Welcome to our online art and craft fair, displaying the talent of individuals and small businesses. There’s a huge range here, from illustrations to felt booties, cards to crochet, jewellery, candles, t-shirts, knitting, cushions, bunting, jam, decorations, flowers, ceramics, mosaics, frames, gin…
It’s an ideal way to do your Christmas shopping and support small businesses. Just browse through the pages here – click on the links to take you to the ones you want – and contact the maker direct. There are contact details on every page.
Thank you to everyone who is taking part here. Happy shopping!
Welcome to our online art and craft fair, displaying the talent of individuals and small businesses. There’s a huge range here, from illustrations to felt booties, cards to crochet, jewellery, candles, t-shirts, knitting, cushions, bunting, jam, decorations, flowers, ceramics, mosaics, frames, gin…
It’s an ideal way to do your Christmas shopping and support small businesses. Just browse through the pages here – click on the links to take you to the ones you want – and contact the maker direct. There are contact details on every page.
Thank you to everyone who is taking part here. Happy shopping!
Have you been crafting over lockdown? Are you an artist? Do you knit/sew/paint/sculpt/make cards/work in glass/take photographs/carve/crochet/make jewellery/weave/generally create things of beauty which you would like to sell? Do you have a small, creative business?
We’re holding an online art and craft fair in the first two weeks of November and you are invited to take part. If you would be interested in hiring a space to show off your creations, please contact Maxine Everitt: maxine.everitt@badshotleaandhale.org
There’s a cost of just £10 a ‘table’ and for this you will be featured on our website with pictures of your products and a link through to your website or contact details of where to buy. We’ll be promoting the fair on social media, through the magazine, our newsletter and in the press. And in church of course!
Or, if you would like to donate some of your creations, the parish is having a table – all profits going to the work of our churches here in north Farnham.
So help us all kickstart our Christmas shopping and join our online art and craft fair!
Thank-you so much to our artists for contributing to the July theme which was a self-portrait with a special thing. You can see the artwork in the video below. The September theme is neighbourhood. You can send in drawings, paintings, collage, craft or photographs.
Join us to celebrate Pride on Saturday, August 8, here online from 10am.
August 8 should have been marked by a Surrey Pride march and celebrations on the street but these had to be cancelled because of Covid-19. However, we are celebrating the LGBTI+ community and God’s wonderful, inclusive love with an online service.
There will be music, art, photography, prayers, poetry, Bible readings and reflections from individuals including a former curate of St George’s whom some of you may remember – Rev’d Paul Holt – along with Sara Gillingham, a leading intersex campaigner and great friend of the parish; Jayne Ozanne who runs the Ozanne Foundation which works with religious organisations to eliminate discrimination based on sexuality or gender; and Dr Ash Brockwell, a transgender man and educator who has contributed both a poem and hymn to the service.
There is a moving reflection on growing up as a gay man from James Muller, a Farnham photographer whose work features regularly in Vogue Italia, and who has kindly contributed many of his beautiful photographs; there is art from local people, including paintings by members of Farnham Heath End School’s LGBT+ group, and stones painted with rainbow messages to indicate God’s love for everyone.
Stella Wiseman, who leads inclusion work in the parish, explains the thinking behind the service: “The church as a whole doesn’t have a great track record in welcoming people who do not fit into a heterosexual, cis-gender box, and indeed has caused great harm to many LGBTI+ people. This is something we need to repent of and make amends for. We have no right to limit God’s love and welcome like this and to damage and destroy people in the name of God is appalling.
“Thankfully, things are changing and many churches, such as those in this parish, are more welcoming and inclusive now. Some of us would have been walking under the Christians at Pride banner in Woking on August 8th but Covid-19 has put paid to that. So instead we are organizing this lovely, colourful service online and we are delighted that members of the local church are taking part along with friends from other churches. We are really grateful to them for giving up their time to share with us their experience of God’s love and welcome and grateful too for the art, photography and music.
“Pride in Surrey is taking a Pride-themed vehicle around the county that weekend too and will be live-streaming and the parish has just been asked to send a contribution to the online Pride. The Pride vehicle will be making its way to Farnham on Sunday 9th at 10am so watch out for that too. You can find out more on prideinsurrey.org/ontheroad.”
Everyone is invited to join the service online here on Saturday, August 8 , from 10am and on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/badshotleaandhale
Thank-you so much to our artists for contributing to the June theme which was flowers. Here is the video gallery and an introduction to the July theme, a self-portrait with a special thing – could be an object or a pet. You can send in drawings, paintings, collage, craft or photographs.
Here is a bit of information about some of the artists – please send me more about what inspires you and why you paint:
Janice Edmunds runs a small, friendly art group in the Sands.
Joan Thompson has been attending the group since 2007 when she retired from work.
Jean Hazleden has been painting for the last eighteen years, something she took up after she retired.
Susan Everitt writes, “I have sketched and painted since I was very small and I have attended many art classes and courses over the years, but it is only since I retired 8 years ago as a teacher at Hale School, that I have been able to really indulge this interest. I have been going to a Farnham U3A painting group regularly during this time and this has helped to develop my confidence and technique. Like many others, the recent Lockdown has encouraged me to paint more often and try different methods and ideas. Inspiration comes from many sources. Often my own or others’ photographs, ideas I find in art magazines or through the art group, my garden – especially in the summer, animals, beautiful scenery.”
Post19 is a leading Life Skills and Support Centre for young adults with learning difficulties. It is based in Farnham and supports young adults throughout Surrey and Hampshire. https://www.post19.com/
William Cobbett Primary School
William Cobbett Lion Care Bubble’s Flower Festival Entry! 12 children aged 7-10 years have worked together whilst social distancing to create this flower poster
Penny Fleet is a professional mixed media and collage artist specialising in nature, seasonal and wildflowers, birds and wildlife. You can buy her work via her website: www.pennyfleet.co.uk/
Rich Shenton
Rich Shenton is an artist and writer whose work includes portrait, still life, the natural world – particularly seascapes – and cartoons of Boz the cat and his friends. www.facebook.com/RichardWShenton/
Samantha McKay
Susan Everitt
Susie Lidstone
Hollyhocks
Delphiniums
Susie Lidstone is a professional watercolour artist living and working in the parish of Badshot Lea and Hale. She specialises in flowers and buildings and has painted many scenes of Farnham. Her designs are available as cards, notebooks, zip pouches, pocket mirrors, tea towels, cushions, ties, scarves, face masks, calendars, even deck chairs, as well as limited edition prints and the paintings themselves. She also takes commissions. Prices range from £2-£700. http://susielidstone.com/
Organisations
Thank you to local organisations who have shared their work with us.
Badshot Lea Bloomers
Making Badshot Lea beautiful with blooms (and hard work).
Pictures by Gill Mayer of the Opportunities Project
The Opportunities Community Project started in Hale with the aim of helping and supporting lone parents locally to build a brighter future for themselves and their families. The project is funded by the Hazelhurst Trust.
Following the success of the project in the Hale area it has been extended to Ash, Farnborough, Wrecclesham and Godalming.
The project offers free classes in IT training, either to learn or update skills to an employability level, then to support students in looking for work. There is free childcare. Opportunities also offers friendship, support and leads to a new future. www.opportunitiesproject.org
Girlz Club
Artist: Brooke
Artist: Liz
Artist: Mahi
Girlz Club is run from Hale Community Centre and exists to help local girls have fun, learn skills and build self-esteem. www.halecommunitycentre.org.uk/
Hale Community Centre
Formerly The Bungalow, Hale Community Centre is a community resource which provides a range of services, activities and meeting spaces for people of all ages. Its aim is to provide recreational, learning, business and social activities, which are accessible and affordable. www.halecommunitycentre.org.uk/
The Hale History Project
Art by Josephine Jones
The Hale History Project is a voluntary project which has developed from the great interest and enthusiasm in the history of their locality emanating from the residents and ex-residents of Hale, Upper Hale, and other nearby hamlets and villages. Outside lockdown it holds monthly coffee mornings with exhibitions and archives. It also takes an interest in current events in the local area. www.halehistoryproject.co.uk
Family Voice Surrey
Family Voice Surrey champions the needs and rights of SEND families in Surrey: families with children or young adults up to the age of 25 who have special educational needs, chronic illnesses, including mental health conditions, or disabilities. www.familyvoicesurrey.org
Therapies Through Nature – Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice
Therapies Through Nature offers patients and carers at Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice simple gardening sessions. Table-top workshops enable participants to create flower baskets, planters and herb gardens, for example, which can then be taken home or given as a gift to a loved one.
Research has shown that gardening, or even simply spending time surrounded by nature, can help patients feel less stressed and improve their wellbeing. The sessions also give patients the opportunity to join in with an activity which they used to enjoy before they became ill. No experience of gardening is necessary to join this group, and patients can take part at any stage of their illness. These sessions are often referred to as Social and Therapeutic Horticulture. www.pth.org.uk/
Women’s Institute
In normal times, the Hale Women’s Institute meets on the second Wednesday of the month at 1.45pm in the Hale Institute. surrey.thewi.org.uk/find-wi/hale
Businesses
Farnham Mill Nursing Home
The idea was to create bright summer colours, and with the current situation of the Covid-19 virus, keyworkers and lockdown, the residents and staff used the rainbow as inspiration. Each heart was hand made by residents at Farnham Mill using tissue paper flowers; the sunflowers (which is a symbol used a lot at Farnham Mill) were made using yellow paper with sunflower seeds for the centres. www.farnhammillnursinghome.co.uk/
K & S Memorials
These pictures are of a rockery and St John the Evangelist memorial stone (aka the ‘Bonkers Stone’ in the garden of Wendy and Steve Edwards in Hale. For the story behind the pictures, see here. www.kempandstevens.co.uk/
Based in the parish of Badshot Lea and Hale, Karen Geraghty of Mind Your Bonce specialises in handmade cloche hats, retro and modern cocktail hats, pillbox hats, and mini cocktail hats. This unique headwear is carefully handmade in England using traditional methods and high quality materials, frequently using outstanding vintage tweeds. www.instagram.com/mind_your_bonce_millinery
Nibbs Gin
A message from Nibbs Gin, based in Farnham: “The Nibbs team are delighted to be part of the Flower Festival. We have been busy out picking elderflower locally ready for this year. At the end of last year we launched our second gin, Surrey Hops, using traditional hops from Farnham. Through July and August we will be offering free delivery on everything through our on-line shop and a special offer on our 20cl bottles when you buy one of each. Please refer to our website www.nibbsspirits.co.uk“
Squire’s Garden Centres is a family-run business set up in 1935 and still run by the same family. The centre in Badshot Lea is one of 16 and there is another at Frensham. squiresgardencentres.co.uk
This church relies on donations to provide care and support to everyone in this community. Now more than ever, please consider giving generously to support our mission and ministry. Thank you for your support:
K&S Memorials (www.kandsmemorials.co.uk) was set up by Mr R.W.A Thorne of Kemp & Stevens Funeral Directors, Alton, in the 1980s. However, Kemp and Stevens had produced memorials before that time going back to the founding of the business over 100 years ago.
Kemp and Stevens are one of very few funeral directors that have their own in-house memorial masons. Michael Thorne heads up the memorial division of Kemp & Stevens which still trades as K&S Memorials. Sam Taylor works alongside Michael creating the memorials.
A memorial simply is a marker to show where someone is buried but a memorial is not simple. It is a personal statement, a place for reflection and something that will remain long after the family themselves have passed away. It is a lasting tribute to the deceased.
It is the last thing anyone will do for the person who has died. Some people are not ready for a memorial and they have said this because once the memorial is placed on the grave it all becomes final.
A memorial is not just a static stone; it has meaning, and whether the memorial is four feet tall or one foot tall, the stone has the same meaning for the family.
There are many factors in selecting the right memorial and it is all based on individual taste. Michael Thorne will offer advice and wants the client to have the memorial they want and, in some cases, need.
The initial design phase is the first and most important step. Michael endeavours to show clients exactly what the memorial will look like by the way of CAD (Computer Aided Design) layouts.
Once the layouts are approved then work can begin.
Michael Thorne designed, and Sam Taylor is the memorial stonemason who created, the St. John the Evangelist mini memorial stone in Wendy Edwards’s Oast House Crescent Rockery entry for the 2020 online Flower Festival.
Sam is clearly getting less destructive and more creative as he ages! He started out in the demolition business then moved into landscape gardening. In both earlier jobs, he worked with different types of stone, as well as other materials. His experience in kerb shaping has helped him accurately shape larger areas of memorial stones, for example fancier edgings on the stone.
He realises how important his work is to bereaved people and does his level best to do a good job of work and to please the customer, as does Michael Thorne, his boss, who takes instructions for the memorial stone.
Sam left several masonry tools with Wendy to help her and her husband, Steve, start to understand his work. Computers are used in the design part of a gravestone inscription but still most of the work is done by labour-intensive physical chiselling.
The tools are: –
A dummy hammer – these can be different weights- for hitting the chisels with.
A claw chisel – for ‘roughing out’ a design on a stone.
An Italian chisel – slimmer than many chisels, for finer work.
Wider chisels.
A compass- not the North/ South directions sort you take when you go out walking but a metal instrument, sometimes called dividers, with two sharp pointed ends with which you can score a circle or curved shapes on a stone.
A beautiful, adjustable wood and brass marking gauge with tiny inset brass pins for scoring lines on stone.
Most stone now comes from India and can take 16 weeks to arrive by sea but some stone does still come from England e.g. Portland Stone. Stones vary in softness and hardness so different tools and different techniques are used.
Wendy learned a new word from Sam. The word was kerning. That is the distance between two letters on an inscription and it is critical to how a memorial stone inscription will look. A kerning measurement which is too big (letters too widely spaced) will not create a visually pleasing result. Steve used to be a draughtsman and had heard of this term, kerning, but it was new to Wendy.
There are many types of font which a memorial stonemason must be able to create and there can be challenges in identifying an inscription font chiselled onto a memorial stone by a different stonemason at an earlier date, in order to match that up with a later inscription.
Mistakes in the words of an inscription on a stone are obviously not that easy to correct but Sam does have ways and means to sort things out. Not that Sam makes many mistakes at all but occasionally the customer approves a design which they later realise contained a mistake.
Sam is usually a patient man but can get a little agitated when he is delicately placing gold leaf in the lettering on a memorial stone and someone opens the workshop door and lets the breeze in!
Many thanks to Sam and Michael and K & S Memorials for the St. John the Evangelist mini memorial stone.
Their help fulfilled Wendy’s plan for her entry for the Parish of Badshot Lea and Hale’s online Flower Festival in 2020 to celebrate the essential contribution of memorial stonemasons to the easing of the heavy load of grief, following a loved one’s death.
The inscription on a memorial stone is often the last written communication between us and our loved one. A big responsibility for Sam Taylor of K & S Memorials but one he always discharges with great attention to detail and professionalism. Thank you, Sam, for all your expert chiselling.
Wendy Edwards, Licensed Lay Minister.
Serving the Villages North of Farnham: Badshot Lea, Hale, Heath End & Weybourne
The Parish of Badshot Lea and Hale 