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

Another Jubilee

Next year sees another important jubilee – not a cause for national rejoicing perhaps, but important to Burpham.

Back in July 1973, a group of local people set up the Burpham Community Association (BCA). The idea was to have some social events, meetings to discuss local issues and regular newsletters informing members of local affairs. By the end of the year, some 500 households had taken
up membership.

In July 2023, the BCA will celebrate its Golden Jubilee – 50 years of looking at local issues, bringing them to public attention and, when necessary, taking action to avoid or at least minimise any adverse impact on the community. The early years of the BCA saw such issues as A3 congestion, the housing developments at Weylea Farm and Bowers Farm, Sainsburys application to build a supermarket and the first proposed development on Gosden Hill Farm. The proposal to build an incinerator at Slyfield galvanised many residents into action resulted in the formation of GAIN (Guildford Anti Incinerator Network) led by the then vicar of Burpham, Reverand Colin Matthews.

In more recent years, local concerns have included the loss of the Green Man and the construction of the Aldi supermarket.

Clay Lane Link Road, the Slyfield Regeneration Project (now the Weyside Urban Village) and flooding issues, highlighted by the serious floods during the winter of 2013/2014 which led to the development of the Burpham Flood Forum. Over the last two years, the BCA linked up with Burpham Church to form a Community Support Group to help residents during Covid lockdowns. The most recent community event has been the fundraising for two defibrillators. The BCA is also involved in discussion with GBC over the future of Sutherland Memorial Hall – and the proposed development at Gosden Hill outlined in GBC’s 2016 Local Plan remains a serious concern. This is a development of 1,700 dwellings and associated infrastructure – it will have a devastating impact on Burpham.

A few years ago the Burpham Neighbourhood Forum was initiated by a group of committee members due to concerns about future developments and a desire to ensure they would be appropriate and built to a high standard. Government policy had introduced neighbourhood plans designed to give local communities a voice. The Burpham Neighbourhood Plan was adopted in 2016 as part of the development plans for GBC.

Help us to celebrate!

Fifty years of dealing with such a variety of community issues should not be allowed to pass without acknowledgement and we look forward to having a Golden Jubilee celebration next summer. If you have any memories you would like to share, we would love to hear from you; please email secretary@burphamca.org.uk or write to Liz Critchfield, 276 London Road GU4 7LF.

BCA Annual General Meeting

The Annual General Meeting was held at the Village Hall on May 12th 2022.

The Chairman presented a summary of the Annual Report and the Treasurer presented the accounts for the year ended March 31st.

Highlights of the last year include the successful fund raising for provision of defibrillators, the relaunch of the Burpham Flood Forum under Angela Richardson’s chairmanship and some improvements to the management of the Wey Navigation and its surroundings. Other BCA activities have continued throughout the year, including many planning, development and infrastructure matters which have the potential to affect the quality of life in Burpham for the long term.

The accounts showed a small deficit for the year after a £1000 donation to the defibrillator fund. The Guildford Community lottery now provides about half of our annual income and we encourage members who can afford to support this to buy tickets for the weekly draw.

www.guildfordlottery.org/support/burpham-community-association

After confirming that Liz Critchfield retired as Secretary at the end of 2021, the remaining committee members were re-elected unanimously and unopposed. The Chairman reminded the meeting that 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.

The AGM of the Burpham Neighbourhood Forum was then held and the committee re-elected with Andrew Plumridge and Niels Laub confirmed as new members. Catherine Hughes was thanked and received gifts on her retirement as Secretary after 10 years.

The meeting concluded with a quiz with questions connected with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee which was hotly contested and enjoyed by all.

This was the first public meeting we have been able to hold for more than two years. We plan to hold a summer meeting, probably in July, and hope that many members will join us for an enjoyable evening then.

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!