THE DEATH has occurred of village photographer Eddie Morton of Wheeler Avenue, Tylers Green, after a long battle with cancer.
Eddie was a retired builder by trade but he was well known throughout the community for his photographs and his collaborations with various publications, exhibitions and books about Penn and Tylers Green.
He won many awards and was an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society, a Fellow of the Disabled Photographer’s Society; holder of a Credit of the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain, and a leading member of Amersham Photographic Society for many years.
A modest man with infinite patience and a quiet charm, he had hundreds, if not thousands, of photographs of Penn and Tylers Green and the surrounding area in his collection, including every significant building in the village.
He and his wife Ros were devastated by the death of their 23 year old daughter Samantha in 2006 on an adventure holiday in Thailand, as were their sons Gavin and Martin, but they were always grateful for the enormous support they received from friends and neighbours here.
Eddie made a massive contribution to this community and will be deeply missed. His funeral is on 3 September at Chilterns Crematorium (12.15pm).
Coronavirus update
Outdoor singing – The congregation at St Margaret’s, Tylers Green, is moving outside for the final hymn of Sunday morning services throughout August to enable everyone to sing without face coverings. People are being encouraged to continue wearing masks while inside the church for the service.
Numbers falling – The numbers of new cases of coronavirus are slowly falling in our immediate vicinity with 25 reported in the Penn area, 23 in Tylers Green and 31 in Hazlemere in the seven days to 4 August. In Buckinghamshire unofficial figures show 158 new cases today compared to 177 new cases a week ago.
Vaccinations lag – The Wycombe area is falling behind in the number of Covid vaccinations compared to the average in the UK. Eighty two per cent of the local population has received a first dose compared to the 89 per cent average in the country; and 68 per cent of the local population has received two jabs compared to the national average of 74 per cent.
Supper cancelled – St Margaret’s, Tylers Green and Holy Trinity, Penn, have cancelled their Harvest Festival supper due to be held in the village hall on 25 September to be on the safe side. The event attracts 150 people in a relatively enclosed space.
Local news
Outstanding preschool – Manor Farm Pre-School in Rose Avenue has been judged outstanding – the highest category – in an Ofsted report published this week. It follows an inspection held in July.
Stop abusing staff say doctors – The medical team at Penn Surgery and the Simpson Centre sent an open letter to patients this week saying they will not tolerate verbal abuse of reception staff which has been occurring while they try to cope with a new appointments system. They say: “We recognise we haven’t always got it right, and for this we apologise.
“However, just like you expect us to support you, we expect you to support us. This month we have provided our reception team with new training. We have invited external people to monitor our process. Be reassured that the entire team is committed to answering your queries as best as possible and improving our service.”
Charity skydive – Dog walker Jackie Sturgess of Birch Way, Tylers Green is making her first sponsored parachute jump next month in aid of Stokenchurch Dog Rescue. She has a Just Giving page – https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jackie-sturgess– if you would like to donate. She’ll be making the 15,000ft tandem skydive over Chiltern Park Airfield near Wallingford on 12 September.
Sarkissians leave – Mrs Edwina Sarkissian, who was a teacher at Tylers Green First School for many years, has left the village with her husband Arshak to settle in Lichfield.
Planning news
Barn conversion – Plans to convert an old barn into a house on land opposite The Chinnery in Church Road, Penn have been given conditional approval. Buckinghamshire councillors were told that under revised planning laws agricultural buildings in the Green Belt can be converted into homes in certain circumstances. Both Penn Parish Council and the Penn and Tylers Green Residents’ Society had objected.
House demolition – Plans have also been submitted to demolish Penury Woods, the Edwardian house in Witheridge Lane, Penn and replace it with what the architect says is a similar sized modern home but with an added basement to include a gym, games room and swimming pool. The house in 4.5 acre grounds was sold last year for just under £4m.
Gomm Valley preparations – House builders Taylor Wimpey have told residents on the Pimms Action Group that they would expect to publish a planning application for consultation in the next two to three months for the Gomm Valley, the land between Cock Lane and Hammersley Lane, Tylers Green that is earmarked for housing development.
Thousands of new homes in this area in the next few years – Proposed major new housing developments within four miles of Penn and Tylers Green are meeting with objections from residents. This week proposals were unveiled to build a 450 home estate on the Amersham Road at Beaconsfield opposite the Wilton Park estate development where Inland Homes are currently building 350 houses.
Meanwhile, an amended outline planning application by Inland Homes to build 103 houses on Green Belt land at Tralee Farm,Wycombe Road, Holmer Green is meeting strong local resistance from people who say the land is the last remaining green field separating Hazlemere and Holmer Green.
Elsewhere, residents are objecting to a plan by Redrow Homes and Persimmon Homes to build 418 houses and flats at the former Terriers Farm in Kingshill Road, Hazlemere saying the development will put unacceptable strains on traffic and facilities, while in Wooburn Green, Croudace Homes have produced further details of their scheme to build 146 homes at Slate Meadow. Some locals say that plans to build four blocks of flats on the site will be out of keeping with the rural surroundings.
A detailed planning application to build over 100 homes on the fields by Ashwells, Tylers Green, is expected in the autumn.