Front Line Surrey Hills

Front Line Surrey Hills

FRONT LINE SURREY HILLS

STEERING GROUP MEETING

24 November 2014

Warren Farm Barns

Notes of Meeting

Attendees: Rob Fairbanks; Paul Bowen; Will Frost; Rob Hewer; Aly Holly; Maggie Kippen; Helen Neve; Mark Richards; Tim Richardson; Andy Wright; Pennie King (Administrator)

Action
1. / Apologies: Lixi Chivas, Denise Furlonger, Richard Maddox, Louise Miller, Marc Russell
Introductions: Will Frost and Rob Hewer attended the meeting, particularly in relation to Item 5 “Developing a wider heritage project”.
2. / Notes of last meeting: These were reviewed and agreed.
3. / Project Updates & Budget Review
3.1 / Fort (MRi)
MRi reported that now the weather was colder and damper the mannequins and the woodwork in the fort were going mouldy. It was agreed that he should contact the buildings department to see if they could suggest a way to solve the problem.
MRi reported that the information boards at the fort need updating. It was agreed that these could be done as part of the project and must include the HLF logo. The cost will be in the region of £3,500. MRi to confirm. / MRi
MRi
3.2 / Films
It was agreed that the priority was to commission videos. It was proposed that 3 x 2 or 3 minute films should be commissioned to cover:
  1. The Fort.
  2. The Flying Fortress memorial, finishing with the memorial ceremony. This needs to include film or photographs of Roger carving it.
  3. Project summary with Gatton Education Trust and Gatton Community Theatre.
  4. The story of “Radio City”, including drone footage of the scarp. Landowners could be asked for their permission to use photos/footage taken by drone in the film.
A meeting to be set up (MR; TR; AW & RF) to scope the brief for the videos. / Action
3.3 / Education Activity Days
MRi and TR had been in touch with Catherine McCusker, NT Learning & Events Ranger at Box Hill, with a view to repeating the Education and Activity Days next year. The learning material from the current project will form part of this event.
MRi had been in touch with the Gatton Trust about the geo-cache boxes. It was decided the best way forward could be to have just one box at the bomber crash site. AW suggested this could be incorporated in the wingtips. MRi to progress. / MRi
3.4 / Gatton Community Theatre (MK)
MK reported that the purchase of the DVDs were in hand. It was agreed that a percentage of the income from ticket sales was needed as the cash match funding but any additional amount could be used to fund a future production at the fort.
3.5 / B17 Memorial Installation (MRi)
MRi reported that Georgina Terry of Natural England had given consent for the installation of the memorial.
4. / Commemoration Event
4.1 /
  • AH confirmed that someone from the US Air Defense office will attend the event and will speak after TAPS.
  • Still need to find someone to play TAPS; MK has a contact.
  • 2 rooms have been booked at the Reigate Manor Hotel.
  • 2 minibuses have been booked to take visitors up to the top of the hill at 17:15.
  • The 2 minibuses can transport 30 people so if there are more than 30, some people will have to make their own way up.
  • TR reported that there will be an American Jeep as a centrepiece.
  • It was agreed that a PA system could be bought out of the fund. MK may have a system that can be used. MRi & MK to liaise.
  • TR suggested putting the speakers on the Jeep.
  • Invites to be sent out by mid December to:
Local dignitaries
People involved in the project
Eyewitnesses
US air defense office
Wings Museum and ask them to supply artefacts for the reception at the hotel (TR confirmed they have an entire display case of artefacts)
Let volunteers know timings of unveiling etc.
On arrival at the hotel visitors will be welcomed by members of the Task Group. A dvd of the project will be played on a loop. Tea and sandwiches will be available. On arrival back at the hotel there will be a small reception. / MK
MRi/MK
5. / PR(AH)
AH tabled the final version of the Reigate Hill walks leaflet. Any outstanding invoices to be passed to Denise Furlonger as soon as possible. / AH
6. / Developing a wider Heritage project
6.1 / There was discussion around a wider heritage project coming out of the current project. WF had been inspired to investigate the depth of history on Headley Heath. This had been a base for the Canadians who had left behind trenches, airstrips, gunning placements, bomb craters, artefacts, rifle ranges etc. There were subplots of Czech spies who were trained on Headley Heath, prisoners of war who were turned into double-agents and returned to Germany in “Operation Periwig”. WF had appealed for local information and stressed that it is important to get this information first hand as soon as possible. He had a local historian on board who had revealed an amazing amount of information on how Headley Heath had “helped to win WW2”. WF had put together a volunteer group, including people who were living in Headley at the time. MRi said that the Canadians are the link to all the different properties which could be included in a future project. TR revealed that 2 July 2015 will be the 75th anniversary of the Canadian’s arrival. Evidence of the Canadians can also be seen at many other sites in the AONB, including Witley, Hindhead, Leith Hill and Limpsfield.
6.2 / Rob Hewer stated that there were a number of pillboxes on Surrey County Council, National Trust and Forestry Commission land. The NT had started clearing them several years ago but they were now beginning to deteriorate, trees being the main cause of damage. There were some by the river, with excellent views, that could be opened up. There is no national strategy to preserve them so it was suggested that a way forward would be to get together the “great and the good” to work out an access and preservation strategy.
6.3 / Helen Neve outlined the following points that need to be borne in mind for an “Our Heritage” application:
  1. Although there is more lottery money available, there are far more applications so it is a very competitive process.
  2. The more money you apply for, the more of the 9 HLF outcomes you need to address.
  3. It needs to be a project that is new and has not commenced.
  4. For applications over £100k the application form is bigger with a longer timescale, eg a 2 stage application process.
  5. Themes that may attract HLF funding are:
  • Canadians – an untouched subject
  • “Stopline B”
  • Pillboxes and what should be done about them? Perhaps choose 3 or 4 of the key ones to restore
  • Possibly kick-starting a national policy on pillboxes
  • Not losing first hand accounts .

6.4 / Round Table ideas on a future project
RF: Research, community archaeology, cutting back undergrowth to safeguard and expose buildings.
HN: Could involve lots of different types of people.
MRi: Pull all information together. Currently very fragmented. Canadian army is a big story.
AW: Canadians are headline story.
RH: Reigate Fort has been a great project. Could do a lot more. Get some pillboxes restored to show them off and interpret ones not on private land.
PB: Bring together the “great and the good” to discuss and debate.
TR: The Surrey Hills play a major part in the country’s history through the defence of London. Need to tell the story through living history.
AH: Big concern for a future project is staff resource.
MRi: It is hard to do this project within the day job. There could be a Project Officer for a future project, part time to begin with, rising to full time towards the end of the project. RF confirmed that a Project Officer could be employed and managed by the Steering Group.
MRi: Could open up the second casement at Reigate Hill. This would need to be dug out but would this be of public benefit?
WF: Wants to tell the stories of Headley Heath without them getting lost in a bigger project.
MK: If HLF’s key is public engagement, it is the stories that need to be told. Need to engage children. Oral history is very important. What about the trenches.
WF: Cold war bunker at Headley Heath. We know where the bunker is but have not actually located it.
6.5 / RF said that we could seek pre-application advice from HLF on a project around:
  • Structures at risk
  • Life stories, bring them together
  • Still a job to be done at Reigate Fort
  • This is what we have done and this is what we want to do.

6.6 / SCC has a website called “Remembered” currently aimed at WW1, which is funded by HLF. Could this be elevated to WW2? Could check this out with current case officer.
7. / Next Steps:
  1. Meeting of Task Group to be set (Wednesday 3 December 09:00-10:00 WFB)
  2. Focus on Reigate Hill at pre-application
  3. Capacity issue

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