Welcome to the LOSRA Website
Like any local community, the policies and decisions shaping the character and future of Lower Sunbury are influenced by a combination of local and national government initiatives, alongside market forces and vested interests operating within these frameworks. As with many areas, Lower Sunbury faces challenges stemming from an aging infrastructure, rapid urban development, increasing traffic congestion, and other pressures that impact both quality of life and the distinctive character of the neighbourhood.
In collaboration with local authorities, other residents’ associations and amenity groups, LOSRA plays a vital role in addressing fundamental issues that affect its members' lives. This organisation not only engages with broader strategic concerns but also focuses on the everyday matters that shape community well-being.
To stay informed, we encourage you to subscribe to our regular e-bulletins via the link at the top left of this page. Your continued support is essential to our efforts, and we urge you to join or renew your membership. Subscriptions for 2026 are now payable at £5 per household. Donations are also welcome.
Read our Autumn 2014 Newsletter Here
Our Autumn Newsletter has been sent to the printers and we expect it back for house to house delivery in about a week's time. You may also read it on line by clicking here.
The Association is always looking for volunteers to assist with distribution. If you think you can help or would like to know more, please contact our Secretary, Colleen Cuthbert. Her details are shown under 'LOSRA Commitee' at the bottom of the last page.
Albert Skinner Jazz Night at Sunbury Cricket Club, 7th November
The next Music Night is in two weeks’ time on Friday 7th November, and it’s really a very important gig for the Club, and rather different from our normal run of Music Nights. We are absolutely delighted to welcome the great British jazz musician, drummer and bandleader TONY KINSEY, who is, of course a Sunbury resident of over 50 years standing.
He appears with his Quartet at one of our occasional presentations in the series of Albert Skinner Jazz Nights – for those of you who are not long-time Sunbury residents, Albert was our long-time postmaster and newsagent, who was a real pillar of the community in Lower Sunbury and a friend to everybody in the community. Albert died a few years ago, and as he was an avid and knowledgeable jazz fan, a group of us in the community decided to commemorate him with jazz nights from time to time, and Tony has been a key part of these occasions.
Tony is one of the most important and influential personalities in British jazz – his career goes back to the late ‘40s when he was in John Dankworth’s innovative band, before leading his own bands as he held down residencies at Studio 51 and The Flamingo for over a decade, with many of the UK’s leading musicians passing through his ranks. He is one of the true luminaries of the genre, whose career has encompassed gigs with major artists like Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Oscar Peterson, plus TV and film composition and compositions for his renowned big band. More recently he has composed highly-regarded contemporary classical works.
As one would expect, his Quartet features some the top musicians in British jazz, with John Horler on piano, Alex Dankworth on bass and Sam Mayne on alto sax. Even if you’re not a dyed-in-the-wool jazz buff, if you are any kind of fan of quality music, this is highly accessible stuff, with fine ensemble playing as well as free-flowing improvisations from some of the best exponents of the genre.
Despite being a well-known local personality, Tony plays in Sunbury relatively rarely, and this a great opportunity to see one of the godfathers of British modern and mainstream jazz.
Sunbury Library Photo Exhibition, 8th November
A poster for a special photo exhibition to be held at Sunbury Library between 10am - 4pm on 8th November may be viewed by clicking here
Savings to Local Bus Services - Public Consultation
Residents will remember that a public consultation on local bus services was conducted some years ago. It seems that we have arrived at that moment again with the following (abridged) email which has been received by LOSRA from Surrey County Council:
As you know, Surrey County Council is subject to enormous pressures on our funding. Increased demand for essential services such as adult social care and school places, coupled with reduced Government funding, means we need to review our spend on all the services we provide for the county’s residents.
We are therefore carrying out a review of local transport services in the county, with the aim of making significant savings in this area over the next three years. The views of residents and partners will from a key part the review, and we have therefore launched a consultation.The review will focus on the following three aspects of local transport:
- The council’s subsidy of all local bus services.
- The provision of community transport in the county, and how this can be made more commercial.
- SCC-funded discretionary concessions:
To help achieve this, the public consultation will run from now until 14 January 2015. Plans will only be drawn up after residents, partners, bus-user groups and other stakeholders have had their say.
To take part in the consultation residents and stakeholders can complete the online survey, which will be widely promoted via our website and other digital channels. If you're unable to access these links, please click on the link below:
A hard-copy of the survey will also be available, from early November, from libraries, district and borough and parish council buildings and bus stations, and we will advertise the consultation via a poster campaign at bus stations, on buses and in other public buildings throughout Surrey.
Visit: www.surreycc.gov.uk/transportreview
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Write to: Local Transport Review | Room 365 | County Hall | Kingston Upon Thames | KT1 2DN
Phone: 0300 200 1003
Patients Open Meeting at Sunbury Health Centre, 27th October
Thanks to the dedication of practitioners and local residents, the Patient Participation Group (PPG) at the Sunbury Health Centre is expanding and flourishing. The Group meets on a regular basis to explore ways in which to improve the Green Street Centre. The minutes of meetings may be viewed on the following link: http://www.sunburyhealthcentre-ppg.com/minutes.html
In addition to the PPG, the Group opens itself up to patients on 'open evenings' held at the Centre itself. The next one is scheduled for 6.30pm on Monday 27th October. All patients are encouraged to attend.
All Night Workers Gig at Sunbury Cricket Club, 24th October
The Music Nights are coming pretty frequently this autumn, and the Cricket Club has another gig on Friday 24th October, when they welcome another new act to the Club in THE ALL NIGHT WORKERS, who are ideally suited to the Club.
They are a band who originally formed in Twickenham in 1966, and rapidly became popular fixtures on the London club scene, alongside bands like Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band, Herbie Goins & The Night Timers, The Graham Bond Organisation, Georgie Fame, Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds, and all the many bands who were playing the spectrum of the R&B, blues and soul music of that era. They shared the bill on tours and festivals with many of the big names of the time, including Jimi Hendrix. It promises to be a very good night.
More...
Trading Standards Alert
Online scams involving Gumtree, PayPal and Western Union; and fake nude videos spreading malware on Facebook, are all featured in the latest Trading Standards Alert.
Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) - Invitation to Sign Petition
CPRE's campaign is a wake-up call for the Government. They are saying loud and clear that whatever their original intentions, the reformed planning system is not working.
Local people are being disregarded, open countryside is being developed while suitable brownfield land is left unused, and still too few homes are being built. They have evidence from across England that the effects of current policies on the countryside are devastating, with the Green Belt, protected areas and, above all, our 'ordinary' but hugely valued countryside, destroyed or threatened with destruction.
The CPRE's latest research into adopted and emerging Local Plans shows at least 500,000 new homes are planned for greenfield sites. This could result in the loss of 150sq Km of irreplaceable countryside. Once it's gone, it's gone forever. Destruction on this scale is totally unnecessary when there are enough suitable brownfield sites for around 1.5 million homes.
Sunbury and Spelthorne Leisure Centre Customer Forum
Local residents are invited to attend the Sunbury and Spelthorne Leisure Centre Customer Forum at 6.30pm on Tuesday 28 October at Spelthorne Leisure Centre, Knowle Green, Staines-upon-Thames, TW18 1AJ.
The Customer Forum is being organised by Spelthorne Council in partnership with Everyone Active and will provide the opportunity to meet the Centre Managers and Cllr Joanne Sexton, Spelthorne Council’s Cabinet Member for Communications.
You will hear about Everyone Active’s ongoing and planned activities for the Leisure Centres and also be invited to give your views on the current services and suggest improvements.
If you are interested in attending please contact Leisure Services on 01784 446433 or send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Environment Agency Flood Meetings, 10th October & 14th November
Two meetings in relation to flooding have been scheduled by the Environment Agency for Spelthorne residents. It should be noted that these are not Spelthorne Council events, nor are these meetings open to the public at large. They are being held for residents who have been contacted directly by the Environment Agency regarding the installation of PLP (Property Level Protection) measures for their dwellings.
The meetings in Spelthorne are listed for the 10th October and 14th November and will give residents an opportunity to talk to the surveyors and ask any questions they may have about their property report recommendations. The installers will also be there so that residents can see the available products and, if desired, make appointments for them to complete the installation surveys. EA representatives will be present to facilitate legal agreements and to answer questions. For details, click here
Residents who may have queries regarding the River Thames Scheme should contact the Environment Agency by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by writing to RTS team, Kings Meadow House, Kings Meadow Road, Reading, RG1 8DQ.
The Micky Moody Band at SCC on 10th October
Sunbury Cricket Club welcomes THE MICKY MOODY BAND, led by one of the UK’s very best rock and blues guitarists, playing what Micky describes as “the music that he and the band all share a love for - rocking blues with a twist of swampy, sultry soul.” Micky’s career goes back the best part of fifty years (he is at pains to point out that he was very young when he started!) and he came to prominence in the ‘70s with the top bands Juicy Lucy and Snafu, before making his major impact when he joined Whitesnake, led by ex-Deep Purple singer David Coverdale. He stayed with Whitesnake throughout their career till they broke up in the ‘80s, and had huge worldwide success, co-writing their biggest hit “Fool For Your Loving”.
He has also played with Chris Farlowe, Roger Chapman & The Shortlist, Moody Marsden Band, Company Of Snakes and M3, and is currently a member of both Snakecharmer and The Bad Apples. Over the years, he has played on innumerable sessions with well-known acts, and is also a published author! SCC are fortunate indeed to have an artist of Micky’s stature and musical heritage playing at the Club.
No Need to Bury the Good Stuff
New arrangements have been made by Spelthorne Council for collecting bulky items such as furniture, sofas, mattresses, TVs, fridges, freezers and cookers from your home.
By partnering with the RSPCA and Surrey Reuse Network, the Council is making sure items can be used by someone else or recycled into something else, rather than just sent to landfill.
Furniture and other items that are suitable for resale can be donated to the RSPCA. They will arrange for a free collection to be made from the ground floor of your property. This option is perfect for those items which are surplus to your requirements but too good to throw out. Choosing the RSPCA will mean your items are found a new home and vital funds will be raised for the charity.
The Surrey Reuse Network will collect all household items that can be reused or recycled from any floor of your property, including white goods. Items no longer in working order can also be collected as these can either be repaired or broken down and their components recycled. The cost for the collection is £44 for up to five items.
The Surrey Reuse Network, a group of charity enterprises, last year provided over 500 tonnes of affordable, quality furniture to Surrey households - that’s 500 tonnes of bulky goods which would otherwise have been buried in the ground.
If your items are not suitable for reuse or recycling (e.g. sacks of general waste), Spelthorne Council can arrange to collect and dispose of them for you. The cost for this service is £45 for up to three items which should be left in your front garden or by your front door.
To arrange your collection contact:
- RSPCA: Call 01784 423882 or 0843 8163828.
- Surrey Reuse Network: Call 0800 082 018, email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. or visit www.surreyreusenetwork.org.uk
- Spelthorne Council: Call 01784 451499, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.spelthorne.gov.uk/bulky
Alternatively you can dispose of your bulky items yourself at your local Community Recycling Centre at Charlton Lane, Shepperton, TW17 8QA.
The Sunbury & Shepperton Arts Association Coffee Concerts
The Sunbury & Shepperton Arts Association is delighted to announce events at the Riverside Arts Centre this Autumn.
COFFEE CONCERTS
We are pleased to present two coffee concerts this Autumn:
Saturday 11 October
Piano Recital with Anna Le Hair
Anna performs works by Beethoven (Six Bagatelles), Chopin (Three Waltzes), Grieg (Four Lyric Pieces), Faure, Rachmaninov, Tchaikovsky and Janacek. http://www.annalehair.co.uk/
Saturday 22 November
Lesley Shrigley Jones (cello) and Yekaterina Lebedeva (piano) present Cello Masterpieces from the 20th Century with works by Schnitkke and Poulenc.
Please join us for Coffee and Croissants at 10.15am. The Recitals begin at 11am and finish at midday.
For more information or to book tickets (£7.50) for these concerts, please call the BOX OFFICE on 01932 782 788. Download the flyer here
County Gives Incinerator Final Approval
Spirited representations from Brian Catt, Peter Francis, Peter Crews, Malcolm Robertson and Cllr. Tim Evans were not sufficient to persuade the Planning and Regulatory Committee at County Hall from giving final approval for the construction of an incinerator (aka the 'EcoPark') at the Charlton Lane Community Recycling Centre. The approval was passed with a 7 - 4 majority.
Possibly the most irritating aspect of this decision is that our speakers, including experts in their various fields of chemical engineering and physics, knew a great deal more than the combined membership of the Committee itself. Once again, a cast-iron case against the construction of this belching, polluting edifice was trumped by the politics. A truly depressing, if predictable outcome.
It now remains to be seen what legal avenues are available to us by way of legal challenge; and these are being actively explored as we go to print.
