Our website's what's on listings are updated regularly, so do check there for local events. 

December

17-20 December: Christmas Tree Festival

Reigate Park Church

Browse the beautiful trees on display or place a name on the special tree for prayers. Donations on behalf of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and Building Brighter Futures Charities.

Time: 4pm - 6pm

Free of charge

Further details: info@reigateparkchurch.org 

January

15 January: Learning Lunch

Why no come along to our next learning lunch and join a growing group of local businesses to hear an informative speaker then network over a light lunch. To find out more or book you place please email catherine.mcdermott@reigate-banstead.gov.uk.

29 January: The Reigate Heath longer walk

Flanchford Road Car Park, Reigate Heath, RH2 8AB

Join Action for life in a 5 mile walk across Reigate Heath.

Time: 10.30am

Further details visit the Action for Life website

The competition was the culmination of our Entrepreneur Academy, and saw budding entrepreneurs pitching their businesses ideas to a panel of business experts to win vital funding to turn their business idea into a reality. 

For winning businesses Froosion, a juice, smoothy and fruit pot bar and Action Dog Photography, who will each receive £2,500, it will provide essential equipment to set-up and grow their businesses.

Knowledge to succeed

Sally Bartlett of Action Dog Photography and Co-operative Canines dog training said: “I’m delighted to have won because I will be able to buy some of the equipment I need to be able to expand my business and offer an even wider range of photographic services to clients.

“The process, which included advice on how best to deliver our business proposals, plus the feedback and suggestions from the 'dragons' on the day was very useful and provided excellent practice for future business presentations.”

Natalie Dugdale, co-founder of Froosion, said: “This will have a huge impact on our business and will help us to buy the equipment we need.

“The Entrepreneur Academy has been fantastic in taking us through aspects of starting our own business. Without it we could have started a business without knowing the most important things to help us succeed.”

Practical advice and business skills

The Entrepreneur Academy, run in partnership with East Surrey College, provides budding entrepreneurs with practical advice and skills, about setting up and running a successful business from business planning, finance and legal aspects to marketing and online business promotion. A team of business mentors also provide ongoing support. 

Simon Bland, the Council’s Business and Community Engagement Manager, said of the scheme: “We want to encourage and foster entrepreneurial behaviour as it’s good for our local economy. Through the Entrepreneur Academy and our other business support initiatives we are trying to ensure that our entrepreneurs have the business skills they need before they start out.”

Among the contributors were Kingston Smith, Morrison’s Solicitors, Surrey Chamber of Commerce, Barclays Bank, Let’s Do Business, the Institute of Directors, Federation of Small Business and Young Start-up Talent.

Register for next time

The scheme is set to run again in the new year, starting in February. To find out more and register your interest visit our How we can support your business page  or email businessandcommunityengagement@reigate-banstead.gov.uk.

Look before you book

What’s your recipe for a great Christmas meal? If you’re going out this year, make sure one of your ingredients is one of the 733 of restaurants in the borough with a good food hygiene rating this Christmas. 95% of restaurants in the borough have a hygiene rating of 3 or above so there’s plenty to choose from!

Look out for the green and black food hygiene rating stickers displayed on windows and doors. If you can’t see a sticker, then ask staff inside or check online at www.food.gov.uk/ratings. You can keep up to date when you’re on the go as well by using the FHRS app.

Staying in?

If you’re staying in, don’t let an upset stomach ruin your festive feast! Here are our twelve food safety tips:

1. Washing the turkey: Don’t wash the turkey (or other poultry) in the kitchen sink as it spreads bacteria.
2. Cooking: Never undercook poultry (e.g. chicken, turkey and duck). Cook until the juices run clear of blood.
3. Leftovers: Cool down quickly and refrigerate immediately; reheat to a high temperature (piping hot) and eat within three days.
4. Handwashing: Have plenty of hot water and soap and dry your hands thoroughly. 
5. Kitchen cloths: Warm, damp cloths are breeding grounds for all food poisoning bacteria. Change frequently.
6. Cleaning: Use a disinfectant to clean worktops. Read and follow the instructions carefully as some have to be left for 15 minutes before wiping off.
7. Fridge space: Ensure you have adequate space for the Christmas foods (drinks can always be chilled using cool boxes or bags or even left outside).
8. Fridge temperature: Buy a refrigerator thermometer and ensure it runs between 0◦C and 5◦C.
9. Use by dates: Always consume by the Use-by date as you cannot rely on your senses to indicate whether harmful bacteria is present in food. 
10. Preparing a buffet: Cold items for a buffet should remain covered and in the fridge until the last minute. Don't keep them out for more than four hours.
11. Avoid cross contamination: Keep all raw food separate from ready-to-eat foods to avoid cross-contamination. Use separate chopping boards.
12. Defrosting: Check there’s no ice in the body cavity of your Christmas bird and that the legs and wings move freely.

This winter, you are not going to be left out in the cold. Surrey County Council (SCC) and the Highways Agency will be keeping the roads open if snow arrives, with a fleet of 39 gritters ready to go.

If you are worried about service disruption, you can follow Gritter Twitter @surreytravel for regular updates. For other gritting enquiries, you can ring Surrey County Council on 0300 200 1003. 

If potholes do appear, please report them via Highways information online on the Surrey County Council website.

Keep informed about our local services

The best way to keep up to date with disruption to any of our services, like bin collections or building closures, is to follow us on Twitter @reigatebanstead or check our website. We do advise that you put your bins out though as we do our best to try and collect them whatever the weather.

You can also check relevant websites to stay informed about specific services:

• School closures: check Schools on the SCC website or relevant school website
• Donyngs and Banstead and Horley leisure centres (Better website)
• Harlequin Theatre and Cinema website

Where is your stop tap?

It is also a good idea to keep an eye on your water supply in case of frozen or burst pipes. Sutton and East Surrey water provide useful recommendations about what to do should this happen.

Prepare well

For further advice to help prepare properly you can check out the Met Office’s Get Ready for Winter which has lots of great advice.

Look out for others

Please also remember to look out for those nearby, especially the elderly and vulnerable who may have trouble clearing driveways or doorways. We would be very grateful to residents or businesses that can help. Keep your shovel at the ready!

Don’t forget that over Christmas and New Year there will be changes to your recycling and refuse collection days. If you’re unsure what bins to put out when, check using ‘where I live’ or see the Bank Holiday collection page on our website.

‘Rethink your rubbish’ for a better Christmas

Even at this festive time, when we treat ourselves, there are ways of making our money go further, reusing what we can and recycling what we can’t. Here are some of our cheery tips to get you thinking:

• We spend an average of £170 a family on our big Christmas food and drink shop. The Love Food Hate Waste advent calendar is full of money-saving hints and advice
• Looking to spend less on festive food? Check out online options for food near or just past its best before date but still safe to eat. Options include: Approved Food and Clearance XL.  
• Avoid bulging bins – try to recycle as much of your rubbish as you can – and save your refuse bin for rubbish that can’t be reused or recycled. Don’t forget to squash your recycling (cardboard boxes, plastic bottles etc.) where you can.
• And don’t forget to ‘recycle it right’ by placing the correct things in your mixed recycling bin – and remember to put paper and card in the separate black box. Remind yourself of what can and can’t go in each container on our website or check out our ‘recycle it right’ flyer (PDF).

Wishing you happy holidays full of maximum fun and minimum waste!

New Year recycling resolution

Looking for inspiration for your New Year resolutions? Why not pledge to rethink your rubbish and recycle more?