Obituary: David Bellchamber (1948 - 2021)

David Bellchamber, Planning Officer for Cobham Conservation and Heritage Trust, and an outstanding community figure, sadly passed away on 29th July 2021.

David was born in Hampshire and raised by his aunt Elsie following the death of his mother. He was a boarder at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Crediton where he became a high achiever, also gaining the original Duke of Edinburgh Award and becoming a Queen’s Scout. He went on to gain a BA (Hons) at the University of Westminster where he captained their Rugby team. Completing his LLB at Guildford he joined a City Law firm and became a partner.

David was a non-believer, but if he had a religion, it would be called ‘the greater good’. In this he was a true believer.

Aged only 30 he suffered with a respiratory illness and was given a prognosis that he would die before he was 45, but despite this he battled on and lived to the age of 73. He moved to a houseboat in East Molesey and became a vegetarian before moving to Walton on Thames. He joined a private Law practice in Elmbridge and became a volunteer Legal Adviser at Citizens Advice. He married and had two sons before later divorcing, marrying Sue, and gaining two stepsons.

In the ‘80’s, he joined the Liberal Democrat Party and regularly ran as a Local Council Candidate. In one year in Weybridge, he was ‘frightened out of his life’ because he almost got in! He played a major role in the Liberal Party gaining a seat in the Cobham & Downside Ward in 2021 – much of his help and support given from his hospital bed.

He became a key figure immersing himself in the community, working tirelessly for the greater good. He loved the environment and was a lead in developing ‘Transition Cobham’, and the ‘Community Garden’ and serving for many years on the Walton Conservation Area Advisory Committee. In 2009 he joined the Cobham Heritage Trust planning team, before becoming Director and Company Secretary of the Community Chatterbus, and Chairman of the Cobham Branch of the Royal British Legion.

Fittingly, for such a community-minded man, he was awarded a Surrey County Council Chairman’s Award in 2019 for his volunteering work.

David Tipping

Sadly, David Bellchamber has passed away

David BellchamberIt is with the great sadness that we report that David Bellchamber, a much respected trustee and friend of Cobham Heritage, passed away in the early hours on Thursday 29th July 2021.

He had been ill for some time and in recent months he had been in and out of hospital a number of times.

There was no one more committed to the community than David. His was the life of constant public service; he was very clever and always a wise counsel to so many. He quietly got on with everything and no matter how complex the issue he never let anyone down despite his phenomenal workload.

He will be so sorely missed by so many people and so many organisations. David was total goodness and there was not a grain of malice in him - always concerned for others. But at least he lived to see a Liberal Democrat councillor in Cobham. He leaves a massive chasm in the whole of Elmbridge as he was involved in so many different things. Cobham will not be the same place without him.

David's funeral was held at Randall’s Park Crematorium, Leatherhead on Monday 23rd August 2021.

Our thoughts are very much with his wife Sue and their family and we send our deepest condolences.

The Cobham Conservation and Heritage Trust, Trustees

Proposed boundary changes to the Esher and Walton parliamentary constituency

You may have read that the boundary commission is proposing boundary changes to the Esher and Walton parliamentary constituency because it is too large in size. The proposals so far as they affect Cobham and its surrounding villages, apart from meeting a numbers game, are devoid of any logic or sense and could materially disadvantage us. You can comment on the proposals until 2nd August 2021 and you can read about the proposals and make representations here: South East | BCE Consultation Portal (bcereviews.org.uk).

The proposals, in essence, split off Cobham (including Downside) west of the middle of the lower part of Fairmile lane and Tilt Road into a long thin constituency of Weybridge and Chertsey. The rest of Cobham and Stoke D’Abernon stays with the Esher and Walton constituency.

The boundary commission state that when they rearrange boundaries:

As far as possible, we try to have regard to local ties, geographic factors, local government boundaries (as they were known on 1 December 2020), existing constituencies, and minimising disruption caused by the proposed change. 

They have failed us wholly on these tests other than ward boundaries which have little relevance in this part of Elmbridge.

If you live in Stoke D’Abernon, your schools, doctors and all your other local services are likely to be in another parliamentary constituency.

If you live in Cobham we will become an orphan and outlying ward, with little say, in a long narrow developed belt comprising Weybridge, Chertsey and Egham with which we have little in common. We shall be split away from the adjoining settlements of Stoke D’Abernon and Oxshott with whom we have much in common and have coalesced for centuries. Our rail station will be in another constituency. The boundary will split a previously cohesive settlement dividing it into two going down the middle of residential roads. The proposed boundary wholly ignores natural geographical factors. There could be implications for future realignments.

We encourage you all to read through the proposals and make representations before 2nd August 2021 using this link www.bcereviews.org.uk.

Cobham Heritage Day 11th September 2021 Cancelled

Due to the latest government extension of step 3 COVID restrictions until at least 19th July 2021, the organising committee have reluctantly decided that Cobham Heritage Day 2021 will not go ahead.

Elmbridge Borough Council are currently not able to confirm that we can hire the Leg O’Mutton Field for such an event and suitable insurance is currently not possible. We are not able to plan with these unknowns.

It may be possible to put on some small event on 11th September 2021 if restrictions are lifted but we are unable to confirm anything at this stage.

Elizabeth Kennedy
Chairman
Cobham Heritage Day Committee
15^th June 2021