The what's on page on our website is updated all the time so do check there for even more things to do and see.

13 July: Horley Carnival

Local organisations including Horley Town Council, Horley Chamber of Commerce, Horley Lions, Horley and District Round Table, 41 Club, Horley Churches and local scouts and guides are planning a Community Family Day with the theme of children's books.

Horleycarnival@gmail.com

13 July: Summer Concert

Reigate Park Church, RH2 8BD

In aid of Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group, local vocalists sing songs of separation and togetherness.

Time: 7.30pm

Cost: £10, concessions £8.

Further details contact Ave Houston 01293 771787 or 07894741458

13 July: Chipstead Village Fair and Flower Show

Elmore, High Road, Chipstead, CR5 3SB

Flower show with craft stall and side shows, children's fancy dress and races.

Further details phone 01737 553962 or email rearl@sloaneclub.co.uk 

13-14 July: Cancer Research UK Relay

Priory Park

An overnight walking event to raise money for Cancer Research UK

Further info email laura@relayforlifereigate.org 

14 July: Princess Alice Hospice 10k Run

Join 25,000 other runners, passing some of the world's most iconic landmarks.

Cost: £200 minimum sponsorship

Further info visit the Princess Alice Hospice website

14 July: Having a Field Day

Whitehall Lane, Reigate, RH2 8LG

South Park in conjunction with field in trust is having a field day. A family fun day with arena events, children's rides, face painting, craft stalls.

Time: 11am - 4pm

Contact info: richard.hyett@ntlworld.com

14 July: Beecholme Belles girls fun soccer morning

Beecholme Recreation Ground, Osier Way, Banstead, SM7 1LL

Free open soccer morning for girls of all abilities in current school years 4 - 10.

Time: 10am - 12pm

Contact info: Lorraine Kennedy 07905 112842, email beecholmebelles@gmail.com or visit the Beecholme Belles website

15 July: Riverside Green Chain Walk

Farmhouse Pub, Horley

Circular walk around the Riverside Green Chain near Langshott to talk about the area's historic and current use, as well as looking at the wildlife in the area.

Time: 10am

Cost: Free

Contact info: Kevin Lerwell, Gatwick Greenspace Partnership 01293 550730 or 07788 101544

15 - 27 July: Gatton Community Theatre presents 'Wilde in the Park'

Gatton Park, Rocky Lane, RH2 0TW

Fairy tales by Oscar Wilde including The Selfish Giant, The Happy Prince and other fairy tales.

Time: 7.30pm

Cost: £12 adults, £8 under 16s, £30 family ticket

Booking is essential on 01737 649066 or email education@gatton-park.org.uk

Tickets available from the Gatton Community Theatre website

23 July: Making Music

RNIB, Redhill

Whether you play an instrument or not if you are interested in music join in with this event run by Mencap Leisure Services.

Cost: £15

Time: 10am - 4pm

Bookings: Saylima Khanom 07506 549609, Jim Lord 07852 546573, Rose Phillips 07506 549601

25 July: Indoor Climbing

High Sports, Redhill

Event run by Mencap Leisure Services.

Cost: £30

Time: 10am - 3pm

Bookings: Saylima Khanom 07506 549609, Jim Lord 07852 546573, Rose Phillips 07506 549601

29 July: Fairy Fantasy (4-7 years)

Gatton Park, Rocky Lane, RH2 0TW

Discover the fairies living in Gatton's gardens. Make fairy gardens and accessories to take home

Time: 10am - 12pm

Cost: £6 per child

Booking is essential on 01737 649066 or email education@gatton-park.org.uk

Further info visit the Gatton Park website.

30 July: Horse Riding run by Mencap Leisure Services

Broadbridge Farm, Horley

Cost: £30

Time: 10am - 4pm

Bookings: Saylima Khanom 07506 549609, Jim Lord 07852 546573, Rose Phillips 07506 549601

31 July: Camp Building (8 - 12 years)

Gatton Park, Rocky Lane, RH2 0TW

Come and build a camp in the woods with your friends.

Time: 1.30pm - 4pm

Cost: £6 per child

Booking is essential on 01737 649066 or email education@gatton-park.org.uk

Further info visit the Gatton Park website

If you’re in the borough on Sunday 28 July then why not head down to Priory Park, Reigate and take part in the Cycle Festival. Between 10am and 5pm you can have a look at bike exhibitions, watch mountain bike displays and take part in cycling competitions!

Exhibitions, stalls and competitions

There will be displays throughout the day from Savage Skills, a freestyle mountain bike jump team. They’ll be demonstrating tricks, stunts and jumps.

Visitors will also have the chance to take part in Rollapaluza, a unique roller racing challenge which sees two participants battle it out on a pair of custom-built rollers connected to a huge dial, with split-second-digital timing.

There’s also plenty to keep the children entertained – bouncy castle, foods stalls and more.

For more information, please visit Surrey County Council’s website.

The project, called Reigate Artisans, is a new scheme with a simple concept – we want to provide an opportunity for retired male residents to make new friends, stay active and have fun. We are currently seeking volunteers to take part in a pilot project from mid-July onwards.

Reigate Artisan pilot

The project is being piloted at Reigate Priory Cricket Club and Old Reigatians Rugby Football Club from mid-July. You will work alongside experienced grounds staff on a variety of activities, including preparing pitches for games and making minor repairs to the club house.   

It is a fantastic opportunity to:

• gain free social membership to the clubs
• meet new people
• learn more about your favourite sport
• keep active
• spend time outdoors
• learn new skills.

No previous experience is required. If you have a little time to spare and are keen to take part in something interesting and rewarding then this will be perfect for you.

Find out more 

Volunteers are welcome from across the borough but the pilot will take place in Reigate at the cricket club and the rugby football club grounds in Park Lane. If you’re interested or know someone who might be and want to have an informal chat, please contact helen.dredge@reigate-banstead.gov.uk or by phone: 01737 276700.

From 2016, every dog owner in England will have to microchip their animal. To help you prepare, we are providing the opportunity to have your pet chipped for free.

Microchipping is a simple, painfree process. If you want to know a little more about what goes on and what the benefits are of having your dog chipped, have a look at the Dogs Trust website.

To make an appointment or to have an informal chat, please email NS@reigate-banstead.gov.uk. Our Dog Warden will then arrange a convenient time and date to visit you and your dog. Requests for chipping must be made by appointment because of the limited supply of microchips we have.

For more information about microchipping and the service, please see our website.

We’ve teamed up again with Tadworth mum-of-two Suzanne Gadilhe who helped us last year with her Christmas recycling tips. This time she’s encouraging people to make and save money by rethinking their rubbish. With the summer holidays looming, a little extra spending money or ways to save cash could come in handy.

Here are her latest tips:

Lend and borrow

Do you need something but don’t want to spend too much? Then consider borrowing things. Check out ecomodo which puts lenders and borrowers in touch.

If you’re looking for toys but keeping an eye on the pennies, visit Merstham Toy Library where you can borrow them at low cost.

Sell, sell, sell

How many of us have things in our homes we no longer need? Convert these to cash by selling them at a car boot fair. Car Boot Junction is an easy way of finding when your local ones are on.

For other local selling outlets, check out your high street for dress agencies which can sell clothes for you.

Get creative with your recycling

Visit my Pinterest page for creative ways to transform items you no longer use. Upcycle That website will also make you see your ‘rubbish’ and unwanted items in a new light!

Staycation

Not going away this year? There are plenty of things to do for free in the borough. Try a guided walk or visit Priory Park for a host of free events and activities.

A facelift for less

And if you’ve decided to do some work on the house rather than go on holiday, the Surrey Reuse Network can help with an affordable makeover, with good quality reusable furniture. The Network also accepts donations of furniture that are no longer needed.

We hope you have fun raising some cash with our tips. Wishing you happy summer holidays.

Our young people came out in force to represent the borough at the P&G Surrey Youth Games last month. 2,000 youngsters from across the county competed on the day.

The sun shone as Team Reigate and Banstead took part in what was a fantastic day at Surrey Sports Park in Guildford. The much loved event aims to promote development sports, such as girls cricket and football, squash and lacrosse, and it always attracts the crowds.

This year, the team came fifth across the 11 boroughs and districts, with Epsom & Ewell taking the crown. Overall, the team performed fantastically and won the second highest number of medals: 

• two gold medals in judo
• a gold medal in junior squash
• a gold medal in boccia
• a gold and silver medal in the under 9 girls football
• a silver and bronze medal in badminton.

Cat Gibson, our leisure development, said: “ Reigate and Banstead had a fantastic weekend. The  overwhelming enthusiasm from young people, parents and volunteers makes the P&G Surry Youth Games a very special event. As well as the success we see in medals over the weekend, the games has helped our clubs gain new members, volunteers gain qualifications, young people achieve their goals and much more.”

We’ll look forward to cheering our team on next year!

On a chilly evening in May, one of Reigate and Banstead's staff members, Pauline Clifford, conquered her fear and walked barefoot across 20 feet of red hot coals burning at 1,236 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pauline had been roped into doing this daring deed by her husband, Nigel Clifford, who is a Trustee for the Surrey Care Trust.

Fire fan

Pauline is known to be a bit of a fire fan; "I need no excuse to light a fire and am very happy cooking in my outside oven (weather permitting). I did wonder though, if this event would prove to be one 'step' too far" she said.

Scary

On the night, however, it all went off without accident or burnt feet. "The scariest bit was when we first saw the fire before they had raked it down," recalls Pauline. "Once it was prepared we had to line up and shout out our name and say we were ready – I think I kept shouting for the whole 20 feet!”

Afterwards all the participants were presented with a certificate which says on it ‘Courage is not the absence of fear, it is the ability to operate in spite of fear.’

Exhilarating

Pauline says she was really glad she took part: “I was definitely outside my comfort zone but it was exhilarating and empowering to do something like that – mind over matter came into it in a big way.”

Pauline raised an amazing £600 for the Surrey Care Trust.

Transforming lives

The Surrey Care Trust is an independent charity supporting people in transforming their life chances. They bring learning and life-changing opportunities to people of all ages helping them improve their skills, confidence and prospects for employment. Find out about future fund raising events see the Surrey Care Trust website.

Core strategy consultation runs until 19 August

The Core Strategy is the Council’s planning document which outlines the scale and location of development planned for the borough. Following public hearing sessions held by an independent Planning Inspector in May, we are now inviting comments on proposed amendments to the Core Strategy. The consultation runs until Monday 19 August 2013.