Welcome to the LOSRA Website
Like any local community, the policies and decisions shaping the character and future of Lower Sunbury are influenced by a combination of local and national government initiatives, alongside market forces and vested interests operating within these frameworks. As with many areas, Lower Sunbury faces challenges stemming from an aging infrastructure, rapid urban development, increasing traffic congestion, and other pressures that impact both quality of life and the distinctive character of the neighbourhood.
In collaboration with local authorities, other residents’ associations and amenity groups, LOSRA plays a vital role in addressing fundamental issues that affect its members' lives. This organisation not only engages with broader strategic concerns but also focuses on the everyday matters that shape community well-being.
To stay informed, we encourage you to subscribe to our regular e-bulletins via the link at the top left of this page. Your continued support is essential to our efforts, and we urge you to join or renew your membership. Subscriptions for 2026 are now payable at £5 per household. Donations are also welcome.
St. Mary's May Fair, Saturday 11th May
St. Mary's Church will be holding its May fair this Saturday 11th, between 10am and 2pm.
The fair will feature all the usual favourite stalls, raffles, jewellery, toys, fairtrade goods. Hot and cold refreshments will also be available in the Parish Hall.
All are welcome to come and support the Parish and the future of our Church.
Do Come to Our 40th Anniversary Garden Party
LOSRA is delighted to announce that we will be holding our second summer fundraising Garden Party which will take place on Fathers’ Day, Sunday 16th June, between 12 noon and 5 p.m. The event, which this year celebrates our 40th anniversary, has once again been made possible by kind invitation of Mr. and Mrs. Heslop, who have offered to make their beautiful garden at the Old Vicarage available to us. Click here to download the flyer.
The Garden Party will offer food and refreshments throughout the afternoon, including teas, bucks fizz and wine bar, a summer BBQ and food from "The Indian Zest." Entertainment will be provided by a variety of local musicians and fun things to amuse children. Local products will also be available for purchase from a variety of small stands. Boat rides on 'Jeff', one of the Dunkirk 'little ships' will be a particular highlight with tickets available on the day.
Entry to the event costs £5.00 and tickets will be available from Skinners Newsagents. Better still, you can purchase a ticket via Paypal by clicking on the button below. Youngsters under 13 will be admitted free on the gate.
The Garden Party, apart from raising welcome funds for LOSRA, provides us with the opportunity to add another enjoyable occasion to the village calendar. We hope to see you there.
Sunbury Galaxy FC reach Cup Final
Support Sunbury Galaxy FC - Cup Final v Parkside FC - Tuesday 7th May at Molesey FC
Residents may not be aware that the mighty Sunbury Galaxy FC play many of their home matches at Sunbury Cricket Club.
Their latest success has been to reach the final of the cup against Parkside FC after a series of thrilling penalty shootouts.
It is the their first cup final. With several of Sunbury CC cricketers involved including Darren London, Kevin Smith, David Nash, Danny Pope and their acrobatic goalkeeper Justin 'Danger' Granger both hopes and apprehensions are riding high.
The final is being played on Tuesday 7th May at 7.30 at Molesey FC, Walton Road, West Molesey, KT8 2JG. Your support would be very much welcomed.
Rock Music and Quiz nights Coming to Sunbury Cricket Club
The next gig at the SCC is on Friday week. the 10th May, when the Club welcomes back Sunbury's resident beat era celebrity Karl Green with his marvellously named band Dave's Not Here.
Karl was, of course, the bass player with Herman's Hermits from their origins in Manchester right through their UK chart career and their many years of superstar status in the USA where they were a huge stadium attraction. Karl survived the mayhem of touring with The Who supporting them, and has been a fixture on the Sunbury scene for long while. Dave's Not Here also includes Kevin Welling on keyboards, guitar and vocals and was once in a recording band that featured stage diva Elaine Paige.
Dave's Not Here play rock classics from across four decades, so a varied and entertaining evening is guaranteed, along with a chance to ogle Karl's unique and stunning custom Alembic bass guitar. SCC look forward to seeing you there.
The following week, Friday 17th May, there is another Cricket Club Quiz Night. Many local residents came to the last one so please feel free to put a team together and join in.
Kempton Girls FC under 15's Win League Cup
In their first full season, Kempton Girls FC under 15's have won the Surrey County Girls League Cup. Kempton Girls beat Beecholme Belles 1-0. This is the first game Beecholme Belles have lost this season.
Kempton Girls Football Club was established in 2011 to create a safe, friendly and fun environment for girls to play football, the girls' interests and safety are the prerequisites to all decisions. The Club ethos is to offer football to all players regardless of individual skill levels and ability.
Mini Football free taster sessions are available on Saturday mornings; visit the KGFC website for more information.
Trading Standards Alert
Rogue Traders, Cancer Cure, Holiday Fraud, Password Security, Recalls & more, are all reported in the latest Trading Standards alert. To view, click here
More...
Hazelwood Golf Course - Keep LOSRA Informed
It has been a long time since we have been able to inform residents on the progress of developments at Hazelwood Golf Course but we are now in a position to update our members on the project to convert the Golf Course into the rugby Centre of Excellence now that the site was formally acquired by London Irish six weeks ago.
Current position
Project is fully funded
Procurement for contractors is underway
There will be two contractors – one for the playing pitches and one for the club house and parking area (as very different skills are required)
Timescales
The contractors have agreed to provide a high level project timeline for councillors and LOSRA. This will cover key stages in more detail than set out below. Only when we get this information will we be in a position to give out more precise dates.
Pitches
Planning to start work w/c 28 April
May – July: period of greatest disruption to residents; contamination and earth moving will be done in this period. There will be a considerable number of lorry movements
Aug – Oct: laying out and seeding of the pitches
July 2014: pre-season training for the professionals
Sept 2014: training etc for amateurs and schools
Club House
June: start work
May 2014: club house complete
Communications
Website
London Irish are happy to have a website/link to a separate page on their website to update the local community on progress and the Council will keep a dedicated page on its website.
Ward Councillors
All 6 affected ward councillors will be notified (with full details) the day before any formal communication goes out to the local community.
Newsletter
The project managers have agreed to publish a newsletter at key stages (which will be on their website and will go to Ward Cllrs and LOSRA).
Complaints register
The project managers will keep a complaints register which will be forwarded to officers, ward cllrs., and LOSRA on a monthly basis. This will help ascertain whether there is an individual or more widespread issue which needs addressing (e.g. mud on roads)
It will also act as a record of how LI have dealt with the complaint
Promotion
It was accepted that there was a lot of controversy locally when the applications and appeals were being considered. London Irish are keen to demonstrate that they are working with everyone.
Our members should feel free to contact LOSRA through the Website if they have any matters which they wish to draw to the attention of the project managers whilst the work is in progress over the next year and a half.
The Avenue
The project managers are not involved in this site. However they will get a full briefing from their clients on where matters are in readiness for the inevitable questions that will arise about this site as soon as work starts on the rugby centre of excellence
If LI are ready to move into Hazelwood in September 2014 then the Avenue site is likely to be marketed before then (probably towards the middle/end of this year). A separate communication strategy will need to be put in place once this has firmed up.
Can You Help Find Kiffy?
This delightful English Blue cat went missing in the Loudwater Close area two days ago. He answers to the name 'Kiffy' and is very friendly.
The owner is particularly anxious about him as he is a house cat, rarely venturing outside and having left his house, he may be unable to find his way back.
Householders in the area are asked to check their sheds and garages and report any sightings to: 07768 070611.
UPDATE
We are delighted to report that Kiffy is safe and well, and has been reunited with his owners.
Coffee Concert at Riverside Arts Centre, Saturday 20th April
The following email has been received by LOSRA from the Sunbury and Shepperton Arts Association and we are pleased to reproduce it here:
Just a reminder that the next Coffee Concert at the Riverside Arts Centre will take place on Saturday 20 April.
SONG RECITAL
STEPHEN WILLIS, baritone
STEVE CHRISTMAS, guitar
A selection of songs from the Renaissance to the present day
Please join us for coffee and croissants from 10.15am. The recital will start at 11am and last approximately an hour.
To book tickets, please call the Box Office on 01932 782788 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
We look forward to seeing you on Saturday.
Best wishes
The Sunbury & Shepperton Arts Association
www.ssaa-arts.org
Great News - Linden Homes Development at Fordbridge Road Road Approved
Following the refusal on appeal of an 87 unit development in 2011, Linden Homes won unanimous approval for a much more modest proposal for 37 units at Planning Committee on Wednesday night. (See article 8th February).
From the very outset, LOSRA and CAROD (Campaign Against Riverside Over-development) have been involved in helping to shape the plan which went before Planning Committee.
Linden Homes are to be congratulated for ensuring that the consultation was in every sense participative and included the choice of architects for the scheme, the numerous site meetings, public exhibitions and the detailed designs.
At every turn the views and preferences of the residents were taken fully into account and Linden Homes could hardly be criticised if they had done much less.
It was a welcome, if unfamiliar, pleasure for LOSRA to attend Committee to speak in support of an application which had won the overwhelming support of its membership.
Latest Trading Standards Alert
Will writing, landscaping and roof-cleaning are all featured in the latest Trading Standards Alert together with useful information on product recalls.
Debbie Giles & Midnight Train at Sunbury Cricket Club 19th April
Well, what a night was to be had on Friday for Buddy Whittington. It was superb in just about every way, a great house - just a few over 150 - but everyone who wanted a seat got one, and it made for a great sense of occasion, which was matched by a quite sensational performance from Buddy, who once again made himself readily available to chat to everyone and sign CDs. The Club is very grateful to Brett Todd for promoting the gig, and taking the risk with it, and many thanks to everyone who came to make it such a marvellous event - certainly one of the best we've had.
Buddy will be a hard act to follow, but next week's band, Debbie Giles & Midnight Train, will have a pretty fair shot at it when making their debut at the Club a week on Friday, the 19th April. They are a thoroughly professional funk, soul, R&B and blues outfit, who regularly play at the most highly-regarded venues around the country - any band that gets bookings back time and again to The Malt Shovel in Northampton, probably the top blues venue in the UK, definitely knows what they're doing.
All the members have impeccable musical CVs - Debbie herself was on the West End stage before returning to her first love of the blues, while drummer Sam Kelly has been voted "Drummer of the Year" for five years running by Blues Connection. Guitarist Pete Emery played in the celebrated John Dummer Blues Band alongside Dave Kelly (long-time member of The Blues Band), and keyboard player Steve Oakman, who has toured with many famous names, is the son of Pete Oakman, member of Joe Brown's Bruvvers and writer of "Picture Of You" . Bass player Chris Belshaw likewise has played with a host of top names.
There is a load of information, music samples and video clips on their excellent web site at www.midnighttrain.co.uk, so please check them out. The Club very much look forward to seeing you there.
Spring in Sunbury Park
The following email from the Council was received by LOSRA. Both formally and informally we are often contacted by residents complaining about the minority of dog-walkers who, despite knowing perfectly well their responsibilities to clear up their dog's faeces, continue to allow our beautiful park to be fouled.
Those responsible should heed the Council's email as a warning. Dog-fouling in our parks and open spaces has been a specific bye-law offence since 2011.
Spring in Spelthorne’s parks
With the warmer weather, we hope, finally approaching, it is time to get out an about and enjoy the pleasure that Spelthorne’s parks can bring.
Spelthorne has parks in:
These parks are there for everyone to enjoy. There are a few simple rules to remember so that the pleasure can be maximised for everyone.
Firstly please do not light barbecues in the parks or any kind of fire. This is not permitted in any of Spelthorne’s parks.
Please clear up any dog mess and either put it in the bins provided, or take it home. Most dog owners are responsible and make sure they do this. However there are a few who don’t pick up after their dogs and mess things up for everyone as well as leaving behind a health hazard – particularly to young children.
Reduce complaints about dogs and their owners in your local community by keeping public spaces foul free.
Cllr Tony Mitchell, Cabinet Member for the Environment said: “The Council provides parks for everyone to enjoy. Dog mess both blights areas as well as being potentially very dangerous and it is vital that people clear up after their animals.
“If you want to barbecue, please don’t do so in our parks. We want to keep them free from the risk of fire and available in what we hope will be a sunny summer.”
Thames 21 Seeks Volunteers for Sunbury Lock Ait Clean-up
Back on 5th March we published an appeal for volunteers to join Thames 21 in a clean up Sunbury Lock Island. Those who came will remember the remorselessly cold day it was too. Thames 21 will again be coming to Sunbury Lock Island on Sunday 28th April from 10am - 1pm. This location is a charming part of the Lower Sunbury riverscape and we are being asked to join a team to give it a clean-up and to help manage the vegetation.
Volunteers are asked to report to the footbridge ahead of the lock at 10am. Old clothes recommended but all necessary equipment will be provided.
Details of the public events are also on the Thames21 website www.thames21.org.uk/events/
Future diary dates for Sunbury Lock Island fall on 19th May and 19th June.
