A Village Affair

 

It its a mouthful: “The Ellens Green and Rudgwick Gardening Association Summer Show”. It is however what it says. It is a proper village show with exhibit competitions for flowers, fruit and vegetables, home cooking etc…competitions that are keenly fought. For example the sweet peas exhibits and thus in competition for prizes were stunning. Elsewhere there was a dog show, children egg throwing competition, a brass band, ice creams, bric a brac, a beer tent and of course a tea tent. The same every year. And everybody in the village loves it.  I was privileged to hand out the prizes which I could do as Ellens Green where the show was located is in Surrey, whilst a Rudgwick site would have been outside my bailiwick in West Sussex. Congratulations to Mike Clarke the Chairman of the Association. 

Rectory Fete

St Nicolas Church Cranleigh dates back to 1170. I was asked by the Rector the very approachable Roy Woodhams to open their annual Rectory Fete when I did point out his Church was not as old as my office of High Sheriff. This fete is a highlight of the Cranleigh year and was well attended with plenty of good stalls (yummy cakes) and a miniature railway much enjoyed by one grandson. Well done Roy and all his helpers. 

 

 

 

 

Great Gurkhas

Beating the Retreat was in the hands of The Band off the Brigade of Gurkhas on Thursday evening against the background of the dramatic setting of Charterhouse School. The Band was terrific  with fast and slick marching displays with a range of music ending, after the National Anthem, with the March Off : Yo Nepali. Well done the Gurkhas! All in aid of ABF The Soldiers’ C

 

harity. 

Matrix

Matrix: a good name for a charity and especially one that is doing good work on the Borough of Guildford. I met their CEO today and was given a glimpse of what they do always aiming “to be in the community”. They are Guildford based and work solely in the Borough which gives them  a great focus providing pastoral support in schools running youth clubs and much else. A youth club member : “I love playing football all night long”! www.matrixtrust.com 

 

 

Socially Excluded

Surrey Care Trust is making a difference to the lives of the socially excluded in Surrey.

I visited today their STEPS to 16 centre in Woking which is giving young people  a second chance in education. Dedicated staff and volunteers really committed to helping these young people who are vulnerable and disengaged. Surrey Care Trust has a range of other interventions with counselling, mentoring and a Children’s Centre, which I look forward to visiting in the months ahead.  Over a year they are touching for the better the lives of over 3,000 individuals assisting them in being their own

 

individuals. 

Impressive and inspiring. www.surreycaretrust.co.uk

Proper Show

Great fun for all at the Cranleigh Show yesterday. A proper agricultural event with lots of animals, tractors  and horse events. Grandchildren loved climbing into the cab of an enormous combine harvester. The organisers deserved the sunshine. Well done to them.

 

 

Perdita's Farewell

Yesterday was the end  of  thirteen years of Perdita Hunt running the Watts Gallery. But she didn’t just run the Gallery. She saved the Gallery. When she arrived as Director, a brilliant appointment by the Chairman Richard Ormond, the Gallery was in a poor physical state, random visitors and no profile. Now, thirteen years later, the Gallery has been completely refurbished, without losing its magic, Watt’s house across the road has been acquired as has a long lease on the Watt’s Chapel. It is not just a Gallery but “Watts Gallery Artists Village”.Its reputation is now National and indeed further afield. Well done Perdita. Do visit the Watts Gallery. www.wattsgallery.org.uk

 

  

Another day another Prison: Hardman Trust

Another day another Prison. At HMP Downview invited by the Hardman Trust to present awards to prisoners from around England. The awards  are given to prisoners close to the end of serving long sentences to pay for equipment/training etc  to prepare for life outside prison. It was an honour to meet the 20 or so recipients and hear how grateful they are for this help and for the boost to their self esteem and confidence that the awards mean. Hardman also produce a Directory e

 

very year full of really practical information for prisoners about to leave prison. Well done the Hardman Trust! www.hardmantrust.org.uk 

Families visiting prisons

I was at Coldingley Prison to learn about the work of the charity PACT. They work in 58 prisons to improve the access families have to prisoners by providing support both in the homes and in the prisons.  We heard testimonials from three Colindgley prisoners for whom PACT has changed their lives by improving their relationship with their partners and importantly with their children.  PACT seems particularly adept at the latter. A national statistic: prisoners that have constructive relationships with their families are 39% less likely to re-offend. A great quote from a prisoner: “I am learning to be a Dad even in a prison.” Well done PACT www.prisonadvice.org.uk 

Prison no 3

My third Prison visit in 8 days. At Coldingley, which is a men’s prison, the Governor is Jo Sims and they have amazing facilities for education and employment for the prisoners, the latter including a large engineering workshop with a lot of equipment and a large printing facility with both producing products  for external commercial customers. Over 95% of the prisoners are gainfully employed. Very impressive as is the statistic that in a recent Inspection 76% of the prisoners said “they had hope”. Coldingley truly is a REFORM prison.