Tandridge Independent

The Coronavirus Response Fund, established by The Community Foundation for Surrey was set up in 2005 to enable local charities, situated across 11 Surrey boroughs quickly and efficiently during the pandemic. The foundation is part of a national network of 46 Community Foundations and includes money raised from the National Emergencies Trust Coronavirus Public Appeal.

The Community Foundation works with donors and voluntary groups by providing vital services for local people and disadvantaged individuals. Since being established it has awarded grants in excess of £12 million. To date, a total of £66,945 (across 14 grants) has been distributed to charities and voluntary groups within the borough of Tandridge.

The concept is to bring together local donors to provide positive solutions to the issues facing Surrey. They aim to do this by working closely together with organisations across the county to identify crucial areas where the support from our community will be most needed.

After Public Health England advised on the lockdown in the the middle of March, the Coulsdon Osteopathic Clinic adhered to the guidelines and closed its doors.

We recently spoke to Jitendra Vara, Clinic Director and he explained that throughout the lockdown the most common injury were from workers who were normally based in the office. He explained that these workers were now working from a laptop from their sofa and dining table which was causing neck and headaches. Homeschooling and watching excessive amounts of box sets together with a large amount of anxiety as a result of coronavirus pandemic all increased muscular tension during this period.

He also told us that a lot of injuries were also from people who are not used to jogging or running and consequently this has damaged their knees. The increase in gardening activities has also in turn caused lower back problems. The clinic have embraced technology by carrying out consultations via video platforms and over the phone which has in turn resulted in clients not having to suffer at home.

The clinic has now reopened and is operating under the new norm with heightened hygiene and safety precautions. For further information or to book an appointment visit; https://ococ.co.uk

Ingredients:

3 medium oranges
600g orange juice (no added sugar)
185g caster sugar
20g glucose (optional)
30g lemon juice

Method:

1: Place the lolly mould onto a parchment lined tray and place into the freezer.
2: Zest the 3 oranges on the fine side of a grater and place the zest into a pan.
3: Cut the three oranges in half and squeeze the juice into the pan pip’s and all.
4: Add the glucose and sugar and gently heat up to the boil.
5: Simmer gently for 3 minutes to reduce slightly.
6: Add the lemon juice and orange juice and mix together well.
7: Push the mixture through a sieve into a bowl pressing hard.
8: Place the mixture into a jug and fill the moulds about 0.5cm from the tops.
9: Place the lid on top and insert the sticks.
10: Place the mould into the freezer and freeze for at least 4 hours preferably overnight.
11: To demould remove the mould from the freezer and leave out for 5 minutes.

The lollies should ease out of the moulds with a gentle squeeze.

Nice easy one this month and hopefully a cooling refresher just right for the weather. If you don’t have silicone lolly moulds normal ones will do just be careful how you insert the sticks and make sure they are in the middle of the lollies. If you do not have any moulds freeze the mix in a shallow tray and freeze then roughly mash with a fork every two hours to make an orange granita

Annes Walk residents fear their community will be destroyed if plans to use their street in Caterham as an access route for a housing estate goes ahead.

Residents, Tandridge district council (TDC) and developers Shanly Homes have been in discussions about using 172 Whyteleafe Road, owned by Shanly, as an alternative for access.
The developers have said that access to the land via the Whyteleafe Road entrance has no planning permission granted as yet and they are still awaiting this decision.

TDC said: “Shanly Homes is currently pursuing an alternative proposal for access to the site, which would provide access from Whyteleafe Road via the site at No. 172.
“This planning application is currently being considered and will be taken to a future Planning Committee for a decision. We’re currently in discussions with both developers (Shanly and Chartwell) on the issue of shared access.”

The Caterham and District Independent team were very excited when our News Desk was contacted by a local resident who explained that she was the friend of a talented artist living in the area, who had been painting insects and flowers onto pebbles! To date the artist has painted over 100 pebbles during lockdown and left them across Caterham in natural places for residents to find; she tells us that 90 have already been found and picked up. The talented artist has requested to remain anonymous to the community, but her tiny works of amazing art painted onto pebbles have brought joy to many.

We met with the artist who, when asked why she preferred to remain anonymous explained that she enjoys the connection and communication which the pebbles offer her to members of the community during this time when people have been forced to be distanced from one another, alluding to an almost virtual dialogue with those walking through the same areas as her. She hopes too, that during recent months, it has brought delight to both adults and children and perhaps encouraged or inspired others to pick up a paintbrush. She told us that she is happy to continue making and leaving her mark across the community.

We are hoping that maybe, in a few months time, she may decide to reveal her identity and we could then feature more of her outstanding artwork.

If you are a local resident and you have found one of these or perhaps another painted pebble on your travels, please do contact us as we would love to hear from you. Send us a photo and let us know where you found it so that we can showcase the diversity of Caterham's art and crafting community that mirrors the diversity of our natural wildlife.

Please contact us at newsdesk@caterhamindependent.com and we will send you one of our fabulous mugs!

Aston Martin, Sevenoaks - “Our ethos at Jardine Motors is to be the best motor retailer as judged by you”.

The Caterham and District Independent recently visited the Aston Martin showroom in Sevenoaks who, along with Cambridge are one of only two Aston Martin dealerships within Jardine Motors Group. The team always strive to provide the ultimate customer experience when visiting either of our showrooms. It showcases stunning Aston Martin models such as the DBS Superleggera, DB11 and Vantage, all of which are available to test drive by appointment along with a fantastic range of used cars.

It will soon be also hosting the most anticipated new Aston Martin DBX which is powered by a fantastic turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 engine and can accelerate to 62mph in just 4.5 seconds. These incredible vehicles are of course built in Britain as you would come to expect from Aston Martin.

We spoke with the General Manager Anna Houldsworth, their Sales Manager, Nick Simmons and their After Sales Manager, Aaron Thompson who collectively form the management team.

Welcome to the July edition of ‘The Caterham & District Independent’.

It’s hard to believe but we are now over halfway through the year. The enforced lifestyle changes we’ve made due to Covid-19 make it feel as if 2020 has never really got started but we are now slowly adapting to our ‘new normal’. Despite the difficulties we have faced, we have really pulled together as a community, helping each other to cope with ill health, travel restrictions, difficulties finding essential supplies and a myriad of other issues.

Lockdown has been incredibly hard for many people and we don’t yet have a full understanding of the enormous toll it has taken on the nation’s mental health. Hopefully, the recent easing of some restrictions will have helped to counteract some of the more negative aspects, and will have brought back welcomed benefits, such as being able to meet up with friends, albeit still outside and socially distancing, in the most part.

(Lockdown has definitely been too much for my household appliances: both my washing machine, hoover and television all stopped working last month. I think they’re complaining of being overworked!)

We are now starting to see the welcome return of many local shops and businesses, which is great for the borough. The end of June saw the new Couglans Bakery open in Old Coulsdon. They’re an artisan eatery, crafting delicious treats and I’m thinking a Caterham & District Independent review might be in order soon!

It’s East Surrey Museum’s  40th birthday!! A museum serving the East Surrey area had been proposed since the early 1970’s – but it was not until 1977 that serious discussions started with Tandridge District Council.  With the support of many volunteers, The Bourne Society and Tandridge District Council,  East Surrey Museum finally opened on 10th May 1980 in a Victorian cottage at 1, Stafford Road where it remains to this day. Right from the start the Museum proved very popular with a wide mix of displays, exhibitions and activities, both in the Museum and in the community.  Since then the Museum has gone from strength to strength, and although currently closed due to Coronavirus,  is marking its birthday throughout June by posting pictures from the past 40 years on Facebook and Instagram, followed by an exciting competition!!  The Museum hopes to  reopen soon, welcoming visitors old and new with a major exhibition to mark 100 years of St Lawrence’s Hospital.

A 94-year old WWII veteran, who has lived in Coulsdon since he was four, was given a standing ovation on VE Day. Ken Raffield’s carer, Sue Peterson, posted on a local Facebook group that he would be walking down Caterham Drive, wearing his medals, on 8th May, and a group of over 100 local residents came out to applaud him.

Ken learnt semaphore as a young boy in the Cubs, and Morse code in the Scouts. He continued using these skills with the 285 Squadron Air Cadets, before joining the RAF at 17 as a Communications Engineer, a role which involved sending Morse code landing instructions to arriving planes. His first post was to Tangier in Morocco, before moving to Leghorn (Livorno) in North Italy, where he coincidentally met up with his brother on the frontline.

Ken recalls his time in the military with fondness. He retains remarkably vivid memories of his past, including his Morse code expertise: something he can still use fluently to this day!