What’s on

Regular Dates

Compton Fete - 9th May 2026

Just two and half months to go until Compton Fete 2026 folks, on Saturday 9 May, 12pm to 4.30pm. The Fete Committee has been busy so far, with some great developments to share with you all. COLOURING COMPETITION. Our annual children’s colouring competition is back! Collect a ready-to-colour Compton Village Fete poster from Compton Club until Friday 10 April. Post your entries in the Club’s letterbox. Winners will receive free bounces on the bouncy castles at the Fete, have their artwork displayed at Compton Club and be part of the official fete marketing campaign.

TEA SHOP RETURNS TO THE FETE. We’re extremely pleased to announce that Godalming and Villages Community Store will be returning to provide a warm and welcoming space at the Tea Shop, hosted within the Compton Club. Your wonderful and delicious home-baked donations are anticipated. Godalming and Villages Community Store provides food and essential items to those in need in our community. 2026 CHARITIES. Alongside Godalming and Villages Community Store, this year we are proud to support Action for Carers Surrey, a charity providing vital information, advice and practical support for unpaid carers across Surrey.

HOW FETE PROCEEDS ARE SHARED. People often ask how fete funds are distributed. Compton Village Association plans to allocate proceeds from the 2026 fete as follows:

- Allotments: 50% plant sales plus 10% of surplus funds
- Compton Club: 50% beer sales plus 20% of surplus funds
- St Nicholas Church: 50% cake stall sales plus 20% of surplus funds
- Village Hall: 20% of surplus funds
- Compton Little Theatre (CLT): 10% of surplus funds
- Godalming and Villages Community Store: 50% Tea Shop sales plus 10% of surplus funds
- Action for Carers Surrey: 10% of surplus funds

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED. Volunteering for the fete is a wonderful way to meet neighbours, get involved in village life and help make this special day happen. If you would like to help, please contact Leni, elenidhafcoleman@gmail.com.

GRAND DRAW PRIZES. We are seeking prizes for our popular Grand Draw. If you or your business would like to donate a prize, please contact Sarah Metcalfe, sarah.metcalfe17@gmail.com.

BOUNCY CASTLES SPONSORSHIP. Our bouncy castles are always one of the most popular attractions. We are keen to keep prices affordable so that all children can take part, but covering the hire costs each year is becoming increasingly challenging. Could your business sponsor this much-loved attraction and support a fantastic community event? Sponsors will be recognised in fete publicity and on the day. Interested? Please contact Miranda, wellsmiranda@icloud.com. SILENT AUCTION. An exciting new way of placing bids will debut ahead of this year’s Fete. Discover more in the April issue of Compton NEWS.

To keep up to date on all Fete news, check out www.facebook.com/ComptonVillageFete

CLT

Compton Little Traitors + AGM with drinks and nibbles. On the night CLT will share news about  forthcoming productions and social events for 2026. This will be followed by a Traitors-themed game. Can you spot a liar, or do you think you can deceive your friends to steal the winnings? 

Email info@comptonlittletheatre.org.uk if you would like to take part or to find out more. Wednesday 11 March, 7pm, Pucks Oak Barn.

CLT Quiz Night

Quiz night ahoy! Jo Ayshford and Rhona Wilkie will once again be hosting their legendary quiz night at the Village Hall. Tickets are £14 each which includes a two-course supper. There is also a pay bar.  Teams of six, maximum. Email Rhona Wilkie at  info@comptonlittletheatre.org.uk to enter your team, book  tickets and to provide dietary requirements. Saturday 25 April, Compton Village Hall, Doors open at 6.30pm for a 7pm start.

Compton Village Club

Compton Club  Rugby Six Nations, from 4pm, Saturday 7 March  Rugby Six Nations, from 7pm, Saturday 14 March 

Women Who W(h)ine, from 7pm,  Thursday 19 March. Come on the night or email Jane Turner to confirm attendance,

janewturner@mac.com. Check out www.comptonclub.co.uk or  https://chat.whatsapp.com/.JnU4sdkaxZRHy7RZz6eotm. 

For further information visit www.comptonclub.co.uk

Women who W(h)ine

Women who W(h)ine is a new social meet-up that will be held at Compton Club, 7-9pm on the third Thursday of every two months: March 19, May 21, July 16, September 17, November 19, January 14 2027. The inaugural gathering on Thursday 22 February was a resounding success with 14 on the night. The conversation never flagged, according to Jane Turner. Interested in coming along to the next one? Then email Jane at janewturner@mac.com. Contributory nibbles will be much appreciated by all.

Sew like a pro

SEW LIKE A PRO. A couple of places  remain on the evening course for creating beautiful soft furnishings for the home.Meet

budding sewing bees and explore your  potential for creating cushions, blinds, curtains and lampshades. You only need basic sewing skills and a thirst to be creative. Classes take place at Compton Village Hall: Tuesday, 6pm to 9pm, 3, 10, 17, 24 March. 

   Alternatively, reserve your place for sessions running through April/May. Evenings: Tuesday, 6pm to 9pm, 21

& 28 April, 5 & 12 May. Daytime: Wednesday, 10am to1pm, 22 & 29 April, 6 & 13 May. Each four session course: £120. Sewing machines provided for those who don’t have their own to bring along. Students will need to provide materials (fabric etc). To find out more and  reserve a place, contact Michelle at  michellecalvert58@gmail.com / 07966 471561. 

Compton Parish Council - Litter pick

Compton Parish Council is organising the village litter pick on Saturday 21 March. It starts at 10.30am at Compton Club. Volunteers can reconvene there for warm soup at midday afterwards. Litter pickers, bags and hi-viz supplied. Please bring your own gloves and wear sensible footwear. The Annual Parish Meeting will be held on Wednesday 15 April, 7pm at Compton Club. Dates of upcoming Parish Council meetings are on the parish council page

Les Amities Francaises

On Thursday 19 March Les Amitiés Françaises’ guest speaker Annie Kearn will give an illustrated talk (in French) on the history of the French Navy from the 13th to the 18th Century. The lecture is also on Zoom (link to be emailed) for those unable to reach  Godalming on that day. Talks are from 7.30pm to 9pm at the Wilfrid Noyce Community Centre,  Oglethorpe Hall, CrownCourt Car Park, GU7 1DY. Les Amitiés Françaises  always welcomes new members.  Talks are in French. www.amitiesfrancaisesgodalming.com.

Godalming Probus

Retired or retiring soon? Why not join Probus Club of Godalming, a friendly group of retired professional men who meet monthly in Godalming for lunch followed by a speaker. We also meet every month in a local pub for coffee and a chat. We have walking, petanque and 10-pin bowling groups, organise outings and an annual Christmas lunch. For more information visit our website www.godalmingprobus.com or e-mail our Secretary at pcgcommittee@gmail.com. Our next lunch will be on Friday 10 April. Ian Worley will speak on 'Racing Through The Southern Ocean', telling us about his experiences whilst racing around the world on 'Great Britain II' in the 1977-78 Whitbread round the World Race. 

Milford Probus

Milford Probus Club’s upcoming lunch & talk is on Friday 20 March. After lunch, members of the Club and visitors (growing in number and always welcome) will learn from Steve Stanley about a fascinating but often misunderstood period of British history. Between the fall of the Roman Empire and the start of the Viking invasions, the Irish, Picts, Britons and Anglo-Saxons competed, developing a distinct cultural heritage. This is sometimes described as the time of the Celtic Church. 

Steve will discuss how religious change and conversion drove cultural development against a background of political competition. A retired criminologist, he has degrees in history, social research and classical studies. He is also a popular and impressive speaker, who has given talks on the Silk Trade in Roman times and the Fall of the Roman Empire. Lunch is at 12.30pm (pre-lunch drinks from 12pm). Godalming Masonic Hall, GU7 1RQ. Visit www.milfordprobus.com or book lunch (book eight days before) with Miranda O’Brien: miranda.obrien@btinternet.com / 01483 423398. 

   The Club’s activities include organised outings ending at a pub. Established in 1999, it has welcomed women members since 2016 and now has a female president.  

What’s on in March at St Nicholas Church?

You are very welcome to all our services and events, particularly during Lent. 

• † Muddy Church A space for wandering & wondering with God for all the family on the first Sunday of each month at 10.30am (term-time only).    

• † Toddler group Fledglings, every Monday (term-time only) at 9am at Puck’s Oak Barn.  fledglingscompton@gmail.com.

• † Inside Out meets Saturday 7 March 10am to 12 noon to keep the church & churchyard looking good. Just turn up or contact  stnicholascompton.wardens@gmail.com.

• † Bell ringing Sunday service ringing is 9.50am to 10.30am (first Sunday of every month it is 5.30pm to 6pm instead). Bell ringing practice alternate Tuesdays 10am to 12pm. Practice sessions can be arranged at other times to suit those who cannot manage a weekday morning. Contact phil.gorton@btinternet.com.  

• Baptisms, Weddings & Funerals. Please contact our Rector, Sally, if you would like to mark a family milestone at St Nicholas. 

If you would like someone to pray for you or with you, contact our Rector: stnicholascompton.rector@gmail.com. Confidentiality will be respected.

Thanks & blessings, Revd Sally Buddle

Visit our website for full details of upcoming services & events: stnicholascompton.org.

Godalming Choral Society

♫  Godalming Choral Society will perform King Arthur, by Henry Purcell at St John’s Church Farncombe, GU7 3EJ, on 

Saturday 18 April, from 7.30pm. Purcell (1659 to 1695) lived in the turbulent times of the Restoration. John Dryden’s libretto deals not with Camelot and the Round Table but with a Celtic-British King Arthur and his battles against the Saxon invaders. This amazing work contains some of Purcell’s most lyrical music, using adventurous harmonies, and including the famous Frost Scene and the  ravishing aria Fairest Isle. The performance will include only the captivating music of this dramatic masterpiece, not the spoken roles.  Conductor George de Voil, who is directing the semi-opera, says: “We invite you to enter the world of Saxons vs Britons in our  performance of this dramatic masterpiece. Pick a side… and follow the exploits of kings, magicians and evil spirits through the  peerless music of Henry Purcell, one of our nation’s most treasured composers.” Tickets, £20 (free for under 18s,) from  Record Corner, Pound Lane, Godalming, from www.godalmingchoral.org.uk or at the door.

Conservatoire Concerts

♫ Conservatoire Concerts has the pleasure of hosting two wonderful local concerts this month. On 7 March, two Maltese students from Cambridge University – Daphne Delicata (piano) and Iona Azzopardi (viola) – will be performing a Piano and Viola Recital. Their programme includes Brahms’ Sonata Op. 120 and Schumann’s Märchenbilder Op113: Viola and Piano. Other solo works on piano will include Chopin’s Fantaisie in F minor and Beethoven’s piano sonata op. 90. A Cello and Piano Recital takes place on  28 March. Daniel Bradon (cello) and Julian Milford (piano) will perform works by Schumann, Boccherini, Prokofiev and more.

Both concerts are held at Godalming Baptist Church GU7 1BA and start at 7pm. Booking on www.conservatoireconcerts.org.uk.  Admission free with a retiring collection. Your generous donations are much appreciated.

Watts Gallery - Dates for your diary

This month, Watts Gallery is celebrating Women’s History Month so come and visit our Women of Influence exhibition and check out the exciting array of events across the site in March. Don’t forget that the gallery’s monthly ‘pay if and what you can’ day is on Wednesday 4 March. In addition, enjoy free entry to the site on  13 and 14 March by showing a National Lottery Ticket, Instant Win Game or scratch card.

ª   Photographer Emma Brown will be running tintype studio sessions, so don’t miss the special opportunity to capture your individual or family portrait using this historic technique on Sunday 1 March.

ª   Textiles conservator Rebecca Bissonnet will be hosting a talk on the beloved ‘Green Dress’ worn by Virginia  Dalrymple in G F Watts’s 1872 portrait of her, sharing behind-the-scenes insight on the conservation process. Talk takes place on Wednesday 4 March.

ª   On Friday 7 March enjoy an exclusive, immersive performance in the Women of Influence exhibition by actress Charity Wakefield, written by Laura Hart. The performance, titled ‘Pattledom’ and inspired by the Pattle sisters, will be followed by a Q&A with Charity and Laura. 

ª   Step behind the scenes at Watts Gallery on Thursday 12 March for a special ‘An hour in the archive’ talk and tour. This exclusive event offers a rare opportunity to explore collection items and artefacts rarely seen by the public and hear more from Curatorial Advisor, Hilary Underwood. 

ª   A one-day symposium on Wednesday 25 March explores the role of sisters in the arts during Victorian Britain. Connect with scholars, art historians, and enthusiasts interested in familial, creative and political sisterhoods of the nineteenth century. Discover the era’s fascination with what has been called the ‘sororomania’ of Victorian Britain, featuring speakers from Watts Gallery, Surrey University, Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum and more. 

ª   Finally, Watts wants to hear from you. We are always open to blog contributions from our staff and volunteers, but we would also like to open the floor to our local community. If you have a special Watts Gallery-related story or memorable  moment that you would like to share and feature on our blog, please email marketing@wattsgallery.org.uk.

• Check the website for details of events and to book tickets: www.wattsgallery.org.uk

Godalming Museum

Blue Sky Artists exhibition. Monday 2 March until Saturday 21 March. 

Resonance — Exploring the abstract harmonies of Nature, Universe & Soul. Running from Tuesday 24 March to Saturday 18 April, the exhibition presents fluid acrylic paintings on canvas that blur the boundaries between land, sea and sky Inspired by the rhythms of nature and the vastness of the universe.

The Rabbit Woman of Godalming — A lecture by historian Julian Humphrys. Three hundred years ago this autumn,  Godalming found itself at the centre of a remarkable medical scandal when a local woman, Mary Toft, announced that she had given birth to a litter of rabbits. Needless to say, her claim would be uncovered as a hoax but not before it had taken in some of the country's most eminent physicians. In this illustrated talk, Julian will tell us more about this extraordinary episode in local and national history. The lecture is on Friday 27 March, starting at 7.30pm at the Wilfrid Noyce Community Centre, GU7 1DY. 

Contact the Museum for further details and tickets. 

Godalming Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 4pm. Visit www.godalmingmuseum.co.uk / 01483 426510.

Arts Society Woking

On Tuesday 10 March, ARTS SOCIETY WOKING’s talk is The Creation of the BBC. The lecture will investigate the invention and use of radio at the start of the 20th Century and reveal how the medium was first used as a form of mass communication.  It will then explore the early days of the BBC and some of the people who were vital to the success of the new company, its  relationship with the Government and the concerns about the power of this radical new form of communication. The talk will be given by Nick Salmond.  Talks start at 10.30am but doors open 9.45am for tea, coffee & biscuits. Normandy Village Hall, GU3 2DT. Members may bring a visitor, who may want to make a donation to the Society of £10. 

www.wokingdfas.org.uk/talks-arts-society-woking-2025.htm

Lunchtime Jazz

Monday 2nd March, 2pm

Guildford Institute

For over two decades tenor saxophonist Alex Garnett has been one of the  leading saxophonists in the UK and  mainland Europe, being instantly recognised by his dark, husky sound.  A versatile musician, he is a long-standing member of Ronnie Scott’s All-Stars and much in demand as a session  and studio saxophonist, with countless recording credits. He is also a highly  successful jazz composer and arranger. With Paul Edis (piano) and Marianne Windham (bass).

Alex Clarke

Thursday 26th March, 8pm

Guildford Pavilion, Woodbridge Road, GU1 4RP

A very special evening  celebrating the 15th Anniversary of  Guildford Jazz, with a rare all-female  quintet featuring saxophonist Alex Clarke, a  finalist at the BBC Young Jazz Musician of the Year 2020, winner of the Rising Star category in the 2019 British Jazz Awards and Jazz Newcomer of the Year nominee in the 2021 & 2022 Parliamentary Jazz Awards. With Andrea Vicari on piano,  Sophie Alloway on drums, Marianne  Windham on bass and Emily Windham  on vocals.

Jazz Samba at Cranleigh Arts Centre GU6 8AS, 7.30pm to 10pm on Friday 20 March. Jazz Samba takes its inspiration and name from Stan Getz and Charlie Byrd's ground-breaking bossa nova album, which topped the album charts on its release in 1962. Led by the outstanding tenor saxophonist Mark Crooks and the award-winning guitarist Nigel Price, this is a joyful  celebration of the blending of Brazilian rhythms, jazz sensibility and the majestic compositions of Antonio Carlos Jobim, Joao Donato and Sergio Mendes. With John Cervantes (piano), Marianne Windham (bass) and Demi Garcia Sabat (drums).  Tickets £20.50 (discounts for Guildford Jazz members - visit www.guildfordjazz.org.uk for the discount code) phone the Box  Office 01483 278000 or visit boxoffice@cranleigharts.org.  

For further information visit www.guildfordjazz.org.uk