The Planet Reigate Podcast
56: Celebrating Salfords, decluttering Redhill house-by-house… and more
Fri, 04 Oct 2024
Episode 56 – Celebrating Salfords, decluttering Redhill house-by-house… and moreFor Saturday 5th October 2024This is how we’re reflecting and celebrating our love of live around here this week:TIMECODE00:00 - What’s in this episode 10:05 - Planet Reigate area news 19:50 – Travel news 22:45 – Weather 23:55 – GUEST: Dani Hardy from Redhill who faced some local 'dragons' to be named overall winner of this year’s Reigate & Banstead Entrepreneur Academy! www.danideclutters.co.uk is an in-person decluttering and organising service. 39:25 - The Good Time Guide: Local places to go and things to do this week 46:45 – Planet Reigate Stars: thanking local heroes. This week from Reigate 47:45 – GUEST: Claire Minter, from Salfords and Sidlow Parish Council, on the day BBC Radio 4 presented their live Any Questions debate show from the village hall. We hear from Claire about how it’s put the area on the national map. And also, her definitive answer to the question: is it SALfords or SAULfords.51:45 – The Sixty-second Soundscape. Natural sounds from a place you know. This week from Earlswood Common. 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 TRAVEL - FrauMuller Item ID: 102031400WEATHER - Sasha_Grey Item ID: 025133085SOUNDSCAPE PolkadotFlowersMusic Item ID: 136304431GUITAR - Frogard Item ID: 114324148DRAGON fx - https://soundbible.com/ Listen: https://linktr.ee/PlanetReigatePodcast Web: www.ThePlanetReigatePodcast.com Facebook: www.Facebook.com/ThePlanetReigatePodcast Insta: theplanetreigatepodcast Email: [email protected] Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This is the Planet Reigate Podcast.
Hello, this is Peter Stewart. Welcome to This Week's Show, episode 56 of the Planet Rygo podcast. Hope you're well, and this is how we're reflecting and celebrating our love of life around here this week. Well, my guests, Claire Minter from Salford's and Sidlow Parish Council, on the day the BBC came to town.
Now, last week, Radio 4 presented their live Any Questions debate show from the Village Hall. We hear from Claire about how it's put the area on the national map And also her definitive answer to the question, is it Salford's or Salford's? And Danielle Hardy from Redhill, who faced some local dragons to be named overall winner of this year's Reigate and Bandstead Entrepreneur Academy.
Yeah, Danny's business helps busy and overwhelmed people find calm energy. in the chaos with her in-person decluttering and organising service. I spoke with Danny before she'd heard she'd won, went round to her home to have a rummage in her cupboards. It's OK, she didn't mind. And in the news, big building work at East Surrey Hospital has been given the go-ahead.
I'll tell you what's going to be built there and where. Congratulations to the Salford St Sidlow Parish Council. They're now the only parish council in the county to have been given a gold award. We remind you of the drop-in sessions about the Harlequin, which are happening this coming week. Building work is getting underway at Reigate Fire Station.
I tell you how things are going to be improved and how the ambulance service will benefit as well. A local restaurant is closing down this weekend. The owners say being part of the local community has been one of the greatest joys of their life. Find out where the closed sign is going up later on in the show.
In travel news, a reminder of those two big road projects ongoing, one in Reigate and one on the M25. We have the Good Time Guide of events across the area across the week ahead, local wet weather stats, Planet Reigate stars from Morrison's car park, and our 60-second soundscape before we go at the end of the show. Natural sounds from a place you know, this week from Earlswood Common.
This is the Planet Reigate podcast with Peter Stewart.
See, touch, smell and try before you buy and speak to real people who can advise you. The Belfry Shopping Centre, Redhill.
So another packed programme coming your way over the next hour or so. Last week we reported on the new Lidl site at their air balloon pub in Hawley. James wrote to me and said, Hi Peter, Lidl has announced they are closing the existing site whatever happens. Most of the locals are quite pro this air balloon site becoming a Lidl.
The main object James points out was Tesco, who do so on principle to any proposed supermarket close to one of their larger sites. And of course, the Hookwood site is not too far away from that one. Only got James's word on that, but it sounds something that a big business might do to protect their interests.
As I understand it, says James, the current Lidl site is currently listed for lease with commercial estate agents under the same use category. So that would give the impression that the current Lidl site in the centre of Hawley would likely become another shop, retail outlet, possible supermarket, food store, something along those lines.
I think it was suggested that it may become maybe flats, but we'll have to wait and see for that. And James finally says it might be a good site for either Reigate and Banstead or Hawley Town Council to consider creating a permanent indoor market or a space for pop-up shops. Yeah, I remember indoor markets were all the rage at one stage, weren't they? Certainly when I was growing up.
And I was growing up in Epsom, incidentally, full disclosure. And there was an indoor market there, which seemed really, really popular. And I'm just kind of wondering why they kind of died down a little bit, didn't they? But that seems a really good. So it's a space where people have their own individual shops, but they're sharing the lease and the electricity and everything.
and the heat and things like that, and perhaps the security, and get together, and they're just buying a plot. Antique stores do this very, very well, don't they? Sometimes you can see a big shop or area that has individual antique items,
tables or areas for different antique shops within a larger store James thanks very much indeed for that also heard from Andrew who said in response to my post on socials about the air balloon wonder what they'll do with the old little site he said when I worked in Hawley in the 90s it was Waitrose yeah I remember Waitrose now I used to work in
In a little office, I'm just trying to remember this, not far from, I think it must have been the Waitrose, over a hair studio salon. I used to do some voiceover work there.
Very, very early on, when in-flight entertainment was starting to come round, and this must have been in the mid-90s, I was employed to go to this tiny little TV studio recording booth over a hair salon in Hawley, not far from the Waitrose.
and record a voiceover for various news events onto video, onto the old videocassettes, which were then biked down to, obviously, Gatwick Airport, and they were playing these videocassettes on Virgin Atlantic flights. So, yeah, I remember that. I remember the Waitrose site. And also another message here from Phil. He said the game bird as the air balloon was. Yeah, of course it was the game bird.
Absolutely. The air balloon is quite new, really, isn't it? As a name, as a concept, the game bird as it was back in the 90s. We've got a similar kind of timeline, Phil. Rammed full of 20-somethings, high on life and looking forward to a party every weekend. It even had a plane hanging from the ceiling. And then they killed it. Someone should have gone to prison for what they did to that pub.
The air balloon, he says, with emojis of him slapping his forehead. Fast forward to now and little. Entertainment killed off. for yet another supermarket, the Gamebird RIP. Well, maybe you remember the Gamebird pub. Maybe you remember some other local pubs in the area. Maybe you want to get in touch and tell me what you remember.
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Yeah, just listening to that, I can point out that Catherine bought me a coffee this past week. Catherine says, thank you so much indeed for supporting the Redhill Letter Writing Group. More of that a little bit later on. They write for the charity From Me to You. We love the podcast, says Catherine. Catherine, thanks very much indeed. Also mentioned that WhatsApp number a few moments ago.
And I only had a WhatsApp earlier on this last week from Richard Biggs. the leader of Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, who dropped me a line with something that he wanted my help and assistance with. Nothing political, incidentally, just something else. He's a man who's got fingers in lots of pies, because, as you know, this is a totally apolitical programme.
Also, I had an email from the new pool hall, which has opened up in Redhill, which we've mentioned a few times on the programme before. And hopefully working with them in the not too distant future as well. And they contact me regularly. via email a few days ago as well, which is absolutely fantastic. So all those people have got in contact through those various ways. You may want to as well.
If you miss those details, just rewind on your podcast player or slide that little kind of slider back if you're listening on maybe the website. Had a message from a few people on social media during the course of the week. Georgie Lucas said, thank you for publicising our event. It's a great show, by the way.
And also had a message from Elaine, because we publicised, didn't we, the Donnings Indoor Bowling Club last week on the programme. And she says, thanks, guys. I've listened. Absolutely brilliant. The events have passed our hopes with 125 people through the doors. I wonder how many of those came after listening to the Planet Reigate podcast.
All really surprised how technical the bowling was and how social the club was as well. Thanks. We love what you're doing over there. So really appreciate your comment as well. Thanks very much indeed for getting involved. Okay, this is the Planet Rygate podcast.
Always pleased to mention your non-profit, your sport, your club, your local event, your show, your exhibition, your concert, your performance, whatever it happens to be. Hello at theplanetrygatepodcast.com. And we look forward to getting your messages in the not-too-distant future. That message or that email again, hello at theplanetrygatepodcast.com.
We're going to be hearing about that award-winning decluttering service. Well, they were granted an award, a grant, in other words. They were awarded a grant. Yes, they're award-winning, aren't they? Yeah, kind of. You know what I mean. And also we're going to be hearing more about what happened when BBC Radio 4's Any Questions came to the area last Friday.
And the person this end who helped put it all together. First of all, let's take a look at some of the news events which may have escaped your notice over the last seven days or so. East Surrey Hospital has been granted planning permission for a two-storey extension. Now this is exciting, isn't it? It's going to include two new operating theatres and a dental surgery as well.
So maybe that means that if you're waiting for some surgery, whether it be on your mouth or anywhere else in your body, it may be done a little bit sooner. But obviously they've got to knock down and rebuild first of all. But I don't know how long that's going to take. Six, eight months, something like that. I don't know, just off the top of my head.
I'm no builder and I'm not an architect either, as you probably realise. But that development we do know is going to fill the space between two wings at the hospital and help staff better cope with increasing demand that I just mentioned there. So the layout is going to be that the dental treatment area is going to be on the ground floor.
and then the operating theatres are going to be above that. They've been given planning permission by Reigate and Banstead Borough Council. You don't kind of think that's going to be the case, that the council gets involved with NHS on that huge kind of plot of land that the hospital's got there, but they did. That is their brief.
They were required to facilitate other urgent works within the hospital to meet growing patient demands. So that's why it was given the green light. And work's actually already started. They've begun doing the elementary and basic work there at the hospital. And what's going to happen is that the development's going to be connected.
If you can picture maybe some of the space that they're going to be taking over and building on, you may work there, you may have been there recently and thought, what's
going on here then they're doing a bit of prelim building work for something that's going to be connected by fully enclosed bridges to other buildings nearby okay so they've got to not only build the dental area and also the operating theater but put in a couple of bridges as well and as i say the ground floor the dental treatment area and the first floor those two operating theaters more on that on the bbc website
Talking about building work, it's already getting underway on the redevelopment of Reigate Fire Station. So facilities there are going to be upgraded. We've spoken about this before, but I'm mentioning it again because it's actually starting this month. The fire station is going to be upgraded. Large appliance bays are going to be built there.
for newer fire engines they're going to have a new kitchen a new gym dormitories and a lounge as well all essentially updating enhancing the facilities and that means they're going to be better serving the area and a new separate space for the local ambulance service is also being built as part of the project as well So that's all kind of going on at the same time.
So while that work is going on, by the way, it's going to be funded by the local authority. The crew and their appliances are temporarily relocating to another building on the Ray Park site. It's all happening because the old building there is. is inefficient, it's difficult to operate, it's difficult to maintain, they need better facilities, essentially, don't they, when they're helping us.
Whether you be paramedics or firefighters, then you need a nice place to be based at, don't you? So that when you are called out to help us in our moment of need, you're...
at the top of your game you're fully fit you're fully rested and you've got good offices and facilities to go back to as well whether that be a dormitory or a kitchen whatever that happens to be could also mention the police station as well we haven't haven't We've had an update on what's happening to our local police station for a few weeks. Must look into that.
Talking about building works, Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, as we've mentioned a couple of times now, have now agreed with Aviva to start that RAC survey works. That started, what, a couple of weeks ago now, and their final report is expected probably sometime in November. A couple of weeks ago, in fact, you heard from Ali of the Harlequin Support Group saying,
And we've been mentioning for a couple of weeks that the council is going to be holding five drop-in engagement events to better understand whether you be part of a community or part of a group, maybe a theatre group, maybe another group that used to meet at the Harlequin, or maybe you're an individual.
what facilities you need for arts, culture, that kind of thing, in the borough of Reigate and Bandstead. So not just in Redhill, but Reigate as well, and also down south to Hawley, up north to Bandstead. So these sessions are getting underway this coming week. Red Hill, Saturday the 5th, 12.30 to 2.30. Only a couple of hours for you there. Christ Central in London Road in Red Hill.
Rye Gate this coming Monday the 7th, 12.30 to 2.30 at the Town Hall. Back to Redhill on Tuesday, 6.30 to 8.30. So we've got the only evening meeting which is going to be held again back at Christ Central. Hawley, Wednesday the 9th in the morning, 9.30 to 11.30 at the Community Centre on Albert Road. And in Banstead, you guys get a mention as well.
Thursday, again, 9.30 to 11.30 at the Banstead Community Centre up there at the Horseshoe. Now, you can hear more about the reasons for the Harlequin closure in episode 48 of the Planet Reigate podcast. Audio highlights of the most recent council meeting's decision on the Harlequin in episode 49. And as I say, the reaction from the Harlequin support group.
Ali spoke to us in a recent show back in episode 53. Congratulations to Salford's and Sidlow Parish Council because they've been awarded the National Association of Local Council's Local Council Award Scheme Quality Gold Award Achievement. That's a mouthful if ever I heard one. They're the first parish council in Surrey to have applied for and actually got it. So congratulations to them.
Quote, our council will strive to continue to develop and plan to work with our community. to continue to make improvements as best we can. An important announcement from one of our top restaurants in Reigate. Quote, it's with a heavy heart that I announce the closure of 88 after, appropriately, eight wonderful years.
The decision has not been an easy one, they say, but after much consideration, I believe it is the right choice for my future. This according to a post on social media this week.
they say being a part of the reigate community has been one of the greatest joys of my life something that will stay a part of me forever i'm incredibly grateful for the support and love you've shown us through the years and i'm so grateful for my current team that have been nothing but support through this huge decision of my life as well as all my lovely staff i've had the pleasure of working alongside over the years and most importantly you are loyal customers
Yeah, so maybe you've been frequenting 88. Maybe you just went along occasionally. It was always nice to know it was there. I know they did some fantastic food there. So they're going to be open until 4.30 this Saturday. So Saturday the 5th.
So if you've had any dealings with the guys, the crew, the staff over the last eight years at 88 on the High Street, then do pop down there and pass on your warmest wishes to them. Well, one restaurant may be closing, but a new coffee shop is coming to Reigate. It's a coffee shop with a difference. Next Phase Coffee is partnering with Blue Cow Butchers up there on Lesborne Road.
So locally produced meats and artisanal coffee all in one place, which sounds an interesting concept. Plus baked goods from Chalk Hills Bakery and coffee roasted by Chimney Fire Coffee. So all sorts of local producers getting together on this one. And their 1975 Renault Estavette van will be outside Blue Cow Butchers with coffee and pastries as well. On and off on various days.
All gets underway first thing on the 10th of October. Good luck, guys. And a blind man from Redhill has helped a rail company write an audio guide to its trains. Yeah, he's Dave Smith, who actually sits on Thameslink's accessibility advisory panel to help it improve services for disabled.
people and that guide it's on the train company's website is aimed at helping people with disabilities understand the layout of a train in this case the Thameslink class 700 trains before they actually get on board so things like where to find a toilet on the train the general layout where and how to contact the driver in case of emergency details on accessible carriages wheelchair spaces and level boarding on stations as well
And you can find out more about that on the BBC websites. as well as upgrading some of the zebra crossings. Don't panic, it's happening overnight and not at weekends. 8pm to 6am weekdays, but not weekends. Now, if you want to know our breakdown of road improvements and changes...
including changes to traffic islands, road markings and layouts, and new speed limits and speed cameras, which are coming for the A25 between the Blackhorse in Reigate and the Cockerell Roundabout in Dorking, you can listen back to episode 50. I say... all the way through to the Cockerell Roundabout.
Actually, if you know that neck of the woods, I'm sure you do, it goes left up what I think is called Spooks Hill, isn't it? And also right down to the train station and down to the school there as well. So if you're involved with journeys that'll take you...
either of those directions then do make sure that you listen to episode 50 of the planet right gate podcast when you can learn more about what is planned for your journey and also we've got some news about the m25 junction 10 project we've spoken about on and off for the past several months changes that that junction that you need to be aware of slip roads on and off that junction are going to be closed on the weekends of the 4th to the 7th of october so that'll be this weekend then
plus the 18th to the 21st and the 1st to the 4th of November from 9pm on Friday night until 6am on the Monday of each of those weekends. So it is the Planet Ridegate podcast, I'm Peter Stewart, decluttering and reorganising. Have you got shelves and cupboards and drawers that need a good clear out?
Or maybe you've taken over a house after maybe a relative has passed on and you're thinking, what do I do with all of this? I'm a great believer that in a tidy room or a tidy desk is a tidy mind. So maybe if you're getting a little bit overwhelmed with life... then maybe it's partly because of what else is in the space that you're living in.
We're going to be hearing from Danny, who's won an Entrepreneur Award from Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, still to come in the programme. Plus, we're going to be hearing from Claire Minter from Salford's and Sidlow Parish Council about what happened when BBC Radio... Broadcast live from the Village Hall last Friday. Interesting stuff. OK, we've got the weather.
And this week it is from a couple of people, actually. Simon Collins... who says, Rygate's total September rainfall, more than three times the average at 185.6 millimetres. Heck, we knew it was wet, didn't we? Do we know it's three times wetter than average? Charlewood, even more. 196.6 millimetres of rain. The long-term average is 52 millimetres.
And that's backed up from some more stats that have come in. From the UK Sinop stations, that's the collective for various Met stations, September rainfall monthly record set in 2024 across the UK includes Charlewood.
And that station's only been recording since 2003, but they're recording similar figures, very, very similar figures, at 195.4 millimetres of rain, and the previous record was 121.6 millimetres of rain. Rygate, Redhill and Merstham, Buckland, Betchworth and Brockham. and Hawley, and Outwood, and Chulwood, RH1, 2, and 3, and a little bit of RH6 as well. We don't do Gatwick or Crawley.
We don't do Godston or Ogstead. We don't do Bandstead or Dorking. It's hyper-local news and events and guests and what's-ons... ...and stuff of interest just for you in the Planet Reigate area. Congratulations to Danielle Hardy from Redhill... ...who faced some local dragons to be named overall winner... ...of this year's Reigate & Banstead Entrepreneur Academy. Yeah, many congratulations, Dani.
You did wonderfully there. And her business helps busy and overwhelmed people... find calm in the chaos with her in-person decluttering and organising service. What is a decluttering service? Well, I spoke with Danny before she heard she'd won as she went round to her house, got a cup of coffee out of it as well and had a rummage in her cupboards and asked her all about decluttering.
So is life getting a little bit on top of you? Are you thinking to yourself, I don't know what it is, but my head is just too busy. My head is just a little bit too full. I've got an awful lot going on and I don't quite know where to start. It may not be something to do with your diary. It may be something to do with your home. Danny is with me. Danny Hardy from Danny Declutters.
That's right, isn't it? Your home could be in a bit of a mess, which may mean that your mind is in a bit of a mess and you're getting a bit stressed.
Absolutely. I think that clutter is something that is really contributing to people's poor mental health. You're running around trying to find your keys and you don't know where they are. Or you're in a cupboard desperately trying to find the pasta because the kids are hungry but you've got to get past all the cereal and all this other stuff.
Or your children are wanting a toy and you've got a mountain full of toys and you can't find the exact one they want.
oh it's not good for our mental health at all what is clutter is it stuff that you just haven't used in a year that's a really good question actually and I think it probably means something different to different people the media really is encouraging us to you've got to buy this thing you've got to have all of these different items you've got to wear these clothes and I think we're just
been programmed to constantly keep buying things and items. And then what happens is we have all these possessions in our home. Some of them might be useful, some of them might not be useful, but they are just filling up our cupboards. And so try and look at your items in a different way. Are all of these items that you have in your house functional?
In the kitchen, we can have so many different electrical items. A blender, you have a food processor.
Rice cooker.
Yeah, bread maker, all of those kind of things. And if you are using them on a regular basis, then that's brilliant. But if you're not, then they're taking up valuable space.
So what we're saying is a clearer home or a clearer cupboard does ease your mind, doesn't it? And I know from personal experience that's the case. And also I was speaking to a friend recently who does have quite a bit of clutter around. And she said... I've cleared out that shelf. I've made a start on these drawers. I feel so much better for it.
It's incredible how much better you feel. And even when I work with clients and I've... Let's say I'm working in a kitchen cupboard. I will actually just keep opening it after I finish because I'm getting a dopamine hit myself.
So you're a bit of a Stacey Solomon, really, are you? Because, in fact, that show was in Redhill, wasn't it, earlier on in the year?
I know it was. I couldn't believe it. And so many people asked me that. They said, you're just like Stacey Solomon. And I guess I am similar in the sense I'm a professional organiser and declutterer. But I don't have a team of 15 or 25 people that are emptying the whole house out and putting in an airline hangar.
And building a wardrobe in an afternoon. Yeah, that kind of stuff.
Exactly, and painting the house. So I do work with clients in a similar way, but on a much more slower basis. And also something that's really important is I work with the family as well. I think it's really important for them to have a lot of input. And also the organisational systems that I put in place afterwards, I need their input because it's got to work for them.
Are there qualifications in this? Do you study decluttering? Are you licensed or something?
I know, it sounds crazy, but there is actually an association of professional declutterers and organisers, APDO. And so for me to be able to work as a professional organiser, I have to be registered with them, and they have certain criteria that you have to hit. So I have to be licensed, I have to be insured, and I have to have specific training that I need to attend as well.
I'm going to be cheeky now. I'm going to come into your kitchen and have a little nose around in your kitchen. You don't mind?
Not at all, not at all. Even though I'm an organiser and people say, oh, your house must be absolutely immaculate and so tidy. I have two young boys, so it is not tidy a lot of the time. But when it's time for us to tidy up, it's really easy for them to do that because they know where everything goes, right?
It's got to be lived in, hasn't it? It's a home. And I remember someone saying to me a few years ago, it's a home, it's not a museum.
Exactly. I think that's a great comment. I've not heard that before. And I love stuff. I have a lot of stuff. I'm definitely not a minimalist. But everything has a home. And I think that's really, really key.
Oh, I've got another one for you. A place for everything and everything in its place. Have you heard that one? Yes, I've heard that for ages.
Oh, I'm going to take that. Definitely. Right, come on, pick a cupboard.
Let's open this one here. So here we've got, OK, now this is really nice and neat and tidy. And what you've got is several of those pull-out plastic kind of drawers with handles on the top. The drawers aren't built in. They're plastic. You can take them out so you can put them on the surface.
And you can find the packets or the mixtures or whatever it happens to be or the dried fruits or the nuts and so on. So everything is all in its place. I'm particularly liking the idea of your Indian spice cauliflower soup. I must look out for that one. I didn't know that existed. But that's by the by. And also I'm loving your banana chips.
It's dried mango.
It's dried mango. And I love the clip there. It's a monkey. That's brilliant. Sorry, we're going off topic.
My children are addicted to dried mango. If I want them to do anything, I just say, oh, we'll have some dried mango.
Talk me through how you're organising this. This isn't overly structured, is it, with loads of labels and so on?
I do have a label maker and some people love labels. But with this, what I've done is I've just got all of my rice together, all of my pastas together, all of the dried fruit together, all of the nuts. We've got snacks for the kids. So when they're saying, I'm hungry, I'm hungry, I've got them all here together. I can just pull it out and just say, what do you want?
isn't this forgive me isn't this common sense do you know what like for me it is but something that i've learned is that it doesn't come naturally to everyone and so i used to go around to friends houses and i would just open their cupboard and think gosh why have they got it like this and so i would just reorganize it and put all the yeah put all the pastas together and put all of the cans together and my friends would say tanny that's amazing thank you so much for doing that
And so that's actually how Danny Declutters was born. I would do that, just even just pottering around in my friend's kids' bedrooms and just tidying up and just organising things. And so that is how I decided, you know what, I've actually got a skill that comes really easy to me. I'm passionate about it. And it's something that can really help other people.
And very often when you're looking for another line of work, it is something that comes naturally to you. You don't realise that other people don't know that stuff.
Yes, exactly, exactly. And I work with so many different individuals. So I've actually worked with people who are disabled and so they physically can't reach the stuff in their kitchen. So I've reorganised it so it's much more accessible. I've worked with widowers who want to downsize and they just need to get rid of a load of items.
They just need to be politely challenged as we said before actually do you need that you haven't looked at it for for 20 years and that's interesting you say about widowers and widows getting rid of the sentiment someone that's died perhaps it's really hard and that's very hard to do on your own and to have somebody else there who can
be very empathetic but also they want to tell stories you know we'll go through a box and it's got all of these different items and books and ornaments and each one has a story and so they tell me that story and they share it and then they're able to let that item go someone's heard them exactly exactly I find it very very rewarding
Children, I guess, well, they need to be taught everything. Obviously, they don't come out knowing how to be tidy and how to put things in their place and put things in the toy box, do they? So how do you instil in them that feeling of kind of clarity over chaos?
Oh, so many parents just get so frustrated by the toys and the mess. And I think kids do have too many toys. But also, I think that when you go and say to children, go upstairs and tidy your room, they don't know how to tidy their room.
But also, then that's a punishment, isn't it? And they don't want to do it because it's a punishment. So then it's almost counterproductive, isn't it?
Yeah, yeah, you're right, actually. Yes, that's a really good sort of way to look at it. So what I do with my children and my clients is that we organise all of the toys into categories and I teach the children about the different categories. So we have all the Paw Patrol toys together. We have all of the Transformer toys together. We have all the Lego together.
And so when it is tidy up time, they know where the items go and they also know where to find it as well. I have this thing by the door called a donation station.
Oh, it's over here. Let's move over to the door. Right, OK. So we've got a couple of big plastic boxes here by the front door, as you say.
When the children are playing with their toys and they decide that they don't want it anymore, they just pop it in the donation station. I mean, I've got here some armbands. I mean, my children don't need armbands anymore.
We're having a bit of a root round here. We've got a cuddly shark. We've got a pair of boots. We've got a book entitled Night Potty.
Don't need that anymore because my children are dry through the night.
We've got a torch. We've got one of those Mr. Things for the... Oh, this is... I know. This is kind of a glove puppet plastic crocodile.
If you want any of it, feel free to take it home with you.
Oh, I'm loving the Paw Patrol characters. Yeah, OK, I'll take some of them. Great stuff. Of course, children like to know what they own in their bedroom, don't they? So it must be really difficult for them to kind of understand what they need to let go of.
So true. Children can be quite, for want of a better word, possessive over their toys because it does. It belongs to them.
And actually educating children that if there's some item that they no longer want and then that toy can go on to another life and be given to another child or taken to a charity shop which can then raise money for charity and that toy that they have loved can continue to be loved rather than stuck in the back of a cupboard. then that's a really, really important lesson.
A top tip for parents is rather than saying, which books do you want to get rid of? Focus on which books do you want to keep? Because then that really empowers the children. It really gives them a sense of control over the whole process. Then you know that the other pile, that can go to a charity shop and continue its life somewhere else.
It's reframing, isn't it?
It's completely reframing, just turning it on its head and looking at the positives rather than what are they letting go of, what can they keep.
But we're not getting rid of mementos and souvenirs, are we? Because even now I've got things from my childhood, which I have kept, and I look at it and that does remind me, you know, it brings back really unusual, special memories of something I played with, you know, when I was five or something like that.
I think that's very normal and I think sentimental items are a really hard category to
to declutter and when I'm working with clients I would normally leave that till till the end once they've got a little bit of momentum they've they've learned that skill they've got that muscle memory in their brain to learn how to let things go I will start in a kitchen because there's not much sentimental items you can really easily let go of items that are out of date but like you said
that teddy bear, something that belonged to a family member that's passed away. You've got to work within your own comfort zone. You don't want to get rid of something and regret it later when it comes to sentimental items. But also by the same token, you've got to question yourself, why am I holding on to this? Why do I have all of my school books from five up to 18?
Are you really ever going to look at them? And if you do, it's going to be every 10, 20 years when you do a sort out.
It's been a joy. Thank you so much. Let's move back into your kitchen because we're standing in the hallway at the moment. And you can, let's close the cupboard doors. Bye bye monkey. And you can tell me how people can get in touch with you, Danny.
My website is dannydclutters.co.uk. You can also email me as well at dannydclutters at gmail.com. I'm on Instagram too and I've got a Facebook page. So I think if you just Google me, you'll be able to find me.
Okay, and Dani is spelled D-A-N-I. So, Dani, D-A-N-I, Declutters, D-E-C-L-U-T-T-E-R-S. I thought maybe she was Dutch when I first came across her. You know, Dani Declutters. I thought that was her actual name, but apparently it's not. It's the name of her business.
And she's done remarkably well because, as I say, she got £5,000 from Rygate and Banstead Borough Council because she won their Entrepreneur Academy. So... Thank you very much. And you'll also get the opportunity to pitch your business's idea to business leaders in a kind of Dragon's Den-style competition for the chance to win £5,000 to help your business get up and running as well.
So that sounds pretty good, doesn't it? Apart from that mention of the dragons, so you've got to be careful. I think they're friendly dragons. They're not the ones that kind of inhabit areas beyond the Planet Reigate area.
applications are open go to reigate hyphen bandstead dot gov dot uk and look for entrepreneur academy under the business support tab so reigate hyphen bandstead dot gov dot uk and if you've got a chance to tell anybody how you heard about it it was via the planet reigate podcast so
The Good Time Guide. Things to do and places to go on the Planet Rygate podcast.
Planet Rygate stars come this week from Morrison's Car Park and the 60-second soundscape comes from Earlswood Common, still to come on the Planet Rygate podcast. First of all, let's take a look and see what's happening. Places to go, things to do, people to meet and new experiences to be had. over the next week across the planet Reigate area.
And please remember to subscribe to the show so you don't miss an episode. You can do this via your favourite podcast app. Either subscribe or favourites the podcast on your app. And you can also hear our last five episodes with links to all of our archive shows. And if you want a mention for your charity or non-profit event, we always look kindly on those. Let us know about it.
Fill out the form you'll find on that front page as well. So here we go for Saturday, October 5th, and it is the Betchworth Apple Fest. Saturday between 1 and 4 at the Village Hall. So apple pressing, juice sales, kids activities, delicious freshly pressed juice, savories, cakes, puddings, teas and coffee on offer all afternoon.
Plus you'll find a trio of new attractions this year, including apple pressing, juice sales, children's activities.
gardening tool and knife sharpening service surrey county council's greener futures team and also a bake-off as well and also i'm not quite sure this is an attraction but i will be there as well so i may be putting the planet reigate podcast microphone under your nose to find out what you have learned from being there as well.
So as well as those chutneys, jams and jellies and refreshments, everything to do with apples at the Betchworth Apple Fest this Saturday the 5th between 1 and 4 in the Village Hall. Salford's Village Hall, 7 for 7.30 start. Johnny Weaver's Quiz Night. Some general knowledge helps, but also an eagle eye, a logical brain and a creative imagination as well.
So you can go down there and they provide some food. £7.50 a ticket with a light supper. There'll be a raffle with prize seeds and proceeds going to Macmillan Cancer Support. Don't forget the Arts Takeover Week is returning to Red Hill between the 5th and the 12th of October. Arts Week across the town to celebrate the power of culture, creativity and connection.
Keep your eyes peeled for news of the events on social media and also hard copies across the town. If you want to know more about what is happening where...
then tune in to last week's episode of the Planet Reigate podcast and you'll hear about art exhibitions, cheerleading choirs, ballet, bodywood, art for relaxation, crafts, messy art for kids, storytelling workshop, free concerts, African drumming workshop, open mic music, photography walk, crochet, DJ taster sessions, painting class and dance in and around Redhill.
And if you want some more information, go to the Harlequin website. That is still up and running, even though the building is not. Or the website for Reigate and Banstead Borough Council. The Reigate Walking Group is walking, surprisingly, on Saturday the 5th at 1 o'clock. They're meeting at the Sandcross Church car park. The walk will be a local one, three to five miles.
Meeting at the church and walking up. into the Priory Park area one lap of the park run and walking back to the church they may extend the walk as well if there's a need for that and enthusiasm for it as well there's cafe and toilets in the park for refreshments and everyone walking together and having a great time Free pickleball events in Reigate this weekend for adults and kids.
It's at Priory Park Tennis Court. Adult pickleball Saturday from 12.30 and kids pickleball Sunday at 12.30. Both events are completely free and all the equipment is provided for you. So if you're new to pickleball or maybe you're an experienced player, it's a great chance to have fun and learn more. a new sport and a great way for kids to pick up a new sport as well and to keep fit too.
So if you want some more information on that, get in touch with me and I'll put you in touch with them. But essentially, if not, you can just rock up to Priory Park and the tennis courts there. Adults Saturday, 12.30. Kids Sunday at 12.30.
Talking about Sunday, all children love a tractor ride and for this year's Apple Open Day on Sunday at Gatton Park, they've got a route through the Pleasure Gardens, also apple juicing, autumn related craft activities and also you can enjoy 250 acres of beautiful gardens and parklands. Tickets at gattonpark.co.uk is happening Sunday between 12 and 5.
There's free entry to the Earlswood and Redhill Kiddical Mass Cycle Ride. It's powered by Eco Earlswood and Friends. And you may remember that I started it all off, didn't I? They had an event back in June, I think it was.
was a lovely day it really was great to see all those kids and adults on the bikes loads of marshals on route you can actually ride on the road it's a really good experience for the kids to be riding on the roads rather than the pavement all totally safe as i say lots of adults around them they close the roads it's got the support of the local council and the police as well and also the earlswood recycling center of suez it's a big family bike ride everyone is welcome all kids are
Should be supervised with a parent or guardian, but there'll be other adults there as well. Fancy dress, whistles, music, flags, refreshments available at the end. Where is the end? Carrington School. It also happens to be the start as well. More information, Kidical Mass RH1 on social media. Hope it goes well, guys. Thursday, the 10th of October, there's a well-being fair at Merstham Hub.
It's all to champion World Mental Health Day. So it's Thursday between 11 and 3. Discover new ideas and activities to promote a healthy mind and body. More details, merstham.library at surreycc.gov.uk. Also Thursday, there's a charity quiz night. in support of Love Works, and that's happening at Rygate Manor.
£17 a person includes a quiz and the curry, and the bar opens at 6.30, the quiz at 7.30, ends at 10.30, and all in support of Love Works, the local food charity, of course. There's an event by St Mark's Overseas Aid Trust in Reigate at 7.15pm. Their quiz is back. The fabulous Helia Drew returns with his much-acclaimed illustrated quiz. Put your team of eight together and come along on the night.
and they'll be cooking up a delicious homemade chilli supper, which is included in the price as well. So ticketsource.co.uk, S-M-O-A-T, slash T. So it gets a bit complicated after that, but as I always say, for more information, get in touch with me. I'll put you in touch with them.
Planet Reigate stars, thanking local heroes who are out of this world.
It may be that your company or your business, your group, your charity or some other enterprise would like some kind of voiceover or emceeing or facilitator or judge. Get in touch with me. I may be able to help you out. Hello at theplanetreigatepodcast.com. So, to this week's Planet Reigate Star Award, and this week in Reigate, and Anita writes, I want to thank a man in a blue Audi TT.
He so generously helped a complete stranger get her car's flat battery started in the Morrison's car park. My Yorkshire Terrier and I can't thank you enough. you that mystery man in the blue Audi TT. Thank you from us and from Anita as well. And I hope you'll accept this week's Planet Rygate Star Award. So last Friday, Radio 4 came to town.
Last week, BBC Radio 4 presented their live Any Questions debate show from the Village Hall, Salford's and Sidlow Parish Council Village Hall. So let's hear from Claire Minter, the clerk of the Parish Council, about how it's put the area on the national map. And also her definitive answer to the question, is it Salford's or is it Salford's?
We're here at the packing up, the tidying up, the putting the chairs away, washing up the cups and so on. They're de-rigging the whole set. How did it go for you? What did you think about it?
It went really well, far better than I hoped, really. We had a great turnout. The questions were really good. The panel answered well. It was a good, fun audience that responded. So from that point, yeah, you couldn't ask for anything more.
How did it come about in the first place? Do you approach the BBC or do they approach you?
We approach them. We're 50 years this year as a parish council and it was suggested by one of our councillors, Stephen Rolfe, to invite BBC Radio 4 Any Questions to us. So we put the application in last year and then we got a phone call in May this year to see if we could do it as a last minute in June. So we were all ready to go.
Then the elections came and the venue got chosen so we got postponed until tonight.
Okay, and what kind of facilities were they after? What kind of checks did they need to make with you about what was here?
They needed to have a large space to be able to have a large audience. Our hall can accommodate 100, and they needed additional function rooms. They needed one that was a green room for our panel of guests, also a room for the production team to work in, and an area for the technical team, also for parking. And because we've got a forecourt and parking outside, it ticks all the boxes.
And you got several mentions of thanks, didn't you, as well? That was fantastic.
Yeah, it's nice. It's part of my job. I'm the clerk to the parish council. I'm supported by eight great parish councillors and we just like to do a lot for the community and we knew it was something that they would enjoy to come to.
And it's a feather in the cap and also puts the area on the map as well, doesn't it?
Yeah, a bit of kudos. I think we're having quite a good year as a parish council. We've just received a gold award for local councils. We're the first in Surrey to achieve that. Having BBC Radio 4 or any questions in the same summer or going into Waltham is pretty good.
And the Planet Rygate podcast here as well. Yes, of course. And it was nice.
We saw lots of different councillors from different parties that came along and some of them got to be able to ask questions. So from that point, I think everybody enjoyed the evening.
Now, finally, Claire, it was mentioned on the stage a little bit earlier on about the pronunciation of S-A-L-F-O-R-D-S. Now, I've always thought they're a bit interchangeable, and I've been going for a year, and I must have mentioned the area virtually every single programme, and no-one's picked me up on what I say. What do you say? What is the official pronunciation of Sal or Saul?
It's Sal. Salford's for Sally, and the interesting thing is that the production team contacted me yesterday to ask for the correct pronunciation, and we were box-tapping it to each other verbally to get it right. It's named after the River Sal.
OK, I wondered what the derivation was. Where is the River Sal?
Just down the road from here.
Must be a little brook. Gosh, I've not heard of that.
Just on the A23, it goes from here.
OK, so again, give that full pronunciation of your area.
It's Salfords, although the train when it comes into Salfords says Salfords. But you can't get it right all the time, can you? And it was great to have you here today as well, so thanks for coming.
Thank you for contributing everything that is happening here. I know about the various events that happen in the hall and your walks and so on, and celebrating your anniversary. Thank you for getting involved with the podcast too.
Thank you very much.
So Salfords, and I have looked up the River Sal. I can't find any more information about it. So if you can furnish me with some more details about the River Sal, after which Salfords is named, then why don't you drop me a line? Hello at theplanetrygatepodcast.com. Have a great week. Make the most of it in the best bit of Britain.
The 60-second soundscape. Local natural sounds uninterrupted.
Before we go, at the end of the show, natural sounds from a place you know. This week, Earlswood Common, with Blackbird, Robin, Wren, Songthrush and Blackcalf.
The Planet Reigate podcast was produced and presented by Peter Stewart.