October 2009 Archives

A BUS shelter that was demolished by a lorry will be repaired by Christmas at the cost of £9550 say council bosses.

The shelter in Heriot Road, Chertsey, was knocked down in March by a bakery lorry that reversed into it.

A Chertsey man has appeared in court facing two charges of possessing extreme pornographic images.

Matthew Adam Jones, 34, of Bridge House, Bridge Wharf, Chertsey, faces three counts of possessing an extreme pornographic image portraying a sexual act with a dead or alive animal.

He has also been charged with possessing an extreme pornographic image portraying a sexual act likely to cause injury.

Jones also faces three counts of downloading an indecent photograph or pseudo photograph of a child.

He appeared at Woking Magistrates Court on Thursday October 22.

The case was adjourned and he will return to the court on December 17.

A new scheme is being trialled by Age Concern in partnership with Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals.

The 'courtesy call' service is for frail and older people who are being discharged from hospital and may need information, advice or help to live independently at home.

Hospital staff will refer patients by phoning the service on the day the patient is allowed home, or by giving the patient a booklet of information.

A spokeswoman for Age Concern said: "This new service has been going for a few weeks and has already ensured that many older people have been discharged home with the support they need.

"The relevant Age Concern branch will contact the patient within 48 hours to discuss their needs, provide information, and suggest services or a home visit."

One such service, the Road to Recovery scheme operated in Spelthorne, provides free help for six weeks with chores such as housework and shopping as well as accompanying clients to appointments, while they recover.

For more information, contact either Age Concern Runnymede on 02932 566 040 or Age Concern Spelthorne on 01784 444 200.

For only the second time, the Chertsey Surprise Major peal was rung in a church in Chertsey.

The peal, which involves 5,024 changes and lasts three hours and 25 minutes, was rung on the eight bells at St Peter's Church in Windsor Street, on Saturday (17).

It was rung by members of the Guildford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell Ringers, with representatives from Chertsey, Farnborough, Guildford Cathedral and Old Woking.

Malcolm Loveday, tower captain at St Peter's Church and part of the bell ringing team, said: "The bells at Chertsey are widely regarded as some of the most difficult bells to ring in the Diocese, mainly because they are rung from the ground floor and thus have a very long length of the rope in between the ringers and the bells.

"And Chertsey is a particularly difficult method to ring, and the ringers are not allowed to have any visual aids to help them remember where they should strike their bell relative to the other bells.

"The ringers have to exactly remember the pattern of the method, while they are ringing it."

The first time the peal was rung at Chertsey was in October 1988 and Mr Loveday rang in both peals.

It was the 32nd peal rung on the bells at St Peter's, with the first in 1886.

POTIONS and pills were being handed out at the Chertsey Museum last week.

At the Friends of Chertsey Museum annual AGM on Wednesday History of Medicine Lecturer Emm Barnes from Royal Holloway gave a lecture on the quack practices of Thomas Holloway founder of the university in Egham.

MP Philip Hammond visited youth project The Hub on Friday to get the low-down on recent developments.

The building at the Runnymede Centre in Chertsey that has been dormant for nine years and has been victim to severe vandalism is now almost ready to open.

Spooky half-term adventures are being organised for half term week around Runnymede.

The Halloween themed activities, designed to be fun rather than scary, will be running from Monday October 26 to Friday 30, and has been organised by Runnymede Council.

The first activity is a skeleton scavenger hunt and games at St Ann's Hill, Chertsey on Monday, but there will also be Halloween costume making, arts and crafts and party games.

To round off the week, there will be two sessions of free choice play, where youngsters can choose what they do, and can even have the chance to explore Chertsey Museum.

Emma Parnell, the activity co-ordinator at Runnymede Council, said: "These play sessions are held throughout the year, and have been really popular so far.
"There is something for every age group, ability and interest. We want to encourage children to use their imagination, try something new, make friends, be challenged, and above all, have fun."

For more information visit www.runnymede.gov.uk or call Emma on 01932 425 677, or at emma.parnell@runnymede.gov.uk.

A stand-up comedy night is being held at The Crown Hotel, Chertsey on Thursday October 29.

Three comedians will take to the stage from 8pm and tickets can be bought in advance over the bar of the hotel in London Street, or online for £4. Alternatively, they are £5 on the door.

For more information, visit www.terrythestandup.com, email info@terrythestandup.com or call 07828 585 313.

Free swimming lessons are being held during half term week at the River Bourne Health Club in Chertsey.

The lessons are being run by Seriously Fun, the UK's leading swimming school, from October 26 to 30.

Classes suit all abilities with a maximum of six children per class, and each lesson lasts 30 minutes.

Places are limited, so to book, visit www.seriouslyfun.net or call 0844 351 469.

Businesses in Chertsey town centre may have lost thousands of pounds after a power cut forced them to close early on Monday October 12.

Electricity went off in the town at 6.45pm and residents in neighbouring Addlestone also lost power for a few minutes.

But in Chertsey, the power did not come back on until 9.30pm meaning restaurants and pubs had to close their doors early and ask customers to leave, costing them hundreds of pounds in lost business.