Burpham Pages Crossword No.17
Click here to get a printable version plus the solution to previous Burpham Pages Crossword No.16 from Burpham Pages issue No. 91 published March & April 2021.
Burpham Pages Crossword No.20
Click here to get a printable version plus the solution to previous Burpham Pages Crossword No.19 from Burpham Pages issue No. 94 published September & October 2021.
Burpham Pages Crossword No.24
Click here to get a printable version plus the solution to previous Burpham Pages Crossword No.23 from Burpham Pages issue No. 98 published May & June 2022.
Community Update – September & October 2022
To get in touch with the BCA: Contact the secretary on secretary@burphamca.org.uk call 07513 366072 or visit the website at www.burphamca.org.uk
Fires at the Nature Reserve
Fires broke out on three separate occasions during the heatwave back in July. Temperatures locally were around 38ºC and the uncut grass was bone dry.
Surrey Fire & Rescue Service were first called out around lunchtime on Sunday 17th July. One fire engine and several support vehicles were dispatched and crews spent a couple of hours tackling the fire and damping down an area of several thousand square metres.
A second fire broke out on the Tuesday and a third on Thursday, this time near the car park. If prompt action had not been taken, this last fire could have damaged the pylons, spread to the allotments and possibly to the houses in Bowers Lane. The BCA would like to thank all the fire crews attending – some from Guildford but also coming from other areas, including Farnham and Walton, ten vehicles in all including a large tanker.
The Riverside Park is a valuable local asset. Its mix of wetland, lake, mature woodland and grassland offers a variety of habitats…
This incident has raised some interesting points, not least the need to raise issues with the appropriate authorities – and be persistent. The Riverside Park was a very popular place during Covid lockdowns; this led to indiscriminate parking all along Bowers Lane causing obstruction which would have impeded access of emergency vehicles. GBC were asked to consider putting double yellow lines at the top and bottom of the slope to deal with the problem. This was finally done last year – our thanks to Lisa Hayden who arranged it.
Another concern was opening the gates to allow vehicular access; Guildford crews know which key fits each lock, crews from further afield don’t. This issue has been raised with our local GBC Councillor George Potter.
The Riverside Park is a valuable local asset. Its mix of wetland, lake, mature woodland and grassland offers a variety of habitats; regular visitors will know just how many different birds and small mammals can be spotted. We have been very lucky – these fires were quickly dealt with and the grass will soon regenerate, though lost wildlife may take longer. Please let us all be aware of how easy it is to lose these habitats – observe the Country Code, don’t be careless with matches or leave broken glass lying around.
MJA to close?
It has been reported that MJA Car Sales are to close after 40 years in Burpham. The site has had an interesting history. The first building there was apparently called the Kingpost, an architectural term that refers to the vertical post that supports a beam from a truss apex above (think vertical line dropped from the apex of a triangle to the base). The early history of the building is a little hazy but it may have started life as the Astolat garden shop. It then became the Kingpost Restaurant; in the 1930’s: a swimming pool was added and also a café offering refreshments to coach passengers and cyclists. There was talk of making it a sports centre but the outbreak of war in 1939 put a stop to that. The last reference to the restaurant was in 1953. The building was used by the Catholic Church for a while then, in quick succession, housed PSG Coachworks, Willcox Coachworks, Technical Designs and finally by Mid Surrey Caravans until MJA opened. The original name lives on in Kingpost Parade.
Acknowledgements to Moira MacQuaide’s book ‘Burpham, A Gateway to Guildford’.
As for the future – if MJA close, what happens next? The BCA and the BNF will be monitoring this situation carefully to ensure that whatever happens will benefit our community.
A date for your diary
17 September – Comedy show in aid of Parkinson’s
Paul Mayhew-Archer, co-writer of The Vicar of Dibley and other well-known productions, is performing his show entitled Incurable Optimist at King’s College, Southway, Guildford GU2 8DU on Saturday 17 September 7.00 – 9.15pm. Bar opens at 6.30pm. The show is about Paul’s career in comedy and how he finds the ‘funny side’ in all aspects of life including his Parkinson’s. All proceeds will go to the Guildford and South Surrey branch of Parkinson’s UK. Tickets £15 each in advance (children £5) or £20 on the door (children £7.50). Tickets from Steve Heron sheron@guildfordparkinsons.org.uk Tel 07795 963940
And finally…
…an apology for indicating in our last community update that we hoped to have a summer social in July. This did not take place as two of the committee members fell victim to Covid. For the same reason we could not be present at the Burpham Wellfest. This highlights the difficulties of trying to manage with so few people. To repeat our Chairman’s comments at the AGM: “we are a small group of volunteers and that, although we will continue to do our best, without additional support this will limit our ability to help the community.” If you think you could help, even in a small way, please get in touch.
Help by joining the Burpham Community Association today!
Subscriptions are £8 per household or £4 per single occupancy and run from January to December. Join now or renew your membership for 2022.
You can pay by:
Direct Debit – visit our website at www.burphamca.org.uk which has a link to this system – an email to treasurer@burphamca.org.uk giving your details would be helpful.
Online:
Account name: Burpham Community Association.
Sort Code: 40-22-26.
Account Number: 41049194
To help the Treasurer please identify yourself using initials, surname and the first line of your address.
Please contact Liz Turner, our Membership Secretary, if you have any queries. Her email address is membership@burphamca.org.uk
BCA on Facebook & Twitter!
Join the conversation! Open to members and non-members, it’s a great way to stay up-to-date with everything that’s happening in our community.
twitter.com/burpham_c_a
facebook.com/burphamCA/
Guildford Community Lottery
A way for everyone to support local causes and be in with a chance to win prizes of up to £25,000. 50% of all tickets sold from our page go to the BCA!
Burpham Pages Crossword No.23
Click here to get a printable version plus the solution to previous Burpham Pages Crossword No.22 from Burpham Pages issue No. 97 published March & April 2022.
Burpham Pages Crossword No.22
Click here to get a printable version plus the solution to previous Burpham Pages Crossword No.21 from Burpham Pages issue No. 96 published January & February 2022.
Burpham Pages Crossword No.21
Click here to get a printable version plus the solution to previous Burpham Pages Crossword No.20 from Burpham Pages issue No. 95 published November & December 2021.
Burpham Pages Crossword No.19
Click here to get a printable version plus the solution to previous Burpham Pages Crossword No.18 from Burpham Pages issue No. 93 published July & August 2021.
Burpham Pages Crossword No.18
Click here to get a printable version plus the solution to previous Burpham Pages Crossword No.17 from Burpham Pages issue No. 92 published May & June 2021.
Burpham Gardening Club News – January & February 2022
Written by John Boon (Burpham Gardening Club)
January & February 2022
Congratulations to the following overall winners at the Autumn Show, Peter Cox who won the Chairmans Cup for Fruit and Vegetables, Morriss Kemp who won the Fowler Trophy for Flowers and Elizabeth Cox who won the J & J cup for the Cookery classes.
At our meeting on January 25th, Peter Almond will be giving a talk on ‘Gardening for Wildlife’ and on February 22nd Vincent Gradwell will be taking us on tour of the ‘Canary Islands in Spring’. I wish you all a successful year in your garden and that you will grow plenty of entries for our shows.
Things to do in the garden in January.
- If you cannot garden because the soil is rain sodden or frosted you can use your time by studying plant catalogues which have arrived in the post on a regular basis.
…remember that this year’s novelty seeds are likely to be next year’s ordinary seeds.
- The same advice applies as when ordering spring flowering bulbs, the larger the plants you buy the better they will be when planted out in May. If you only need a few plants it would probably be better to visit a local nursery such as Elm Nursery at Sutton Green in May where you can select your plants first hand.
- New seed varieties which are usually F1 Hybrids are expensive to buy and often difficult to germinate, so look on the back of the packet to see how many seeds you are buying for your money, remember that this year’s novelty seeds are likely to be next year’s ordinary seeds.
- Whilst the fruit buds are still dormant Apple and Pear trees can be pruned, cut out any congested growth to increase airflow which will improve the quality of next seasons fruit, cut back to a fruit bud which is large and rounded on older growth, one year old shoots should be pruned back to a slender bud.
Things to do in the garden in February.
- Plunge shrivelled Dahlia tubers into a bucket of tepid water overnight, having removed any rotten tubers, they can then be started into growth to provide cuttings for new plants, place the tubers in a seed tray or pot and lightly cover with damp soil.
- Slow germinating annuals such as Antirrhinum and Lobelia should be sown indoors.
- Prune Summer flowering deciduous shrubs such as Buddleia which flower on the current year’s growth.
- Cut back Summer and Autumn flowering Clematis to the lowest pair of strong buds.
- Sow Sweet Peas and pot on those sown in the Autumn.
- When it is mild Broad Beans, Carrots and Parsnips can be sown under cloches.
When it is mild Broad Beans, Carrots and Parsnips can be sown under cloches.
- Sow Greenhouse Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Peppers at 21°C.
- Seed Potatoes should be placed on their ends in a light, cool, frost free place to sprout.