March 14, 2011

Beare Green needs you (Questionnaire)

IT’S TIME TO RENEW THE VILLAGE HALL AND THE BGCA NEED YOUR HELP

Our village hall needs a facelift to bring it up-to-date and in to the 21st century, also to leave a legacy for the future.

We want to create a village hall to be proud of that everyone will enjoy using, not just today but for years to come.

We’re looking at three options:

  • REFURBISHMENT – modernising what we have
  • EXTEND – building an extension with a new usable space that could be a coffee shop
  • REBUILD – knocking down the hall and starting from scratch

This is YOUR village hall and we need to know what you think, so please fill out the questionnaire on the back of this sheet and pop it in to the collection box at Beare Green stores, or fill in online.

Did you know the village hall is already used for Fitness classes, toddler groups, dog training and by Dorking Artists to name just a few?

If you care about the village you live in then could you help us, or contribute some time? We will need help with fundraising, planning and technical knowledge among other things. If you would like to help your community then please call or email us on 01306 712706 or p.parrish@tiscali.co.uk

We are hoping to apply for a number of grants but we will need everybody to help us fundraise!

Complete the questionnaire here.

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January 15, 2011

Little Bears baby and toddler group

Message from a local Little Bears Group:

Little Bears is a baby and toddler group held at Beare Green Village Hall on Fridays from 10-12 (in term time only). Please come along and enjoy plenty of activities for your little one, and a chance to meet other mums. There is always a craft table, a soft area for babies, a reading area, and lots of activities and toys for toddlers. We have storytime with a drink and biscuit, and singing. Mums and Dads can have a coffee and a biscuit too!

Little Bears has a Facebook page too, check it out.

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October 1, 2010

Playbuilder Projects: Winning Designs Announced

After many months we finally have a winner. Playdale, the company behind the winning designs, for Beare Green, has produced a great play area design. Beare Greenians from Mole Valley have chosen the winning designs for the new Beare Green play facility.

More than 170 votes were cast online in the final round of consultation, which asked residents to pick their favourite designs.

Our new design features an aerial runway, a log climber and a tower with a tube slide. Bushes, plants and trees will surround the playground too.

Whilst all ages can enjoy the new playgrounds, much of the equipment is designed for 8-13 year-olds.

Surrey councillor Chris Reynolds, Portfolio Holder for Environment, said:

“The Council would like to thank everyone who voted in the consultation. Its members have not only been raising additional funds for the Ashtead scheme but have also helped us during the consultation process.

“The winning designs look fabulous; I can’t wait for the playgrounds to be built. These projects are all about the wellbeing of children in Ashtead, Beare Green and the surrounding areas. The benefits of the playgrounds are irrefutable: they will help local children to lead happier, healthier lives.”

A start date for the building work will be announced soon.

http://www.mole-valley.gov.uk/media/pdf/0/2/Playdale_1.pdf (1.3MB)

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September 18, 2010

Autumn composting the easy way

Home composting bin

In an effort to manage Surrey’s waste in the most efficient, economic and sustainable way possible, the Surrey county council launched a home composting message and since then they’ve sold nearly 3,000 bins.

This time of year is in fact a great time to start composting as people may be starting their pre-winter clean up, especially in leafy Beare Green, and rather than putting leaves etc into rubbish bins, composting them is an attractive alternative.

Apparently making compost is simple; family waste such as empty cereal packets and egg boxes; fruit scraps and vegetable peelings; tea bags and coffee grounds, are in fact great ingredients to make compost. Mix this in with garden waste and you have the perfect recipe. I say apparently because I’ve never composted myself.

To help me get started, the Surrey Waste Partnership is offering home composting bins at great prices, starting from £14.00 (RRP £39.00). Seems like a good deal?

Whilst not an avid gardener (my wife is) I will invest in a bin. Once I get going with composting I’ll write more about my experience. I’d be interested to hear from you if you already make compost or whether you plan to? Please drop a note below.

Composting leaves

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April 30, 2010

Holmwood Station

Holmwood station in Beare Green is a gem. It’s our main public transport service for local and near local residents. Whilst the frequency of service to low (not necessarily a bad thing), we do need to give the station the attention it deserves.

The station is served by Southern Railway. As a member of Southern’s Passenger Panel I’m asked to report back to Southern’s management on train services. Recently, I was asked for feedback on ways to improve the service and I’d like to focus on the station.

How do you find the service in general? How do you find the station (Holmwood)? Are there ways it can be improved? If so, what suggestions do you have?

I’d love to hear back from you.

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April 16, 2010

Sort after Beare Green

House for sale: courtesy of dkodigital (flickr.com)

House for sale: courtesy of dkodigital (flickr.com)

I recently had the pleasure displeasure of having to re-mortgage my house. Fortunately my broker, a local agent, pretty much takes care of all the details sparing me from the frustration of paper work. I could be accused of being a little lazy for not taking more of an interest.

Anyway, whilst there (with my broker) they suggested that I could start thinking about upgrading, for example move to a bigger house. I started asking questions trying to get a sense of what I could get with the extra money I could borrow against accrued equity. My broker turned to the local estate agent to enquire, however, it was obvious that there were not many houses for sale in Beare Green despite the contrary in other local areas. The agent also happen to mention that they’d had quite a few enquiries about Beare Green so there is certainly outside interest.

Here’s my theory. Beare Green residents rather enjoy where they live and love Beare Green. So much so they are not prepared to leave.

What do you think?

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January 24, 2010

Safer neighbourhood policing newsletter: Tagging local graffiti

View document here

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January 6, 2010

That’s the spirit (Community).

I’ve just read an article from www.circleanglia.org, Home Matters, where our village members, Julie Beach (Area Housing Manger), Adrian Birtchnell (Community Warden) and Mandy Eggleton (Housing Management Support Officer), have been working with other residents of Beare Green to improve their neighbourhood.

It reads that the community clear up afternoon was held and was a great success.

Residents of Beare Green are also hoping to form a residents group. If you would like to join, please contact Julie Beach on 01306 505514.

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December 20, 2009

Let it snow… in Beare Green

Like many parts of the UK Beare Green got its fair share of the snowy weather. The snow started falling late Thursday evening (17th December). I noticed it falling quite hard as I returned home late on platform 2 (Holmwood Station). The following day I had the day off work so was lucky enough to walk my daughter to school (with my son). What fun. It’s not like we get snow often so when it does we certainly make the most of it.

The roads around Beare Green were hazardous – even the main Beare GReen arterial road, Horsham Road. With cars slipping and sliding up and down the road it was actually fun watching the front wheels spinning. The safest parts of the village was the deep grassy sections where the snow was fresh and powdery.

I managed to take a few photos of our village:

Holmwood Station

Beare Green pond

Horsham Road, Beare Green

http://www.flickr.com/photos/doos/4194933504/

Horsham Road / Leith Road junction, Beare Green

Horsham Road, Beare Green

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December 6, 2009

Local Beare Green pubs – any good?

I’ve been a local resident (in Beare Green) for ~3 years now and I’ve yet to drink from a ‘local’ pub. Bad huh? Some might argue that I’m missing out, but not being an avid pub socialite or drinker, I don’t get that calling that’s instinctive in local blood. You know, your mates are down the pub talking, joking and gossiping about locals while flexing their natural arm. Sometimes I wish I could walk down the road and have a couple and meet locals to find out what the villagers are like.

The Duke Head pub

The Duke Head pub

Could you might recommend a good local pub for me to try. The only pub I know of is The Duke’s Head, on Horsham Road. I’ve heard they are under new management – wonder whether the service and atmosphere has improved? If the owner is reading this perhaps he might challenge me to visit and report back to this blog and its readers?

Happy festive season – perhaps we might meet sooner than you think.

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