What a day we had on Saturday at Molesey Carnival.

After a week of nervously checking weather forecasts and wondering whether we'd all need wellies, the rain stopped, the sun came out, and Molesey did what Molesey does best — turned out in force. It was lovely to see so many familiar faces out and about, catching up with friends, supporting local groups, and enjoying one of the best community days of the year.

As for me, I fully embraced the carnival spirit. Burger? Yes. Ice cream? Of course. Cake? It would have been rude not to.

A special mention also goes to Molesey Football Club, who once again brought up the rear of the float parade in spectacular fashion. One of my favourite carnival traditions is seeing what costumes they've managed to cobble together and wondering quite how much booze they've managed to consume before lunchtime. A fabulous effort as always, and proof that community spirit comes in many forms.

What a brilliant day. Thank you so much to the amazing committee, Here's to doing it all again next year. 🎉

I just wanted to reassure you that I don't say yes to everyone.

If you see a business advertising in The Nugget, it's because I've either met them personally, used their services myself, or they've come highly recommended by someone I know and trust. My reputation is tied to every business that appears here, so I'm careful about who I work with.

I'm also trying to find businesses that are genuinely useful to you. When you signed up to The Nugget, many of you told me about the local services you'd like to discover more easily, and those responses help shape who I approach and work with. Knowing that most of my readers are local women and families is incredibly helpful because it means I can focus on finding things that are likely to be relevant to your lives.

If you do contact one of our advertisers, please let them know you found them through The Nugget. They're investing their hard-earned money to reach local people and support this newsletter, so it really helps them to know where enquiries are coming from.

And if you use one of our partners, I'd love to hear about it. If you've had a great experience, tell me. Equally, if something hasn't gone well, tell me that too. Things can occasionally go wrong in any business, but I want to make sure the people I recommend are businesses that genuinely serve our community well.

Over the coming weeks and months, I'll be sharing some of my own trusted recommendations, including the tradespeople currently helping me with our extension. Obviously don’t pinch them before my work is complete!! If I'd happily recommend them to my friends and family, they're probably worth knowing about.

A few weeks ago, I met Billie from Surrey Birth Club for a coffee and a chat.

What struck me immediately was how warm, knowledgeable and down-to-earth she was, with a genuine passion for helping parents feel informed, supported and confident as they prepare for one of the biggest moments of their lives.

Together with Molly, she launched Surrey Birth Club in 2025, alongside their full-time roles as Community Midwives at Kingston Hospital. Between them they have more than 14 years of experience supporting families through pregnancy, birth and those slightly bewildering first few weeks afterwards, when you're suddenly expected to know what you're doing with a tiny human.

As we all know, working in the NHS isn't easy. So I always find it inspiring when local people take the skills they've spent years developing and create something that helps even more families in our community.

Billie and Molly created Surrey Birth Club because they wanted to offer parents a more personal, supportive antenatal experience than is often possible in larger group settings.

Their antenatal courses are deliberately kept small and personal, giving parents plenty of opportunity to ask questions, build friendships and receive support from experienced midwives. Drawing on their experience both within the NHS and private antenatal education, they have created something that feels a little more relaxed and a lot more personal than the traditional antenatal experience many people imagine.

The Surrey Birth Club course covers everything from labour, birth and pain relief through to feeding, birth partner support, newborn care and practical baby skills. They also include a hypnobirthing workshop designed to help parents feel calmer and more confident heading into labour.

What I particularly like is that they recognise every family is different. Alongside their group courses, they can offer private one-to-one sessions, refresher courses for parents expecting another baby, or bespoke sessions for groups of friends who would prefer to learn together in their own home.

They're also beginning to offer newborn care and infant feeding workshops, helping answer the question every new parent eventually asks:

"Wonderful. The baby's arrived. Now what on earth do we do with it?"

Although Surrey Birth Club is still a young business, they're already building an impressive collection of five-star reviews from local families, which says a lot about the care and support they're providing.

Their next antenatal course begins on 9 August at The Albert Arms in Esher and runs over two weekend sessions, making it a great option for those who struggle to fit weekday evening classes around work and family life. Prices start from £199 and include the full antenatal course, hypnobirthing workshop and course materials. The August course is particularly suited to parents expecting babies in September and October, although they are very flexible, so it's always worth getting in touch if your due date falls outside those months.

Even better, Surrey Birth Club are offering Nugget readers an exclusive 10% discount on the August course. Just use code 10OFF

If you're expecting a baby, know someone who is, or simply want to find out more, click on the advert below. Future courses are planned for Molesey, so do mention your location.

Molesey councillors have just handed out £309,250 of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding — money collected from developers and reinvested into local projects.

The challenge? There was £309,250 available, but applications totalled more than £700,000, meaning some difficult decisions had to be made.

Among the projects receiving funding were repairs to the towpath between Molesey Boat Club and the lock, new cricket nets for East Molesey Cricket Club, improvements at Chandlers Field School and Hurst Park School, asbestos removal at the 1st Molesey Scouts hut, and support for Momentum Children's Charity.

Several churches also received funding for community-focused projects, including improved facilities at St Peter's, St Mary's and St Paul's. While this prompted some debate online, councillors stressed that the funding was awarded based on community benefit rather than religious activities.

It's one of those stories that can sound a bit dry until you realise how many local organisations rely on this funding to get projects off the ground. From schools and scouts, to sports clubs, community spaces and riverside improvements, the money will end up touching a surprising number of local lives.

You can read the full list of awards and watch the meeting online here

Watch the World Cup on the Big Screen – Various venues across Molesey ·

11 June - 19 July · Catch matches on the big screen at local venues. Please check individual fixtures and kick-off times before travelling. Probably lots more, but these ones caught my eye this week!

The Bell – East Molesey

East Molesey Cricket Club – East Molesey

The Albion – East Molesey

Royal British Legion Club – East Molesey

Molesey FC Clubhouse - West Molesey

The Poyntz - East Molesey

Imber Court - East Molesey

💌 Do you know a local hero or a “Molesey magic” moment?

Reply to this email, and tell me more.

From coffee mornings to community fairs, here’s where Molesey gathers.

*Event details may change. Please check with organisers for the latest updates. Listings are shared in good faith but may not reflect last-minute changes

Financial Confidence Workshop for Female Business Owners – The Wheatsheaf, Esher · Thurs 18 June, 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM · Practical workshop with a female coach, Jeanette Gospage. financial organisation, building confidence in your business finances ·Safe space to ask question on how and why? More info

Healing waters Spirit spa – Refresh Centre, Walton Road · Sat 20 Apr, 11am–5pm · Free drop-in day with hand massage, inner healing and readings. Take time out and relax · More info

Molesey History Society Talk – Henry VIII: Hunting Grounds and Lodges – St Lawrence School, Molesey · Tue 23 Jun, 8pm · Local history talk exploring Henry VIII’s links to the area · More info

Living Well with Dementia Workshop – Refresh Centre, East Molesey · Wed 24 June, 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM · Free workshop offering support, guidance and practical tips for those living with or caring for someone with dementia · Not just for veterans. More info

Community Outdoor Yoga for Over 60s – Hurst Park, East Molesey · Every Wednesday · Affordable outdoor yoga classes for older adults (£6 per session), meeting at Sadlers Ride car park · More info: [email protected] or 07592 960887

Wed 1 Jul
• Molesey Musical Theatre Panto Launch Night – Vine Hall, East Molesey · 8:00 PM - 10:00 PM · More info

From toddler bounce sessions to midweek mischief, here’s what’s happening in and around Molesey

Flying Start Pre-School Open Morning – 193 Walton Road, East Molesey · Fri 19 June, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM · Meet the team, see the farm animals, explore the garden and enjoy drinks and snacks · More info

LEGO Club – Molesey Library · Sat 9:30–10:30am · Ages 4+, build and create with a library leader (1st & 3rd Saturdays monthly), suggested donation £1 · Drop in session, no booking needed.

The Orchard School Summer Fair – The Orchard School · Sat 20 Jun 12PM - 3PM · Community summer fair · Open to everyone

Father’s Day Special – Bara Café, St Mary’s Church, East Molesey · Sat 20 June, 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM · Free pastry with a coffee for the special men in your children's lives ·

Magic and Crafts with Radish the Magician – East Molesey Methodist Church, East Molesey · Saturday 20 June, 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM · Free family event with magic, crafts, cakes and bubbles; booking essential · More info

Make Music Day Walton – The Plaza, The Heart Shopping Centre, Walton-on-Thames · Sun 21 June, 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM · Free live music plus children's musical instrument-making activities · More info

Tue 24 – Sat 27 Jun
• Toy Swap & Exchange – Bara Café, St Mary’s Church, East Molesey · 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM · More info

Sat 27 Jun
• West Fest Family Music Festival – St Peter's Vicarage Garden, West Molesey · 1:00 PM - 9:00 PM · Ticket link on poster above

This section was getting a bit too big to keep here every week!

I’ve created a new page for regular /weekly activities, such as playgroups- Just CLICK HERE to view -

HUGE APOLOGIES, I’m trying to find time to update this list properly, as I know there is lots of stuff not covered, your patience is appreciated.

⚠️ A Couple of Local Wildlife Warnings

Residents have reported blue-green algae at Molesey Heath, which can be highly toxic to dogs. If you're walking nearby, it's best to keep them out of the water.

There have also been sightings of oak processionary moth caterpillars on oak trees around Molesey, including near Hurst Park and big Tesco. Their hairs can cause nasty rashes and irritation, so don't let children or dogs touch them if they spot any.

The bees are doing a lovely job. The moths, however, seem determined to stage a hostile takeover. 🐛😄

Jules

Founder & Editor

(all the mistakes are mine!)

Email me [email protected] or find out more The Molesey Nugget

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