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Contents
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Our Post Office - Use it or Lose it
 The Chorleywood Residents’ Association (CRA) and local residents are delighted to see the Post Office up and running in Lords, courtesy of Tilak Patel. It is situated to the right as you go in the front door. This is a temporary solution for the next three months and both the CRA and the Post Office are working on finding a permanent solution within one of the village retailers. So far six have registered their interest.
It is imperative during the next three months that Chorleywood shows that it can support a successful and profitable post office. We are very much in a ‘Use it or Lose it’ phase. Businesses and residents alike, please be sure to use our Post Office as much as possible. We all know how our retailers have suffered since the closure of the old Post Office, due to a substantial decline in footfall in the village, so now is the time to support our entire village by supporting the Post Office.
The Post Office service includes mail services, withdrawals and payments across all major banks as well as payments and bill payments. Foreign currency can be purchased via the Post Office card.
Though many residents already know of the good news, there will undoubtedly be some who’ve not yet heard about our new facility. Please be sure to spread the great news amongst all your friends and family and encourage them to use it as much as possible. Since we’ve been without a Post Office, people will have developed new habits, but we hope they will now all return to using our own facility.
Kay Atwal, our new Post Mistress is delighted to be based in Lords and very much looks forward to seeing you all soon. She is open from 9am to 3pm Monday to Friday with the last collection being at 2pm, and open 9am to 12.30pm on Saturdays. If you have any questions about the services the PO offers, then please feel free to call Kay on 07394 910561.
If you are interested in being trained to work in the Post Office, then please email your CV to Elaine Ashcroft at elaineashcroft@interimenterprises.co.uk.
If you have any queries or suggestions, please contact Lisa@chorleywoodresidents.co.uk.
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Village Retailers' News
Did you know that…..
- You can order mouth-watering roast chickens from Higgins? You can pre-order any time before 9am on the day you wish to collect it, enjoy! Tel: 01923 282184.
- Exciting news, as from the middle of September, Lords will be selling Farrow & Ball paint. Their Summer Clearance has also started, don’t miss out! Tel: 01923 284232.
- The Tech ‘n’ Vape shop can repair phones, screens as well as selling chargers and cases. Tel: 01923 517007.
- Hannah’s Health and Beauty are now able to offer facials in line with Government guidelines. Tel: 01923 442255.
- If you are fortunate enough to be going abroad, Parade Pharmacy offer Travel Clinic services, vaccinations, medication etc. Tel: 01923 283449.
If you have other news about our local retailers for possible inclusion in a future newsletter, please let us know by emailing lisa@chorleywoodresidents.co.uk |
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Protect our Verges
We were pleased to report last month that many damaged verges have been restored after building works. We have also seen and heard from residents that damage is caused by repeated parking on our verges, especially when parents pick up or drop off children at schools. Parking on the verges is banned in most of Chorleywood, but it happens, and a few minutes twice every weekday soon turns a nice grass verge into an unsightly mud bath. This is certainly the case at Chorleywood Primary school, on both Stag Lane and the top of Rendlesham Way, and also on Green Street near the pedestrian entrance to St Clement Danes.
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The top of Rendlesham Way was restored by Herts County Council earlier this year. Now that the schools are about to go back, please can parents park on the roads, not the verges? It may mean parking a bit further away, but is the minute or two saved by parking on the verge really worth the unsightly damage it causes over time?
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Enjoying our Memorial Garden
 We've been heartened to see the Memorial Garden and bench at the corner of Shire Lane and The Parade being appreciated by so many residents this year. We received this delightful picture from two Chorleywood residents enjoying the bench overlooking the garden. They say “We have enjoyed so much the seat and garden so thoughtfully donated by the sons of Bob Wheeler, a gentleman born in Chorleywood in 1936. We observed the emergence of Spring in early lockdown, in the garden and the mature cherry tree with its blossom. We now enjoy the shade it provides, and watch as the garden responds to the tender care it receives. We now celebrate our emergence to Chorleywood being at its best. Such a caring community."
The Memorial Garden provides an ideal spot to take a break and enjoy the view while you are shopping locally to support our local shopkeepers and cafes. Use them or lose them!
Thanks to the generous donation from Bob Wheeler’s sons, CRA worked with Van Hague Garden Centre and Dixon’s Landscapes to create the Memorial Garden in Bob’s memory. We also took on the responsibility to maintain the garden, and past Chairman Owen Edis and Lisa Stewart have been doing the maintenance work ever since the lockdown started, when our previous contractor stopped the work on it.
We are also grateful to TRDC and Phil Williams for their help in connecting a water supply to our irrigation system, which we hope to see installed shortly. Once the irrigation is working and we’ve laid more wood-chip the garden should flourish and be easier to maintain.
Volunteers or offers to help provide an ongoing maintenance service would be very welcome! Please contact us via enquiries@chorleywoodresidents.co.uk if you would like to help.
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The Future of our Locally Listed Signal Box
 A few years ago, following concerns about the state of our locally listed station signal box, TfL had the outside weatherproofed and nicely painted in Met colours. In early 2019 some Chorleywood representatives met with TfL about possible uses for the Box, and TfL kindly arranged quotations for providing safe access from the platform and refurbishing the inside.
A small committee was formed to take this forward. We would like to get the community's view on possible uses of this listed building.
You can let us know what you think by completing this short survey. (Clicking the link will open a short survey form which will take only a few minutes to complete. Please remember to come back and read the rest of this newsletter.)
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Sunflowers in Chorleywood
 Many residents were delighted by the wonderful display of sunflowers in a field at the north-western corner of Carpenters Wood. The field is just under the Barrel Arch bridge at the end of a Carpenters Wood footpath along the back of the houses at the far end of Whitelands Avenue. The sunflowers were grown to feed wild birds this winter, and the farmer welcomed people into the field so long as no flowers were picked or litter left behind. Unfortunately, some visitors ignored the No Litter sign and left a lot of plastic bottles and rubbish which had to be cleared from the field ☹️
Many Chorleywood residents really enjoyed this wonderful display, and our garden birds will benefit this winter! Here’s hoping the litter will not put the farmer off (or recur), and that we are treated to another wonderful display in 2021.
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Litter in our open spaces
Since we’ve all had to stay closer to home this year and the weather has been obligingly sunny, it’s been heartening to see residents and visitors making the most of all our open spaces. Namely our wonderful Common, Philipshill Woods, Carpenters Wood, Chorleywood House Estate and the River Chess as well as the stunning sunflower field between the A404 and Carpenters Wood. However, a disappointing side effect of all this activity has been the amount of litter left behind in all these places. Plastic bottles have been dropped carelessly in Carpenters Wood and Chorleywood House Estate and picnic litter has been left down by the River Chess. It was particularly disappointing to see the farmer’s goodwill abused when rubbish was left in the sunflower field.
Sometimes visitors try to pack the rubbish into carrier bags and leave it, but this is not the answer. Foxes and other wildlife naturally disturb these bags and spread all this rubbish whilst looking for food. Not only does this create hideous litter, it can also be dangerous for wildlife as they consume plastic. We are fortunate enough to live in a beautiful part of the world, which will only remain as beautiful as we leave it. We implore all visitors to our wonderful countryside to take any litter home and dispose of it responsibly.
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The Great British Clean 2020
 The Great British Clean 2020 has been re-scheduled for 11th to 27th September after being cancelled earlier this year. Our local clean-up guru Bill Griffiths has recruited over 30 local volunteers to help with specific roads in Chorleywood. If you would like to take part in a clean-up, Bill can provide bags and litter picking equipment. He can be contacted by email on griffbg@hotmail.com.
Google the Great British September Clean website where you can input your postcode and find out what is happening in your area. In particular, one of Bill’s group, Nick Boon, is looking for help to litter pick Green Street. So if that appeals please contact Nick direct on boons79@gmail.com.
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Accidents in Chorleywood House Estate
Chorleywood House estate is a lovely open space, enjoyed by residents as a park and also for all the sporting and club activities that take place on the estate. If, unfortunately, you need to call the emergency services for any reason, please be aware that the entrance into Lady Ela Drive has a height barrier which may need to be raised for an emergency service vehicle to get in. The height barrier is common practice across parks and open spaces, as a protection against encampments or fly tipping in the grounds.
Keys to unlock the barrier are held by all the emergency services and by the clubs that use CWHE, the Chorleywood Parish Council office at the entrance, and the Friends of Chorleywood House Estate. Please tell the emergency call handler that there is a height barrier at the entrance, and ask them to bring their key or come prepared with equipment to cut the lock to gain access.
As you may know, some travellers broke the height barrier on Sunday 16th August and camped on the football fields. TRDC obtained an eviction order and they left on Thursday 20th.
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Fire risks on Chorleywood Common
Chorleywood Common was very dry recently, after the long hot spell, although it has now been refreshed with a lot of rain! One resident saw a lighted cigarette butt being discarded and was concerned about the increased risk of a fire. We contacted Chorleywood Parish Council about the risk - please note that fires and BBQs on the Common are prohibited at all times in the by-laws.
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Watford, Hemel and St Albans hospitals
Watford General Hospital has been given the go-ahead by the Dept of Health “to proceed to Outline Business Case (OBC) stage on the Trust’s Acute Hospital Transformation Project”. The Trust is to produce a short list of options including three based on Watford General but including projects at Hemel Hempstead and St Albans ranging from £350-£590 million (£540m plus £50m for Hemel Hempstead and St Albans City Hospital). The go-ahead letter warns that costings above £400 million might not be affordable post-Covid, nor is it likely more ambitious projects would be deliverable by the target of ~2025.
The Watford General website has detailed information about the redevelopment process. In particular go to https://www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk/about/redevelopment and scroll down to 'Further Information'. There is also information on how to participate in discussions. There are several separate campaign groups who have been lobbying for a number of years to have a completely new and more accessible Hospital built. If you Google 'Watford Hospital Campaign' you will find full information on them.
Whatever your views, if you want to participate in the debate now is the time to do so, by accessing the West Herts Hospitals website and / or write to our MP Gagan Mohindra to let him know your opinions on this important issue for our area.
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Brent Mullane's four 100-mile ULTRA Marathons in aid of Mission Employable
Local Chorleywooder, Brent, is running four 100-mile ULTRA Marathons in 4 months in aid of Mission EmployAble and the Pavilion Fund. Brent has already raised £3663.75 with the first, and will be running his second on 5th September covering 100 miles non-stop along the River Thames, London to Oxford, with a total climb of 1900ft within a 28hr time limit!
To support Brent reach his target of £28,000 you can DONATE NOW. Find out more including Incentives for supporting Brent and donating to Mission EmployAble on the Mission Employable website.
You are able to follow Brent's progress on Strava under the name of Burt Bang or at Centurion Running for live updates of all the races.
Mission Employable have indicated that Defra (the Department for environment, food and rural affairs) has given its unreserved permission for the building of the new Pavilion, which is exceptional for a structure on Common land.
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Barclays Bank
The Manager of Barclays in Rickmansworth has approached CRA about providing some services to Chorleywood residents. He has suggested some services, and would like your feedback to assess demand.
So please let us know if you might be interested by completing this short survey. (Clicking the link will open a short survey form which will take only a few minutes to complete. Please remember to come back and read the rest of this newsletter.)
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Chorleywood says goodbye to resident of "The Smallest House in Hertfordshire"
 Chorleywood has lost one of its well-known and popular characters, Mary Golden, who lived in "The Smallest House in Hertfordshire”. It’s on Common Road right opposite the Common, on the right near the top of Colleyland. Mary died last month aged 80, and was a great animal-lover. During her life she had many dogs which she trained and handled herself, both in the RAF and with the Protestor Removal Team at Greenham Common for the MOD.
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- If you are travelling on public transport please read and follow the Safer Travel Guidance provided by TfL.
- Entries for the DiggAble For Mission EmployAble Virtual Flower Show are open until 31st August 2020. Full details are at https://www.missionemployable.co.uk/virtual-flower-show.php
- Challenge yourself and raise money for charity by taking part in one of many challenges organised by The Countryside Charity starting with the Lake District Five Peaks Challenge on 2nd and 3rd October.
- See the COVID-19 page on our website for local and national information about Coronavirus. Links to Local Information and service updates:
- TRDC are offering support for all vulnerable people in Three Rivers. If you need support for food, essential supplies, walking a dog, or just need someone to talk to on a regular basis because you are on your own, register using the TRDC request support form or by ringing the Customer Service Centre on 01923 776611 (open Monday – Thursday 8.30-5.30, Friday 8.30-5.00, Saturday and Sunday CLOSED).
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