Tandridge Independent

After her grandmother suffered a fall, Jessica Briers (aged 12) and her neighbour Avery Smith (aged 9) set about raising money for East Surrey Hospital. Inspired by Colonel Tom Parker they decided to do a sponsored walk around their road. Their plan was to raise £100. On Saturday 30th May they set off on their 100 laps and were supported with clapping and cheering from friends and neighbours along the way. After walking an estimated 20 miles they have raised a total in excess of £557.

Jessica's grandmother, Mrs Jean Solomons of Langton House, Warlingham suffered a fall whilst clapping for the NHS. She was ta

ken to East Surrey Hospital by ambulance after suffering a broken hip. With the current restrictions in place this meant that no family could visit whilst she remained in hospital.
We spoke to Mrs Solomons, who is now back home and recovering well. She said "I would like to say a huge thank you to the doctors and nurses of Newdigate Ward. They all work so hard and in such difficult circumstances at the moment. Although my family were not able to visit me, the nurses and staff more than compensated with their care and attention. It is all rather ironic that I was actually outside clapping for them only to become one of their patients. I would also like to thank the nurses and staff at Caterham Dene Hospital and the district nursing staff".

The Farningham Road Support Group (the local residents who have come together via a WhatsApp group set up beginning March) organised another community spirited event this bank holiday. Andy Sparks who the residents refer to as their street anchor led the the Mad Hatters Tea Party theme dressed up as the White Rabbit, Trang played Alice in Wonderland while her partner Ashley did an amazing job as the Mad Hatter, with the support of Hilary Hopkins who with her amazing dress making skills designed and made some of the outfits along with organising street cup cake bakery where over 100 cup cakes were made by the residents and distributed to all the children via a social distancing procession. The menus included sandwiches, scones, clotted cream and Pimms!

Both Lisa Fisher and Hilary Hopkins said “This event is one of many that this Road has organised and the residents have rallied together to create this supportive warm and caring community to be there for the vulnerable, to cheer people up and to ensure the children have some excitement and fun in these challenging times. We feel privileged and lucky to be living in this road with such amazing people”

From Monday 15 June the remaining non-essential retailers in the UK will be able to reopen their doors after 12 weeks since the UK went into lockdown.

Outlets selling clothes, furniture, electronics, auction houses, indoor markets, and the like are allowed to welcome back in store trading while following the government's COVID-19 guidelines.

Director of Caterham Valley’s property agents Martin & Co, Lucie Allan, said: “It'll be great for Caterham once the shops are able to open again.
“We need that sense of normality and for people to have confidence in making purchases and trying to get life back on track as best they can.”
Although the family-run firm never stopped working, Allan said they appreciate being able to return to their offices.
However, the way we shop for our shoes, food, and homes will become part of a new kind of normal to preserve the efforts made during the quarantine period and suppress a potential second wave spread of the coronavirus.

Many people have been using lockdown as a time to declutter their homes or catch up with some much needed DIY on their houses and in their gardens. It’s also a great time to consider your home security, something locksmiths RLM Locksmiths are experts in.

We spoke to Dan, who told us that many people are unaware that their door locks may not offer the best protection.
“Many front doors have only cheap, basic locks that aren’t the right size for the door and which can be easily broken or bypassed. Upgrading to a higher-security lock, costing just £50-£60 provides a much better level of security.”

RLM Locksmiths are a mobile service for domestic and commercial properties. They offer 24 hour emergency call outs, as well as burglary repairs, lock replacements and door safety checks. You can find them at www.rlmlocksmiths.co.uk or on social media: Instagram(@rlmlocks) and Facebook (@rlmlocksmiths).

Spring 2020 has officially been recorded as the sunniest on record! The sunshine together with the lockdown has given a lot of us the opportunity to spend more time in our gardens than ever before. Gardening can sometimes feel like the chore that needs to be completed before you can relax, but I hope you have been able to stop and enjoy the nature around us and here are a few tips to make the gardening easier so there is more time for the sitting back and relaxing!

We’ve had hardly any rain in the last 3 months. Water in the morning or evenings and only water the plants that really need it: veggies, pots and newly planted plants. Lawns and established plants shouldn’t need watering (unless we have a drought) so focus your time on the ones that do. Veggies and pots might need watering everyday but new plants should be ‘drenched’ a couple of times a week rather than given ‘a splash’ every day; this encourages root growth downwards into the soil.

Another act of kindness from within the community was shown when owners of the Caterham Fish Bar High Street surprised NHS staff from Caterham Dene hospital by not charging them for their lunchtime order recently. Upon arrival to collect their food, Marisa and Ozzie (who have owned the small business in the High Street for the past 10 years) told the staff member that their wouldn’t be a charge for their large order in return for all the hospitals hard work during the past few months. The shop were thanked and their generosity was appreciated greatly.

20 High St, Caterham, Surrey, CR3 5UA / 01883 342345

Claire Coutinho MP commented: “As the lockdown begins to ease, my priority is helping to get our businesses back on their feet. I am speaking to Tandridge District Council and Surrey County Council, the LEP, and local business groups to make plans to restore our thriving high streets and small business sector. I know many Caterham businesses have benefited from the unprecedented business support packages, but many will now need help to adapt and also support from residents to buy local. A huge amount of work is happening within Government to create guidance for different sectors to operate within social distancing rules. I will continue to work to keep you updated. Please do contact me if there are businesses you would like me to promote or help. Our local economy thrives because of the hard graft and dynamism of our small businesses – that’s why I’m here to support them as best I can.”

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!

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.