A former Glyn School head boy is preparing to flip a 100kg tractor tyre continuously for 24 hours in an attempt to break a Guinness World Record and raise £20,000 for his old school.

Professional trainer and fitness instructor James Farmer will begin the challenge at midday on Sunday 25 October, finishing at midday on Monday.

He will flip the tyre around a marked course within the Epsom school’s grounds, continuing throughout the night under the observation of independent witnesses.

The current Guinness World Record for the greatest distance covered by tyre flipping in 24 hours stands at 11.21km. James hopes to exceed 15km.

Money raised will contribute towards a new sports pavilion at Glyn School, which is part of the 43-school GLF Schools trust.

The proposed pavilion would provide improved facilities for physical education, competitive fixtures and after-school sport. It would also offer opportunities for use by the wider community.

James has worked in health and wellbeing for more than 20 years, training athletes and Olympians and appearing on ITV as a fitness expert. He credits Glyn with setting him on the path to his career.

He said: “I owe Glyn a debt of gratitude for providing the foundation upon which I built my entire career.

“Twenty-four hours of flipping a tyre is a hard way to say thank you. But if it puts a pavilion on those playing fields, it will have been worth every hour.”

Glyn headteacher Jo Garrod said: “James left here in 1999 and he has never really left us behind, which says something about Glyn, and James as a person.

“What he is taking on is extraordinary, and the pavilion he is raising money for will be used by our pupils every week for decades. We will be out there cheering him on through the night.”

The challenge comes as Glyn prepares to celebrate its centenary in 2027. James hopes the new pavilion will honour the school’s history while supporting its ambitions for the future.

Spectators are welcome to attend and encourage James during the challenge. Local businesses interested in sponsoring his attempt can contact the school.

Donations can be made through the James World Record for Glyn fundraising page.

Further information about the school is available from the Glyn School website.

Image: James Farmer flipping a tyre and inset when head Glyn boy

Citizens Advice helps nearly 3,900 borough residents

Citizens Advice Epsom & Ewell (CAEE) has published its Annual Report for 2025/26 following its annual general meeting.

During the year, the charity helped 3,861 people across the Borough of Epsom and Ewell, addressing 11,312 issues.

A team of more than 50 volunteers, supported by 16 paid members of staff, provides the skills and knowledge needed to solve problems, offer reassurance, create stability and help clients towards independent lives.

Lisa Davis, chief executive of Citizens Advice Epsom & Ewell, said: “Behind each of these numbers is a real person: someone struggling with energy debts whilst managing serious health conditions, someone rebuilding their life after domestic abuse, or someone working through decades of accumulated hardship.

“It is a privilege to stand alongside people at their most vulnerable and help them find a way forward.”

Linda’s story

Linda approached CAEE with a large energy debt after being unable to communicate with her energy company to resolve the problem.

She had experienced several health conditions over recent years, including cancer, diabetes, a stroke and mobility difficulties. These had affected her mental health and ability to work, leaving her feeling overwhelmed.

A CAEE energy adviser clarified the situation with the energy company and advised Linda on managing her Unreal finances and minimising her energy use. Linda now feels better able to cope in the future.

Fazia’s story

Fazia moved to the UK with her husband on a spousal visa with no recourse to public funds.

After experiencing domestic abuse, her husband was removed from the home by the police and she separated from him.

Fazia instructed a firm of solicitors to apply on her behalf for an independent visa and access to public funds under the Migrant Victims of Domestic Abuse concession. After receiving no response from the solicitors despite contacting them repeatedly, she approached CAEE.

The charity applied on her behalf and her application was resolved within a week.

An adviser also helped Fazia claim benefits, as she had been without funds for many months, and provided foodbank and Household Support Fund vouchers until she received her first Universal Credit payment.

Fazia is now working towards independently supporting herself and her child.

Clive’s story

Clive’s story is one of many missed opportunities to prevent someone falling into serious debt.

After losing his wife a few years ago, Clive struggled with bereavement and lost his well-paid job. While trying to provide for his children, he began accumulating credit card debt.

His life became harder still when he was the victim of a hit-and-run road accident and lost his son to Covid-19.

By the time he approached CAEE, he was living in his daughter’s flat with several significant health conditions, poor mental health and debts totalling more than £40,000 across nine financial institutions.

More than 12 months later, CAEE is still working with Clive to alleviate his circumstances. With considerable perseverance by both parties, most of his debt has been written off and Clive is on track to live an independent life, financially in control and debt-free.

Lisa Davis added: “CAEE gives people the knowledge and confidence they need to find their way forward – whoever they are and whatever the problem.”

Citizens Advice Epsom and Ewell

Epsom & Ewell Borough Council is inviting residents to share messages of encouragement and support as part of the Messages of Hope campaign, marking World Suicide Prevention Day on 10 September.

Part of the council’s Health and Wellbeing Strategy, the initiative aims to help people feel connected, reduce the stigma around mental health, raise awareness of local support services and resources, and provide messages of hope to people who may be facing mental health challenges or affected by the loss of someone to suicide.

Messages of Hope display boards will be located at several locations across the borough. Residents are invited to write a message of hope for others and read or take a message that resonates with them. Information about local mental health support services and resources will be available at each location.

From 10 to 17 September, residents can write a message of hope and pin it to one of the boards located at:

• Ashley Centre, Epsom
• Bourne Hall Library, Ewell
• Epsom Library
• Epsom Picturehouse
• St John’s Church, Stoneleigh

Chief Executive of Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, Jackie King, Chair of the Community & Wellbeing Committee, Councillor Clive Woodbridge, and the Mayor of Epsom & Ewell, Councillor Lucie McIntyre, will add their own messages to the board at the Ashley Centre on 10 September.

Epsom Picturehouse will host a free Letters of Hope workshop in its café area on 10 September from 2pm to 4pm, led by local facilitator Kate McBarron. Participants will be guided through letter-writing techniques and prompts to help them create messages of hope, with time afterwards to continue writing. To book a place, email epsom.marketing@picturehouses.co.uk or call 07841 724938.

Councillor Clive Woodbridge, Chair of the Community and Wellbeing Committee said: “Mental health challenges can affect anyone, and they can have a profound impact on individuals, families and friends.

“World Suicide Prevention Day is an opportunity to raise awareness, encourage conversations and remind people that small acts of kindness can make a real difference. Through Messages of Hope, we want to show that Epsom & Ewell is a community that cares, where people look out for one another and where nobody has to face difficult times alone.”

“I would encourage anyone who is experiencing mental health difficulties, or who is concerned about someone they know, to reach out for help. One life lost is too much.”

Information about local mental health support and resources can be found here: Mental Health Support and Resources | Epsom and Ewell Borough Council  

About the EEBC Messages of Hope campaign

The Message of Hope campaign aims to create moments of human connection, reduce stigma around emotional wellbeing, and provide accessible messages of hope to anyone who may be struggling. This campaign does not replace professional support; it complements existing suicide prevention efforts by creating opportunities for compassion, conversation, and hope across the borough.

About Epsom’s Picturehouse free letter-writing technique workshop, supported by EEBC

Epsom’s Picturehouse cinema in Epsom Square will be opening its café space for a free Letters of Hope workshop on September 10th, led by local facilitator Kate McBarron. Kate will lead an hour of guided letter-writing techniques, prompts and inspiration from 2pm, followed by time for participants to continue writing and use the resources provided.

About the EEBC Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025-2028

The strategy supports all residents, with particular attention given to children and young people, older adults, individuals whose health is affected by broader social and economic factors and those whose personal circumstances may disproportionately increase their vulnerability to poor health and wellbeing. The strategy also includes specific references to those who are disproportionately impacted by isolation, disability, digital exclusion and people with long-term health conditions. (Public Pack) Agenda Document for Community and Wellbeing Committee, 08/07/2025 19:30

Epsom and Ewell Borough Council

A prison near Epsom and Ewell has made encouraging progress in safety and the time prisoners spend out of their cells – but illicit drugs, poor living conditions and delays in rehabilitation remain serious concerns.

HM Chief Inspector of Prisons visited HMP High Down, at Banstead, during an unannounced inspection from 1st to 11th June. The Category C training and resettlement prison held 1,085 men, close to its operational capacity of 1,113.

The inspection report, published on 7th September, described the findings as “generally positive” and praised an experienced governor and strong leadership team.

Safety was upgraded from “not sufficiently good” at the previous full inspection in 2023 to “reasonably good”. Purposeful activity improved from “poor” to “not sufficiently good”.

Respect remained “reasonably good”, while preparation for release was again judged “not sufficiently good”.

Drugs remain biggest threat

The prison had developed a more robust response to illicit drugs, including improved gate security, more extensive testing and a comprehensive programme for prisoners seeking to overcome addiction.

Positive results from random drug tests fell from 31 per cent before the previous inspection to 19 per cent. Although an improvement – and better than at many other prisons – inspectors said the figure remained too high.

Criminal gangs were regularly using drones to deliver drugs and other prohibited items. Window cages had reduced the risk, but some were damaged and weaknesses in windows, grilles and netting continued to provide access.

Inspectors concluded that the illicit economy remained the greatest threat to High Down’s stability, contributing to debt, bullying, fear and violence.

Reported violence had nevertheless fallen by 14 per cent and was broadly in line with other Category C prisons. Self-harm was 22 per cent lower than at the last inspection and there had been no self-inflicted death at the prison since then.

Despite these improvements, 56 per cent of prisoners questioned said they had felt unsafe at High Down, while 31 per cent said they felt unsafe at the time of the survey – both higher proportions than at comparable prisons.

Stark difference in time outside cells

Prisoners in full-time work or on the enhanced regime could spend as much as 10.5 hours a day outside their cells.

For unemployed prisoners, who represented about 10 per cent of the population, the average was only around three-and-a-half hours.

Roll checks found almost a quarter of prisoners locked in their cells during the working day. Inconsistent operation of the regime meant that some were locked up as early as 4.30pm and, in a small number of cases, were not released until 11am the following morning.

There were some popular employment-focused programmes, including railway courses and XO Bikes, which trains prisoners to refurbish bicycles. Construction courses taught bricklaying, plastering, painting and decorating, while other prisoners could qualify as baristas and learn to repair coffee machines.

Most prisoners completing courses achieved their qualifications and inspectors found that teaching standards had improved.

However, attendance at education, training and work remained too low. Some prisoners were not unlocked for scheduled classes, while staff did not always challenge those who refused to attend. Ofsted judged every aspect of the prison’s education and skills provision as “requires improvement”.

Dirty cells and damaged showers

Conditions varied considerably across the prison.

Communal areas were generally clean and some specialist units were well cared for, with gardens, plants and other improvements. Inspectors also welcomed a reduction in the number of prisoners sharing cells.

Elsewhere, cells were dirty and toilets and sinks were described as particularly unhygienic. Few cells had curtains, forcing prisoners to use sheets or towels to block the light, and some reported shortages of basic supplies such as toilet paper.

Many showers were grimy, damaged or lacked screens providing sufficient privacy. At the time of the inspection, 183 cells intended for one person were being shared by two.

The prison library was also too small for the population, with inadequate materials, limited seating and some broken furniture.

Rehabilitation delays

High Down became a Category C training and resettlement prison in 2022, with an emphasis on preparing men for release. Inspectors found that it was still not achieving its full potential in that role.

The offender management unit was understaffed and officers carried high caseloads. Contact was often concentrated on prisoners approaching an important sentence milestone, leaving many others without meaningful help.

This delayed risk assessments, transfers to open prisons and access to offending behaviour courses. There was a particular bottleneck for the Building Choices programme, with insufficient places and what inspectors described as at times chaotic allocation arrangements.

Of the approximately 800 prisoners released during the preceding year whose outcomes were known, around 30 per cent went into sustainable accommodation. About eight per cent were released homeless – still too many, inspectors said, although a lower proportion than at most London prisons.

Only 41 former prisoners were known to be in employment six weeks after release, rising to 58 after six months.

There were positives in resettlement support, including well-coordinated housing advice, help with benefits and debt, and efficient arrangements on the day of release. Family support delivered by the charity Pact and parenting programmes run with Sutton Council were singled out as examples of good practice.

Health-record concerns

Inspectors also identified shortcomings in health services. Records did not always contain complete details of appointment requests, triage decisions or “do not attempt resuscitation” instructions.

For at least three years, nurses had routinely poured and labelled individual doses of methadone before transporting them to prison wings, a practice which inspectors said was not consistent with professional nursing standards.

The Care Quality Commission requested action plans from the prison’s health providers over record-keeping, complaints handling, clinical governance and the monitoring of risks.

Concluding the report, Chief Inspector Charlie Taylor said further improvement depended partly on the Prison Service providing resources for building refurbishment and security upgrades.

He added that High Down also required renewed attention to offender management staffing and prisoners’ attendance at education.

Seven of the report’s 15 principal concerns were classified as priorities requiring immediate attention.

Lionel Blackman

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Related reports:

Surrey County Council Prison Social Care Team awarded CQC ‘good’ rating – 9th July 2026

Surrey jail addresses prison population crisis – 15th June 2025

Surrey prison failed IPP prisoner – 23rd December 2024

Damning report on local prison – 16th November 2023

You could re-train to reform offenders – 13th April 2023

Image: HMP High Down from Google maps

Epsom and Ewell has been ranked among the friendliest and most connected places in England in a new national index examining the strength of community life.

The borough placed 56th out of 296 local authority areas on the National Conversation’s Connection Barometer, giving it a score of 71.2 out of 100 and an “A” grade.

That puts Epsom and Ewell comfortably inside England’s top fifth and fourth highest among Surrey’s 11 boroughs and districts. Waverley was ranked 13th nationally, Mole Valley 21st and Elmbridge 23rd.

The results attracted national attention after The Guardian reported that the Isles of Scilly had been named England’s friendliest place. The islands were followed by South Hams, West Devon, Derbyshire Dales and the nearby London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.

However, the description of the findings as a vote for England’s “friendliest” places needs some qualification. Residents were not simply asked to rate the friendliness of their towns and neighbours.

Instead, the barometer combines eight measures taken from the Government’s Community Life Survey 2024/25. Each council area was ranked against the other 295 areas on every measure, with those rankings averaged to produce a score out of 100.

The Epsom and Ewell figures were:

• 4.6% said they felt lonely often or always;
• 65.7% felt strongly that they belonged to their immediate neighbourhood;
• 48.4% believed many people in their neighbourhood could be trusted;
• 85.6% agreed that people from different backgrounds got on well together;
• 70.1% were proud to live in their local area;
• 69.1% chatted to their neighbours at least once a month;
• 20.1% undertook formal volunteering at least once a month; and
• 37.5% had participated in civic activities during the previous 12 months.

The borough performed particularly strongly on civic participation, volunteering, local pride and relations between people from different backgrounds. Its relatively low reported level of frequent loneliness also contributed positively to the overall score.

The findings provide statistical support for the familiar picture of Epsom and Ewell as a borough sustained by residents’ associations, charities, sports clubs, faith groups, heritage organisations and other voluntary bodies.

There are nevertheless reasons for treating precise league-table positions cautiously. The Government survey estimates come with margins of error, meaning small differences between neighbouring positions may not be statistically significant.

The barometer itself describes its score as a “rough guide, not a final measure”. Its eight indicators are given equal weight and cannot capture every aspect of living in a particular community. The survey also covers the whole borough, so it does not reveal whether experiences differ between individual neighbourhoods.

The Community Life Survey questioned adults aged 16 and over between October 2024 and March 2025. A larger sample in 2023/24 and 2024/25 allowed the Government to publish meaningful estimates for individual local authority areas.

The index was produced by the secretariat of the Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion to support the wider National Conversation, a UK-wide exercise examining what connects and divides people.

The Commission is co-chaired by former Conservative Home Secretary Sir Sajid Javid and former Labour MP Jon Cruddas. It has brought together representatives from politics, academia, business, faith and civil society to consider growing concerns about social isolation, division and the weakening of community institutions.

The National Conversation explained that official statistics provide only part of the picture and that the index was intended to prompt discussion about whether the figures reflect people’s lived experiences.

Its public survey closed on 31st August. The findings are expected to contribute to a report by the Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion later in 2026.

At the opposite end of the barometer, Barking and Dagenham ranked 296th, below Stoke-on-Trent, Ashfield, Mansfield and Ipswich.

For Epsom and Ewell, 56th place is not quite a claim to being England’s single friendliest community. It does, however, provide encouraging evidence that neighbourliness, civic involvement and local pride remain notable strengths of the borough.

Lionel Blackman

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Idealised image

More than 700 Scouts and volunteers from Surrey, including Scouts from 3rd Epsom & 8th/14th Epsom (Air Scouts), have returned from an unforgettable international adventure in Switzerland as part of KIX 2026 (Kandersteg International eXpedition).

The expedition marked a significant milestone, celebrating 25 years of Surrey Scouts’ modern-era expeditions to Kandersteg International Scout Centre (KISC), one of the world’s premier Scout destinations. The 2026 contingent was the largest group of Scouts to leave the UK this year.

The first Surrey expedition to Kandersteg took place in 2001 under the name SWaK (Scouts with Altitude – Kandersteg). Since then, Surrey Scouts have returned through a series of major international expeditions, including Expand 2004, K9 in 2009, and KIX events in 2014, 2018, 2023 and now 2026.

During their week in the Swiss Alps, Scouts from 3rd Epsom & 8th/14th Epsom (Air Scouts),  joined fellow participants from across Surrey to experience a programme packed with adventure, challenge and international friendship. While at Kandersteg, they met Scouts from Canada, Portugal, Spain, Australia, Ireland, Switzerland, Germany and other parts of the United Kingdom, demonstrating the truly global nature of Scouting.

Participants travelled to Switzerland aboard twelve coaches provided by Baker Dolphin, departing from Cobham Services.

The expedition offered a wide range of activities, including hiking in the mountains led by trained and KISC-qualified mountain walkers, rafting on the river Aare from Thun to Bern, and high ropes adventures in Interlaken. Scouts also had opportunities to explore local towns and communities, gaining first-hand experience of Swiss culture and life.

Each troop selected a special activity day tailored to their interests. Activities included visiting the Schilthorn, famous for its appearance in a James Bond film; exploring the Jungfrau region; travelling to the Rothorn by steamship and mountain railway; relaxing in the thermal pools at Brigerbad; tobogganing at Lake Oeschinensee; visiting the St Beatus Caves; and climbing in Winteregg.

In addition, the Young Leader (YL) Squad helped KIX in helping to protect local biodiversity through a partnership with the Forestry Commission. KIX has partnered with Flora from the local Forestry team to contribute to the protection and preservation of biodiversity in the Kandertal area.

The Kandertal is one of the regions in the Canton of Bern with the highest concentration of reptiles. Eight of Switzerland’s sixteen native reptile species can be found there, including the sand lizard, grass snake, and the rare smooth snake. Many of these species are under threat, and some are critically endangered, largely due to the loss of important habitats. These habitats include sun-exposed features such as rock piles, dry stone walls, wood piles, and brush piles, as well as natural riverbanks, forest edges, and rocky areas. As part of the Kandertal Reptile Conservation Project, valuable habitats have been surveyed and documented to support their long-term preservation. Working alongside Flora and Luke, the YL Squad helped to maintain and enhance these habitats by clearing brush, creating piles of branches and stones, and improving existing habitat structures. These practical conservation activities make an important contribution to protecting local biodiversity and supporting the survival of the area’s native reptile species.

Mel Wedlock, Young Leader Development Team Lead for Surrey Scouts, said: “Supporting projects like this is a fantastic opportunity for the Surrey Young Leader Squad as part of their service project with KIX. The Squad are taking part in the expedition as members of the wider staff team, giving them valuable experience of supporting and delivering a large-scale international event for young people. Alongside developing their leadership skills, they have been able to make a meaningful contribution to an important local conservation project. It has been great to work with KIX, supporting the local community and helping to protect the natural environment in the Kandertal region.”

A particularly memorable moment came thanks to local shop owner Patrick Straubinger, who gifted every Scout and volunteer a commemorative Swiss pin badge in recognition of Surrey Scouts’ 25-year connection with Kandersteg. Patrick has welcomed generations of Surrey Scouts, alongside visitors from Scout groups across the world, throughout that time.

The expedition also attracted local media attention, with Surrey Scouts appearing on the front page of the Frutigländer, Kandersteg’s local newspaper, as well as featuring in a detailed report inside.

Supporting an event of this scale required an enormous effort from volunteers. Over the course of the week, the catering team provided enough evening meals to feed one person for more than 13 years. The contingent consumed more than 1,322kg of fruit and vegetables, 3,500 wraps, 195kg of cheese, 21,456 slices of salami, 489kg of meat, 1,548 schnitzels, and 255kg of breakfast cereal.

Meanwhile, the high walks team supported participants in covering more than 19,000 kilometres of mountain trails and climbing a combined elevation gain of nearly 650 kilometres. The activities team also coordinated more than 500 cable car journeys and 400 swimming pool visits during the expedition.

As the Scouts returned home, they brought with them new friendships, increased confidence, valuable #skillsforlife and memories that will last a lifetime. Showing Scouting has a #placetobelong.

Ian MacQueen Expedition leader said “KIX 2026 took two years to plan with and aim to give 700 Scouts and leaders the opportunity to try new activities, make new friends and learn skills for life. I think it is safe to say we achieved our aim and more. My thanks to the staff and leaders who made the event a success. We will now start to plan KIX 2029”

Scouts were asked “What were you expecting from the trip before you came?”

A Scout from 3rd Epsom said “I was expecting to be tired from hikes and I was looking forward to the activities, thought it was always cold and there would be lots of always hiking.  I also thought it was going to be like a school trip and was expecting to be fun but wet.”

A Scout from 8th/14th Epsom said “I was expecting adventures, and to meet other Scouts from other countries.”

Scouts were then asked “What’s been the highlight of the week?”

A Scout from 3rd Epsom said “I enjoyed the rafting and going to Brigerbad and it was nothing like a school trip it was much more fun (different to expectations), I got to know lots of Scouts and doing all the different activities including, high ropes. It was a really nice place in general and I want to come again as everything was really fun.”

A Scout from 8th/14th Epsom said “I liked swimming in the pool in the park in Bern after rafting and also the rafting from Thun to Bern.”

We then asked the Adult Volunteers “Why did you want to bring your Scouts on this trip?”

An adult volunteer from 3rd Epsom said “We have been many times before and they get a lot out of the trip and gain great experiences.  It is also great to see true scouting in operation but there are long challenging days but full of fun and excitement.”

An adult volunteer from 8th/14th Epsom said “There is a program for our scouts which is organised by the County team with support & food provision.”

We finally asked the Adult volunteer, “What was there highlight of the week?”

An adult volunteer from 3rd Epsom said “The friendliness, organisation and true Scouting spirit is second to none.  Activities are organised very well with tasks as necessary.  The Scouts found the walks challenging but all survived and surprised they could walk so far and so high.  The food was also very good.”

An adult volunteer from 8th/14th Epsom said “The location, amazing scenery, swimming in Spiez, getting to know other adult volunteers better and hiking way beyond what I would normally do.”

Neil Wibberley

Nearly one in three working-age Surrey residents is not adequately health literate, a council committee report has warned.

The report, which is due to be considered at a joint meeting of Surrey’s Health and Wellbeing Board and Integrated Care Partnership next week, states that low levels of understanding of health information are a “significant barrier” to improving healthcare outcomes in the county.

It defines health literacy as “a person’s ability to access, understand, evaluate, and use health information to make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing”.

But the document noted around 30 per cent of adults aged 16 to 65 in Surrey fall below the threshold for health literacy, rising to 37 per cent in the worst-performing borough, Spelthorne.

The countywide number rises to 49 per cent in areas where numeracy is required.

“This means many adults in Surrey are reading at, or below, the level of an average nine-year-old,” the report reads, “This is a significant concern and highlights the need for continued focus and action to address health literacy across Surrey.”

People with poor health literacy will struggle to read or understand health-related information and know what action to take based on it, the document says.

“Low health literacy is also closely linked to educational disadvantage, deprivation, disability and poorer health outcomes,” it reads, “Improving the accessibility of health information and services is therefore an important lever for reducing health inequalities.”

People with bad health literacy are also more likely to go to hospital more and have depression, the report adds.

A health-literacy pilot programme called Clearer Care aims to combat this trend and help make health information and services clearer for Surrey residents.

It aims to achieve this through a mix of expert guidance and small grants to help Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) organisations deliver their own health literacy pilots.

The report says: “This is a small-scale pilot programme aimed at introducing and embedding health literacy across Surrey. While limited funding and a VCSE-led delivery model may constrain its immediate impact on wider system change, the programme provides an important opportunity to test approaches, generate learning and demonstrate impact.

“Findings will help inform future development, potential scaling and opportunities to embed health literacy more systematically across the system.”

James Moules Local Democracy Reporter

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A doctor stock image (Credit: Pixabay

Historic buildings, forgotten stories and rarely seen corners of Surrey will be brought to life when Heritage Open Days return from Friday 11th to Sunday 20th September.

The annual festival offers free access to historic places, guided walks, exhibitions and talks. This year’s theme, “Everyday Histories”, celebrates the lives, work and experiences of people whose stories may not always feature in traditional accounts of the past.

Among the many events taking place across Surrey are a dozen opportunities to explore the heritage of Epsom and Ewell, ranging from the history of the borough’s spa and racecourse to Ewell’s buildings, local currency and the lives of thousands of patients once treated in Epsom’s psychiatric hospitals.

Remembering the 9,000 at Horton Cemetery

A particular focus of the local programme will be Horton Cemetery – 9,000 People Remembered, taking place on Saturday 12th September from 10am to 4pm.

Around 9,000 former patients of Epsom’s cluster of five psychiatric hospitals were buried in Horton Cemetery between 1899 and 1955. Most lie in unmarked graves and, for decades, their individual identities and life stories were largely forgotten.

The Friends of Horton Cemetery have been working to restore those identities through historical and family research. Visitors will be able to meet researchers and volunteers, explore displays, listen to audio material and learn about some of the people buried there.

The event will be held on land adjacent to the cemetery in Hook Road. The cemetery itself remains inaccessible, but free parking will be available close to the event. Admission is free and advance booking is not required, although the organisers expect the site to become busier later in the day.

A linked event, The History of Horton Asylum and Horton Cemetery, will run at The Horton Arts Centre in Haven Way from 10am to 4pm on the same day.

The Grade II-listed arts centre occupies the former chapel of Horton Hospital. Its exhibitions, presentations and tours will examine the history of Epsom’s five psychiatric hospitals and the lives of the patients and staff who lived and worked within them. Researchers will also be available to help visitors investigate possible family connections.

Local events across the ten days

The borough’s programme begins on Friday 11th September, when St Martin of Tours Church in Church Street, Epsom, will open from 9.30am to 1pm. The parish church will also be open on most days during the festival:

• Saturday 12th September, 10am to 5pm
• Sunday 13th September, noon to 6pm
• Monday 14th to Friday 18th September, 9.30am to 1pm
• Sunday 20th September, noon to 6pm

On Sunday 13th September, a guided Epsom Salts and Spa Walk will leave the historic Assembly Rooms in the High Street at 11am. The walk will explore how Epsom’s mineral waters transformed the town into a fashionable spa destination. Advance booking is required.

Ewell Court House, in Ewell Court Avenue, will welcome visitors between 10am and 2pm that day, offering an opportunity to discover more about the history and architecture of the house. No booking is required.

Also on Sunday, the Service Wing Museum at Nonsuch Park will open from noon until 4pm. The museum occupies part of the surviving service wing of the former Nonsuch Mansion and contains displays relating to the history of the estate and the lost Tudor Palace of Nonsuch. Admission is free without advance booking.

Bourne Hall will host Everyday Histories in Worcester Park from the Iron Age to the Computer Age at 2pm on Monday 14th September. The talk will follow the development of the area through archaeological discoveries, changing communities and more recent technological history. Booking is required.

On Tuesday 15th September, former professional jockey Caroline Baldock will lead Life on the Downs, a guided walk around the Derby course at Epsom Downs Racecourse. The walk begins at 10am and is expected to last approximately 90 minutes. Places are limited and must be booked in advance.

Lost Buildings of Epsom will be the subject of a talk at Bourne Hall at 2pm on Wednesday 16th September. It will recall notable local buildings that have disappeared through redevelopment, demolition or changing uses. Advance booking is required.

Two events follow on Thursday 17th September. Ewell Village, People and Places is a guided walk leaving Bourne Hall at 10am, while Token Coins in Ewell and Epsom, at Bourne Hall Museum at 2pm, will explore the tokens issued by local traders when official coinage was in short supply. Both events require booking.

The local programme concludes on Saturday 19th September when Ewell Castle School opens its doors to visitors from noon until 3pm. The school is celebrating its centenary, having been founded in 1926 when H R Budgell acquired the Castle and opened a school for an initial intake of 40 boys. Advance booking is required.

All Heritage Open Days events are free, but capacity is limited for several of the guided walks and talks. Visitors should book promptly where required and check the individual listings before travelling, as arrangements can change.

The full Surrey Heritage Open Days programme and event search provides details of events across the county, including opening times, accessibility information and booking arrangements.

Sam Jones – Reporter

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Related reports:

Back Epsom’s Horton Cemetery history heroes in national vote

500 patients buried in Epsom’s asylum cemetery no longer forgotten

Friends of Horton Cemetery influence law reform

Epsom’s Horton Cemetery gets attention of two kinds

Attic find fills gap in Epsom local asylum history

Petition to reclaim Horton Cemetery from property speculator

Bringing centuries of Surrey records into the 21st century

Epsom and St Helier parking among UK’s most expensive, study claims

Patients and visitors parking for more than eight hours at Epsom or St Helier Hospital face a £20 charge, placing the NHS trust among the most expensive in the country, according to newly published research.

The analysis by short-term lender Fast Loan UK compared the maximum daily parking charges advertised by NHS trusts on their websites.

It placed Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust joint seventh in its table, alongside Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Devon Partnership NHS Trust.

St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in Tooting was found to have the highest daily charge, at £30. Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust was second at £29, followed by University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust at £26.50.

The ten highest charges identified by the research were:

1. St George’s University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – £30
2. Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust – £29
3. University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust – £26.50
4. Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust – £26
5. York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – £22.50
6. The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – £22
7. Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust – £20
8. Devon Partnership NHS Trust – £20
9. Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust – £20
10. Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – £19

The local charge is confirmed by the Epsom and St Helier hospitals’ published parking tariffs, which have applied since April 2025.

Parking is free for the first 20 minutes. Charges then rise from £3.50 for up to one hour to £6 for two hours, £8 for three hours, £10.50 for four hours and £18 for seven hours. A fixed daily rate of £20 applies to stays exceeding eight hours.

The trust says parking spaces are limited and encourages patients and visitors to use public transport or active travel where possible. Epsom Hospital has 252 spaces, including 32 disabled bays and six drop-off and pick-up spaces.

Several bus services stop at Epsom Hospital itself:

• 166: Croydon – Purley – Chipstead – Banstead – Epsom – Epsom Hospital
• 293: Morden – North Cheam – Ewell Village – Epsom – Epsom Hospital
• 467: Kingston – Chessington – West Ewell – Epsom – Epsom Hospital
• 408: Woodmansterne – Banstead – Epsom – Epsom Hospital – Ashtead – Leatherhead – Effingham
• 479: Guildford – Fetcham – Leatherhead – Epsom Hospital – Epsom – Banstead – Chipstead
• E5: West Ewell – Epsom – Epsom Hospital – Langley Vale
• 516: Epsom – Ashtead – Leatherhead – Box Hill – Dorking
• 623: Ashtead – Epsom Hospital – Epsom
• 21: Crawley –  Dorking, Box Hill, Headley, Leatherhead, Ashtead, Epsom Hsopital – Epsom

Other services connect surrounding areas with Epsom town centre, from which the hospital is approximately a 15-minute walk:

• 406: Kingston – Surbiton – Tolworth – Ewell – Epsom
• 418: Kingston – Surbiton – Tolworth – West Ewell – Epsom town centre
• E9: Epsom – West Ewell – Clarendon Park – Livingstone Park – Manor Park
• E10: Epsom – Manor Park – Noble Park
• E16: Epsom – Stoneleigh – Worcester Park – Ewell
• 318: Burgh Heath – Banstead – Nork – Tattenham Corner – Epsom
• S2: Epsom High Street to St Helier Station

Free hospital parking is available to Blue Badge holders. Outpatients attending hospital three or more times in the same week and parents staying overnight on paediatric wards also qualify for free parking.

Other concessions include a £3.50 ticket for outpatients whose appointment overruns by more than an hour and weekly tickets for dialysis and oncology patients and the immediate relatives of people receiving intensive, high-dependency, coronary, neonatal or end-of-life care.

The trust says all money raised from parking goes towards managing and maintaining its car parks, security, environmental and travel initiatives and its shuttle bus. Any remaining income is directed towards clinical services.

Fast Loan UK said its figures were collected from NHS trust websites in June 2026. Where a trust operated several sites with different tariffs, the comparison used its highest published charge for a standard 24-hour stay.

The research also reported that 33 NHS trusts in England offered free parking and that hospital parking was free in Scotland.

Sam Jones – Reporter

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Image: Epsom Hospital public car park

The Revd Tom Hill has returned to the church where he came to faith more than 25 years ago, following his institution as Vicar of Christ Church Epsom Common.

The service took place on Thursday 27th August and was led by the acting Bishop of Guildford, the Rt Revd Paul Davies, who instituted Mr Hill. He was subsequently inducted and installed by the Archdeacon of Dorking, the Ven Martin Breadmore.

Ordinarily, the appointment of a new vicar would involve a service of collation conducted by the diocesan bishop. However, the Diocese of Guildford currently has what is formally known as a “vacancy in see”, meaning that there is no serving diocesan bishop. As acting bishop, Bishop Paul institutes rather than collates a new incumbent.

The congregation included the Very Revd Bob Cooper, Dean of Guildford Cathedral, local clergy and representatives of Epsom and Ewell Borough Council, schools, uniformed organisations and Churches Together in Epsom.

Official welcomes were offered by Dean Bob Cooper on behalf of Guildford Cathedral and the Revd John Marrow, Area Dean.

Others welcoming the new vicar included Louise Druce, headteacher of Stamford Green Primary School; Karl Nicholas, District Lead Volunteer for Epsom and Ewell Scout District, representing local uniformed organisations; churchwardens David Blacoe and Gill Glasspool; and Christ Church’s children and youth worker, Sofia Welsby. Young members of the Christ Church congregation also took part.

The service had particular personal significance for Mr Hill, who grew up in Epsom and first came to faith at Christ Church more than 25 years ago.

Before entering the ministry, he served for 13 years as an officer with the Metropolitan Police. He began training for ordination in 2016 and subsequently served as a curate at Holy Trinity Claygate and as Associate Minister at Leatherhead Parish Church.

Members of Christ Church were joined at the service by many of Mr Hill’s family and friends, as well as visitors from his former parish in Leatherhead. Mr Hill is married to Megan and the couple have four children.

The occasion also provided an opportunity for Christ Church to welcome two new curates, the Revd Patrick Corley and the Revd Rebecca Catterall.

A reception followed in the parish hall, where former churchwarden Fay Wedlake presented the new vicar with a cross carrying a long association with Christ Church. The cross has traditionally occupied a place in the vicarage study and has been passed down from one vicar to the next over many years.

Mr Hill said he was looking forward to a new season of growth at Christ Church, sharing the Christian message and getting to know more people throughout the local community.

His first Sunday service as Vicar of Christ Church Epsom Common will take place at 10am on Sunday 6th September. All are welcome.

Christ Church Epsom Common is in Christ Church Road, Epsom, KT19 8NE.

Lionel Blackman

Photo: From left to right:

Berwick Curtis Licensed Lay Minister at Christ Church

Revd Nico Ohlsson St Paul’s Howell Hill

Revd Harry Lamaison St Barnabus

Revd Sue Ayling, St Mary’s Ewell

Archdeacon The Ven. Martin Breadmore

Revd James Wakefield, St Mark’s Tattenham Corner

Revd Rebecca Catterall curate Christ Church

Revd John Marrow All Saints West Ewell

Revd David Senior St Pauls Howell Hill

Revd Tom Hill vicar Christ Church

Revd Patrick Corley curate Christ Church

Acting Bishop of Guildford The Rt Revd Paul Davies.

Epsom Picturehouse was filled to capacity yesterday afternoon as the local community came together to mark Ukrainian Independence Day with an afternoon celebrating Ukrainian culture, music and film.

The event began in the Picturehouse foyer, where three young Ukrainians performed a selection of Ukrainian songs. Singer Diana Zadorizhna, guitarist Vlad Verteba and percussionist Vlad Voloshin provided live music as audiences gathered before the film screening.

Visitors were also able to browse a colourful display of Ukrainian crafts, handmade by local Ukrainian women. The crafts offered a glimpse into Ukraine’s rich artistic traditions and gave members of the community an opportunity to share something of their heritage with their neighbours in Epsom.

Nina Kaye of Epsom & Ewell Refugee Network welcomed the audience, and the afternoon began with everyone standing to sing the Ukrainian national anthem.

Roy Deadman, founder of Surrey Stands with Ukraine, introduced the film and spoke about the importance of cultural exchange and of continuing to share Ukrainian culture with the wider community.

The audience went on to enjoy Mavka: The Forest Song, one of Ukraine’s most successful animated films. Inspired by Ukrainian folklore and Lesya Ukrainka’s celebrated 1911 drama The Forest Song, the film combines fantasy, romance, comedy and music with a powerful celebration of Ukraine’s natural and cultural heritage.

The screening attracted a full house, demonstrating once again the strong support that the local community continues to show for Ukrainians living in the area. For those attending, the event was not simply a film screening, but an opportunity to come together, celebrate Ukrainian identity and culture, and strengthen the friendships that have grown between Ukrainians now living in Epsom and the wider community.

The enthusiastic response reflected the continuing message of solidarity that has characterised local support for Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale Russian invasion: Ukrainian culture is alive, vibrant and something to be shared and celebrated.

Nina Kaye

An Epsom woman has celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by three generations of her family and dozens of friends.

Helen Blackman, née Aldridge, was born in Richmond upon Thames on 22 August 1926. She later married Epsom resident Derek Blackman and has lived in the borough ever since.

Mrs Blackman was widowed when her husband died in his 50s, leaving her with three children. She never remarried and has remained closely involved in the local community, where friends describe her as a public-spirited woman who is always willing to help anyone in need, without waiting to be asked or expecting anything in return.

A committed monarchist, Mrs Blackman joined the crowds on The Mall for the coronation of the late Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. She has amassed a treasured collection of royal memorabilia marking coronations and other important anniversaries, to which she can now add a centenary message from King Charles III.

A keen traveller and sightseer, she has enjoyed numerous coach holidays across Europe and the United States. Her other interests include crosswords and the arts, particularly theatre, ballet, opera and classical music.

She continues to attend Glyndebourne Opera each year, courtesy of a nephew who is a conductor and countertenor.

Although her sight is now badly impaired, her speech, hearing and memory remain strong, and she continues to walk with no more assistance than a walking stick.

Mrs Blackman marked her milestone birthday at a celebration organised by her three children at her eldest daughter’s home and garden in Tadworth.

Around 60 guests attended the gathering, including many of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The festivities took place in near-perfect weather and came as a surprise to the centenarian, who had known she was visiting her daughter but had little idea of the large gathering awaiting her.

Friends and family describe her as “a very exceptional and remarkable lady”.

A special correspondent.

[Despite sharing a surname, the late Derek Blackman is not believed to have been related to Epsom & Ewell Times director Lionel Blackman.]

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