Compton Village Fete Review & Results
A huge thank you to everyone who helped make this year’s Compton Village Fete such a fantastic day. Run entirely by our incredible team of volunteers, the 2025 fete brought our community together for a brilliant celebration of fundraising, fun and friendship. The sunshine held, the Pimms flowed, the sausages sizzled, the races were fiercely fun, and the dog disorder was delightfully chaotic. From circus skills and stilt walkers to bric-a-brac, fabulous plants, the coconut shy, maggot racing, and the ever-popular Tea Shop at the Compton Club — this year run by the Godalming and Villages Community Store — there was something for everyone. And, of course, a big shout-out to the amazing Grand Draw and massive thanks to all our generous local supporters who donated such fantastic prizes. We are thrilled to share that this year’s fete raised a brilliant total of £13,594, up on last year and one of our best results to date. The Compton Club-run Beer Tent, the Allotment-run Plant Stall, Godalming and Villages Community-run Tea Tent, Greyfriars, Face Painting, Maggot Racing and Hook a Duck stalls all set new records. The proceeds will go towards supporting key village amenities, including the Allotments, Compton Club, Compton Little Theatre, Compton News, St Nicholas Church and the Village Hall. Additionally, we will be supporting our chosen charities this year: BRIGHT Cancer Care, Sophie’s Legacy and Godalming and Villages Community Store. Details of the allocation of funds will be shared in next month’s edition of the News.
A very special thank you goes to our dedicated fete committee members and the many volunteers who gave their time and energy before, during and after the event – setting up, running stalls, keeping things running smoothly and tidying up afterwards. It’s your hard work and community spirit that make this event possible year after year.
We can’t wait to do it all again – so please mark Saturday 9 May 2026 in your diaries…
and if you’d like to volunteer or join our fabulous Fete Committee, do email wellsmiranda@icloud.com.
Takings from each stall (2025 record profits highlighted in bold)
Plants & Produce, £3,269 ֍ Books, £360 ֍ Grand Draw, £2,297 ֍ Pimms, £546 ֍ Barbecue, £1,573 ֍ Fizz (Greyfriars), £468 ֍ Tea Tent, £1,402 ֍ Face Painting, £354 ֍ Cakes & Homemade, £1,148 ֍ Bits & Pieces, £224 ֍ Beer Tent, £1,286 ֍ Pick-a-card, £157 ֍ Human Fruit Machine, £122 ֍ Bric-a-Brac, £539 ֍ Bouncy Castles, £15 ֍ Teddy Tombola, £318 ֍ Maggot Racing, £112 ֍ Coconut Shy, £195 ֍ Ice creams, £694 ֍ Bottle Tombola, £813 ֍ Hook-a-Duck, £164.
⸙ ⸙ Wild About Compton ⸙ ⸙
A group of Compton residents have been seeking to engage with relevant authorities and wider stakeholders concerning the timing and the nature of the tree-felling in Compton by Loseley Estate’s appointed contractor Silveroaks Forestry Ltd, which has included historic woodland Bummoor Copse (designated a Site of National Conservation Interest by both Surrey County Council and the Surrey Wildlife Trust). The tree-felling coincided with nesting season for many wild birds, during April and May, just as iconic bluebell flowers began to emerge. While the Forestry Commission appears satisfied that the activity has met the conditions of the tree-felling licences awarded to the landowner, it has resulted in questions around precisely what work will be undertaken to restore Bummoor Copse, since the impact of such extensive logging appears irrevocable. The need to balance objectives of forestry/woodland management are recognised in “The UK Forestry Standard” (the core reference point for UK sustainable forest management), which advises that owners and managers “also need to consider the impacts of their decisions beyond the forest boundary and engage with others if the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity is to be achieved”.
Recent coverage includes:
www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/woman-left-tears-after-trees-31712651
https://guildford-dragon.com/tree-felling-has-caused-stomach-churning-distress-parish-council-told/
Harrow Pub Development
Please be aware that an extended application for the proposed Harrow Development was made on Thursday, May 29th 2025.
Compo
Special thanks to Richard Paxton and Jon Maslin, who have both been absolutely instrumental in keeping this local amenity ticking over and on the road. If you or someone you know may benefit from this helpful minibus service, which provides lifts for local shopping errands and more, please visit www.compton-surrey.co.uk/minibus.
Phyllis Tuckwell New Hospice Appeal
Only £400,000 Left to Reach New Hospice Appeal Target. Last year, local charity Phyllis Tuckwell launched an appeal to raise £6 million to build a new Hospice on its existing site in Farnham. One year on, thanks to the generosity of our incredible community, there is just £400,000 left to raise! Once completed, the Hospice will enable Phyllis Tuckwell to offer its specialist care to many more people in West Surrey and North-East Hampshire who need its help. Phyllis Tuckwell is passionate about ensuring that the new Hospice really feels like home for those it cares for, and is launching its ‘Feels Like Home’ appeal, to help complete the build and pay for the finishing touches.
The new Hospice will include an 18-bed In-Patient Unit for patients who need symptom management or are in their last days of life; a Living Well suite where support programmes, art therapy sessions and carers groups will be held; therapy suites where patients can learn techniques to manage symptoms such as breathlessness and anxiety and private spaces for counselling sessions. It will also act as a base for Phyllis Tuckwell's community teams, whose specialist doctors, nurses, health care assistants and therapists visit patients who have chosen to spend their last days in the comfort and familiarity of their own home.
It’s so important that this new Hospice feels like home for Phyllis Tuckwell's patients and families. The little touches will make it special. These will include fridges for its In-Patient Unit rooms, where favourite drinks and snacks can be stored for patients at the end of life; sofa beds so that relatives can stay overnight with their loved ones; plants for the garden; easels and paint brushes for art therapy sessions; and a TV and games for the family room, where relatives and friends can take some time out.
The care Phyllis Tuckwell gives is so important, but only around 25% of its costs are covered by Government/NHS funding. Despite this, it doesn't charge its patients, families or carers a penny for its services. Instead, it has to raise over £25,000 every single day, which it does with the generous support of our amazing local community. Visit www.pth.org.uk/givetoday or call 01252 729446 to make a donation.
Compton Village—Past & Present
Compton Village – Past & Present by Fiona Curtis, would make a really special Christmas gift for someone this year. Copies cost £20 each — a veritable bargain for a coffee table book about our unique neighbourhood. Find out more at www.compton-village-history-book. com/.
Collection can be arranged, either with a bank transfer in advance or cash on collection. For mailings, please provide full address and include an additional charge of £5.50 in the bank transfer for tracked postage and packing. Bank transfers should be made to the Compton Village Association account at
Lloyds Bank, Sort Code 30-93-49, Account No. 00115047 and reference Book.
Details for ordering as follows: David Hunt — david.hunt0808@gmail.com/07831 768970 OR
Jane Turner – janewturner@mac.com/07763 146448.
Some copies are available to buy at the Compton Club also for £20. Copies also retail at Watts Gallery for £25. The book launch discount has been made possible through the Compton Village Association.
WELCOME PACK FOR NEWCOMERS TO COMPTON
The Welcome Pack, published by Compton Village Association, has been updated by Jane Turner and over 30 copies have been sent out to people who requested one or who have recently moved into the village.
“Recently” means within the last 5-7 years, or even if you’ve been in the village a long time but would simply like to be reminded of what we offer. It’s full of information about organisations, societies, venues for hire, history and a lot more. The Welcome Pack is FREE. If you would like a copy, contact Jane Turner on 07763 146448, janewturner@mac.com.
After the decommissioning of the telephone box by BT, Compton residents wondered what to do with it. It was agreed that it should remain where it was as it was part of the village scene, but sadly it was rusty and the glass was either broken or replaced by plastic.
An anonymous benefactor assisted the Parish Council in covering the costs of repairing the box and Cllr Chris Sharples and another anonymous helper went about restoring the box.
Its central position made it a great place to advertise the village's support for the Royal Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. This was followed by Armistice Day when it stood as a prominent act of remembrance.
Later it sported a gold cup for the World Cup and latterly it bore a kilt and matching headwear for Burns Night and beautiful Chinese Lanterns for the Chinese New Year.
Spring saw a beautiful array of purple both inside and outside the box to raise awareness of The Meath and the common, but often stigmatised problem of epilepsy. This was followed by a nod to our Dutch neighbours and friends, one of whom provided initial funding and motivation to cheer up the phone box when it was looking rather derelict.
Compton residents love the various incarnations and Cllr Chris Sharples will hopefully go onto surprise us with future transformations, which not only entertain residents, but also bring a smile to the users of the B3000.
