The Planet Reigate Podcast
58: Horley in Bloom, art at The Belfry, an unusual happy 40th… and more
Sun, 20 Oct 2024
Episode 58 – Horley in Bloom, art at The Belfry, an unusual happy 40th… and moreFor Saturday 19th October 2024This is how we’re reflecting and celebrating our love of life around here this week:00:00 - What’s in this episode 04:50 - Planet Reigate area news 16:50 – Planet Reigate area travel 17:15 – Planet Reigate area weather stats 19:50 - Planet Reigate area sports 23:50 – GUEST: We speak with some the winners and the organisers of this year’s Horley in Bloom event 33:00 - The Good Time Guide: Local events for this week 40:00 – GUEST: Cara Flowers is the Managing and Artistic Director for Daisyfest which co-ordinates disability arts in Surrey and who put on the art display in the Belfry as part of the Arts Takeover. 46:00 – Planet Reigate Stars: this week thanking local heroes in Reigate. 47:20 – Marking an unusual 40th local anniversary 57:10 – The Sixty-second Soundscape. This week from Earlswood Lakes. 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. A list of ‘the best of the guests’, and a link to hear each one, is on this Facebook post: https://tinyurl.com/prpbest*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/ MEDIUM - bed - by SergeyWednesday ID 73515488 --- FADE Web: www.ThePlanetReigatePodcast.comEmail: [email protected] A previous version of this episode mistakenly said that Mercury-theme composer David Arnold also composed for James Bond films. I have subsequently learnt that that was another composer with the same name (!) and the episode has been edited to reflect that. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This is the Planet Reigate podcast.
And this is episode 58. Hello, welcome to our family. This is how we're reflecting and celebrating our love of life around here this week with me, Peter Stewart. Well, my guest this week, we speak with some of the winners and the organisers of this year's Hawley in Bloom event. Planet Rygate reporter David King was at the ceremony and we have his report coming up.
And to flowers of another kind, Cara Flowers is the Managing and Artistic Director for Daisy Fest. which coordinates disability arts in Surrey. And she's the woman who put on that terrific display in the Belfry last week as part of the Arts Takeover. We'll be hearing a little bit from her a little bit later on.
Oh, and by the way, if you've lived in the area for, say, 20, 30, 40 years, stay listening. I've got a surprise, a little bit of nostalgia to bring you. near the end of the show this week. In the news, when is a road outside a Reigate school dangerous enough to put in safety measures?
A petition has been started because of an impasse between the Borough Council, the County Council and local housing developers. Training sessions are set up for volunteers at Renewed Hope's winter night shelters. Yeah, that time of year already. And a call out for warm clothes for another local charity. Local people report a successful community litter pick.
We'll tell you which part of the Planet Reigate area is now spic and span. A local cafe has reopened after a flood. We've got an update on Merstham Wreck and its refurb project. Local businesses start up to help parents over Halloween. A cutting-edge idea to help local armed forces veterans is being run out of Redhill. And the sad passing of a local former headmaster.
In sport, a big event this weekend at Rygate Squash Club. Another chance to learn pickleball in Priory Park. I've got the details for this weekend. Congratulations to players at Rygate Heath Golf Club. I'll tell you why. A birthday at Rygate Rugby Club. And a new local sports academy is starting up. We've got the good time guide of events across the area across the week ahead.
Planet Reigate stars from Reigate. Local weather stats too. 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 Lakes. And don't forget the nostalgia if you're a long time local resident.
Still to come before the end of the show too. This is the Planet Reigate podcast with Peter Stewart.
And hello, welcome to the show. I'm Peter Stewart. Cromwell Community Group in Redhill got in touch. They said, hello, I've just come across the Planet Rygate podcast and our park makeover got a mention. And they've been advising other people to have a listen as well. And they say he even mentioned my words. He is me.
Thank you, CCG Management, the Cromwell Community Group in Redhill, for all you've done for your local community and giving your park a name.
makeover there it's really really appreciated and also hello to my friends my new friends who I met on Monday at the high days event now high days is a group for things for the over 50s might be for the over 55s and so I went down there on on Monday and they'd invited me down I didn't just barge in and And I was invited down to give a talk on the Planet Reigate podcast and everything about it.
And we had a good old chat with Jean and her friends down there. So thank you very much indeed for making me so welcome at the Holy Trinity Church, Carlton Road in Redhill.
and after that I actually went round to Spots and Stripes and spoke to John there who is organising the event which I spoke about last week which is happening in a few weeks time which is a kind of business kind of get together and playing some pool and so on and I'll tell you a bit more about that next week as well in the show. And also then I went into Belfry. I needed a new winter coat.
I put on my old winter coat and the cuffs had all literally fallen apart. And I put my hands in the pockets and they tore at the seams. I look like some kind of rag and bone man. This is the Planet Reigate podcast. I'm Peter Stewart. Thank you so much indeed for the loan of your ears. Got so much coming up in our new sequence, which starts right here, right now. So let's get going.
And a Reigate school where a parent believes it's only a matter of time before there's a fatality. We're talking about Sandcross Primary School in Reigate. Apparently, road safety improvements are needed outside. You may know that particular stretch of road. You may think to yourself... Actually, yeah, it can get quite dangerous at times. I've got some specifics coming up in a few moments' time.
In fact, Surrey County Council's Road Safety Outside Schools team have agreed they reviewed arrangements outside the school back in 2022. And if you check your diary, you'll find that it's 2024 and Not much seems to have happened thus far because it was decided to wait to see what would happen with the proposed nearby housing development.
Now, Louise Cleland is one of the parents of children at the school. In fact, Louise tells me she also went to the school herself as a child. And she said that there have already been multiple near misses and knocks over in the last few years. And she says... She's the one that says it's only a matter of time before there's a fatality. So she set up a petition and nearly 140 people have signed it.
And that calls for immediate road safety measures. I understand that vehicles regularly and dangerously mount the kerb on the already very narrow footpath. And added that cars can speed down the road, Louise tells me, which has what she says is an unsuitable 30 mile an hour limit. So the county council went in 2022 and it's now 2024. Why has nothing been done?
Well, OK, there's another element to this. There's a local house builder that wants to build around 300 homes, including 65 units of assisted living accommodation, three traveller pitches, a replacement scout hut and a country park on the land next to and surrounding the school. And that application went in in June last year.
So we've got something happening in 2022, something else happening in 2023. So why don't we yet know about this proposed development and what's that got to do with safety measures outside the school? Well, Surrey County Council said the road needed improvements, but a decision on that planning application is decided by Reigate and Banstead Borough Council and they've yet to make a decision.
So there are often deals between councils and developers. It's through the community infrastructure levy.
and that means that if they say yes to a new estate for example then the builders have to usually have to put in other infrastructure as well in this case it might be something to do with the road safety but it seems the problem now is they're waiting for that application and then the build to come And even when the homes are built, even more pupils may come to the school.
But if the estate isn't built, and we don't know the decision on that yet, then road safety measures may have been put in without the additional number of kids. And the County Council says that would be about £100,000, £200,000 more. which would be, inverted commas, wasted.
So we seem to be, as I said at the top of the show, in a bit of an impasse between the county council, the borough council, and the developers. Everyone's waiting for another part of that jigsaw to make their move. I think I'm kind of mixing up my metaphors there a little bit, but you get the idea. But I'm just wondering whether... Maybe reducing speed limits. That can't cost too much, can it?
Putting up some signs with a 20 on it. More yellow lines. What's that? A couple of people with a couple of tins of yellow paint fixing and improving signage to say slow down. That's surely not going to cost £100,000 to £200,000, is it? It must be cheaper to do something basic and in the short term.
So anyway, if somebody puts a petition under your nose and it's got Sandcross Primary School Reigate written at the top, then you're a bit more updated in what it's all about. More on this story from getsurrey.co.uk. Now, talking about schools, quick reminder that there's not long left until the deadline for secondary school admissions.
So if you haven't already, you've got until the 31st of October to apply and you can learn more about the admissions process and find guidance on how to apply on the Surrey County Council website. Well, we all know about the fantastic work which is done by Renewed Hope, don't we? So they care for those people who don't have a permanent place to live now.
We interviewed the guys down at Renewed Hope back in episode 14. So if you want to know more about the work they do, episode 14 is the one you need to scroll to. Go to the front page of the PlanetRygatePodcast.com and go down to near the bottom, about half, two thirds of the way down. And there's a link there to all of our archived episodes. And then you need to scroll to episode 14.
And not only will you hear about Renewed Hope in episode 14, but also Reigate Ladies Joggers as well. We spoke to them in that same episode. Well, Renewed Hope tell me that their night shelter gives 10 people a hot meal, bed and breakfast every night in winter through to early March. And it's held in church halls across Reigate, Redhill, Hawley and Merston.
And last year, the night shelter provided a safe and welcoming space for 30 people who could otherwise have been sleeping rough in some of the worst of the winter weather. Now, they're after some volunteers and training's going to be held on the following dates. Sunday, the 17th of November, 4 till 6 at the Shrewsbury Chapel on Shrewsbury Road. Some people say Shrewsbury, don't they?
I don't know which is right or it probably doesn't even matter. So you know where that is, just beyond Shaw's Corner, just going into Red Hill. And Tuesday, the 19th of November, 7.30 to 9.30 at Hawley Baptist Church, Hawley RH6. So if you're interested in helping out with Renewed Hope this year, then put those dates in the diary and get yourself down there.
Probably best to contact Renewed Hope between now and then just to say, yes, I am interested there. New volunteers and people who were last involved before the pandemic and refresher training for new volunteers as well. Renewedhope.org.uk Talking about the winter weather, the Children's Trust in Redhill have got a pop-up shop at the Belfry, as you probably know.
And, well, it's been quite mild this week, hasn't it, on many days. We've got our weather stats a little bit later on in the show. But the Children's Trust say... Yeah, winter weather not too far away. We need your pre-loved fashion and accessories to meet demand and support children with brain injury. They say they open 9 to 5 Monday to Saturday and 10.30 to 4.30 on Sundays.
I think they're probably after winter coats and hats and gloves and scarves, that kind of thing. but probably anything else that you can take down there. And of course, we always like to support the Children's Trust, whether it be in Redhill or their other shop in Rygate as well, because as you know...
They're just based over the hill at Tadworth and they are media partners with the Planet Reigate podcast. Congratulations to one of our fantastic local community groups. Fiona wrote to me to tell me how East Redhill Residents Association organised a community litter pick event. of Noak Drive, Cavendish Road and Redstone Hill last Sunday.
Yeah, about 30 people armed with bags, gloves and litter pickers turned up. Thanks for what they did to help our local community be nice and spic and span and to spruce it up going into the Christmas and New Year period. Not far away, is it?
Cullenders Parkside say, following our short blip of a flooded kitchen, we're finally back open with our evening services on Friday and Saturday and usual daytime hours as well. They say we've really missing all our regulars and we're really pleased to be back. So more information if you want to book any of their help, info at Cullenders.com. Congratulations to them.
They made it through the floods. Visitors to Merstam Rec will see that significant progress has been made on the reefer project over the last few weeks. Yeah, the pavilion walls are going up and work on the footpaths and play area is progressing well. Some of the play equipment like the swing and trampoline frame now in place as well.
Now work to rebuild the tennis court and the multi-use games area is going on apace. And then over the next month or so, work on various other things will continue. Planting beds will be prepared. And drainage ditches are going to be seeded as well. And there's also going to be putting in a habitat creation for amphibians and reptiles. So it's all looking good there at Merstham Rec.
Okay, let's move on and tell you about a few other things that have been happening over the area. Heard from Holly from Merstam. She said, Peter, I've just set up a new business to try and make parents lives easier around the time of Halloween. It sounds a great idea. She says, you know what? There's so much rubbish in the shops for kids and it's also individually expensive.
So I've researched and curated the best items grouped by age bracket. So mums and dads, parents and guardians and grandparents and so on. can buy ready-to-go, good-value Halloween bags to keep their kids entertained with fun crafts, books, and other items, with your fun jumper thrown in as well.
And I've seen some of the things that Holly has put together, and it looks all pretty good stuff and some unusual things in there as well. Their page on Facebook is called Bags of Fun. And she said if you could give it a shout out, given it's all geared to Halloween, it would be really appreciated. We're a tiny local business based near Reigate Red Hill.
And we'd love the kids of the area to enjoy our boo bags and boo baskets. So Facebook Bags Fun Surrey is what you want to be aware of there. Now, this is a bit unusual. Paul at Belfry Barbers has a new Pay It Forward initiative there.
Well, as you know, we're coming up to Remembrance and Armistice, and Paul says you can now sponsor a veteran's haircut to give a retired service member a free haircut with him, with Paul, over there at Belfry Barbers. Now, I've not heard that before, but that's really good, isn't it?
So for someone who's served their country and we're celebrating them with poppy drops and a minute's silence and so on, Actually, you know what? A free haircut, courtesy of you, is probably something a little bit more worthwhile.
If you think that you would like to do something a little bit more, then go down to Paul at Belfry Barbers and say, yeah, I'd like to take part in your Pay It Forward initiative. Finally, a bit of sad news. This from Reigate Grammar School. John Hamlin, who was the RGS headmaster between 1982 and 1996, sadly passed away on Wednesday 9th October at the age of 88.
A post on social media this week brought our attention to this. And RGS say our thoughts go out to Marion and the rest of the Hamlin family. So maybe you or your children passed through the school. when John Hamlin was the headmaster between 1982 and 1996. Travel news. Let's give this one a mention again. M25 Junction 10 project. Some changes there that you need to be aware of.
Slip roads on and off the junction are closed this weekend. So the 18th to the 21st of October. Oh, and also the 1st to the 4th of November. Both occasions, 9pm Friday till 6am on the Monday of each weekend. So that's the details there that you need to know about. So that's the travel together with the weather on the Planet Rygate podcast.
sport on the way as well and don't forget if you've lived in the area for 20 30 40 years then a little bit of nostalgia allow me to indulge myself towards the end of the show but you know what the story i tell you may make you go oh yes and put a little smile on your face The weather comes from our very own Professor Weather, Andy Herod, and you can follow Andy on TwitterX and Insta as well.
Some local weather stats. Chilly start, he says, in Reigate, Friday morning the 11th. A temperature of 0.2 degrees Celsius recorded at 7am. And Andy says that's the lowest temperature recorded this early in autumn and October. And the ninth lowest October temperature we've ever recorded. So it was pretty cold, but also it was pretty wet.
Autumn 2024, Professor Weather says, started with 28 days of rain. So 68% of the days had rain in, the highest we've recorded here in Rye Katie says. And that period we recorded 205 millimetres of rain compared to the average of 94%. So it's been cold and it's been wet. And here's some more weather stats from Andy. Because he said that last Wednesday the 16th, Reigate reached 22.1 Celsius.
The first time we've exceeded 20 degrees this month. He says the average is 2.4 days over 20 degrees Celsius in October. And it continues, four years we have not had any days reaching 20 degrees Celsius and the most was 10 days back in 2018.
The Belfry Shopping Centre, Redhill. Ditch the click for hassle-free local shopping in a welcoming environment. See, touch, smell and try before you buy and speak to real people who can advise you. The Belfry Shopping Centre, Redhill.
A report from Hawley in Bloom still to come before the end of the show, plus we're going to be hearing a little bit more, a bit of a retrospective about that fantastic arts display which was on in the Belfry Shopping Centre in Redhill as part of the Arts Takeover. But first of all, here comes our sports news this week. Rye Gate Squash Club, this weekend, the club's got its graded tournament.
It's an unusual event which draws players from Surrey and further afield from various skill levels. So, as I understand it, this is how it works. The tournament's in different grades, A to E, so players then compete against each other of comparable skill. And then come the quarterfinals on Saturday, from about four o'clock, 10,000. Me neither. But I understood that's pretty darn good.
And they say our graded tournament is more than just a competition. It's a celebration of squash that strengthens ties. Whether players are seasoned vets, team players or recent newcomers to the sport, the tournament provides valuable playing experience and fosters a love for the game. All down there on Manor Road, of course. And I hope to be down there to join them in the next few weeks.
And then you'll hear my report tomorrow.
from the reigate squash club in the next few weeks on the planet reigate podcast pickleball in priory park this weekend and if you're thinking hold on didn't you mention that a couple of weekends ago i did and they say they has had such a great response they're thrilled to be back for another pickleball session this coming saturday at 12 30 they say whether you've joined us before or
You're just curious to try. We'd love to see you on your courts. And the first session is free, so why not give it a go? So Priory Park, all skills levels welcome. No equipment needed. They provide everything. Kids Pickleball, Sunday at 12.30. And again, everything is all provided. And for adults, it's Saturday at 12.30.
Reigate Heath Golf Club congratulations to Emma and Claire there for defending their Surrey Foursomes title last weekend it was a great weekend for Reigate Heath Golf Club so well done ladies there as well and celebrating 90 years of Reigate Rugby Club really well attended day with entertainment and games including walking rugby lacrosse
And a main match against a team from the Royal Navy there as well. Congratulations to them. And the aforementioned Spots and Stripes in Redhill have announced the launch of a brand new Spots 8 Ball Academy. Yes, starting Saturday the 26th of October and every Saturday morning from 10am, the Academy Sports Juniors... will come together to learn and develop their eight-ball pool skills.
So this is for players between the ages of 6 and 18, all abilities. They join the academy, get really good coaching, one-to-one advice, and help develop the game for those young people. Saturday sessions run for two hours. They cost £8 per junior for online advance enrolment or £10 if you just don't rock up on the day.
It includes all the table time, the equipment and the coaching professionals as well. More details, book in advance, spots8stripes.co.uk, spots.co.uk. digit8stripes.co.uk. So all that is going on. And you heard about it courtesy of the Planet Rygate podcast.
Email hello at theplanetreigatepodcast.com Find out more at theplanetreigatepodcast.com Leave a text or voice message on WhatsApp 07917 874572 and leave a review on your favorite podcast app. Support us at buymeacoffee.com slash theplanetreigatepodcast.
We're so lucky here, aren't we, in the best bit of Britain, with so many green open spaces, our parklands, our lakes, our nature reserves, just in the shadow of the North Downs. Go up to the top of Reigate Hill and you can look for miles and miles around. There's Gatton Park, there's the wetlands area. and our fantastic local villages.
But also, don't forget our hanging baskets, our town centres, and also the magnificent front gardens that we have across Rygate, Redhill and Merston, Buckland, Betchworth and Brockham. And you may remember back in 2023, Episode 3, we highlighted the work of... Dev, who won the best front garden in Earlswood competition.
Go back and listen to episode three to find out what made his front garden so special. And if you go back and listen to episode 24, you'll hear the actor and comedian Caroline Quentin and her love of gardening explained. And she started that love when she lived locally in Redhill. So perhaps go back and listen to that episode.
This week, we're hearing from some of the winners and the organisers of this year's Hawley in Bloom event. Planet Reigate reporter David King was at the ceremony.
Jason Walters. We've won two prizes. I believe we were in second place in the junior category for the Hawley Carnival and most humorous. I'm a headteacher at the school, but also previously a pupil at the school for many, many, many years ago. And when I was in preschools and playgroups, we also took part in my parents, but people that put the carnival floats together.
So it's kind of in our blood, really. I've got an amazing team of staff and families who get together and worked tirelessly over the few weeks beforehand getting the floats together. Huge thanks to Farmer McGubbin, who's one of our massive helpers with the lend of the tractor and the trailer, and Teresa in our office did a fabulous job this year.
It's a huge team effort, and we always try and have a bit of fun, and I think that was recognised this year in most humorous category.
My name is Rajesh, I'm Hamid of the Salim. I went for the outdoor scenic activities photography category, mostly related to the nature of hauling. Describe the picture that you've taken there. It's very effective. I don't know exactly the name of the location because I'm new to this place. Yes. But I love photography and I love nature, especially the sunset and sunrise.
So while walking through this place, I find it is very scenic. It's very attractive with the clouds and the sunlight, the stream. Everything makes me to capture this picture.
And that was the first place outdoor scenes and activities photography category. Thank you very much indeed for talking to us, Rajesh.
Thank you. Thank you so much.
the chair of the Hawley in Bloom competition. It's councillor Mike George.
Always a good turnout for the community, yep. They do us proud. It's one of the social events of the year. It does in Caslock Hill, from the youngest to the oldest.
How long have you been involved with Hawley in Bloom now?
20-odd years. In the gardens, one of the gardens at the back, the front garden, we can get up to 20 entries in one section.
It's really good to see the little ones getting involved now, the primary school kids.
That was the idea of having the Sunflower Competition. We thought that would appeal to the younger residents. That's something they could do.
When you walk or drive around the town, it is a very colourful place, isn't it? The holly and blue. Really, people seem to enter into the spirit of it all.
Yes, they do, yes. When you walk round, you see a lot of dancers thinking... They should enter. So what we did this year, we had a postcard we designed, and we put it through their letterbox and said, we've got a very nice garden, have you considered going into Hall in Bloom? And a handful actually did that this year.
The Mayor of Reigate and Banstead, Councillor Eddie Humphries. This is quite an amazing event, isn't it?
Just recognising the energy that people put into their gardens or their allotments, it's fabulous, you know. It's very varied. I think just doing a little bit to your garden can make all the difference and perhaps get you that recognition, either a second, third or first even. I'm from Banstead and we have our horticultural society and we have our Banstead Vineyard Bloom.
And they kind of work together a little bit, but not like this. This is above and beyond where it feels like you've got all of those all working together. Sounds like huge amounts of judging time, people giving up their time selflessly.
And going by the amount of entries that you're having here, just shows that Hawley wants to look pretty and wants to actually show their wares off to the borough anyway, at least.
Fiona Stimson. She's the Hawley in Bloom administrator. And it's down to her, all this hard work, much of it anyway, is down to Fiona.
When I took this on at the start of the year, I never knew what I was taking on. And it is a hard job. There have been many days when I've been six, seven hours, especially also the technology. I am not an arty person, but the technology for setting up the artwork for anything, whether it was forms or marketing for going out on social media, I've had to learn all of that.
So it's been a huge learning curve for me.
Oh, my word.
Hopefully the social media will keep going, and this Holly and Bloom Facebook page which I've started up, we're trying to grow that, so that's the thing, and that's where all our information will be. We're also, I've got to organise a plant and seed swap for the spring. We did one this year, that's the first thing I've got to set up for next year. We also have a seed swap box in the library.
That's coming to the end because obviously that's the end of the seed season. But we've had that box in the library and we'll put it back in the library in the springtime. But then we'll also have a seed and plant swap session, hopefully a Saturday morning, sometime in the early spring.
I'm Martin Saunders. I'm chairman of Hawley Town Council and I'm town mayor. It's a wonderful event. Hawley has some fantastic community groups. We have lots of volunteers that like to get the community together and do fun things. And Hawley and Bloom is a really lovely example of it. It's great to encourage our residents to do wonderful things in their gardens and in the front.
It's obviously wonderful for them. It's great for mental health. It's great for the environment because of insects and everything else they enjoy. And it's wonderful for other people to be able to see it as well. It's a really lovely event and it's great for us to be able to give something back. and give some awards. So very proud people here.
At the town council, we've said for a while that our dream is to be able to drive into Hawley and have a kind of sea of flowers and wildflowers and pots and gardens. It just makes everywhere look so much more pretty, even on the kind of darkest, rainiest of Surrey afternoons and evenings. It all helps.
And it's not the most expensive thing to do, but it helps if you have volunteers that do something like this. So yeah, it's a lovely thing to do. Being mayor also, it's great to be able to see events like this, and Hawley has a lot of them. There's a lot going on in Hawley, isn't there?
It must keep you very busy, all of you.
Yeah. I work full-time and I've got three teenage boys as well. If I go to every single thing that I'm invited to, I don't think I would see either my work or my family, so I have to balance it. I do my best to try and do everything that happens in Hawley. And if I can support the borough, I'll try and do that. And we've got Christmas not that far away. It seems a bit early to say that.
We've got some great community events coming up, Remembrance Service. It's always really, really well attended. Sometimes the weather is also good as well. And that's a parade through the town centre over to then the World Memorial and the lovely service there. As we go into Christmas, we then have things like the Christmas Tree Festival in the Holy Methodist Church, a councillor's reception.
We have the Christmas Tree and we have carol services there. And obviously Hawley Lions do a great job of running their events. So we've got the fireworks coming up and they also then have the Santa sleigh going around the town raising funds for local charities. So yeah, always come to Hawley and you'll find something fun to do.
Thank you to the organisers. Congratulations to the winners of this year's Hawley in Bloom competition and our thanks also to Planet Reigate reporter David King. 20, 30, 40 years... and the significant time is 40 years, then you may be interested in a bit of a retrospective from my own personal history about what happened 40 years ago this weekend. That's still to come.
Before we go, on the Planet Rygate podcast.
The Good Time Guide. Things to do and places to go on the Planet Reigate podcast.
And if you want to mention for your charity or non-profit event, let us know about it. Fill out the form you'll find, planetreigatepodcast.com. And you know what? You're more likely to be included if you give us a couple of weeks' notice because there's only so many Halloween, fireworks and Christmas events we can mention today. before we get overwhelmed.
So get in early and get a mention seven days before the event or get more mentions and early mentions to get those early ticket sales with one of our Planet Reigate supporters packages. Ask me for more information. Hello at theplanetreigatepodcast.com and I'm Peter Stewart, so you can say... Hello, Peter, at the top of that email as well.
Here we go with places to go and things to do over the next seven days. Saturday, the 19th of October at St. Nicholas Church in Charlwood, raise the roof an evening with the locals. Organising a fundraising evening of music performed by local musicians from seven o'clock. And soft drinks and nibbles will be provided. Bring your own alcoholic drinks, but glasses will be provided.
Free entry, donations welcomed. Also, they can raise some money to raise the roof there at St. Nicholas Church in Charlwood. The Redhill Gin and Rum evening is happening at St Matthew's Church Hall in Redhill on the 19th. Come and taste some of the best gins and rums from our hand-picked selection of local distilleries and suppliers. Live music and food.
Tickets £10.50 each, including a free drink. This Saturday, Redhill Brick and Model Show. Between 10 and 4 at the Davis Scout Centre, Ladbroke Road in Redhill. Displays, activity tables, trading posts and refreshments. Adults £5, children £2. For more information, go to facebook.com slash redhillbrickmodelshow.
And you can hear more about the show when we spoke to the organisers last year in episode four of the Planet Reigate podcast. Let's turn our attention to Monday between 10.30 and 12 o'clock in the church centre at Holy Trinity Church, Carlton Road in Redhill. There's a drop-in cafe, a designated warm hub where you can go along and chat, have bottomless coffee, tea and pastries cake.
Gosh, that sounds good, doesn't it? Not just this coming Monday, but every Monday, 10.30 to 12 noon. And you can go along there and keep warm. It's secular, so it doesn't matter whether you're Christian or any other religion or no other religion at all. They will welcome you at the Holy Trinity Church, Carlton Road in Redhill.
So that's just by the kind of mini multi-storey there just opposite Sainsbury's. If you love to sing and fancy experiencing the magic of four-part harmony, then why not join a Christmas choir? Women's a cappella chorus, vocal dimension chorus are running a free festive singing experience. Over six weeks, you'll learn some Christmas songs and then perform with them.
at their Christmas concert in Reigate. So, rehearsals start Tuesday, Manorfield School, Sanger's Drive in Hawley, 7.30pm to 9pm, Tuesday 22nd October to Tuesday 3rd December, and then the concert is going to be at St Mary's in Reigate on Thursday 5th December between 6.30pm and 9.30pm. More details at vocaldimension.co.uk.
The Arts Society Reigate says they bring people together through a shared curiosity in the arts. And on Thursday, the 24th of October, they have got... Well, this is really stretching the idea of the arts, but I love it. Were you ever a fan of the Carry On films? Meeting is at 2 o'clock at Reigate Park Church on Park Lane East on Thursday next.
and they're going to be telling the remarkable untold story of carry-on actor Peter Butterworth and his wife, Britain's first female TV impressionist, Janet Brown. I don't think I realised they were husband and wife. Of course, she was best known on the Mike Yarwood shows, wasn't she, for her impression of Margaret Thatcher.
So the speaker is going to be using classic film and TV clips, personal mementos and rare photographs and letters from his family's unseen collection. So Tyler Butterworth will be revealing the private story behind his parents' public lives. I'd love to go to that. But unfortunately, I'm tied up. But that does sound interesting for me, certainly. Those details again.
Two o'clock Thursday, Reigate Park Church on Park Lane East. Friday the 25th of October, Cultivate Life. Yes, it's a session for art, for well-being. Why not paint your own masterpiece? Canvas and acrylic paints and light refreshments included. Friday the 25th, 7 to 8.30 at the Watercolour Appropriate Community Space, Thornton Side at Quarf House.
just behind Tesco's isn't it just round there price £32 queries well I'm going to have to spell this out because the person that's organised this has got a fantastically exotic name Y-U-K-I-S-O-L-L-E at gmail.com what do you say Yuki Sole at gmail.com Y-U-K-I-S-O-L-L-E at gmail.com ...and fancy dress...
Moving all the way through to next Saturday the 26th, another Halloween event, this time at Red Hill FC. Pumpkin competition hunt, prizes for best Halloween fancy dress adults as well, free Halloween gift for all of those under 16 in fancy dress.
There's a free entry for all under-16s, a drink and a snack free for all under-16s, a free glass of mulled wine for over-18s, a free ticket to a future game for all parents accompanying an under-16, doors open at 12.30, activities start at 1 o'clock, and that, of course, is the Red Hill FC Halloween event at Kilnbrow.
Well, did you manage to get along to any of the Redhill Arts Takeover events, which happened, well, just over a week ago now? They were fantastic, weren't they? And even though we miss, obviously, the Harlequin being open, let's not go down that rabbit hole just at the moment, it was fantastic. I thought that there were so many different events at so many different venues right around the town.
I wonder how many you got to go and see and perhaps take part in as well and maybe learn a new skill and meet some new friends. There were so many different events that you could take part in or even just go along and look at. Like, for example, the artistic display in the Belfry Shopping Centre in Redhill.
Cara Flowers is the Managing and Artistic Director for Daisy Fest, which coordinates disability arts in Surrey. She was the woman who put on that terrific display last week as part of the town's Arts Takeover.
So Daisy stands for Disability Arts in Surrey. We're in the Belfry Shopping Centre in Redhill on the ground floor in a long corridor and the walls are plastered on both sides with just under 150 self-portraits made by artists with disabilities that are based in Surrey.
This is fantastic, isn't it? I was here about an hour ago and it was silent apart from these pictures on the walls which looked fantastic but now so many people, there must be 100 people here looking, not just walking past but stopping to read and appreciate all the different kind of artworks that's on display here.
Yeah, well, there's a real variety, and I mean, you can spend a long time in here. Because of the nature of these artworks, the brief was to do a self-portrait. The exhibition's called Layers, so we asked the artists to explore the layers of their personality and their interest, and then to recreate that on a canvas, and then to build that canvas up with different layers.
Maybe that's textures, collage. So there's a real variety in what everyone's come up with, and it's an insight into who they are and how they want other people to see them, and I think that's really... expressed in so many different ways with all these different artworks.
Well, let's take a look at some of them. There's one over here which has obviously been inspired by Andy Warhol. There's another one over here which, as you say, has got different layers and different textures and so on. Some parts of the collage actually coming out of the frame as well. different fabrics and so on a little bit further up. They're really intriguing and very, very creative.
Yeah, incredibly creative. There's quite a few glasses that have been stuck into the canvas on people's faces. But I also like the ones that aren't literal. There's quite a lot of ones that aren't even faces. There's one over here which is a grid of different colours. She's built up those grids over multiple layers. That's kind of an interesting insight into how she sees herself perhaps.
So there's the very literal self-portraits, a classic head and shoulders painting. Then there's this one here where you're asked to lift a flap. It's called Hidden Artist.
This is interactive.
Yeah, so there's some interactive ones. And then there's a picture of a rose. There's some poetry. Some people have used words. There's one up there, and they really like football. They've created a 3D football in the canvas and put their face on it. There's someone who's put their head inside a burger. I saw the burger one, yes. There's quite a lot of animal and food themes, I've noticed.
And there's lots of labels underneath them as well, which obviously explain who the artist is and perhaps their thought behind it as well. This one caught my eye over here because I think this kind of sums it up, the few words here. Lorna says, I called it Amazing Star because I am amazing.
And that really kind of jumped out at me when I read that because that's really the whole point of this kind of art, isn't it?
Yeah, well, it's to show these people beyond their disability, to kind of allow them to express themselves and to show you how they want to be seen.
What kind of disabilities are we talking about?
So we work with 22 different disability arts organisations across Surrey. We've got mental health charities. Primarily, we work with charities that work with people with learning disabilities. But, yeah, anyone that identifies as disabled and attends these member organisations, they're welcome to get involved with Daisy. What does it...
do to help these people with disabilities to express themselves through art? I mean, perhaps we've all heard of art therapy, but what does that actually mean?
Often, if you have a disability, you face a lot of barriers in your life and a lot of frustration. So it's a way of expressing yourself, having a purpose. You know, a lot of these organisations, they offer day services and residential services. So we have organisations that are primarily arts-based, but also ones that offer cooking, that offer lots of other life skills.
It helps everyone just become part of society and they contribute and make friends and be part of their own community. It's really great for wellbeing. If you're interested in Daisy, daisyfest.co.uk.
It was great to see the exhibition and also great to see so many people there, as you could probably tell from the hubbub during the course of that recording. It was really very busy. And unfortunately, if you want to see the art itself, well, that display's been taken down, which is a bit of a shame.
However, you can still see my video, which I took while the display was up, and you can check out that on my social media, the Planet Reigate podcast. We're on TwitterX and Facebook.com. and also insta as well and just a reminder if you used to live in the area 20 or 30 years ago i've got a special surprise coming up for you at the end of the show so
Woodlands Lettings. Connecting landlords with tenants for over 20 years. If you have a property to let, pop into our office on Station Road by the Belfry Main entrance for a coffee and a chat. Or call 01737 372 797. Planet Reigate Stars, thanking local heroes who are out of this world.
And you can boost coverage and attendance of your events via our media partnership package. Get in touch with me and we'll talk things through. Hello at theplanetreigatepodcast.com. So let's hot-foot it to Reigate for this week's Planet Reigate Star Award. Quote, I've only lived in Reigate for a few weeks now, but... Tonight I experienced a true act of kindness.
I'd blown a tyre on my car and had to pull over on Rygate Road. I stood waiting for the breakdown company to arrive when a car pulled over, two gentlemen sprung into action and put my spare tyre on for me. They then followed me down the road to ensure I arrived home safely.
I honestly can't thank them enough for their help and for making me feel safe and at ease in an area I'm not yet familiar with. That just speaks volumes, doesn't it, of the people that live in the Planet Reigate area, and particularly to those two gentlemen and their basic mechanics on our new residence car. Thank you to them. And they get a sprinkle of Stardust.
It's our Planet Reigate Star Award.
Music.
And I'm Peter Stewart. Well, I've said a few times, haven't I, during the course of the show today, that if you've lived in the area for, say, 20, 30, 40 years, to stay listening, because I've got some nostalgia to bring you right at the end of the show. And it is that time. As you may know, I run the Planet Reigate podcast in my spare time. I love the area and enjoy radio and audio production.
My first flat was in Red Hill and I've worked at various radio stations across the southeast my entire career. And that includes Radio Mercury, which was the commercial radio station for, as its licence said, Crawley and Reigate. It was based near where the K2 is now in Crawley. And I remember reporting across the area.
In the early days of my career, and specifically in this neck of the woods, an election count at Donnings interviewing Joanna Lumley at the opening of the Belfry, for example. It was really great to be on the radio station for where I lived. Now, I wasn't actually employed at Radio Mercury when it started. I was still at school.
But I always had an interest in journalism and radio, and my work experience was on the local newspaper. And I managed to persuade the editor that the opening of the new radio station was something that I should go along and cover. So it was that... Forty years ago this weekend, on October the 20th, 1984, my mum drove me down to the studios at Broadfield House. I was too young to drive myself.
And I'd been invited there to be part of the opening celebrations of Radio Mercury.
Good morning. It's 8 o'clock. for the very first time is Radio Mercury. And I'm Ed Stewart, welcoming you to the very first transmission of the 48th station in the independent local radio network where we're broadcasting on 103.6 FM stereo and 197 metres medium wave, that's 1521 kHz. From now on, every day, music, news, entertainment and information.
And if you're wondering, yes, they did later on change their frequency to 102.7 And isn't it strange how Ed said stereo? Anyway, you can imagine my thrill when, a few years later, I got to go back and actually work at the radio station, alongside some names that you may recall if you listened in all those years ago. Tony Myatt, John Scragg, Andrew Marshall, Peter Young...
Russell Pocket, unusual name, Jeff Aspel, yes, Michael's brother, Linda Bond, who had been working previously at Bristow's, the aerodrome, and a very young Pat Sharp, who went to Capital and Hart stations. Chris Oxlade was a presenter at Radio Mercury. He's now a West Sussex County Councillor for Crawley. Ironically, I read my first live radio bulletin into the show of Ed Stupot-Stewart.
No relation. I met some of my best friends at that radio station, presenter Martin Blunt, for example, and Judith Falcon, who, like me, read the news and presented the evening news show, The South Tonight. And Judith is the person who does the announcements for this podcast. Here she was back then.
Radio Mercury News, it's five minutes past five.
And here she is today. This is the Planet Reigate podcast.
Another presenter, Danny Pike, met the producer of my afternoon show, Jane, at Radio Mercury. And I'm a hugely proud godfather to their two wonderful daughters. Now, back in the 1980s, there weren't many radio stations. Yeah, there were the national networks, Capital from London. And, of course, there wasn't DAB and internet stations. And Radio Mercury was a much-loved sound across the area.
As we used to say, not from London, not from the coast, but from the heart of the South. And that's probably why, back in the day, around 40% of people in the Reigate and Crawley area would listen to Radio Mercury. Maybe you did.
In fact, soon after I started the Planet Reigate podcast last year, I spoke at two business events in a week to explain what the show was all about and a little bit about me. And as soon as I mentioned that I'd been on Radio Mercury, there was at each event a murmur, of recognition, of remembrance.
At one event, the Redhill Business Guild, someone totally unprompted sang the tune to the Mercury Jingle, The Heart of the South. So, forgive my indulgence, Radio Mercury played a huge part in my life, and it started 40 years ago this weekend.
You may have listened, you may have got a dedication, you may have won a competition, perhaps you went along to an OB, danced to a guest DJ spot at Da Vinci's or Millionaire's, or helped raise money for their Operation Santa Claus Christmas Appeal. The station rebranded as Hearts in 2010, and like all stations, had lost its original jingles years before that.
But as there seems to be a memory of Mercury locally, I wanted to mark its 40th anniversary. And that person who sang the Mercury jingle at that meeting a year ago inspired me. Now, as you may know, on the radio and on podcasts, you have to pay for all the music you play. It's the copyright rules.
So, I got in touch with David Arnold, who composed the Radio Mercury jingles, and I asked, under the circumstances, whether he would waive his fee if I played a jingle on the Planet Reigate podcast. And his response? Was it really 40 years ago? he wrote. And yes, please feel free to use it. It'll be great to give it an airing.
Thank you.
Thank you.
We'll be right back.
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, Canada geese at Earlswood Lakes.
Thank you. uh uh
The Planet Rygate podcast was produced and presented by Peter Stewart.