The shape of the morning
Doors open at ten. Tea, coffee, hot chocolate and squash will be served from the urn by the kitchen hatch; the scones are made by the Lodge Almoner's wife, who has been doing this every June since 2019. There will be a small bring-and-buy stall by the door — jams, marmalades, knitting, books, plants — and the takings from the stall go to the Brethren in Need fund. The Lodge Secretary will be at the long table by the window with the three historic cash-books we wrote about in the December dispatch; he is happy to leaf through them with anyone who would like to see how Lodge benevolence in this corner of Surrey was conducted in the 1920s.
Around 11.15 the Master of the Lodge will give a short address — three or four minutes, nothing formal — to thank everyone who has supported the fund over the past year and to introduce the named beneficiary charity for the year's Almoner's Discretion grant. At about 11.45 we will draw the raffle (tickets £1, prizes drawn from the bring-and-buy). Doors close at 12.30.
What to bring
Cash, if you have any — most of our trade is still in coins of fifty pence and one pound, and a card-reader has not yet made it to the Hall. The bring-and-buy stall accepts produce and home-made items on the morning (please bring labelled and in clean packaging if possible). Anyone who would like to contribute a raffle prize — a bottle, a small hamper, a printed something — please bring it in by ten o'clock and the Lodge Secretary will add it to the table.
Children are welcome and there is a small quiet corner by the side door with a couple of board games. Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome in the entrance lobby; please ask the Almoner before bringing them through to the main hall.
Accessibility
Fetcham Village Hall is step-free from the side door (signposted) and has a working induction loop. There are two accessible parking bays on The Street directly outside the Hall; on-street parking otherwise is free at weekends. The accessible WC is to the rear of the main hall, signposted from the entrance.
If you would like us to prepare for any specific access need — large-print order of the morning, a quiet corner reserved for you, an early-arrival cup of tea — please let us know in the registration form below, or write to [email protected].
Travel
Fetcham Village Hall sits on The Street in the centre of Fetcham, postcode KT22 9JL. By car, take the B2122 from Leatherhead; the Hall is on the right after the duck-pond. By train, the nearest station is Leatherhead (two miles); a 479 bus runs hourly to Fetcham village, alighting at the duck-pond. Bicycle racks are by the side door.