As part of the Surrey Police Cadets camping weekend at Mount Brown, we welcomed 70 cadets and volunteer helpers for a day of countryside fun. We enjoyed a BBQ of Hampton beef in the sunshine and held a glorified sports day complete with a sack race, egg & spoon race and a tug o war. It was a huge pleasure to host the cadets, with their charm and energy, a great credit to themselves. A big thank you to the volunteer cadet leaders for their time and energy.
This fantastic indoor skateboard park inside an old military chapel provides an opportunity for 2000 young people to have a brilliant time ollying and scootering. Over the 20 years Skaterham has been in existence there have been 40 000 young people involved. It is a great community asset where adrenaline runs high and young people thrive.
I was so pleased to present the certificate for the High Sheriff Youth Awards, in recognition of the fantastic work that Skaterham does. Thank you Marilyn, Jim and Darren.
There are moments when as High Sheriff you see inspirational collaboration. The work done by young offenders at the Carpentry Workshop in providing memory boxes and wooden equipment for stroke rehabilitation patients at St Peters Hospital is one of these.
The incredibly caring doctors and staff, on the special neonatal wards of St Peters are so appreciative of the beautifully made memory boxes and the help and comfort these can give to bereaved parents. The dynamic occupational therapists were hugely enthusiastic about the help that the imaginative wooden equipment is to the recovery of stroke sufferers.
The benefits of this carefully considered collaboration are only too evident, but think again, and realise the value to the young carpenters in creating something for people who are at a time of suffering and in need of empathy.
We need to do more of this positive and meaningful collaboration. Thank you to St Peters Hospital and to Ellie Patterson MBE for showing what can be done.
I was very interested and please to have the opportunity to meet with the Governors of HMP Coldingley and to see the benefits of an industrial prison where there is productive work for all the prisoners. I was so pleased that my stationary for my Shrieval year was printed at HMP Coldingley, the printing and sign making workshops are a useful resource that could be used by more of us in Surrey.
A great evening in Revive Coffee Shop at Chertsey for potential Crimetoppers ambassadors. There was much chat and some interesting updates on the importance and value of Crimestoppers in making Surrey a safer place, with an open invitation to all those present to become ambassadors. The setting was perfect, we were very well looked after by the volunteers of the Revive Coffee Shop which is becoming a go-to place for communities to meet. https://www.revivecoffeeshop.co.uk/
Thank you to Wendy Varcoe, Executive Director of Surrey Hills Enterprises for the opportunity to talk to the Members at the wonderful Great Barn, Birtley Courtyard. Of course, I used the chance to promote the use of our amazing Surrey Hills countryside as a resource in which to nurture young people. There was no need to preach to the converted on the beauty of the surrey countryside, but to link this and the sad deprivation found in parts of Surrey was thoughtfully received.
Thank you to Surrey Hills Enterprises and I hope that there are further opportunities to work together in the future.
A fun afternoon here at Hampton with eight young people from Change of Scene. We gave them a tour of the cows, and held a scavenger hunt. The clouds opened, the rain fell and we then explored the lake, watching the fish rise and eating cake. What fantastic young people, so interested and polite. A great accolade for the wonderful work of Change of Scene.
It was a pleasure to meet with Jenny Seagrove and Abbey to see the brilliant work of Mane Chance Sanctuary. The love and care of the horses and shetlands makes this a perfect place for young people to reconnect with animals and feel enriched.
The amazing work of SATRO continues with 600 active volunteers inspiring 9000 children a year in Surrey schools to focus on STEM subjects and continuing to support school children into possible STEM related careers.
They have an impressive range of activities and resources, from their mobile construction classroom to STEM workshops in schools, and it was brilliant to gain a better insight into everything they do for young people in Surrey.
I had the privilege of visiting one of Transform’s properties in the east of the county. The work of Transform in providing accommodation for vulnerable people is so critical. It was incredibly uplifting to meet two residents in an abstinence property whose lives have been turned around by the support and mentoring Transform has given them. Both the residents are now in employment and are also volunteering with those who suffer from the problems they have overcome. Thank you to all at Transform, it was a privilege to meet with the Chairman Mark Austin and the CEO Lawrence Santcross and their wonderful support staff.