Welcome to the LOSRA Website
As with any other local neighbourhood, the policies and actions which affect the character and future of Lower Sunbury are generally framed and implemented by a combination of local and national government, along with the vested interests and market forces which operate within those frameworks. Lower Sunbury is by no means unique in being under threat from a creaking infrastructure brought about by rapid urban development, the growth of traffic, and other pressures affecting the quality of life and the character of the area.
Working with the local authorities, we see it as the responsibility of residents’ and amenity groups such as LOSRA to address the underlying issues which fundamentally affect their members’ lives, as well as the minutiae of everyday life with which such groups are often concerned.
Please sign up to receive our regular e-bulletins by subscribing via the facility at the top left hand of this page. It goes without saying that, without your continued support we would cease to function so we urge you to join, or renew your membership now Subscriptions (£5 per household) for 2024 are now payable.
Riverside Youth Theatre to Present 'Riverside Live' a Revue at St. Mary's Church, 2nd July
Friends of St Mary's invite you to a fun evening with the very talented Riverside Youth Theatre presenting 'Riverside Live' - a Revue, on Saturday 2nd July, 7.30pm in the Church.
£9 members & pre-booked, £10 on the door.
Box Office :01932 785035 & 78580.
AGM Chairman's Report for the Year
At the AGM on 22nd June a question was put to the Chairman regarding LOSRA's position on the inclusion of Spelthorne within the fare Zone 6 and with it, the facility for commuters to use the Oyster card at rail stations within the Borough.
We have not taken a proactive position on this issue as the 'Zone 6 campaign' group already exists. (scroll down to see article of 14th June). If you wish to attend the meeting on 7th July please be sure to register your interest by clicking on the link provided.
For those who were unable to attend the AGM you may read the Chairman's report by clicking here.
Calling all Artists! Sunbury Health Centre Wants to Display Your Work
Sunbury Health Centre offers an exciting opportunity as they plan to get ‘Arty’! Many of you will know about Sunbury Health Centre on Green Street in Sunbury and the drive the Practice and the Patient Participation Group (PPG) have been making over the past year or so to improve facilities and services. Their combined efforts are slowly beginning to pay off and there are many interesting changes and developments that have been made and planned for over the next few years. Patients are kept informed of changes through the Practice and PPG websites and three PPG Open Meetings a year.
One small step that is nearing completion is the re-furbishment of the Waiting Room. Once a poorly decorated room full of old and tired notice boards and mis-matched chairs, the area is now light, bright and professionally decorated. (The chairs are still a jumble of styles but the Practice and the PPG are working on that!). What’s needed now is a changing display of local artwork to fill the new white walls. The project will promote local artists, provide a therapeutic visual treat and may even raise some funds for future projects.
It is anticipated that work will be displayed for four months at a time. There will be no charge for displaying work but it is expected that artists will make a donation to the Practice for any work sold.
Interest is invited from individual artists and photographers as well as local art groups, organisations and schools. For further information on this exciting project, please contact the
PPG Chair, Neil Huntingford - Tel: 07973 124085 or email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
LOSRA AGM, 22nd June - Minutes of 2015 AGM and Statement of Accounts
We earnestly hope that you will be able to attend our AGM at 8pm on Wednesday at the Riverside Arts Centre, Thames Street when Dr Gill and Richard Fryer will be giving an update on the proposed improvements to our local health centre in Green Street.
If you are unable to attend you can see the minutes of the 2015 AGM by clicking here; and the statement of accounts by clicking here
Hugely Popular TV Comedy Allo Allo Comes to the RAC Stage 29th June - 2nd July
‘Listen very carefully, I will say this only once;’ yes there will be a stage production of the hugely popular TV comedy series ‘Allo Allo’. This is an exciting, ground-breaking joint venture between Manor Players and Shepperton Players who will go under the name of Riverside Players.
The performances will be held at the Riverside Arts Centre, Thames Street, from Wednesday from 29th June to Saturday July 2nd.
The stage version of ‘Allo ‘Allo follows the adventures of Rene, the hapless café’ owner in war torn occupied France, as he and his wife, Edith, struggle to keep for themselves a priceless portrait stolen by the Nazis and kept in a sausage in their cellar. Rene is hiding two British airmen and is endeavouring with the help of the Resistance, to repatriate them.
However, communications with London through a wireless disguised as a cockatoo add to the many embarrassments he endures in the company of his patrons. Matters come to a head with the news that the Fuhrer is to visit the town and the café becomes filled with tricksters intending to impersonate Hitler before the event. Rene will need all the wit he can muster to save his café and his life….
Tickets are already on sale. Call the Box Office 0777 145 8696 or book using your credit card via our website www.sunburyriverside.co.uk
Oyster Card for Sunbury? - Public Meeting on 7th July
A strong campaign team consisting of County and Borough Councillors, members of the Spelthorne Business Forum, our MP and passionate supporters, are currently in discussion with the two train companies to have been short-listed to run the rail franchise (which is up for renewal in 2017), together with Transport for London (TFL) and the Ministry of Transport.
The campaign group has over 4,000 signatures and will be holding a public meeting at the Thomas Knyvett College, Stanwell Road, Ashford, TW15 3DU on 7th July at 7.30pm; inviting the press, representatives from the education authorities, the rail companies, business and entertainment companies and Spelthorne residents.
Sunbury residents are invited to attend and are asked to register their attendance via the Eventbrite web site to be found at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. where they can also find more information about the Zone 6 campaign, answer a few questions on Surveymonkey which will be addressed at the meeting, as well as signing the petition.
The Campaign group has already received an email from a Sunbury resident supportive of the campaign, who described how she and other friends and neighbours travel out of their way to avoid paying the expensive fares from Sunbury station into London. That email is not untypical of many others received.
More...
Spelthorne in Bloom - Best Riverside Garden Competition
Squires, the sponsors of Spelthorne in Bloom, wish to increase the number of entries in the category of Best Riverside Garden.
The River Thames runs through our borough from Staines to Lower Sunbury and the judges have decided that the best way of finding a winner is to judge the entries from the river.
If you live on the river and would like to enter your riverside garden into the competition please click here to read the letter to residents; and the application form which, after printing off, must be returned by Friday 24th June.
The Acoustic Strawbs Come to SCC on 17th June
The next Music Night at Sunbury Cricket Club falls on Friday 17th June, when the Club welcomes The Acoustic Strawbs. The Club has had some pretty big names play at their Music Nights over the years, but the Strawbs certainly count among the most illustrious, having had big hits and released a string of important albums during their heyday in the ‘70s.
They started life in Strawberry Hill as a bluegrass band, and became a hugely successful folk-prog rock group in the ‘70s with hits like “Lay Down” and “Part Of The Union”, and albums like “Bursting At The Seams” and Hero & Heroine”, voted by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the best 50 prog rock albums of all time.
A host of major names passed through their ranks over the years, and we will feature their acoustic line-up, comprising members from among their most successful incarnations — Dave Cousins, Chas Cronk and Dave Lambert.
There’s plenty of absorbing info at www.strawbsweb.co.uk.
Patients' Participation Group Meeting, Monday 6th June
The next open meeting of the Patients' Participation Group will be held at the Sunbury Health Centre from 6.30pm - 7.30pm on Monday 6th June.
The meeting, which has previously generated much positive feedback will, as before, be of limited duration and those wishing to attend may like to refer to the latest set of minutes from the Core Group for an update.
Celebrate the Queen's 90th Birthday in Conjunction with Sunbury Open Gardens, 12th June
A full day's programme of events including the annual Open Gardens, marching bands, morris dancing, boat rides on the river and children's activities is promised on a day to celebrate the Queen's 90th Birthday on Sunday 12th June.
Held once a year the Sunbury Open Gardens event allows Sunbury’s keen gardeners to share their passion and generate vital funds for various charities. This year they’re supporting St Mary’s Church and the Princess Alice Hospice.
Everyone is invited to come along and have a nosey around the gardens. There will be coffee, tea and cakes, a raffle, plant and book sales, ploughman’s lunch and free activities on offer. See sunburyopengardens.co.uk for further details.
Altogether, it should be a fun-filled day with something for all generations.
Plastic Bags Can Be Re-used for Food Waste
From 1 June 2016 Spelthorne residents will be able to use plastic bags to line their food waste caddy. New machinery splits and removes the bags which are then taken to the energy from waste plant to be turned in to electricity.
Residents have told the Council that compostable liners are expensive and can tear or leak. Plastic bags are stronger which makes it easier, cleaner and cheaper to recycle food. Old shopping bags, pedal bin liners or salad, cereal and bread bags can be used, but not black bin bags. Newspaper and compostable liners can still be used too.
This advance in technology also means smelly food can be tied up in a plastic bag and put straight in the outside food waste bin. Check the bag has no holes for food to leak out of. Any bags you cannot use for your food waste need to go in your rubbish bin.
All cooked and uncooked food waste can go in your caddy, including tea bags, eggshells, meat bones, mouldy bread, vegetable peelings and food that's past its 'use by' date. Please don't put any liquids, such as milk or oil in your caddy or food packaging. If the food packaging can be recycled, please rinse it and put it in your recycling bin.
If everyone in Surrey put all their food waste in their caddies, we could save taxpayers more than £3 million a year. If you need a replacement caddy, contact Customer Services on 01784 451499 or for more information visit www.spelthorne.gov.uk/food-waste.
Cattle Return to Sunbury Park
Following generally positive feedback to the Council after a trial last year, the cattle, which had been expected to return in April, are finally back in Sunbury Park.
The eight Aberdeen Angus are provided with a permanent water supply and a large kissing gate has been installed at the Green Street entrance.
(See previous item of 29th November 2015 www.losra.org/item/721-sunbury-park-cattle-grazing-feedback).
LOSRA AGM Newsletter Out Now
Our AGM newsletter will be distributed to households in Lower Sunbury from 2nd June. The AGM itself will be held at 8pm on Wednesday 22nd June when we will welcome Richard Fryer and Dr Gill to give a presentation on plans for the Sunbury Health Centre.
A New Mayor for Spelthorne
Our local Sunbury East Councillor, Alfred Friday was elected as the new Mayor for Spelthorne at the Annual Council Meeting held on Thursday 19 May. Cllr Vivienne Leighton was elected as Deputy Mayor.
Cllr Friday was first elected to the Council in May 2011, representing the Sunbury East ward. He is married to Kaye and has a daughter and two granddaughters. The family have lived in Sunbury since 1983.
A professional charity fundraiser until his retirement in 2012, Cllr Friday is interested in all things automotive. Kaye is an actress, dancer and model and has a strong interest in the performing arts.
During his term as Mayor, Cllr Friday will be supporting the following charities:-
- Parkinson’s UK: the Staines-upon-Thames branch offers information, friendship and support to local people with Parkinson’s, their families and carers. They help suffers meet other people affected by the condition and also organise regular events and social activities.
- One-to-One: a friendly hardworking charity that arranges social activities for adults with learning disabilities in North West Surrey.
- Home-Start Spelthorne: one of the leading family support charities in the UK, Homestart helps families with young children cope with challenges and build better lives. Families struggling with post-natal depression, isolation, health problems, bereavement and other issues are also supported.
Speaking during the meeting, Cllr Friday said: “Thank you ladies and gentlemen of Spelthorne Council for electing me as your Mayor this evening and I will do all within my power to repay that trust. We are proud to live in a wonderful borough that has busy, prosperous towns, that is blessed with a lovely river, pretty villages and lively communities. There are hidden gems like St Marys Church in Stanwell with its twisted spire and Sunbury’s Walled Garden. Kaye and I look forward to making ourselves known to all of you as well as representing Spelthorne to the wider world. ‘Let’s make Spelthorne sparkle’ is going to be the theme for my mayoral year.”
