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 2023 are now payable.
The Association is aware that many residents find the Sunbury Cross Underpass to be a quite forbidding environment and, having been a party to the discussions on improving that environment, we are very disappointed to read the following Council notice which is reproduced below:
"Spelthorne Borough Council is appealing for information after a spate of graffiti incidents in Sunbury Cross underpass.
"The underpass at Sunbury Cross has recently undergone a raft of works aimed at improving the appearance for residents and visitors. This has included the removal of overhanging plants and shrubs, pruning of the trees, repair of the paths, steam cleaning of the underpass, a repaint of the walls and ceilings and the installation of new stair treads.
"Unfortunately, since the improvements were made, graffiti has been sprayed on the walls of the underpass and the Council is calling for anyone with information about the vandalism to get in touch.
"Cllr Amar Brar, Chair of the Neighbourhood Services Committee, said: “Residents deserve to have a clean and pleasant environment and graffiti is quite understandably one of the things that really upsets people. It is also a terrible waste of taxpayers’ money, as it will cost thousands of pounds to clean up. We are publishing photos of the graffiti tags and ask the public to contact us if they can help identify the culprits.”
"Anyone with information is asked to contact the Neighbourhood Services team at Spelthorne Borough Council on 01784 446411."
These informed comments will tell you that a great evening is in store with the famous saxophonist, Roberto Manzin, and the Terence Collie Trio at the Riverside Arts Centre on Sunday 17th April.
"It was the first time I’d heard Manzin live, and his modesty belies the searing lines he plays, easily a match for Brecker or Bergonzi." - Sarah Chaplin, Jazzwise
"...He (Manzin) has to be heard to be believed!" -Jon Newey, Jazzwise
"Roberto Manzin’s licks are up to the minute" -Evening Standard
"Sax-player Roberto Manzin's solos have something of the chromatic excitement of Brecker and the soulfulness of Sanborn." - Alison Bentley, LondonJazz
"Scorching Italian tenorist Roberto Manzin" - Time Out
"An expressive player with an attractive sound, his improvisations reveal a skilful strategist, a melodist first and foremost, who gradually unfolds a solo and builds up to a compelling conclusion." - Charles Alexander, Jazzwise
The next Music Night at Sunbury Cricket Club is on Friday 8th April, when the Club at last welcomes back THE NASHVILLE TEENS. The Club had to postpone their usual January gig because of the Omicron outbreak, and so slotted them back in as soon as a suitable date could be found.
THE NASHVILLE TEENS are one of the great names from the ‘60s who had two memorable Top Ten hits in 1964 with “Tobacco Road” and “Google Eye”, and have played storming gigs for the Club over many years, so are delighted to have them back again after the lengthy lock-down break. The line-up features their original lead singer Ray Phillips, who has had an unbroken half-century career with the band, as well as making solo records and performing with other line-ups like the British Invasion All-Stars with members of The Yardbirds, Creation and Downliners Sect. With him in the current Nashville Teens is a line-up of seasoned performers, including on bass Colin Pattenden, member of Manfred Mann’s Earth Band when they had their big hits back in the 70s with Simon Spratley of The Ian Campbell Blues Band on keyboards, Ken Osborn from Levee Camp Moan on guitar and Adrian ‘Spud’ Metcalf on drums. It will be another night of classic ‘60s R&B, featuring in Ray one of the great voices of the beat era. There’s more information at www.Nashville-Teens.com.
Food will be available as usual, so it's hoped you can make it down to get this year’s Music Nights off to a cracking start.
Admission is £10.00 on the door, payable by cash or card. Hot food, prepared by the expert chefs from our resident caterers from the community food redistribution organisation Surplus To Supper, will be available from 7pm.
Spelthorne Borough Council is offering one-to-one business coaching to help businesses overcome issues, plan and build a strategy to grow their business in 2022 and beyond.
For further information, click here
North West Surrey Health and Care Alliance in partnership with Spelthorne Borough Council have launched a survey to gather views on health and wellbeing from residents in Spelthorne.
For further information or to take part, click here
Amy's View is a play written by British playwright, David Hare. The play takes place in Berkshire near Pangbourne, and in London, from 1979 to 1995. Over the course of these sixteen years, "a running argument about the respective virtues of traditional theater and the media arts weaves its way through espoused opinions on marriage, love, fame, fidelity, betrayal, personal and artistic integrity, and the sometimes elusive ethics of the corporate world, among other things."
Spelthorne Borough Council has published a report showing the progress being made on the actions outlined in the 2020-2025 Housing Strategy.
Surrey Fire and Rescue are working with a charity called Help from Bournemouth to Ukraine to collect food and supplies which will then be shipped out to where it's most needed in Poland and Ukraine.
They will be opening up Fordbridge fire station on Friday 25 March between 10:00 and 22:00 and Saturday 26 March between 09:00 and 22:00 for the collection of food (especially pasta, rice, powdered milk and canned meat/fish), clothing (no used underwear please!), bedding and blankets (again, no used duvets and pillows please), new non-prescription medicines (no old prescription drugs thanks), baby nappies, wipes, bottles and sterilizing fluid, hygiene essentials etc.
It would be hugely appreciated if you could share this amongst your friends and colleagues in the Borough and even better if you can spare a few hours to come and help.
The Council has published the following notice:
The Government has announced measures to help protect millions of households from rising energy costs including a £150 council tax energy rebate to all households in England whose primary residence is valued in Council Tax bands A - D.
The government has also stated that they will provide additional funding for billing authorities to operate a discretionary fund for households in need who would not otherwise be eligible.
The next Music Night at Sunbury Cricket Club is on Friday 18th March when the Club stages its now traditional special event in support of the Mayor of Spelthorne’s Charities. These events have proved extremely successful and enjoyable evenings, so, having missed last year, we are delighted to be able to put one on this year, especially since this year’s Mayor of Spelthorne is Cllr. Ian Harvey, one of our local Sunbury East councillors, who is a great supporter of the Club.
The Club has assembled the usual suspects from the great and good of Sunbury’s music fraternity to play under the name of THE CHAIN GANG in honour of the Mayor’s chain of office. The Mayor’s charities are East To West, providing support to young people in Surrey and Berkshire struggling with difficult and damaging issues, and Ashford Youth & Community Centre, whose aim is to protect the current youth service and work with local community groups to improve services for young people and the community at the Centre.
The band features our resident beat era superstar Karl Green, original and long-time bass player with Herman’s Hermits, plus Chris Allard (guitar, keyboards, harmonica) , Gerry Cook (guitar) and Martin House (bass) from the band Matrix, Mark Doyle (guitar) and Phil Miller-Tate (bass) from the Marshall Taylor Band, Tim Renton (guitar) from 3AM, Roger Harding (bass) from Rebel Yell Jazz Orchestra, Stephane Booroff (drums), formerly with Edison Lighthouse and now with Sky High and The Escorts, and Alan Worrell (drums) from The Next Big Thing. Fronting things is Music Night host Paul Watts.
The musicians will be giving their services free, so all the door money will go to the charities. It will be a great night of rock ‘n’ roll, blues, ‘60s R&B, rock and country. It’s all for a great cause and will be a fun community night, so please put it in your diary.
Admission is £10.00 on the door, payable by cash or card. Please note that, with some Mayoral guests travelling from far-flung corners of Surrey, the band will go on stage around 8.30 p.m.
Hot food, prepared by the expert chefs from our resident caterers from the community food redistribution organisation Surplus To Supper, will be available from 7pm, and the band will be on stage about 9.00pm.
Our Spring newsletter is currently with the printers and we expect distribution to all households from the weekend. We are immensely grateful to our army of distributors without whom this would not be possible.
Thanks to the pandemic it's now been nearly two years since the Association held its last AGM.
All being well, we will be holding our next annual general meeting in late June at our usual venue, the Riverside Arts Centre.
It will be on the occasion of the AGM that Committee members will be elected or re-elected. We currently hold a number of vacancies and invite nominations before the AGM date arrives.
If you are interested, please get in touch via the 'contact' facility at the very top of the home page.