Check out more ideas and tell us about your events in our What’s on calendar.

13-17 May, evenings 7.30pm, Saturday matinee at 2.30pm
Banstead Operatic Society presents Jesus Christ Superstar
Charles Cryer Studio Theatre, Carshalton, SM5 3BB
Tickets from £16. More information from Sutton Theatre website or call the box office on 020 8770 690.

14-17 May, 7.30pm
Woodmansterne Operatic and Dramatic Society presents 42^nd Street
St Peter’s Church Hall, Chipstead Way, Woodmansterne
More information from news@brbac.co.uk or call Tim Sinclair on 0771 931 8831.

16 May, 7.45pm
Banstead and the Great War talk
Banstead Community Hall, Park Road, Banstead
Tickets £10 (including refreshments) from Banstead.history@ntlworld.com or Collingswood Sounds and Vision Shop, 41 High Street, Banstead.

18 May, 9am
Fundraising walks: 20k for serious ramblers or an easier 5k walk for others in aid of Samaritans of East Surrey 50^th Anniversary.
Starting from National Trust Wray Lane Car Park, RH2 0HX.
£10 / £5. Contact Julie on 07958 000748 or administration_office@eastsurreysamaritans.org

21, 23 and 24 May, 7.45pm
The Archway Theatre Company presents The Collector, by John Fowles
The Archway Theatre, The Drive, Horley
More information from news@brbac.co.uk or phone 0771 931 8831.

1 June, 1-5pm 
Gatton Park and Gardens open
Gatton Park, Reigate, RH2 0TD.
Family activities available. Free golf buggy tours also available for visitors unable to manage Gatton’s slopes and steps.
Entry, £4, children free. Dogs welcome on a lead.

5 June, 10am-12pm
Butterfly Walk, Stagbury Down
Free but please note that this walk may be cancelled at short notice as the butterflies need warm weather.  Meet at Holly Lane Car Park, Chipstead, CR5 3NR.

7 June
Horley Carnival
Horley Recreation Ground, Brighton Road
More information at www.facebook.com/HorleyCarnival or 01293 784965

Take a look at our ‘Half term highlights’ for more ideas for family events.

Help is at hand with the airAlert system - www.airalert.info. This sends free warning messages by text, email or voicemail direct to registered users the day before air pollution levels are forecast to rise to a moderate level or higher.  By then changing plans for any activities that poor air quality may make difficult, residents can help manage their health.

Sign up

• Online via www.airalert.info 

or

• call 01737 276403 or 01372 474750.

Anywhere between 20 and 50 alerts could be issued in a year.

airAlert-4-schools

airAlert-4-schools - a service for educational organisations - specifically supports vulnerable young people by sending email alerts direct to the school. More details are on www.airalert.info.

Who runs airAlert?

airAlert, established and managed by the Sussex Air Quality Partnership, is supported by members of the East Surrey airAlert Consortium, comprising Reigate & Banstead Borough Council, Elmbridge Borough Council, Tandridge District Council, Mole Valley District Council and Epsom and Ewell Borough Council.  

War memorial and war graves restoration

Work is underway to refurbish the borough’s seven war memorials and 207 war graves, to ensure they are in pristine condition for the centenary. If you know a relative or friend of someone buried here, please get in touch so we can learn more about them and their remarkable stories and tell you about this project.

Local groups and organisations volunteer to help

Local schools, uniform groups, organisations and residents have stepped forward to take on the task of keeping dedicated graves looking neat and tidy over the coming years, once the refurbishment is complete in the summer.

Third Banstead Scouts will be helping maintain those at All Saints Church, Banstead. Group Scout Leader, Michael Charman, says: “It is important not to forget those that gave so much so that others can enjoy their freedom.  It is only right that we should honour their memory and by involving the youth of today, we hope to keep their memory alive.”

Volunteers are still needed to help care for certain sites, so if you’d like to get involved, please contact us to find out more.

Commemorative events

From music hall sing-a-longs and show-and-tell events, to remembrance events and local history talks, we’re working with local groups and history experts to make sure there’s something for everyone.

If you’d like to let us know about your event or are interested in volunteering, get in touch.

Later in the year, books of remembrance will allow you to pay your respects.

Find out more

Visit our First World War Centenary page for more information.

Get in touch

So if you enjoy running and want a challenge to aim for, why not sign up? A scenic, varied journey along a largely flat but challenging route with some short, sharp hills awaits you.  The event also supports local charities so you can raise money as you run. Visit www.runreigate.com for more details.

Our Festival of Health

‘Running’ alongside the half marathon is our Fitness and Food Festival, organised jointly by Reigate & Banstead Borough Council and Run Reigate, also taking place in Priory Park on the same day.  

On offer will be sports, health and fitness and creative activities for all the family to try as well as things to buy and healthy food and drink to buy.  And when you’re not busy with these, simply sit back and enjoy the beautiful surroundings of Priory Park.

Local sports clubs and businesses get involved

If you’re from a local sports club or business wanting to get involved in our Fitness and Food Festival please email our Leisure Services team or call them on 01737 276700.

Bank Holiday Monday, 26 May
Surrey County Show
8am to 6pm, Stoke Park, Guildford
www.surreycountyshow.co.uk

Entertainment, food and fun plus the chance to see first hand the many aspects of country life and farming.

Or keep it local with a trip to the cinema: animated fun in Escape from Planet Earth, at Redhill’s Harlequin Theatre on Monday 26 and Tuesday 27. Check www.harlequintheatre.co.uk for times and prices.

Tuesday 27 May
Storytelling with Patrick Ryan
11am-12pm, Redhill Library, Warwick Quadrant, RH1 1NN
£3 per child age 3+. Find out more from 01483 543599 or email libraries@surreycc.gov.uk

Wednesday 28 May
Manga Workshop
2pm-4pm, Horley Library, Victoria Road, Horley, RH6 7AG
£5 per child age 7+. Kev F Sutherland, comic writer and artist for The Beano and the Dr Who Adventures. All you need to know about making comic strips and Manga.
Find out more on 01483 543599 or email libraries@surreycc.gov.uk

Thursday 29 May
RSPB Spring Activities
10am-4pm, Priory Park, Bell Street, Reigate, RH2 7RL
Free.
Make a nectar feeder, make a mask or finger puppet. Help wildlife by giving it a home in your back garden. Run by the RSPB.

Drum Dogs percussion workshop
3-4pm Merstham Library, Weldon Way, RH1 3QB
£4 per child age 6+. Join local percussion band Horsham Drum Dogs for a lively, music making session suitable for beginners and experienced alike.
Find out more on 01483 543599 or email libraries@surreycc.gov.uk

Friday 30 May
Finish the week with a film at the Harlequin. Angelina Jolie stars in Maleficent (PG) as a vindictive fairy in this new take on Sleeping Beauty. Times and prices from www.harlequintheatre.co.uk.

Nominate an individual or group of volunteers for the Mayor’s Volunteer Awards to thank them for the fabulous efforts of volunteers to help our local communities.

The awards scheme, run by Reigate & Banstead Borough Council and Reigate & Banstead Volunteer Service, aims to recognise and celebrate the huge amount of time and energy given to volunteers across the borough.

There are six award categories:

• individual volunteer (aged over 25 years)
• young volunteer (up to 25 years)
• volunteer team
• trustee (individual)
• trustee team
• business award.

New Business award 

For the first time we are specifically recognising the contributions of the business community to charities and good causes locally. Many local businesses encourage their staff to volunteer time, or ask them to raise funds in inventive ways. Nominations can be made either by a business nominating its own staff or by a voluntary organisation which has been supported by a business.

Find out more

For more information and to nominate our Mayor's Volunteer Awards web page. The deadline for nominations is Friday 23 May. Nominees must either live or volunteer within their borough of Reigate & Banstead and receive no remuneration for their time.

Every voter is affected

 “The European election means this polling day affects every voter in the borough,” says John Jory, Reigate & Banstead’s Returning Officer. “There are also local elections in 17 borough wards. Councillors get involved in very local matters like planning policy and development, housing, parking, bin collections, parks and leisure centres. If you are registered, please make sure you use your vote.”

Polling day

• Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm. We have already sent out polling cards with details of your polling station.
• It’s helpful to take your poll card with you. But if you don’t have it, don’t let that stop you – you can still vote and you don’t need to take additional identification.

• If you’re a postal voter, your ballot papers for postal votes were sent out on 9 May. Please allow until 16 May to receive yours.
• Your postal vote must be received by the Council by 10pm, Thursday 22 May. If you leave it too late to post, you can take it to your polling station or the Town Hall, Castlefield Road, Reigate, RH2 0SH.
• The deadlines for registering to vote and to apply for a postal vote have passed. To check the details of your vote registration or to find out your polling station, call us on 01737 276794.

• The results of the local election will be available after votes are counted on Friday 23 May. The European results will be announced by the Regional Returning Officer, based at Southampton City Council after 10pm on Sunday 25 May. Look out for news on our website.