Author: Paul Nicholls | Page 2

Play Your Part

A capital campaign to transform Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud into a cultural community hub with theatre at its core.

(L to R) Stephen Bampfylde, (Chair of the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre), Joanna Read (Director & Chief Executive), with actors Timothy West, Susan Jameson and James Bolam.

The Yvonne Arnaud Theatre staged the launch event for their Play Your Part campaign this September.

The Yvonne Arnaud Theatre staged the launch event for their Play Your Part campaign this September. The Yvonne Arnaud Theatre is a registered charity and the only producing venue in Surrey. A regional theatre with a national reach and a mission is to produce and present vibrant, outstanding, entertaining drama for the communities of Surrey and the South East.

An artistic resource and a safe space for many communities to participate in the thrill and delight of live theatre and arts activities, they enable people of all ages to come together; realising stronger, more meaningful, social relationships to build prosperous and cohesive communities.

The theatre is there for everyone, whether they choose to see a play, take part in a workshop, or event, or meet a friend for coffee. The building and its cultural output enable people of all ages from across Surrey to come together.

Their Play Your Part will transform the theatre and develop this iconic and much-loved building as a cultural community hub with theatre at its core. Radically improving accessibility and creating new multi-purpose spaces for wider community and artistic benefit; ensuring it is able to meet the needs of the communities of Surrey for the next 50 years.

The project will:

Improve accessibility throughout the front of house areas including the provision of a lift to all floors and new accessible toilets.
Create a multipurpose accessible community room for engagement activities, events, rehearsals and workshops.
Remodel our public spaces to make them fit-for-purpose to meet the growing demand for these areas.
Improve our environmental sustainability by replacing outdated electrical and mechanical services with energy-efficient alternative.

In June of this year the theatre was delighted to receive £3m from Surrey County Council’s Your Fund Surrey. The theatre thanked the thousands of people who took the time to write in, make comments and like its application on the Your Fund Surrey website, contacted their Surrey County Council representatives and generally supported the theatre in showing how vital it is to the county, in so many ways.

With the generous support of Your Fund Surrey added to the £1.2m they have raised to date, the theatre still need to generate a further £1.6m in order to complete the planned works.

Launch Event

The next stage of the campaign was launched on Wednesday 27th September where they hosted long-standing friends of the theatre for an updated presentation and fund-raising appeal. Around 80 close supporters of the theatre attended the celebration, to learn about the next steps for the campaign, to view a new video outlining future plans, and to hear from the theatre team and campaign donors.

by Paul Nicholls

Dean of Guildford, Dianna Gwilliams to retire

Dean of Guildford, Dianna Gwilliams Photo by Steve Porter

The Very Reverend Dianna Gwilliams has announced that she will retire as Dean of Guildford at the end of her ten years of service in September 2023. She will have her last evensong on Sunday 17th September to mark her final day in the Diocese.

Dianna has had ten very enjoyable years serving the Diocese of Guildford, sitting on the Bishop of Guildford’s leadership team, and leading the work of Guildford Cathedral. She joined the Diocese in 2013 following 36 years in southeast London and has been a force for good not just for Diocesan schools but education and education governance in general.

Reflecting on one of the lesser-known achievements as Dean of Guildford, Dianna said “As an engineer by training I am particularly proud of all the work carried out to the Cathedral building – enabled by 250,000 tonnes of internal scaffolding – a mammoth project only made possible by my wonderful team of colleagues.”

During her time, the Cathedral has welcomed more than 100,000 children and young people through education programmes, school services and outreach, enabled the ordination of more than 120 priests and deacons, welcomed tens of thousands of visitors, hosted a variety of film crews, and provided the focus for the County of Surrey in times of sadness and of celebration, playing a full role as a vital part of the Guildford community.

Bishop Andrew, Bishop of Guildford, said, “I’m so grateful to Dean Dianna for her ten years of ministry at Guildford Cathedral. Much has been achieved during that time, including a superb restoration project which has greatly enhanced the welcome and beauty of this extraordinary building; and Dianna’s constant focus on glorifying Jesus has been an inspiration to many. She will be much missed, but we wish her God’s richest blessing as she moves into a well-deserved retirement.”

“Dianna has overseen many positive changes to life in the cathedral…”

His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Surrey, Mr Michael More-Molyneux said, “Dianna, in her 10 years as Dean of Guildford Cathedral, has overseen many positive changes to life in the cathedral. Her work with schoolchildren and young people in encouraging them into the Cathedral is to be applauded. Her work with other faiths has been significant and developing further all the time. The Cathedral has played its part in large county services including our late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, embraced both within the Cathedral and the grounds.

The very great pressure that Covid put on the Cathedral and worshipping, should not be underestimated. During this time, the cathedral managed to keep its doors open, albeit with a considerable amount of additional work from the Cathedral team, led by Dianna. Her work with London Bridge was significant.

One of her last projects has been the organising of bringing the Knife Angel to Guildford. It was Dianna’s drive and determination which brought this extraordinary sculpture to Guildford and made such a positive impression.

I am pleased that she will continue in her role as a Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey”.

Dianna will now take time to be with her family and remarked “I am so looking forward to being a more hands-on grandmother for my five delightful grandchildren and to be able to support my husband in his business.”

The nave of Guildford Cathedral. (Photo by Nicola Pratt)

Guildford Cathedral at sunset. (Photo by Nicola Pratt)

by Paul Nicholls

Choosing the right school for your child

Choosing a school for your child is an important decision. Luckily, we have access to several excellent schools in this area, and Merrow Schools Federation offers some unique advantages.

Merrow Schools Federation comprises our Infant and Junior school. A key driver for federating last year was to ensure the best for our children, staff and community through greater collaboration. In practice this means:

We have a shared vision, ‘Together We Grow’, which is rooted in our values of Kindness, Respect, Integrity and Perseverance. ‘Together We Grow’ to flourish as resilient, curious and motivated learners, who have built meaningful relationships and have a positive impact in the world.
Our consistent curriculum provision enhances learning for all. We now have a subject lead across both schools to ensure clear progression of knowledge, skills and understanding in all subjects from Reception to Year 6.
The best of both worlds with our Infant school providing an excellent Early Years and Key Stage 1 curriculum within a nurturing environment. The Junior school continues with an inspiring curriculum, excellent facilities and a range of opportunities and experiences suited for older children. All children are encouraged to explore their horizons and ensure they are ready to move to their secondary education.
We pride ourselves on a smooth and effective transition process that allows the infant children to settle quickly and continue with their learning. The children will have experienced several activities at the Junior school before they start, building familiarity and confidence. We know that this experience serves them really well later in their school life.

But don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what some of our parents had to say:

“I am delighted with my child’s progress and how happy she is at the Infant school. She settled in really well and merrily bounces into school each morning.”
Rachel, Reception Parent

“As soon as we walked through the front door, we could tell that Merrow Infants was the perfect environment for our child starting out at school. And that has continued throughout our time here – a safe, warm hug kind of feeling that runs through the whole school and the staff. And as a result we now have a confident little person, ready to move forward to the Junior school!”
Sarah, Year 2 Parent

“I love all the activities the school organises for the pupils. My son has enjoyed the recent trip he went on to Pierrepont Farm and is really excited about Pizza Express! My older child is really excited about how the residentials build up year on year – the Year 3 Sleepover was a firm favourite!”
Mary, Year 1 and 3 Parent

“Our daughter is moving up to the Junior school this year. She is really excited about it being more grown-up as well as having great sports facilities. Transition has been great with sports, picnics and other activities. She loves being buddied up with a year 6 child who made her a beautiful hand-written welcome leaflet telling her all about the school!”
Deborah, Year 2 parent

“My year 6 child is really looking forward to the added responsibility that comes from being ‘top of the school’. She can’t wait to bond with her Year 2 buddy and is excited about being a sports leader and helping out with the younger children.”
Neil, Year 6 Parent

We’re really proud of our schools and the progress we have already achieved as our Federation takes shape. We welcome visitors throughout the year and look forward to introducing you to our wonderful schools. This is the best way to experience what makes our schools so special and to understand whether it is the right choice for your child.

Our next Open Day is on 4th October. Details can be found on our website: https://www.merrowfederation.school/

by Paul Nicholls

Sleep Toniq: a natural journey

You may have read our series of interviews with interesting and inspiring people from Burpham and Jacobs Well. Although it has been a while since we last wrote one of these features, this month we spoke with local entrepreneur Timothy Spinks about his new business venture, producing and selling a natural health drink called Sleep Toniq.

At the beginning of June, lifelong resident of Burpham, Timothy Spinks set up a business selling a product called Sleep Toniq; a natural health drink that promotes sleep, supports digestion and calms the mind.

“It was never my plan to set up a business. After school I took the conventional route into university and then straight into the job market. But the years that followed carried my life in an unpredictable direction.

When I got my first 9-5 job after university, I noticed a big decline in the quality of my sleep. I was constantly tired, felt groggy in the mornings, and developed bags under my eyes.

In my tireless search for a solution, I came across a traditional sleep remedy that has been around for hundreds of years: apple cider vinegar and honey. This piqued my interest, as I was already taking shots of apple cider vinegar and honey during the day for other health reasons, and I was intrigued at the prospect of it also adding value to my sleep routine. Rather than taking a shot of it before bed, which I didn’t think would be pleasant, I simply added it to my nightly chamomile tea.”

From the first night of trying this new drink, Timothy knew he was on to something good.

It was healthy, relaxing, stopped him from getting up in the night, and removed nearly all of the morning grogginess he used to get. He began drinking it every night.

In the years that followed, Timothy quit the 9-5 lifestyle after experiencing what many millennials call a ‘quarter-life crisis’. He decided to take the skills he had learned and go self-employed as a business consultant, helping charities and small businesses access different kinds of grant funding.

“I found it to be fulfilling, challenging, and interesting work, but after Covid, I began to get disillusioned. I had helped so many inspiring business and charity leaders get closer to their dreams, but realised that in the process I had been neglecting my own. I didn’t want to spend my whole life working on other people’s projects. I wanted to get off the side-lines, step into the arena, and start a business for myself.”

“I’m looking forward to the challenge and I’m excited about the prospect of growing my brand and maybe, just maybe, turning Sleep Toniq into a household name one day – that would be a dream come true.”

Unsure as to what business venture he could pursue, a thought occurred to Timothy: I wonder if other people will like that sleep drink I make? He did some research and discovered that the sleep and health drink industries were both growing rapidly, and that his sleep drink could potentially ride the crest of both these waves. He decided to go for it.

“Having gained a broad knowledge of the charity and funding landscape from my self-employed work, I already knew about a charity called the Prince’s Trust, established by King Charles, that helps young people start their own businesses. I signed myself up, completed their business enterprise course, developed a business plan, got assigned to a mentor, and received a small grant that I combined with my savings to pay for a small production run.

A week after the production run, on the 7th of June, 3,500 cans arrived at my house on Burpham Lane. My housemates were quite surprised to come home and find boxes piled high in the hallway!”

Three days later he had his first trading event at Ripley Farmers’ Market: “I was hoping to sell between 20 and 40 cans and roughly break even for the day, but people loved the product much more than I expected and I ended up selling out all the cans I had brought with me – 140!

Since then I’ve carried on trading at every farmers’ market I can find in the local area, as well as making sales on my online store sleeptoniq.com. My best day of trading so far was at Burpham Wellfest, where the attendees loved the fact that I am based locally, use local ingredients, and bring something new to the area. I sold 190 cans that day.

It has been a promising start so far for Timothy, but he is aware he has got a long journey ahead of him. Years, maybe even decades.

“I’m looking forward to the challenge and I’m excited about the prospect of growing my brand and maybe, just maybe, turning Sleep Toniq into a household name one day – that would be a dream come true.”

Until then, he is planning to attend every farmers’ market in the Southeast, start getting his drinks into more shops, and slowly scale the business.

If you’re interested in trying Timothy’s drink, you can order it from his website sleeptoniq.com or you can follow him on his journey on Instagram @sleeptoniq

Timothy Spinks sells Sleep Toniq at Burpham Wellfest 2023.

…and sells out at Ripley Farmers’ Market.

by Paul Nicholls

Sight For Surrey Raffle Raises £6,600

The new CEO of Sight for Surrey, Clare Burgess, drew the 22 winning tickets of the charity’s Centenary Raffle, alongside Sight for Surrey’s retiring Chief Executive, Bob Hughes.

Sight For Surrey Centenary Raffle Raises £6,600

The new CEO of Sight for Surrey, Clare Burgess, drew the 22 winning tickets of the charity’s Centenary Raffle, alongside Sight for Surrey’s retiring Chief Executive, Bob Hughes.

The raffle raised £6,600 for the charity that supports people in Surrey with a sight and or hearing loss.

Clare Burgess, previously CEO of Surrey Coalition of Disabled People, took over the reins from Bob Hughes, who led the charity for nearly 10 years. First prize was £250, 2nd prize an afternoon tea at the beautiful Wotton House, Dorking and 3rd prize was a £50 voucher for a delicious Indian meal at Chatora Restaurant – all winners have been contacted with the good news!

Clare Burgess, CEO of Sight for Surrey said, “our Centenary Raffle has raised a significant amount of money for Sight for Surrey, and we thank everyone that has sold tickets to family and friends, or bought tickets themselves. Every penny raised will go towards providing help and support to people in Surrey with a sensory loss.”

Sight for Surrey is a charity that supports people who are blind, vision impaired, Deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing in Surrey and celebrated their Centenary in 2022. The charity are looking for schools, clubs and individuals to join them in raising funds for the charity in their 101st year. If you would like to take part in a fundraising challenge then please contact fundraising@sightforsurrey.org.uk

by Paul Nicholls

What’s stopping you?

Christine Sciberras, Founder and Head Coach at Melita Fitness

The evidence is clear. If there’s one thing that you should do to improve your health, it’s EXERCISE.

There’s plenty of studies showing that exercise will massively impact not just health and longevity and quality of life too.
Exercise improves muscle strength and bone density. This is especially important for women aged 30 onwards as these decline as we age.
It also helps improve metabolic health by improving insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.
It improves cardiovascular health helping to risk of heart disease and lowering blood pressure.
There is evidence suggesting that regular physical activity may lower the risk of certain cancers, such as breast and colon cancer. Of course, it also helps manage your weight, and we know that excess weight is also linked to increased cancer risks.
Exercise has been linked to a boost in the immune system.
And studies suggest that regular physical activity can improve cognitive function or prevent cognitive decline. Plus we all know that exercise boosts happy hormones improving our mental wellbeing.

So if I could offer you a simple solution that hits all of these benefits, what’s stopping you from getting started? Now, the truth is I’ve been doing this a long time. So I actually know the answer to my question.

Reason #1 – “I don’t have time”

I get it – we’re busy. There’s work deadlines, endless meetings, dishes to wash, humans to feed. And so much life admin!

But think of it this way: the way we allocate time is our choice and understanding this empowers us to take ownership of our lives. Finding moments for regular physical activity can significantly impact our overall well-being.

Reason #2 – “I’m not fit enough…”

Or you might be thinking:

“I’m scared to get started…”
“I’m worried about being judged…”
“I don’t know where to start…”

Making changes is hard and it can be daunting. But the hardest obstacle is in your head.

So persuade a friend to join you or find amazing supportive community that you can join!

Reasons #3 – “I’m just too lazy” or “I have no motivation”

You’d be surprised how often I hear these. Often they’re a cover for either of the previous two excuses.

But sometimes it’s a case that you haven’t quite realised how urgent and important it is to get started today. But I’ll say it one more time, if there’s one thing you can do to improve your current health and your future health it’s working out.

And while it’s never too late to start, your future self will thank you for getting started sooner, rather than later…

So if you’ve been watching us from a distance or thinking about getting fit, I really want you to remember this:

Everyone was a beginner at some point.
You are probably far more capable than you give yourself credit.
We keep our classes small, so that we can make sure that you’re working at the right level for you!
And if you join us, it’s more than just fitness. It’s about the community, the sense of being in it together, the friendships, the positive and supportive atmosphere. As well as the knowledge that we’re doing something beneficial for our health and wellbeing…

by Paul Nicholls

Let us remove the stress of those Chores and Challenges

Home Counties Carers has built a fantastic reputation for caring by listening to our clients and their families and offering services that meet their needs.

We are excited to offer a new service that we believe will help many local people live less stressful lives with greater joy.

My stepfather passed away prematurely at the age of 70 throwing my Mum’s life into turmoil. What struck me was the sheer amount of ‘Chores and Challenges’ that suddenly needed to be done by my Mum, adding to her stress and anxiety at a very difficult time.

Daily chores and challenges like managing bills, speaking to service providers; shopping and cooking; maintaining the house and garden all became a burden and at the same time Mum lost confidence driving and felt lonely, worrying about being a burden to family and friends.

If my Mum had someone local who she trusted, who was friendly, reliable and competent who she could rely on to help with the chores and challenges the burden would be less so easier to deal with.

We don’t believe my Mum is alone, which is why we are exploring the potential and demand for ‘Chores and Challenges’, a service for those who don’t know where to turn to get help.

Using the same successful model that makes our Care services Outstanding, our ambition is to provide local people with our friendly, reliable, trustworthy, and competent Team who will take care of all your Chores & Challenges, reducing the stress and enabling you to live your best life.

If you are interested in knowing more please call us and Lu or I will pop round to see you to find out where we can help. Call Matt on 07826 545 268

Matt and Lu, Home Counties Carers.

How we can help:

Admin tasks Bills, paperwork, utilities even speaking with BT!
House keeping Clean, tidy, sort and recycle.
Trades Trust us to arrange and manage plumbers, electricians, TV and broadband.
Days out Fun trips, experiences even a Nile cruise if you fancy it.
Driving We’ll take you anywhere, well almost anywhere.
Health Accompanied trips to doctors, hospital, physio, chiropody.
Shopping Shop until you drop or let us push the trolley.
Garden Hedges, lawns and leaves but we dread weeding.
Handyman Light bulbs, dripping taps, handrails, even a splash of paint.
Just being there Chit chat, laughter, listening without judgment.

by Paul Nicholls

The North Guildford Food Bank

Who do we serve and where is the Food Bank?

If you shop at Sainsbury’s in Burpham you may have noticed the collection point for The North Guildford Food Bank inside the store. Although we are based at St Clare’s Church in Park Barn, the Food Bank’s clients come from all over the Guildford area including Burpham and Merrow. We cannot provide this service without your generosity; whether that is a donation of a tin of soup, some cereal, nappies or indeed a financial donation through our web-site: northguildfordfoodbank.co.uk

Clients are referred to the Food Bank from many sources including GPs, Guildford Borough Council, Home School Link Workers, Citizens Advice Bureau and Guildford Action. Unemployment is the biggest reason for a referral followed by debt, benefit delay, sickness, cost of living and low income. Clients come to us to receive a generous package tailored to their household that includes food, toiletries, household cleaning products, dog and cat food (if needed) and sanitary items. We also keep additional foodstuffs for clients with specific dietary needs.

Audrey Howells, Val Morecom, Karin Hirschcom, Chris Lee (in the cafe with packed parcels ready for clients).

Where do our supplies come from?

Help comes from far and wide thankfully. Individuals donate food. Streets come together to raise funds or drop off bags of groceries. Businesses (including Waitrose and Pets at Home where donations can also be made), schools and local clubs also help. Regular donations from Guildford Lions enable us to provide fresh fruit and vegetables. Cash donations mean we can buy and give out milk, cheese, butter and bread as well as fuel vouchers for clients with pre-payment gas or electricity meters. Guildford Borough Council delivers to housebound clients.

Burpham (and Guildford) is blessed with wonderful friends, clubs, churches, schools, businesses and neighbours who all look out for those who find themselves in need. And then we have around 90 incredible volunteers.

Lorraine Price (Team Leader at Wednesday’s session outside St Clare’s).

What happens to items you leave in the Food Bank donation point in Sainsbury’s?

Each Monday our volunteers pick up the donations, taking the stock to St. Clare’s Church. The new stock is then dated, sorted and put away in our storeroom ready for our volunteer packers.

In preparation for the sessions, our volunteers pack parcels tailoring each to the client’s specific needs and preferences (for example vegetarian, low-sugar, gluten-free and so on) that are forwarded to us by the client’s referrer.

The Food Bank is open each week on Tues (1pm-2pm), Wed (9.30am-10.30am) and Fri (5.30pm-6.30pm). At these times clients collect their parcels and can also spend time in our free café chatting to volunteers. Many clients find themselves isolated and this friendship and support can be just as valuable as the food. It is also an opportunity to tell the clients about other services and help that is available to them from so many different groups in Guildford.

We are sometimes asked about clients’ reactions when they receive their packages. Clients are immensely grateful to our volunteers and of the compassion and generosity of those who have made donations. It is not uncommon for clients to become emotional when they receive their parcels. Some who have benefited from the food bank subsequently find themselves in better circumstances and go on to donate items themselves. It can be difficult to visualise the impact you are having on peoples’ lives when you place your donated items in the collection boxes. Please take it from us that you are doing something very special indeed.

Thank you, Burpham!