Virginia Water Blazing the Trail

In Bill Bryon's latest novel, The Road to Little Dribbling, one chapter details a wonderful period in Bryson's life where he unexpectedly became an employee in a mental health institution. This comical account is set in Holloway Sanatorium, Virginia Water where the very wealthy, who suffered mental illness were able to reside in relative luxury in this secure NHS owned hospital. 

Holloway Sanatorium was built by Henry Crossland for 'mentally afflicted persons' in 1884 and still stands today. The patients are however long gone and today the estate known as Virginia Park is home to a mix of residents who enjoy living in a gated community.

Bryson has very fond memories of the sanatorium, as it was while living there that he met his wife Cynthia. And although Holloway was full of long-term patients who were "quite mad," he loved the quintessential Englishness of the place.

It was in the 1980s that Holloway Sanatorium closed its doors to patients. The grand estate then lay fallow for many years. Thieves took advantage of the disrepair by stealing parts of the roof with the house decaying over time and becoming dangerous.

Then, quite by chance during a family holiday in America, local Virginia Water Resident and Estate Agent Hugh Wyatt spotted a gated community, which had been developed with high class homes, 24 hour security and residents leisure facilities. Hughdecided to take this concept back to England to see if he could create a similar development in his home village.

Wyatt's visionary concept took a great deal of time and effort to develop but it was worth the wait. Working in conjunction with his brother, who owned high end homebuilder Octagon Developments and a local financier, Wyatt was responsible for the first ever UK development where a large Victorian hospital was just part of the plan.  This ground breaking idea has become known as "enabling development".  The only way to make the development viable was to build new houses on the estate which would help cover the cost of restoring the wonderful grade I listed building.

As this was the brain child of Hugh Wyatt, his award winning estate agency, Barton Wyatt, were the selling agents on the estate. Their figures reveal that the real cost of creating each of the homes within the listed building was over £1,000,000 however the houses were sold in 1995 for an affordable £500,000. Today they meet their true value being priced at £1,000,000 - £2,000,000. In contrast the new build homes within the grounds of Virginia Park were originally sold for £325,000 and are now worth around £1,100,000.
 

Some of the owners who bought these homes some 20 years ago are still there today. In this beautiful environment set within 25 acres and with 24-hour gated security, Virginia Park is a fabulous place to live. 

James Wyatt, son of Hugh and now partner of Barton Wyatt, comments:

"I feel immense pride towards Virginia Park and in particular the work that my father and uncle put into creating a development that was the first of its kind in the UK.  They came up against many hurdles during the planning but were very insistent that it was a feasible notion and found solutions to all of the challenges they faced." 

When asked if Holloway House - now known as Crossland House - is haunted, Wyatt says:

"I don't believe in ghosts so it is hard for me to say.  Some of my staff have certainly had the feeling of being watched whilst in the main building.  The contractors who worked on the regeneration were forever telling tales of things that go bump and equipment disappearing or being moved.  Certainly our residents love living there and no one has ever moved out that I know off because of the paranormal!"

Bill Bryson certainly never mentioned ghosts in his tales of Virginia Water.  He fell in love, got married and bought a house in the area, staying for 12 happy years whilst he was a journalist at The Times.

For more details contact Barton Wyatt 

How to Jump Start A Car Battery

You certainly have gone through the nuisance that dead car batteries pose, and perhaps looking for a nice and easy way to get through the difficulty. Many people at least have a rough idea of what it entails to jump start a car battery, but not so many know how to do it right. If you are carrying jumper cables with you at least you are good to go.

Jump starting a car battery should be done with caution as the battery is located near the engine where flammable gases exist and any stray sparks could ignite a fire. Therefore, when connecting the discharged battery to the charged one, you shouldn’t create sparks at any cost. To ensure that that does not happen, the jumper cables shouldn’t touch any metal surface until they are connected to the correct battery. Sounds like too difficult to achieve, but at least if someone can lend a hand, one person can hold the terminals of the jumper separately, while the other one moves between the cars to make the connections. However, one person can do the task, but again, with proper caution.

The jumper cables used should be thick with clean and insulated metal clamps.  Here is a conventional way of jump starting a car battery from experts in car servicing Reading.

1. Park the two cars close to but not touching one another. Ensure the engines are off, and the parking brakes firm enough so the cars do not move. Open the bonnet and the jump lead should be able to reach the cars.
2. 2.      Locate the positive and the negative terminals on both batteries. The positive terminals have a red indicator, or a “+” sign, while the negative have black indicator or a “-“sign.
3. Attach the positive cable clamp to the positive terminal of the dead battery. The positive cable is usually marked red or is striped.
4. Similarly, attach the other end of the positive cable to the positive terminal of the live battery.
5. Then attach one end of the negative cable to the live battery’s negative terminal. Once you do this, the cables become live. You shouldn’t attach the remaining end of the negative cable to any part of the car or yourself, less a fire breaks out or you get electrocuted.
6. Attach the remaining end of the negative cable to a metal section of the engine, such as block or bracket. This should be done away from any moving parts such as pulleys or belts. When this cable is connected last and away from the battery prevents sparks creation as well as any hazards involved.
7. No hands or cloths should be caught by the engine’s moving parts.
8. Now, ignite the engine of the good car and leave it to run for about 2 minutes.
9. Press lightly on the gas pedal to slightly rev the engine.
10. Now, start the dead car’s engine. It might take more than a single try to get it running. There you go; your engine is up and running once again. However, if it doesn’t work, don’t try more than four times.

If the dead car doesn’t start, probably there is no good connection between the booster cables and the battery’s terminals. Just turn off the engine and then try to rock the cables back and forth to dig into the terminals. You can as well try a different grounding point for attaching the negative cable end and then repeat step 8 to 10. If that doesn’t work either, stop trying. The battery could be internally shorted, or there could be electrical problems to the dead car. Make sure that you contact a specialist in car servicing in Reading immediately.

History of ACS Egham International School

ACS Cobham International School was started in 1995 as an independent co-educational day school and today, the school has 610 students in Preschool through Grade 12. Grade 9 to 12 constitutes of 210 students. Since its establishment, the international learning institution has grown to accommodate an average of 16 students per class, which is composed of about 22% Americans and 18% from Britain. The mode of admission to the school has been based on the academic records of a student, student’s questionnaire plus the recommendations of teachers from their previous school attended. The institution has kept this mode of admission since its establishment year up to date.

ACS Egham International School has an accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). It is also a member of the European Council of International Schools (ECIS), Council of International Schools (COIS) and the independent Schools Association (ISA).

ACS Egham is a constituent campus of the ACS International Schools which constitutes four private schools in England and Qatar. ACS Egham is part of the three constituent campuses located in England. The campus is located in London Borough of Surrey, on a 20 acre of English countryside adjacent to the Royal Savill Garden and bounded with Central London on a 25 miles distance.

The ACS International Schools was established in 1967 under the flagship of two pioneers namely, Gordon E Speed and Emmanuel J Poularas. ACS was founded to attend to the needs of international and local families, and now the group of schools hosts 2500 students of ages between 2 and 18 from more than 70 countries globally.

ACS Egham is a day school, the only school in the entire England that has the full authorization to offer the four programmes of International Baccalaureate (IB) to more than 600 of its students.  The programme constitute IB Primary Years Programme (IBPYP) for ages between 3 and 11, IB Middle Years Programme (IBMYP) for ages between 11 and 16, IB Career Related Programme (IBCP) for ages between 16 and 18, and IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) for ages between 16 and 18 years.  International Baccalaureate programme aims at nurturing students all-round, giving them a foundational boost for growing physically, socially, culturally and aesthetically.

The IB Programme at ACS Egham also aims at providing students with a broad and balanced education which features humanities and sciences, mathematics and languages, technology, arts and physical education.  ACS Egham International School started the implementation of the IB Programme in the year 1996, and today headed by Mr. Jeremy Lewis, the school also offers the US High School Diploma under serene learning environment with lots of state of the art facilities.

 The students at the school enjoys a range of new opportunities provided by an exceptional Sports Centre opened in the year 2012 and has served students in different aspects since its establishment. The Sports Center established in 2012 has assisted students in various field of study in ACS Egham, including Exercise and Health Science and IB Diploma Sports. The institution has received university acceptance for its diploma students from universities across United Kingdom, United States of America among other leading universities and colleges from different parts of the world.

For your property requirements near ACS Egham or TASIS England, please contact reputable estate agents Surrey.

The Advantages of International Schools

Parents usually have the option to send their kids to public schools, private schools, foreign system schools or international schools, such as ACS Cobham and TASIS England. However, over the last few years, the number of parents who send their children to international schools has increased considerably. Today more and more parents and guardians are opting to send their young ones to study abroad. The reason behind this trend could probably be the many advantages that international institutions have, over the local ones. The following are a few reasons why you should enroll your children in an international school.

Gain more exposure

There is no denying that the world is becoming a global village. So in order for parents to prepare their children to meet international standards in their skills, they must take them to international schools. The teachers in this schools usually teach as per the international standards.

Learn diverse traditions

Children can learn lots of things about different countries. They also become familiar with the culture of different people. The students in these schools come from different countries and social backgrounds. So sending them to international school will help them gain a wider perspective not for their own culture, but for others as well.

Linguistic skills

Taking him or her to study abroad will definitely help them to speak the English language fluently. English is normally the common language among various students from different parts of the world. Most students of international schools are very good at both written and spoken English. Remember proficiency in the English language is one of the key factors considered by most employers. International schools can directly boosts a child’s career potential. In addition, interacting with other kids from other countries will enable to learn other languages too.

School reputation

International schools such as ACS Egham and TASIS England are known to produce the highest possible level of education. So enrolling children to one of these schools will give them an edge over students from local schools. They will be able boost their curriculum vitae just because they have come from reputable international schools. They will also have an easy time when it comes to university applications.

Overall personal development

By studying abroad, are provided unique learning opportunities beyond classroom. For example, by living with the locals, a foreign student will understand first-hand what stereotyping is. It will help him realise that stereotyping others is not a good thing. Furthermore, a combination of various factors such as increased knowledge sharing, improved intelligence and learning tolerance contributes to the overall personal development of the student. Personality development is one of the most important life skills, which can help them significantly when they move on to build their careers.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, children attending internal schools leave school well prepared for future career. These international institutions create an excellent environment for the students to learn, play and excel. Without doubt, international learning institutions have an edge over indigenous schools.

If you are looking for a reputable international school for your children in the UK, then you can’t go wrong with either ACS Egham or the TASIS England. If your son or daughter is a graduate of any of these schools, they will definitely be able to get a good job, regardless of where they are in the world.

For properties near these international schools, please contact Barton Wyatt estate agents Surrey.

Ranulph Fiennes Inspires People with Talks on Determination and Persistence

Ranulph Fiennes spaker is one of the world’s primary motivational speakers UK. He was also acclaimed by the Guinness Book of World Records as ‘The World’s Greatest Living Explorer.’ He has captivated the hearts of many through his highly motivating and excellently illustrated talks and presentations.

Capturing the World with Inspiration

Born in England in 1944, Sir Ranulph studied at Eton and served with the Royal Scots Greys before enlisting with the SAS. He entered the Army of the Sultanate of Oman in 1968, and was bestowed the Sultan’s Bravery Medal in 1970. Sir Ran led the British Expedition on the White Nile in 1969 and since then has spearheaded several exploratory expeditions. He has led 22 major expeditions to far-flung areas of the world, and was the first man to reach both poles by foot. He set a record when he crossed the seven continents unsupported in seven days, including Antarctica. In 2009, Sir Ranulph, in spite of having vertigo and an imminent heart ailment, climbed and reached the top of Mt. Everest at age 65. This triumph made it into the record books and he was known as the oldest Briton to conquer the world’s highest peak.

Through his expeditions, Sir Ranulph was able to raise more than £14.2 million for various charities in the UK, including Marie Curie and the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

His expeditions gave him the inspiration to write a number of world-famous books and they also earned Sir Ranulph many awards as well.

Sir Ranulph Fiennes, After Dinner Speaker

Sir Ranulph, as an after dinner speaker , inspires his audience with stories of life and adventure. He connects with his audience on a personal level by comparing the similarity of nature’s most difficult and dangerous challenges, and the actual everyday challenges.

Sir Ran emphasises that leadership, determination, teamwork, patience, creative thinking and discipline are very important for the success of any endeavour. He stresses that correct attitude and character is significant in building a team. His outstanding endeavours were successful because it combined the essential elements of success, such as the high organisational ability, planning skills, goal setting, persistence, flexibility to meet and overcome unexpected obstacles, and performing even under extreme pressure. These are the same qualities that are fundamental to succeeding in any highly competitive profession, whether in academics, the arts, sports and business.

His determination, hard work and huge commitment to overcome all difficulties has led Sir Ranulph to achieve goals that were thought to be impossible. Sir Ranulph, who devoted most of his life to attain the “major world firsts”, is definitely your speaker to get your audience inspired and entertained.