Send Art

 

An amazing exhibition of the paintings by the women of Send Prison in an exhibition I visited yesterday. Thus was the inspiration of the women themselves and of Sally Varah (High Sheriff in 2008). The project was keenly supported by the Governor Carlene Dixon. The weekly Watts Gallery workshops at HMP Send (funded by the Michael Varah Memorial Fund and reaching 2,000 women over 10 years) )  were a key ingredient to building the skills and confidence of the artists. A very high standard of art was on display and for sale. I succumbed to “To Infinity and Beyond”. 

Raising the Flag

Hosted by Simon Inchbald the  Mayor of Waverley Borough (I live in this Borough, albeit at an extreme edge!) the Flag was raised in  support for the Armed Forces in a short Service in Godalming

 

 led by Rev Sarah Brough, the Mayor’s Chaplain.  All very dignified and meaningful. Well done Waverley!

Cadet Forces of Surrey

A special Mattins service at Guilford Cathedral with  the Cadet Forces of Surrey  on parade and in the Service. The Lord Lieutenant took the salute and he, I and the Chairman of Surrey CC  inspected the cadets on parade. Wonderful to see so many young people enjoying the experience of being cadets. I enjoyed talking to some of them during the inspection even though I held up the ceremony by chatting to too many for too long!

 

 

Surrey Youth Games

At Surrey University Sports Park watching 2,000 young people representing individual Boroughs competing across 15 different sports. Great day for the  volunteers who coach them, for the children and their families. But it was hot spectating never

 

mind taking part, but I was rather foolishly wearing a tie! www.activesurrey.com/SYG

Losing it

Invited to the Peer Production “Losing It” at the Rhoda McGaw Theatre in Woking.  Peer Productions is a charity specialising in the social welfare education of young people through the medium of theatre. Over ten years plays have been presented in schools on difficult topics like mental health/self harm, teenage pregnancy and drug misuse. Last night’s powerful play was about sex and relationships and didn’t shy away from issues around same sex, transgender, sexting, internet grooming, pornography, rape and more. This play is now being shown to 13 year olds in schools across Surrey in the belief and expectation it will answer questions that that age group struggle to understand. We enjoyed the play as a work of art brilliantly performed by young actors and were really impressed with how cleverly the content is aimed at 13 year

 

 

olds Huge congratulations to the Artistic Director Nina Lemon. www.peerproductions.co.uk  

YMCA East Surrey

 

Had the priviledge of meeting the Chairman (Chris Brewer) and the Chief Executive (Ian Burks) of YMCA East Surrey. What a great organisation leading the field for the whole 
YMCA movement  with  a great  focus on young people and particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with disabilities. Visited a number of of their centres. All very impressive. www.ymcaeastsurrey.org.uk 

Mayor Spelthorne

I was kindly invited to the Civic Service of the new Mayor of Spelthorne, Vivienne Leighton. 

A lovely village Church in Shepperton dating from 1614. What a great part of Surrey down by the River Thames. The Service and the tea party afterwards (great strawberry scones) were very much community focused with the Mayor herself leading the singing (she has a lovely voice!), in a local choir, 

 

of Faure’s Cantique de Jean Racine. I wish Vivienne all success in her year of office. . 

Ashtead Village Day

 

Had the privilege of opening the Ashtead Village Day. Had an exciting journey  there in a 1903 vintage car leading a convoy of old cars from The City of London Freeman’s School site, where we were given a send off by the Headmaster. We are arrived at the Village Day venue to find crowds already there in glorious sunshine to enjoy a wide range of activities, including a circus.

I toured the many stands and was delighted to visit many of the charities that were there. The local MP Chris Grayling was spotted, away from the dramas of Westminster.   Congratulations to Tim Ashton of  Ashtead Rotary who organised the event. 

Guildford Count

The High Sheriff is the Returning Officer for any constituency wholly within the County. I decided to choose Guildford, as it is my own constituency. I arrived  at the Spectrum Leisure Centre around 11.30 pm when the count  was well under way . Sue Surgeon and her staff did a brilliant job and by 2.30 am we were ready to announce the result which had Anne Milton being returned as the MP. Great to see the democratic process in operation. 

 

 

SATRO

Visited SATRO today. They work in schools across Surrey providing young people with real life experience of of work in Science Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). They reached 8,000 children last year in 27 schools. I saw the Mobile Construction Classroom in use at Kings College. with four lads learning  how to lay bricks until the expert guidance of Tutor Bob Mancini. SATRO are improving the life chances of these young people. www.satro.org.uk