Mr Matthews presents the club’s ‘Master Builder’ with a new hammer (and a bottle of whisky) for his efforts

Enjoy Thameside festival

Community events are always worth a mention in this column and there is a particularly good one coming up this weekend in the form of the Weybridge Thameside Festival, which takes place on Saturday.

Shipshape sea cadets receive their prizes in front of mayor

I’ve always been a firm supporter of the Sea Cadet movement. The cadets, with their historic close links to the Royal Navy, offer a disciplined, well-structured environment in which youngsters can learn an array of interesting and useful skills whilst having a great deal of fun.

Well, wooden it be nice…

It’s wintertime. There are icicles hanging from the gunwhales of your boat and even the water in the bilges is frozen solid. Spring seems a long, long way away and you’re wondering how to fill those dark evenings and dreary weekends.