For an increasing number of informed regulars, Epsom Jazz Club has become a nearby haven of quality music attracting national and international talent down to our own corner of Surrey.

For those not yet in the know, it’s worth broaching the growing roster of world-class musicians and singers who’ve walked through the doors at the Comrades Club venue.

It includes Tony Kofi, who blew his sax at Glastonbury this year in the long-running jazz funk outfit Cymande’s latest incarnation, trumpeter Andy Davies who with local guitar star Nigel Price brought along the rest of the amazing Ronnie Scott’s house band (EJC also has jazz lamps on the tables), and Alan Barnes – for whom the cliché ‘luminary’ is, in his case, actually warranted.

Past line-ups of award-winning players also include Hannah Horton, Allison Neale, Emma Rawicz, Karen Sharp and, in a genre that may be said to err sometimes on the side of seniority, the club has carefully promoted some up-and-coming artists, with exciting young vocalists on the bill like Ineza and Annie Majin.

Backdrop set, it is celebrated drummer Matt Skelton breaking new ground in October bringing his Blackhawk Quintet to Epsom – it’s been strictly quartets on the Comrades’ small stage to date – for an evening exploring the work of fellow sticksman Shelly Manne. The show focused on an intense week in the life and career of this West Coast “cool” jazz innovator, band leader, club owner and movie music composer, who in the 1950s and 60s was often pictured nattily dressed at his drums, in jacket and tie, a big smile on his face.

This five-piece is named (deliberately portmanteau, it seems) after a short residency of concerts at San Francisco’s Black Hawk club in the autumn of 1959, recorded with a view to releasing a single live album that became a series of four scintillating records, such was the quantity of quality material, followed by a fifth album in the early 1990s when the whole lot was re-released on CD.

Skelton’s men for the evening were Leon Greening – perhaps my favourite jazz pianist working in the country right now – Mark Crooks, whose tenor sax croons, glides and purrs like Lester Young, Stan Getz or indeed Manne’s tenorman on the Black Hawk records Richie Kamuca; hard-swinging young horn player Jim Davison (once lead trumpet in the National Youth Jazz Orchestra, now leading his own bands and scooping awards); and Jeremy Brown, one of the go-to bassists on the UK scene who’s played at Epsom at least half a dozen times in various line-ups.

It’s a rare treat to hear five musicians on this stage, with two brass-blowing front men. The sound is full and punchy, hitting right to the fore during the energetic thematic heads, and adding that extra bit of variety as the players take their solo turns.

The band took the vocally enthusiastic crowd on a fabulous journey through the recorded sessions, from the mid-tempo bopper Pullin’ Strings to the smoothly striding Eclipse of Spain, via the hard bop of Benny Golson composition Step Lightly.

The night’s focus on the short series of Black Hawk gigs – with occasional forays into other Shelly Manne albums (the grooving, Latin-tinged The Breeze and I from Boss Sounds!) or pieces by his various collaborators including Henry Mancini (the exquisite ballad Dreamsville) – provided a satisfying coherence to the concert you don’t always get.

That satisfaction only deepened with the scholarly asides, stories and nuggets of background about Manne, the gigs and the man’s musical life that Skelton amused us with between numbers.

Oh, and did I mention the drums? Skelton beats them hands down.

Amanda Gregory

Epsom Jazz Club puts on concerts at the Comrades Club, 1 The Parade, Epsom KT18 5BT. The next evening will feature violinist Matt Holborn and his quartet on 27 November, starting 7:30 pm.

Photo by Steven McCormick of Steven McCormick Photography

The 13th Ukraine Music Evening took place on Saturday 25th October at Epsom Methodist Church, organised by Lionel Blackman with the support of the Epsom Refugee Network and Surrey Stands With Ukraine. Extra seats were brought in as the Church filled to the brim.

The Worshipful Mayor of Epsom and Ewell, Councillor Robert Leach (RA Nonsuch), opened the event with words of welcome and appreciation for the town’s ongoing solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

For the first time, the programme featured a Ukrainian dance ensemble — Stephania, choreographed and led by Alina Luts — whose performances introduced vibrant movement and colour between the musical sets.

The modern section of the programme offered a change of mood. Epsom-based performers Helin Konyar (vocals), a graduate of Epsom’s Laine Theatre Arts and Vladislav Voloshin (saxophone) presented three songs: Almost There (Anika Noni Rose), Dream a Little Dream (Robbie Williams) and the Ukrainian favourite Stari Fotohrafiyi by Skryabin, combining contemporary and national influences with confident stage presence.

The evening continued with Vadym Perig, an alumnus of the nearby Yehudi Menuhin School, who travelled from his new home in Vienna to perform Robert Schumann’s Violin Sonata No. 1, accompanied by the accomplished Ukrainian pianist Svitlana Kosenko. Their expressive partnership recalled the high standard of the first Ukraine Music Evening in 2022, in which both artists also appeared.

Pianist Maria Zhornikova returned to Epsom with a refined interpretation of Enrique Granados’ Eight Poetic Valses, followed by À Giverny, a short composition by the organiser Lionel Blackman. Projected images of Monet’s gardens accompanied the performance, and the Mayor’s purchase of the sheet music contributed to funds for Surrey Stands With Ukraine.

Further performances by Stephania included traditional Ukrainian dances such as My Kyiv, Polka, and Chycheri, performed by a talented ensemble of soloists.

As is now tradition, the evening concluded with the Renaissance Choir under the direction of Nataliia Zadorizhna and conductor Dana Kuhlyk, singing the Ukrainian National Anthem and a selection of beloved folk songs — Oh, in the Cherry Orchard, Why Didn’t You Come, Why, Why, My Land, and Hey, Falcons.

All proceeds from the concert went to support the professional musicians who continue to share Ukraine’s rich artistic culture with audiences in Epsom.

Nina Kaye

The “behemoth” that is Dorking Halls has been labelled a “black hole” that sucks in all resources around it after an additional £3.34million in maintenance work was approved.

The new money comes on top of the originally agreed £11.2m the refurbishment project was expected to cost after delays and lead paint saw the bills spiral.

The work has been labelled as essential by those who see the building as a Dorking icon that must be preserved for future generations. Critics have accused Mole Valley District Council of treating the public purse like ‘Monopoly’ money.

The decision was made at the October full council meeting where the second stage of the project was signed off and confirmed Dorking Halls would again close, this time from April 2026 through until early December.

Councillor Nick Wright, cabinet member for leisure and community assets, said: “Dorking Halls is the largest publicly owned performance venue anywhere in east Surrey.

“Dorking Halls typically gets about 180,000 visitors, there are over 60,000 registered customers of which only about half live in Mole Valley.

“Of the Mole Valley residents, approximately one third have postal codes in Dorking itself, 26 per cent from Leatherhead and the north of the district, and about 40 per cent from rural areas. So the Halls really do serve the entire Mole Valley community.

“But it’s not just Mole Valley, with its 900 seated grand hall plus two other halls, two cafe bars and a conference room, this is the largest performance venue anywhere in Surrey and it’s owned by us, the public. This iconic building should and must be cherished and preserved for future generations.

“It’s old, it’s built in 1931, but it has national significance as a venue for classical and choral music and now embraces everything from rock pop musicals, theatre pantomime, comedy lectures, to cinema and circus.”

The building came into public ownership in 1947 and had its first big upgrade and expansion in the 1990s when much of the current tech was installed.

He added: “But after 30 years of continuous daily use, it was showing its age, breakdowns were occurring and running costs increased.” The council had originally approved £11.2million of spending across the two phases; the first was completed late last year in time for the Christmas panto season.

Costs leapt when lead paint was found in the building and needed to be removed – so the council has had to top up the pot with an additional £3.34m this time around. The phase one work concentrated on replacing the ceiling of the grand hall which was failing but the discovery of the toxic paint made the entire project more complex.

This time the council will upgrade the Halls heating cooling, air-conditioning and electrical systems – as well as the technical infrastructure inside the grand hall – bringing it up to modern standards. Council said the extra costs of phase one, together with three years of inflationary pressures has meant a further £3.34 million is needed to finish the job.

The money also includes a one-off “unavoidable growth” of £584,000 to cover the loss of earnings during the Halls’ closure. Cllr Wright said: “Without phase two this building would run the risk of falling into disrepair”.

Cllr Chris Hunt (Independent: Ashtead Lanes and Common), said was one of the first to speak out against the added costs. He said: “This isn’t fair on council tax payers. Nobody is saying it’s a bad building. I was arguing that the scheme should be built quicker. The administration said ‘no slow it down’, they have got to be responsible to this overspend, this monopoly (money) approach to council tax.”

Cllr Patricia Wiltshire (Independent: Ashtead Lanes and Common) said: “This is a massive, massive, overspend and there are people in Mole Valley who are desperately resentful of all these resources going into this one building. Every time we ask for something, little things we get told ‘there’s no money’, or ‘the budgets are too tight’.

“Yet here we are with this behemoth of a building, like a black hole absorbing the resources going into it. It’s a nice venue, it’s useful, people enjoy themselves, but don’t kid yourself that every single person in Mole Valley enjoys it or uses it. It’s a relatively small number in comparison to the whole population.

She added that the burden should fall on those who use Dorking Halls instead and that, if you want to go to the theatre you should pay without expecting everyone else to cover the cost.

Defending the project however was Cllr Stephen Cooksey (Liberal Democrats : Dorking South). He said: “It’s a big chunk of money but if we don’t spend it we could lose Dorking Halls.”

Chris Caulfield LDRS

Image: Dorking Halls – Google.

Related reports:

Dorking Halls to shut again for restoration?

Dorking Halls to reopen after upgrade

Dorking Halls to get refit

Dorking refurb: “it’s behind you”!

A once grim and intimidating underpass in Ewell East has been given a striking new look thanks to a community mural designed to tackle anti-social behaviour and instil pride in the area.

The tunnel, connecting Nescot College with Ewell East railway station, has long been identified as a hotspot for crime and intimidation. Following reports from residents and students, the Epsom & Ewell Community Safety Partnership’s Joint Action Group coordinated a project to reclaim the space.

Work began in September after Epsom & Ewell Borough Council successfully applied for funding from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s Community Safety Fund. The mural was unveiled on 9 October by Surrey’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Lisa Townsend.

The artwork was created by the street art organisation Positive Arts in collaboration with Level 1 and 2 Art & Design students from Nescot. It draws inspiration from the college’s 70-year history, incorporating elements from old prospectus covers, the Spirit of the Wind motif from a former college logo, a frieze from the original entrance, and images of local flora and fauna.

Lisa Townsend said: “It’s really important to me that residents in Surrey are safe in their communities, and that they feel safe too. The footpath between Nescot and Ewell East Station was highlighted by residents as a location of concern, and I have discussed this issue with partners including Surrey Police, college leaders and the British Transport Police.

“The beautiful mural aims to reclaim this public space, which is used by both students and residents. Improvements to lighting, police patrols and additional private security will also bolster community safety and crime prevention in the area. There are seven murals within Epsom and Ewell, each of which helps to foster pride in our communities.”

Councillor Shanice Goldman, Chair of the Crime and Disorder Committee, said: “This community mural is a fantastic example of how multiple partners can work together for the betterment of the community. It is also a valuable step forward in combating anti-social behaviour by rejuvenating an unloved, run down part of the borough and instilling a sense of pride and ownership of the area in the students.”

Sarah Jane Morgan, Art & Design Lecturer at Nescot, said: “It’s been an incredible learning opportunity for our talented students to work alongside renowned artists from Positive Arts to create and bring to life a professional street art mural. They have enjoyed painting a design that celebrates Nescot’s history and curriculum areas, and we are grateful to the council for commissioning our students to work on this transformative project.”

Positive Arts’ director Julian Phethean added: “All of the students participated with passion and pride, eagerly embracing new spray painting techniques and applying them effectively while working collaboratively. They demonstrated a high level of creativity, motivation and focus throughout.”

The Epsom & Ewell Community Safety Partnership includes representatives from Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, Surrey Police, Surrey County Council, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Nescot, National Rail and other community partners. The council’s recent programme of murals across the borough has already shown success in reducing graffiti and improving the look and feel of public spaces.

Emily Dalton LDRS

Surrey Police And Crime Commissioner Reveal mural near Ewell East train station. (Credit: Emily Dalton/ LDRS)

Dean Puckett Returns Home with His Debut Feature The Severed Sun for a Special Screening and Q&A next week Wednesday 8th October! 

A special homecoming event is set to light up the screen at Epsom Picturehouse as local filmmaker Dean Puckett returns to share his debut feature film, The Severed Sun. Dean, a former student of Glyn High School and UCA Farnham, moved from London to Surrey as a teenager before embarking on a filmmaking career that has taken him to major international festivals. Now, he returns to Epsom for a screening and Q&A celebrating the launch of his haunting British folk horror debut. 

Set in an isolated church community gripped by paranoia and superstition after a brutal murder, The Severed Sun is a chilling tale of faith, fear, and folklore. The feature marks the first full-length film from Puckett — produced by Rebecca Wolff (Grasp the Nettle Films) and Jude Goldrei (Lunar Lander Films) — and had its world premiere at Fantastic Fest 2024.

Following screenings at Picturehouse cinemas across the UK, this special Epsom event will feature a post-screening Q&A with Dean, who will share insights into the creative process, behind-the-scenes stories, and what it takes to bring a first feature from script to screen.

“I discovered my love for filmmaking in a small cupboard at Glyn High School in Epsom. This was entirely thanks to one exceptional teacher, Mr Ramasami, who believed in me. Despite struggling academically, he saw that I had a flair for visual storytelling. I lived in Worcester Park from the age of 12 and took countless trips to the cinema in Epsom during my youth, so it’s incredibly gratifying and moving for me to return now with my own feature film. “

— Dean Puckett, Director of The Severed Sun

“It’s a real privilege to work with homegrown talent like Dean and to share his debut feature with the community that helped shape his creative journey. Events like this are not only exciting cinematic moments, they’re also a chance to show aspiring filmmakers that it is possible to follow your passion and make something special. Community is at the heart of what we do at Picturehouse, and hosting screenings like this — which bring people together and celebrate local success — is exactly what our cinema is all about.”

The screening is a chance not only to experience one of the most distinctive new British films of the year but also to celebrate a hometown success story — and discover what it’s really like to turn a dream into a debut.

Event Details:
 Epsom Picturehouse, Epsom Square, Epsom, KT19 8AG

The Severed Sun: followed by a Q&A with Dean Puckett and filmmakers
 Tuesday 8 October, 6:30pm 
 Tickets: www.picturehouses.com/epsom

Image of Dean Puckett

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre marks 60th birthday with major transformation

On Wednesday 10 September, the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford hosted a 60th Birthday Concert celebrating both a milestone anniversary and the completion of a major regeneration project made possible by substantial funding from Your Fund Surrey.

Landmark investment from Surrey County Council

In June 2023, Surrey County Council approved more than £2 million from its Your Fund Surrey Large Community Project scheme for the theatre’s ‘Play Your Part’ capital campaign. It is the largest single award ever made under the fund, designed to secure the Yvonne Arnaud’s future as a cultural community hub with theatre at its heart.

A theatre transformed

Over the past two years, the theatre has delivered radical improvements including a new accessible lift, modernised toilets on every floor, flexible multi-purpose rooms for community groups, a reconfigured front of house and a more welcoming ground floor foyer.

During the anniversary concert, VIP guests including His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh toured the new spaces and enjoyed performances spanning six decades of productions, with contributions from the volunteer choir and Young Company.

Six decades at the heart of the community

Since opening in 1965, the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre has been central to Guildford’s cultural life and an important driver of the local economy. Its outreach programmes and community initiatives already play a significant role across Surrey. The new facilities, supported by Your Fund Surrey, are intended to ensure the theatre can meet the needs of residents and visitors for the next half century.

Voices of support

Denise Turner-Stewart, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Communities and Community, said the council was proud to back the project:

“We would like to congratulate the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre on the delivery of this flagship Your Fund Surrey project, thanks to over £2 million of Large Community Projects Funding, to develop Guildford’s iconic and much-beloved building into a friendly, accessible community hub to serve the whole of Surrey.

“Your Fund Surrey is all about empowering our residents to Make It Happen, by significantly investing in projects that will make a real lasting impact for local communities.

“This long-anticipated renovation project at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre is a great example of how Your Fund Surrey investment has been used to create vibrant, resilient spaces where residents and community groups can come together for social and cultural enrichment, both now and in the future.”

Theatre Director and Chief Executive Joanna Read added:

“We can’t thank Surrey County Council’s Your Fund Surrey enough for supporting our determination to make the theatre accessible and sustainable for the future. We are also hugely grateful to the many people who, early in our journey, wrote letters of support for our ambitions to refurbish the theatre, and those who donated to our campaign.

“We are delighted that our building is now able to welcome even more people to enjoy the fantastic benefits of theatre and arts participation.”

About Your Fund Surrey

Your Fund Surrey was launched in 2020 to back projects that deliver lasting benefits across the county. Since then, it has enabled communities to improve their local environment, build new spaces, enhance cultural venues and develop green areas, creating a stronger sense of pride and belonging.

By investing in diverse initiatives, the scheme is helping to build vibrant, resilient communities and demonstrates what can be achieved when residents come together to make it happen.

The Duke of Edinburgh addresses the audience, in front of the assembled concert company, before unveiling a commemorative plaque – credit: Craig Fuller

Sam Jones – Reporter

One of Surrey’s “largest and most comprehensive arts and performance” spaces could shut its doors again if the next phase of its near £10m revamp is approved. Dorking Halls closed last year as Mole Valley District Council agreed to fund £6.1m in “sorely needed” repairs and refurbishments to avoid safety risks and any unscheduled problems. It later became clear the original scope and scale of the issues had been underestimated and that work would take longer and cost more than first forecast. This has been made worse by rises in material prices and market rates over the past year, the council said. Hoped-for grant funding through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme has also stopped being available.

Mole Valley District Council is now seeking an extra £3.34m of upgrade works to replace outdated air handling units and chillers, cut annual carbon emissions by 75 tonnes with solar panels and heat recovery systems, as well as upgrading the Grand Hall to modern safety and performance standards. Councillor Nick Wright, cabinet member for leisure and tourism, said: “Dorking Halls is arguably the largest and most comprehensive arts and performance venue in eastern Surrey. It is central to our community and is key to the local economy. Dorking Halls plays a vital cultural role in the district, with a busy programme of shows, concerts and films, as well as hosting youth theatre, school productions, live screenings, and community events. It also provides employment opportunities, particularly for young people entering the hospitality sector. This investment will ensure the Halls continue to serve residents and visitors with high-quality cultural experiences for many years to come, while also helping MVDC to meet its carbon reduction goals.”

The Mole Valley’s cabinet is expected to agree to the additional funding when it meets on September 23 ahead of formal sign off at the following month’s full council. The proposed works will be scheduled to minimise disruption, with the venue expected to close temporarily in 2026 from mid-April to early December. The halls last closed over the summer last year as the council addressed making its ceiling safe after a critical failure risk was identified. Had no work been done there was the potential the Grand Hall’s fibrous plaster could become unstable – forcing its closure at short or no notice. Any collapse, regardless of whether the public were in attendance, would likely have led to a fine.

Chris Caulfield LDRS

Dorking Halls Grand Hall (Image MVDC)

Related reports:

Dorking Halls to reopen after upgrade

Dorking Halls to get refit

Dorking refurb: “it’s behind you”!

Local talent will step into the limelight at the Epsom Playhouse this Thursday, when Stagecoach Epsom student Milly Playle performs alongside one of Britain’s most celebrated West End stars, Kerry Ellis, in the opening concert of Ellis’s new UK tour.

Milly, who has already appeared in the West End production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and featured in several television commercials, was selected from hundreds of young hopefuls to join Ellis on stage. She has trained for years at Stagecoach Epsom in singing, dancing and acting, building the skills that have brought her to this special opportunity.

Adding a further Epsom connection, both Stagecoach Principal Rachel and Milly’s mother, Emma, trained at Laine Theatre Arts – the same renowned performing arts college attended by Ellis before her career took flight.

Ellis is a household name in British theatre. She made her West End debut in My Fair Lady before achieving international fame as the original British lead in Wicked, playing Elphaba both in London and on Broadway. She has starred in We Will Rock You, Oliver!, Les Misérables and Cats, and is a long-time collaborator of Queen guitarist Brian May, with whom she has toured worldwide. Her acclaimed solo albums and sell-out concert tours have cemented her reputation as one of the UK’s leading musical theatre performers.

The Playhouse concert is being staged by Perform Ready Events, which creates unique performance opportunities for young people across the country. At every stop on Ellis’s tour, a young performer will share the stage – and for the first night, it is Epsom’s very own Milly.

Rachel, Principal of Stagecoach Epsom, said:

“We are so proud of Milly and thrilled that she’ll be representing Stagecoach Epsom on stage with such an incredible performer. It’s a wonderful opportunity not only for her, but also for our community to celebrate local young talent.”

This November marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Robert Cedric Sherriff (1896–1975), the Surrey-born playwright and screenwriter best remembered for his First World War play Journey’s End.

Sherriff, who attended Kingston Grammar School, originally worked as an insurance clerk before serving with distinction on the Western Front. His experiences in the trenches shaped Journey’s End (1928), the searing drama set in a British officers’ dugout during the last year of the war.

The play, which launched the career of a young Laurence Olivier – barely 21 at the time – was first staged at the Apollo Theatre in London. It became one of the defining anti-war works of its age and continues to be revived on stage and screen nearly a century later.

But Sherriff’s talents extended far beyond the theatre. He went on to become the highest-paid English scriptwriter in Hollywood, penning screenplays for classics such as The Invisible Man (1933), Goodbye Mr Chips (1939), The Four Feathers (1939), and The Dam Busters (1955). His work combined dramatic structure with cinematic flair, leaving an enduring legacy on both sides of the Atlantic.

To mark the anniversary, Surrey History Centre is hosting a special event in Woking on Saturday 8 November (10.30am–12.15pm). The programme includes:

• Dr David Cottis – “RC Sherriff and the Well-Made Screenplay”
  A look at how Sherriff brought stagecraft into cinema, illustrated with material from the Centre’s archives.
• Roland Wales – “Shirkers or Spies? RC Sherriff in Wartime Hollywood”
  Exploring Sherriff’s move to America during the Second World War, where British expatriates were accused in some quarters of being shirkers at home and even suspected spies abroad. Despite this, their patriotic films resonated strongly with American audiences, helping shape wartime morale.

The event will be held both in person at the Surrey History Centre, Woking (130 Goldsworth Road, GU21 6ND), and online via Zoom. Tickets cost £6 and must be booked in advance. Book HERE

For those interested in Surrey’s literary heritage, the occasion provides a rare chance to revisit the remarkable career of a local man who made a global impact – from Kingston schoolboy to West End dramatist, Hollywood insider, and chronicler of the war generation.

For more news and events from Surrey History Centre CLICK HERE

Ahead of A-level results day and Clearing, University for the Creative Arts (UCA) has written an open letter to parents and carers asking them not to discourage their children from making the creative choice and ultimately pursuing their dreams this week.

UCA writes on behalf of the children that came before, those that didn’t choose games over geography, marketing over medicine or animation over accounting due to pressure from their parents and carers, of which there are many examples posted on the online community, The Student Room. “I’m honestly just doing linguistics for my parents. They expect me to get a ‘good’ degree, to get a secure job – they think working in the film industry won’t get me anywhere.”

The University, which for nearly 170 years has delivered creative education, acknowledges it’s only natural for parents and carers to feel uncertain when children say they want to pursue a creative subject. “We understand the hopes and concerns that come with guiding children’s higher education and subject choice. Parents and carers want the best for them – a secure future,” says UCA’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Melanie Gray.

This is reinforced in UCAS’ Project Next Generation report, which states parents want to guide their children towards the pathways that have the best capacity for earning and stability. As a result, almost half (48%) of children in the report, agreed that they feel pressure from parents to make ‘good’ decisions about their education. 

UCA reassures in the letter that ‘a creative choice is a career choice,’ with the creative industries worth £124 billion a year to the UK economy and support more than 2.4 million jobs. Long-term, the sector is also part of the Government’s modern Industrial Strategy – a 10-year plan backing the UK’s strengths with ambitions for eight high-growth sectors, aiming to increase productivity and create jobs.    

Professor Gray, adds: “With this letter we’re not reprimanding parents and carers, we’re simply asking them to support their children and have confidence in them choosing what they love. We have seen time and time again, children not pursuing their creative dreams, which now more than ever, have a secure future.”

UCAS’ report acknowledgesparents and carers play a pivotal role in the crucial choices children make about their future. It also shows children’s higher education choices are inspired by their passions. Support and reassurance, not pressure, is needed to empower children in their decision making.

Support ahead of A-level results day and Clearing is available on UCA’s dedicated webpage, uca.ac.uk/clearing for parents and carers, as well as those wanting to make the creative choice. On Friday 15 and Saturday 16 August, the University also welcomes anyone to tour its campuses and ask staff and current students questions. For those not yet applied through Clearing, Staff will also make on-the-spot offers to those suitable.

Image: Student work by UCA BA Graphic Ryon Pattison