Further to our post of 19 January, EFFRA has now received permission from Surrey County Council to convert and upgrade the Effingham village orchard garden. The garden is constructed on Surrey County Council Highways land in The Street in Effingham and will become the Barnes Wallis Memorial Garden. EFFRA has also been awarded a grant of £5,000 by Surrey County Council’s YFS Small Community Projects Fund 2025-26 to create the garden. This will cover initial landscaping and a heritage board covering Sir Barnes’ life and involvement in Effingham. In the longer term it is planned to add an appropriate sculpture to the garden. We will be sharing our initial plans for the garden with residents and asking for comments before finalizing them.
The Effingham Gentleman’s Club has agreed to take on and organize the ongoing maintenance of the garden. Residents of Effingham who are not members of the Club will also be welcome to help. Further details will be available shortly.