Tandridge Independent

Local businesses Sarah Olivia Photography and Gillett Training Services have teamed up to raise money for East Surrey Hospital and Surrey & Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust.

The project, ‘Capturing a Community’, aims to document the people of Tandridge during lockdown. It involves taking pictures of local residents on their doorsteps, in return for a donation to their Just Giving fund. Participants will receive a high resolution digital copy of the best image: we’ve featured a few here and you can look out for more on our website next month!

Email contact@saraholiviaphotography.com to take part. Donations can be made via www.justgiving.com/fundraising/capturingacommunity

Chaldon Cares has certainly brought the Chaldon community together making it an even more sought after village. Chaldon Cares has revealed the generosity and compassion from its’ residents. Whether it be collecting shopping, a conversation with a neighbour, donating to the newly created hardship fund or helping cook and deliver 180 portions of fish and chips, Chaldon Cares now has over 50 volunteers planning, organising and supporting the village group.

Local pub Landlords Becky & Dave Cox (The Harrow) have been cooking Fish and Chips at their premises every Friday. Volunteers then deliver these to local homes. Becky and Dave have done an amazing job and thank you to Shauna and Sarah who box the food ready for delivery and of course the delivery drivers too.

Lorraine’s little Jam and Chutney Company has been running for over 7 years from Caterham on the Hill. Starting out as a hobbie from her home, Lorraine Hewitt has quickly grown this into a thriving business as demand for her homemade products are welcomed by local residents. Some of you may have tried her delicious products at local fairs and events , under normal circumstances her diary would be ‘jam-packed’ this summer!

Lorraine is best known for creating bold and unusual flavours, alongside more traditional fayre such as strawberry jam, orange marmalade and caramalised onion chutney.

During these challenging times, Lorraine has seen her sales rocket as local consumers are avoiding supermarket queues and preferring to shop local. As a result, lots of new customers are enjoying her delicious range as well as repeat customers.

Lorraine is offering a delivery service within a 2 mile radius, or you can collect from her direct. Please call her on 07933 152796.

The Caterham & District Horticultural Society is appealing to local residents to help bring colour to Caterham after lockdown. The group, believed to have been founded in 1886, have several social initiatives underway that will be revived once restrictions are lifted.

The Community Garden and Caterham in Bloom projects aim to unite Caterham through gardening, exercise and companionship; giving people the chance to share their experience, knowledge and skills. The Society encourages people of all ages to enjoy the outdoors: pupils from Hillcroft School were about to help install new planters, bought with donations from Caterham Rotary Club and Sutton & East Surrey Water, in the High Street before lockdown postponed the activity.

Janet Manning, Chairman: “We’ve welcomed three new members since lockdown and we’d love our wonderful Society to grow even more!”
To find out more visit their website: https://caterhamdistricthorticulturalsoc.weebly.com

This month I am posting a recipe for vegetable broth with soda bread. Both of these dishes can be made in less than an hour and freeze well. The bread doesn’t need strong flours or yeast and can be made by hand then baked immediately.

Soda Bread
250g plain white flour
250g wholemeal flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
450g buttermilk (or natural yoghurt)

Soup
150g white onions
500g peeled vegetables
(I use carrots, swede, celery, potatoes & parsnip)
1ltr liquid
(meat/veg stock or water with a tsp of marmite to make veg stock)
Chopped dry or fresh herbs to taste
Salt & pepper

Method:
Place the flours into a bowl with the salt and bicarbonate of soda. Mix together with a spoon. Add ¾ of the buttermilk/yoghurt and mix with the spoon gradually adding the remainder until a dough is formed. Place onto the table and knead lightly to form a ball. Place onto a lined baking sheet then press into a round flat shape about 25cm across. Dust with flour then cut into 4 pieces. Bake immediately at 200°c for approximately 30 minutes until the base sounds hollow when tapped. For the soup, cut all the vegetables into cubes and place into a large pot. Add the liquid then bring to the boil simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the vegetables are tender add salt and pepper to taste then add the herbs.
Serve with the bread and butter.

In the midst of everything that’s going on, I have been feeling very anxious, as I’m sure you have been. It has been upsetting to say the least to watch this vile disease travel across the globe, but just as upsetting is the xenophobia, racism and selfishness that has come with it. We mustn’t let this virus expose the worst of human nature, we are living with this now, and “what ifs” are irrelevant.  Please don’t let us become as bad as this disease.  As a lecturer and teacher, I’ve seen heartbroken students have final exams and performances cancelled. My immediate family’s jobs have been affected – but in this time of great difficulty, we have a unique opportunity to make some good come out of this horrible situation.  We, at this very moment, are living through history. This is an important event that people will look back on and study years into the future – and this has changed my perspective on things. When GCSE students answer the question “How did the Covid-19 pandemic impact British society?” let the bottom line not be “it tore it apart” but “it brought it together”  Just a few months ago, society was full of things that divided us; politics and Brexit debate fuelled the news, and disagreements seemed a part of daily life – now this has all faded into insignificance. Now, we must look to the ways that we can unite, even on the smallest of scales.  Everyone’s lives will be changed by this - but resilient, strong and kind is how I would like humanity to be described in dealing with this crisis, and I’d love your help in making it so!