Hamish, Jill and Alan have gained major concessions from St Philomena’s School to try and reduce parking and traffic problems with the new planned school expansion. These include:-

• £30,000 from school expansion funds for a traffic scheme. This will be discussed at the next Carshalton and Clockhouse Local Committee from 7.30pm on 8th December 2015 at Carshalton Beeches Baptist Church, Banstead Road.
• Ten sixth formers will be allowed to park in the school grounds, and will be asked to travel with fellow pupils, to reduce road traffic
• The school has a planning condition to upgrade its present bronze Travel Plan to silver within one year, and to show active evidence of more pupils using public transport, cycling or walking to school.
• The school to provide public transport travel information – Sutton’s Youth Parliament is leading a campaign for schools to show live travel information

We have asked the school to closely monitor the traffic and parking situation, and for parents to show residents due consideration, by encouraging their teenage daughters to travel sustainability. Most pupils have a free bus pass.

An artist’s impression of the Felnex site in Hackbridge.

The time: Saturday 7th November
The place: Carshalton Park, Ruskin Road

Gates open at 5pm – Display starts at 7pm
Live music from The Antidote Band from 5.15pm
Bonfire lit at 7.30pm
Also music and entertainment by Radio St Helier

For one of the largest charity firework displays in the South East of England come to our Carshalton Fireworks for our 58th annual bonfire night display. This event is put on by Wallington & Carshalton Round Table. The aim is to provide a safe, enjoyable and exciting event for the local community. All profit from the event is donated to local charities to further support the local community. They are a not-for-profit local organisation and the event is put on by volunteers. They are not connected to Sutton Council.

This year, Carshalton Fireworks presents live music on our stage by The Antidote Band from 5.15pm.—-

From Tom Brake MP…

Tom Brake MP

Soft drinks are considered the largest single source of sugar consumption for school-age children and teenagers and just one serving of these drinks may contain more than half of their recommended maximum daily sugar intake.

That’s why Jamie Oliver came to Parliament to speak about his campaign to introduce a tax on sugary drinks.

This tax is one of eight recommendations from Public Health England to tackle the UK’s alarming obesity and diabetes rates; in 2013 around one in five English 10 to 11 year-olds were classed as obese.

The idea would simply be to impose a tax of about 7p per regular-sized can of soft drink (330ml).

Those in favour say that a ‘’Sugar Tax’’ could help reduce obesity levels in up to 200,000 people, save the NHS £567 million a year and raise £1 billion. The money raised could then be used for the prevention by the NHS and schools of childhood obesity and diet-related diseases. They say that in Mexico, a ‘‘soda tax’’ raised over $1billion USD in its first year alone and helped reduce the consumption of sugary drinks by an average of 6%.

Those against a ‘’Sugar Tax’’ argue that this tax would not disincentivise but only penalise and place another unfair burden on the poorest in our society. They also do not agree that the international evidence supports the introduction of such a tax and believe that there are more effective ways of tackling obesity including paying more attention to educating younger children to the dangers of sugar consumption.

So for this month’s E-Poll I want to know whether you support the ”Sugar Tax”.

If you agree with Jamie Oliver’s ‘’Sugar Tax’’ just reply this email using the word ‘’Tax’’.  If you disagree with the tax just reply using the word ‘’No’’. As always, all your comments will be read and I will let you know the result in a few weeks.

You can also find out more about Public Health England’s recommendations here: http://www.nhs.uk/news/2015/10October/Pages/Controversial-sugar-tax-report-published.aspx 

Regards

Tom Brake MP

Carshalton Ponds in the Snow 6 years ago…

Carshalton will be welcoming its third annual Frost Fair on Saturday 5th December between 1pm and 6pm. The event is organised by The Friends of Honeywood Museum and local charity EcoLocal with lots of local community support. Please help spread the word about this exciting and atmospheric family event.

The 2015 event will use the same layout as last year to allow for more space between stalls and more twinkly lights.

Eco-Local are looking for a few more volunteers to help with the event on the day. If you would like to help, please contact Tansy on tansy@ecolocal.org.uk

The start of the event will be signalled by the ringing of All Saints Church bells (feel free to pop into their coffee afternoon 2.30 – 6pm on your way to or from the Frost Fair) and please don’t forget to visit Carshalton’s wonderful High Street shops.

Carshalton’s Frost Fair is a traditional winter event with activities for all of the family set in beautiful grounds next to historic buildings by Carshalton Ponds. Outside Honeywood Museum, along Festival walk and in the nearby Memorial Gardens there will be a varied range of Farmers’ Market and Craft stalls offering tasty supplies and treats and unique wonderful gift ideas.

As it gets darker, the area will be lit with twinkling fairy lights and there will be the smell of hot food & hog roast in the air. There will be choirs, a brass band, clog & morris dancing, live folk and popular music and entertainment of various types with a seasonal feel. There will be a bar and hot drinks.

Inside Honeywood Museum look for traditional story telling with puppets, Punch and Judy shows and a Father Christmas’ Grotto in the magic of the refurbished ‘childhood room’ surrounded by toys from a bygone era.

The Friends of the Ecology Centre are running their Christmas Fair and Winter Wonderland Trail alongside the Frost Fair. This will include hand-crafted gifts, teas, coffees and homemade cake. The Winter Wonderland Trail offers the chance to explore the delights of the award winning Ecology Centre.

If you are interested in finding out more, please contact Heather on 020 8404 1522020 8404 1522 or email heather@ecolocal.org.uk.

Jill, Alan and Hamish received this message in our capacity as members of The Friends of The Grove Park, Carshalton.

Dear Friend of the Grove Park.

You will be aware that the Small Café in the Grove Park has been closed for a long time and some members have asked me when it might reopen.

I am pleased to report that last Saturday saw a special Halloween opening of the Café as “ Sassis in the Grove”.

If this name is familiar to you it is because the new Grove café proprietor is Wayne Spiller, and he has run the Sassis Coffee shop in North Street  Carshalton since 2005.

I can report that one member of the Friends Committee made a visit on the first day of operation and was very impressed, reporting,  “The coffee was excellent and reasonably priced”.

Sassis in the Park will be open daily, and we wish Wayne and his staff well in this new enterprise. 

Best regards 

John Freeman for Friends of the Grove Park.

(Photo courtesy of Mr. John Freeman)

Like you, we value our local heritage and we want to protect it for generations to come. There are several exciting developments and as your local councillors, we thought you’d like an update.

In 2011 the Council started looking at the future use of buildings in Carshalton. We undertook widespread consultation on possible options for the sensitive use and protection of historic heritage buildings all situated within the Carshalton Village Conservation Area, and the parkland in and around Carshalton Ponds and The Grove Park. In total six thousand local residents were contacted by the Council to ask them for views, and six Carshalton Friends groups were also consulted.

This led to a special meeting of the Carshalton Local Committee in September 2011, attended by over seventy local residents. As residents were clear that they wanted such assets to stay in community hands where possible, they voted for progressing the Sutton Centre for the Voluntary Sector (SCVS)proposal for a voluntary sector centre at The Grove House and Ecolocal proposals for use of The Lodge as an ecological centre.

The Lodge.

Ecolocal has submitted final proposals to the Council for a mixed use office/classrooms and residential development at The Lodge, a much loved Victorian building. Ecolocal’s proposals were considered to offer best value and to provide the basis for a sustainable long term use of The Lodge that would provide significant benefits to the community.

The Ecolocal proposal was debated and agreed at a meeting of Full Council on Monday 2nd November at the Civic Offices in Sutton.

The Old Rectory.

The Old Rectory is a Grade 2 Georgian house and is of major historical importance. Carshalton Friends groups have formed a new organisation Carshalton Old Rectory Association (CORA) proposing to convert the building into an Arts Centre with residential flats. This proposal is subject to CORA obtaining funding, and they have been given until March 2016 to find this.

Commitment was given in 2011 that the Council would not sell the Old Rectory, due to its importance locally.

Stonecourt.

Stonecourt, situated at the corner of Grove Park with Mill Lane and North Street, will be sold for residential use either by freehold or on a long lease by private treaty. This will ensure future control over the use of the building, parking restrictions (The Grove Park is car free) and maintain full public access to the park. This matches residents’ wishes as expressed in 2011.

The Grove House.

Sutton Centre for the Voluntary Sector (SCVS) in partnership with The Volunteer Centre Sutton and the Friends of the Grove, will be applying to the Heritage Lottery Fund in March 2016 for a grant to restore the large 1840s house, set up a trust of local people to manage Grove House, record and celebrate a 200 year story of giving from philanthropy to voluntary action, and to deliver heritage skills training and a heritage volunteer programme.

SCVS have recently consulted local people about their plans. Comments can be sent to Your ward councillors have been reporting back on how these proposals have progressed through Focus leaflets, through Carshalton Local Committee and other meetings. We are pleased to say that theproposals are progressing well.

Calladoodles Shop, High Street, Carshalton

Jill, Hamish and Alan received this message from Carshalton High Street’s Calladoodles which may be of interest to Carshalton residents…

Christmas is coming and it’s a busy time for the team at award-winning gift shop Calladoodles in Carshalton. But they’re not just busy preparing for the festive season, they’re also celebrating the unprecedented success of their very own ‘celebrity’ artist, Helena Vaughan, whose bestselling vintage posters of local scenes have proven such a hit, they’re selling faster than she can deliver them!

Helena’s colourful collection celebrating Carshalton through the seasons has been selling like hotcakes ever since making its debut at unique concept store Calladoodles, which champions independent designers, makers and publishers. Helena designed the images after Calladoodles’ founder and manager Clare Callanan bought her a calendar of vintage posters for Christmas last year and (over a glass of wine!) suggested she create a Carshalton in Winter poster. Helena quickly got to work on conceiving her masterpiece, delivered her design, and within just five minutes of the first stunning picture being placed in the shop window it was snapped up and her hot-off-the-press prints began flying off the shelves!

“I revamped a view that I’d previously done of Carshalton High Street and bingo! I thought I might sell just a few and so wasn’t at all prepared for the demand – it took me completely by surprise,” explains Carshalton resident and sixth form art teacher Helena, who, along with her husband Neal, also an art teacher, has been exhibiting in the area since moving here over 10 years ago.

“I’ve been constantly amazed by the feedback about my artwork. I knew this was an area to be proud of and this is the proof that the locals here love where they live,” Helena continues. “I’m so proud to live here myself and phenomenally proud that my designs are on the walls of so many local homes. Calladoodles have been great in supporting me. They listen to their customers and, together, we try to deliver what they need.”

The exclusive series of timeless designs, reminiscent of a romantic bygone age, was inspired by vintage transport posters, encouraging travel to places of interest and beauty to escape the increasing urban sprawls. Helena’s bestselling poster set is available in framed or unframed prints and boasts spring, summer and autumn editions, while the winter version is set for a re-release next week. The coveted Carshalton prints illustrate the high street at its very best, looking down to All Saints Church, past Calladoodles itself, displaying different colours for each changing season. A brand new, much-requested design, Carshalton 4 Seasons will celebrate a year of posters.

“We’re very proud to showcase Helena’s work here at Calladoodles,” says Clare. “We’re exclusive stockists for her designs in the area and are overrun with interest and orders for her work… so much so there’s now a waiting list for her prints!”

Alongside the vintage-style posters for Carshalton, Helena’s Beddington and Wallington By Bus Or Rail posters, greeting cards and postcards are also selling fast, and keep an eye out for her new special edition Christmas card collection, due in store in December, featuring a delightful night-time, snowy view of Carshalton high street illuminated with Christmas lights.

Beautiful boutique-with-a-twist Calladoodles plays an important, credible role in the community, working closely with local and regional small businesses to provide high-quality, unique gifts with a focus on affordable, cutting-edge design. As a specialist in top-quality cards and paper products, the stunning shop and popular community hub recently received a prestigious national award for ‘Best Non-Specialist Independent.

Retailer of Greeting Cards’ at The RETAS 2015, which celebrate the very finest greeting card retail stockists in the UK.

Clare and her team are currently working on their famous, dazzling winter wonderland window display, which never fails to enchant passersby. As your one-stop-shop for the best of British giftware, décor and cards, the shop is already bursting with baubles and other sparkling decorations, stocking fillers, secret Santa gifts and gorgeous luxury items. “As always, we try to offer a selection of Christmas products that customers won’t find elsewhere,” Clare continues, “encouraging people to shop local!”

Sutton Central Library now offers visitors the chance to get refreshed as they read at a new café in the centre. Gosto Fino’s is a small café run by Joao and his team offering a range of beverages, sandwiches, and tasty snacks for readers to enjoy as they use library services.

The café caters for all tastes with a wide selection of fresh ingredients, including a variety of vegetarian options. Seating is available for readers to take the weight off their feet and relax with their drinks and snacks. 

The shop is open from 9.30am – 5.00pm Monday, 9.30am – 7.00 pm Tuesday to Saturday, and between 1.30pm and 4pm on Sundays. 

Cllr. Jill Whitehead

Cllr Jill Whitehead, Chair of Sutton Council’s Environment & Neighbourhood Committee, said: 

“Libraries are important hubs for communities – the addition of Gosto Fino’s means there are now even more reasons to visit Sutton Central Library. What better way to while away an afternoon than by picking up a great book and settling down with a hot drink at your local library.”

You can have your say on the future of Sutton’s library services by taking part in the Sutton’s Future debate by clicking here.