Month: April 2024

Consultation into Commercial Dog Walking at Nonsuch Park

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council launches consultation into
commercial dog walking at Nonsuch Park 

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council have launched a six-week consultation on commercial dog walking in Nonsuch Park from Monday 29 April.
The consultation was commissioned by Nonsuch Park Joint Management Committee following concerns raised by visitors about the increase in dog walkers with multiple dogs in the park.

Ahead of implementing any measures to control commercial dog walking, the Committee is keen to consult with the public and stakeholders about this issue to help inform any future decisions.

Officers from Epsom & Ewell Borough Council will also be at Nonsuch Park on the following dates and times to answer any questions the public may have:

      • 15/05/2024 – London Road Gate, 10:30am-12:30pm  
      • 22/05/2024 – Sparrow Farm Road Gate, 12:30pm-2:30pm.

Cllr Julian freemanCouncillor Julian Freeman, Chair of the Nonsuch Park Joint Management Committee, said: “We are aware that Nonsuch Park is hugely popular with dog walkers and while most dog walkers are responsible, concerns have been raised about the growth of commercial walkers with multiple dogs.

“It is important that as many people as possible engage with the consultation, so the Committee can understand park visitors’ thoughts, concerns and suggestions about dog control and commercial dog walking. Their input will help us make informed decisions that balance the needs of both dog walkers and the broader park community.”

The consultation survey is available on the Epsom & Ewell consultations webpage – Consultations | Epsom and Ewell Borough Council (epsom-ewell.gov.uk).

The survey will close on 3 June 2023.

2024 UCA Graduate Show Open To The Public

UCA invites the public to view the work created behind its doors at the 2024 UCA Graduate Show 

The University for the Creative Arts (UCA) in Epsom, is soon approaching the highlight of its year – the 2024 UCA Graduate Show. This is the moment UCA invites the public to see the results of the work that happens behind its doors.

UCA’s 2024 graduate cohort has played and experimented, forged new ways of working, and is shaping the future across disciplines from Fashion, Make-Up & Hair Design, and Advertising to Creative Business, Graphic Design, Media, and Digital Fashion.

Fred Enever, a soon-to-be Fashion Textiles graduate from UCA Epsom, said: “My project aims to disrupt conventional menswear norms by introducing flamboyant and bold silhouettes. It serves as an extension of my identity in its most extravagant manifestation, challenging any attempts to diminish it as a form of self-defence.”

Grad Show Listing Information

Dates:  14 June – 25 June 2024

Opening Times: 10 – 4pm Monday – Friday | Saturday 10 – 3pm

Free Entry

Address: UCA Epsom, Ashley Road, Epsom, Surrey, KT18 5BE

Visit the UCA website for more information: www.uca.ac.uk/grad-shows/

Make Time for a Cuppa to help support families with Dementia

Dementia specialist nursing charity, Dementia UK, is running its 14th annual ‘Time for a Cuppa Fundraiser’ to raise vital funds for the leading cause of death in the UK 

Someone develops dementia every three minutes in the UK – that’s the time it takes to boil a kettle.      

This May, Dementia UK, the specialist dementia nursing charity, is inviting the nation to make Time for a Cuppa. 

The charity’s dementia specialist Admiral Nurses, provide life-changing advice and support to anyone affected by dementia. However, with rising numbers of families impacted by the condition, thousands of people are not getting the support they need. 

 Between 1st – 8th May, Dementia UK is encouraging people across the country to get together at home, at work, or in the local community to host a Time for a Cuppa event to help the charity to continue delivering vital support to families with dementia.  

Friends, families, and neighbours can come together to enjoy a cup of tea and a slice of cake in return for a donation to the charity. Every cuppa poured and penny raised will help the charity to grow the number of specialist dementia nurses so more families can access their support.   

Over the past 14 years, Time for a Cuppa has raised over £1,600,000 which has helped to fund numerous Admiral Nurse services around the UK to support families with dementia. 

Dr Hilda Hayo, Chief Admiral Nurse and CEO of Dementia UKDr Hilda Hayo, Chief Admiral Nurse and CEO of Dementia UK said: “One in two of us will be affected by dementia in our lifetime. Either by caring for someone with the condition, developing it ourselves, or both. It is a huge and growing health crisis. 

 “We believe every family affected by dementia should have the support of a specialist nurse – but right now, we can’t reach everyone who needs us. 

 “By taking part in Time for a Cuppa, you can help us recruit more Admiral Nurses which provide a lifeline to families. Although, there is no cure for dementia, there is care.” 

 By making Time for a Cuppa, you can help ensure no one has to face dementia alone. Sign up for your free Time for a Cuppa fundraising pack here 

 If you need advice or support on living with dementia, contact Dementia UK’s Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline on 0800 888 6678 or email [email protected]. You can also book a free video or phone appointment to get expert dementia support from an Admiral Nurse. Find out more at dementiauk.org/book-an-appointment.    

 

Epsom Karate Club wins Gold Representing England

The Mo-Ichido England Karate club, based in Horton Country Park, flew out to Albena on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria, to compete in the 14th WSF World Shotokan Championships. As the sole representatives of England, they were up against fierce competition from national squads sent from as far afield as the Ivory Coast. 
 
Colin Sensei and Squad Captain Olivia Lusted took 8 competitors from the Association & returned with a haul of 1 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze medals, putting them 12th on the medal table . This is truly a fantastic achievement, particularly when you consider the size and funding available to the national squads they faced.
 
Epsom Karate Club win GOLD
 
The story of the  Mo-Ichido club is an inspirational one. Growing through passion, and ultimately turning an old dilapidated cow shed in Horton Country Park into a haven for the local community with physiotherapy yoga pilates meditation ki aikido being provided but above all a Karate centre of excellence, where children and adults alike can share in the passion.  The club attends national and international conferences competitions and has numerous European and World champions in its midst.
 
For More Information visit https://moichido.co.uk/
 
They are also on the lookout for a sponsor, as world domination doesn’t come cheap! contact [email protected]
 
Epsom Karate Club Wins Gold
 

Prolific burglar jailed for a string of break-ins

A prolific burglar jailed for a string of break-ins across Leatherhead and Epsom. Christopher Potter (13/09/1988) from Epsom, pleaded guilty to breaking into eight homes and stealing thousands of pounds worth of jewellery, watches and electronics as well as three counts of fraud by using stolen bank cards. 

He was remanded into custody and on Wednesday 17th April appeared at Guildford Crown Court where he was sentenced to four years in prison.

Potter was arrested after an investigation by officers was able to connect him to a spate of offences between December and March this year. All the offences involved a ground-floor rear-entry break-in, generally with garden implements, rocks or tools found within the surrounding area.

As well as gathering any forensic evidence, officers painstakingly trawled CCTV from the shops where stolen cards were used and visited pawn shops where attempts to sell stolen items for cash had been made. Their hard work ensured there was strong evidence to connect Potter to multiple crimes.

Potter was arrested on 6, March as he exited a taxi which was being followed by officers on its way through Leatherhead.

In impact statements read to the court, victims described feeling ‘completely violated’ after finding out their homes had been broken into.

One said: “With no idea if the perpetrator was still in my home, whether they were nearby or had been gone for hours… I did not know how to react and the fear that it caused, literally left me shaking and feeling completely powerless.”

Another said the items stolen were not even of great monetary value but were hugely sentimental having once belonged to family members who had now passed away. They described them as “items that can never be replaced, memories that have now been tarnished by a person who had not been invited into our house.”

Many of the items taken from the burglaries have now been recovered and, wherever possible, reunited with their owners.

PC Joseph Brown, the officer in charge of the case, said: “Burglary isn’t just about stealing money or goods from people, it takes from them the sense of safety and security they should feel in their own homes. I hope the victims in this case can move forward safe in the knowledge this offender has been caught.

“Potter committed multiple crimes in the space of just a few months and I have no doubt would have continued doing so targeting many more people in our communities had we not been able to build such a strong case against him and get him behind bars.”

 

Celebrate Chamber Mead Wetlands at Open Day

The South East Rivers Trust (SERT) is inviting local residents to come and celebrate the newly-created Chamber Mead wetlands with a day of family fun, activities and guided tours.

The celebration day on Saturday 20th April will give nature lovers the chance to add plants to this critical pollution buster for the River Hogsmill, a precious chalk stream.

Families will also have the chance to learn about the health of the river by taking part in riverfly demonstrations, a scavenger hunt and nature craft activities. Guided tours of the wetlands will also be part of the day, which runs from 11am to 3pm.

The open day begins a fortnight of planting opportunities for schools and community groups. All the plants have been specially selected to absorb pollutants and attract pollinators and an increased range of wildlife across the Hogsmill Local Nature Reserve.

The wetlands in Ewell now divert urban pollutants from the Green Lanes Stream away from the Hogsmill, one of only 200 chalk streams in the world. Once filtered water is fed back into the river just downstream of the famous Stepping Stones, another 5km of waterway is protected as it flows into south London all the way to the Thames.

Dr Bella Davies, Co-CEO of SERTDr Bella Davies, Co-CEO of SERT, said: “We’re thrilled to be giving the community the chance to learn all about Chamber Mead wetlands and crucially give people the chance to complete the project. The public have been very supportive of the wetlands from the start and adding plants is a wonderful opportunity to attract new wildlife not only to the water but the wider nature reserve. This will fulfill the potential of the wetlands to become another jewel in the crown of the reserve and make it an even bigger asset for the community. We’re excited to see the results in years to come on the Hogsmill, which should be a haven for brown trout, water voles and native crayfish, among other species which need our help in recovering their numbers.”

Councillor John Beckett, Chair of the Environment Committee at Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, said: “We are overjoyed to be able to join SERT on the Chamber Mead Wetlands Open Day, to celebrate the fantastic work that has been done here to boost biodiversity and reduce pollution in the Hogsmill River.  I hope that residents will join us to help complete the project, which will ensure the Hogsmill River Local Nature Reserve is a place where wildlife and nature can thrive, and one that we can enjoy for many years to come.”

Supported by the Hogsmill Catchment Partnership, the project has received funding from The Coca-Cola Foundation, Natural England (through the Species Recovery Programme), the Environment Agency, Surrey County Council, the Rivers Trust, the Zoological Society of London, Garfield Weston Foundation and Thames Water, with in-kind support from the landowner Epsom & Ewell Borough Council. The new wetlands are part of the wider Replenish programme in partnership with the Coca-Cola Foundation and the Rivers Trust. The aim of Replenish is to restore millions of litres of water in this and other local catchments, in turn improving biodiversity.

Chamber Mead Wetlands aerial view

An aerial view of the wetlands

Speeches will take place at 11:30am- 12noon.
These will be delivered by Jackie King, Chief Executive of Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, Dr Bella Davies, Co-CEO of the South East Rivers Trust, and  Mayor of Epsom & Ewell  Cllr Rob Geleit who will also cut the ribbon to officially open the wetlands.

Plants such as yellow flag iris have been chosen for their ability to take up nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous. Meanwhile ragged robin and purple loosestrife will attract species such as butterflies, bees and damselfies, while brooklime, typical in chalk stream settings, will offer shelter for tadpoles and sticklebacks.

About the South East Rivers Trust

The South East Rivers Trust is an environmental charity bringing rivers and their catchments back to life. Working in 12 river catchments across the South East, the Trust connects communities and mobilises citizen scientists to educate and engage people on the importance of rivers, and supports and challenges stakeholders, businesses and individuals to protect them. The Trust uses data and evidence to target positive action and works with nature to make rivers healthy again. This includes tackling water pollution, addressing water scarcity, reconnecting rivers and restoring habitats.

For more information on the South East Rivers Trust visit their website www.southeastriverstrust.org/