Winning Schools Announced in Guildford Schools in Bloom

Guildford in Bloom held its Schools in Bloom Awards at Edwins Garden Centre in Clandon and Freemantles School walked away with an armful of awards, including a Gold Award for their Garden; Best Interpretation of the Theme (For King and Countryside) and Overall Winner of the 2023 Competition.

Freemantles School receives their awards from Masuk Miah, the Mayor of Guildford.

The event included a talk from Guildford Beekeepers Association with lots of props and photos which kept the children (and adults) enthralled. Then they had a chance to get their hands dirty by potting up some plants with Edwins Garden Centre staff which they could take home.

Each school won a book and a certificate with the overall winner getting a £50 voucher to spend on school gardening equipment, a visit to their school by the outreach team at RHS Garden Wisley, and a class visit to Guildford Beekeepers.

Judges Shirley West and Caroline Coleman visited 12 schools in total, ranging from nursery and pre-prep through to junior schools and special schools. The aim of Schools in Bloom is to get young children involved in gardening for both education and wellbeing. The children have grown flowers and food and worked to the theme of ‘For King and Countryside’ – this required them to choose 5 out of a list of 10 things to include in the garden to encourage and protect wildlife – from bug hotels to being part of a hedgehog corridor to growing nectar rich plants, as well as decorating for the Kings coronation.

Judges Shirley West and Caroline Coleman said:

“The schools we have judged have been amazing considering how tough it is for them right now. Our twilight session earlier this year brought schools to the competition who had not entered before.

We chose Freemantles School as the overall winner because they surpassed our expectations in every area we asked for. Care for wildlife was outstanding and the vegetables patches were so well watered and looked after as were the flowers. 

The input from the teachers with the children just shone out with love for their garden and the icing on the cake was their superb interpretation of the theme.”

Carla and Chloe Lead Assistants, at The HEART at Freemantles – the outdoor learning department said: 

“We are thrilled at the news that our school has won Guildford in Bloom. This means so much to our wonderful students. They have worked so hard to create wildlife friendly spaces as well as areas in line with this year’s theme ‘For King and Countryside’. Freemantles is a specialist school for children and young people with Autism. We have 225 students ranging from ages 4-19 who benefit from our outdoor area. Our outdoor space is used in numerous ways from teaching horticulture, growing for our catering sessions and used for wellbeing.”

Paul Spooner, Chairman of Guildford in Bloom said: “The Schools in Bloom awards are a real highlight of our year. Seeing the joy on the children’s faces when they get an award and hearing them talk so enthusiastically about their gardens is heartwarming. 

Our Schools Award event is very special thanks to the Guildford Beekeepers Association who engaged the children with a great talk on bees. Of course it wouldn’t happen without the tremendous support we receive from Lee at Edwins Garden Centre – the children love potting up the plants to take home – a very valuable and generous gesture from Edwins that is very much appreciated.

Our thanks to all schools that have taken part and the judges feedback recognises the enthusiasm and efforts of all involved at every school. I would like to thank all involved with GiB and particularly the judges for visiting each school. GiB would not be as successful as it is without the support of sponsors and we would like to thank Chapters Financial and Unigold 2000 Ltd, our Platinum Sponsors, who along with all of our sponsors ensure we can continue to run the School Competition.”

The Schools in Bloom Award in an integral part of Guildford in Bloom and ensures that the love of gardening and caring for wildlife is firmly planted in the future generation.

The main Guildford in Bloom competition has now closed for entries, and judges are already out and about judging everything from front gardens to nature projects – winners of the main competition will be announced in September.

Further information on Guildford in Bloom can be found at www.guildfordinbloom.com


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Guildford in Bloom Crowdfunding Appeal in Crisis

Guildford in Bloom 2022 winners, sponsors, judges & Mayor – Yvonne Arnaud Theatre.

Guildford in Bloom’s crowdfunding appeal has hit problems, when they were told only £3000 match funding would be added to the fund.

Initial promotion of the scheme suggested match funding was likely to be 50% up to a maximum of £10,000. Therefore Guildford in Bloom started a campaign to fund 2023 and 2024 with a total of just over £22,000 to be raised.

At this point in time, with just one month to go until the campaign ends, it was anticipated that only £1000 would need to be raised to reach target, but now £8000 needs to be raised in just 30 days.

Since January 2022 Guildford has been an independent Association, entirely reliant on loyal and generous sponsors, but with increased costs and no steady financial support, there is a shortfall in the funding putting its long term future in jeopardy. Guildford in Bloom is run entirely by a dedicated team of volunteers.

Guildford in Bloom was determined to keep its competitions for residents, community groups, schools and businesses free to enter. Part of the Guildford in Bloom ethos is to encourage diverse habitats that encourage and protect wildlife, especially our pollinators. Creating pollinator pitstops and wildlife areas in gardens is key to the Guildford in Bloom ethos to help reverse the decline in numbers.

Guildford in Bloom has built up a considerable momentum in promoting good eco-practices to protect wildlife. They work with several schools, rewarding them for bringing gardening into the curriculum and supporting teachers to do this. For them to continue to do this – they must reach our crowdfunding target. If they don’t reach target, they don’t get to keep any of the fantastic pledges already made.

The Blooming Picnic in the Castle Grounds is also a Guildford in Bloom event in partnership with Guildford Fringe Festival and Experience Guildford. It is important that this event remains free for the community to attend. This year it was attended by around 1500 people who enjoyed free entertainment from the bandstand, and provided a platform for local charities and businesses to get exposure.

Cllr Paul Spooner, Chairman of Guildford in Bloom says: “Guildford in Bloom has been an integral part of Guildford’s community for almost 42 years – and has meant so much to so many people to see their efforts rewarded. We intended to raise enough funding to allow us to expand next year with more events promoting wildlife and ecofriendly horticultural practices.

We have done incredibly well so far thanks to some fantastically generous donations, but it is just not enough, and the amount of match funding from Guildford Borough Council is extremely disappointing leaving us in this critical position.

We appeal to everyone who has been involved in Guildford in Bloom, both past and present to help us by pledging to our crowdfunding appeal and sharing this as far as possible.”

It must be stressed that enough money has been raised to ensure that 2023 will go on as planned, culminating in an Awards ceremony at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre on 5 September where all entrants will receive their awards.

2024 however, is seriously in jeopardy with the Guildford in Bloom team seriously considering whether it can continue in its current form.

The link to our Crowdfunding page can be found on https://www.spacehive.com/guildfordinbloom and there is also a link from the Guildford in Bloom website www.guildfordinbloom.com. Guildford in Bloom is appealing to all those who value the Guildford in Bloom competitions and messages to pledge their support with as much as possible. Businesses who would like to become official sponsors should contact info@guildfordinbloom.com to discuss sponsorship packages.

In the meantime, the 2023 Guildford in Bloom competitions are open for entries. Full details on www.guildfordinbloom.com


Surrey business competes for spot on Aldi’s shelves in Channel 4 series

Surrey business owner Mandira Sarkar, 51, will appear on Channel 4’s ‘Aldi’s Next Big Thing’ on Thursday 20th October.

Mandira’s Kitchen beat hundreds of hopefuls to appear on Aldi’s Next Big Thing

Six-part series sees food and drink suppliers compete to be listed in over 970 Aldi stores nationwide

Programme will air on Channel 4 on Thursday 20th October at 8pm

Mandira’s Kitchen, which produces artisan Indian freezer meals, was picked from hundreds of applicants competing for a life changing contract to stock Aldi stores nationwide.

Hosted by Anita Rani, of Countryfile and BBC Radio 4 and Chris Bavin, of Britain’s Best Home Cook and Eat Well for Less, the six-part series sees suppliers compete in categories such as dinners, baked goods, treats and store cupboard essentials.

“Food is a very emotive thing and we cook all our meals with a lot of love. Everything is made from scratch, with fresh ingredients – no cans or jars.”

Products are presented to Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi UK, who deliberates on factors such as price, packaging, shopper demand, and the ability to scale up, before whittling contestants down to just two. The finalists are then given four weeks to address any feedback, before presenting improved products to Julie who decides which product will appear as a Specialbuy in over 970 stores.

Mandira’s Kitchen nestled in the Surrey Hills

Mandira, who started the business as a supper club in her kitchen and now employs 16 women, says: “Food is a very emotive thing and we cook all our meals with a lot of love. Everything is made from scratch, with fresh ingredients – no cans or jars.

“I think it’s high time that people in the UK can easily enjoy authentic Indian food at home, and a contract with Aldi would help us to realise this ambition.”

The multi-category competition is part of Aldi’s ongoing commitment to locally sourced products. Aldi has pledged to prioritise home-grown suppliers as it works towards spending an additional £3.5 billion a year with British businesses by the end of 2025.

To find out if Mandira made it on to Aldi’s shelves watch Aldi’s Next Big Thing on Channel 4, every Thursday at 8pm until 24th November.

Whilst care has been taken to ensure that the information contained in Stoughton Pages is accurate, the publishers take no responsibility for the accuracy of statements made by, nor the opinions of, contributors, and accept no responsibility for any omissions or errors which may occur.


Mother’s Day at Mandira’s Kitchen

Mandira’s Kitchen makes celebrating Mother’s Day deliciously different.

Mothering Sunday falls on 19 March 2023 and families are planning how to spend the day with Mum to thank her for all she does for her family.

Mandira’s Kitchen invites you to a sumptuous Afternoon Tea served on their delightful patio overlooking the Silent Pool or you can order a family feast for 4 people that can be delivered to your door.

The Mother’s Day Family Feast is available as classic or vegetarian and includes some of their favourite Supper Club dishes; crispy samosas, Methi Chicken or Paneer, Jaipur Alu (baby potatoes simmered in spices) and Saffron Pulau – finished with Gulab Jamun and Carrot Halwa. Or choose the Biriyani and Bubbles feast.

For those who want to take Mum on a day out, why not book a slot (spaces limited) on either Saturday 18 or Sunday 19 March to have Afternoon Tea on the MK Patio, overlooking the Silent Pool. Set in the Surrey Hills the surrounding area is a ideal for a family walk after an afternoon tea full of Indian street food treats such as: An MK Cocktail on arrival; spinach and onion pakoras; lamb or vegetable sliders; Coronation Chicken mini pittas; Mini Papri Chaat; Khati Rolls; Spiced Cheese scones with tomato and date chutney; Rose Scones with Cardamon clotted cream; and more.

Full details of the menus can be found on the Mandira’s Kitchen website www.mandiraskitchen.com/collections/mothers-day In addition to the Mother’s Day food you will also find a wide range of gifts and tableware including Chutney sets with serving dishes, Chai tea pot and glasses and many more dishes and tableware to make the perfect gift. MK also has a range of vouchers for cookery lessons, spice tours and general spend on the website.

Mandira Sarkar, owner and founder of Mandira’s Kitchen says: “This Mother’s Day we want people to travel with us to a bygone era – my childhood amongst emerald tea bushes and blazing bougainvillea for the most amazing afternoon tea with an Indian twist. The menu reflects a gentler time and an unhurried pace – in this menu are a few of my favourites which I hope will also become yours and help you celebrate with mum.”

“This Mother’s Day we want people to travel with us to a bygone era – my childhood amongst emerald tea bushes and blazing bougainvillea…”

Of course, Mandira’s Kitchen will cater for any dietary restrictions and you can discuss your individual needs by emailing orders@mandiraskitchen.com

All items can be ordered online from www.mandiraskitchen.com and either collected from Mandira’s Kitchen at The Silent Pool Guildford or delivered to any UK Mainland address by Wednesday 15 March ready to eat over the weekend. All food arrives frozen and can be kept in the fridge for 48 hours or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Dishes can be heated in the microwave in 4 minutes, or in the oven. Full details www.mandiraskitchen.com/collections/mothers-day


Surrey Police Band Concert

The Surrey Police Band stage an evening concert in aid of Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice

Come and see the Surrey Police Band in concert, featuring a World Premier, and an exciting mixture of music to suit all tastes, in aid of Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice.

7.00pm Saturday 18th March 2023

An Evening with the Surrey Police Band

Emmanuel Church, Stoughton, Guildford, GU2 9SJ

Visit https://www.surreypoliceband.org.uk/upcoming-performances/ for further information or contact the box office on 07849 675 627 or at sheilawillis38@gmail.com

The Surrey Police Band is a self-supporting organisation, funded by the subscriptions of its members. It was established in 2007 by a small group of Surrey Police personnel with the understanding that their shift patterns meant they would not always be able to attend rehearsals. This flexible ethos remains today and as a result it has attracted people from many walks of life including the police, military, civil service and wider civilian community.

The primary aim of the band is to entertain audiences, whilst honouring the service and sacrifice made by Police personnel throughout the UK. Over the years the band has built up quite a reputation raising significant funds for numerous charities, in particular supporting the Chief Constable’s chosen charity. As the band’s reputation has grown, so has the prestige of its engagements. Performances have included concerts in the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, the Dorking Halls, the Lakeside Country Club, St Barbara’s Church in Deepcut, Emmanuel Church in Stoughton, our own annual concert series at Normandy Village Hall and numerous bandstand concerts.


David Walliams’ Billionaire Boy comes to Yvonne Arnaud Theatre

Bestselling children’s author David Walliams and award-winning Birmingham Stage Company have teamed up for a brand-new tour of their hit West End production of Billionaire Boy, coming to the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre from Thursday 4 to Saturday 6 August.

This stage adaptation of David Walliams’ children’s book is their third collaboration after the Olivier Award nominated Gangsta Granny and acclaimed Awful Auntie productions.

Billionaire Boy tells the story of Joe Spud, who is twelve years old and the richest boy in the country. He has his own sports car, two crocodiles as pets and £100,000 a week pocket money. But what Joe doesn’t have is a friend. So he decides to leave his posh school and start at the local comp. But things don’t go as planned for Joe and life becomes a rollercoaster as he tries find what money can’t buy! David Walliams said: ‘What a magnificent show! If this production as on Britain’s Got Talent, I’d be giving it the Golden Buzzer! It couldn’t be better!’

David Walliams has celebrated more than ten years of writing success with global sales exceeding forty-five million copies, and his books have been translated into fifty-five languages. David’s titles have spent 138 weeks (non-consecutive) at the top of the children’s charts – more than any other children’s author ever. He closed 2018 as the UK’s biggest-selling author for the second year running. Billionaire Boy started life as a David Walliams novel for children in 2010, published by HarperCollins Children’s Books, and filmed for the BBC in 2016.

Neal Foster is the adapter and director of Billionaire Boy. He is the Actor/Manager of The Birmingham Stage Company which since its foundation in 1992 has staged over one hundred productions. The company has become one of the world’s leading producers of theatre for children and their families, including Horrible Histories: Live on Stage for sixteen years in the UK and internationally.

For more information and to book tickets, visit: Yvonne-Arnaud.co.uk. Alternatively, contact the Box Office on 01483 44 00 00 (Monday-Saturday, 10.00am to 5.00pm).


‘Knife Angel’ visits Guildford Cathedral

Above: Julie Sommerville, whose son Daniel died after an altercation which led to his death in 2015, has been instrumental in bringing the Knife Angel to Surrey. [Photo by Andy Newbold Photography]

The mother of a young man who fell victim to knife crime in Guildford is welcoming the visit of the Knife Angel – ‘The National Monument Against Violence & Aggression’ to the County of Surrey on the 1st of March.

Julie Sommerville, whose son Daniel died after an altercation which led to his death in 2015, has been instrumental in bringing the Knife Angel to Surrey where it will stand outside Guildford Cathedral throughout March with a series of events planned to raise awareness of the effects of knife crime and domestic violence.

The 27ft (8.2m) tall contemporary sculpture, made up of 100,000 knives, confiscated by Police forces across the UK, was created by the artist Alfie Bradley and the British Ironworks Centre based in Oswestry, Shropshire.

Since 2018, it has been touring the country to highlight knife crime in the United Kingdom and educate young people on the harmful effect violent behaviour can have on their communities. Surrey is considered to be one of the safest places to live in the UK however crime of this type does not respect county boundaries and its thought-provoking message will be a powerful way to remind people that such crimes affect not just the families of victims but also the wider community.

“I am delighted that the UK National Youth Anti-Violence Tour will be coming to Surrey and the centrepiece, the Knife Angel, will be on display at Guildford Cathedral.”

The Very Reverend Dianna Gwilliams

Surrey Police, Detective Superintendent Becky Molyneux said: “We are pleased to be supporting Guildford Cathedral as they host the Knife Angel this March. We’re committed to tackling serious violence and aggression in our communities and this project will help further important conversations, discussing why people become involved in violent crimes. We would encourage the public to continue to drop off their dangerous or unwanted knives and blades at our police front counters across Surrey.”

As well as Surrey Police, the project is being supported by the High Sheriff of Surrey, the Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, Guildford Borough Council, charities including ‘the Matrix Trust’ and ‘Your Sanctuary’ and pupils from Christ’s College, Guildford who have produced an introductory video.

The Dean of Guildford, The Very Reverend Dianna Gwilliams explains, “I am delighted that the UK National Youth Anti-Violence Tour will be coming to Surrey and the centrepiece, the Knife Angel, will be on display at Guildford Cathedral. We are working with many partners, guided by young people of our community, to provide opportunities to learn more about the effects of aggression and violence among all sections of the community and to address some of the key concerns of the young people in our County, for example Domestic Violence, County Lines, bullying and violence against girls and women. The month of March provides an opportunity to work together to make the communities of Surrey even safer.”

The 27ft (8.2m) tall contemporary sculpture, made up of 100,000 knives, confiscated by Police forces across the UK, was created by the artist Alfie Bradley and the British Ironworks Centre based in Oswestry, Shropshire. [Photo supplied by British Ironworks Centre]

Guildford resident – Julie, mum to three other children said; “Daniel was just 24 when he was taken from us in such a terrible way. It devastated our family and my three other children who still struggle to accept what happened to their brother. He was a caring, loving son, would help anyone, and like all young people his age, had dreams and aspirations. The day he died, Dan was about to move into his own home – one minute we were helping his move his stuff in, the next we were clearing it out.”

Daniel was just 24 when he was taken from us in such a terrible way. It devastated our family and my three other children who still struggle to accept what happened to their brother.

“The incident was an altercation in Guildford, during which if a knife had not been available to be used in the heat of the moment would not have resulted in Daniel’s death. The message I am trying to get across is to not carry weapons – so if situations arise the opportunity is not likely to be fatal leading to families being destroyed – on both sides.”

“The ripple effect of what happened to Dan was obviously big. I’ve met a lot of lovely people as I am with quite a lot of groups mainly on social media, these people have all set up groups because of what happened to their family members and obviously I can relate to them. They all want the same thing, to get awareness out there – you see these sorts of things on the news and a lot of people don’t always take any notice, it is not until something tragic happens to you that you realise the consequences involved. We once took part in a scene in Eastenders – after a storyline involving a knife crime the producers wanted real families to take part in the funeral scene, we even held photos of our loved ones as we were filmed.”

“I went up to see the Knife Angel at the British Ironwork Centre where it was made by Alfie and we, like other families, were invited to include Dan’s name on one of the knives used in the sculpture. At the time they were doing a petition to get the Angel somewhere in London when finished but that did not happen, so it was then decided to tour it around the country. I saw other towns hosting and I wanted it to come to my town, it’s about awareness and education, it’s not just a statue it’s a very visual and powerful statement.”

Julie will bravely be speaking at the launch of the Knife Angel visit at the Cathedral on March 1st. [Photo by Andy Newbold Photography]
The Knife Angel statue on display in Liverpool. [Photo supplied by British Ironworks Centre]

Julie will bravely be speaking at the launch of the Knife Angel visit at the Cathedral on March 1st and is hoping that parents will be more vigilant and protect their children by talking to them about how removing the opportunity could save their lives. She also hopes that the children themselves will learn from the events put on throughout March and not only think twice about arming themselves when going out but also about not letting violence or aggression generally play a part in their lives.

“I do this because if sharing my story makes someone think twice about carrying a knife with them and if that potentially saves a life then It is worth telling people – I don’t want anyone ever to have to go through what I went through, so in Daniel’s name I want to raise awareness – Dan has not got a voice anymore, so I am his voice”

“I do this because if sharing my story makes someone think twice about carrying a knife with them and if that potentially saves a life then It is worth telling people…”

Julie Sommerville

Thanks to the support so far from local businesses, individuals and organisations, the Knife Angel will take its place in front of the iconic cathedral and can be visited at any time during March.

There will be talks and events centred around the monument, and Charities are being invited to highlight their work alongside it – follow the @kniveangelguildford social media pages to find out how, also to share your photos and comments during March. There is still time to sponsor the visit with a range of benefits included or donate money to help pay for security (the biggest cost), transport and coach trips for schools to attend the various workshops.

For more information and how you can help or donate please contact Nicola Pratt, Head of Development at Guildford Cathedral on 01483 547 884 or visit headofdevelopment@guildford-cathedral.org


Mothering Sunday: A date with multiple origins

Mother’s Day is a special day honouring mothers and it’s celebrated in many countries throughout the world. It is also known as Mothering Sunday in the UK. This year, Mother’s Day falls on Sunday 27th March.

History of Mother’s Day

During the Middle Ages, the custom developed of allowing people who had moved away from where they grew up to come back to visit their home or ‘mother’ churches, and their mothers, on the fourth Sunday of the Christian festival of Lent.

At the time, it wasn’t uncommon for children to leave home to work when they were as young as 10 years old, so this was an opportunity for families to meet up again.

In Britain this became Mothering Sunday. As the dates of Lent vary each year, so does the date of Mothering Sunday.

Although it’s often called Mother’s Day in the UK, it has no connection with the American Mother’s Day.

Mother’s Day in the US

In the US, Mother’s Day is celebrated on the second Sunday of May each year.

The idea started in America when a woman called Anna Jarvis held a small memorial service for her own mother on the 12th May 1907.

Soon after, most places in America were observing the day and in 1914, the US president made it a national holiday, celebrated on the second Sunday of May. Lots of other countries celebrate Mother’s Day at different times of the year as well.

Traditional Mother’s Day foods

The food item traditionally associated with Mothering Sunday is Simnel cake – a type of fruit cake with two layers of almond paste (one on the top and one in the middle).

Although these days, Simnel cakes are more usually linked with Easter.

Traditionally churches hold Mothering Sunday services and flowers are given out to children to give to their mums.

Text https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/17343360


VCL to speed up MRIs for patients with pacemakers

Guildford MP, Angela Richardson cuts the ribbon with Consultant Cardiologists Dr Michael Hickman (L) & Dr Ed Leatham.

People with implanted pacemakers and defibrillators will now be able to access a new high quality MRI scanning service launched today by VCL, the specialist imaging company based at The Surrey Research Park.

At present, patients with pacemakers and defibrillators are either prevented from undergoing essential MRI imaging or have unacceptably long waits. This causes significant problems to patients – and their clinicians – particularly in cardiology, cancer care, neurology and orthopaedics.

The ‘magnetic challenges’ that arise for these patients during scanning can only be addressed by exceptionally highly skilled radiographers and technicians, that VCL is now able to provide.

VCL was founded by two local cardiologists Dr Edward Leatham and Dr Michael Hickman in 2020 with the sole objective of improving access to the latest technological advances specialist imaging.

These highly specialised new MRI scans, which use the latest Siemens 1.5T MRI Scanner, require the joint expertise of a multidisciplinary team to undertake these vital scans safely and as quickly as possible after the need has been identified.

Dr Leatham explained: “Patients with pacemakers can only have an MRI scan if there’s a highly experienced multi-disciplinary team available both to programme their pacemaker (before and after) and operate the scanner to ensure the patient’s safety. For instance, if a person has a raised PSA test there is often a need for an MRI to establish whether they have prostate cancer, however it is increasingly impossible to deliver this within the required timeframe. Therefore, some patients with pace-makers either must undergo a biopsy instead of an MRI scan or wait until a specialist team is available – if at all. Waiting lists for MRIs are already long, but particularly so for pacemaker patients; our new service potentially puts an end to all this.”

This is not the first breakthrough from VCL; through its partnerships with global leaders in medical imaging technology, it has developed a number of UK-first patient pathways for one-stop chest pain assessment including CT coronary angiography that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to assist with detection of critical coronary artery disease up to ten years before symptoms occur (www.heartscandirect.com). It has enabled many patients with Critical Coronary disease to avoid often lengthy – and risky – waits for diagnosis and treatment.

Dr Hickman said: “Following the Covid pandemic, the backlog in NHS services nationally has been particularly harmful to cardiovascular health, due to dimin-ished access and delayed diagnoses. At VCL, we provide direct access to a streamlined, high-quality, patient-centred service that overcomes these delays in accessing healthcare.”

Dr Leatham added: “While we have contracts with all major private medical insurance companies, we are hoping that the NHS will consider out-sourcing some of its MRI/CT demand; our CT scanner for instance may very well sit idle for three days a week and has the capacity to help tackle patients who are waiting, so we believe we hold the answer to speeding up diagnosis and treatment in this area; we are in active negotiations with government and NHS officials to help tackle NHS waiting lists.”

The launch was attended by Guildford MP, Angela Richardson, who commented “This new scanner is a welcome addition to imaging services in this area and I will do all I can to encourage outsourcing to specialist scan providers that have both the expertise and capacity to reduce waiting lists locally.”


The Sister's Preserves Story

Burpham Pages is all about ‘local’. Local community, local businesses and local events. We’ve recently been exploring local produce and in doing so have spoken to Jackie Turner who runs ‘Sister’s Preserves’.

In 2016 I grew an abundance of tomatoes and by September I was left with a lot of unripe ones. I experimented with my Mum’s runner bean pickle recipe from the 1970s and gave my brother, Tony, a few jars of the resulting, yummy green tomato chutney. He served some in baguettes and ploughman’s lunches in his Wiltshire deli. One customer liked it so much he asked if he could buy a jar. Tony replied, “I don’t have any to sell, my sister makes it, I’ll ask her.” The next few times the same guy came into the shop he asked, “Have you got any of your sister’s chutney?” …and so, my brand name was born!

I did a lot of research, got qualified in food safety and hygiene, had our kitchen and practices inspected by Guildford Borough Council (which wasn’t as scary as you might think!), and started making chutney to sell at fairs and farm shops. Since then, I have extended the range of chutneys and added jams, marmalade, mustard and other products depending on the season.

Great tasting products should be available locally, and buying from a small business makes a real difference to real people. I love to use traditional, family recipes, but also to experiment and create new combinations of flavours. I now have returning customers saying it is the best jam and chutney they have tasted!

Great tasting products should be available locally, and buying from a small business makes a real difference to real people.

I pick a lot of the produce myself, working with the seasons; picking rhubarb in April, strawberries in June, blackcurrants, elderflowers and tomatoes in July, beetroots and plums in August, apples and elderberries in September and quinces in October. Several friends and neighbours swap a bag of something they have grown for a jar of something I have made. I love the community feel this brings to my work.

Sustainability is important to me so my glass jars are made in Britain from partially recycled glass, and are fully recyclable.

Sustainability is important to me so my glass jars are made in Britain from partially recycled glass, and are fully recyclable. My gift boxes contain only biodegradable materials, no plastic; and at Christmas time I use natural baskets and biodegradable cellophane to create a range of tasty hampers.

You can find Jackie’s products for sale in:

  • Solar Sisters, Guildford
  • The Crossroads Stores, West Horsley
  • Taste Deli, Warminster

Find out more at:
www.facebook.com/SistersPreserves

Sister's Preserves will have a stall at Jacobs Well Christmas Fair, in the Village Hall (GU4 7PD) on Saturday 26th November 10.30am - 4.30pm. Entry is free and there is plenty of parking space.