Kwasi attended a ceremony in Stanwell Moor where a new sign was unveiled to name the footpath that runs along the northern side of the King George VI Reservoir, Shepherds Peace.
In an article for the Surrey Herald & News, Kwasi commented:
Until about the late 1800s, when the area was very rural, pallbearers would carry the bodies of the dead from their homes in Hithermoor and Furthermoore, on the other side of Stanwell Moor, all the way to the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin in Stanwell Village. Local shepherds would line the path, standing silent as these "country style" funeral processions passed by. The naming of the path commemorates these times gone by.
During the ceremony, the Revd William Paul Stafford-Whittaker said a few words. Beryl Wilkins, a longstanding resident of Stanwell who organised the event, then talked about the history of the footpath, the local community and unveiled the new sign.
Afterwards, I was able to talk to lots of residents over tea and lunch at the St Mary's Church, which was a real pleasure.
I have often talked about how different parts of the Borough have different identities. It's something that helps make Spelthorne so vibrant and interesting.
Stanwell has its own unique feel and strong sense community. Like other places, this is partly underpinned by a shared sense of local history amongst the people who live there.
Indeed, history helps bind communities together, which is one of the reasons why it is so important that memories of the past, our heritage, are remembered and passed on. Events like the naming of the footpath in Stanwell help bring people together to do just this.