Community Activities

We are fully engaged in various and numerous activities within our local community.

We are just completing, this Spring, a series of three introductory lessons for year 11 at a local school, on finance and budgets- how the tax system works, what work they can do, the hours and the pay, how to be treated for tax, where the tax goes!! Also we cover, briefly, VAT, inheritance tax, council tax, stamp duty land tax, National Insurance and more.

We talk about budgets, investments, loans, credit histories and bank accounts etc., A taster of what working life and money holds for the future- including a mention of student loans!!

We also support this particular school by helping out on mock interview day for the year 11 students. We act as an interviewer as if the student is applying for a job or a place at college and we interview them accordingly. We look at their record of achievement, their application and then after talking with them, we give feedback on their mode of dress, body language, their conversation etc., and encourage them, praise them and generally be positive to help them prepare for the real thing.

We support the prize giving event on an annual basis when the past year 11 come back to receive their certificates and prizes.

We are involved with the local Cranleigh Christian Aid Committee and Jane is secretary. The committee has a full and varied calendar throughout the year fundraising, supporting campaigns and raising awareness of Christian Aid. Fully supporting the Christian Aid week every year, Jane is also the Methodist Church organiser for the door to door collectors as well as the independent verifier for counting day and requires the heavy mob to support her carrying all that money to the bank!

Attached to the Christian Aid committee is the action for Fairtrade status for Cranleigh and the awareness campaign to encourage businesses and residents to support and buy fair trade goods.

Jane and Maureen are currently the 'treasurer' for the Action for Cranleigh Play Park Association. This group raises funds for and awareness of the play facilities for all ages in the Snoxhall grounds near the leisure centre in Cranleigh. Presently, there is a competition in the local schools to design a logo for the group to use on its promotional material.

Jane is currently the Church Council Secretary of the Cranleigh Methodist Church and the Circuit Administrator for the Guildford Methodist Circuit. We produce the Orbit- a quarterly magazine of articles, reports and diary dates for the eight churches of the Circuit- Godalming, Guildford, Merrow, Stoughton, West Horsley, Shalford, Wonersh and Cranleigh.

We also produce the In Touch magazine for Cranleigh and other neighbouring Methodist/URC Churches- a bi monthly publication for the members and communities with articles, reports and diary dates of forthcoming events.

Jane is committed to helping Horizon for Children charity and collects children's books, paper, pencils etc. These get collected periodically and are then shipped over to Sierra Leone where needy children have the opportunity to read, write and learn. It is the charity's goal to provide a mobile library one day.

Jane is a member of the local Liontamers- a group traditionally made up of Lions' wives!! These days, not so much emphasis is placed on having a partner in the Lions. Liontamers hold regular sales and bazaars in the village hall throughout the year plus making and selling delicious tea, sandwiches and cakes at the Lions Fair- last Saturday in June every year, on Cranleigh Common- and helping out either with refreshments or rattling tins at the Lions Bonfire, classic car bazaar etc.,

Jane is also an active member of Cranleigh Rotary Club. The club has been going over 40 years and Jane became its first lady member back in January 2008! She has now been elected as second vice president for 2010/11 which means she will be president in 2012/2013.

Jane has been helping out on the community and vocational committee (organising and helping to run the sale, concerts, fundraising events etc.,) and is this year hoping to help out with membership driving (!) and development.

She likes to volunteer to make up the posters, tickets and leaflets and get them printed ready for distribution etc.,

Jane is an active member of Cranleigh Methodist Church and is currently about a third of the way through her Local Preacher's training. She already preaches about once a month in any of the eight circuit churches and she is committed to her training and development so she can do God's work as he directs.

Jane drives, once month, on a Sunday afternoon, as a volunteer for a group called Contact the Elderly. This means collecting, driving, delivering and enjoying the company of a couple of ladies, of uncertain vintage, at a hostess's home for tea and chat. There are usually up to 9 or 11 ladies and their drivers so it is quite a noisy and joyous affair with lots of tea sloshing about!

The business is registered with the Cranleigh Chamber of Commerce and we support their networking and social events throughout the year. The 100 club within the Chamber raises funds for the Christmas lights and decorations which 'light up' the village over the Christmas season. This is aimed at encouraging residents and visitors to come into the village and buy locally.

Jane is currently attempting to organise and plan a �mini� Community Day to be held on 1st May at the Methodist Church. It is to support the Cranleigh Initiative who already have plans underway for the Spring Into Cranleigh event also on Saturday 1st May.

The Church hopes to host room for many local community groups to display their posters and give out information etc on their various and diverse clubs, associations and groups so local people can see what huge range of leisure, charity and fundraising groups there are to join and participate within.

Maureen has been and continues to be involved with the local Brownie group and is currently part of the 'technical' team rolling out new IT systems to the leaders of various groups throughout the south east of England.

Maureen holds an extensive First Aid training qualification and Jane has also recently completed Emergency First Aid at Work.