My manifesto leaflet is supported by 2 residents, Robert Serman & Ken Griffiths, and 1 business owner, Julianne Evans, of Nobbs in the High Street.

I asked them the same 4 questions:

Q1 How long have you lived/worked in Haslemere?

Q2 What do you most enjoy about living/working in Haslemere?

Q3 What’s the one thing you’d like to change in Haslemere?

Q4 Why do you think supporting Nikki Barton as independent candidate for Haslemere is going to make a difference for our town?

Ken Griffiths replied –

I have lived in Haslemere for 32 years and enjoy the great community spirit, the work that I do with the Haslemere Fringe Festival embodies this and every year we see the community come out to volunteer in there hundreds. What other towns in the country, celebrated the Queens Diamond Jubilee in such a fantastic fashion. A cream tea for 3000 people on Lion Green was just one aspect of that weekend, perhaps one of the biggest tea parties in the country all undertaken by volunteers.

In Haslemere, people still talk to each other and where appropriate help each other rather than walking by on the other side! I am a keen walker and of course Haslemere is surrounded by beautiful countryside and is a great walking area.

We must accept that Haslemere will always be a commuting town and as such must find a way to accommodate those people who need to travel here by car to catch the train. Therefore sufficient cost effective parking is a must but that has to be carefully designed to make a minimum impact on the beauty of the town, surrounding countryside and those who live here. It is important to link together the two separate areas of the Town, the High Street and Weyhill and enhance the area surrounding the station, which is central to the town and make it more welcoming as the Gateway to the South Downs.

Nikki is passionate about the Town in which she lives and is prepared to find time out of her busy schedule as a young mother to fight for the benefit of this our Town and the surrounding countryside. Unlike most other candidates who put their Political Party first, Nikki will always put the people of Haslemere and their wellbeing First and Foremost.

Julianne Evans replied –

1. I was born in Haslemere (when there was still a maternity unit at the hospital!) – my family have lived here since 1935 when my grandfather bought the business (then called Orchards).  I went to school here but moved away to go to university then work.  Moved back to the area in 2002.

2. I like the feeling of being part of a community – I like walking down the street and being able to recognize and talk to lots of different people.  I love the countryside – I took it for granted when I was a child and only after living elsewhere realized just how special it is.

3. Remove all but the most essential street furniture and sort out parking!

4. Nikki cares about the future of the town and will listen to what local people think is important rather than follow the party political view.

Robert Serman replied:

Q1 How long have you lived/worked in Haslemere?  Been here for 28 years

Q2 What do you most enjoy about living/working in Haslemere?  It is vibrant, so much going on, so much culture available, so many really good, kind people, so friendly, so much to get involved with, so many opportunities to make a difference even if it’s only in a very small way.  So many good people who volunteer, so many good walks, the NT, even the Haslemere Herald  etc etc

Q3 What’s the one thing you’d like to change in Haslemere?  Get rid of the 4×4’s and WH Smith

Q4 Why do you think supporting Nikki Barton as independent candidate for Haslemere is going to make a difference for our town?  Because she listens and she cares about people and their aspirations.  She is real and does not try to be what she is not.   She knows she cannot be all things to all people but she will not fob them off with platitudes either.