Letter from the editor – May 2026

Review: India Dining, Warlingham.

The 2020 Rotary Young Chef Competition District Semi-final took place at Oxted School on Saturday 18th January. It featured eight competitors from the Rotary Clubs of Oxted, Caterham, and Grinstead Meridian. Between them they represented Oxted School, de Stafford School, Caterham School, Imberhorne School and Sackville School.

Each participant was required to prepare two portions of a three-course meal, with the theme of healthy eating. They were given a £20 budget for ingredients and had a time limit of two hours to complete their recipes.

Knights Garden Centre

Limpsfield Rd, Chelsham CR6 9DZ

18 Feb Moonstone Ceramic Kids Crafting The Dene Restaurant 10am - 3pm
21 Feb Moonstone Ceramic Kids Crafting The Dene Restaurant 10am - 3pm
29 Feb Spring Flower Painting Competition ends

Kenley Revival Half Term Mini Museum

We will be joined by re-enactors from The Historical Display Team who will be recreating an RAF dispersal hut from World War II in our classroom at Merlewood Estate Office. Other RAF and wartime memorabilia will be on display and there will be an art activity to keep our younger visitors entertained.

Saturday 22 Feb 11:00 – 16:00

City of London Corporation, Merlewood Estate Office Ninehams Rd, Caterham, CR3 5LN

Recruitment for the Old Cats is going well this season and they have had lots of new players attending their weekly training sessions.

Georgina Almond and Sam Blackmore, both 27 played their first matches recenently. Georgina commented “The club were really welcoming and friendly, an amazing experience. Can't wait for the next match”.

Sam commented that “The ladies at Cats have been great and really welcoming. First game I was really nervous but the team spirit and everyone’s support was great. It’s such a fun game. I’m really glad that I joined old cats ladies and am looking forward to continuing to play with them”.

Rawlings opticians are celebrating 125 years since they first opened their doors in Croydon. To this day, it is still a family run business and the oldest Opticians in the country with the same family still working in the business. In 1895, Alfred John Rawling first started selling, repairing jewellery, clocks and watches and spectacles for 3 shillings (12p). His interest in spectacles led him to train as an optician, and he purchased sight-testing equipment in 1903. Alfred expanded the business over the years with his sons taking over much of the management of his branches.

In the first part of the 20th century it was common for opticians to advertise widely, and amongst other places, Alfred Rawling advertised with enamelled plates attached to the sides of the Croydon Trams.

Weymouth is not the richest of places, therefore, much is done to raise money for charity. One of the best events in my opinion is the Christmas day swim across the harbour. About 500 people, some in fancy dress jump into the water at various times on Christmas day morning to swim to the other side. (This is not something I ever plan to do; however, I like to participate by being a spectator). I believe that over £20,000 was collected by the Lions who ran the event.

A close association over a number of years between Caterham Rotary and the Salvation Army’s annual Christmas appeal has led to the development of a new initiative involving the Rotary. Five years ago a pilot scheme was launched which set up three collecting points for the public to donate brand new toys and gifts for children who might not otherwise have received a Christmas present.

Large plastic boxes for collecting the toys were purchased locally at STACKS in Church Walk Caterham and branded boards produced by New Ink Printers, Caterham on the Hill, promoting the Appeal were added to the front of each box. Regular visits were made to each site to collect presents for wrapping and eventual distribution.

Caterham WI has enjoyed another successful year of meetings full of fun, laughter and a wide range of activities from ceramic painting to belly dancing! Last week was their Annual Meeting where they appointed the committee for the year ahead. Sadly the current President Caroline Wallis is stepping down after a brilliant 3 years in charge. She will be succeeded by the new President Steph Couch who has been a member since the very first meeting in January 2015 when the queue for interested women of Caterham went out the door and into the car park! Steph said she 'is honoured to be taking over and carrying on Caroline's hard work and knows that her Great Grandma would be so proud of her!'

This is the number one question I get asked in class and 90% of the time it is simply that the ingredients are not at the same temperature especially the eggs. So what has actually happened and why does this make the batter curdle?

The butter and sugar when creamed reach a fairly warm temperature as the friction of the beating warms the butter allowing it to expand and dissolve the grains of sugar incorporating air and making a lovely light cake. The eggs should be added gradually (I usually add them one at a time and beat each in well before adding another) if they are at the same temperature as the room they should blend in easily. If the eggs are cold (never use them straight from the fridge) they simply re-set the butter in the cold liquid of the egg making a porridge like mess. At this point most people add some flour to “soak up” the liquid.

Last month one of the team and I were invited to Errols first Coffee & Creams ‘Food & Wine Tasting Evening’.

What surprised me the most was the incredible transformation of the Coffee Lounge into a Pop Up Restaurant which is where I sat and sampled the food and wine during the evening. Cappuccinos and pastries were soon forgotten as we were shown to our table!

The white drapes and lighting transformed the lounge creating a cosy place for diners to realx and the staff were articulate and paying particular attention to the customers needs and any last minute dietary revelations!

Review: The Village Beauty Spa, Chaldon.