The Planet Reigate Podcast
51: Redhill’s classic car cruise, the local artist who became world-famous… and more
Fri, 30 Aug 2024
Episode 51 “Redhill’s classic car cruise, the local artist who became world-famous… and more”For Saturday 31st August 202400:00 - What’s in this episode 06:00 - The Good Time Guide: Local places to go and things to do this weekend. 14:00 - Guests: We’ve been down to the Redhill Cruise of classic cars and spoken to the organiser and some of those taking part in a colourful and noisy display! 19:20 - The Planet Reigate area news 31:30 - Sam’s Story – Part One: ahead of a display of his work at Adam’s Gallery in Reigate from September 19th, the story of local artist Samuel Palmer. We start our mini-series talking about his dubious love affair, his disreputable father, and his debtor of a brother.35:45 - Planet Reigate Stars - thanking local heroes. This week from Woodhatch.36:45 - The Good Time Guide: Local things to do and places to go this coming week. 45:45 – Local Heritage Open Day events 55:30 - The 60-second Soundscape: natural sounds from a place you know. This week, birds in the churchyard of St. Mary’s Buckland.If you get value from The Planet Reigate Podcast, please give us value back in return; click here to support us with a small donation: www.buymeacoffee.com/theplanetreigatepodcast or share us with your colleagues. *CREDITS:The seven-note Planet Reigate Theme is ©Peter StewartOther music www.Pond5.com:GTG - inspiringaudio Item ID: 116855857NEWS - ThomPie Item ID: 75456323STARS - jwsaudio Item ID: 073206386 SOUNDSCAPE PolkadotFlowersMusic Item ID: 136304431GUITAR - Frogard Item ID: 114324148DRAGON fx - https://soundbible.com/ ROCK - hard-driving - by suntired ID 086505492 - Hendrix-fast-actionSIMPLE - basic bed - by Sasha_Grey ID 81947655ROMANTIC ELEGANT - CLASSICAL GUITAR by honzik7 ID 071643658 UPLIFTING - inspirational-upbeat-bed - by AG_Music ID 100707911Listen: https://linktr.ee/PlanetReigatePodcast Web: www.ThePlanetReigatePodcast.com Facebook: www.Facebook.com/ThePlanetReigatePodcast X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/PlanetReigateEmail: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This is the Planet Reigate Podcast.
Hello, this is Peter Stewart. Thank you so much indeed for joining me for this week's episode of the Planet Reigate Podcast. It is episode 51 for Saturday the 31st of August. So this is how we're reflecting and celebrating our love of life around here this week.
Well, we've been down to the Red Hill Cruise of classic cars and spoken to the organiser and some of those taking part in a colourful and quite a noisy display. Hear more about that a little bit later on. Plus, we start our mini-series on the life of Samuel Palmer. Now, Sam was a local artist who became world famous, but essentially only after his death.
This week, his dubious love affair, his disreputable father, and his debtor of a brother. Yeah, Sam's story on the way, ahead of a display of his work at Adams Gallery in Reigate from September the 19th. In the news, we have the dates for the next council meeting about the Harlequin, the local play areas, which are next up for a refurb.
A cafe in Merstham is closing down, I'll tell you why, plus advance notice on a local Apple fair. an arts takeover week coming to Redhill and a professional songwriting workshop as well. Plus, of course, we've got the good time guide of events across the area over the week ahead. Planet Rygate Stars comes from Woodhatch and our 60-second soundscape before we go.
At the end of the show, this week, Buckland, St Mary's Churchyard there and the sound of Blackbird, Robin, Blue Tits and Missile Thrush.
This is the Planet Rygate Podcast.
First of all, though, we'll take a look at the correspondence which has come in over the past several days. Martin has been giving us an update on the roads around the Aerodrome Driving Test Centre. Now, if you haven't heard, Martin's a driving instructor who complained to the council about overgrown verges, obscured signs, worn-out road markings...
saying it was dangerous and unfair for the drivers to be tested on such stretches of roads. And we reported on his complaints and how we then got a response from the county council, who then met him on site to see the issues. And now I say we've got an update. And he says, again, a massive big thanks to you and the fantastic Planet Reigate podcast.
Quote, I truly believe you have assisted me in achieving... my set-out mission. Verges and bushes have now been cut back so signs can be seen, and some new chevron signs have replaced the old ones that were bent or faded. I'd like to thank the Planet Rygate podcast for their continued support in this very important safety issue. I'm so pleased that I contacted you about this story.
And Martin goes on, I'd also like to thank the council for listening and carrying out the works that I've highlighted. and acted on the information I provided so quickly. And again, very special thanks to you, Peter, the main man. Martin, thank you so much. I'm still monitoring the progress, he says, and I'm just waiting for all the hedges and overgrown vegetation to be cut back.
Thank you, thank you, thank you from Martin. Martin, thank you very much indeed for keeping us updated on the situation there and also for letting us know in the first place about the problems that you'd experienced. And you know what?
Just ahead of our first anniversary here on the Planet Rygate podcast, it's really good to kind of highlight what you have done and your correspondence with us and us being able to highlight some local issues, which is kind of illustrative of the point of COVID.
kind of local media and in this case the planet reigate podcast so martin thank you very much indeed robin says so lovely to hear how popular your show is becoming i really wish you loads of luck with it it's such a great idea i listened to the planet reigate podcast this morning such a great way to hear what's happening in the reigate area and max says have you heard the
the Planet Reigate podcast. This is on social media. It's a really interesting local podcast focusing on all that's good about Reigate and the surrounding area. A really interesting listen while you're driving or pottering at home. Max, thank you very much indeed for that as well. Yeah, not just the Reigate town centre and so on.
As we always say, Reigate, Redhill, Mercedon, Buckland, Betchworth, Brockham and other towns and villages in this satellite, if you like. of Reigate, RH1, 2 and 3, taking a little bit of Hawley and out of Charlewood and so on, Lye, Outwood and associated villages across the area. RH1, 2 and 3 is the Planet Reigate podcast. Now, this week I had drinks at the Black Horse pub at Hookwood.
I can't remember the last time I was there. It's changed. I was speaking to a friend who grew up in the area and said that I was there. And she said, gosh, I haven't been there in like 40 years. So I was explaining what it was all like. Quite an Indian food reference there on the menu and so on, which was nice to see. A little bit different.
I had coffee and eats at Priory Farm on Bank Holiday Monday. Funny because what actually happened was on Bank Holiday Monday morning, I was browsing through my phone. and came across on the BBC website a recipe for, I wasn't looking for it, it just came up, a recipe for Turkish eggs. And I thought, I'd never heard of Turkish eggs before. What are Turkish eggs? So I had a little look.
I could make Turkish eggs. That sounds interesting. That sounds good.
and then i went down to uh to priory farm and on the menu turkish eggs isn't that funny how it sometimes works that that sometimes you you you know nothing of something and then you see it twice in a row so i had i had to have them didn't i and very fine they were as well and also i did some recording in brockham and betchworth as well for the planet reigate podcast where now we present the good time guide
The Good Time Guide. Things to do and places to go on the Planet Reigate podcast.
I know you're now researching what Turkish eggs are, aren't you? It's kind of yoghurt with a bit of... Well, look it up. It was Nigella's recipe I was looking at originally, by the way. Please remember to subscribe to the show so you don't miss an episode. And you can do that via your favourite podcast app. Sometimes it's called favourite rather than subscribe, but look out for that.
And of course, if you want to mention for your charity or non-profit event, particularly kindly on you, you can fill out the form you'll find on the Planet Rygade podcast and get in touch with us. And we'll mention it's up to seven days before the event itself, if you want to. Some longer term publicity, then drop me a line and we'll sort out one of our Planet Rygate supporters packages for you.
Hello at theplanetrygatepodcast.com. So Saturday, still a few days to catch at the Archway Theatre in Hawley. Rhythm of Life by Hannah Redfern and Laura Day. It'll take the audience on a journey through existence, showcasing the universal human experience through various musical theatre songs from the best at Broadway and the West End as well.
Talented cast, as you know and expect down there at the Archway.
children and adults singing their hearts out as they navigate the audience through the trials and tribulations of life childhood self-discovery love heartbreak self-doubt and loss and the relatable family show or you tapping your feet smiling and clapping possibly wiping a tear but most of all it'll leave you feeling nostalgic happy and uplifted as well Thank you. Thank you.
Saturday 31st, Sunday 1st of September at Sandcross School, 9.30 till 3. Musical theatre, lyrical, jazz and creative classes with qualified dance teachers from the Footsteps dance team. For more information, footsteps.dance at hotmail.com for some more information. 2024 event is returning to the iconic Ray Park fire station in Reigate.
It's been there for the last few years, hasn't it, on Saturday. Croydon Road in Reigate. That's for the open day for Surrey Fire and Rescue Service. More specifically, our local people who are involved with the fire and rescue service for the Planet Reigate area. So why don't you go down there? It's always good, isn't it? Especially for the kids to see the engines up close.
come along to our cromwell walk gardening together session saturday two till four in addition to improving the cromwell walk garden area they're going to be awarding prizes to winners and runners up of their cromwell in color competition refreshments and all gardening equipment is provided please wear appropriate clothing and Bring your own picnic as well, is what they say.
Captain Noah and his floating zoo is on August 31st, 2.30 to 10 o'clock. This is all being run by our friends over at the Betchworth Operatic and Dramatic Society. Yeah, Betchworth Operatic and Dramatic Society, the BODs, as they are known as. They're going to have another come and sing afternoon of Captain Noah and his floating zoo at Betchworth Village Hall,
and be led by Alison Cooper, Ian Stone, and Vicky Hodges. Reserve your place. Alison is the person to contact. Cooper.Alison, digit 8. Cooper.Alison, 8. Normal spelling of Alison, A-L-I-S-O-N, at gmail.com for more on that.
returning for another year matthew bourne's new adventures are bringing doorstep duets to communities across the southeast and they're coming here as well as part of their 2024 tour they'll be visiting reigate library on saturday 31st two performances one at 10 one at 11. now doorstep duets offers a free opportunity for communities to enjoy a world-class performance in their local neighborhood
making the joy and wonder of dance more accessible to everybody. Bring your friends and family. It's going to be free, celebrating the small acts of kindness that have the power to bring people together. Sounds a bit like our Planet Rygate star feature, doesn't it? Which will be on the show a little bit later on. No need to book, just pop in.
And again, that's at Rygate Library, 10 and 11, Saturday the 31st. Fake It Easy are performing at the Cage in Reigate on Saturday night. Fake It Easy. Yeah, well, you can kind of gather from that the kind of music that they're going to be performing. I say they. It's my friend Keith, his guitarist and vocalist with this covers band. Again, Fake It Easy, live music outdoors at the Cage in Reigate.
That's square there in Reigate this coming Saturday evening. Merstam Movies is showing The Greatest Showman on Saturday night. Adult tickets £4, children £2. Doors open at 6 in the Oak Room of Merstam Hub. You can book your tickets 01737 333 461, film rated PG. Also, Sunday the 31st. Let's move on to the open day, the Summer Storytime at Gatton.
Favourite children's stories read by our Trails and Tales staff, they say. In beautiful locations around Gatton Park, stories are suitable for two to eight-year-olds. Why not come dressed as your favourite book character? Picnics welcome. If you just fancy a stroll, the gardens and parks will be fully open to explore and the Gatton Hall Tea Room open for the sale of refreshments and cakes.
And that's going to be going on between 12 and 5. £6 for adults, children free. On the day, £7.50 for adults. Now this is a little bit unusual. There's going to be a blessing of the backpacks service at St Nicholas Church in Charlewood on Sunday the 1st at 9.30 in the morning. They say everyone's welcome to this special blessing service as we look at starting a new school term and a new season.
Children are invited to bring their school bags. Adults can bring laptop bags, knitting bags, book bags or any other project they're working on. Yes, it's that you kind of get the idea. It's to bless... Your work as you go forward to the start of a new term or a project that you've got going on at the moment.
It's blessing the work that you're doing, your knowledge, your understanding of it, meeting the deadlines, not getting too stressed. It's just kind of giving you that kind of Zen experience, I guess. All in the auspices of St. Nicholas's Childwood, the blessing of the backpack service. That sounds really interesting, doesn't it? Sunday, September 1st at 9.30 in the morning.
A little bit later on, they've got a Gatwick Ponds litter pick tidy. Sunday 1st, 1.30 to 3.30. Litter pickers and rubbish bags are provided and all welcome. So they say, please come along, even if it's for just half an hour. If you'd like to help, meet Sam and Rod in the car park off Riverside Garden Park at 1.30. They'll be there rain or shine, but it may be a little bit muddy, they say.
the Royal Alfred Seafarer's Society, organising their annual summer party on the 1st. They say all the money raised will go towards the amenity fund, which provides extra trips and entertainment for our residents.
And if you're able to go along, if you want any more details about that summer fair, Royal Alfred Seafarer's Society, you can contact them at admin at royalalfred.org.uk or their website, I guess, will just be royalalfred.org.uk 01737 01737 360-106. And that is the first part of the Good Time Guide.
I'm back a little bit later on with the Good Time Guide Part 2 with places to go and things to do for the coming week.
Music
Planet Reige podcast, I'm Peter Stewart. We've been down to the Red Hill Cruise of classic cars and that happened a couple of weeks ago, didn't it? And we've been speaking to the organiser and some of those taking part in a colourful and noisy display. Yeah, our reporter David King spoke with some of those taking part, showing off their wheels.
Now, obviously it was a very noisy event, but that kind of adds to the whole atmosphere of it, doesn't it?
And here we are at the side of the road, right opposite the light that you've developed in Redhill at this magnificent flat with all the fins.
Tell me about it. It's a 1959 Cadillac Series 62 convertible that was bought in France. It was running but had no brakes. We've done the brakes, got it running really nicely, done lots of stuff to it at Dream Cars and, you know, it's out been cruising the Redhill cruise for the last three years.
uh we've owned it about four years now i think maybe five years right four or five years in lockdown wow 6.4 liter so 390 cubic inch engine and a four barrel carburetor just as as cadillac made it in 59 we've put changed tires and um yeah just just cruising it about in red hill which has a lot of lovely cars here obviously this is the fifth year we posted it for so it's um It's been really good.
Really happy to see how well it's grown as well. This is the fifth annual cruise. So we started the first one in lockdown because we normally do a big trip to Sweden every year. But yeah, we started this in the midst of lockdown and then it's been going ever since. I wonder how many cars you've got here today.
I don't know, but there must be good 1,000 to 2,000 cars here tonight, probably a fair few. I mean, it's heaving, as you see. But you can follow the Red Hill Cruise Instagram page and also follow Dream Cars UK on Instagram. We're based in Red Hill, so we're always about, and you can follow us on Facebook as well. I mean, if you search Dream Cars online, we're all over the place, so you can see...
You can see everything to do with us and what we're about. We're big collectors and dealers and do lots of film and television work as well. We're based in Redhill, like five minutes away from the town centre. Our hub is here.
But we've come across a very different car indeed. Complete contrast to these massive V8s. It is an Austin 7. I'm talking to the gentleman that owns it.
I've had it upgraded a bit to give it a bit more horsepower. It's got about 35 horsepower. I use it every day. When the weather's nice and all that. Very reliable. Very reliable. Because it's 92 years old now. I said to my son, if I'm around... When it's 100, I want to go to Brighton and back a few times. Oh, yes. But if I'm not, I want my sons to take it to Brighton.
Yeah, absolutely.
London to Brighton.
But it's in lovely condition. You've spent a lot of time on this.
Yeah, a lot of time. But... Like I say, I did it about 25 years ago, so all I do basically now is polish it.
What about parts? Can you get parts quite easily?
Yeah, you can still get parts from... There's an Austin 7 club, and there's various companies that still make the parts for them. Oh, excellent. Yeah, and they still make actual parts for them.
And David also spoke with Chris, the owner of a Mountain Lauren 57 Cadillac Series 62.
We've done quite a bit of work, brakes and servicing and stuff just to keep it going, but it's not been too bad at all.
And you don't get any problems like overheating or anything like that? No issues? No, we used to. I'll put an electric fan on it now. We have no problems at all. Pleasure to drive. The steering, I would imagine, is not a lot of feel to it, but just very relaxing.
Yeah, it's like floating down the road. Really nice power steering. Fits six of us in it. Very comfy seats. It's massive, isn't it? It is, yeah. I think it's about 19 and a half foot long. A bit tricky to park at Tesco. I bet. It's not too bad. Once you get used to it, it's not bad at all. You sort of learn the size of it and it's not bad going down the road.
And our thanks to David Keane for going down there and battling the noise that was there in the background. Got right into your soul, didn't it? That noise almost made your bones shake down at the recent cruise event down in Red Hill. And, of course, they've got another one hopefully next year. There was a little bit of talk that maybe it's getting a little bit too big.
Some officials getting a little bit jittery about it. But so far, so good. And we'll keep our fingers crossed. that everything goes well for the next year. And David, thank you very much indeed for that, for helping us out on the Planet Rygate podcast. We've got our new sequence in a few moments' time, another hit with the Good Time Guide of events across the area over the week ahead.
Planet Rygate Stars, as I mentioned a few minutes ago, is from Woodhatch and our 60-second soundscape from Buckland. Yeah, we're right across the area on the Planet Rygate podcast. Let's start off our new sequence with talk about the Harlequin Support Group.
Yeah, this is a group of individuals, but also groups as well, who are kind of joining forces to keep an eye on what is happening with the theatre and cinema complex in Red Hill. You'll be able to hear our report on the big Harlequin meeting in episode 49. And our Harlequin Q&A was in episode 48, if you want some more background information.
as to the reasons why the Harlequin Theatre has been closed. Now, there have been several public meetings thus far, as I've just suggested. Rygate and Banstead Borough Council's next council meeting, Tuesday 24th September at 7.30pm at the Town Hall in Rygate. And the support group says they're going to be attending the meeting to show their support for the Harlequin Theatre.
and make their voices heard. They say it's critical they'll fill the public gallery and demonstrate to the councillors how much they care. The meeting will last about an hour. Your presence is vital. Now, you can also listen online as well, and you can watch the proceedings online.
Now, with the day job, I have been able to watch several council meetings across the area, and it does have to be said that it's a really simple, straightforward way to watch Reigate and Bandstead's borough councils work.
council meetings you get the video they cut in between the different councillors who are speaking you hear them really good quality and so on and also there's a list in the panel as well so you can remind yourself who is speaking and that is constantly updated so if you can't get along there then you can watch online and you can check for the link by going to
If you've got any problems finding that, as I always say, get in touch with me and I'll put you in touch with them so you can watch online. If you do go along, then obviously there's a certain amount of decorum that has to happen in the council chamber, as you might imagine. But obviously beforehand and afterhand, you can have, you know.
Talks with people or you can hold placards or you can raise voices or whatever. But obviously, actually, in the meeting itself, it is there to meet after all. And the point of the meeting this time round is to discuss, hopefully, the result of the, I was going to say, initial RAC investigation. I've had the initial one.
It's going to be, as I understand it, the second one to find out, hopefully, as we will know at this stage... how much work has got to be done, how long it might take and how much it might cost and who might pay for it. And then the council says when they know those kind of parameters, that kind of detail, those kind of factors and issues, then they will be able to get some of the staff involved.
that haven't been laid off from the Harlequin staff to actually work on some medium-term plans about other arts provision in the area instead of it being at the Harlequin. Okay, so that's the detail on that. Incidentally, more arts events are coming to the Redhill area. and I'll tell you about that in a few moments' time.
First of all, the play areas at Fairfax Avenue, Red Hill, and Somerset Road, Mead Vale, are going to be getting a revamp this autumn as part of Rygate of Manstead Borough Council's Play Replacement Programme.
The updated play areas will have new equipment, including climbing frames, swings and roundabouts, and a zip wire, alongside some existing play features and improvements to landscaping, so children of all ages and abilities can learn and play together,
inclusive features will include low level and wide access points for the equipment as well as sensory play elements and they say use of recycled materials and play panels with a renewable energy theme have also been incorporated into the design of the new play areas which are at yeah the Fairfax Avenue play area so that's off the A25 between Donnings and the Belfry new inclusive equipment includes a jumbo springy ballpoint
buddy board and roundabout alongside a new climbing frame zip wire and adventure trail work there due to start in the next couple of days commencing 2nd of september also somerset road play area just north of earlswood common their play panels about renewable energy will be installed alongside new swings around about a four seater seesaw and much more uh
For obvious reasons, I haven't been on the seesaw for many a decade. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed a good seesaw. A start date to be confirmed on that one. And the upgrades for each play area are expected to take between four and six weeks. You have to be careful. You didn't kind of come down with a bit of a crunch. And then you met the seesaw coming up as you were still kind of going down.
Could be a little bit painful, but yeah, moving on. Merstham Community Facility say they just want to update everyone what's happening with the cafe in terms of the current arrangements with the MCF, the Merstham Community Facility. They say we can confirm that MCF have been advised that the temporary cafe contract we have with Surrey County Council finishes at the end of August.
So again, any day now or not be renewing. MCF will step away at the close of play today, Friday the 30th. We'd like to thank the residents that have used the cafe and supported this initiative over the last nine months. Quote, in particular, we'd also like to thank all of our wonderful volunteers for their dedication and hard work. alongside key staff members who embrace the project.
Without them, it wouldn't have been possible for us to step in and fill the void left by the mix. We know all the efforts have been really appreciated, not just by MCF, but by the wider Merstam community as well.
And they go on to say, to conclude, by the time we end our time in the cafe, we will have served our community over 9,000 free drinks, which is a phenomenal achievement and one we're rightly proud of. And we're excited to see what comes next in the cafe's journey from the MCF team. Congratulations to them.
We wish them all the very best of luck and thank them for all the work they've been doing over the last several months. Yeah, absolutely. Let's move on and tell you about a few other things which have been happening, which are going to happen across the area. A bit of advance notice. As I mentioned last week, this time of the summer, not a huge amount of things going on.
So let's take this opportunity to highlight a few big events that are happening a little bit later on in the year. Betchworth Apple Market. Fair is going to be going on Saturday the 5th of October, 1 till 4 at Betchworth Village Hall. Apple pressing, juice sales, kids activities, freshly pressed juice and savouries and cakes and puds. Apple cake and apple pudding. That sounds good, doesn't it?
And they also say bring your apples along to have them pressed and bottled. No windfall, please. They don't want a bit of extra...
meat in there if you don't a bit of extra protein is not necessary we can supply new bottles so you can save both money and waste by washing and sterilizing your own one liter plastic milk or juice bottles make sure you keep the caps because sizes vary slightly and if you're planning to make cider this year then bring larger containers and pay even less per liter last pressings at 3 30
juice sales no apple trees they say come anyway and buy the freshest possible juice pressed in front of your very eyes from apples donated by others children's activities and also they're going to have a gardening tool and knife sharpening service and surrey county council's greener futures team are going to be there as well
and yeah all sorts of things going on including an inaugural baking competition more details oh also chutneys jams and jellies come and browse they say there'll be a huge selection of delicious local produce on sale in the hall as well and savories and cakes like baked apple cake or maybe an apple pudding as well. For more details on that, that sounds great, doesn't it?
Going to try and get down to there. Re-Betchworth.org, that's R-E-Betchworth.org for more details on that one. Mentioned this a little bit earlier on, and there is going to be an Arts Takeover week returning to Red Hill this autumn. Remember going to the one last year?
Just as the Planet Reigate podcast started up, I remember going along and speaking to Kay, who was organising it all, and sitting in the Harlequin Theatre in Redhill. Little did we know what was happening above our heads at that time, because it was a couple of days later, it was all closed down, and Kay was pulling her hair out, thinking, where am I now going to have...
a ukulele event and dance events and singing events and poetry readings and conversations about writing crime and all the other wonderful events that she and the council put on. Where am I going to hold all these? But she pulled it off. Congratulations to her. And for obvious reasons, it's going to be happening again, but not at the Harlequin.
It's going to be between the 5th and the 12th of October, running Arts Week in Redhill to celebrate the power of culture, creativity and connection here so keep listening to the Planet Reigate podcast for more details on what is going to be going on and where. But essentially, an art exhibition cheerleading choirs, ballet, Bollywood, art for relaxation, crafts, messy art for kids...
storytelling workshop, free concerts, African drumming workshop, an open mic music event, photography walk, crochet, DJ taster sessions, painting class and dance as well. So all sorts of things going on there. Date for your diary, Saturday the 5th to Saturday the 12th of October.
And I can also tell you that our friend Jamie, who was featured in one of our early episodes of the Planet Reigate podcast. Yeah, Jamie, good guy, who is somebody that is a local musician, local producer, does that kind of stuff, but also helps out. by mentoring at local schools, particularly at the Carrington School.
So he goes along there and he helps people just kind of maybe have kind of lost their way a little bit or they want a little bit of kind of adult help, a little bit of adult direction, someone to bounce some ideas off, someone who can just listen to them. So Jamie, all-round good guy. And I mentioned this at the start of the summer. It was something that he did recently.
a few weeks ago and he tells me that he's going to be doing it again in 2025 and he said you couldn't give people a bit of advance notice could you because it is something that was a great sellout a few a few weeks ago and i'd love it if more people knew about it next time as well absolutely jamie it's a songwriting camp a Bower Hill farm in Surrey, songwriting camp.
And it's going to be July the 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th, August 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th. Personalized writing groups, just you, a couple of other people. Jamie is the guy to know, help you, inspire you, guide you, and mentor you. Professional recording studio access as well. Beautiful surroundings as well. round about £45 a day. jamieamos.co.uk if you want a little bit more on that.
And episode 32 if you want to hear a little bit more about Jamie. Now, do you know someone that lives in Reigate? Do you know someone that lives in Red Hill? Do you know someone that lives in Merstham or Buckland or Betchworth or Brockham or anywhere in the planet Reigate area? Yeah, I'm pretty sure you do. If so, please tell them about the Planet Reigate podcast.
It's exclusively for RH1, 2 and 3. It's news and it's guests and it's interviews and it's all great positive stuff about where we live and where we love. Thank you in advance, just ahead of our first anniversary for spreading the word.
Well, a new exhibition at Adams Gallery in Reigate in September celebrates the work of Samuel Palmer and William Blake and commemorates their first meeting exactly 200 years ago. But who was Samuel Palmer and what were his links with the planet Reigate area? Now we start our mini-series on Sam's story, the local artist who became world famous, but only really after his death.
This week, his dubious love affair, his disreputable father and his debtor of a brother. Samuel Palmer was a landscape painter, etcher and printmaker, and also a prolific writer. His link with Surrey, forgive me, started when he was born in, yeah, Surrey Square, off the old Kent Road in London in 1805. It's OK, we'll have a better local link a little bit later on.
And today his paintings are displayed around the world. He had little formal training and little formal schooling, painting churches from around the age of 12, and he first exhibited at the Royal Academy at just 14. But his mother died when he was 13, an event that affected him for the rest of his life. He wrote later, It was like a sharp sword sent through the length of me.
From the age of 20, he produced many paintings around the area of Shoreham near Sevenoaks, where he lived in a run-down cottage from 1826 to 1835. Those paintings showed the area as mysterious, often shown in sepia shades under moon and starlight, but Palmer only showed these early pictures to selected friends.
Samuel Palmer's dad was also called Samuel, and was described at the time as somewhat disreputable. And he also moved to the Shoreham area with other members of the family, and then Samuel himself moved in to his dad's home. And it was there that he met and fell in love with the daughter of fellow artist John Linnell, Hannah Linnell.
who was just 14 at the time and who he later married when she was 19 and he was 32, her parents paying for a honeymoon in Italy that lasted two years. And when the happy couple returned, they settled in London, and Samuel started painting more conventional scenes which he could sell, like watercolours of Devon and Wales, as well as doing some tutoring. He was working hard.
He had to, not only to pay for their home in Marylebone, but also because when he had got back from his honeymoon, he discovered that his brother William had pawned all of his early paintings, and Palmer had to pay to get them back.
In 1861, the Palmer family moved out of London to a small cottage in Reigate, and we'll hear more about what he did here, including his most famous picture of a view you know today, in next week's show.
Planet Reigate Stars. Thanking local heroes who are out of this world.
Would love it if you followed us on social and followed us on your favourite podcast app as well. The name is always the same. Just search for The Planet Reigate Podcast. OK, to this week's Planet Reigate Star Awards and to Woodhatch this week, Stephen says, to the lady who bought my daughter's lunch this morning at the co-op, I would just like to thank you for saving me from a meltdown because...
I forgot to leave her lunch money out. I'm a strong believer in karma and hope something good comes your way. So again, from the bottom of my heart, thank you. So if you are that lady who gave the young girl some money for her lunch, thank you. And you are this week's worthy recipient of a Planet Rygate sprinkle of stardusts.
The Good Time Guide. Things to do and places to go on the Planet Reigate podcast.
Now next week is our special birthday edition. Yeah, would you believe it? One year since the Planet Reigate podcast started. So we're not going to make a big deal of it, but we will give it a mention. And if you would like a mention yourself, if you've been enjoying the episodes over the past 12 months, then get in touch with me.
Hello at theplanetreigatepodcast.com and we'll give you a mention as well. This is Peter Stewart, Planet Reigate podcast and the Good Time Guide part two. And of course, Monday sees the start of a new school term. OK, well, there may be inset days and so on, but essentially this coming week, the kids go back to school and we kind of say goodbye, don't we, to summer and... Hello to autumn.
However, there are a few other things to tell you about. Not just the start of school, although this one fits in. It is the kidsclubsfamily.com and their Rygate Breakfast Club. Toast and spreads, bagels, crumpets, brioche, croissant, to name just a few. Do you like that? Croissant. A selection of cereals, yoghurt and fresh fruit. They're open from 7am at St Mark's Church Hall in Alma Road.
Holmesdale and Priory children there. And open from 7am, £11. Info.breakfast at thebreakfastclubs.com if you want some more information on that. Mondays from 6.30 at Buckland Park, Beginner's Kundalini Yoga Course. Now, I wasn't aware of Kundalini, but apparently what happens is they break down the breath work, the actions, the meditation process and relaxation.
And the scientific technology of Kundalini works on all of the body's systems to return balance to the body, mind and soul. It's a type of yoga very different from the rest. Kundalini works into the nervous system, deliberately switching between stress and relaxation. And the practice awakens sleepy energy in the spine, known as Kundalini.
Obviously, whenever we have Pilates or yoga or dance, obviously you need to check with a health professional before you take part in any of these, just to check regularly. that it is right for you, your body, your way of life, and so on. Yogashala on Insta is what you need to check out there. Wednesday the 4th, East Surrey Walkers Group have a walk at Outwood in Surrey.
Yeah, we claim that as part of the Planet Reigate area. Meet at the National Trust car park on Outwood Common. Mostly level walk through fields and woodland to the Bransland Wood and Bagg. Well-behaved dogs on short leads at all times. It's a circular walk, the ones we like. Start time at 10. Estimated finish, well, don't dawdle. 12.45 is when you'll be finishing.
If you want some more information on that, Vivian is the person to get in contact with on 07505 494 706. Derek got in contact and said, Hi everyone, just want to share what an absolute cracking time the Gatwick Gamers had the other night. Tons of games played, like Quirkle, Coup, Whitechapel, Faraway, Quacks, a game about dinosaurs and surfboards... Which sounds intriguing, doesn't it?
To name but a few. Good time had by all. They meet every Wednesday. If you want to get involved, you can feel free to join the Facebook group they've gone up. For more information, Gatwick Gaming on Facebook. Buckland and Betchworth Choral Society, they say your local choir is right here and has been for 100 years. 100 years? Fantastic. It's time for you to join us.
Drop in and hear a rehearsal for yourself. They meet at 7.45, Betchworth Village Hall, RH3, every Wednesday from the 4th of September, BBC.
s info.org i was thrown initially because of bbc i wasn't expecting that to come up bbc s info.org it's supported by betchworth parish council and it is the butchworth excuse me the butchworth that's quite good isn't it's a bit like um it's a bit like redgate isn't it buckland and betchworth choral society for more information on that one
If you're aged between 11 and 18, you're invited to the Chosen Youth Cafe from September 4th to the 13th, Monday to Friday, 3 to 5, at Mercedham Baptist Church on Weldon Way there. Various drinks and snacks are available. For more information, paul at mgtmchurches.org. For more information on that, it's all been organised by Mercedham Baptist Church and their friends there.
Thursday the 5th, Catherine says her letter writing group has been set up again for the charity From Me To You. It's a friendly bunch who meet the first Thursday of the month to write letters to cancer patients, and then they're distributed by the charity From Me To You. Nothing to do with the Chuckle Brothers, as you may imagine.
The group is allocated a table at the Posadero Lounge in Redhill, and the next event is, as I say, Thursday the 5th, 10.30 to 12. In fact, it's
always the first thursday of the month so we're always pleased to uh to publicize that now all sorts of things are supplied for free the writing resources the cards the paper the postcards and so on you just need to come along uh with uh with an idea of what to say with what to write but buy a drink at the lounge treat yourself to a coffee tea
push the boat out even even a cake uh want some more information cath with a c underscore wh cath c-a-t-h underscore wh hotmail.co.uk and uh then she'll be able to tell you a bit more about what happens there at the posadero lounge thursdays the first thursday of the month 10 30 till 12 and also a bit more about the charity from me to you as well
Friday the 6th of September, 12.30 to 2 at the Home Cottage there on Redstone Hill. Come and practice your German conversation skills over a coffee or a drink or a sandwich in the pub and relax and support everyone else that's...
talking German essentially it's a meetup event for anyone with at least a basic conversational level of German maybe you did some German at school perhaps you've been learning German by self-study or like to go to German-speaking countries for holidays and want to get further confidence in a supportive conversation group if so that event is for you or maybe you're a German native speaker
who'd like to practice your English, yeah, the other which way around, and want to socialise in your native language. So that could be for you as well. And in which case, if you're a native German speaker, you get in free of charge. Everybody else, it's £5 contribution. What German do I know? Um... Not an awful lot, apart from Ja and Nein.
Aschenbecker, I seem to remember, from my school German days, which I think is an ashtray. And also, I had one of those trivia books as a youngster, which claimed the world's longest swear word was in German. Um... I don't think I can say it, can I? Because I don't know what it means. But it was, as German words tend to be, a very, very long word.
I did have it checked out with a German speaker more recently, and they said, well, that's not a swear word at all. It's just...
it's just a bit cheeky it's just a bit bit naughty you know but but it's not shall i say it no if you want to know what it is then you have to stop me when when you when you see me and i'll i'll pass it on to you starts off him or her got cruise um i can't remember the rest of it isn't it funny what you can remember from your school days ask me what i ate for supper last night i couldn't tell you
And also, just before we tell you about the Heritage Open weekend, let me also tell you about Saturday the 7th of September, 10 till 4, celebrating the grand opening of a brand new shop in the Belfry in Red Hill. Yeah, our friends over there have let out another unit.
It's for Cosmic Comics, and characters including Thor, the Penguin, Black Cat, Rogue from the X-Men, and many more characters will be there as well. Something a bit special that I wanted to tell you about which is happening next weekend and in fact for the whole week between the 6th and the 15th of September.
Various events, various times, various dates all happening in fact across the country because every September thousands of volunteers across England organise events to celebrate our fantastic history and culture and of course we've got a wealth of it locally here haven't we. It's your chance to see hidden places and try out new experiences, all of which are free to explore.
We're talking about the Heritage Open Days. Now, you can find out some more information at heritageopendays.org.uk. But I wanted to draw your attention, kind of whet your appetite a little bit about some of the events that are happening locally. Now, some of these are already sold out. I'll let you know if I know already if they're already fully booked. But here's a few to whet your appetite.
First of all, I want to bring a special mention to the event which has been organised by Anne, who wrote to me. She said, Hi Peter, I'm one of the staff team at St Matthew's Church in Redhill. We're opening up the building as part of the National Heritage Open Day scheme on Saturday 7th September 10-4pm.
It will be a chance to explore our Victorian church and the connection between church, town and railway. Anne says we got a number of connections to the railway and the growth of Redhill itself with the coming of the trains.
Yeah, we mentioned this very briefly in episode one of our pre-launch episodes, T-3, that you'll be able to hear on your favourite podcast app or go to theplanetrigatepodcast.com and scroll down there and you'll be able to see a link to that.
and says also there'll be a chance to take a self-guided tour around our stained glass windows, children's activities, plans for a modern railway installation and refreshments as well. And the local history society will also be bringing along a display of some of the pictures and information they've got regarding the connection between Redhill and the railways.
So you can tease yourself by listening to episode T-3 of the Planet Reigate podcast. And also you can learn a bit more by going along to St. Matthew's Church in Redhill, their open day on 7th of September. So Saturday week, obviously depending on when you're listening to this podcast, between 10 and 4. Now that's one event which is happening locally.
Let's take a look at some of the other events which are happening across the Planet Reigate area as well. There's going to be an historic vehicle display tunnel road in Reigate on the 14th. No booking required. Yeah, this is a display of historic vehicles by the Surrey Vintage Vehicle Society. And we spoke to them in episode five of the Planet Reigate podcast.
So maybe listen to that and then go along and see some of those vehicles up close yourself. Heath Church in Reigate, that's on Flanchford Road. They're going to be open on the 7th of September. It's the daughter church of St Mary Magdalene Church in Reigate, put up in 1907. So as I say, they've got an open day on the 7th. The Cranston Library.
Well, the aforementioned St Mary's on Chart Lane is where that is. No booking required. They're going to be open on the 7th. Discover a tiny, exquisite parish library founded in the early 18th century. And it's thought to be the oldest slash first public library in the entire world. A forerunner, if you like, of today's public libraries.
Find out about the history and the story of its remarkable founder today. Andrew Cranston. So that's the Cranston Library at St Mary's on the 7th. On the 8th, the medieval Undercroft, 16 West Street in Reigate. You've probably passed it. Did you know it was there?
Well, it's an amazing opportunity to discover this medieval Undercroft between West Street and Slip Shoe Street in Reigate, the 8th of September. No pre-booking required. Also, Buckland Windmill. Visit the only surviving wind-powered sawmill in the UK. It's a tiny windmill designed to support the on-site sawmill and woodyard. It's at Dungate's Lane at Betchworth on the 14th of September.
Also, I would tell you a bit more about the Betchworth Castle Guided Walk, but that is fully booked, so you've missed out on that, as indeed have I. On the 8th of September, there was going to be a... Well, there still is a guided tour of the castle with a museum guide, including access to the castle enclosure, but other people have got there before you.
On the 14th of September, appropriately enough, on 14 Croydon Road, it's the Holmesdale Natural History Club Museum, which has got an open day. Founded in 1857, it's opening its private museum of natural history, local history, local archaeology and geology. And that is still open for you. No pre-booking required for that one. St Michael's Church in Betworth and our friends down there.
It's a beautiful church in the picturesque village between Dorking and Reigate. And of course you may recognise it as the first church in the 90s film Four Weddings and a Funeral. Now we talked about the links between Four Weddings and a Funeral and also the church in episode 35 of the Planet Reigate podcast.
And also we spoke to the village archivist about some of the people buried in the churchyard and their remarkable tales in episode 30 of the Planet Rygate podcast. So maybe listen to those episodes and then go along and see the church and walk around the churchyard yourself.
So Michael's Church in Betchworth is going to be open various days across the week from the 6th all the way through to the 15th. And also a couple more to tell you about, St John the Evangelist Church. Yeah, thank you for that, St John the Evangelist Church. The Victorian Gothic landmark is how they mention that.
Multiple dates, so click on the heritageopendays.org.uk website to see what's happening when. But as you know, it's up there on the hill. It's outstanding, literally. And also it's an outstanding example of the Victorian Gothic revival by John Loughborough Pearson. featuring the original Victorian stained glass, a gilded triptych and a fine organ built by Henry Willis.
And you can see all of that and more on the various open events at St John the Evangelist Church in Red Hill over the course of the 6th to the 15th. Gatton Park is going to be open on the 7th of September. Now, you do need to pre-book for this.
You can enjoy a guided tour of Gatton Park's capability brown design landscape and Edwardian gardens, including the Japanese garden, which we've spoken about on the show before, which is celebrating 25 years since its restoration. Now, it does usually cost you to go into Gatton Park, so you can get to do it for free. but pre-booking is required.
You can do that via the Heritage Open Days website, heritageopendays.org.uk, and that is happening on the 7th of September. And a bit of an unusual one, this one, but Reigate Beaumont...
care home that's on collie lane you've passed it loads of times i'm sure you have and they've got an open day multiple dates and a pre-booking is required so again get onto that website and you can have a tour of their beautiful grounds and the history surrounding the home as well yeah because it's a fine old building isn't it
Rygate Beaumont being opened up by Barchester Healthcare various days now if you want some more information on any of all of these heritageopendays.org.uk is where you need to go to and I'm a bit gutted I'm kind of pleased but sad at the same time I'm pleased because I'm going to be away I'm going to be sunning myself in foreign climes over the course of those various open days so I'm going to be missing them
However, there will be an opportunity for you to go along. So it's kind of good for me that I'm going to be away, but sad I'm going to be missing those. But there will be still an episode for the next several weeks because, you know, I'm organised, I'm planned. You're not going to miss out on our special episode next week of the Planet Rygate podcast in our anniversary edition.
But again, heritageopendays.org.uk if you want some more on any or all of those.
Email hello at theplanetrygatepodcast.com Find out more at at theplanetrigatepodcast.com Leave a text or voice message on WhatsApp 07917 874572 and leave a review on your favorite podcast app. Support us at buymeacoffee.com slash theplanetrigatepodcast The 60 Second Soundscape. Local natural sounds uninterrupted.
Thank you.
The Planet Reigate podcast was produced and presented by Peter Stewart.