Village2

"A great big thank you from all of us at Barnardo's for your time and effort this year. Without your support, we would not be able to transform the lives of some of those children in greatest need.

“In Beechen Lane we raised £65.11, which contributed towards a total of £168,406 in our region and to the magnificent sum of £502,824 across the country.

“The money we have raised will go towards Barnardo's priority work with children who are affected by today's most urgent issue: poverty in the UK (affecting one child in three), homeless, disability, bereavement and abuse. The sum raised by the House-to-House collection will bring joy to many of the 100,000 children we are likely to care for in 2003".

Thank you all in Beechen Lane who contributed to this worthy cause.

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--- Gardening Hints & Tips ---

March is the time of year that makes even the reluctant gardener want to get out there and do something.

The soil should be just right for turning the top few inches and tidying up any of last years dead stems and leaves left behind. The spring bulbs show up much better on freshly turned soil, and once weeded it is an ideal time to put down a couple of inches of mulch - a layer of well rotted compost, composted bark or very very well rotted horse manure. This layer will keep the weeds down, add organic matter and therefore moisture retention to the soil, and it really makes the garden look good.

The lawn has probably had one cut by now at least, and is ready for its summer feed, with or without a moss- and weed-killer. Never scalp the grass, it only weakens it and lets in weeds and moss, it is much better to cut more often even if it sounds more work.

There is a good systemic insecticide for the dreaded lily beetle now, so these lovely flowers need not be avoided anymore. Try growing 3 or 5 in a large pot, ready to put out in the border to fill in any bare patches later in the year. The colours can be chosen to blend in or stand out to your taste.

Prune spring flowering shrubs once the flowers have faded, they need all summer for the new wood to ripen and provide lots of flower buds for next year. At the same time prune late flowering shrubs because they need all summer to produce the buds that will flower later this year.

In the vegetable garden it is time to plant onions, and early potatoes, and provided the soil has really warmed up many of the varieties grown from seed can be started. If it is a wet cold March (I am writing this in February) the soil will be cold and wet too, and many seeds will simply rot. Much better to wait until the soil is warm, the seeds will germinated quickly and the young plants thrive rather than sit there and sulk.

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--- The Old Pheasantry ---

Well, the old house has survived all the recent bad weather and we still have all our chimneystacks standing. Sadly we have lost two of the Old Pheasantry’s ducks to a very clever Charlie fox who discovered that he could squeeze through a storm drain that runs under Merrywood Grove.

However, on a happier note, I would like to tell you about our Sixth Annual Charity Golf Day on Wednesday 12th May 2004 to be held at Reigate Hill Golf Club. If any one is interested in making up a team of 4 players, please contact me. Details of the event can be found in Kingswood Newsagents in Buckland Road. The previous years have proved a great success and have been enjoyed by all who have taken part.

Numbers of spring and summer bookings have been very encouraging; The Trust is looking forward to welcoming all its young visitors.

Land & City Families Trust

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--- Village Hall Fund ---

The Trustees wish to remind residents within the Parish of Kingswood the existence of the above fund.

The Village Hall Fund is a charitable trust set up in 1964 with a capital sum being the proceeds of the sale of land first purchased with a view to building a village hall in 1938. Time and circumstances changed the original intention and the Charity Commissioners invested the capital and a scheme was set up for the administration of the income from this for the benefit of local groups and organisations. The Trustees allocate this within the terms of the Trust and where other provision is not made through public funds.

For details on how to apply for consideration by the Trustees please see the Village News or contact our LKRA Chairman.

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--- Aztecs strike gold at Olympia International Horse Show ---

Local rider Fay Parker and her horse ‘Tzarevitch’ of Babylon Lane and team members: Dawn Cooper, Martina Slater and Bridget Parry-James put Chipstead Riding Club on the map when they became champions at Olympia International Horse Show. They hit the sporting headlines after winning the prestigious title of “British Riding Clubs Quadrille of the Year 2003”.

The quadrille is a themed, dressage to music display, which involves technical horsemanship, ingenuity, creativity and teamwork. From a nationwide entry of eighteen teams, only four teams qualified for the final, held at Olympia, London on the 20th December 2003.

In the final, all four teams performed well, providing the judges with some very well executed patterns and some very intricate trot and canter sequences. The scores were extremely close but it was Chipstead Riding Club who impressed the judges with their skilful “Aztec Gods” routine, unique choreography, dazzling costumes and haunting music.

Performing to sell-out crowds in the hallowed Grand Hall, the “Aztec Gods” produced an awe-inspiring, foot-perfect display. South Essex Insurance Brokers, the sponsors of the event, presented the highly coveted trophy and childhood dreams came true for the Chipstead team members as they rode their triumphant lap of honour at Olympia, amidst rapturous cheers and applause.

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--- From the ‘Frontier’ ---

So Lower Kingswood has an “identity crisis” – let me tell you a story. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin.

When we first moved here, Mugswell was only sign-posted in two places: at the junction of Chipstead Lane and Monkswell Lane - pointing uphill and again at the junction of Rectory Road and High Road - pointing downhill. Both of these were wooden finger-posts similar to those denoting footpaths. The only way you knew you’d been to Mugswell was seeing the finger-post pointing back the way you’d come. But at least Mugswell appeared in our address followed by Chipstead. That worked well for years – after all we did straddle the parish boundary.

Then Coulsdon was added and Mugswell disappeared, but Chipstead continued to serve us well.

Then postcodes arrived and we acquired a Croydon post code – CR3 (later to become CR5) and Chipstead vanished. We are at least four miles from Coulsdon.

Chipstead residents have campaigned for years to get their name included in their address again – so far no luck.

As for me – I have never omitted Mugswell or Chipstead from my address and, although I use the post code, I never include Coulsdon. Call me b***** minded, but I do object to the arbitrary way in which old village names are removed from addresses.

I wish you luck with your campaign to re-establish Lower Kingswood as a village in its own right but, having heard our story, perhaps you’ll forgive me if I don’t hold my breath.
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