rather than by the architect and we felt it reflected the planning process rather than any design vision or thought. There are many examples of fine, well designed, modern developments in a variety of styles in the borough and we would welcome some in Hampton Wick.

Since our objections, revised proposals have been submitted. These revisions include modifications to the appearance of the front of the building and the materials proposed. A decision is pending ‘minor amendments’ to the parking scheme.

Our Principal Planning Concerns in Hampton Wick

Over and above the concerns expressed and recorded for the Village Planning exercises we have two principal concerns:

New, smaller, private speculative residential schemes in Hampton Wick are frequently, in our view, below standards considered acceptable for habitation. (For larger developments both public and private housing need to comply with The London Plan 2016, so not an issue). That is that they lack adequate daylight (particularly if located in a basement or ‘garden flat’), have very small rooms and are too close to their neighbours. In the height of summer, with windows open, an occupier will hear and be heard, will smell their neighbour’s activities and will have little privacy.

Secondly, and particularly in Conservation Areas, the proposals should be detailed to an extent that the quality can be assessed at the time of application.
This is normal practice elsewhere in London and in our experience leads to significantly better quality outcomes.
Finally, once approved the Planning Case Officers must strictly enforce the conditions of the consents rather than retrospectively allowing a variation.

On 1st May 2017 Hampton Wick was re-instated as a parish in its own right, with St John’s once more recognised as our parish church.

During the 1970s, declining church attendance led the Church of England to combine our parish with that of South Teddington, centred on St Mark’s. In 2008, St John’s Church in Hampton Wick was closed down entirely. Apart from anything else, the future looked bleak for one of Hampton Wick’s most important historic buildings.

The Hampton Wick Association campaigned for the re-opening of our Church and in 2010 the Bishop of London included St John’s in the CofE’s well established ‘church planting’ programme. This programme encourages thriving churches to send memb
ers of their congregations to support the start-up or re-opening of other churches to help get them off the ground.

It has been a huge success and St John’s now has a large and growing congregation of local people and others who come from further away, attracted by the informal family-focused style of worship. Even non-churchgoers appreciate the care that has been lavished on both the building and the gardens around it.
And now, the Church of England has re-established the Parish of St John’s Hampton Wick along its historic boundary.

The Vicar of St John’s, The Rev, Jerry Field said: “We are delighted to celebrate this milestone in the life of St John’s and of Hampton Wick. This gives us more opportunity to deepen relationships with everybody in the community and to serve local needs more effectively. It has been so exciting to see all the lives that have been transformed through the grace of God at St John’s. and our hope is that we will now be able to reach out further into our community.”

Three services are held at St John’s every Sunday, with children’s and youth groups, and many more activities taking place throughout the week.
There are addiction.
St John’s also works with The HWA and others on community events such as The Big Picnic and Remembrance Sunday.

The HWA is delighted by the reinstatement of Hampton Wick’s historic parish status.

Hampton Wick has some lovely old street name signs – see photos for a small selection of our favourites.

In our view, these are a defining part of our village’s history and character. We think they should be restored with a lick of paint and stand proud for the future instead of being removed and replaced by unpleasant modern steel printed signs.

We have approached Councillor Arbour to ask him for his or the council’s help. Unfortunately he has no suggestion for statutory protection pointing out that some signs are on private property [most are not] but he added that community groups may be able to help. So, if the council can’t/won’t do anything then The HWA will volunteer to restore these lovely old signs ourselves. In most cases, there is nothing a wire brush, some black and white paint and a steady hand won’t fix.

Do you support this HWA campaign? Would you like to help us? Do you have some particular favourites not mentioned in this article?
Email: info@hamptonwick.org.uk

On a sweltering hot June evening some 50 members and guests met up at the Hampton Wick Royal Cricket Club pavilion to battle over the famous Hampton Wick Milk Bottle, the trophy for the winners of the Hampton Wick Association’s annual quiz.

David Rees was again the quizmaster and again he produced a quiz which taxed the general knowledge of all involved. Who knew that Evelyn Waugh’s first wife’s first name was Evelyn or (we can always dream) that we need at least 10 million to qualify as a multi-millionaire? Well, several did.

Hampered by a smart looking portable PA system that added a squeal every so often, David ditched it half way through and relied on his own dulcet tones. Most people heard the remaining questions although there was the occasional “repeat please” or even “What!”.

After a final question, elicited by David from a Google of “the worst quiz question ever”, it was time for the fish and chips, which arrived from the Teddington Fish Bar bang on time.

An interval of munching and discourse ensued, with some people happy to go for fortuitous seconds of the fish and chips, before our MC, HWA Chairman Mark Merrington, called the room to order.

Keeping the suspense of learning the answers going, he moved on to the raffle with prizes of several tempting looking bottles and an off-the-wall can of craft beer.

Several happy people later it was at last time for the answers. The sheets were exchanged and answers ticked off – or not. The standard was high but it came down to a struggle between two teams who, after the quizmaster consulted the (non-existent) rules, were declared joint winners. They will have the great honour of displaying the milk bottle for six months each.

This was a great fun event and a real opportunity for meeting new people and seeing old friends. Next year’s quiz – and the fish and chips – is highly anticipated.
Report by Fraser Wilson

www.roomforwork.org

If you’ve just been made redundant, have been searching for some time, or you are thinking about self-employment, you’ll find guidance and encouragement at Room for Work.

Everyone is welcome but we specialise in mature job seekers. WE FILL THE GAP BETWEEN JOBCENTRE PLUS AND EXPENSIVE CAREER COACHING. AND IT’S FREE* Room for Work is a charity supported by volunteers.

(*We ask for a small voluntary contribution to support the charity. There is an optional £10 charge for the textbook. In either case you are not obliged to pay anything.)

We are now taking registrations for the Autumn 2017 course.

Click here for the poster.

Click here for the leaflet.

Crossrail 2 have provided us with the following update:

Crossrail 2 has recently submitted an updated Strategic Outline Business Case to the Department for Transport. It builds on the 2015 business case and outlines how Crossrail 2 will improve public transport for the wider south east. We are now awaiting the Transport Secretary’s approval of the business case so that we can move to the next stage of the project’s design. Once we have approval, we intend to consult on revised proposals in the near future.

Kingston is the busiest station on the Shepperton branch for Crossrail 2, while there is less demand further up the line towards Shepperton. So while there is a need to maintain a high frequency in the Kingston area, running this service along the entirety of the branch would require significantly more rolling stock. Having a turnback facility in the Hampton Wick area would allow us to maintain a high frequency from Kingston station while also serving Hampton Wick station with at least 10 trains per hour into Central London while minimising the need for additional rolling stock. We are continuing to develop our designs and we will share our updated proposals during the next round. of consultation.

To make sure the space needed for the new railway above and below ground fits in with proposed new development, a process called ‘safeguarding’ is undertaken. Once safeguarding is in place, planning applications for sites within the safeguarded area would be referred to the Crossrail 2 project team for comment prior to planning permission being granted. This is to ensure new development does not prevent the future construction or operation of the railway. While there is currently no safeguarding south of Wimbledon, we anticipate the DfT will consult on the safeguarding after a decision has been made by the department.

There have been 45 planning applications since the start of June. These were essentially domestic or approval of details for consented schemes.

The Firs, Church Grove – the application has been modified to give it a more carefully considered –‘architectural’ front elevation and to improve the underground parking. We feel this revised application is an improvement on those that HWA objected / commented to, and are not making any further objections.

Burgoigne Quay – no news even though, formally, the decision was due last March.

Becketts Place – no news even though, formally, the decision was due a year ago.

97a High Street, now 1a Vicarage Road (ex Bonzo’s Cafe) – will be a maisonette and a flat. The HWA commented on the original application, including that the design was too fussy for a building of that size. We believe that the modified design, following a submission of details for Planning and which is being built, is a significant improvement.

Work continues on the new flats at Sanho’s / Rose & Crown despite there apparently being no planning permission in place and it appearing to be a change of use. We have been in and seen the flats being built. Like the earlier applications there is no provision for parking, which we feel is a major issue in this area. We presume that the First Floor theatre has been demolished. There is no news of a retail or restaurant tenant for the ground floor.

This year’s Richmond in Bloom Merit Awards are being held in York House, Twickenham, on 26 September 2017.

We had the following Hampton Wick winners this year:

Ingram House, Park Road (Gold, Estates)
The White Hart (Silver, Hotel or Pub Exterior)

Congratulations to both of them!

Hampton Wick also entered the overall “Village in Bloom” competition this year. Thanks go to Chris Drayson and Jenny Bourne who were instrumental in organising that. The results of that will be announced at the awards evening itself and we’ll aim to publish any noteworthy results shortly afterwards.

You can find out more about Richmond in bloom at www.richmondboroughinbloom.co.uk

We are delighted that we have been awarded a SILVER Certificate of Merit In the Best Village in Bloom awards in Richmond on Tuesday 26th September.

Many congratulations to all those who contributed their efforts. Special mentions to The Royal Paddocks Allotments, St John’s Church, The Friends of Hampton Wick Library, village pubs and shops and everyone else who contributed with hanging baskets and other floral displays. A particular thanks to Chris Drayson and Jenny Bourne for all their efforts.

The HWA is raising awareness of the importance to our local heritage made by our many distinctive road signs. We are concerned that some are in need of renovation and that they are in danger of being replaced by soulless modern signs. Indeed, a number have been replaced quite recently, making our familiar roads look like ‘just any other place’.

In our last Newsletter we asked for volunteers to help with renovations that we might carry out ourselves and we’d like to thank everyone who came forward.

We have also benefited from some expert advice from a local resident with knowledge of this type of restoration work. As a result we have decided not to go ahead with attempts to clean and repaint the signs ourselves. Instead we are making enquiries into the financial and other implications of having the signs temporarily removed and professionally restored. This approach will ensure the best possible finish and guarantee the long-term future of our lovely old signs.

If you’re interested in the detail, here is the advice we’ve received:

I guess what we’re all aiming for is to conserve / preserve these old signs and stop the council from replacing them. Having been involved for a long time with conservation, here’s my two penn’orth, for what it’s worth. The standard procedure for conserving old cast iron signs is to remove them from site, strip all the paint using gentle sandblasting, prime using PVD or a professional iron primer / rust killer, and then 2 coats of UV paint – white first, sprayed overall, then when that’s thoroughly dry, black to pick out the letters. That’s how to preserve the signs in the long term, and get them to look like they did 100 or so years ago. (The original paint was an enamel which they baked on, that’s why it’s lasted as long as it has.). Yes, I understand, this is time-consuming and costs money.

The problems with blitzing them in situ might be:

If you’re painting the black and white at the same time, you won’t get a crisp delineation, and the sign will look worse than before. Perfect excuse for the council to come along and replace it.

You need to get every scrap of paint off the sign, which is nigh-on impossible with a wire brush alone. Paint doesn’t take on paint, particularly chipped and peeling enamel, and as above, the sign will pretty soon look worse than before, with the potential consequences. Additionally, a wire brush will only remove superficial rust, not deep oxidisation. Painting over such deep rust will lock the rust in and could well accelerate the damage to the sign.

Hammerite. Hmm. Well, it’s not bad for railings and pipes, but it’s difficult to get a smooth crisp finish. Also, its efficacy as a rust-killer is limited. And I seem to remember it works by ‘converting’ the rust to some kind of rust/paint compound, which irretrievably affects the surface of sign, and thus its authenticity and, crucially, appearance. First rule of conservation: don’t do anything you can’t undo. Proper priming and finishing with UV paint is pretty much the only way to go if you want to achieve a result that the council can’t complain about. And if they get to remove / replace one sign, they might decide to descend upon the Wick and replace the lot.

Whilst it is good to see that the Ground Floor of 59-61 High Street (formerly Sanhos Restaurant and, before that, The Rose and Crown) is in use as The Painted Furniture Company shop, we continue to have concerns about the Application for the first and second floors.

The HWA has discovered that four flats have been built in the upper floors without appropriate planning consent being granted. Our understanding is that the current consent is for use of the first and second floors as ancillary accommodation in relation to the commercial use of the ground floor.

The construction, without planning consent, of four self-contained flats has been carried out seemingly without regard for issues such as parking etc. There are also possible issues around Community Infrastucture Levy payments from the developer to the council.

We continue to seek clarification from the council.

Once again Hampton Wick turned out in strength to show respect and gratitude to those who have fallen, have been injured or who continue to serve in our Armed Forces.

The local sea cadets marched behind a piper at the head of the procession down the High Street to the Memorial Garden.

Reverend Jerry Field from St John’s then led the Service of Remembrance, with a reading by the minister from Hampton Wick Baptists. The service included a moving and thought provoking address from the vicar on the theme of Freedom and Responsbility. We sang “Amazing Grace” and “I Vow to Thee My Country” and the National Anthem.

Before the final blessing, Rev Jerry paid tribute to Peter who had played the bagpipes on Remembrance Sunday for many years but who died earlier in the year. A prayer was said while we remembered his service.

John Previte lives at The Wilderness on Barge Walk. He wrote recently to our chairman Mark Merrington with a copy of an old poem about Hampton Wick.

John wrote: “I have had the attached in my files for years and often thought I should bring it to wider attention because of its charm. I have no idea which occupant of The Wilderness composed it or when but the sentiment is as valid today as when it was written.” We can only agree!

The full text of the poem is:

Old Hampton Wick. we come to you and dream
‘Neath shading branches mirrored in the stream;
We hear the hum of summer in the breeze
All undefined a whispering of the trees,
Then faint, now louder on the air is borne
The mingling sound of bells this Sabbath morn,
All jangling out of tune; yet does their call
But add unto the beauty of it all.
But man, the ravager, is everquick
To mar such peaceful spots as Hampton Wick
Yet still you smile, though many scars are seen
Where modern man has left his mark of spleen.
That urged his vandal hand to rend and pick
Your very bones, like vultures, HAMPTON WICK.

From Kingston Bridge, where noisy street cars blank
Some half a mile along the river’s bank
And hidden amid trees from fevered stress
There stands an old-time house, “The Wilderness”
In front from casement window, we can spy
Through waving branch, the river wending by;
And fancy wings us back to olden times;
We see a royal barge, hear jests and mimes
And chatterings as King and courtiers vie
To win a glance from some fair lady’s eye;
We hear the herald’s trumpets, hear the songs
And ribald laughter of the gaping throngs,
From rear ward view we conjure up in thought –
Whilst looking o’er the leas of Hampton Court –
The Royal party, court and hirelings near,
Mounting their steeds to chase the nimble deer.
The spell may weave a shimmering summer night;
The elfin moonbeams dart, their shafts of light
Fall upon knights and ladies of St. James’,
Who – here nigh to the banks of Father Thames –
Dance – to the Viols, the Hautboys and Spinet, –
The stately measures of the Minuet.

The spell has snapped; we see but serried ranks
Of Sunday trippers on the river banks.
The stream itself bears on its crest great throngs
Of craft of every kind. We hear the songs
The trippers sing; some coarse, some sad, some gay;
‘Tis laughter, jest and jazz, on holiday.
We see the litter that the trippers make
Leaving but ugly blotches in their wake,
Not theirs the fault, for ants will gather thick
Where sweetness is like yours, old HAMPTON WICK.

The results of the parking consultation held over the summer in Hampton Wick have finally been published (click here) and show a large majority of almost 2:1 respondents in favour of change.

Despite this, the consultation doesn’t meet the council’s arbitrary rule on CPZ consultations – a rule which we consider to be unfair and indeed unworkable. (Richmond council’s policy on CPZ consultations is surely a mistake.) Regrettably, as a result, the Council will not be progressing with the proposals.

Nonetheless, and confusingly, the decision then goes on to state:

“However, we will be looking to increase the hours of operation of certain yellow lines to deter parking on Sundays and Bank Holidays.”

We don’t know what this means and have asked for clarification. As and when we hear, we’ll be sure to publish details.

Background
Hampton Wick’s roads are overrun with Kingston shoppers on Sundays. The Hampton Wick Association has been pressing for changes to the CPZ so that weekday rules also apply on Sundays to help prevent Hampton Wick being used as a free overflow car park by Kingston shoppers. Sunday is the busiest day of the week for shopping in Kingston.

The arbitrary and unfair rule states that: more than half of the total households in the consultation area (ie not just those who respond) must be in favour. We think this rule is unfair and seek to explain why here: Council’s policy on CPZ consultation is surely a mistake.

Richmond council has a policy on CPZ consultations that results must show that over 50% of the total households in an area are in favour.

We contend that this is arbitrary and unfair and surely the result of some mistake.

In general, democratic votes are determined by some form of a majority of those who turn up to vote. If you don’t vote, your opinion doesn’t count. This is a bedrock of democracy in this country (and further afield). Why not LBRuT parking consultations?

A clear example in Hampton Wick

This is best explained by way of an example. Most people would agree that 55:45 is a good democratic majority. However, to satisfy the above policy rule, a turnout of at least 91% would be needed! There is no way that a turnout of that magnitude could be achieved over a parking policy consultation.

In the recent Hampton Wick CPZ consultation, the key published numbers are as follows:

The survey results state that the sample was 2,106 households.
They show a 445/2106 = 21% total response rate.
Agree/strongly agree = 262 representing 59% of responders in favour.
Disagree/Strongly disagree = 140 representing 31% of responders against.
Not answered/neither agree nor disagree = 43 representing 10%

So, in round numbers 445 respondents with a majority in favour of approx. 2:1. And yet the proposal is dismissed!

In fact, in Hampton Wick, if all 445 respondents had been agree/strongly agree, with 0 disagree/strongly disagree this would only have represented 21% of householders in favour and would still have been dismissed – this seems a little odd.

Simply unworkable, even with unanimity

Taking it further still, if there had been 1,000 respondents all in favour with not a single household against, it still wouldn’t have been approved. This just seems plain wrong.

More to the point it seems that the council has wasted six months, lots of council employee time and money and toyed with residents’ expectations completely needlessly.

In Hampton Wick with the demonstrated 59:31 ratio in favour, a response rate of a staggering 85% would have been necessary to satisfy LBRuT’s idiosyncratic “more than 50% of the total households” rule (see calculation at foot of page).

What is the policy of similar local boroughs?

We were so intrigued by this arbitrary and unfair rule that Richmond has implemented that we checked on neighbouring boroughs’ policy.

Wandsworth (Richmond’s Shared Services Agreement partner) seem to have a more rational policy where they encourage responses but expect a minimum response rate of 25% – importantly no arbitrary minimum household-in-favour rate.

Merton only look for a simple majority response.

Ealing looks for a simple majority with a reasonable response rate.

Indeed, we couldn’t find another borough with such an odd policy as Richmond’s.

The HWA believes it is time for Richmond’s unfair and unworkable policy to be reviewed and fairness restored.

*Half of 2,106 total households = 1,053. As the preference ratio seems to be 59% we’d need at least 1,785 responses to get 1,053 in favour. 1,785 responses is a response rate of 85% of 2,106.

Normansfield Theatre has just launched a lighting appeal to move to LED fixtures on stage and front of stage.

There is only one light working on the front of stage and it’s increasingly difficult to find suppliers of these old bulbs (and very costly – approx. £700 each with the scaffolding).

They have therefore had a look at the possibility of moving over to LED lights which has a higher initial cost but will be far more efficient to run/longer lasting and also better quality of lighting provided.

Everyone has so far said what a good idea it is but we’ve only raised £120+ so far.

The theatre is hoping to start work in the spring of 2018.

St John’s, Church Grove, Hampton Wick KT1 4AL; tel: 020 8977 7733; www.stjohnshamptonwick.org

10 Dec. 6pm Alternative Carol Service
13 Dec. 7:30pm Christmas Concert
17 Dec. 10:30am Children’s Carol Service: Christingles
6pm Candlelit Carol Service

24 Dec. 10:30am Christmas Eve Service

• 4pm-5pm. Crib Service
• 11:30pm Midnight Communion

25 Dec. 10:30am Christmas Day Family Celebration

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St Mark’s St Mark’s Road, Teddington TW11 9DE; tel: 020 8977 4067. www.stmarkteddington.uk

21 Dec. 6:30pm Candlelit Carol Service
24 Dec. 8:30am BCP Holy Communion
10am Informal Family Service – Looking Forward to Christmas
5pm Crib Service
11:30pm Midnight Mass
25 Dec. 10am Family Communion Service

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Hampton Wick Baptist Church
11A Upper Teddington Road, Kingston Upon Thames KT1 4DL. 020 8977 1279 www.hamptonwickbaptists.co.uk admin@hamptonwickbaptists.co.uk

9th December 12:30pm Good Companions Christmas Lunch
15th December 3:30-5pm Christmas Messy Church
24th December 10:45am Sunday Morning Service
24th December 7pm Carols by Candlelight
25th December 10am Christmas Day Service

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Sacred Heart Church
262 Kingston Road, Teddington TW11 9JQ; tel: 020 8977 2986; www.sacredheartteddington.wordpress.com

16 Dec. 6:30pm Vigil Mass of 4th Sunday of Advent
17 Dec. 9:30am & 11:15am Mass
17 Dec. 5pm “Turn to Me” Service of Reconciliation

24 Dec. 9:30am Mass
24 Dec. 6pm Christmas Mass for children & families
24 Dec. 10:30pm Service of Readings and Carols
24 Dec. 11pm Mass

25 Dec. 10am Mass

Many of us who are customers of British Gas have received a letter from them offering the installation of a smart meter.

A member has contacted us to ask that we let people know that it is not compulsory to accept a smart meter if you’d prefer not to have one.

For more information see the OFGEM website.

Wonderful news from St John’s – the church clock is back in action!

Penny Miller writes from the church:

“We are delighted to announce that the St John’s Hampton Wick church clock has been reinstated! The clock was installed in 1900 but for the last 7 years we have been unable to wind it as our insurers would not cover the slightly perilous climb up the tower to wind it. A new electronic winding mechanism has now been installed to the original clock, and so the clock is now back in fine working order and will chime from 7am to 10pm daily, and we hope will add to the special sense of place and community that Hampton Wick has.”

We are indebted to Paul Barnfield (local historian) for the following information he has shared with us following our publishing of the Old Hampton Wick Poem in last week’s HWA Email News.

In Paul’s words:

“I was interested in seeing the piece in the latest HWA newsletter about the old poem on Hampton Wick.

It was in fact written by Harry Waldo Warner (1874-1945) who was a noted violist and composer in his time. Apparently “he related how, upon his calling upon a friend who resided in an old house situated upon the riverside here, he was so struck by the antiquity of his surroundings that he allowed his imagination to conjure up an impression of how the neighbourhood must have appeared at the time of Henry VIII. These thoughts inspired him into writing a poem, which was produced under his pen-name “Onslow Frampton” and is the poem quoted in the Newsletter (see Harold Able’s History of Hampton Wick, 1935). Waldo Warner then composed a symphony in the form of a tone-poem (op.38) based on this, which was submitted to and won the Hollywood Bowl Competition in 1932. Harold Able describes the various sections of the work in his book (copy at Richmond Local Studies Library). I did try some years ago to obtain a score of this work but to no avail.”

Paul Barnfield

It’s good to see that the Richmond & Twickenham Times has picked up on the concerns of local residents over the gaping hole in the ground behind Priya’s Londis store.

Click here to read the story if you missed it.

We believe the hole in the ground was dug by the developers of the site, presumably to show they had ‘started’ development work and so prevent their planning permission from lapsing.

The HWA and local residents have been urging the authorities to do something about this very unsafe and unsightly hole for EIGHT LONG YEARS! We even specfically took the Village Planning ‘walkabout’ consultation to see it last year.

What does it take to get something done about this?

Nick Baylis, the HWA Planning Officer, writes:

This month the main Town Planning news relates to our waterfront along the Thames. The existing office building to the north of the railway line and off the Lower Teddington Road, Burgoine Quay, has been granted a consent for a three-storey side extension. This will have the effect of closing off the pedestrian gap alongside the bridge. The building will have a wharf side feel and, with balconies along the full width of the building, facing the river, reminiscent of a Docklands apartment building.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the bridge an application for eight ‘residential units’ at 1D Becketts Place was refused. Currently there is a two-storey office pavilion on the site, between two apartment buildings, with a meeting room on the Ground Floor. Reasons given for the refusal include that the building would create overdevelopment of the area, failing to relate or harmonise to the residential area, and harmful to the amenity of the neighbouring dwellings. Loss of employment floorspace was also given as a reason for refusal. Whilst the narrow frontage of the proposed building, facing the river, is similar in height to its neighbours its mass behind (and towards the Lower Teddington Road) seemed deep and bulky to us.

Following the HWA’s questioning of the council’s approach to the recent CPZ consultation – click here for more – we are pleased to announce that the decision is being reviewed.

The council’s website now states:
Given the number of roads which have shown support for the increased operational hours, some further analysis was carried out to see if an area within the boundary could be formed where support exceeds 50% of households, once purpose-built flats with their own parking, are removed. ‘In favour’ responses received from these properties were also removed. An area comprising the following roads was formed:

School Lane, School Road, Church Grove, Park Road, St John’s Road, Saddlers Mews, High Street.

We welcome this pragmatic understanding that the ‘Kingston shopper effect’ is manifested only in the area close to Kingston Bridge and that this is where additional controls are required on Sundays.

Nonetheless we will continue to raise questions about why our borough uses a “50% of households” rather than “50% of votes” policy to come to these decisions, which seems odd and different to other London boroughs.

You may have seen the council’s announcement in this week’s Richmond & Twickenham Times relating to a proposal for the imminent installation of double yellow lines along Park Road, School Road, and Sandy Lane.

The HWA welcomes the fact that action is at last being taken to deal with the blight of Kingston shoppers parking, often irresponsibly, in this area particularly on Sundays.

However, we consider the blanket application of double yellow lines to be over-kill and likely to lead to a loss of flexible parking in off-peak hours when it causes no problem.

Volunteers from the HWA met with an officer from the Council’s traffic and parking department. We walked along Park Road and pointed out that while double yellow lines might be appropriate on some stretches, it would be better left with single yellows in others. In particular:

The stretch at the High Street end of Park Road from St John’s Road upwards provides useful flexible parking in the evenings for people using the pubs, restaurants and Chase Lodge Hotel, and doesn’t cause obstruction. The officer said he’d consider leaving this as single yellow subject to checking the width of the road.

Spaces in a couple of other areas were also identified which could remain single yellow and in one instance where an extra res-permit space could be added.

In general the council officer seemd sympathetic to the idea of retaining flexibility where possible, understanding that being able to park sensibly on single yellow lines overnight is a useful amenity for many residents.

While we were out, we also pointed out to the officer the state of the kerbs on the stretch of Park Road that runs alongside the allotments up to Sandy Lane (Hampton Wick gate into Bushy Park). Over the years the road has been resurfaced many times without the kerbs being raised with the effect that in places the road is virtually level with the kerb. This, along with a narrow road, narrow pavements and often speeding vehicles contributes to how unsafe it feels to walk along this stretch. We’ll aim to keep this on the Council’s radar.

We also highlighted the awkward bollards on the pavement at the High Street end of Park Road, originally installed to keep DHL vans off the pavement when there was DHL a depot nearby. DHL departed over ten years ago but the bollards have remained. It is so narrow that if you meet someone coming the other way one of you needs to step into the road to pass. Prams and pedestrians with a shopping bag in each hand also often need to step into the road. The bollards no longer serve a useful purpose in this area and we believe they should be removed.

The Hampton Wick Association has encountered a lot of confusion locally in what GP services are available. We’ve done some research and we are also indebted to Healthwatch Richmond* for their help in compiling this HWA guide to local GP and similar services.

We’ve heard many reports of having to wait two or three weeks for a GP appointment, so what do you do if you need to see someone more urgently?

Generally, surgeries offer ‘emergency’ appointments. However, there is no consistent way that different surgeries provide these; some Practices will suggest you call them first thing in the morning, others will advise that you come to the Practice and wait until a doctor is available. Therefore, it’s best to call your own Practice and ask if you can have an emergency appointment and how to get one.

However, for many health problems, we don’t want to take up one of these precious emergency appointments although we really could do with being seen within a day or so. Fortunately, there are several alternatives, short of pitching up at A&E:

GP Hubs – Tel: via registered GP (Hampton Wick Surgery: 020 8977 2638)

There are currently two GP Hubs in the borough, one of which is located at Teddington Memorial Hospital (TMH). The Hubs offer GP appointments for people who would otherwise have to wait for an appointment at their own surgery. They have extended opening hours. The GP Hub at TMH is open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, all day on Saturdays and half day on Sundays.
The doctors at the GP Hub should have access to your medical records. The only difference between going here and turning up at your regular surgery is that you are unlikely to see the same doctor. However, if you don’t see a GP very often this is unlikely to be a problem.

Appointments at GP Hubs are booked through your regular GP surgery.

Walk-in Centre – Tel: 020 8714 4004

There is also a walk-in centre at TMH. No appointment is necessary and one way to look at this as a step below a visit to full A&E. The Walk-in Centre is staffed by experienced nurses who can offer advice and treatment for adults and children with minor injuries and illnesses such as cuts and bruises, strains, sprains, possible fractures, urinary tract infections (UTIs), earache and sore throats, headaches and rashes.

The current opening hours are: Monday to Friday: 8am – 10pm; Weekends and bank holidays: 8am to 9pm

Out of Hours GP – Tel: 03000 240000

If you are registered with a GP surgery in Richmond Borough you can call when your surgery is closed. Your details will be taken, and a GP will phone you back and will decide the best plan of action which may be to go to A&E or to Teddington Memorial Hospital or to have a home visit or simply to wait until your GP surgery reopens.

The Out of Hours service operates through the night (6.30pm to 8am) every night, plus all day on weekends and bank holidays. It has a website at www.richmondooh.org.uk

*Healthwatch Richmond is an independent, local NHS and social care watchdog.

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