Chertsey (South) Residents Association

Chertsey seems to have been a marshy island surrounded by the River Thames and its tributaries before the monks of the Benedictine abbey embanked the water. According to its 13th Century Cartulary, the abbey was founded in AD 666 by St Erkenwald, who became its first abbot, and it was mentioned by the Bede writing in the 8th century.

Chertsey and its outlining villages has over 200 listed buildings and is protected rural identity which supports local events such as Town Market & Black Cherry Fair (which permissions were granted to the Abbey by Henry 1 in 1135) and the Chertsey Agricultural Show (The Chertsey Agricultural Association was founded in 1833 when a group of local farmers and landowners, who met at local ploughing matches, decided to form the C.A.A. This was to encourage a more widespread knowledge of, and to improve the use of, agricultural techniques in arable and livestock farming).

The Chertsey (South) Residents Association has been established by like-minded residents who work to help preserve and develop features of historic, natural and public interest in the Town of Chertsey.

Our aim;

• To increase the level of Resident Involvement in decision making processes in the development of our town and surrounding areas
• To give all our residents the opportunity to have a voice to safeguard our history, environment & health
• Protection of Green Belt lands [which serves five purposes as defined by National Planning Policy Framework]
• To give our residents the power to influence Chertsey (South) Residents Association [the organisation] and priorities
• To achieve greater transparency and accountability for our residents from relevant local authorities and developers
• To assemble an effective set of residents that support and scrutinise inspection of services using for example, panels, forums, or similar methods
• To promote and facilitate social inclusion and community regeneration working with other groups and organisations with common objectives
• To encourage other areas of Chertsey to establish groups or associations to share responsibilities and assignments within their capabilities.