A Brew to a Kill – Ale’s well that Ends Well….. or does it?

That is the question….  and it is for you to find out at the Guildford Shakespeare Company’s new immersive murder mystery created in partnership with the Hogs Back Brewery in Tongham to toast the GSC’s 20th anniversary year.

Last night, I was invited back to 1954 to celebrate the re-opening of the Tongham Gloucester Family’s brewery after a turbulent few years. However, before the ribbon could be cut, a chilling discovery was made, and it soon became clear that something more than beer was brewing at Manor Farm. The brewery owners were keen to discover the facts before the police were called – not wanting to create too much of a fuss. Consequently, they asked all the people intending to celebrate the grand re-opening to help find out what had happened.

I am not sure how well we all fared. If you would therefore like to have a go, please head to the Hogs Back Brewery until 15 November: https://www.guildford-shakespeare-company.co.uk/

The GSC is an award-winning theatre company and arts education charity, creating unique theatre and education experiences since 2006. Based in Guildford, Surrey, it is one of the largest producers of home-grown theatre and outreach in the region.  GSC’s work reaches well beyond the theatre.  The company’s Creative Learning Department provides drama clubs, school workshops, a dramatherapy programme, and drama sessions for young carers, across Surrey, Sussex, and Hampshire.

Joyful Greens!

On Wednesday, I joined Joyfull Greens for one of its monthly community cookery sessions in Godalming. I left with a full tummy, a delicious new recipe for a Moroccan sweet potato and chickpea tagine to add to my “supper repertoire” and a fuller heart.

Joyfull Greens is a social enterprise working with Surrey communities to stay healthy and happy through planet-friendly food.  I met Frédie, its founder, in September at the Big Lunch at Hale Community and Youth Centre in Farnham and was intrigued by what this voluntary group does. Through food and cooking, it seeks to increase access to affordable, healthy and sustainable food and to improve physical and mental health and community wellbeing by bringing people together. At Joyfull Greens, they believe in healthy, affordable food that is good for people and planet irrespective of budget or cooking skills.

The community cookery session was attended by a variety of people. Some were unpaid carers; one person had a visual impairment and came with her carer; some were older people living alone; some did not have access to personal transport; and some were experiencing mental health challenges. Many of the people who come to the sessions face barriers to accessing social activities and opportunities for community connection. Yet within minutes of starting to cook, chopping boards were shared, tips were swapped, and happy chatter filled the kitchen. Cooking together is a wonderfully easy way to connect, and nobody needs to feel confident to join in.

Joyfull Greens is still at an early stage – having been established in 2024 – but the feedback so far suggests that it does manage to help reduce isolation, build supportive local networks, and strengthen community resilience. One of the Joyfull Greens volunteers first came along as a participant. She is an unpaid carer, raising two autistic children, but she now helps others find the same welcome she did by coming to the group’s cookery sessions. It is a good example of what the project does at its best and is a clear reminder that food is about so much more than nutrition. It is about joy, support and belonging.

https://www.joyfullgreens.com

A great buzz at The National Honey Show!

Some things in life are genuinely unique, and the National Honey Show is one of them.  There is no show like it anywhere in the world.  A group of mostly Surrey-based beekeepers manage to organisethe largest global honey show and beekeeping convention.

The Show gives local producers a platform to sell their honey and other products. It also hosts lectures and talks that anyone can attend.  These are filmed and posted free of charge on the Show’s YouTube channel. There are practical workshops, educational sessions for children and the public about honeybees and other pollinators, and a large trade show with numerous stands.

I had the pleasure of attending the Show this year and was struck by the variety of products that can be made from honey and beeswax. There were more than 200 competition classes to enter and win.

What makes the National Honey Show exceptional is not a big budget or a famous venue. It is the combination of a highly skilled, entirely volunteer team, the high standards the Show upholds, and the sheer scale of the event. In 2024, an American show billed itself as the biggest ever held in the USA, with just over 800 entries. This year, the National Honey Show received just under 3,000 entries, and the number grows every year.

Countless beekeepers and members of the public have benefited from the Show since 1923.  The Show’s uniqueness was recognised in 2025 with a King’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest honour given to local voluntary groups in the UK.  It is a fitting tribute to a group of volunteers who regard themselves as simply a group of local beekeepers.  It just happens to be a group of beekeepers that the world wants to come and join.

Remembering Those Who Serve – Launching the Surrey Poppy Appeal.

It was a privilege attending the launch of the Surrey Poppy Appeal 2026 at the Army Training Centre in Pirbright joining HM Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey, Mrs Neelam Devesher MBE, dignitaries, representatives of the Royal British Legion and members of the Armed Forces community.  Pirbright was a fitting setting for the service, which brought together serving personnel and trainees with those who have long supported them.

The Royal British Legion was established in 1921 and is the country’s largest Armed Forces charity, with 180,000 members, 110,000 volunteers and a network of partners and charities. It supports service personnel and their families from the first day of service and its support lasts a lifetime. Its expert advice and guidance help with recovery from trauma, rehabilitation and the transition to civilian life.

It was a beautiful service with the solemn Act of Remembrance, prayers and wonderful music from the Royal Military School of Music and Gordon’s School Pipes & Drums. A particular highlight for me was to hear my niece playing the tuba as part of the RMSM band.

As Royal British Legion County Patron, the Lord-Lieutenant presented the first poppies of Surrey to three people whose commitment and longstanding support to the Poppy Appeal has been exceptional:

  • Laura Hayworth, who has been a Standard Bearer for more than 30 years;
  • Warrant Officer Class 2 Michael Braithwaite, who has been the Poppy Appeal Manager for Pirbright Camp and Brookwood since 2017 and whose work has helped raise awareness of the RBL’s support to serving personnel.
  • Anne Cane, who was recognised for more than 45 years as a Standard Bearer and a lifetime devoted to the Women’s Section.

Hearing their stories was humbling. Decades of quiet, steady service like theirs are the foundation of the Poppy Appeal’s success each year.

So, when you see a poppy seller this autumn, please give what you can and wear your poppy with pride. It helps ensure that the contribution of our Armed Forces community is never forgotten.

A Morning of Pageantry and Tradition – The Annual Service for the Judiciary.

A principal task and highlight for the High Sheriff each year is to hold a service to mark the formal opening of the legal year at the start of October. The Annual Service for the Judiciary brings together all those who ‘Uphold the King’s Peace’ in Surrey – maintaining law and order thereby creating a better community.

Traditionally, this Service is held at Holy Trinity Church in Guildford and commences with two processions leading from the Guildhall to the church up Guildford High Street. The Civic Procession,which this year was led by Sergeant Claire Greenwood and the Town Crier of Guildford, includes the Mayors and Chairs of Surrey Boroughs and Districts.  This procession is followed by the High Sheriff’s Procession which was led by the Chief Constable of Surrey, Tim de Meyer.  I was joined by the Under Sheriff, Dr Mike Kelly JP, my two police cadets, Dylan and Husam, the Resident Judge of Guildford Crown Court, HHJ Lees, together with other members of the Judiciary, namely coroners, circuit and district judges and the Surrey Magistrates.  It was quite a spectacle, since everyone was fully robed, and were serenaded by trumpeters from the London Banqueting Ensemble.

This is a rather poignant year given that it is the last year of Surrey County Council and the eleven District Councils being in place.  From May 2027, the two new unitary authorities of East and West Surrey will govern the County.  Will this mean that there is only one procession winding its way up the High Street at next year’s Service?

The Service itself was beautiful.  Revered Clare Marren, Chaplain to the High Sheriff of Surrey, delivered a thought-provoking sermon, which together with the readings and testimonials captured the theme for my Shrieval Year of “Breaking the Cycle of Domestic Abuse” very aptly.  These wereinterspersed with wonderful music from the superb choir of the Royal Grammar School and hearty singing of the hymns by the congregation.

During the service, I reaffirmed my Shrieval Promise stating that I will well and truly serve His King’s Majesty’s interests and promising to serve and honour all people of Surrey, whilst all those who uphold law and order, both judicial and civic, vowed to continue their faithful service to uphold the law for the good of all. Together the congregation then said a Faith and Community Declaration for Surrey, committing to ensure that the County of Surrey remains a place of welcome, generosity and equality, with respect for all.

As the fanfares sounded once more, we processed back to the Guildhall, loudly cheered on by the Year 6 pupils from Holy Trinity Pewley Down School, whom I had met a few weeks’ ago and who had attended the Service.

The Service for the Judiciary is a beautiful highlight of the Shrieval Year and my heartfelt thanks go to everyone who made the morning so special. It is a privilege to stand alongside all those who uphold law and order in the County as the new judicial year begins.

To view or order prints from the event go to; https://4730.tifmember.com/p/93624kkp

Photography by Andy Newbold

Scientists for the Future – A Day at the Brooklands Innovation Academy.

Brooklands Museum has been a place of innovation since 1907. It gave the world its first purpose-built motor racing circuit and went on to play a major part in British aviation. So, it felt fitting that a group of young people spent the 7th of October there learning what it might involve becoming the next generation of scientists and engineers.

Now in its fifth year, the Brooklands Innovation Academy brings together young people aged 11 to 18 with scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians from leading businesses. Its aim is to inspire young people to take up STEM careers and show future job opportunities. It is part of the National Science Summer school programme, co-founded by Professor Brian Cox CBE OBE FRS.

The day was built around hands-on workshops, each led by a company working on real-world problems.

I joined for the afternoon programme. At a workshop led by the consumer healthcare company Haleon, it was explored how sustained-release medicines work in the body, and how companies design them to release at specific times in the digestive system. It was a chance to see how chemistry and biology come together in everyday products, such as throat lozenges and paracetamol.

The challenge set by SATRO, an educational charity working across South Central England, required people to code a robotic car to drive around the Brooklands racetrack and ideally complete a lap. I must admit that this challenge proved a bit too much for my abilities, but other members of the group were more successful.

Global aviation company, Gama Aviation, gave us a lesson in aerodynamics by letting us design, build, and test paper planes, finding out how different folding techniques affect flight distance and performance.

The day culminated in a fascinating talk by Andy Green OBE, a former RAF fighter pilot, who holds the world land speed record at 763mph. He gave an insight into the challenge and excitement of travelling supersonic, both in the air and on the ground.  Hearing from someone who has pushed the limits of speed was rather exhilarating.

By the end of the day, we all had had a glimpse of what working in science and engineering can involve and had learnt the important life lesson that nothing is achieved without making mistakes – success if often born from failure.  As one of Brooklands aviation pioneers, Tommy Sopwith (1888-1989), said “If we crashed, we just had to shake-off the wreckage and try again.”

The Hospitality of St John.

The hospitality of St John was in great evidence last night as a number of St John Ambulance cadets planned, prepared and hosted a drinks party for guests with very exacting standards… St John Ambulance’s Surrey County President, Dr Julie Llewelyn DL; Chief Nursing Officer, Chief Commander & Chancellor, Andrew Latham KStJ DL; and me.

The drinks party formed part of the Cadet Leader course for the older St John Ambulance cadets, which took place this weekend. It was an exercise in planning and attending formal events, as well as public speaking. The cadets did brilliantly. They had decorated the venue, prepared and served canapés and non-alcoholic drinks, and delivered a short welcome speech. Hosting guests, making conversation and speaking in front of a room are skills that many adults find daunting, and the reception introduced them to these skills in a supportive way. These skills will serve the cadets well at civic functions, award ceremonies and, later, in interviews and the workplace.

In the meantime, the younger cadets took part in a major incident learning experience. The exercise was run twice. At first, the exercise was deliberately chaotic, and the instructors gave the cadets little or no guidance. Once the exercise had run its course, the group stopped for a debrief to consider what had gone wrong and what could have been done better. The exercise was then re-run, so that the cadets could see the improvement for themselves. Making mistakes in a controlled environment lets the cadets learn from them without real-world consequences.

St John Ambulance is a first aid charity whose volunteers provide vital services across England. They give free first aid cover at events from concerts to sports fixtures, teach life-saving skills to workplaces, schools and the public, and support the NHS and emergency services in times of crisis. Founded in 1877, the charity has a simple belief: no one should suffer for lack of first aid knowledge.

Its youth programme, the St John Ambulance Cadets, is open to young people aged ten to seventeen. Meeting weekly in local units, cadets learn practical skills such as CPR, defibrillator use and treating bleeding, burns and fractures. They also build confidence, teamwork and a sense of service, and many go on to become adult volunteers for St John Ambulance. Older cadets can take on leadership roles and are trained to do so on the Cadet Leader courses. The courses aim to support young people developing into confident and capable individuals who can lead teams, communicate clearly and stay calm under pressure. These qualities will help them not only as first aiders, but also in life.

Together for Change – Conference on Domestic Abuse.

On 1 October, the charity, Your Sanctuary, which supports anyone affected by domestic abuse, held an inspiring and thought-provoking conference in partnership with the collaborative foundation and educational initiative Laurella & Libby’s Legacy.

The conference brought together professionals, advocates, organisations and charities who seek to prevent domestic abuse, including stalking and violence against women and girls (VAWG). The conference provided an opportunity to share learning, hear powerful lived experiences, explore approaches to the prevention of domestic abuse and discuss how to work collectively to create meaningful and lasting change.

The accounts shared by survivors and frontline professionals were humbling and, at times, hard to hear. The message running through them was consistent: domestic abuse and stalking cannot be effectively tackled when incidents, intelligence and risk are viewed in isolation. Agencies must be able to join the dots — across victims, incidents and organisations — before patterns of escalating behaviour become catastrophic and lead to homicide. No single organisation can create this change alone. It requires working in partnership.

Over the past months, I have learnt that fantastic work is already being done in Surrey in tackling domestic abuse by a range of organisations, such as Your Sanctuary, East Surrey Domestic Abuse Service (ESDAS), South West Surrey Domestic Abuse Service (SWDAS), North Surrey Domestic Abuse Service (NSDAS), Interventions Alliance, Surrey Police and Surrey County Council. I am therefore optimistic that together these organisations can make significant progress and I would be proud to see Surrey recognised as a national exemplar of excellent practice and partnership working.

#TogetherForChange #Surrey4Change

Guildford Festival of the Arts – 1 to 4 October 2026.

Should you be looking for a fun day out this weekend and discover local Surrey artists – both established and aspiring – please head for Guildford and explore the Guildford Festival of Arts 2026.

The Festival seeks to showcase Guildford as the local arts hub that it is.  There are various exhibitions in different venues dotted around the Town Centre, e.g. the Yvonne Arnaud theatre, Abbots Hospital and the New House Art Space.  A great number of workshops allow people to try new art and craft techniques, whether it is sewing, pottery, photography, candle making, portrait drawing or making paper flowers; and there are various other events, such as talks and film screenings.  

I had the pleasure of attending the official opening of this year’s Festival by the Mayor of Guildford – Cllr Jane Tyson – last night and the programme sounded great fun.  There is bound to be something for everyone!

The Festival is on until Sunday 4th October and I encourage you to go if you can.  The best place to start may be the Guildhall where you can pick up the brochure, ask questions and get help planning your trail.  Alternatively, you can visit the website – www.guildfordfestivalofthearts.co.uk – or Instagram: @guildfordfestivalofthearts.

Medical Excellence in the Sky.

This week, the High Sheriffs from Kent, East and West Sussex and I visited the Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS) at its Redhill airbase. It gave us the chance to learn about the very impressive pre-hospital emergency care this charity provides, hear about its work across all four counties, and – very excitingly – sit in an air ambulance helicopter.

KSS is a service that never stops. It responds to the most sudden, seriously injured, and ill people in Kent, Surrey and Sussex: 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, in all weathers and often in very challenging conditions.

Its crews respond to more than 3,000 emergency incidents a year; the majority of which are medical emergencies, such as heart attacks or strokes, and road traffic accidents. Behind every mission is a multi-disciplinary team of more than 170 people, including operational staff, dispatchers, pilots, paramedics, and doctors. They operate three helicopters, as well as four rapid response cars.

The air ambulance is more than an ambulance in the sky. KSS crews, which consist of two pilots, one paramedic and one doctor, carry mechanical CPR equipment and blood, so that they can give blood transfusions at the roadside where necessary. Because a doctor is on board, they can provide emergency anaesthesia to help stabilise patients, and they can carry out roadside surgical procedures, including open heart surgery. There are 21 air ambulances across the UK. They are similar but different, and KSS is bigger than most.

The charity continually seeks to improve its practices. It aims to push the boundaries of what is possible in pre-hospital emergency care, striving to be the most effective first link in the “Chain of Survival”, so that more patients survive and recover.

KSS is not an NHS-led service. Amazingly, it is a service that for 90 per cent of its funding relies on donations from the communities it serves, but as one can imagine, it costs a lot to keep the service running – £21 million per year. I would therefore ask you to support it to ensure that the air ambulance keeps flying! You never know when you, or someone you know, might need to rely on these incredible people.  To find out more about the charity’s work and how you can help, visit https://aakss.org.uk/.