Cllr Victoria Chester
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cllrchester.bsky.social
Cllr Victoria Chester
@cllrchester.bsky.social
270 followers 140 following 220 posts
Town and Borough Councillor for Horley East & Salfords with the Green Party.
She/her. 🏳️‍🌈 💚
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cllrchester.bsky.social
Horley Town Council - West Horley bi-election - TOMORROW 5th June - vote for my colleague Neha! #VoteForHope @eastsurreygreens.bsky.social 💚
Flyer for Green Party candidate Neha Boghani- page 1 Flyer for Green Party candidate Neha Boghani- page 2
June 4, 2025 at 5:15 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
The results were interesting.. Nitrate (red) very high but ammonia (yellow) and phosphate (blue) quite low. The river was very low and often this means higher concentration of pollutants. The water looked very clear but thus doesn't always mean its clean.. 🤔
@eastsurreygreens.bsky.social
Photo showing 3 vials of sampled water tested with reagents - strong pinky red, pale yellow and pale blue.
March 30, 2025 at 8:32 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
It was a glorious day for a jaunt down to Riverside to collect the water sample. The water was very clear; we saw #chub and someone earlier saw a #barbel (never seen one of those in the Gatwick Stream!)
Photo of my in my River Mole River Watch light blue hiviz pouring sampled water into a jam jar. (In my shorts - it was that sunny! Also with my neon orange converse - I love those boots!)
March 30, 2025 at 8:28 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
Seeds and Science Sunday!

I've finally (after ~3yrs of neglect).got round to (re)starting on the garden, and this year we might actually get something planted.

It was also water-testing weekend, hence the pop-uo lab on the kitchen table...
Photo of kitchen table with water testing equipment in the foreground (vials, pipettes, monitors etc.) and seed planting in the farground (bowls of soil, fingers dripping seeds into trays etc.)
March 30, 2025 at 8:25 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
(Also, who has been munching these? Surely too early for #caterpillars... @savebutterflies.bsky.social) 🦋🐇❓️
Close up of some dock leaves which have been totally munched by something!
March 16, 2025 at 4:08 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
Simple pleasures, if you know where and how to look 😊💚

#natureisart #naturalbeauty #spring #simplepleasures
@eastsurreygreens.bsky.social
View of the River Mole, in the spring sunshine. Taken from an angle, with the blue sky reflected in the water. Not much greenery yet, but still beautiful.
March 16, 2025 at 4:05 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
Maybe it's not beauty in the strictest sense, but for me, with my fascination with nature and natural shapes, it's a sensory feast.

Amazing how the under water plants are laid flat in the direction of the river flow. It was a gentle trickle today, but we just how how 'flashy'the Mole can get..
Black and white photo, from a close-up stretching to the far distance, of water plants laid flat on the now dry river bed.
March 16, 2025 at 4:02 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
A quick pop out to gather some sunshine rewarded us with springtime riches, on the banks of the river. Glorious sunshine, and signs of life returning all around.

I love these pink katkins - are they are from a special mind of hazel?

#katkins #signsofspring
Close up of some pink / red katkins, growing from a Hazel tree, against a blue sky.
March 16, 2025 at 3:56 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
The river is really low at the moment, and you see lots of little holes exposed along the banks.

I would love to imagine they once belonged to water voles, and someday they might return...

#watervoles #rivermole
Photo of the muddy banks of the River Mole showing holes possibly made by small animals.
March 16, 2025 at 3:53 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
You sometimes forget what beauty is just around the corner.. (especially in Horley!)
Photo showing the water height measuring stick for the River Mole.
March 16, 2025 at 3:51 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
On the bus home (many a bemused look!) 😄

(Thanks to the Asian Social Group for organising and welcoming all to this event in Redhill - hopefully we'll have one in Horley next year!)
Close up of my face full of coloured Holi powder, on the bus home.
March 16, 2025 at 9:20 AM
cllrchester.bsky.social
Trying to look 😎 with a face full of 🎨..... 😁

Holi Celebrations with the Asian Social Group in Redhill Memorial Park.

#holi2025 #holifestival #holicelebration #holi
@eastsurreygreens.bsky.social
Close up of my face (wearing sunglasses) covered in multicoloured powder with a crowd of Holi celebrants behind me.
March 15, 2025 at 8:34 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
...so if you have been in touch and not heard back from me I'm really sorry - I’m now working to address the backlog as quickly as possible.🤞

(nd looking for a new mobile provider!)
Openreach engineer, reflected in a window, looking up a blue ladder leaning against a house, preparing to re-affix a phone cable.
March 12, 2025 at 9:47 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
It's been over a month since our telegraph pole was knocked down by a joyrider and I have to say, trying to operate without broadband has nearly cost me my mind 🤪

I’ve just about been able to work but have had almost no access to my council account (mobile signal is also rubbish here)!
Photo of car mounted the pavement, crashed into a telegraph pole, knocking it clean over.
March 12, 2025 at 9:40 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
Wahoo!!! We have Internet again - finally!!

Openreach failed to attend 3 appointments but turned up unexpectedly today. I was pretty much out there dancing in the streets.. 👯‍♀️😜

(OMG FINALLY!!!)
Photo of Openreach engineers putting up a telegraph pole on a residential street.
March 12, 2025 at 9:38 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
Gorgeous crisp morning walk through Riverside; the ground frosty and the strong (almost) spring sunshine misting off the rivers surface.. the ducks were loving it!

We passed several areas of flooded woodland - this is actually a very special kind of habitat, celebrated by
#worldwetlandsday today 💚
Winter woodland scene of a steam with early morning sunshine burning mist off the water.
February 2, 2025 at 4:32 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
Active Hope' was the resolution reached by our 'Citizens Assembly' at the @theatrecentre.bsky.social
this afternoon..

Following the lead set by Andy Smith & #CreativeCrawley, we read aloud Andy's play then discussed how we can all work together to meet the challenges of climate change..
Photo of several flyers and booklets in white, yellow and orange.
February 1, 2025 at 6:32 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
I love the idea of recording this historic event through the medium of paint - takes the term #lifedrawing to a whole new level! 🎨💚
#ActivistArt #ProtestPainting
#Lowry #ArtDeclares
@monicadyerartist.bsky.social
@eastsurreygreens.bsky.social @defendourjuries.bsky.social @chrisgpackham.bsky.social
Photo of a street artist stood outside the Royal Courts of Justice painting a scene of the peaceful protestors sitting in the street, somewhat reminiscent in style of Lowrie.
January 31, 2025 at 9:27 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
I did not know the full details are these cases until recently- the latest sentences are really shocking.

You may not agree with throwing soup or climbing a gantry, but 5 years for attending a Zoom call...?

What country are we in again?

@defendourjuries.bsky.social @eastsurreygreens.bsky.social
Close up of yellow 'People vs The Corporate State' flyer held against a scene of a peaceful demonstration. A row of protestors from the medical profession standing outside the Royal Courts of Justice.
January 31, 2025 at 9:19 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
You may have heard about some of the draconian anti-protest laws that have been creeping into our legal system, but have you heard of the #LordWalney16?

They are a group of activists given prison sentences, by the infamous Judge Lord Walney, for protesting peacefully about climate change..
Protestors standing in the streets of London holding two large banners saying 'Sack Lord Walney' and 'Free Political Prisoners'.
January 31, 2025 at 9:13 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
The time on my phone when I got home from my final meeting last night - that was a *looong* day!

(Oh, and then a budget setting meeting 8.30am this morning..)

A #councillor's work is never done..😁)

#greensgetthingsdone #greencouncillors
@eastsurreygreens.bsky.social @greenparty.org.uk 💚
Close up of my phone screen with the time showing 11.26pm.
January 31, 2025 at 7:22 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
There were loads of great placards... #TheHandmaidsTale #GirlsJustWannaHaveFundamentalRights #BoysWillBeHeldAccountableForTheirActions ..thanks to you all who organised, attended & supported - amazing job!💗💚 @womensmarch.bsky.social @ukwomensmarch.bsky.social
Crowds of protestors with placards. Protest placards saying 'End violence against women' and 'girls just want to have fundamental rights'. Group.of women with a placard saying 'The Handmaid's Tale is not an instruction manual'
January 18, 2025 at 10:42 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
Super inspiring day out with my daughter for the #Brighton #womensmarch - the best chanting I've heard - well, there's a lot to shout about! #SaferStreets #mybodymychoice #EndViolenceAgainstWomen #speakout #NoMoreSilence #StandUpFightBack 💗💚

#womensrights #womensmarch2025 @womensmarch.bsky.social
Photo of the Brighton Womens March - a large crowd seen from behind with multiple colourful placards.
January 18, 2025 at 8:03 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
The repair cafe will now be open from 11.30am to 2.30pm every 2nd Saturday of the month. 👍
List of dates foe the repair cafe: 8th Feb, 8th March, 12th April, 10th May, 14th June, 12th July, 9th Aug, 13th Sept, 11th Oct, 8th Nov, 13th Dec.
January 11, 2025 at 3:35 PM
cllrchester.bsky.social
You can bring a range of items in for repair, visit the cafe while you wait, sit & watch, or even benefit from lessons from the experts!

Today we had repair tablea for electrical, computers, mechanical, textiles, woodwork & tool sharpening.

#repaircafe #repairahop
@eastsurreygreens.bsky.social
Flyer showing details about the repair cafe.
January 11, 2025 at 3:30 PM