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.
https://www.highsheriffofsurrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/GFOTA.jpg13501800Andy Newboldhttps://www.highsheriffofsurrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TheHighSheriffofSurrey-weblogo.pngAndy Newbold2026-09-30 21:20:002026-10-02 07:41:43Guildford Festival of the Arts – 1 to 4 October 2026.
Following on from my visits to HMP Coldingley, Send and Downview, I was keen to visit HMP Bronzefield, Europe’s largest women’s prison. HMP/YOI Bronzefield is a privately-run Category A closed prison, which looks after approximately 500 adult women and young offenders on remand or under sentence.
I was invited to join HMP Bronzefield’s Achievement Event – a warm and very lively morning celebrating the various milestones achieved by around 150 of the women over the past few months. There were certificates for completing different levels (up to GCSEs) of English and Maths – many of the women initially had little or no understanding of English and/or a self-proclaimed hatred of maths – as well as certificates for having achieved qualifications in gardening, beauty & hairdressing, IT, barista skills, catering and counselling.
A number of women were congratulated on having learnt new craft and entrepreneurial skills through JailBirds, the prison’s in-house creative products initiative. It combines textile production, fine art, crochet, and jewellery-making to produce handmade products. Originally, the products were made to support Barnardo’s charity; over time, however, the initiative evolved into a stand-alone social enterprise.
Other women had gained a mechanics qualification through a cycle repair workshop which echoes similar schemes seen at other prisons, where residents refurbish donated bikes and work towards recognised qualifications — skills with genuine currency once the women return to life outside the gates.
The awards I was most intrigued by were the Duke of Edinburgh Awards, given the seeming impossibility of outdoor adventure being achieved behind prison gates. Nevertheless, young women at HMP Bronzefield aged 14-24 are given the chance to learn new skills, motivation and perseverance through taking part in a DofE programme. Founded by Prince Philip in 1956, the DofE programme is recognised as the world’s leading youth achievement award and its reach now extends inside prison walls. The marginally adapted programme gives participants a widely respected qualification that can help them reintegrate and fulfil their potential on release.
Over the last year, six women achieved their Bronze or Silver DofE Award at the prison. They learned new skills such as tapestry, sewing and embroidery; they took part in Parkrun and trained in the gym using Hyrox equipment; they contributed 143 hours of volunteering by teaching their peers to read and play chess and even camped inside the prison walls. The DofE programme has proved so beneficial that women older than 25 are now given the chance to participate in an equivalent “Duke of Bronzefield Awards” programme!
The Achievement Event was opened and closed by three musical performances – two soulful gospels sung by a very talented lady and a fun rendition by a group of inmates who are currently rehearsing for the Pimlico Opera performance of ‘Guys & Dolls‘ at HMP Bronzefield.
It was an uplifting morning, despite many of the women facing numerous challenges. I very much hope that a combination of structure, learning new skills, encouragement and a little celebration can bolster the women’s confidence in trying to turn their lives around and overcome the inevitable difficulties they will face in the future.
https://www.highsheriffofsurrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/HMP-Bronzefield-25.09.26.webp10011500Andy Newboldhttps://www.highsheriffofsurrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TheHighSheriffofSurrey-weblogo.pngAndy Newbold2026-09-25 11:00:002026-09-28 20:52:09Visiting Prisons Part 2 – The ‘Duke of Bronzefield’ Awards – Outdoor Adventure Behind Closed Doors!
Currently, Guildford Cathedral is hosting an extraordinary and thought-provoking exhibition.
“Transformations” shows the artwork created by men in HMP Coldingley exploring the transformative power of art and its ability to inspire hope, reflection, wellbeing, and personal change.
All the artwork was created within HMP Coldingley which presented its fair share of challenges, not least because many art materials and/or tools are not readily available or permitted in a prison environment. However, Theresa Chambers-Blaney, the former Deputy Education Manager and Art Tutor at HMP Coldingley, said that the works in the exhibition demonstrate the possibilities that emerge when people are given opportunities for creativity, reflection, and self-expression.
By bringing these works into the Cathedral, the wider community is invited to encounter the artists through their creativity and to reflect on questions of human dignity, forgiveness, hope, and transformation. The Very Reverend Bob Cooper, Dean of Guildford, said: “The exhibition reminds us that every person has inherent dignity and the capacity for change. Art has a remarkable ability to open conversations, encourage reflection and inspire hope.“
I do encourage you to visit if you can. The exhibition runs until 19 October 2026 and is open from 8am to 4.30pm every day and until 7.30pm every Thursday.
https://www.highsheriffofsurrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/HMP-Coldingley-Transformation-Exhibition-1-14.09.26.jpg6681000Andy Newboldhttps://www.highsheriffofsurrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TheHighSheriffofSurrey-weblogo.pngAndy Newbold2026-09-17 18:25:132026-09-19 12:52:21“Transformations” – An exhibition by HMP Coldingley at Guildford Cathedral
Having had a glimpse of all that the Surrey Fire and Rescue Service does at the Service’s Open Day on 22 August, I was intrigued to find out more and asked whether I could come back for a proper visit to one of the Service’s fire stations. To my delight, the crew at Leatherhead Fire Station said yes and it made for a fascinating afternoon.
The crew showed me around the station and talked me through the different roles taken on by each crew member, e.g. being in charge of the control room, organising the equipment or cooking the day’s meals! Crews need to be ready to drop everything at a moment’s notice, day or night. They typically work according to 12-hour shift patterns: two day shifts are followed by two nightshifts, which then lead into four days of well-deserved rest.
The station itself was immaculate. Seeing the fire engines primed and equipment meticulously organised, really showed how much preparation goes into “being ready at all times”. Every piece of kit has its place since every second counts when a call comes in. And calls come in from all over the country. This summer, the Leatherhead crew not only assisted with wildfires throughout the south of the UK, but also as far afield as Suffolk and the West Midlands.
The greatest excitement of the afternoon, though, was going up in the Aerial Ladder Platform. The “ALP” is a specialist vehicle with an articulated or telescoping boom topped with a working platform, or cage. It is used to reach people and situations at height, whether fires, rescues or other emergencies. The ALP can reach a phenomenal height of 42 metres if fully extended vertically. Unfortunately, it was not safe to reach such dizzying heights that afternoon because of the relatively brisk winds, but even “only” being 19 metres up in the air gave me a genuinely new perspective — both literally and in terms of appreciating what firefighters have to do when working at height. It is one thing to see an ALP in action from the ground; it is quite another to stand in the cage yourself and feel how it moves and trembles in the wind – and that was without having to handle large equipment, stretchers or dealing with intense heat.
A huge thank you to the crew at Leatherhead Fire Station. Visits like this are a brilliant reminder of the huge skill, discipline, specialist knowledge and teamwork which underpin the emergency services.
https://www.highsheriffofsurrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Screenshot-2026-09-19-at-19.58.10.png9341414Andy Newboldhttps://www.highsheriffofsurrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TheHighSheriffofSurrey-weblogo.pngAndy Newbold2026-09-17 14:00:002026-09-19 20:05:41“Up, up and away” – Behind the Scenes at Leatherhead Fire Station.
For most people the thought of a prison conjures up a vision of high walls, numerous tall and heavy metal gates and small bare cells. However, behind those walls, gates and doors, many UK prisons run active programmes designed to genuinely change lives. They run courses, workshops and often small businesses aimed at reducing reoffending by equipping their inmates with valuable knowledge and practical skills.
Over the past few weeks, I have visited a number of Surrey’s prisons and have been encouraged – and often impressed – by learning what is being done to rehabilitate individuals; helping them to gain recognised qualifications, develop practical skills and build a route towards employment on release.
At HMP Coldingley, a Category C men’s resettlement prison in Bisley, inmates work in sign-making, printing and engineering workshops; in the gardens or the laundry, or as cleaners keeping the communal areas neat and tidy. They earn (small) wages and develop skills for life after release. They do so often alongside courses in numeracy, literacy, bookkeeping, business enterprise or IT. The Forward Trust, a social justice charity, runs family services, including a “Relationships Matter” programme that helps residents rebuild bonds with loved ones, and supports inmates to recover from addiction. The prison runs a substance-free living wing for those continuing their recovery.
HMP Coldingley has strengthened its focus on rehabilitation in recent months following a critical inspection report earlier this year. As a result, the prison has implemented a new drug strategy and an attendance bonus scheme to encourage more consistent attendance at work and courses.
HMP Send, a closed women’s prison near Ripley where most of the women serve long sentences up to and including life, takes a different, more therapeutic approach. HMP Send hosts one of the UK’s few democratic therapeutic communities, combining psychotherapy with communal living to help women reshape their identity and move toward long-term desistance from crime. Women in the therapeutic community live in single rooms with their own keys, in a more domestic setting than the rest of the prison and have a shared budget for hobbies and group activities. The prison also allows for some of the older inmates to live together.
There is a positive learning culture at the prison, which – alongside the amount of time spent unlocked – has helped to make sure that the women are engaged in the work and education based on their needs and what they might experience outside prison. Both the range of learning on offer and the array of recreational activities have expanded over recent years. There is a popular hairdressing salon; the charity Fine Cell Work provides opportunities for paid, professional craft projects and the Watts Gallery Trust runs weekly art workshops, which culminate in the very successful annual art exhibition “Our Time”. Many of the women work in the extensive gardens and polytunnels, where they grow vegetables and fruit either for their own consumption or for use by the Clink Charity in its events catering business. In turn, the Clink provides accredited horticultural training.
Support to encourage women to maintain and rebuild family ties is also strong, for instance family engagement workers run a course focused on the impact of addiction and childhood experiences on parenting.
Another closed women’s prison in Surrey, HMP Downview, in near Sutton and Banstead, hosted the UK’s first intensive drug and alcohol rehabilitation programme back in 1992. Today, it continues that focus, alongside a well-regarded offender personality disorder pathway offering individual and group therapy for prisoners with complex needs, and a bereavement and loss service that has reduced anxiety and depression among women who complete it.
HMP Downview offers a series of industry-backed vocational training and qualifications in beauty therapy, business administration, catering, customer services, functional skills, and hairdressing. On my joint visit with the High Sheriff of Greater London, Dhruv Patel CBE, we visited The Clink’ Charity’s professional kitchen which caters for its events management business; the highly impressive “Making for Change” sewing studio which allows women to gain qualifications in Fashion and Textiles in partnership with the London College of Fashion; the Upcycling Workshop launched in partnership with SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK, which processes discarded furniture from community recycling centres for re-use shops; and the Fine Cell Work workshop where the women learn how to embroider cushions, Christmas decorations and art works for sale.
The prisons work hard to create an environment of structured activity and routine, thereby creating stability for their inmates. All inmates are encouraged to participate, and the vast majority do, which has a noticeable positive impact on prison life. Despite serious issues of shortage of prison staff and probation officers and an increase in the prison population, the staff I met all had highly positive attitudes and a firm determination to improve people’s lives on release, thus preventing them from returning to a life of crime.
https://www.highsheriffofsurrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/HMP-Downview-scaled.jpg13652048Andy Newboldhttps://www.highsheriffofsurrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TheHighSheriffofSurrey-weblogo.pngAndy Newbold2026-09-12 13:00:002026-09-15 11:59:14Visiting Prisons: What rehabilitation looks like in practice.
Three years’ ago, the Chief Constable of Surrey, Tim de Meyer, launched the Surrey Police Chief Constable’s Awards. These awards are presented annually and cover a range of categories. The awards seek to recognise and celebrate Surrey PoIice’s officers, staff and volunteers, who have completed exceptional work to prevent crime, solve problems, relentlessly pursue criminals or provide outstanding victim and witness care. Movingly, a number of the awards were awarded in the memory of Surrey Police officers who had died whilst in service.
I had the honour and pleasure to have been invited to the inspiring ceremony at Loseley Park, where I met many of the highly deserving recipients of the awards and their – rightly – immensely proud guests. On hearing the citations being read out, one could not fail to be in awe and moved by what had been done by the officers and civilians who were nominated.
Huge congratulations to everyone. Surrey is a safer place thanks to you.
https://www.highsheriffofsurrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Chief-Constable-Awards-2-10.09.26-scaled.jpg13652048Andy Newboldhttps://www.highsheriffofsurrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TheHighSheriffofSurrey-weblogo.pngAndy Newbold2026-09-10 11:00:002026-09-19 12:55:00Making Surrey a Safer Place.
In a beautiful service in Guildford Cathedral led by the Dean of Guildford, The Very Reverend Bob Cooper DL, on Sunday 6 September, those present celebrated and gave thanks to Surrey’s outgoing Lord-Lieutenant, Michael More-Molyneux CVO KStJ, and welcomed Surrey’s new Lord Lieutenant Neelam Dharni Devesher MBE.
As His Majesty’s representative in a county, the Lord Lieutenant serves the Sovereign and connects the communities of the county. It is the Lord-Lieutenant’s chief duty to uphold the dignity and position of the Crown by assisting and representing it in all aspects of county life. The Lord-Lieutenant follows the example of HM The King by encouraging voluntary service and benevolent organisations, and taking a deep interest in the commercial and social life of the county.
The Surrey Lieutenancy supports the values the Crown represents by celebrating, inspiring and promoting the value of exemplary service and endeavour in Surrey; and using the convening capability of the Surrey Lieutenancy to strengthen the links between the various communities. This will encourage teamwork, co-operation and mutual respect; which in turn will help to build community cohesion and common purpose.
The role of the Lord-Lieutenant is strictly apolitical, similarly to the role of High Sheriff. However, unlike the role of High Sheriff which is merely a year, a Lord-Lieutenant fulfils the role until their 75th birthday.
Michael More-Molyneux has served as Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey for 11 years. Together with his wife Sarah, Michael has carried out the role with complete dedication and a genuine love for Surrey. It has been a great pleasure to work alongside Michael in the first six months of my Shrieval Year and a huge honour to have served as one of Michael’s Deputy Lieutenants for the past five years. A heartfelt thanks from me and everyone in Surrey.
Michael & Sarah at his farewell reception.
The new Lord-Lieutenant of Surrey – Neelam Dharni Devesher MBE.
Simultaneously, Surrey warmly welcomes Neelam Dharni Devesher. Guided by the belief that strong communities are built when rights and responsibilities go hand in hand, Neelam is committed to unity and to the values of fairness, respect, liberty, responsibility and the rule of law. Three guiding principles will shape Neelam’s fulfilment of the role of Lord Lieutenant: (i) opening doors for Surrey’s next generation; (ii) bringing together all of Surrey’s communities irrespective of background, faith or walk of life; and (iii) celebrating the county of Surrey for all it has to offer. Neelam, I look forward to working with you!
https://www.highsheriffofsurrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Farewell-to-the-Lord-Lieutenant-048-scaled.jpg13652048Andy Newboldhttps://www.highsheriffofsurrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TheHighSheriffofSurrey-weblogo.pngAndy Newbold2026-09-06 19:00:002026-09-11 14:46:41Unity in Service.
In the warm September sunshine, over 530 Royal Air Force Air Cadets and 90 dedicated adult volunteers from Surrey Wing gathered at the historic Brooklands Museum for a day of competition and activities. The historic Weybridge site — famous for its aviation and motorsport heritage — provided the perfect backdrop for a day that brought the Surrey Wing’s squadrons together in force.
The annual “Field Day” is the flagship event for Surrey Wing, with cadets competing in competitions from archery to music, banner drill to aircraft recognition. In addition to the more traditional cadet competitions, the day also included more recent additions such as the STEM, robotics and Space challenges and an Escape Room.
The RAF Air Cadets motto is “Venture Adventure” which couldn’t be more apt. The cadets I spoke to, were all prepared to step forward to “embrace challenges, explore new experiences, and actively pursue personal growth”.
2026 is a landmark year for the RAF Air Cadets, since it marks the Cadets’ 85th anniversary. The RAF Cadets have trained and inspired generations of young people since its formation in 1941, and the turnout of hundreds of cadets and volunteers was a clear reflection of the organisation’s enduring appeal. Many long-serving staff and former cadets took the opportunity to reflect on their experiences, while newer recruits got a taste of the camaraderie that keeps cadets and volunteers coming back year after year.
It was a fantastic day which culminated in the Final Parade by all 531 cadets present under the watchful eyes of the Reviewing Officer, Group Captain Dr Vanessa Lawrence CB DL and Wing Commander John Machin DL. There was not a step out of place!
It is often said that “Music unites”, but it is wonderful to actually see it happen in practice.
My two Police Cadets and I joined Intergenerational Music Making.(IMM) at their monthly “All Ages Community Hub” at the United Reformed Church in Guildford for a morning of music-making, singing and – if you felt so inclined – dance. Through music, IMM succeeds in creating a welcoming space where generations can come together, build relationships and feel part of their community, thus reducing loneliness and social isolation, improving people’s wellbeing and confidence, as well as strengthening connections between the different ages.
It was a very joyful and – at times – noisy morning. Dylan and Husam discovered hidden talents for the tambourine and maracas, and we all sang about the colours of the rainbow; the whole world being in His hand, and warning people that “she will be coming round the mountain” wearing pink pyjamas.
We all left with a huge smile on our faces and a spring in our step. IMM clearly brings a lot of sunshine into people’s lives.
https://www.highsheriffofsurrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/IMM-1-04.09.26-scaled.jpeg15362048Andy Newboldhttps://www.highsheriffofsurrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/TheHighSheriffofSurrey-weblogo.pngAndy Newbold2026-09-04 11:00:002026-09-09 12:06:50You are my sunshine!
On Thursday 3rd September, the Hale Community and Youth Centre in Farnham threw open its doors for its annual Big Lunch. It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the Centre’s community and share the delicious food provided by Joyful Greens, a plant-based community cookery school based in Godalming.
The Hale Community and Youth Centre is a community hub for all who live in Hale and particularly those on the Sandy Hill Estate. It provides a warm, welcoming space and seeks to give a voice to those in an area where there are deep levels of deprivation, helping them integrate with the wider community.
The Centre is located in an area of significant deprivation, but the overriding impression within the Centre is of an inclusive, warm and friendly environment. All of its services and activities are aimed at reducing loneliness and isolation; improving lifestyle, diet and health (both mental and physical); developing new skills and strengths; providing advice, help and support; building confidence; and giving a sense of purpose and worth to individuals.
Many of the initiatives offered are entirely led and run by volunteers, e.g: a community fridge and cupboard; “Stay-and-play” sessions for parents with pre-school aged children; a clothes bank; an art club or a weekly “Sing for Joy” adult choir. A large number of volunteers first came as beneficiaries and the great majority come from the immediate neighbourhood. Since they understand the needs of local people, they are able to initiate new services and activities to meet those needs and to adapt them to meet changing needs. This has been particularly evident with the arrival of migrant families on the Sandy Hill Estate where initial tensions have been greatly reduced through opportunities to meet socially at the Centre.
It was very uplifting to meet both the outgoing manager Melissa Salisbury and her successor Jonny Marshall, as well as the Chair of Trustees John Lewis and a great many of the wonderfully dedicated and energetic volunteers. My tummy felt rather “uplifted” too after all the delicious food…
