Author: Alex Sanderson

Early Autumn is hard work for the farmer, the allotmenteer and the home gardener alike. It’s harvesting time. For the non-professionals there are beans and more beans, courgettes by the millions until one becomes sick and tired of ratatouille, produce to go into the freezer: jams, chutneys, pickles and damson gin to make. It’s hard work time all round, but enjoyable as the fruits of the harvest are sorted and stored for the winter and the harder times ahead. The Harvest Home is a collective sigh of relief at a job well done leading to many a sore head the morning after.

But there is a sadness in the air too, as the plots are cleared the compost bins start to fill up and the ground becomes a little bare unless planted with green manure crops or one of the overwintering spring vegetables. We can plan and re-plan what we would like to do, but in reality we are blithely ignorant of what nature has in store in the future. For the moment we can enjoy our ignorance by studying the plant/seed catalogues and dreaming of next year’s extra special crops for as the saying goes,

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow a mystery, today is the present, accept it as a gift”.

But this Autumn there is more uncertainty than usual, the effects of Covid 19 and Brexit (I refuse to “do a rant” about either) are still working their way through the system and there have been warnings of commercial shortages ahead. However, what can be said is that very little can be expected to return to what was “normal” before and we are just going to have to get used to it.

Some students have found on-line learning superior to face to face learning; office workers especially, have discovered how they can successfully perform their jobs in the spare room or the garden shed; online shopping is causing a revolution on the High Street; Zoom has entered the English lexicon and many a meeting has been held with the participants sitting at home in comfortable surroundings (with good biscuits and a cup of coffee/tea) instead of round a board room table with uncomfortable “sit up and beg” chairs with knees bashing the table legs, (this may or may not lead to better decisions being taken).

So Harvest Festival 2021 is going to be a real oddball.  For many of us, besides the happiness of the Harvest Home, there is the sadness of the memories of friends and relations who are no longer with us.  We may not have even been able to attend the funerals in person to close the relationships and that can hurt.  We can but pray and hope that the mystery that is tomorrow will give both us and those around us the chance to re-set our lives from hereon in.

Scrivener

By Tim Jones

You may have seen news about the Save the Ranges campaign in a previous special edition of The Parishioner. We reached out to the team for an update, and here is the latest news:

Back in May, we were copied on a letter from Michael Gove, Jeremy Hunt & Jonathan Lord (our local MPs) to Jeremy Quin (The Minister of State for Defence Procurement) and to our surprise, the letter suggested that the MPs totally understood our position and were also questioning the validity of the reasons the DIO had provided for closing the ranges. However, the good feeling was short lived as nothing happened before the parliamentary recess and despite follow up emails from the campaigners there’s been no further response from any of the MPs nor Jeremy Quin.

Not to be disheartened, we took our campaign to the national press in July. Beginning with an article in the Guardian & Observer, which empathised with the local people about what has been taken away from them. Off the back of that article, we were contacted by BBC South Today who wanted a segment for their evening news. This aired on August 5th and featured interviews with people involved with the campaign as well as an excellent soundbite from Neil Lambert, barely able to contain his frustration about the issue and how it’s been handled by the politicians. There has since been further press coverage of the issue via BBC Radio Surrey and Private Eye magazine.

Thanks to the press coverage, we received sufficient donations to be able to start the legal proceeding to get a clearer view on the legality of the closure. Many thanks to those who have donated. Any unused funds collected will be donated to the charity : Help for Heroes

Tim Jones – https://saveourspaces.co.uk/  

We are celebrating over 25 years of Shopmobility!  Shopmobility located on Level 3, Bedford Road Car Park, Guildford, is a service run by Age UK Surrey with support by Guildford Borough Council.  A wide selection of manual or powered wheelchairs and scooters are available for hire to any age group (under 18s must be accompanied by an adult) and you do not have to be registered disabled to use the scheme.  Free parking area is available while using the service.  All hires must be pre-booked.  Open Monday – Saturday 10.00am – 4.30pm (closed Sunday and on bank holidays).  For hire costs and to pre-book a scooter  call 01483 453993 or email: shopmobility@ageuksurrey.org.uk

“I would simply not be able to visit Guildford for shopping or other leisure activities such as having a picnic down by the riverbank if it were not for Shopmobility”.  Anil – Shopmobility client.

Sue Zirps, Age UK Surrey Chief Executive said “We are delighted to have provided a Shopmobility service for over 25 years with the support of Guildford Borough Council.  This is a vital service for many people, with mobility issues, who would otherwise find it difficult to access the wide selection of shops, restaurants, cafes and entertainment that Guildford town centre has to offer”. 

Guildford Borough Council’s Lead Councillor for Community, Cllr Julia McShane, added: “Congratulations to Age UK Surrey on the 25th anniversary of their Guildford Shopmobility scheme. “Our town centre is a thriving and exciting place for everyone in the community, and should be enjoyed by everyone equally. Shopmobility is available to anyone who finds it difficult to walk because of a permanent or temporary disability, frailty, accident or illness.” 

Service user Anil has been using Shomobility for the past few years “I would thoroughly recommend it.  Whether it’s just to enjoy cruising around Guildford without the effort of having to walk and deal with Guildford’s hilly terrain or like me you have real mobility issues!  The friendly willingness to be of help shown by the small close-knit Shopmobility team, often going the extra mile for their customers, is outstanding. Should you encounter any issues whilst out and about on a Shopmobility scooter, the team are always contactable by phone”. 

Would you like to know more about Age UK Surrey?  Age UK Surrey is an independent local charity.  We work across Surrey to help improve the lives of older people. Our services are designed to enable older people remain independent and informed, healthy and active and connected to their communities.  We help combat loneliness and social isolation.  More  information is available on the website: www.ageuk.org.uk/surrey