The Planet Reigate Podcast
57: Your Harlequin 'drop-in' feedback, Betchworth’s Apple Day… and more
Fri, 11 Oct 2024
Episode 57 – Betchworth’s Apple Day, views on The Harlequin… and moreFor Saturday12th October 2024This is how we’re reflecting and celebrating our love of life around here this week:TIMECODE - or tap a link and then ▶ to be taken directly to that item.00:00 - What’s in this episode 03:55 – GUEST: The reaction of people leaving the first arts and culture consultation event run by Reigate and Banstead Borough council – focused on the Harlequin. https://tinyurl.com/prp57harl 15:15 - Planet Reigate area news https://tinyurl.com/prp57asb 28:22 – Planet Reigate area travel 29:40 – Planet Reigate area weather stats 31:00 - Planet Reigate area sports34:50 – GUEST: My report from the Betchworth Apple Day event https://tinyurl.com/prp57apple 53:00 – Planet Reigate Stars: thanking local heroes. This week from the hospital 54:20 - The Good Time Guide: Local places to go and things to do this week 57:55– The Sixty-second Soundscape. Natural sounds from a place you know. This week from Flanchford Road. 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: 136304431HAPPY - -inspirational-acoustic-guitar - by SKHSOUNDS ID 104246707 Listen: https://linktr.ee/PlanetReigatePodcastWeb: www.ThePlanetReigatePodcast.comFacebook: www.Facebook.com/ThePlanetReigatePodcastInsta: theplanetreigatepodcastEmail: [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 episode 57. This is how we're reflecting and celebrating our love of life around here this week. Well, last Saturday I was at the first Arts and Culture Consultation event run by Reigate and Banstead Borough Council, focusing of course on the Harlequin. There have been five events across the borough this week.
I toured the one in Redhill and spoke with several people as they left to find out what they thought of the exhibition, the questions... and also their views about the future of the building itself and arts provision in general. Hear what they told me later on in the show. And after that, I went to the Betchworth Apple Day event. I was really impressed with all that was going on there.
Spoke with several of those who put it on and others too about their celebration of the humble fruit. So here about the Harlequin consultation reaction. and the Betchworth Apple Day later on in the show. Plus, as well as hearing reaction to the Harlequin consultation, we've got an update on Redhill Library and its planned reopening date.
Local people are being asked to be part of the solution for tackling antisocial behaviour. Thames Water has been ordered to investigate and take necessary action after complaints about sewage flowing into gardens in Lye. A plea from Rygate-based firefighters after a problem they had getting to a call-out this week. A local school is one of six in Surrey given cash for an environmental scheme.
Two playgrounds have been reopened locally after being refurbished. I'll tell you where they are. Do you want use of a free hall or studio space for your group, team, training or sport? I'll tell you how you can get it, but you'll have to act fast. Relief for shoppers at Reigate Morrison's. I'll tell you what changes there have been, which will make your experience better.
Gatwick has started its new graduate program. I'll tell you how someone can apply. In sports, an unusual match is happening at Redhill Football Club this week. Do you run a local business, group, charity? Anywhere in the Planet Reigate area, I've details of a one-off and pretty unusual networking event happening next month.
It's called Talk and Chalk and may give you an idea of what sport it's based around. Plus, in weather, it's been wet, wet, wet, hasn't it? I've got some more local stats for you to show just how wet it's been. We've got the good time guide of events across the area across the week ahead. Planet Rygate stars for staff at the hospital. And our 60-second soundscape.
Before we go, at the end of the show, natural sounds from a place you know. This week... from Reigate and Saturday Cyclists on Flanchford Roads.
This is the Planet Reigate podcast with Peter Stewart.
Welcome to this week's episode. It's okay, you don't have to back away from your speaker. I don't think my cold is going to be transmitted to you from my studio to where you are listening. But yeah, it's been a bit of a rough week for me this week, but hopefully over the worst of the lurgy. Next Phase Coffee have been in touch this week.
They said they had a fantastic shout out from the Planet Rygate podcast. they've highlighted our exciting upcoming launch with the Blue Cow Butchers, where Esther will be on site serving up delicious coffee made with locally roasted beans from Chimney Fire Coffee.
Yeah, they opened up their Blue Cow Butchers on Lesborne Road on Thursday morning, and they had all sorts of goodies and freebies and special discounts on offer there. Guys, I hope that launch went really, really well. OK, let's quick sticks into this week's news. So, yeah, did you go to one of the public consultations about the Harlequin this week?
As we said previously, RAC survey work started last month. Their final report is expected in November. And this past week, the council held five drop in events to better understand the immediate and future needs of individuals and communities. relating to arts, cultural space and activities right across the borough.
So you're able to take part in that even if you're from outside the borough, notably if you're perhaps from Buckland, Betchworth and Brockham as well, and perhaps you normally gravitate towards the Harlequin in Redhill or other things which are happening, because of course it doesn't matter if you're in Mole Valley, you might go to the Dorking Halls or you might go up to the Epsom Playhouse, for example, might go down to the Horth in Crawley.
Well, they say, the council this is, that they'd welcomed the thoughts of everyone who lives, works in or, as I say, even visits the borough. And you can hear more about the reasons for the Harlequin closure in episode 48 with our Q&A. Audio highlights of the most recent council meeting decision on the Harlequin in episode 49.
And the reaction from the Harlequin support group Ali spoke to us back in episode 53. So as I say, the first event was in Red Hill at Christ Central last Saturday. And I went around it and then spoke with people as they came out and asked them what their thoughts about it were.
I think it's a very good thing to involve the local population, the local people.
I thought it was wonderful that we've been given an opportunity to really participate in airing our views.
I thought it was very well structured in that it gave everybody the opportunity to say very honestly how they felt about the need for arts within Redhill and the surrounding community.
I think the advertising for it is very poor. It doesn't actually even say out there really what it's about. You'd think it was an arts exhibition.
What did you make of the display and how the questions were asked and the interactivity and things like that? Fairly straightforward.
Yes, fairly straightforward. They were asking the right questions? I think they were asking questions, whether ultimately they'd be the right questions or not. One can't say. I mean, I answered them all.
I was interested in the questions. Personally, I used to use the Wallace Cinema and come down six or seven times in the year and it was convenient. I could get there in ten minutes and it was there. So that was the main use of the building.
What about the questions that they were asking? Do you think they were appropriate?
Yes, but they're kind of still skirting around the outside of the issue. We are a year in and they're only just starting to ask them, which is quite frustrating.
They're asking questions that should have been asked a year ago. I felt able to share my views.
But once again, will they be acted on?
I'm somewhat reserved judgment as to whether they'll actually take anything on board or do anything.
They knew they wouldn't reopen it quickly last September. This process should have started a year ago. So then when we get the first survey report mid-November, they would be able to hack the ground running.
I detected a little bias in one of the last questions, question eight. It's slightly implied that the council wasn't necessarily feeling whole-hearted in maintaining and reintroducing the Harlequin.
We've got to wait until mid-next year before we get anywhere, and it'll be years before anything happens.
The council, over the years, has not been exactly proactive on anything that might be called social activities.
If the Harlequin or if a big arts provision did disappear from Redhill, what do you think that would mean for the town?
Oh, I think it would deprive the town of an arts and cultural centre.
I've heard recently of groups having to go to East Grinstead and East Horsley to perform, but that's not really serving the local community.
Although we have the light, which I feel appeals to family groups and a younger population, people the thing one misses so much with the harlequin was the entertainment or even intellectual stimulation from the outside rather than a cinema center with one bowling alley which was a great disappointment i thought we were going to have something like crawley
Just at a point where we've got new investment in the cinema and all the rest of it, we're watching the other part of Redhill essentially closed. That can't be any good for the town as a whole in terms of morale, local business and all the rest of it.
The other thing I've lost is there was a yoga class that was happening. I joined about a year or so before it shut. And that's easy to get in and easy to get home for, for working people who come by train. So the... The access to the main line I think is the other big thing as to why as a venue it's important we have that.
If you compare Redhill with Dorking, I mean at the moment there's no comparison. Dorking has an excellent arts and facility and Redhill even in the past didn't match up to it. Without it, it would be hopeless.
I can't see them trying to use another building somewhere as a question. That depends where it is. And then what else is there locally they could use?
A lot of money has recently been invested in new homes, affordable homes and flats in and around Redhill. Redhill has a really big community of people living within a few hundred metres of the town centre. And without this facility at the moment, it's sitting empty at night. That's not good for the town.
It would really lift Redhill if the Harley Quinn was reinstated and supported.
The M25 is a barrier. I don't see people in Banstead socialising south of the motorway. It's one side or the other. But you get friends, and I drive the social things in Nutfield or Bletchley. They come here. They're still RH1. It's nearer. So you're looking at sort of five miles around the Harlequin and Redhill as to their catchment area, who will come.
What do you want to see in its place? I want to see the Harlequin back as a proper arts centre. I want to see it more provision and more importance given to it.
I've probably only done about five events in the theatre in the 20 years I've lived here, but it was a nice value for money evening out.
I want to have a live performance space, so a theatre where you can have live shows, professional and amateur, live music, the panto in Redhill. Now whether it is in the current structure, I don't know, but that is what we need here.
We should be reopening the Harlequin as soon as possible because it provides a really, really essential local hub particularly for community arts groups, dance groups, people that sing, that sort of thing. But it also does bring in professional acts from the wider circuit to the centre of Redhill, so ideally we should be doing that.
Maybe you could update it a little bit, but I think it was working as a... And actually not having it too big means that you're not competing with some of the other theatres. You're keeping it a bit more, so you're not trying to go on the same competition to get in the big acts. You're just still keeping the little local... acts going.
So I think actually the size may be slightly bigger but not too big for the area.
Years ago Alan Titchmarsh came and that was very interesting. It was something to think about you know it introduced a topic which would set the grey matter going.
If there's one priority in the short to medium term it's to provide the ability for local groups to perform In Redhill.
It is a perfect location, but whether it will happen.
I can't stress how important something like that is. A live performance space, whether it's heavy metal music, which is not something I would ever go and see. Some people want to go and see that. And it just covers every genre of music, drama, comedy. Yes, that's what we want. And it's for amateurs as well as professionals. It's always been a poor thing.
It's never had anything like the... the exposure it should have.
I think they have to prioritise investment to provide something in the short to medium term that enables performance to continue locally in the most fit-for-purpose possible facility that is either close to the centre of Redhill or within walking distance. Otherwise we're going to be letting local people down and that's what this is all about.
So finally, what's your message to the council? Get on and start doing something.
I'm a bit of a cynic. I think they want to shut the Harlequin, but they can't.
The views of some of the people that came out of the very first Harlequin or Arts and Culture consultation event in Redhill last Saturday. Really thought out and quite passionate views there, I thought. Perhaps nothing which was amazingly different from perhaps what we've heard before, but it does show the depth of people's feelings.
and I wonder whether or not you agree with what they have been saying there. If you do, or if you don't, why don't you get in touch with me? Details on the way. First of all, let me tell you that, according to Councillor Natalie Bramall on social media this week, she says, pleased to confirm at Surrey County Council, full council, that the library in Redhill, which, as you know, is adjacent...
to the harlequin will reopen in july 2025 after a full refurbishment and rack removal the temporary library will continue to operate in red hill so it's just around the corner at the moment as i understand it the library may be moving into the belfry between well, pretty soon, through until that date of July 2025. Now, I don't speak, obviously, on behalf of Reigate and Bandstead Borough Council.
We are totally independent here at the Planet Reigate podcast. But as I understand it, the amount of rack and where it was situated in the library is in a different place to the Harlequin. And also, money had been put aside for the refurbishment of the library already, which means that they are able to activate the builders and get things sorted rather sooner than the Harlequin Theatre.
If you don't realise it already, the Harlequin is actually administered at a borough level. So Reigate and Banstead Borough Council libraries are administered by Surrey County Council. So you've got two different layers of government. You've got different teams working on what you might imagine, understandably, from the outside to be exactly the same building.
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OK, let's move on with a few other stories which have been making the news during the course of the last seven days or so. If you haven't caught these already, this is where you catch up. And local people are being asked to be part of the solution for tackling anti-social behaviour locally.
The Safer Redhill Partnership is encouraging people visiting, working or living in Redhill to report anti-social behaviour and keep the town centre safer for everyone to enjoy.
So Surrey Police, Rygate and Mansfield Borough Council officers and YMCA East Surrey youth workers working in the area feature in a new kind of social media campaign and they're asking, as I say, anyone who sees something odd or disturbing going on to call out ASB.
The campaign also helps people to recognise the different types of problem behaviour and understand how they can report it because some issues may be dealt with by the police, some by the council. You could go anonymously to Crimestoppers, for example.
So, OK, to put this into perspective, Surrey is one of the safest counties in England, and the crime rate in Reigate and Banstead is lower than the Surrey average. And as I mentioned on the show a few weeks ago, things are already in place.
There's youth outreach work by the YMCA, and I've spoken to the YMCA about that, and they have been on the show discussing how useful their Y bus is when it goes around the Redhill area. Improved lighting in places like Memorial Park, mentioned that a few weeks ago, together with some detail about the CCTV. If you didn't catch these recent shows, then you're missing out.
As well as targeted police activity as well. However, obviously that is not by any means to underplay the worry, the concern, the fear that some people have understandably about some of the situations in any of our town centres today. You know, we have reported in the past about incidents in Reigate, very often, in fact, particularly in Priory Park. There have been several incidents over there.
And certainly I know that Red Hill can be a little problematic, particularly at night. And indeed, personal point of view, some of that may be down to the closure of the Harlequin. Because if more people were around going to and from the Harlequin and arts and culture events and meetings... and societies and picking up kids and that kind of thing, there'd be more activity.
There'd be more people of different ages and backgrounds and so on who'd be keeping the town centre busy. We talked about this anti-social behaviour campaign and letting people know or letting the police or the council know what your fears, worries and concerns are. You can see that campaign on banners, posters and what they're calling digi-screens.
I must raid my Scrabble set to give them a T-A-L. Digital screens across the town centre, as well as through social media and digital advertising. And find out more via reigate-banstead.gov.uk. Look for Safer-Redhill. Now, how's this all being paid for? The Safer-Redhill partnership got £265,000 from the government's Safer Streets Fund last autumn.
And more recently, Surrey Police was awarded a million pound hotspot funding from the Home Office, which we spoke about at the time on the Planet Rygate podcast. And that means more uniformed patrols in the town, as well as support from plain clothed officers as well.
Thames Water has been ordered to investigate and take necessary action after complaints about sewage flowing into people's gardens in Lye. People are saying it's been years of raw sewage bubbling up through manhole covers following heavy downpours because the old pumping station near Brook Lane is easily overwhelmed.
Thames Water apologising to customers says groundwater had overloaded its sewer system. So the Environment Agency say that they instructed Thames Water to investigate and take necessary action.
Thames Water in a statement said we have a plan to survey the sewers which is expected to begin next month when water levels in the sewers have receded after which we will be able to identify the next steps. More on that story on the BBC website. Also from Water... albeit rather brown, to fire.
And Surrey Fire and Rescue Service put out a message during the course of the week saying, we understand parking can be tricky and we all want to park as close to home as possible. But they say earlier on this week, our crew were delayed going to an incident in Reigate because of cars blocking the fire engine's route.
Thankfully, it wasn't a major incident, but they say in an emergency, every minute counts. They say if you're parking on a narrow street, please consider whether emergency vehicles can still get through. Changing where you park can make all the difference to our response. It's very, very difficult, isn't it? No one wants to see more yellow lines.
No one wants to see having to pay for parking outside your own house. I mean, fortunately, I don't have to do that. I have a space, but it can be very troublesome, can't it? But obviously... They do make a very good point there from Surrey Fire and Rescue Reigate Branch. They say, thanks for helping us reach those who need us when they need us.
Firstfield Primary School, Redhill, one of six Surrey schools, awarded a total of £6,000 as part of an environmental scheme. So congratulations to them. The Rethink Waste Initiative, run by Surrey Environment Partnership, aims to encourage households to cut waste. The prize money funds various environmental projects,
at the winning schools, including building a home for school guinea pigs, installing a green roof and buying litter picking equipment. Congratulations to them. I should perhaps get down there and visit the school for guinea pigs. When I was at school... We had a school rabbit which we were allowed to take home. We took it in turns to take home during the school holidays.
The name was Fred, Fred the rabbit. One person took it home and Fred escaped. Fred was never seen again. So hopefully the school guinea pigs, if that indeed is the initiative that's happening at Fursfield...
hopefully they are safely caged up and i was going to say at all times hopefully there will be a bit of interaction with the kids as well let's also talk about this because this kind of fits in just talked about those environmental projects hawley town council holding a small ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the official opening of the newly refurbed playground at michael crescent they say please come and join us saturday the 12th of october at
10 30 in the morning and tying in with that this show isn't just thrown together you know and tying in with that after weeks of watching and waiting the cromwell estate park opened back up from its little makeover uh they say we hope everyone enjoys the new play equipment and thank you so much for your patience that from cromwell community group in red hill
A couple of other stories to let you know about. Broadcaster and former racing driver Billy Munger. You know him from Racer Across the World. That was a fantastic series, wasn't it? He lives in Outwood, as you probably know, has been banned from driving for 49 days after a crash in Limpsfield. Billy's 25.
He crashed into three parked cars and also damaged a lamppost and a front garden wall in January. He pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention at Guildford Magistrates Court. So he's been disqualified from driving, ordered to pay fines and costs totaling £2,694. He's a fantastic young man, isn't he?
If you've been following his story, as I have, over several years, what a fine young man he is. And is there nothing he can't turn his head? His mind too, his body too, his spirit, his stamina, his determination.
And indeed, to illustrate this, later on this month, he's going to be taking on a 3.8km ocean swim, followed by a 180km coastal cycle and a marathon in Hawaii, where he aims to break the record for the fastest double amputee to complete the annual Ironman World Championship. He raised more than £3 million for Comic Relief in 2021 by walking, cycling and kayaking across England over four days.
And this new event happening later on in October that I mentioned in Hawaii is also for Comic Relief as well. You can read more about that on the BBC website. Now, is your group at a bit of a loss because of the closure of the Harlequin? Do you need somewhere to rehearse or to train, something like that?
Well, this sounds a really, really good idea because Rygate and Banstead Borough Council have partnered with Beta, that's the gym company, to offer free hall or free studio space at all three local leisure centres. So that is the one at Tadworth. It's also the one in Hawley and also it's the one in Redhill, so Donnings in other words.
And it will be for one to three hours a week term time from January to December. Oh, Rewind, so it's a free room at any of those leisure centres for up to three hours a week term time for the whole of 2025. This sounds a fantastic opportunity.
If you're looking for a place to maybe rehearse something, or as I say, to do some training, it could be some gym work, it could be some dance rehearsals, it could be a singing choir, anything like that, or maybe a room to meet. There will be terms and conditions, obviously, but you can apply online by Sunday, the 13th of October.
More details, well, as I always say, more details on the Rygate of Banstead Borough Council website. But for more information, get in touch with me and I'll put you in touch with them. Morrison's car park in Reigate has been partly re-tarmacked. Thank goodness. Thank the Lord. Pictures posted on social media show that the roadway in front of the store has been resurfed.
What do you reckon about that? I mean, it's a shame to my mind that those bays can't be made a little bit wider because they are difficult to kind of get in and out of your car, aren't they? To be totally honest with you. And also that sharp turn easier. So if you come back Down, when you're leaving, you come down the first row of spots, you know, the ones parallel to the road in.
You've then got to double back on yourself pretty tightly as other vehicles are driving in. It can be quite a tight turn, can't it? Can't think how else they can lay out that road system any better or any differently. In jobs news this week, university graduates are invited to apply for London Gatwick's 2025 graduate programme.
Don't often do Gatwick stories because Gatwick is officially outside our area, but it strikes me that if you've got a young person in your household or if you are a young person yourself... then obviously to have a graduate trainee scheme, which is virtually on your doorstep, would be pretty handy, wouldn't it?
It begins in September 2025 and offers roles across construction, commercial, corporate affairs, engineering, IT, and sales and operations planning, along with development, which was newly introduced this year. The construction program is a three-year contract. The others are two years. And last year, Gatwick had 13 graduates enrolled.
from a range of undergraduate and master's degrees such as crisis and disaster management, aerospace engineering, geography and computer science from universities like Sussex, Kent, Portsmouth and Imperial College, London. So as I say, maybe you're a young person who's just come through one of those universities.
degree courses or maybe you know somebody or maybe you know someone who knows someone it's a great opportunity isn't it it's literally on our doorstep and it sounds really really good if i have my time again i would like to study i think crisis and disaster management i think that's going to be a real burgeoning kind of area for people to get into and know more about
See, touch, smell and try before you buy and speak to real people who can advise you. The Belfry Shopping Centre, Redhill.
The Planet Reigate Podcast. I'm Peter Stewart. Still to come, we've got our 60-second soundscape from Flanchford Road in Reigate of weekend cyclists roaring past on that corner where you can just have that fantastic view. That's where I was standing, on that corner where you've got that fantastic view of the windmill and the golf course, yeah?
And also, we've got our Planet Reigate stars celebrating the work of everyone. There helps out at the hospital, at East Surrey Hospital there, Three Arch Road. That's still to come, plus our report from the Betchworth Apple Day, which was last weekend. First of all, let's remind you about West Street is still closed for another week.
Major resurfacing and changing the existing advisory cycle lanes to wider and lightly segregated mandatory cycle lanes, as well as upgrading some of those zebra crossings there. I know that the work has been going on. Overnights between 8pm and 6am, but not weekends.
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... All the way through on the A25, between the Blackhorse Pub in Reigate and the Cockrell Roundabout in Dorking, and then up Spooks Hill to the left, and then going north down to the train station and the Ashcombe School.
Listen back to episode 50. We'll do a mile-by-mile breakdown of what is happening where. Also some news about the M25 Junction 10 project and some changes at that junction that you need to be aware of.
Slip roads on and off the junction are going to be closed again next weekend, 18th to the 21st of October and also the 1st to the 4th of November from 9pm on the Friday until 6am on the Monday of both of those weekends. So you have been warned, so make sure you're aware of those. It's been wet, wet, wet, hasn't it, recently? Weather news coming now. Sports news in a few moments' time as well.
The weather. From Professor Weather Andy Herrod, you can follow him on Twitter, X and Insta. The rainfall records just keep falling. A bit like the rain then, Andy. Last Tuesday's rainfall rate of two... Think back to what you were doing last Tuesday. It poured down, didn't it? 202.2 millimetres per hour. It was the highest Andy has ever recorded in October.
in the Reigate area and as we said last week I think it was 2024 was the wettest September in Reigate with nearly three times the average amount of rain it was also slightly below the average temperature but with only 75% of the sunshine hours it probably felt worse 2024 continues to be the wettest year recorded
by our local weather statisticians of which one is professor weather our very own andy herod andy thanks for that okay let's move on to the sport and a couple of things to tell you about first of all there's an unusual sports match football match which is happening uh pretty soon in fact coming next weekend friday the 18th of october uh it's going to be a coach's match it's
Yeah, this is happening by Red Hill FC. Their coaches' match is a match, obviously, just full of the coaches, not the players themselves, but the people who are supposed to know what the players are supposed to be doing. So they say they're running a coaches' match, so we'd love you to come down and cheer us all on.
Friday 18th October, 6.30 kick-off at Red Hill Football Club down there at Three Arch Road. The club bar will be open, £5 an entry, which is going to charity, £2 for children. And also, let me tell you about this, which the Planet Reigate podcast is really pleased to be involved with.
It's a very special kind of social networking event for local businesses and their staff to come together and battle it out across 32 pool tables at that new Spots and Stripes pool centre in Redhill. I say it's a pool centre. They've got so much going on. They've got so many tables. I think it's the biggest in Surrey, isn't it? And they've got new dance rooms which have been opened up as well.
Yeah, really pleased to be an official supporter of this. It's a fun pool match in a round-robin format. Prizes are going to be awarded for various fun categories and the event supported, sponsored by, run by, organised by... Bots and Stripes in Redhill, but also our friends at the Belfry Shopping Centre in Redhill, RH Networking and Baird Consulting as well as the Planet Rygate podcast.
So the team entry fee is £5 per team. I mean, that's pretty good, isn't it? All of which is going to be donated to support the Redhill Town Square Christmas lights. And to enter a team, you need to have the following to qualify. Minimum of three, maximum of five players, and companies can enter multiple teams. And pretty much that is that, to be quite honest with you.
If you want some more info, info at spots8stripes.co.uk. That 8 in the middle is a digit 8. Info at spots8stripes.co.uk. Put talk and chalk. in the subject line, and they'll send you back all the information you need to know, or follow Spots and Stripes on social media, because it's all been posted there. All tables and queues are provided, and it's for players of all abilities to join in.
It's going to be a great social networking event for local businesses and staff, just before Christmas, so you can chalk up and get some practice in. So, if you want to join, perhaps you want to join me, and let's have a Planet Rygate podcast team. It would be really, really good, because This is a one-man band here. I don't have a team to call on. I'll be playing by myself.
So if you want to join me, I'll stump up the fiver. Get in touch with me. Hello at theplanetrygatepodcast.com. So are you interested in what I'm talking about there? Surely there's a group of you at your workplace. Everyone works, don't they? Most people work. Or maybe, I don't know. Maybe it could be expanded to another little group of mates or chums. I don't know.
You better get involved with Spots and Stripes and ask them. But this Talk and Chalk Pool Team Challenge is going to be happening Tuesday the 19th of November starting off from 6 o'clock. So come straight from work or grab a bite to eat or you can grab a bite there. And, you know, a minimum of three people. You've got three people in your workplace, your shop, your business. It could be an office.
It could be a charity, whatever it happens to be. Come along, have some fun. It'd be really good to meet you as well. So if you're interested in that, then that email address, one more time, is info at spots, digit 8 stripes, .co.uk. And put talk and chalk in the subject line.
Music
Just off the Betchworth roundabout and it's Saturday afternoon and I've been invited to come down here to the Re Betchworth Apple Fest. I've never been here before but it's been going on for a few years and it's a hive of activity. Tons of people here and all sorts of equipment going on and cakes. I'm looking at cakes through the window which looks rather fantastic so we'll go and
Have a look at those a little bit later on. And some knife sharpening and all sorts of things. Miller is here. He's going to tell me exactly what is going on. Thank you so much indeed for inviting me down. You must be really pleased with the turnout.
It's absolutely fabulous. So this is our third year and every year it changes. And this year the footfall has been absolutely incredible. And we're just... delighted to see so many more young families here with their kids because really sustainability is all about the next generation, isn't it? I mean, you know, us lot, we'll do a bit and then we'll be gone.
But it's just great to see so many younger people here and getting involved and looking at, you know, where apple juice comes from, how it's made, looking at things you can make with it and just joining in. Yes, it's a great community event.
The whole celebration of the humble apple.
Absolutely, absolutely. And they're free.
And lots of varieties and lots of local varieties, presumably, as well. These aren't ones which have been flown in from South Africa.
No, no. And that's what we... Somebody was saying, what sort of apples are these? I said, I don't know, but they are all local.
And that's the main thing. So the idea is then, Mila, that people have been bringing down apples which have been growing on their trees in their back garden locally in Buckland, Betchworth, Brockham or Box Hill, because I know that's your fourth bee.
And Rygate. People are just coming in off the road to this now, which is absolutely fantastic.
They come up to here with your weighing station, I notice here, and then you weigh the apples and then what happens after that?
So what happens, they bring their apples, I weigh them, I tell them how many litres of juice that they will get for their apples. They can either follow their apples through the process and get their own juice or they can add their apples to the mass of apples and just buy however many litres they want.
And get a kind of apple cocktail.
Absolutely, and actually I think an apple cocktail is probably the best.
That sounds good. Now, what happens with bits which are bruised or maybe a little worm or something has got in?
They get chucked out.
You've got a bit of quality control.
We have quality control, so we don't want windfalls. We only want ones that are picked, and we don't want ones that are too diseased or bruised. So, yeah, we do chuck some out.
And stalks and cores all go in?
All go into the macerator, so it gets macerated, then it gets pressed, and then you get the lovely, lovely juice.
Well, we've got a bit of a lull here. I can't see anyone coming at the moment. If someone does, then give us a shout and you can get back to your station. So this is the first part of the process. This is macerating.
This is macerating and this is Alan. So he will take the apples, do a bit of quality control, make sure they're OK for consumption, shove them into the macerator, which makes one hell of a noise. And then the pulp comes out and that will go on to the next station, which is where they press and make the juice.
So Alan's got an easy job because he flicks a switch with electricity, but our friend over here is actually pressing by hand.
Absolutely, and this is lovely because they're just beautiful machines, aren't they?
I would like one time here, one time on the front, one at the side, one at the back for me.
Now we're going to pass it round. It'll get harder and harder. It's easy now. And who's keeping an eye on the bucket?
Yeah, don't kick the bucket.
There's the juice. Good technique there. They are under that cylinder.
Ah, right, because that plate moves down.
Yes, yes.
There's plenty coming out there, isn't there?
It's fabulous.
Come on, guys, keep going. And the more you crush it down, the more apple juice is going to come out.
One time I did it by myself.
By yourself? Never. Never. Oh, my goodness. That's it.
Is this getting hard work for you now? No, it's OK. You've got a bit of refreshment. Hang in there. There's some apple juice.
I might have some apple juice. Maybe we'll send it to some cider, maybe some Calvados later. That sounds good.
Keep going, keep going.
Can you feel it's getting harder now? When it gets hard, you have to really push it along with this song, OK? You have to sing... Nobody's singing. It doesn't work if I do it on my own.
So how many apples go in here at a time?
Probably a good few kilograms before they get into this bit.
What kind of ratio, then, do you get? It's almost half.
So it's almost five kilograms of apples gives you about two litres of apple juice. How full's the bucket? Oh!
Give me more.
There you go. Right, go. Ah!
My arm hurts from today.
And all the best children will come to work in our factory at the end of the day. I think I'm the strongest person in the world. Ah!
It's foaming down there into the bucket, and the aroma is fantastic, isn't it, as well?
It's lovely. It's absolutely lovely, the smell. It's a real autumn smell, isn't it?
Thank you, gents. So we come from the pressing, so then it comes through here.
And so you've got your juice, and this is another press.
And you've borrowed a few presses from some neighbouring villages, is that right? From Lye, yes. So Lye had their Apple Festival last weekend. They did.
And then we've got a few local people who've got their own presses, which is fabulous. And then we get here to the bottling.
Which kind of speaks for itself. So it's funnelled into the big... It's really hard work, this bit. And you've got a queue here of people lining up. So again, this could be their own apples or more likely a cocktail.
More likely a cocktail. So there's a few people who've brought enough to follow their own all the way through the process and then they will go home with their own juice, which is lovely.
And I tasted one of those little small paper cups earlier on. Boy, oh boy, you don't get that taste from the ones in the supermarket, do you? Which have been kind of chilled and pasteurised.
So this couple here were very, very keen to have their own juice. Have you still got your little apple flag? Yeah. See, he's got his own juice, which he's waiting to get bottled.
How many apples did you bring in, sir? I don't know. How many were there?
It was about five kilograms, wasn't it, or something? Seven and a half.
Seven and a half kilos. Right, OK. And are you pleased with the amount that's been squashed out? We'll find out when it's put in bottles. It looks less than I imagined there would be, but hopefully it'll be tasty. So you haven't dipped a finger in yet? No.
You don't know what it's going to taste like? And what are you going to do? Are you going to be drinking that neat? Are you going to be making it into something else? Just drinking it. Yeah, yeah, fantastic. And these have come from? My gorgeous garden. And where's she? Cranley. Cranley, so Surrey apples, spawn and bred. Yeah, excellent, excellent. Thank you very much indeed.
And you've got quite a queue here, people queuing up. What else have we got going on? Because this is a whole kind of festival.
It is evolved.
Because you've got a bit of space here, haven't you?
We've got a lovely village hall space. So we've got your knife sharpening guy here. He's been here since nine o'clock and he's just been working flat out and he's going to be here till six, he tells us.
So again, this is all about repairing.
Repairing rather than buying new, so sustainability.
So we've got shears and we've got secateurs and we've got glass trimmers and all sorts of things going on.
We've all said, when did you ever get your garden equipment sharpened? And we all said never. So you're talking about 20, 30-year-old, 40-year-old equipment, which he has just sorted, which is fabulous. So it's not going to landfill anymore.
And then, this is so well organised as well. You've got a good through-flow of people with lots of arrows and descriptions and signs. And then we come into the main hall, which you probably know. I've been here before with the Dorking Art Show, which is here very often, isn't it? Which is a superb event a couple of times a year.
have got all sorts going on in here we had an apple cake competition we've got claire who runs our forest school doing children's activities with nature resources we've got cake tea
pickles we've got greener futures here so every year it's evolving a little bit more and we've got face painters so it's an absolutely you know it's just makes you want to smile doesn't it it does it is such a community event and you are smiling it's it is a big success yeah it's what it's about you know it's not just about sustainability it is also about involving the community and it's worked
It certainly has. Well, obviously, this is going to go out on the podcast after the event has finished, obviously. So we really need to point people to the fact that there's going to be one in 2025, don't we?
Absolutely. Absolutely. And it's usually about this time of year, obviously. It's usually after the lie, Apple pressing day. So October, just watch out for information about it and come along.
Miller, thanks very much indeed. I'm going to go and speak to Pam. She's over on the cake stand. So there she is. Thank you so much. See you later. Bye bye. Worked my way across the packed hall. Pam is here. There's all sorts of shortbreads and apple cakes and biscuits and fairy cakes and all sorts of things. Hello, Pam.
I'm Peter. You're expecting me, aren't you? A little bit. I was trying to hide from you, actually.
But you were pointed out as the lady in the striped top.
Oh, right.
So you couldn't hide. The aroma of apples and sweetness and cake and brown sugar is fantastic here.
We had a wonderful competition. There were about 16 apple cakes, and one of the WI ladies, Mary, judged it for us. Absolutely wonderful. She said all the cakes were sukoa.
And now people are buying them and having cups of tea.
Absolutely, absolutely. It's a wonderful village event, absolutely wonderful village event.
Have you had a bit of a taste test yourself? What's your favourite?
I have. My favourite is the apple and almond cake.
I can smell the almond. Apple and almond goes really well together, doesn't it? And we've got one here with large pieces of apple in, several of them in fact. Were they all to the same recipe or were they individual home family recipes?
Family recipes usually, yes.
Superb. And what do you make of the attendance here?
Oh, amazing. Absolutely amazing. We've been rammed all day. Apparently, I haven't been outside, but they've been pressing apples and bottling since one o'clock. It's a fantastic community. Birchwood is a unique village. It really is. It's a wonderful, wonderful feeling in the village. Friendliness.
It's a strange layout of the village, isn't it? Because it's quite long. You've got the church and the dolphin at one end, and then it comes all the way up to the roundabout, and then it progresses, obviously, the other side for the railway station as well.
It does indeed, but it also goes down to Gadbrook. It goes all the way down to Gadbrook and out there towards Childwood, really. We are a wonderful village community. Last week we had a magician who came and entertained 85 of us with a supper. He was amazing.
That was for the church appeal, wasn't it?
This was for the pillars appeal, which is the pillars raise funds for the fabric of the church of St Michael's. Yeah, and it was, again, another fabulous community event. We're very lucky. Very, very special village.
Thanks very much indeed, Pam, for talking to me. Well, let's move away from where the cakes are being eaten and served. It's a bit noisy out there. To one of the side rooms, actually, where all the chairs and tables are usually stacked. Norman is with me now. Norman, you're part of the group of Reid Betchworth. Tell me a little bit about how you got involved.
I got involved from James, basically. He twisted my arm like he does with lots of people. And before you know it, you're part of the group. And it's a really good group. It's got good value. It's really about trying to make a difference to the world. My particular interest is in nature.
About two years ago, I joined a webinar given by Surrey Wildlife Trust, and one of the speakers there talked about beelines. And I thought, well, is this just about... Beelines? That sounds like a bus or something like that. Well, my first impression obviously was it's for bees, you know, but basically the idea is a very simple idea.
You cultivate wildflowers and that is for insect pollinators, not just bees, all insects that pollinate. And we've put together a little project in our own village, Betchworth. We called it the Betchworth Bee Line and we had a grant from the parish council to buy some wildflower seed and we offered on the doorstep little packets of seeds and altogether 70 local people joined in.
And when we added up all the little contributions that people were making it turned out there was 2,000 square metres of new cultivated wildflowers which seemed like us to be rather a lot. That's really good.
And the key word there is new as well. This is an addition, so it has improved the area.
That's exactly right, yeah. And from that little humble beginning then, we were able to build on it. So we join every year in the Great Big Butterfly Count just to see how we're doing in terms of helping insect pollinators. Unfortunately, this year the counts were very low because of the bad weather. But I think that sort of spurs us on, the fact that
We know if we don't try and do something, wildlife is going to suffer and eventually we'll be the poorer for it.
How have you seen wildlife change over the recent years? You're in the shadow of the North Downs. You can see that ridge from the village. You must have noticed a difference.
It's this year in particular, I think. Most people have noticed the fact that we have far fewer insects all through the year. Just recently, a lot of people have been commenting on the lack of birdsong around.
Now, we might think that this year is a bad year because of the spring and early summer weather, but all it's doing is reflecting the long-term decline of wildlife, and on top of that, you get a bad year because of the weather, and then suddenly you realise just how little wildlife there is around you.
Give me another example, perhaps, Norman, of how the community is getting together to help improve the situation.
This year we've been quite ambitious. We've taken on, thanks to another grant from the Transition Network this time, we've tried to expand our project from... the beeline, to something which covers and involves the communities of Buckland, Bechworth, Brockham and Box Hill. We came out with the idea of a biodiversity park and basically that is just the landscape in which we live.
And in that landscape, we're going to try and get community involvement in doing more for wildlife. And it might be as simple as sowing one square metre of wildflower seed like we've got on the table in the hall over there. Or it might be more ambitious. What we did from the grant was fund little starter packs for people to get involved.
So, for example, we had little pond kits, which is basically a pond liner and some plants to get the pond started. We did the same with bird shelters and bird feeders. It's that sort of thing, I think, that is a very simple thing to initiate, but once you get people involved, then it's the first step. They might then want to go on and do something bigger.
That's the way we're trying to involve individuals and community.
And as you may have determined, I really enjoyed my couple of hours down there at the Betchworth Apple Day. And thanks very much indeed for making me feel so welcome. It was a terrific turnout, it really was.
And the aroma of apples and brown sugar and sweetness was all pervasive, not only in the hall itself where they were serving those delicious-looking cakes and also teas and coffees and so on, but also jams and chutneys. There were some displays, some exhibitions, and also outside as well.
where the apple pressing was going on and if you want to see the apple pressing and how that happened then check out my social media because i did a little video and i posted some social media video on facebook and twitter x and insta as well search for planet reigate on any or all of those platforms, and you'll see the social media that I posted last weekend from that event.
And if you're thinking to yourself, Betchworth, it's been a while since I went to Betchworth, why don't you listen back to episode 35? Because in the week of the 30th anniversary of Four Weddings and a Funeral, the big movie, we took a tour of St Michael's Church in Betchworth, in which the first wedding took place, you probably remember.
Listen as we take you through, in audio, what you see on the video. as you watch the first 10 minutes of the movies.
You can watch the movie at home and then you can listen to the podcast and my description of what you can see on the wall, the different tombs and the different plaques and so on, where everything is, what it is, who it's for, what it resembles, why it got to be there, how old it is, the stories behind it. Even though I say so myself, it was a labour of love. It took a while to put it all together.
But I really enjoyed doing it. And it was so interesting to hear about the life and times of Betchworth back in the day. So that's episode 35 of the Planet Reigate podcast.
Planet Reigate stars thanking local heroes who are out of this world.
And dozens and dozens of local heroes featured in this week's Planet Reigate Star Award. First of all, let me remind you that all of our archive shows are at theplanetreigatepodcast.com So, to the hospital.
And this anonymous message, I just want to say a very big thank you to all of the staff at East Surrey Hospital for looking after me so wonderfully well when I was rushed in a few weeks ago and spent a couple of weeks there. But the staff had to put up with so much abuse from other patients, how they
kept their cool I'll never know once again to all of you doctors nurses tech people porters ambulance drivers cleaners ward servers everybody thank you so much for getting me on the road to recovery so absolutely I'm sure from that anonymous person and from me and from everybody listening as well thank you to each and every member of staff at East Surrey Hospital and
I hope you will accept the honour of the Planet Rygate Star Award.
The Good Time Guide. Things to do and places to go on the Planet Reigate podcast.
And don't forget to drop me a line. Hello at theplanetreigatepodcast.com if you've got an event that you would like to be publicised across the best bit of Britain. Starting off on Sunday the 13th, the new Dawn Soul live music featuring soul classics and contemporary hits as well. It's at the Ivory Lounge in Reigate on Church Street there, isn't it? Yeah. on Sunday between 8 and 11.30.
Also, I can tell you that Jordan Heights Scout Camp need your support. The shooting range didn't quite get finished last time they asked for volunteers via us, and they'd really like to get the range open again, so please put the date in your diary. 10 till 4 on the 13th, and that is... Finish the shooting range and also general maintenance of the site.
Jordan Heights campsite and their work party is up there on Reigate Hill, of course. Monday, the 14th of October, join us for a cuppa and a cake. A community coffee tea session offers an inviting space for everyone. Alternate Mondays starting the 14th of October between 10 and 12 o'clock. the Longmead Community Hub on Holland Close. For more information, 07918 929398.
Friday the 18th, best of the 70s, 80s and 90s night at Old Rigation RFC. It's from 7 o'clock till late. Fancy dress, decade-appropriate clothing is encouraged. Tickets are £10 a person. Let's go through to Saturday, October 19th at 7 o'clock. It's Raise the Roof at St Nicholas Church, an evening with the locals.
It's a fundraising evening of music performed by local musicians from 7 o'clock to repair and renew the church roof. They say, B-Y-O-B. They'll be providing soft drinks and nibbles, but alcoholic drinks can be brought along. Glasses will be available. Free entry, but obviously donations are welcome. It's the Red Hill Gin and Rum evening.
Yes, it's another event run by them, this time at St Matthew's Church Hall on October 19th. Some of the best gins and rums from, quote, our hand-picked selection of local distilleries and suppliers. Also, there's going to be a bit of live music and a selection of food for you to buy on the night as well. Tickets £10.50 each, including a free drink as well.
Join us for a Kids Monthly Movie on Saturday the 19th between 2 and 4. It's going to be at St John's Community Centre on Church Road with a suggested donation of £2. The Redhill Brick and Model Show is happening. Spoke about this last year. They were one of our first guests on the Planet Reigate podcast. It's at the Davis Scout Centre on Labrook Road in Redhill.
Next Saturday the 19th between 10 and 4. Displays, activity tables, trading posts and refreshments. Essentially, anything to do with bricks or models, as the name might suggest. For more information, you can go to Facebook at Redhill Brick and Model Show. And you can hear more about that show, as I mentioned, in Episode 4 of the Planet Reigate podcast.
The 60-second soundscape. Local natural sounds uninterrupted.
Before we go, at the end of the show, natural sounds from a place you know. And this week, Flanchford Road in Reigate and Saturday Cyclists.
The Planet Rygate podcast was produced and presented by Peter Stewart.