There was a glorious summer evening for the August 21 meeting of Bake, Natter & Roll Farnham WI.

For the members and guests it was also an evening of choices. Not only did they have to decide which delicious cakes that had been created by Linda and Amanda to try first, but also if they wished to go for a ghost and bat walk with Nick, or to remain in the hall and listen to a presentation by Abbie from the South West Surrey Domestic Abuse Service.

Members felt lucky to have the very enthusiastic and knowledgeable Nick from the Farnham Rangers conducting the walk, and he gave everyone a preliminary talk about Farnham Park and bats. It appears that bats have been native from the Ice Age. Some of the UK bat visitors are very rare. They eat insects such as midges and moths and they are a protected species.

After all the intrepid walkers were gathered up they set off towards Farnham Park with Nick, who knew everything about the park. With the help of his bat gadgets, which were honed in to the bat frequency, the walkers were able to spot some. During the walk Nick also entertained the group with ghost stories, such as the ghost that resides in what was the quarry in the park, and the ghostly rider who is seen along the avenue.

Those who stayed at the Spire Church, and looked after the cakes, had the inspirational and passionate Abbie tell them about the South West Surrey Domestic Abuse Service.

She told them how the charity started, what its role was and how it helped victims of abuse, who can not only be women and children but also men. She discussed the Freedom Programme - how the charity supports victims with safety plans covering post-separation abuse. Members donated second-hand handbags to the charity, which will be given to victims along with personal toiletry items.

Bake, Natter and Roll’s next meeting will be on September 18, at 7.45pm for an 8pm start, in the Small Hall at the Spire Church in Farnham, when members will be entertained by Lindsey Burrell - also known by her burlesque name of Cherry Bomb. For more information email [email protected]

Most people these days constantly have their smartphones with them. They are often used to take brilliant photos, but they can also be used to take professional-looking movies.

The vice-chairman of Surrey Border Movie Makers, Philip Morley, hosted the club meeting in August to present the audience with a comprehensive look at using Black Magic software tools on smartphones. The results can be cinema-quality films, and the tools have been used to make several very successful mainstream professional productions.

For those considering making a movie with a smartphone, they have a lot of plus points. They are small, convenient and nearly always to hand. Everything needed is available, reducing the need to carry sound and lighting equipment. They can be used in small spaces where large conventional cameras are too bulky to fit, they are a lot cheaper to buy than expensive dedicated film cameras and associated filming gear, and the smartphone results are very impressive.

Philip produced and narrated three films which showed the settings and capabilities of Black Magic, including how it can be used to control multiple cameras on set. There were breaks between the three films which gave the audience the opportunity to ask questions.

Following Philip’s presentation, the audience were shown two films made by club member John Hawthorne, The Caves of Surrey and Mother Ludlam’s Cave, and two films by member Paul Ashworth - Langham Brewery Tour and also Annapurna Eco Village, which he visited 18 months after a devastating earthquake had taken place. The four excellent and interesting films had never been shown at the club before, and the audience were asked to give their comments.

The club meets on the first Friday of each month at St Joan's Centre, 19 Tilford Road, Farnham. There is plenty of parking and the first visit is free. Potential new members interested in any aspects of film-making, including using artificial intelligence, are always welcome. For more information visit www.surreyborder.org.uk, email [email protected] or go on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SurreyBorderMovieMakers/timeline

Once again it has been a busy summer in Liphook as many residents nurtured their sunflowers, hoping that this year they might be a winner in the Liphook in Bloom Sunflower Competition.

After a shortlist of six was drawn up, judge Toby Hutchins - from Grayshott Pottery - together with several members of Liphook in Bloom visited the shortlisted entrants to view the entries.

As always the standard was very high. Blooms were carefully counted, tall plants measured and collections admired. Difficult decisions were made.

On August 22 the shortlisted entrants gathered with members of Liphook in Bloom outside the coffee shop, Number 1 The Square, keen to know the results.

Terry Burns, president of Liphook in Bloom, welcomed everyone and introduced chairman Lesley Hollands, who announced the prize winners.

First prize for the tallest sunflower went to Laura and Chris Howard, whose sunflower measured 360cm, or 12ft.

Thomas, from South Road, was awarded highly commended for his sunflower, which measured 340cm, or 11ft 4in. Father Christmas, who gave him the seeds, would be delighted to hear that.

First prize for the sunflower with the most blooms went to Jenni Ellegard. Her sunflower had an amazing 65 blooms. Maybe seaweed fertiliser had something to do with that.

Highly commended went to Christopher White, whose sunflower had 41 blooms.

The Gooding family were awarded highly commended in the Best Collection category. They had grown several varieties of sunflowers in various locations in the garden and even had some in an old canoe on a shed roof.

Prize for the Best Collection went to Carol and Keith Tipping, who had grown a group of 11 sunflowers in a square grid. They had all grown to the same height and formed a sunflower forest.

There was a Special Recognition Award made to users of the Day Centre. Their sunflowers were not very successful this year, so they came up with an alternative entry and entered themselves as sunflowers, with Caspar the dog joining in. The award was presented to Anne Hall and Diane Fowler.

Thanks were given to PRC Processing for the certificates, Number 1 The Square for hosting the prize giving, Toby Hutchins who designed and made the prize winners’ mugs, judged the competition and handed out the prizes, and Miranda Rowe and Keith Thomas, for organising the competition.

Nikki from Number 1 The Square presented Liphook in Bloom with a donation of £70. This money had been raised by selling coffee grounds, which can be used as fertiliser.

An initiative to get everybody in Alton walking more and raising money for good causes is being led by the Alton Stroke Support Group.

Its STEPtember Challenge is encouraging people to set themselves a target of how many steps to take each day in September.

Sponsorship raised by those taking part is going to three good causes chosen by the group - the Alton Stroke Support Group itself, The Kings Arms and the Mud House Children's Foundation.

It’s not too late to take part. Sponsor forms are available from Sainsbury's, Alton Library, The Wilson Practice and Chawton Park Surgery, and from https://site-vdaz1abjo.godaddysites.com/

A celebration will be held in Alton’s Market Square on September 30 at midday for people to take their final steps across the finish line.

Should terminally ill adults be helped to die by doctors? This question, being debated in the House of Lords as the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, is at the heart of Cardiac Rehab’s annual fundraising lecture.

Cardiac Rehab founder Dr Hugh Bethell has invited writer and critic Theodore Dalrymple to share his opinions on the ethics and dilemmas of assisted dying. The annual lecture – one of the charity’s major fundraising events - is being held at the Alton Maltings Centre on October 22 at 7pm.

Mr Dalrymple will explore huge moral questions surrounding end of life care, including competing claims of individual choice, medical ethics and society’s attitudes. His perspective, shaped by a long career and encounters with suffering and death, promises to give the audience plenty to ponder.

Cardiac Rehab chief executive Sarah Quarterman said: “With the legislation that could potentially legalise the assisted dying of terminally ill patients currently being debated in the House of Lords, this is a very timely conversation about end of life care.

“Wherever you currently sit on the debate, I am sure that an evening in the company of such an informed and passionate speaker will lead you to consider in more depth the changes this legislation could bring.”

The lecture will be preceded by wine and canapés. For tickets visit www.cardiac-rehab.co.uk/events