Clandon Wood was officially opened by the Mayor of Guildford in June 2013 and is thirty one acres of native wildflower meadows with hundreds of yards of hedgerow, a wetland and a new lake in the centre. This delightful patch of land in the Surrey Hills is dedicated to the emotional responsibility of natural burial and has an environmental framework to support as many diverse ecosystems as possible.

Natural burial creates new sustainable environments for wildlife. Considered and traditional land management practices enable the land to be used for burials whilst creating a beneficial, natural resource for nature. The site is managed sustainably to encourage wildlife and is providing vital habitats for a number of wildlife species including rare skylarks that are nationally in decline and on the IUCN Red Species list, as well as the Small Blue butterfly (Cupido Minimus) that is rare in Surrey.

Using traditional woodland management practices, the developing woodland will become productive, securing its future and flourishing for generations to come. Recently planted native trees include oak, beech, hornbeam, lime and silver birch, which create a young flourishing woodland. Plus there are over forty eight species of wildflowers and grasses that give a flowering season well into the autumn, whilst the lake and wetland nourish the aquatic plants that balance and stabilise the water quality.

Natural preparation and traditional management techniques nurture and safeguard the landscapes of Clandon Wood so that they will endure long into the future. Authentic working practices maintain the meadow and after the flowers and grasses have seeded, the meadows are mown and cleared of hay, with sheep then grazing over winter in preparation for the next spring growth.

There are now over 300 natural burial grounds in the UK, but with a beautiful glass-walled pavilion and finely-appointed facilities to support funeral and memorial services, Clandon Wood offers a wholly natural alternative to conventional funerals.

Fran Hall, Operations Manager at Clandon Wood has said, “It is really important to us that Clandon Wood is recognised as a mainstream alternative choice for bereaved families, as natural burial is still sometimes seen as rather a ‘new age’ option. Natural burial provides an obvious solution to the growing shortage of burial space in local authority cemeteries and is a really responsible and ecologically sound alternative to cremation.”

Article images provided by Dani Maimone

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Barracuda Summer Holiday Activity Camps
Locations in Woking, Ripley and Godalming
July 25 to August 19 8.30am to 5.30pm or 8am to 6pm (extended hours)

Barracuda’s Summer Activity Camps offer a wide range of sporting, arts & crafts, science, high adrenaline activities such as climbing walls and many other great stuff for children aged over 4 and are also high. The camps are ideal to enhance their skills, learn new ones and make new friends.

Places can be booked on a weekly basis (£154) or daily basis (£39). Book at https://www.barracudas.co.uk/summer-camps

Barracuda are registered with OFSTED and recently received an “Outstanding” award.

Creative Arts Week
G Live
August 1 to August 5 10am to 4pm

Gain new skills, improve existing ones, and make some new like-minded friends this summer. G Live is collaborating with The Boileroom, The Yvonne Arnaud and Guildford Shakespeare Company to make our most exciting programme yet!

This action-packed week may include activities such as drama, comedy, stage combat, special effects make-up, creative crafts and many more…

This 5 day course runs from 10am-4pm each day, with a chance to show parents a range of skills learned on the Friday afternoon.

Suitable for ages 7 to 11.

Price: £150 for the week, £120 sibling discount

Booking at http://www.glive.co.uk

Summer Nights Open-Air Cinema at Wisley
RHS Wisley
July 15 and July 16. Doors open 7.30pm, film starts around 9.45

Outdoor screenings of The Martian (12A) and Dirty Dancing (12A) in the relaxing surroundings of the gardens.

Tickets: £13 (£11pp for groups of 4+) from http://summernightsfilm.co.uk/venues/rhs-garden-wisley/

Rocket Science at Wisley
RHS Wisley
July 23 to August 31 10.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 4.30pm

Each week of Rocket Science covers a theme based on a different aspect of space such as stars, gravity and growing plants in space. All activities  are free every day with normal garden admission. Longer craft and cookery sessions on Tuesdays are bookable and chargeable (around £10) with limited spaces.

Full details of each week’s activities can be found on the RHS Wisley website

Wings and Wheels
Dunsfold Aerodrome
August 27 and 28

Dunsfold Aerodrome is the home to Top Gear and the Wings & Wheels show returns for the 12th time.

The air displays have previously included the Red Arrows, Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and Apache helicopters. The Wheels Zone features  supercars, interactive displays from clubs and a stunt zone.

Tickets from £22 for adults, £50 for family, £7 for children aged 5 to 15 years.

Full details and booking at http://www.wingsandwheels.net/

Wild Wood Adventure
Peacock Wood, Guildford

Take to the trees and negotiate rope bridges, wobbly crossing and zip wires all whilst safely clipped in. There are two different courses depending on age with the Wild Kids course suitable for ages 6 to 12.

Wild Kids course £17.50 all ages. Wild Wood Adventure £30 adults, £20 children

More information and booking at http://www.wildwood-adventure.com/ .

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In the UK any dentist can call themselves an ‘orthodontist’ even if they have no specialist qualification. Only those clinicians with recognised specialist training can be listed on the General Dental Council’s Specialist Register and call themselves ‘Specialist Orthodontists’.

TheOrthodontist.com_Q&A from VisionTrust on Vimeo.

Take a look at the video to find out more… Enjoy, and please share!

Walpole – The Orthodontic Specialists, have been the leader for Teeth Straightening and Cosmetic Smiles for over forty years, responsible for creating the best smiles in Surrey.

More information about Walpole – The Orthodontic Specialists can be found at http://myorthodontist.co.uk/

The post Local Orthodontist Warns Against Using Non-Specialists appeared first on This is Our Town Guildford.

Click the event names for more information and to get tickets this weekend.

Max & Ivan: The End
G Live
Friday 8pm

Welcome to Sudley-on-Sea. Take a look around. You don’t have long. Seriously.

Foster’s Edinburgh Comedy Award winners and Melbourne Barry Award nominees Max and Ivan (BBC One’s W1A, BBC Radio 4’s Casebook of Max and Ivan) embark on their first UK tour to tell an epic narrative sketch comedy tale about the hopes, fears and dreams of a doomed town.

Directed by Tom Parry. Tickets cost £13.

Sweet Charity
Yvonne Arnaud
Saturday 2.30pm and 8pm

Have you ever known a girl who wanted something so badly, that she tried too hard to get it?

Performance Preparation Academy present Sweet Charity which follows the misadventures of love encountered by the gullible and guileless Charity Hope Valentine; a woman who always gives her heart and her dreams to the wrong man! Though she dreams of meeting the right man and settling down, she keeps lavishing her affections on losers.

Her luck starts to change when she meets a suave Italian movie star, but things really start to look rosy when she runs into a nerdy but sweet guy in a night-school elevator. Could this finally be her Prince (more or less) Charming?

Sweet Charity features many musical hits including Hey, Big Spender, If My Friends Could See Me Now and The Rhythm of Life.

Tickets cost from £15 to £23.50.

Vivace Chorus: Chantez! A Night of French Music
G Live
Saturday 7.30pm

It’s difficult to beat the romance and beauty of the French composers Fauré, Ravel, Massenet and Franck. In this programme, the Vivace Chorus bring together some of the French composers’ best work in a celebration of French music, including the much-loved Panis Angelicus and Cantique de Jean Racine, and finishing with possibly the best-loved Requiem in the repertoire: the beautiful Requiem by Gabriel Fauré.

Tickets cost £15 to £29, students get in for £10.

Comedy Club 4 Kids
G Live, Bellerby Studio
Saturday 3pm

The Comedy Club 4 Kids is cracking entertainment for anyone aged over 6. It features some of the best comedians performing their routines with all the rude bits cut out.

Tickets: £10 or £7.75 per person for a family of four.

A Matter of Life and Death
Guildhall Library
11am to 4.45pm Monday to Saturday until June 25

An exhibition explaining the story of the plague which killed almost 100,000 people in the City of London. It explains what you can learn from Guildford Library’s extensive plague.

Free Admission.

RHS Wisley
Woking
Monday to Friday 10am to 6pm, Saturday and Sundays 9am to 6pm

Wisley is a large and diverse garden covering 240 acres. In addition to numerous formal and informal decorative gardens, several glasshouses and an extensive arboretum, it includes small scale “model gardens” which are intended to show visitors what they can achieve in their own gardens, and a trials field where new cultivars are assessed.

Adults £14.50, Children £7.25

Punk Rock Yoga
The Boileroom
Saturday 10am

Punk Rock Yoga classes are dynamic and designed to allow you to let go of the stress from the week and bring you to stillness and clarity to start your weekend. The music ranges from acoustic punk to hardcore, as well as throwing in some ambient and oriental inspired songs for sequences. The classes aim to work on body, mind and spirit to improve strength and flexibility, create core stability and build a heightened feeling of positivity and empowerment.

The yoga taught is called Dru Yoga which is described as ‘stillness in motion’. Entry to a session costs £13.

Guildford Castle
10am to 5pm (last admission 4.30pm)

Explore the great history and take in the wonderful views from the top of the castle which has stood in the town for almost 1000 years.

You can find out more about the castle by clicking here. Admission costs adults £3.20, children/concessions £1.60.

The post Weekend Guide 21/5 – 22/5 appeared first on This is Our Town Guildford.

On average 87 people are diagnosed with epilepsy every day and around 1 in 100 people in the UK have been diagnosed with epilepsy.

As a sufferer of the condition I am aware of the stigma attached with epilepsy. I was teased about it at school and was even told I had the devil inside me but laughed it off although inside it hurt.

The aim of National Epilepsy Week is to elevate understanding of the condition. Not just the physical symptoms but that the fact that someone who you think might be rude and ignoring you may in fact be having an absence seizure.

A couple of years ago there was an incident in which a bus driver refused to accept a passenger’s disabled bus pass because they had no obvious disability and wasn’t carrying any money to pay the fare. There was uproar amongst the passengers and they paid the fare for her.

It’s because of cases like this that people performing public roles, as well as members of the public, should be trained properly and made aware of other conditions such as epilepsy that are regarded as disabilities but which aren’t obvious because of a lack of physical symptoms.

Here’s a reminder of a course of action to take if you see someone having a seizure:

What to do when you see someone having a seizure

• DO NOT restrain them in any way.
• Put them in the recovery position. This will prevent fluid from getting into the lungs.
• Make the surroundings are as safe as possible. Remove any sharp objects from the immediate area. Supporting the sufferer with pillows or a coat will help ensure no further injury is sustained.
• DO NOT put anything into the sufferers mouth, this could result in being bitten or the sufferer vomiting.
• If someone has a fit in public, don’t allow a large crowd to gather. When the person recovers from the seizure they will normally be unaware of what’s happened and seeing a large number of people staring at them could be very distressing. At least two people should remain with the patient. One to monitor the patient and another to go and summon help from someone trained in first aid or other medical professional if one is available.

An ambulance should be called if the seizure lasts for over 5 minutes, especially after emergency medication has been administered or the sufferer is having trouble breathing.  This means the patient is in status epilepticus and requires immediate medical attention. An increased heart rate for a prolonged period of time can cause cardiac arrest and could even lead to brain damage.

Some people don’t even have any physical symptoms when they are having a seizure. These are called absence seizures. People may appear to be rude if they ignore you or stare blankly into space. It could be the case that they’re having a seizure like the person in the video below.

Take the Epilepsy Action Mythbusters Quiz here: https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/e-learning/2013-05-mythbusters-quiz/story.html

For more information about epilepsy and what to do if you see someone having a seizure, please visit the Epilepsy Action website at http://www.epilepsy.org.uk

By Chris Kent

Image copyright Epilepsy Action 2016

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Spring is definitely erm, springing? I love this time of year, hopefully the rain will stop soon and we can enjoy some golden sunshine. I’m still knitting, planning my collection for next autumn/winter in sumptuous merino wool, but more of that later in the year. As we are heading out of winter I thought I would take a slight departure from knitting to talk about home dressmaking. It’s enjoying a real resurgence in popularity right now and you can see one of my first attempts at dressmaking (above), with one of my scarves ready for photographing in my studio.

When it’s too hot to be sat under a pile of wool, my other passion is sewing. Anything, from dresses to cushion covers, patchwork to upcycling old jeans! And The Great British Sewing Bee has started again (BBC 2 Tuesday 8pm), yay! I get to bliss out, salivating at their haberdashery and fabric collection plus have the chance to shout at the telly “Noooooooo you don’t do it like THAT!” It’s a win, win situation. Throw in a glass of wine or a slice of cake and I’m in an hour of self-indulgent heaven. If only I could watch it in the bath, hmmmm.

My mother was a keen sewer, back in the days before cheap supermarket clothing. A time when making your own clothes was not only a creative outlet of self-expression, but also made financial sense. She passed on some skills and my first ever Saturday job was in a (now long gone) fabric shop in Farnham. One thing hasn’t changed though – if you make your own clothes you can get them to fit you exactly! No more trousers dragging in the mud, unflattering hem lengths on skirts or uncomfortably low necklines.

In Guildford town centre, C&H Crafts and Home in Tunsgate have dressmaking patterns, fabrics and haberdashery. There are some supplies in Pandora and the nearby Cath Kidston sells her fabric off the roll upstairs. Hansson Silks also sells quality silks but you might want to choose an easier fabric to work with, like cotton, if you are just starting out on your sewing journey.

There is a multitude of fabric suppliers on-line. You can’t feel the fabric before you buy, but the range of fabrics available is amazing! Try the Fabric Rehab website HERE for a great range of retro, modern and funky fabrics.

I suggest a simple skirt pattern as a starting point for a newbie sewer. Look for one that says ‘easy’ or ‘quick sew’. Then is the fun bit – choosing your fabric. Let your inner fashion designer free. Go with what you love and think will suit you as a skirt! I know that seems obvious, but it’s very easy to get carried away when confronted with a gorgeous spring green fabric. But if spring green doesn’t suit you, you’ll never wear it!

If you are buying in a shop then the assistant should be able to advise if your fabric choice will work with your pattern. I’ve never met anyone working within fabric that doesn’t LOVE the opportunity to pass on some of his or her hard earned experience and knowledge. Then kindly ask them to look over the pattern once more and make sure you have everything you need before you head home. Trust me, there is nothing more annoying than sitting down to start a project just to realise you don’t have the right colour thread or you’ve forgotten the Vilene.

Then just practise! There is a vast amount of information and advice to be found online, plus some sewing tutorials. Remember you can always unpick any mistakes and try again. If only everything in life was that simple…

Rebecca Symonds

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For more information about an activity and to book, just click its name where applicable.

Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt
Hatchlands Park, East Clandon, Guildford, GU4 7RT
March 25 to 28 from 11am to 3.30pm

Venture out into the park and gardens and follow the trails to find clues which you must use to solve the riddles in order to claim delicious Cadbury’s prizes.

Children’s Easter Egg Hunt
Painshill, Portsmouth Road, Cobham, KT11 1JE
March 27 to 28, 10am to 4pm

Explore the magical landscape garden of Painshill in the hunt for egg-shaped clues that will lead you to glory and some chocolatey rewards. Entry is included in the normal price of admission.

Easter Activities at Winkworth Arboretum:
Winkworth Arboretum, Hascombe Road, Godalming, Surrey, GU8 4AD

Easter Egg Trail
March 27 and 28 10.30am to 4pm

Follow the trail of the Easter Bunny around the arboretum and win yourself some chocolatey treats once you’ve finished. Special activities for children such as face painting will also be available to children.

Suitable for children of all ages, booking not required but general admission plus a £3 ticket price per trail apply.

Outdoor Adventure Session for Kids, Mums and Dads
March 30, April 6 from 1.30pm to 2.30pm

Get ready for an adventure in the beautiful outdoors of the arboretum, bird watching, bug hunting and observing the differences in the seasons. Along the way you will gather natural materials found in the area which you will use to end the session with a crafting activity.

Suitable for under 5s. Booking is essential and can be done so by calling 01483 208936. Price per child is £5 plus general admission. Dogs on leads welcome.

Easter at Guildford Spectrum Centre:
Guildford Spectrum Leisure Complex, Parkway, Guildford, Surrey GU1 1UP

‘Frozen’ Theme Workshop
April 1 and 6 at 1.15pm and 2.30pm

Recreate the magic from the film the stormed the nation, Frozen, through acting, singing and dancing. Learn and create your own dances in this wintery wonderland complete with ‘snow’.

The 1.15pm time slot is Suitable for 3 to 5s, 2.30pm for over 5s. Entry costs £6.20, book at the customer service desk or by calling 01483 443322 option 4.

Synergy Dance® Workshops: Star Wars Theme
April 4 at 1.15pm and 2.30pm

If your kids love Star Wars then head down this dance workshop where they may learn the way of the force through a mix of dance and combat moves. Polish up on their lightsaber skills and dance to iconic songs of Star Wars. Dress up them up as their favourite character and head on a dance adventure through the most memorable locations, battles and atmosphere of Star Wars.

The 1.15pm time slot is Suitable for 3 to 5s, 2.30pm for over 5s. Book at the customer service desk or by calling 01483 443322 option 4.

Xtreme Activate
Throughout the Easter break

Many exciting activities await to activate your children to the extreme; Ice skating, bowling, swimming, trampolining, track time, arts and crafts and much more. Prices and times for the activities vary and can be seen by clicking here and visiting page 5.

Suitable for 5 to 12 year olds. Contact 01483 443322 for more information about the activities on offer and booking.

Guildford Museum: The First Easter Bunny
Guildford Museum, Castle Arch, Quarry Street, Guildford GU1 3SX
April 5, 11am to 1pm

Many of us celebrate Easter in one way or another, but have you ever wondered why we eat eggs and why – of all creatures – the Easter Bunny brings them to us? This fascinating exhibit brings the ancient origins of Easter to light as you listen to the stories of the goddess Oestre and follow the trail of the Easter Bunny around the museum – you might even find some treats along the way!

This event is suitable for children aged six years and over. Tickets are £3 per child, to book your place on this event, please call 01483 44751.

The post Family Days Out Over the Easter Holiday appeared first on This is Our Town Guildford.

Treasure Island
Onslow Village Hall, Guildford
March 29 to April 1, 10am to 3.15pm with the final performance on Friday at 3.15pm

Get acting with four great days of drama workshops, rehearsing the beloved swashbuckling adventure, Treasure Island. Along with honing their acting skills and dressing up as sailors of the seven seas, they can enjoy plenty of fun games, ending with an afternoon performance for all the family to see.

Suitable for 7-11 year olds. The workshop costs £125 per child (£100 for additional siblings). Download the application form by clicking here.

Fun In The School Holidays (FISH)
Kings College School, Southway, Guildford GU2 8DU
Tuesday 29 March to Friday 1 April

FISH is an action packed way to enjoy the holiday and stay active, try new activities, make friends and pick up some new skills. This Easter holiday they will also be holding a street party style celebration for the Queen’s 90th birthday.

Suitable for 10 to 16 year olds. You can book by clicking here. The standard week costs £30, the extended week £42. Concessionary rates are available for families in receipt of benefits and additional support is available for young people with a disability or special needs.

Challengers Guildford Playscheme
Challengers Playcentre, Stoke Park, Guildford, GU1 1TU
March 30 to April 9

A great playscheme with plenty of fun and exciting things for disabled children to enjoy. Challengers Guildford centre is dedicated to being a place for disabled children to play in and features a sensory room, large outdoor space, soft play, art room and large play floor.

Suitable for 4 to 12 year olds. Book online by clicking here, or call the team at 01483 230 588.

Wild Easter Activity Camp for Kids
Painshill, Portsmouth Road, Cobham, KT11 1JE
Tuesday 29 March to Friday 1 April, and Monday 4 to Friday 8 April

Ready yourselves for a whole week of adventure in the great outdoors where you will be bushwhacking, bivouac building, making mud sculpture and more. See the full list of activities on the site

Days cost £40 individually or £170 for the full week. Click here for more information and to book online or book by calling 01932 868113

SCL’s Club Energy
Bushy Hill Junior School, Sheeplands Avenue, Guildford, GU1 2SG
March 29 to April 1 and April 4 to April 8, 9am to 4.30pm

Having recently obtained a Grade 1 Outstanding rating from OFSTED, you know your kids will find something they love at the diverse Club Energy. The multi-activity club features activities such as Street Dance, Tag Rugby, Arts & Crafts, Gymnastics, Cake Decorating and much more.

Suitable for 4 to 12 year olds. You can book by clicking here or call 0845 6445747.

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