A BYFLEET car dealership has committed to help Surrey Air Ambulance by donating a sponsored vehicle to the charity.

Dagenham Motors in Wintersells Road has renewed its long standing support for the vital service five years after becoming the air ambulance's first business sponsor.

A BYFLEET charity has sent more than 400 boxes of useful items to the Caribbean to help underprivileged people.

CAMDY was set up by Libby Punter and her husband 12 years ago after holidays to the Caribbean showed them how tough life was for those living in the area.

They started off by sending boxes out to the islands and have now sent four containers over the last few years and the latest shipment had 430 boxes.

A NEW charity has received a welcome boost from a supermarket.

The West Byfleet branch of Waitrose presented a cheque for £690 to the newly formed Runnymede Dementia Carers Support Group to help with its supper club.

West Byfleet WI has enjoyed a month of celebration and entertainment.

The programme of events began with the annual Craft and Drama afternoon on Thursday 13 October.  This enjoyable event was tinged with a little sadness, however, as it was the last performance by the Drama Group.  Maureen Hatcher, who has directed the group enthusiastically with her skill and patience in recent years, began a well-deserved retirement following this performance.  The group has entertained the WI at several of their meetings with poetry afternoons, sketches and other theatrical productions, including a memorable version of Cinderella which had the audience in stitches.  The group has also performed for other organisations, including St. Mary's Day Centre in Byfleet.  Everyone will miss the Drama Group's efforts, but agrees that Maureen deserves a rest. 

The celebrations continued on 20^th October with the birthday meeting.  This year marked the 85^th anniversary for West Byfleet WI.  They invited members from Pyrford WI and Woodham and Newhaw WI to join them for this happy occasion.

The committee had worked hard to create a colourful autumn theme for the table settings which were enhanced by the beautiful floral decorations provided by Olive Disbury.  After a delicious meal, provided by Margaret Wingham of 'Word of Mouth Catering', WI members relaxed to the harmonious sounds of the Wey Voices.  The varied programme included selections from shows, musicals, gospel and popular music, and was much appreciated by everyone.

Visitors and new members are always welcome at the WI meetings which take place on the second Thursday of each month from 2.00 p.m. until 4.00 p.m. at the Cornerstone Centre in Camphill Road.  Please contact Freda Collins on 01932 340982 or visit www.windowonwoking.org.uk for more details.

A BYFLEET cyclist is preparing to take part in the London to Brighton Cycle Ride to raise money for the British Skin Foundation.

David Jones, who lives in Hopfield Avenue, will be one of about 200 riders pedalling to raise money for the skin disease research charity.

And if all of their entrants make it to the finish line they will have covered a combined 17,377km - not bad for a single morning of effort.

SURREY County Council has defended its decision to earmark more libraries for potential closure, drawing the ire of campaigners and library users.

Depending on the success of a pilot group of 10 libraries, including Byfleet and New Haw, which have to become fully dependent on volunteers or will shut, another nine could be forced to face the same uncertain fate.

Those libraries include Hersham, Shepperton and West Byfleet.

CLINICALLY obese people will now be able to have a specialist gastric bypass operation to help them lose weight at St Peter's Hospital in Chertsey.

As of Friday, September 9, the hospital will offer a new fat-combating surgical procedure to patients who need to lose weight in order to maintain a healthy life.

St. John's Church has been at the centre of community life in West Byfleet since 1912.  Your memories might not stretch this far back, but we still want them!

St. John's is 100 years old in 2012, and there will be an exhibition at the church to celebrate the occasion.  If you have old photographs or special memories of events at the church, such as family occasions, whether you were a member or not, we would very much like to hear from you.

Please contact Dave Roberts on 01932 402424 or email david.roberts4@ntlworld.com 

ARTICULATED lorry drivers who follow their sat navs through New Haw, oblivious to height warning signs, are causing daily chaos when they get stuck because of a low bridge.

Residents who live in and around Oyster Lane say the drivers, who are usually from the continent, do not understand the signs warning them their vehicles will not fit under Byfleet & New Haw railway bridge.

A TAXI driver who attacked a young woman as she walked home from a night out has been found guilty of rape.

Masood Ahmed, 26, of Seaforth Avenue, New Malden, was arrested just hours after police received a report that an 18-year-old woman had been found in distress on Parvis Road in West Byfleet in the early hours of Friday 13 August 2010.

The victim had been out with friends in Woking town centre on the evening of Thursday 12 August. At around 1am she returned to a friend's address in West Byfleet but later decided to leave and make her way home.