The following self-explanatory email has been received from Nigel Drury, Community Connector at Spelthorne Council and we are pleased to reproduce it here:

“I write to you and some others who have expressed interest in the idea of an organised community-based approach to increasing dementia awareness and helping bring the right help and support to those living with dementia.

“The Shepperton Dementia Action Group with whom I’ve worked is hosting an afternoon event at the Shepperton Village Hall on Wednesday 22nd May (click here for poster). That is to mark the Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Action Week and provide the community with the chance to meet representatives of various organisations who are providing help and services to people living with dementia and their families.

“It is also an opportunity to hold a ‘Dementia Friends’ training session, and I would encourage you to pass on the word to those who might be interested in becoming a ‘Dementia Friend’.   I attach the leaflet for the event.

“A visit to the Shepperton event by Sunbury folk can be seen as part of the road to the formation of their own group in the near future.  Indeed I am now available to be at hand to facilitate that community initiative should there be enough of  a collective will – which I believe there is.

With best regards,

Nigel Drury - Community Connector - Spelthorne Borough Council

This Association has been involved in the gravel extraction issue for over 40 years, and has successfully fought to stop or delay the working of gravel at sites in the area.

When the last Surrey Minerals Plan consultation began about 12 years ago it became obvious that Watersplash Farm would be the next site earmarked for working as part of national strategy, LOSRA and SSAGE (Sunbury & Shepperton Against Gravel Extraction) worked first to oppose it and then to mitigate the impact, and Cemex have been very accommodating in this regard, to the extent that LOSRA feels it has achieved as good a result as possible.

One of the reasons the planning application has taken so long was that the Environment Agency raised hydrology issues, which Cemex have addressed in the revised plan. In response to the article in the last Sunbury Matters, Cemex have given the following comment:

“CEMEX can confirm that it has addressed the issue of groundwater flooding at length within the Flood Risk Assessments and Surface Water Management Plan that was contained in Volume 5 of the Environmental Statement (March 2016) and that the Environment Agency have removed their objection to the proposals.

The modelling has shown a modest groundwater level rise up hydraulic gradient of the proposed landfill and an equivalent modest fall down hydraulic gradient. Accordingly, the report states at Paragraph 4.3 that ‘in essence the models showed that groundwater is able to flow around the lower permeability restoration fill with little hindrance.’ Notwithstanding, the company has agreed to install a groundwater drain across the northern application site boundary running from Gaston Bridge Road to the River Ash in order to drain excess groundwater and prevent groundwater flooding.”

The next Music Night falls on Friday 10^th May when the Clubs welcomes back THE GOOD OLD BOYS for a long overdue return visit – it’s been a couple of years since they last came, as we’ve constantly had trouble finding suitable dates.

They are one of the fixtures on the circuit, comprising personalities from a variety of big name bands.  Nick Simper (bass/vocals) first played professionally with Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, and was then a  founder member of Deep Purple and Warhorse; Peter Parks (guitar/vocals) was also in Deep Purple spin-off Warhorse and then Fandango; Simon Bishop (guitar/vocals) toured with Renaissance, High Society, and The Monks (of ‘Nice Legs, Shame About The Face’ fame); Richard Hudson (drums/vocals) was percussionist with the Strawbs and Hudson Ford and was in Elmer Gantry's Velvet Opera, High Society and The Monks; Alan Barratt (lead singer) has worked alongside the likes of Chip Hawkes (Tremelos) and Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers. We know from their previous gigs that the contrasting lead guitar styles of Peter and Simon make for a really entertaining range of rock, blues, R&B and country material and we very much look forward to seeing them again.  There’s more info at https://www.facebook.com/thegoodoldboys, www.strawbsweb.co.uk/related/gob/gob.asp and www.nicksimper.com

The following week, 17^th May, we are introducing a new strand of Sunbury Music Nights, which we are simply calling “Club Nights”, and which are free admission nights featuring bands closely associated with the club through our “Chain Gang” charity shows, and who are keen to play more often at the venue. There will generally be two bands, and there will usually be a charity collection during the evening. The first one features THE MARSHALL TAYLOR BAND, comprising Mark Doyle, Phil Miller-Tate, Richard Blanford & Mike Farrell, playing classic blues/rock from the 60s & 70s. Mark and Phil are regular Chain Gang members, and also often provide our PA system. (See https://en-gb.facebook.com/themarshalltaylorband/, and videos on YouTube). First on the bill will be the inaugural appearance of a new line-up, BLUES UNLIMITED, a collective drawn from  the wider Chain Gang fraternity, playing music from across the blues spectrum, with Gerry Cook, Mark Doyle & Paul Watts on guitars, Roger Harding on bass, Kevin Welling on keys, Geoff Forrester on harmonica and & Alan Worrell on drums , with just about everyone on vocals. It will be a fun night, so please make it along to give this new format a try. Admission is free, and there will be a collection on behalf of The Shooting Star Chase.

Food will be available as usual from about 7.15 for the Good Old Boys. Food for the 17^th is subject to confirmation.

LOSRA is pleased to support local residents’ crowdfunding campaign to challenge Elmbridge Council’s decision to grant itself planning permission for a huge floodlit sports stadium in the green belt, next to the river Thames.

For further details, click here

Knowle Green Estates is consulting on plans to build homes for rent at Ceaser Court previously known as Benwell House (see artist’s impression above) on Green St. in Sunbury.

To see the plans, come along to the public exhibition at the Benwell Centre in Sunbury (TW16 6RT) from 2-7pm on Friday 17 May or 10am-4pm on Sat 18 May.

Kenneth Vincent John Wheeler, OC was a Canadian composer and trumpet and flugelhorn player, based in the U.K. from the 1950s onwards. Most of his performances were rooted in jazz, but he was also active in free improvisation and occasionally contributed to rock music recordings. Wheeler wrote over one hundred compositions and was a skilled arranger for small groups and large ensembles.

Dave Holland  is an English jazz double bassist, composer and bandleader who has been performing and recording for five decades. He has lived in the United States for over 40 years.

To celebrate their music on Sunday 19th May at 7.45pm, the Riverside Arts Centre welcomes Matt Dibble – saxophone/clarinet; Paul Jordanous – trumpet/flugelhorn; Terence Collie – piano; Stuart Barker – bass; and Mitch Perrins – drums.

Venue: RAC, 59 Thames Street, Sunbury, TW16 5QF

£15 on the door or £12 via website: moodindigoevents.co.uk

For poster, click here