July 2009 Archives

Hollywood star Russell Crowe has been spotted in Virginia Water.

The New Zealand born star of A Beautiful Mind has teamed up again with Gladiator director, Ridley Scott, in a remake of Robin Hood, which is currently being shot at Virginia Water Park.

Crowe has been spotted in both Virginia Water and Sunningdale, where he recently took his 'giving to the needy' role too literally when he made a heftily generous donation of £1,000 to a charity shop.

Also starring alongside Crowe, is Lord of the Rings actor, Cate Blanchett and William Hurt.

Have you seen Russell Crowe or any other stars out and about? Do you have any photos from the set? Tell us where and when below or send us all your Robin Hood news and pictures via the website.

Police are advising householders to keep car keys out of sight following several thefts of high class vehicles from driveways.

A stolen Mercedes was later recovered in Slough and the attempted theft of a BMW occured soon after in the same area of the village. Both vehicles are valued at around £50,000.

The police recommend car keys should be kept out of view, not in hallways or kitchens and to be aware of leaving windows open during hot weather.

A letter from Surrey Police has been drafted to give to landlords who house students from Royal Holloway, University of London detailing what the community, police and
university expect from tenants.

The action comes following a complaints from residents about noise in areas with high student populations and was agreed by a colloboration between the university's Student Services Team, Safer Runnymede, the borough council's Environmental Health Department and the Englefield Green Neighbourhood Team.

Two vehicles were involved in a crash on Beech Tree Avenue around 10.30am on Sunday, July 26.

A red Renault Clio was in collision with a blue horse box. The collision caused the road to be partially blocked until just after 11am.

No one was injured as a result of the collision and the horse box was not carrying any animals at the time

An unexpected and colourful visitor to a Thorpe couple's birdfeeder was a bright alternative to the average starling.

This stunning golden mantle rosella first appeared in the back garden of bird lovers Kim Fletcher and Clive Anderson at their home in Burway Crescent, Laleham Reach in June, but had returned several times since.

Ms Fletcher said they regularly had green parakeets and other birds visiting, but this was a visitor completely out of the blue.

She explained: "Clive was working at his computer when he heard an unusual bird call, he knew it was different as we are avid bird lovers and have several feeders in the back garden, visited daily by hoards of birds and a few hungry squirrels.

A piano concert with a difference takes place at St Jude's Church, St Jude's Road, on Saturday, August 1 at 4pm.

'Music for Two and Four Hands' will be performed by Royal Holloway, University of London music professor, Geoffrey Chew and his daughter, Catherine Cook.

The performance will include works by Chopin, Schubter and Symanoswski.
Entry is free.

Popular comedy night, Comedy on the Green, returns with another top line up of stand up on Tuesday, July 28 at 7.45pm.

Acts this month include So You Think You're Funny? finalist, Ahir Shah, Alistair Barrie, Joe Bor and compere for the night is the highly regarded, Matt Reed.

Wanted - your views on our planning strategy. I must admit I have always thought that planning (where or what to build) was not actually planned. To my mind developers are responsible for the mess we have today,of cramming houses on bits of land where they
they see fit. It might be called planning, but the object of this exercise is profit, it has nothing to do with being planned, ordered, or even good taste. If we take this village of Englefield Green, and assume what we have today is the result of previous RBC planning strategy, then there is no point of having any plan. In my lifetime we have lost, the Bank, the Post Office, Allotments, Pubs, Public Toilets, Part of the cemetery, Our Care Home, together with too many essential shops. We have "gained" hundreds of houses and thousands of residents. Please don't tell me that it is a good idea, that it makes sense, to plan for the return of normal life in this village. It will be more realistic to ask the developers what plans they have for us!

The Egham-by-Runnymede Historical Society will take in the memorials of Runnymede during a guided walk on Wednesday, July 22.

The free guided walk will take in the more prominent memorials in the borough.

The tour begins at 2pm meeting in the Coopers Hill car park and will be followed by cream tea and refreshments.