Brookwood Village News

Volume 22   Issue 11   September 2002

The following comes from Robert and Rosalind Plowright with our full support. We must all care about this problem.

Wildlife on the Canal
It can hardly have escaped anyone's notice that the female swan died recently, following entanglement a day or so earlier in fishing tackle, complete with hook. The deep sadness at her loss has increasingly given way to frustration at the continuing quantities of broken fishing tackle being found. Following the article (prompted by Mac Fryatt) on the front page of the Woking Review after the swan's death, we followed this up and the paper was keen to give its support. They did a front-page article a week or so about the issue of anglers' behaviour and the amount of broken fishing tackle we collected on one short trip. Peter Bickford, the local canal ranger, has also collected quantities of broken fishing tackle on many occasions.

Following an alert from Kathryn Dodington on the Bank Holiday Monday, that one of the cygnets was now caught up in yet more fishing tackle, on this occasion the outcome was a happy one - the cygnet eventually freed itself, Swan Rescue checked it out and it seemed OK. We then borrowed Eunice Hawkins's pram dinghy again and made another sweep. The distressingly copious quantity of broken fishing tackle collected this time (again 90% round the bay), is going on display in Andrea Zing's shop (Suds & Scissors), replacing our first collection.
Peter Bickford, who has been waging a campaign to protect the wildlife and educate anglers and angling societies for some years, is shortly going to take the matter up (complete with our joint collections of broken fishing tackle) at the next meeting of the canal's environmental working group. The article in the Review has since been re-run (with variations) in the News & Mail (following a blip in the Review's delivery system, when many Brookwood residents never received it!) and another is about to appear in one or other paper. We appreciate this support.
· Peter Bickford is the Ranger for the stretch of the canal from Brookwood right down to Woking. If anyone needs to contact him and he's not on our stretch at that moment, the best way is via the Canal Centre on 01252 - 370073.
· If anyone sees a swan caught up or damaged in any way, please call Swan Rescue on 01483 - 765108 (or failing them, Peter Bickford). Please do not attempt to capture or disentangle a swan yourself; leave it to the considerable expertise of Swan Rescue.
· If you see broken fishing tackle on the Brookwood stretch, let either us (or failing us, Peter) know and we will try to retrieve it as soon as possible (tel: 01483 - 476735).
For the moment at least, "maintenance" may be the best we can do to help "Bert" and the 2 rather small cygnets survive, while we try to work for a better long term solution.

HANGING BASKETS The mystery of the origin of the replaced hanging baskets in Connaught Road has been resolved. It was none other than WOKING BOROUGH COUNCIL, bless them! What about that! The baskets have been provided by a company from Derbyshire (you know, north of Watford) and they water them regularly. They don't actually come down to do this but have a local operative who does the necessary for Woking generally. The company won the tender and it seems largely because they were not only more economical than other offers but local nurseries didn't want the maintenance job. Most of the cost of the hanging baskets in Woking is being met from sponsors. Our Derby friends apparently do this work for a number of local authorities in the south. Naturally, we are all delighted and hope the sponsors feel it is worth continuing to support WBC in this way.

Mike Robinson Mike Robinson of Sheets Heath died on 20th July. He was a kind and helpful man who pursued a wide range of activities and interests, many of them for the benefit of others. Football refereeing, Chairman and Treasurer of the Cricket Club, music, history and there were many other aspects to his life. A sad loss. And as we return from holiday we learn of two more deaths. In August, Derek Holmes of Heath Drive and Olwen Hockley of Connaught Road, both long term residents in the Village. Our condolences go to their families.

The A322 over the Basingstoke Canal was reopened on 3 September following nearly two weeks of 24 hour working by the contractor, McAlpines. To allow the demolition of the existing deck to take place over two nights without affecting the well-being of local residents, those who lived close to the bridge were put up in the Holiday Inn in central Woking. All day and night working then continued as necessary to allow the placing of new bridge beams before they were overlain by steel and concrete.

Now that the A322 has reopened the contractor will work Monday to Friday (07.00 to 19.00) and Saturday (08.00 to 18.00) to ensure that the works are completed by early November. This is a later finish than originally anticipated but unforeseen delays have resulted, particularly because of problems with the Statutory Authorities (eg cable company and BT). We must therefore expect that traffic delays will continue at times as the contractors try to keep to the new deadline.

Both the County Council and the contractor thank local residents, and in particular those living close to the works, for their continued patience.

Knaphill and St. Johns Operatic Group (KASJOG) Present A Musical Journey With Songs from the Shows Saturday 12th October Memorial Hall Brookwood 7.30pm Tickets £7 from Mac Fryatt - call 473246 Bring you Own Bottle Sit at tables with your friends

777 SEVENS TAXIS Now based in Bisley NRA Can take you anywhere anytime! Heathrow, Gatwick, Cruise ship, Theatre,even shopping! 5 / 7 seater and other vehicles available Ring 01483 481111 Booking essential

We'd like some more sponsors please so if you have a birthday, an anniversary, a business or just feel generous, book your entry with Mac Fryatt - ring 473246. A tenner reaches all of Brookwood and a few places beyond!